A few other comments hit on this, but I wanted to more succinctly.
This trauma just happened. Do not underestimate the ability of the brain to re-route around damage. It takes time and physical therapy. She may unfortunately remain a quadriplegic, but facial/eye control could improve significantly over the coming weeks.
I'm really happy to hear that the baby is fine. I bet that gives her hope and determination to continue the fight. If she can survive and stabilize then in the future she may be a candidate for brain-machine interfaces. I have no doubt that within roughly a decade quadriplegics will once again become self-sufficient.
Scientists have already found several microbes (fungi mostly) that can break down plastics and other petrochemicals. Concentrating them into one place seems like a good breeding grounds for more efficient strains. Their by-products are then just normal organic shiz (scientifically speaking) that can be used as fertilizer or compost or whatnot.
I think you're on the right track but interfacing directly with human cells is the wrong approach, at least initially. I would say we should focus on getting bacteria fully programmable. After all, they are ubiquitous in our own bodies. If we can control them, we can indirectly control our own cells. This would be a much safer method, as there could be programmed in fail-safes that destroy the bacteria if needed. You wouldn't want to do that with your cells.
As far as I can tell, there has never been a sustained system that has been cryogenically chilled in such an extreme environment (eg high neutron flux, >1000C temps).
It's not that they can't create a plug, it's that they have no idea how to do it reliably 24/7/365 x 30years.
After doing a lot of research into the current state of Thorium technology I was able to find the following non-FUD conclusions as to why Thorium and LFTRs in particular aren't working out so well.
1) The liquid medium that is actually containing the fission events is incredibly caustic. This means that the reactor vessel, in addition to dealing with a very high neutron flux, has to handle severe corrosion issues at the surface. The fact that it is done at STP does not provide any help.
2) The salt 'plug' that is often cited as a major safety asset for the LFTR has some major engineering obstacles that have been be able to be addressed yet.
3) The liquid medium has to undergo re-processing on a fairly frequent basis. This is non-trivial as the medium is highly caustic and radioactive. The products pulled out are also highly problematic. This is probably one of the biggest hurtles for LFTR. It is a costly and messy chemical process.
There are other smaller problems, but these are the 'big three' I can recall.
For next-gen reactor tech my money is either on traveling wave type reactors (which never need to be refueled for its entire lifespan..30-100 years). Look up the Toshiba 4s for the furthest along reactor.
There are also sub-critical 'energy amplifier' reactors that use a particle accelerator to drive a proton beam into a spallation target (lead) which causes a neutron flux suitable for fission events to occur, though not enough to cause a self-sustaining reaction. Only 10% of the energy is required to be redirected back to the accelerator (fission rules like that). This one has the advantage of being able to use pretty much any fuel, and waste we have as well as reducing the daughter products to benign isotopes. Belgium is currently in the process of building one.
Gene alalysis would be able to tell if it was from Earth or not. Even if the other life did have DNA. Although, DNA could out-compete before we got a chance to study the ET life.
I would say that it is our sacred duty to SEED mars with as many types of bacteria that would stand a chance at living and prospering.
DNA is the home team. We are DNA. We should ensure that it has a chance in case Earth goes totally tits up. People always talk about that in terms of humans, but really it's DNA.
Europa, Enceladus, anywhere we can get it to survive and grow.
We should even be undergoing genetic engineering efforts to space-harden some strains. Or make viable capsules that could last millions of years.
I agree with your extrasolar assessment, but I can see habitations on other worlds in our solar system. There are a lot of moons around Saturn and Jupiter. Not to mention a likely high number of suitably large asteroids.
Though in order for that to happen aging, cancer, and disease in general will have to be an essentially solved problem. First, to be able to withstand the increased radiation in space. Second, to have a need for human colonization. If the population no longer dies, and the society is energy-rich, habitation elsewhere is certainly possible.
Of course, it would be easier to create colonies under the oceans than it would be to create colonies on other planets.
That was all very well said. Which is why I'm replying it!
If we know that we're the problem, then I think we should seriously consider seeding the oceans with iron or whatever materials necessary to cause blooms of plankton.
The theory I've usually heard is that there are blooms that then die and fall to the bottom of the ocean as a form of carbon sequestration.
What if these blooms actually fed new and existing ecosystems. Baleen whales and other such fishes. It would make amends for all of the whaling and fishing humans have done. Their biomass is also effective carbon sequestration.
In all seriously though, we really need to ramp up nukes fast. They'd have to be mass produced factory-built for it to really work. Preferably lead cooled traveling wave reactors. Those are tight. I think there are some corrosion issues though that are currently being investigated. Perhaps the new field of 2d materials could provide some new insight into reactor material sciences.
