First of all, the structure is 200 million light years across. The distance from the Sun to the center of our Galaxy is about 26,000 light years, so 200 light years would not be very impressive in comparison.
Also, the article is somewhat misleading itself, as the blob isn't really a homogenous structure. It's just a group of galaxies packed together more closely than other clusters. So it isn't really that much different from other parts of the Universe.
Since it is now possible to simulate what a virus will do if we know how it's built and what its environment looks like (on a molecular level), can we extend such a simulation to more sophisticated lifeforms?
The article talks about more complex virii, we could also, given more computing power, probably simulate the behavior of bacteria. But following in this fashion, computational biologists should be able to simulate more and more complex animals, up to and including humans.
Since the world is quite deterministic in any large enough scale, wouldn't that mean that given enough data about the surrounding of any person we would be able to predict everything he/she will do?
I'm wondering if more companies releasing Linux versions of their software is actually a good thing for Linux. Since there's so many free (as in speech and beer) software for recording CDs, how much of a market share can Nero for Linux hope to get?
Similarly, with products like the Helix player, is the user base big enough for companies to justify porting to Linux?
The problem is this might discourage companies like Adobe, which develop products that generally have no OSS equivalents (I know, GIMP, but please explain that to graphics artists).
Neutron stars were stars at one point, but they're not stars in the same sense that the Sun is.
When a Sun-like star ends its lifecycle with a (super)nova burst, it gets rid of most of its mass, and the rest collapses into a small neutron 'star', or a black hole if the mass was sufficiently large.
IANAP, but I think no thermonuclear reactions take place in neutron 'stars' (or maybe just not enough to sustain the emission of light, so they're not easily visible). So basically neutron stars are just dead stars.
But does anyone know how to make it display the temperature in Celsius degrees? Not everyone in the US knows how to interpret this horrible abomination that is the Fahrenheit scale...
Of course, if we had to get rid of something, it would be the solar powered cars. Why? Because more hummers are in use than solar-powered vehicles. No politician in their right mind would try to disallow the use of hummers, because it would be seen as an attempt to thwart people's freedom.
I'll probably get moderated troll, but it's a bit similar to guns in the US: even if many people think it's a good idea to outlaw them entirely, or just limit the number of people who can get firearms, this will probably never happen.
People will guard their freedoms, no matter how 'bad' the consequences of their actions will turn out to be in the future.
and they invest millions to make inexpensive music downloads available (at almost no profit)
No, they invest millions so they will get tens of millions in revenue from selling iPod. Don't get me wrong, I like Apple and I'm impressed by Steve Jobs's ability to resurrect the company, but it's still a company, not a charity.
iTMS is selling songs cheaply to gain market share and get people to buy iPods, not to make inexpensive music downloads available.
So if I use the new and improved herbal 2.6 kernel my processing power will be UP TO 150% BIGGER and my UPTIME will be 200% LONGER!!
And it's only $699 a box!;-)
Ill be impressed when they have a computer that can beat me at chess, write a sonnet, cook up lunch, play fetch with a dog, ponder a sunset, drive a car, change a diaper, laugh at groucho marx, and wonder if it has a soul.
I believe the correct word in this case is 'useless'...
I agree about the voter turnout, and that's something this country really needs.
Are you really sure that if more people vote something will be better? Do you believe that there is a greater percentage of people sharing your views than some others?
The way I see it is that if 100 million people vote then the decisions they make are exactly the same as if the voter turnout was 100%. The 'other half' of the country seems just as uneducated and prone to making terrible decisions as those who vote, unfortunately.
Slashdot Mirror
First of all, the structure is 200 million light years across. The distance from the Sun to the center of our Galaxy is about 26,000 light years, so 200 light years would not be very impressive in comparison.
Also, the article is somewhat misleading itself, as the blob isn't really a homogenous structure. It's just a group of galaxies packed together more closely than other clusters. So it isn't really that much different from other parts of the Universe.
Since it is now possible to simulate what a virus will do if we know how it's built and what its environment looks like (on a molecular level), can we extend such a simulation to more sophisticated lifeforms?
The article talks about more complex virii, we could also, given more computing power, probably simulate the behavior of bacteria. But following in this fashion, computational biologists should be able to simulate more and more complex animals, up to and including humans.
Since the world is quite deterministic in any large enough scale, wouldn't that mean that given enough data about the surrounding of any person we would be able to predict everything he/she will do?
I'm wondering if more companies releasing Linux versions of their software is actually a good thing for Linux. Since there's so many free (as in speech and beer) software for recording CDs, how much of a market share can Nero for Linux hope to get?
Similarly, with products like the Helix player, is the user base big enough for companies to justify porting to Linux?
The problem is this might discourage companies like Adobe, which develop products that generally have no OSS equivalents (I know, GIMP, but please explain that to graphics artists).
Neutron stars were stars at one point, but they're not stars in the same sense that the Sun is. When a Sun-like star ends its lifecycle with a (super)nova burst, it gets rid of most of its mass, and the rest collapses into a small neutron 'star', or a black hole if the mass was sufficiently large.
IANAP, but I think no thermonuclear reactions take place in neutron 'stars' (or maybe just not enough to sustain the emission of light, so they're not easily visible). So basically neutron stars are just dead stars.
But does anyone know how to make it display the temperature in Celsius degrees? Not everyone in the US knows how to interpret this horrible abomination that is the Fahrenheit scale...
I, for one, welcome our new Zerg overlords.
Of course, if we had to get rid of something, it would be the solar powered cars. Why? Because more hummers are in use than solar-powered vehicles. No politician in their right mind would try to disallow the use of hummers, because it would be seen as an attempt to thwart people's freedom.
I'll probably get moderated troll, but it's a bit similar to guns in the US: even if many people think it's a good idea to outlaw them entirely, or just limit the number of people who can get firearms, this will probably never happen.
People will guard their freedoms, no matter how 'bad' the consequences of their actions will turn out to be in the future.
and they invest millions to make inexpensive music downloads available (at almost no profit)
No, they invest millions so they will get tens of millions in revenue from selling iPod. Don't get me wrong, I like Apple and I'm impressed by Steve Jobs's ability to resurrect the company, but it's still a company, not a charity.
iTMS is selling songs cheaply to gain market share and get people to buy iPods, not to make inexpensive music downloads available.
From their official website:
He said the pubic and media reaction the flight gave him goosebumps.
Man, I also got excited about the event, but this is too much.
So they actually decided to make a movie about a web browser?
Oh, wait...
In Soviet Russia Verisign sues ICANN.
BSD is dead! ;-)
So if I use the new and improved herbal 2.6 kernel my processing power will be UP TO 150% BIGGER and my UPTIME will be 200% LONGER!! ;-)
And it's only $699 a box!
Such a topic and no comments? Is everyone writing their letters? ;)
...but since we don't use the only operating system where applying a patch requires rebooting, our clients don't complain.
Ill be impressed when they have a computer that can beat me at chess, write a sonnet, cook up lunch, play fetch with a dog, ponder a sunset, drive a car, change a diaper, laugh at groucho marx, and wonder if it has a soul.
I believe the correct word in this case is 'useless'...
The real units joke is starting to get old...
I agree about the voter turnout, and that's something this country really needs.
Are you really sure that if more people vote something will be better? Do you believe that there is a greater percentage of people sharing your views than some others?
The way I see it is that if 100 million people vote then the decisions they make are exactly the same as if the voter turnout was 100%. The 'other half' of the country seems just as uneducated and prone to making terrible decisions as those who vote, unfortunately.
it's spelled CowbuoyNeal, you insensitive clod!
it already is the 17th of July, you insensitive clod!