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Student Wants Science To Name 'Hella' Big Number

Posted by samzenpus on from the big-way-big-and-hella-big dept.

thodelu writes "Austin Sendek, a 20-year-old UC Davis student, is trying to get scientists from Boise to Beijing to use the term 'hella' to denote the unimaginably huge, seldom-cited quantity of 10 to the 27th power. From the article: 'It started as a joke, but Sendek's Facebook petition: to the Consultative Committee on Units, a subdivision of the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures, has drawn more than 60,000 supporters. Its chances for formal adoption by the global weights-and-measures community are hella dim, but Google was so taken with Sendek's modest proposal that it incorporated "hella" in its online calculator.'"

23 of 193 comments (clear)

  1. Nothing says math revolution by notommy · · Score: 5, Funny

    like a page in facebook.

    1. Re:Nothing says math revolution by BitZtream · · Score: 4, Informative

      Also ...

      has drawn more than 60,000 supporters

      I can sneeze without a Facebook account and get 60k people involved. When you're using a big popularity contest where you being friends with someone makes them more popular than anyone who can be your friend is going to do it.

      There should be a ban against being a live and using facebook at the same time.

      --
      Persistent Volume manager for Kubernetes - https://github.com/dwimsey/openshift-pvmanager
  2. Cartman by Pojut · · Score: 4, Funny

    "You guys are hella stupid...you guys are hella lame."

    --
    Living With a Nerd
    1. Re:Cartman by DeafDumbBlind · · Score: 5, Funny

      Damn it Cartman, stop saying Hella.

      --


      Jesus used to be my co-pilot, but we crashed in the mountains and I had to eat him.
    2. Re:Cartman by bsDaemon · · Score: 3, Funny

      whatever you guys, i'm hella keeeeewwwww'

  3. Dumb whim. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Keep it in urban dictionary, where it belongs.

  4. "lotsa" taken? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I think it would be wise not to make reference to a religious concept in an SI prefix.

  5. Good Luck... by ringmaster1982 · · Score: 5, Funny

    .. I lost my bid to the EU to adopt Metric F*ck Ton. =(

  6. Who is this guy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    What makes him qualified to name anything? Does he even own any land?

  7. What? by natehoy · · Score: 2, Insightful

    "Hella" refers to "hell", a religious term. If science is going to use religion, then it should at least use it accurately.

    "Hella" is a perfectly valid prefix, but should be reserved for 10^666.

    --
    "This post contains words, known to the State of California to cause thought. Wash brain thoroughly after reading."
  8. Re:What do by ctrl-alt-canc · · Score: 3, Funny

    Given the amount of hellenic state deficit, I think that setting 1 hella = 10^27 is quite appropriate.

  9. Not going to happen by xaxa · · Score: 5, Informative

    There's already a system.

    See http://www.bipm.org/en/CGPM/db/19/4/ "The names zepto and zetta are derived from septo suggesting the number seven (the seventh power of 10^3) and the letter "z" is substituted for the letter "s" to avoid the duplicate use of the letter "s" as a symbol. The names yocto and yotta are derived from octo, suggesting the number eight (the eight power of 10^3); the letter "y" is added to avoid the use of the letter "o" as a symbol because it may be confused with the number zero."

    Also, the order is Z, Y, so the next is X. Hence the next prefix is likely to be xona

    http://www.mindspring.com/~jimvb/unitsystem.htm

    1. Re:Not going to happen by RevWaldo · · Score: 5, Funny

      New petition! Replace zepto- with zeppo-. To be followed of course by:

      10^-24: chico-
      10^-27: harpo-
      10^-30: groucho-


      .

      --
      Prisencolinensinainciusol. Ol Rait!
  10. Guy walks into a store by somaTh · · Score: 5, Funny

    A guy walks into a store. "I'd like a 1 Hellahertz computer"
    Clerk promptly smacks him with a laptop.
    "Thanks!"

    --
    Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.
  11. Re:Why Not "Helluva"? by Orion+Blastar · · Score: 3, Informative

    Sigh, another hip young developer that thinks he knows it all but yet again shows his ignorance on the Internet. You cannot use helluva fool, Mr. T invented that phrase and it is his trademark and copyright! Hires Proof!

    1980's pop culture references you young hip developers might never get, but Mr. T takes on Megatrong.

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  12. Re:What do by brian0918 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I guess then 10^50 should be called Ameri-.

  13. This is an extrordinarily bad idea... by Chrisq · · Score: 4, Funny

    The corresponding prefix for 10^-27 would logically be hello. Just imagine trying to take a lecture serously when the lecturer talks about "hello Henrys"

  14. Re:Why? by IndustrialComplex · · Score: 4, Funny

    Plus, it breaks the convention of naming things after the person who discovered them.

    Yeah, Mr. Liter, Dr. Meter, and Reginald the Second are going to be really steamed if this is adopted.

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  15. Re:I've always supported flexible use of language by badboy_tw2002 · · Score: 3, Funny

    So you understand Bush, but most people have trouble understanding you. I suggest freezing yourself for 500 years and going to see the doctor:

    "Don't wanna sound like a dick or nothin', but it says on your chart that you're fucked up. Ah, you talk like a fag, and your shit's all retarded. What I'd do, is just like... ha ha... like... aha... you know, like, you know what I mean, like... haha... Don't worry scrote! There are plenty of 'tards out there living really kick ass lives. My first wife was 'tarded. She's a pilot now."

  16. Hella is cool by GrahamCox · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hella is cool - I used to have a set on my rally car. They're bright, but not 10^27 bright...

  17. It's called Octillion by Nonillion · · Score: 4, Informative

    10^27 already has a name, it's called Octillion. Dag nabit! I like my numbering system the way it is! No get off my lawn!

    --
    "I bow to no man" - Riddick
  18. Knuth's Potrzebie System of Weights and Measures by RevWaldo · · Score: 2, Informative

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potrzebie#Unit_System
    http://webofstories.com/play/17067

    Don Knuth wrote this system up, won an award for it, and got it published in MAD Magazine - all by the age of nineteen. Check and mate, Sendek!

    .

    --
    Prisencolinensinainciusol. Ol Rait!
  19. Re:Hmmm by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 2, Informative

    No, that is reserved for 10^30.