The total solar energy absorbed by Earth's atmosphere, oceans and land masses is approximately 3,850,000 exajoules (EJ) per year.[6] In 2002, this was more energy in one hour than the world used in one year.[11][12] Photosynthesis captures approximately 3,000 EJ per year in biomass.[8] The amount of solar energy reaching the surface of the planet is so vast that in one year it is about twice as much as will ever be obtained from all of the Earth's non-renewable resources of coal, oil, natural gas, and mined uranium combined.[13]
Thats 106 W/m^2 on the surface, im sure some more is absorbed in the atmosphere... I'm also sure that some is reflected. So the overall figure is *probably* smaller. Or is it? Look up "sunlight" on wikipedia - apparently we get something like 1.3-1.4kw per square metre...
But for the love of god (or Allah, or Dawkins, or whatever) do NOT compare it to a "traditional" 100W light bulb which is ~10% efficient at getting that power into light form. More like 10 of them. And also from wikipedia on "solar energy":
The total solar energy absorbed by Earth's atmosphere, oceans and land masses is approximately 3,850,000 exajoules (EJ) per year.[6] In 2002, this was more energy in one hour than the world used in one year.[11][12] Photosynthesis captures approximately 3,000 EJ per year in biomass.[8] The amount of solar energy reaching the surface of the planet is so vast that in one year it is about twice as much as will ever be obtained from all of the Earth's non-renewable resources of coal, oil, natural gas, and mined uranium combined.[13]
Humans use something like 500 EJ a year... That wouls be a hell of a lot of light bulbs...
Do you really think you can quote the Earth's human population to within 2,000 people?
There are roughly a quadrillion ants in the world... So an ant every 0.5 square metres... Can one have more of an effect on that than a human on those 13.7 football fields?
Say they ONLY need a million people to sustain themselves - or 10 million, whatever. Harvest ALL organic matter on the planet, how long would that last on a 2 people per "battery" per year? Nuclear power would still be fine, it would just be a supplementary source...
Sure it's all fiction, but just the assumption of "all people are used this way" seems to be quite narrow minded. Use 10 million, use the other 6-8 odd billion to "feed" them for thousands of years + all other organic matter on the planet (probably another few tens of thousands if not hundresd of thousands of years).
By then the sky would have probably cleared up sufficiently.
If you're dealing with journalists you have to bear in mind that giving them the benefit of the doubt with regards to common sense can be pretty dangerous...
the protection would most probably be the issue... as for acceleration - i'm not that great with relativity and im sure it would play a part, but accelerate at 10g for a month and you get to almost 0.1c...
9.8(g) x 60 (seconds) * 60 (minutes) x 24 (hours) x 30 (days) = 25,401,600
c = 299,792,458
25,401,600/299,792,458 = 8.47%
even forgetting impacts with miniscule objects you're right... and as to self sustaining eco-systems - that would be a massive pain, nothing but nuclear would work... even if you took the earth what sort of population would you be able to support without the suns help...
Really, there's no scientific basis right now to believe there's any way for human-like creatures to travel interstellar distances.
Please explain...
Ship load of fuel up to the ISS or another meeting point in orbit over a few years.
Ship loads of food and water up to the ISS or another meeting point in orbit over a few years.
Ship some people (say 10-20 groups of 4-8 people and shove them in segregated living areas with access to food and drink and plenty of information - a bunch of very dedicated historians or the like would work well as they could best deal with long term social isolation) up to the ISS or another meeting point in orbit over a few days right at the end.
If you're worried about radiation - ship several hundred tonnes of lead or the like for a protective layer up to the ISS or another meeting point in orbit over a few years.
Point the thrusters that would use the fuel away from where you want to go and launch, reverse the orientation to break halfway through the journey.
It is already possible, it's just damn expensive and risky, at least some of the groups would survive - a living habitat with the ability for people to have children would be easier and probably cheaper as you could afford to go slower, hence less fuel required...
Slashdot Mirror
What about this?
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/clouds-of-soot-melting-glaciers-in-himalayas-and-tibetan-plateau_100256097.html
The total solar energy absorbed by Earth's atmosphere, oceans and land masses is approximately 3,850,000 exajoules (EJ) per year.[6] In 2002, this was more energy in one hour than the world used in one year.[11][12] Photosynthesis captures approximately 3,000 EJ per year in biomass.[8] The amount of solar energy reaching the surface of the planet is so vast that in one year it is about twice as much as will ever be obtained from all of the Earth's non-renewable resources of coal, oil, natural gas, and mined uranium combined.[13]
from wiki. Humans "use"/waste 500 EJ per year...
AN EXTRA 0.013%!!!
