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SupaLegit
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SupaLegit
644 posts
Nomad

Well, I was searching to see if this was already made, but the searches didn't show a thread with my idea so here it is. I am making this thread so we can have a typical tavern discussion thread for all things science! Basically, a thread for everything science! Ranging from discussions about laws and theories, scientific debate, breakthroughs, discussion about new scientific breakthroughs, certain scientists/philosophers, and all that good stuff!
So go out there and let out your inner science! ;P
To get us going somewhere I'll start: what do you think the future holds for technology? I think our knowledge will allow us to overcome the obstacles thrown at us in the future, I mean, we have discovered so much and have come so far!

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SupaLegit
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SupaLegit
644 posts
Nomad

I think the problem with artifical life is that we imput knowledge into it. how will it ever be like a human if it its told how everything is. i think they should make it so that they can learn and so that they have artifital "nerves", since the human brain is technically just electric impulses and chemicals. wait for it to grow and learn and see how it goes.

That is a great idea, making it learn from experiences would make great sense, as it is how we learn! The only problem is creating that artificial life...
MageGrayWolf
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MageGrayWolf
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Farmer

Do you know how complex the brain is? That would be very hard to replicate for artificial intelligence. Extensive research would need to be done. More than what is already studied and mapped. You see, the brain stem would be a nightmare to connect to the spinal column; all those nerves and stuff.


Yes I know, but since we are talking about future advancements it would stand to reason that we will eventually be at a level of understanding of how the human brain works and goes together. Even in just the past decade we've made huge advancements in this area. Since we would be building it from the ground up this would actually make some of the issues easier to handle.

Perhaps our current technology would be better suited for this. Robotics for example: use the computer chips and etc used in robots as the mind. Then again, it wouldn't really have a conscious, is this something wanted for our artificial being?


A system like this would likely not produce a consciousness, though it is possible we could get it at a level where such robots could preform most tasks at the same level of a human. We have made some breakthroughs in recent year in robotics to allow them to be able to handle new and unexpected situations as they happen.

On a different view, we are playing God a bit too much... Technology is fine, but when it comes to making artificial beings (not robots but actual beings) is it too much?


I tend to reject limiting ourselves for this reason. Besides we have already created real life in a lab. As pointed out the technology could also be used to preserve a real persons consciousness and memories.

I think the problem with artifical life is that we imput knowledge into it. how will it ever be like a human if it its told how everything is. i think they should make it so that they can learn and so that they have artifital "nerves", since the human brain is technically just electric impulses and chemicals. wait for it to grow and learn and see how it goes.


That's what I proposed doing with creating a synthetic brain that mimics a human brain. The programming we input into it would simply be a starting point for the artificial lifeform to build off of. Doing so would help insure the (kill all humans) scenario doesn't happen, as we could pre-program into it that doing so would be morally wrong.
SupaLegit
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SupaLegit
644 posts
Nomad

Yes I know, but since we are talking about future advancements it would stand to reason that we will eventually be at a level of understanding of how the human brain works and goes together. Even in just the past decade we've made huge advancements in this area. Since we would be building it from the ground up this would actually make some of the issues easier to handle.

That is very true.
That's what I proposed doing with creating a synthetic brain that mimics a human brain. The programming we input into it would simply be a starting point for the artificial lifeform to build off of. Doing so would help insure the (kill all humans) scenario doesn't happen, as we could pre-program into it that doing so would be morally wrong.

Yes, best pre-program it so it won't kill us! :O

Moving on to a new futuristic concept, what about flying cars? I think it is an awesome concept and I can't wait to see one (hopefully it happens soonish)! Perhaps we could even make our artificial intelligence drive public transit vehicles like buses?
Put our creations to work. ;P
MRWalker82
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MRWalker82
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Shepherd

Moving on to a new futuristic concept, what about flying cars?


You're actually way behind the times. We've had working flying cars for decades now, and one report estimates that they will be available for the general public as early as 2012.