Can't speak for the dude, but I think that the single LED w/micro mirror approach painting an image directly onto your retina like an old CRT is going to win. It can fool what we're focusing on. This current approach never gets beyond the 'you are still looking at a screen inches from your eyes'.
The current tech has the resolution at about 320x200 or something like that. Obviously to low for now. But even reviews of that resolution said that it was still eerily lifelike and different from a regular screen
It's a good question. The best solution I can come up with (conspicuously short on details) is nuke powered (in sub-basement) pre-fabricated highrises. Social interaction and fulfillment (since jobs availability for all shouldn't be assumed) will be computer game/mmo based for education and coordination of other 'meat space' social activities.
This obviously assumes a lot of post scarcity tropes. Indoor hydroponic farming, on-site fabrication, carbon based electronics, etc
The only potential solution I can think of is what some have called 'Computational Socialism'.
The way I see it, all power corrupts and that the government's role should be to provide for its citizens. If we accept the tenet that all power corrupts then we should make every attempt possible at removing people from the equation in government. The vast majority of functions a government makes are mechanistic and often require so many variables that no person could make a logical decision. These should be governed by algorithms that are clear and open source. Decisions made by the algorithm also provide 'proofs' for how the policy was created. It is the people's job to check and verify the proofs and use them as a basis for arguments one way or the other. Tweaking of the algorithms should be evidence based and with public support.
I've been refused condoms at an Ingles in Asheville, NC. When asked where they were the lady looked at my and my GF with disgust and contempt and said "WE DON'T CARRY THOSE HERE!" In shock I just said "Okay, its off to CVS for us."
This may be a good story to point out that the Space Dub group Sagan Youth Boys uploaded a track from their upcoming album that tracks a voyage to and into Europa.
Slashdot Mirror
A few other comments hit on this, but I wanted to more succinctly.
This trauma just happened. Do not underestimate the ability of the brain to re-route around damage. It takes time and physical therapy. She may unfortunately remain a quadriplegic, but facial/eye control could improve significantly over the coming weeks.
I'm really happy to hear that the baby is fine. I bet that gives her hope and determination to continue the fight. If she can survive and stabilize then in the future she may be a candidate for brain-machine interfaces. I have no doubt that within roughly a decade quadriplegics will once again become self-sufficient.
Good luck. Stay Strong.
Scientists have already found several microbes (fungi mostly) that can break down plastics and other petrochemicals. Concentrating them into one place seems like a good breeding grounds for more efficient strains. Their by-products are then just normal organic shiz (scientifically speaking) that can be used as fertilizer or compost or whatnot.
Australia sees that the 'waste' is actually >95% fertile material, i.e. fissionable FUEL.
"Yes, yes, we will take all of your...waste...all your energy are belong to us!"
Enough of these flops (though, as others have said, the list kinda sucks).
http://www.solar-flight.com/su... The sunseeker duo is the most innovative design I've seen in a while. Solar plane!
I always heard it as CLEAN SHAVIN
I think you're on the right track but interfacing directly with human cells is the wrong approach, at least initially. I would say we should focus on getting bacteria fully programmable. After all, they are ubiquitous in our own bodies. If we can control them, we can indirectly control our own cells. This would be a much safer method, as there could be programmed in fail-safes that destroy the bacteria if needed. You wouldn't want to do that with your cells.
Exactly! Those posts were primarily why I decided to look so deep into the Thorium issue.
As far as I can tell, there has never been a sustained system that has been cryogenically chilled in such an extreme environment (eg high neutron flux, >1000C temps).
It's not that they can't create a plug, it's that they have no idea how to do it reliably 24/7/365 x 30years.
The biggest mistake I can see is: 'For next-gen reactor tech my money is either on' If you take out 'either' then its okay.
Thanks for re-posting it!
After doing a lot of research into the current state of Thorium technology I was able to find the following non-FUD conclusions as to why Thorium and LFTRs in particular aren't working out so well.
1) The liquid medium that is actually containing the fission events is incredibly caustic. This means that the reactor vessel, in addition to dealing with a very high neutron flux, has to handle severe corrosion issues at the surface. The fact that it is done at STP does not provide any help. 2) The salt 'plug' that is often cited as a major safety asset for the LFTR has some major engineering obstacles that have been be able to be addressed yet. 3) The liquid medium has to undergo re-processing on a fairly frequent basis. This is non-trivial as the medium is highly caustic and radioactive. The products pulled out are also highly problematic. This is probably one of the biggest hurtles for LFTR. It is a costly and messy chemical process.
There are other smaller problems, but these are the 'big three' I can recall.
For next-gen reactor tech my money is either on traveling wave type reactors (which never need to be refueled for its entire lifespan..30-100 years). Look up the Toshiba 4s for the furthest along reactor.
