EdEarl

A black hole is the remains of a star, after the star consumes all the atoms that can be fused into other atoms. For example hydrogen atoms fuse into helium. Our Sun is a star, but it is too small to become a black hole. When a larger star, one with more gravity burns its fuel, its gravity is so strong that most of the atoms in the star are crushed into a tiny volume and that star becomes a black hole. Atoms are very small, you are made of billions of them. Since you are not infinitely large, the atoms in your body cannot be infinitely far apart. I'm not sure what you think about an "infinite amount of space," but infinity is really large, larger than anyone can imagine. If you count 1, 2, 3, 4, ... you can count to bigger and bigger numbers, but you cannot count as large as infinity. Similarly, if you fly in a straight line, into space and away from the Earth, you can fly further and further, but you can never fly infinitely far away from the Earth, there is always further away.

If there are any Roman buildings still standing that used Pozzolanic material, what can we learn from them. I assume your concern is for the steel rebar. I've seen some references to using carbon fiber rebar, which probably would not deteriorate due to carbonation.

Has anyone had the realization that they remember less in the morning, than they did the night before? I have not. I suppose one cannot remember what is forgotten. People who keep a diary might know from reading what they wrote the evening before, except the act of writing about something will reinforce and tend to preserve memory. Can we test this theory informally?

EMC compared to Portland Cement saves over 90% CO2 emission and energy use. It can be used in 70% of construction instead of Portland Cement, with an estimated annual savings of 2.4G tons CO2 and 2.3T KW energy. When there are many plants to make EMC, the climate may improve. At least, the climate will not degrade as quickly.

What?

BOINC Manager connects volunteer computers into a computing cloud that can be used by various projects, including SETI and MindModeling@Beta, with the following purpose: I think the mind modelling effort will succeed in creating AGI, with artificial emotions. The current mind model is incomplete, and a complete model is not near. There are already groups discussing the ethics and moral issues, as well as safety considerations, for example, The Institute for the Future.

There are fewer voids in cellulose insulation than plastic foams, and R-values of cellulose is consequently less than foam. Boric acid and borax are used to make cellulose insulation mold and mildew resistant. I wondered why soda wasn't added to make small interior voids. Now I know. TYVM

Solar PV and windmills can provide all the energy we need, energy storage technology is now adequate; although, installing enough PV, windmill and storage is a huge infrastructure project. Tesla Motors has demonstrated electric cars are viable; thus, the technologies for greening the Earth are ready, and additional improvements will no doubt be invented. These things are required to control the climate. Waste management has improved some over the past few decades, but recycling things that end up in the environment, carelessly thrown away, is difficult. Today, volunteers often spend a few hours cleaning up a beach, park, river bank, etc., but current technology cannot help. As robots become less expensive they will be used to clean the environment. Utility companies are responsible for the power infrastructure, and must develop green energy solutions and the power infrastructure. Governments can encourage green energy solutions with regulations, laws and incentives. But, most importantly, voters need to cast their ballot for green politicians.

What have you read about interrupts?

Does a solution of boric acid and sodium bicarbonate yield CO2?

Cost is a barrier to space exploration, but costs are coming down. Eventually replicator technology will make construction and demolition in space inexpensive. However, it will not reduce the cost of putting people into space; for that, something like the space fountain or space elevator is required. There are people who will pay to go into space, and several projects are underway including a space hotel and suborbital flights. Whether there will be enough business or not to pay for a space fountain is uncertain, but it is clear people want to go into space. Much depends on the future of humanity on Earth. Will climate change cause disaster, or will humanity make an amazing 9th inning home run to save the World.

You have not specified whether your project is for PhD, Masters, Bachelors, or other, which means our suggestions may be misplaced. A one year project is probably not a PhD level project. A wearable computer similar to Glass might be expensive and technically complex. The first wearable computers were cell-phone based, and hung around one's neck. Glass and similar projects now focus on making these computers smaller, which requires very good equipment; you must be studying at a University to suggest such a project, or have access to equipment elsewhere. Since your profile lists biology as a primary science interest and your post describes a wearable computer, you might combine your two interests to make a wearable computer for biologists. For example, one that combines a digital microscope for field use, with removable flash card to store an image library (e.g., images of bacteria). Similar to the VT-300 Digital Microscope, for example. Make it easy for the user to view library images and microscope images for comparison.

I suppose one's perception of realism depends on perspective, because I believe what you and the IEA propose is unrealistic. Just because billions of people believe in a fairy tale, does not make that fairy tale real. I try to choose a realistic path in spite of my government doing too little and regardless of people who stick their heads in the sand.

Syria is a quagmire. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/08/29/9-questions-about-syria-you-were-too-embarrassed-to-ask/

Good plan, easiest to do with a memory stick or USB backup drive. Connecting computers, back to back, whether via local network or special cabling can be time consuming, because computers protect themselves from other computers, meaning you would have to override security. If you have done it previously and do not need to refer to documentation, it wouldn't take long. Otherwise, you are better off cherry picking, IMO.

Roll the uncut sheets of paper to make it curl lengthwise. After you cut the strips, curl them into 11" long tubes and tape them together. I suppose it must be free standing, so you must use some of the 11th strip to make a base. However, if you make the entire structure a very tall cone, it would more stable as there would be less mass at the top. Instead of cutting identical 11/16" strips, you will have to plan a more complex cut. The cone should be free standing, without an additional base.