Here's one manufacturer's site
SupaLegit
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SupaLegit
644 posts
Nomad

You're actually way behind the times. We've had working flying cars for decades now, and one report estimates that they will be available for the general public as early as 2012.

Yes yes, I know that, but I was thinking more about the Era of flying cars (everything)... You know what I mean, right?
brp47
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brp47
580 posts
Peasant

hey guys i just wanted to check somthing for my science revision

red shift (physics A-level) is it blue as it gets closer and red as further away (at speed) or the other way round i always forgot lol

MageGrayWolf
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MageGrayWolf
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Farmer

red shift (physics A-level) is it blue as it gets closer and red as further away (at speed) or the other way round i always forgot lol


Yes, that's correct.
SupaLegit
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SupaLegit
644 posts
Nomad

Well, as Mage already said yes it is correct. Why/how to remember:

Imagine being at a nascar race and having a car go past you. As the car comes closer, the sound waves are compressed in front of the car, and so the pitch is higher. As the moves farther away, the sound waves are stretched, and so the pitch is lower. This same concept applies for light as well. The farther you move into the longer wavelength part of the spectrum, the more red it looks. This is called a red-shift. The farther you go into the smaller wavelength part of the spectrum, the more blue it looks. This is called a blue-shift.
Basically, if an object is moving away from you, then the wavelength will be spread out more, thus red-shift. Other way around for blue

brp47
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brp47
580 posts
Peasant

thank you magegreywolf

brp47
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brp47
580 posts
Peasant

and ye super i already knew that, but you explained it very well lol i'm sure it will help people

i just always forgot which way round the colours are lmao

tiptopdude
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tiptopdude
106 posts
Nomad

Here could be a great argument coming along. Does Dark Matter exist?

MageGrayWolf
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MageGrayWolf
9,462 posts
Farmer

Here could be a great argument coming along. Does Dark Matter exist?


Between the competing theories Quantum Gravity has a good chance of disproving the existence of Dark Matter. Though this relies on another theoretical particle known as a graviton. Though if gravity works the way Quantum Gravity predicts this opens things up for the chance of being able to make scifi style gravity control devices. Something that based on just the general theory of relativity practically makes impossible.
l0rdff
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l0rdff
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Nomad

uys I have a question that i can not solve.What will happen if we take an old clock in space???(As everyone knows clocks work fine cause of gravity.What will happen?)

SupaLegit
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SupaLegit
644 posts
Nomad

What will happen if we take an old clock in space???

And did what with it? Did we put it in a high speed rocket? If we did, then we can expect to find time move slower than here on earth.
Here is some info on time dilation.
In it is the statement:
Time Dilation

In order to attempt to prove this theory of time dilation, two very accurate atomic clocks were synchronized and one was taken on a high-speed trip on an airplane. When the plane returned, the clock that took the plane ride was slower by exactly the amount Einstein's equations predicted. Thus, a moving clock runs more slowly when viewed by a frame of reference that is not in motion with it. Keep in mind that when the clock returned, it had recorded less time than the ground clock. Once re-united with the ground clock, the slow clock will again record time at the same rate as the ground clock (obviously, it will remain behind by the amount of time it slowed on the trip unless re-synchronized). It is only when the clock is in motion with respect to the other clock that the time dilation occurs.
thestuntman
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thestuntman
303 posts
Nomad

uys I have a question that i can not solve.What will happen if we take an old clock in space???(As everyone knows clocks work fine cause of gravity.What will happen?)


I assume you mean a grandfather clock. Obviously it won't work as there is no significant source of gravity. In addition the extreme temperature changes in space would upset the length of the pendulum hindering the clock even further.

Here is some info on time dilation.


Time dilation only occurs when you travel at a speed that is within some close amount to the speed of light. Currently we don't have any space ships that travel that fast.

Here could be a great argument coming along. Does Dark Matter exist?


It really depends who you ask. However, the way people wish to disprove it's existence have yet to complete the work to do so. The quantum gravity that was mentioned earlier has yet to be discovered, thus at this point the proof against the dark matter is incomplete.
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