But for the love of god (or Allah, or Dawkins, or whatever) do NOT compare it to a "traditional" 100W light bulb which is ~10% efficient at getting that power into light form. More like 10 of them. And also from wikipedia on "solar energy":
The total solar energy absorbed by Earth's atmosphere, oceans and land masses is approximately 3,850,000 exajoules (EJ) per year.[6] In 2002, this was more energy in one hour than the world used in one year.[11][12] Photosynthesis captures approximately 3,000 EJ per year in biomass.[8] The amount of solar energy reaching the surface of the planet is so vast that in one year it is about twice as much as will ever be obtained from all of the Earth's non-renewable resources of coal, oil, natural gas, and mined uranium combined.[13]
Humans use something like 500 EJ a year... That wouls be a hell of a lot of light bulbs...
Do you really think you can quote the Earth's human population to within 2,000 people?
There are roughly a quadrillion ants in the world... So an ant every 0.5 square metres... Can one have more of an effect on that than a human on those 13.7 football fields?
Having a kid is the worst possible action on average if you want to look at the overall carbon footprint.
I say "on average" because there are bound to be some kids born that have a net-positive effect over the course of their lives.
Took a private jet with 6 hours notice last week... A week in advance?
Apple - the new BP
Do.
Not.
Agree.
Say they ONLY need a million people to sustain themselves - or 10 million, whatever. Harvest ALL organic matter on the planet, how long would that last on a 2 people per "battery" per year? Nuclear power would still be fine, it would just be a supplementary source...
Sure it's all fiction, but just the assumption of "all people are used this way" seems to be quite narrow minded. Use 10 million, use the other 6-8 odd billion to "feed" them for thousands of years + all other organic matter on the planet (probably another few tens of thousands if not hundresd of thousands of years).
By then the sky would have probably cleared up sufficiently.
I didnt think of that... they should place a boom around the Americas!
But then, will the Americas be inside, or everything else?
If you're dealing with journalists you have to bear in mind that giving them the benefit of the doubt with regards to common sense can be pretty dangerous...
BEWARE!!!
Terrorists are feeding tramps a chemical mixture making their urine highly explosive and on a timed fuse!!!
All the urine caked in the corners of stations is timed to go off simultaneously at midnight on 09/10/2010!!!
PANIC!!!
HAHA!!!
Hah!
Mod UP!!!
Because my life doesn't circle around my computer.
Thanks.
the protection would most probably be the issue... as for acceleration - i'm not that great with relativity and im sure it would play a part, but accelerate at 10g for a month and you get to almost 0.1c...
9.8(g) x 60 (seconds) * 60 (minutes) x 24 (hours) x 30 (days) = 25,401,600
c = 299,792,458
25,401,600/299,792,458 = 8.47%
even forgetting impacts with miniscule objects you're right... and as to self sustaining eco-systems - that would be a massive pain, nothing but nuclear would work... even if you took the earth what sort of population would you be able to support without the suns help...
guess i didnt think things through earlier
In the desert
On your own
For a month
Eating nothing but rotten dates
Liklihood of hallucination?
...even though the religionists' beliefs are far more ridiculous....
equally you mean...
Really, there's no scientific basis right now to believe there's any way for human-like creatures to travel interstellar distances.
Please explain...
Ship load of fuel up to the ISS or another meeting point in orbit over a few years.
Ship loads of food and water up to the ISS or another meeting point in orbit over a few years.
Ship some people (say 10-20 groups of 4-8 people and shove them in segregated living areas with access to food and drink and plenty of information - a bunch of very dedicated historians or the like would work well as they could best deal with long term social isolation) up to the ISS or another meeting point in orbit over a few days right at the end.
If you're worried about radiation - ship several hundred tonnes of lead or the like for a protective layer up to the ISS or another meeting point in orbit over a few years.
Point the thrusters that would use the fuel away from where you want to go and launch, reverse the orientation to break halfway through the journey.
It is already possible, it's just damn expensive and risky, at least some of the groups would survive - a living habitat with the ability for people to have children would be easier and probably cheaper as you could afford to go slower, hence less fuel required...
Does this have anything to do with Platonic relationships?
How about...
There are 10 generators generating electricity.
Each one of them is provided, and powered up, by the court or official condeming you to death, supplying sufficient current to ensure death.
They are hooked up in parallel.
A switch is flicked automatically after a delay the current flows through you.
You die.
Do you think that maybe, MAYBE they're going to include a "compatibility" or "classic" mode alongside the new rules...
For something with that aerodynamic profile as well!
I think they factored in wind speed as well though...
I believe that would be Hilo, Hawaii...