Fictional Town "Eureka" To Become Real?

Zarath writes "The fictional town of Eureka (from the TV series by the same name) is going to potentially become a real life town as the University of Queensland, in Australia, plans to build a multibillion-dollar 'brain city' dedicated to science and research. The city, hoping to hold at least 10,000 people, is looking to attract 4,500 of the brightest scientists from around the world to live and work there. The city is planned to be built west of the city of Brisbane, in Queensland. While not funded by the Department of Defense (like the [city of the] TV series), the potential for such a community is very interesting and exciting."

Comments

We already have one...

[trailerparkcassanova]

but we call ours Los Alamos...

Re:We already have one...

[haystor]

I'd be betting on Los Alamos should the two ever go head to head.

Re:We already have one...

[osu-neko]

Aye-aye-aye! Name-calling — how sad... Given the government's wonderful successes in education, highway upkeep, and pensions — wanting it to also expand into healthcare — whose mental faculties are we supposed to question?

Anyone who has an "all-or-nothing" mentality. Anyone who points to a few government successes and concludes the government has a Midas touch for making things work is clearly an idiot. Anyone who points to a few government failures and concludes the government never does anything right is equally idiotic. Sane and rational people look at the specifics of a proposal and decide whether it's a good idea or not, rather than immediately conclude it's a good idea or a bad idea based on whether it involves government or not.

Birth rate

[DrYak]

A town entirely full of science geeks ?
Well, at least they shouldn't expect a very high birth rate...

Re:Birth rate

[Anonymous Coward]

The problem with this city is that it is far too large. The largest that you can build a stable "brain" city is 5,000. After that point, interference from the various doomsday machines under its soil will make its imminent destruction more and more certain.

Hmm... good idea...

[abroadwin]

...keep all of our best and brightest in one location. What could possibly go wrong?

welcome to 50 years ago

[bornyesterday]

the research triangle park

Sounds like what the Soviets did

[CRCulver]

One of the most interesting decisions in Soviet science was the establishment of Akademgorodok, an enclave outside Novosibirsk dedicated entirely to scientists (see e.g. Josephson's New Atlantis Revisited published by Princeton University Press). I don't understand why that wasn't more popular in Western countries. Maybe sciences move ahead when you give scientists peace, a sense of respect and dignity, and ability to manage their own work. Of course, generous funding is essential, lest it all go down the tubes.

Re:Sounds like what the Soviets did

[DeadDecoy]

I think we already have something like this to the degree that it can exist and they're called universities. I actually think this isn't a very good idea. The premise is that smart people are naturally gifted and if, herded into a small enclosure, will develop good things. The true value of smart people, however, is not the gadgets they can develop, but the education they can distribute to their surrounding communities. If the city does not train new minds, or allow the 'less intelligent' to be trained, then it will probably stifle the growth of intellectual resources. If it does do research and train you people who show sufficient academic prowess, then it's simply a university town.

goodluckwiththat

[owlnation]

So... you want intelligent people to move to Australia?

This, being the same Australia that's introducing filtering and censorship to its entire Internet?

Yeah, good luck with that... Oh, and enjoy your forthcoming Dark Age.

Why is this a good idea?

[Shaitan Apistos]

I haven't seen the show, so forgive me if the writers have handled my objections in some clever fashion in one of the episodes, but..

I don't see the upside to this, it's easier now than ever before for people to collaborate remotely, negating much of the need for being in the same physical location.

I do see a downside to this, putting all our intellectual eggs in one basket makes a pretty attractive target for terrorists, whether they be Islamic, Luddite, or some other group in the future that isn't particularly keen on progress or reason as a means of dealing with reality.

Re:Eureka

[93 Escort Wagon]

I thought nerds preferred the cold dark of their parents basements or garages, to any kind of socialization?

Didn't you read the summary? They're "looking to attract 4,500 of the brightest scientists from around the world" for a city that's supposed "to hold at least 10,000 people". So obviously they're accounting for all the parents as well.

you won't get a town full of smart people

[circletimessquare]

you'll get a town full of people who have a desperate and ego-driven need to be seen as smart

kind of like joining mensa. anyone who needs that sort of attention and reinforcement is not exactly niels bohr

the smart guys in any room are always low key and in the back, not attention whores