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Re: Engineering Newsletter
On Sunday I was writing to Kevin:
>I guess that I have more confidence in materials science advances, I
>think that a Photovoltaic material can be manufactured that will work in
>the high temp/high rad environment
Yes, I never argued that, I only wanted to make clear some side-effects.
A question where I'm not sure about: Satellites often turn around their axis
is that to equal the heat or is it for the gyro-effect?
>> >That reminds me of a great new travel method making use of Hiesenberg
>> >Uncertainty principle: as Temperature approaches Abs Zero, Momentum
>> >becomes zero to the last decimal, and the position becomes _infinite_.
>>
>> It is not the position that becomes infinite but the PROBABILITY of its
>> position that becomes infinite. May look the same, but is different. The
>
>Ah, yes, I see. I knew that, but must have forgotten it. so i guess it
>would work, you just would be able to steer. Oh well. Back to the
>drawing board.
No it wouldn't work, that was what I tried to explain in the next few lines:
>> The fact that a particle can move lightyears be everywhere is As you can
>> see, this Although this may look as if it is conflict with the finite speed
>> of light there is a deeper understanding that solves this "paradox".
>
>I'm sorry, I don't understand your language here. Can you please
>re-phrase, check your dictionary, or insert the word or words you may
>have dropped.
I don't understand it either I guess that spelling virus has mutated and
uses E-mail as a carrier :}
So here is a new try:
The fact that a particle can move lightyears in a flash is in conflict with
the finite speed of light. So as long as you know the particle is there, it
takes an infinite time to cool to absolute zero.
>Sorry no, it's part of the great storehouse of knowledge that i have come
>across in almost fifteen years of reading every science magazine I can
>get my hands on. i think this subject appeared in OMNI, someone
>somewhere was claiming to have put a _lot_ of pressure on a small sample
>of hydrogen and gotten it to a metal state.
Every magazine, thats a lot or are you never in a bookstore?
>> >> (Note: Probably all robots will be worn out after a few years, so you may
>> >> need 3 or 4 times more than you originally would think, that would
only cost
>> >> a few days extra)
>> >
>> >Any robot could probably repaired far cheaper than it could be re-built
>> >from scratch, and this could be done at any time, not just at the outset
>>
>> Repairing is rather difficult, for some dumb replicating machine it is
>> probably much easier to make a new one than to look for the non-working part
>> and replace it. It is just like a conveyer belt, there is a gain because of
>> the repetative task.
>
>OK, I see. but a small number of units could be devoted to the constant
>manufacture of robots (which would then go off and do other things) so
>that replacement units were always ready.
You could use a small number of units, but I still think it is easier and
faster to make a completely new one. (Compare with Earth's throw-away economy)
>Perhaps not a problem at all, earth based telescopes track distant stars
>all the time. Being placed at a polar position would decrease the
>rotational velocity to be countered, and if the problem is
>insurmountable, then an orbiting waveguide can be used
I wonder if the telescopes do have the precision we need. What should I
think of when you are talking about an orbiting waveguide?
><sp?> means spelling uncertain. i think a Josepson <your spelling>
>junction is a tunneling transistor, and it only works in superconducting
>conditions, but don't ask me why, maybe steve knows.
As far as I know it's not a transistor (i.e. it can be steered by a 3th port).
A Josephson junction will give a very distinct Direct Current when placed in
a magnetic field (Squid <sp?>) Or if an Direct Current is set over the
junction it will give a distinct frequency.
Timothy