Troy @ troyunrau @lemmy.ca

Centrist, progressive, radical optimist. Geophysicist, R&D, Planetary S

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2 yr. ago

I thought GCC dropped support for compiling to the abacus?

When I was in grad school, the philosophy of science students would egg me on with things like: "I'll buy you a beer if you can prove the electron is real". I'd like to think I'm carrying on their tradition in science memes.

One time, I was in the arctic doing some research. On a snowmobile, in winter, we crest a hill and see a couple of wolves pigging out on a caribou. I'm riding in the toboggan, and I start telling at the driver: "go go go!" They proceeded to chase our snowmobile for like a mile, with no hope at all of catching us, but running anyway. Like dogs chasing tires, I think they had no choice. Instincts are strong.

Countries and borders are an arbitrary concept created during the peace treaty of Westphalia.

Those relics belong to dead people.

1.5% per month. Don't compare directly to your home country's annual inflation yet. Unless you're Turkey or Russia.

Someone I know was in St Petersburg last week. The government shut down the internet due to this meeting, and we totally lost touch with them. But the internet being shut down in a major Russian city to quash any attempt to protest doesn't even make news anymore.

By approximately the wingspan of a pterodactyl

And every one of those are as grounded in reality as sci fi's agelong obsession telepaths, telekinesis, or mutants with powers.

There is a class of modern sci fi authors are all coming to terms with this.

I'd recommend checking out stories like Neptune's Brood -- sci fi which takes on interstellar economics in slower than light scenarios.

Exactly

Exceeding FTL (and breaking causality) is basically a sci fi trope at this point with about as much credibility as psychics. To have at least some credibility you need one of: a testable hypothesis, or an unexplained phenomenon. Right now we have neither. At best, we have some equations, that work below light speed, where we can extrapolate past light speed and see how the math works. The problem is: none of these equations are testable as they all contain infinities or other asymptotic features that prevent passing light speed itself. So, if there's no viable math to get from sublight to FTL, and there's no unexplained phenomena, then what we're left with is nothing.

Even quantum entanglement, which is a darling of sci fi whenever they need a plot device (hello Le Guin and the ansible), has categorically been shown to obey causality and the light speed limit in every lab test.

At some point it's like asking for negative mass, antigravity, or other things that the math would allow. Except our universe doesn't.

I've got a wormhole to sell you ;)

Seems entirely reasonable that a Gattaca future is achievable. Whether desirable is the other question. Somewhere CJ Cherryh is being worshipped as a prophet.

Not FTL though. Slower than light, causality preserving version? Sure.

Also, nice to see all those additional names in the commit log. A growing list of contributors is great!

Awesome. Didn't even notice downtime :)

One of my favourite stylistic thing about Japanese film (and anime on occasion) is their obsession with power lines.

Old Galaxy Note 9 which is likely replaced next week by a much fancier Sony. One of the last pictures the device will take.

No. Entirely harmless unless you are made out of dill, parsley, or carrots. If you are, seek help. They will eat you! Om nom nom.

We caught mama laying some additional eggs later in the day.

Munch munch munch

Glad he didn't just run!

We let our cat out with us in the morning when we have coffee on the front deck. She wanders around with us, checking all the plants. But, most importantly, she has learned where to run towards when she is scared (the door is wedged open a sliver and she can push her way back into the house).

It's great, because it means she doesn't run if she gets out accidentally.