Talk about whatever you want to here, but stay correct
#319131 by JuZ
Mon Dec 02, 2013 8:05 pm
A few things caught my attention recently.

Amazon think they will have 30 minute deliveries within 5 years, using drones:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25180906

Interestingly, in some of the reports I've heard so far it's privacy that's been raised as a primary concern. I would have thought that safety would be a far more significant concern. :?


Pretty bummed that it looks like comet Ison didn't survive its close encounter with the sun. I now live "in the country" (sort of) and have excellent visibility now for my little telescope. All hope is not lost, but I'm feeling pessimistic:
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/comet-ison-probably-did-not-survive-sun-skirmish-20131202-2ykji.html


Not taking sides, although I do have my own opinions, but you'd have to agree that if the Earth does warm up by four degees C, we're all screwed:
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/stifling-heat-anarchy-refugees-welcome-to-a-post-climate-change-world-20131203-2yn6e.html
#319133 by Faffy
Tue Dec 03, 2013 1:42 am
Apparently there are lots of concerns with delivery drones, many of which are listed here:
[youtube]WRrxOfgwFyw[/youtube] ...bummer


And regarding climate change/global warming.... as far as I am concerned, it's not about political opinion, but scientific consensus. So 'taking sides' is not really an issue. So yeah, we're screwed. :|
#319146 by JuZ
Tue Dec 03, 2013 4:58 pm
Faffy wrote:Apparently there are lots of concerns with delivery drones, many of which are listed here:
[youtube]WRrxOfgwFyw[/youtube] ...bummer


And regarding climate change/global warming.... as far as I am concerned, it's not about political opinion, but scientific consensus. So 'taking sides' is not really an issue. So yeah, we're screwed. :|


Oh I agree... I have no doubts that it's happening and that the vast majority of the scientific community are in agreement on that. There does seem to be some conjecture as to the severity and rapidity of the change and I'm not informed enough to have an opinion on that. Yet. :wink:

Darwin would be awful if those predictions are true - 300 days over 35c per year, plus their incredibly high humidity! It's already a place that attracts a certain type of person due to the hot, steamy weather. Imagine what sort of Mos Eisley type hive of scum and villiany it would be if it was THAT hot.
#319406 by The Oid
Sat Jan 04, 2014 10:25 pm
aleksi wrote:It blows my mind that gravity can basically work instantly over an infinite amount of space. That is all, carry on.


As far as I'm aware, it doesn't. I thought it was established that it propagates at the speed of light.
I'm not necessarily completely up to date though.
#319413 by swervedriver
Mon Jan 06, 2014 3:25 am
I thought gravity is just sort of 'there', much like a magnetic field, and the extent of its field is related to the mass of the center object. Well, magnetic waves propagate as well so that's probably wrong, but I have no idea how/if gravity propagates...

RE infinity: perhaps each object has an infinite gravity field, but it becomes infinitely small at silly distances (such as Pluto having a tidal effect on our planet).

Also, this: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/sc ... 4may_epic/
#319414 by aleksi
Mon Jan 06, 2014 6:45 am
The Oid wrote:
aleksi wrote:It blows my mind that gravity can basically work instantly over an infinite amount of space. That is all, carry on.


As far as I'm aware, it doesn't. I thought it was established that it propagates at the speed of light.
I'm not necessarily completely up to date though.

A friend of mine said the same thing and he's much more a physicist than I am. But then again how can something as big as a galaxy hold itself together? Wouldn't the system become chaotic when every tug and pull came with lag? I'll have to google this.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 69 guests