There are also sub-critical 'energy amplifier' reactors that use a particle accelerator to drive a proton beam into a spallation target (lead) which causes a neutron flux suitable for fission events to occur, though not enough to cause a self-sustaining reaction. Only 10% of the energy is required to be redirected back to the accelerator (fission rules like that). This one has the advantage of being able to use pretty much any fuel, and waste we have as well as reducing the daughter products to benign isotopes. Belgium is currently in the process of building one.
Gene alalysis would be able to tell if it was from Earth or not. Even if the other life did have DNA. Although, DNA could out-compete before we got a chance to study the ET life.
I would say that it is our sacred duty to SEED mars with as many types of bacteria that would stand a chance at living and prospering.
DNA is the home team. We are DNA. We should ensure that it has a chance in case Earth goes totally tits up. People always talk about that in terms of humans, but really it's DNA.
Europa, Enceladus, anywhere we can get it to survive and grow.
We should even be undergoing genetic engineering efforts to space-harden some strains. Or make viable capsules that could last millions of years.
tl;dr DNA Rulz.
Maybe he doesn't want to serve only millionaires?
I agree with your extrasolar assessment, but I can see habitations on other worlds in our solar system. There are a lot of moons around Saturn and Jupiter. Not to mention a likely high number of suitably large asteroids.
Though in order for that to happen aging, cancer, and disease in general will have to be an essentially solved problem. First, to be able to withstand the increased radiation in space. Second, to have a need for human colonization. If the population no longer dies, and the society is energy-rich, habitation elsewhere is certainly possible.
Of course, it would be easier to create colonies under the oceans than it would be to create colonies on other planets.
They wont. FTL == fiction.
Love, Einstein
only suckers proofread
That was all very well said. Which is why I'm replying it!
If we know that we're the problem, then I think we should seriously consider seeding the oceans with iron or whatever materials necessary to cause blooms of plankton.
The theory I've usually heard is that there are blooms that then die and fall to the bottom of the ocean as a form of carbon sequestration.
What if these blooms actually fed new and existing ecosystems. Baleen whales and other such fishes. It would make amends for all of the whaling and fishing humans have done. Their biomass is also effective carbon sequestration.
In all seriously though, we really need to ramp up nukes fast. They'd have to be mass produced factory-built for it to really work. Preferably lead cooled traveling wave reactors. Those are tight. I think there are some corrosion issues though that are currently being investigated. Perhaps the new field of 2d materials could provide some new insight into reactor material sciences.
hah, I interpreted that as 'a way to solve a problem that's not perfectly specified'
phys.org rules
Can't speak for the dude, but I think that the single LED w/micro mirror approach painting an image directly onto your retina like an old CRT is going to win. It can fool what we're focusing on. This current approach never gets beyond the 'you are still looking at a screen inches from your eyes'.
The current tech has the resolution at about 320x200 or something like that. Obviously to low for now. But even reviews of that resolution said that it was still eerily lifelike and different from a regular screen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V...
It's a good question. The best solution I can come up with (conspicuously short on details) is nuke powered (in sub-basement) pre-fabricated highrises. Social interaction and fulfillment (since jobs availability for all shouldn't be assumed) will be computer game/mmo based for education and coordination of other 'meat space' social activities.
This obviously assumes a lot of post scarcity tropes. Indoor hydroponic farming, on-site fabrication, carbon based electronics, etc
The only potential solution I can think of is what some have called 'Computational Socialism'.
The way I see it, all power corrupts and that the government's role should be to provide for its citizens. If we accept the tenet that all power corrupts then we should make every attempt possible at removing people from the equation in government. The vast majority of functions a government makes are mechanistic and often require so many variables that no person could make a logical decision. These should be governed by algorithms that are clear and open source. Decisions made by the algorithm also provide 'proofs' for how the policy was created. It is the people's job to check and verify the proofs and use them as a basis for arguments one way or the other. Tweaking of the algorithms should be evidence based and with public support.
Get people out of government!
I match your anecdotal evidence with mine.
I've been refused condoms at an Ingles in Asheville, NC. When asked where they were the lady looked at my and my GF with disgust and contempt and said "WE DON'T CARRY THOSE HERE!" In shock I just said "Okay, its off to CVS for us."
My thoughts exactly! Considering that windshields already have good UV filtering, this shouldn't be an issue for the eyes of drivers.
This may be a good story to point out that the Space Dub group Sagan Youth Boys uploaded a track from their upcoming album that tracks a voyage to and into Europa.
https://soundcloud.com/sagan-y...
Radio chatter sourced from NASA recordings of Luca Parmitano's July 16th 2013 spacewalk.