The first definition, "the sum of the physical and chemical processes in an organism by which its material substance is produced, maintained, and destroyed, and by which energy is made available," could (except for the word organism) describe physical and chemical processes in a gasoline engine to make available energy. The materials gasoline and air are mixed to produce a vapor that is maintained in tubes until it is destroyed in the combustion chamber. I am not saying the two are equivalent, but there are similarities. An engine is not alive, an organism is. But, I believe when all the processes and parts of a cell have been identified, each one will be inanimate, and only the whole organism will be alive. Moreover, the definition of life is likely remain elusive.

A USB memory stick works well; although, I have made disk-to-disk backups in one machine (A), remove the backup from A, and instal it in another machine (B). However, you cannot do that with the operating system disk (C: on windows). It is also possible to transfer data via your local internet, or to store data from A in the cloud and retrieve it onto B.

CEOs want economic growth to pad their income, which in the US is usually outrageous. People need to focus on living happy lives, and stop fretting about having more junk than their neighbors. The US needs to reduce its consumption of energy, and I've already provided sources that illustrate countries can have happy, healthy citizens with 1/4 the resource use of the US. Applying that model worldwide means there would be a net economic decrease, but no one would suffer, in fact everyone would be happier and healthier. The current thinking of economists and the IEA is nonsense. So repeating the need for economic growth is shaking a dead bush just to make noise. You lack cogent arguments. Try people are stubborn and resistant to change; thus, they will not cut back. And, they will ruin their good lives because they will not be reasonable.

The biggest reason for space travel is to have human civilization on two planets, to reduce the risk of an asteroid or other catastrophe destroying humanity. The two most likely places are the Moon and Mars, and sustaining life on either one will be a challenge. Mars would be more suitable if it were larger for at least two reasons. First, if it were larger its core might be active and create a magnetosphere to protect from some solar radiation. Second, if it were larger, its atmosphere would be thicker and water could be liquid on its surface; although, its distance from the sun will make it colder. Asteroids might be thrown at Mars to increase its mass. And, a Dyson ring might be used to provide more intense light. Although, these things would be very expensive at this time, robotics, AGI and replicators will eventually reduce their cost to an acceptably low fraction of a national budget. It should only take three replicators. One replicator sent to the asteroids can replicate itself and throw small asteroids at Mars. Another replicator sent to Mercury can replicate itself and start launching Dyson satellites to make a ring around the Sun. When Mars is large enough and warm enough, a third replicator can be sent to Mars to begin climate engineering and seeding plants on its surface. This plan would be complicated by a colony already existing on Mars. That would require a robots to help that colony move from time to time as Mars becomes larger and warmer. They might be able to make their own, but if not a replicator could be sent from Earth. The resources used by Earth would be very modest, three or four successful launches of replicators.

This list of 25 most intelligent animals seems to be a popularity contest. I am a cat lover, but cats are not IMO more intelligent than an orangutang or crow, and probably not as smart as a monkey or sea lion. The same goes for squirrels. It lists whales but shows a picture of an orca (misnamed killer whale), which is a dolphin and not actually a whale. There are different kinds of intelligence, graphic, audio, and verbal to name a few. It is easy to understand that an orca and sperm whale, both dolphins, have very large brains and are quick learners. Their smaller cousins, the bottle nose dolphin, can communicate in sophisticated ways that we do not fully understand, and I think the same is true of orca and sperm whales do too. Using sonar they can see prey through darkness and hidden in ocean sand. It seems reasonable they can see inside each other and notice pregnancy and tumors. Perhaps some of the dolphins know of seaweed and animals that they use for medicinal purposes (speculation). However, I cannot imagine they would understand that a human surgeon could perform an operation to remove a tumor. Because of volcanic activity in the oceans, dolphins probably understand dangerous temperatures. However, I cannot imagine they would understand a Bic lighter. On the other hand, at least one bonobo has used a lighter to light a campfire, and water to quench it. A bonobo has a much smaller brain than many dolphins or an elephant. But, it is hard to compare the intelligence of a human, bottle nose, orca, sperm whale, bonobo, chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan, African elephant and Asian Elephant. Although, comparison of various primates, various cetaceans, and various pachyderm would be easier than all of them together. My list of the smartest animals would include all of the apes, dolphins, and pachyderm.

The Catholic Church resisted science centuries ago on issues like the heliocentric model of the Universe (Earth orbits the Sun), and has lately refrained from criticizing science and burning people at the stake. Not all religious people are as enlightened as the Catholic Church is today. IMO most scientists would prefer to study nature and report what they see without being dragged into a religious discussion. I have said enough about this issue. I accept your definition and use of PC.

I consider PC as insignificant compared to the attack on the educational system. For example, school boards have tried to prevent teaching evolution and instead teach creationism. That didn't work, so now they want both taught, but that isn't working either. Nonetheless, they continue trying. Moreover, there are reported to be about 25% of biology teachers in the US that do not believe in evolution.

IMO all living things are machines. An automobile engine converts gasoline into mechanical energy, people convert sugar into mechanical energy. Our brains calculate, computers calculate. Living things are much more than machines, however.

tyvm, timo