New Mars Forums
You are not logged in.
- Topics: Active | Unanswered
Announcement
#501 Re: Not So Free Chat » Not Forgiven - The Taliban » 2006-10-14 20:32:12
You don't see insurgents fighting for Oil.
The "insurgents" are the Sunnis who used to control all of Iraq's oil. Now they are fighting to retain control of some small portion of it.
There is illicit smuggling of Oil in Iraq. But it isn't insurgents who are doing it. It is the collaborators and forigeners. The americans didn't bother to fix the meters even they they have to. So that the amount of oil that is missing is incaculateble.
The "collaborators" are the Shiites who have indeed benefited from the invasion. The "smuggling" is 1.2 million barrels per day, about 50% of 2003 production. The amount exported is closely tracked because it has a direct effect on world oil prices.
The insurgents are attacking Oil pipes and sabotaging has much has they can to stop Oil from being sold. They are not buying it nor trying to control it.
They are, by definition, trying to control it by preventing it from being exported. Their hope is that they will gain control of a higher proportion of the oil before full production is restored.
If they wanted they could go Nigerian and steal the Oil.
Not only have they no chance of doing this, but they wouldn't, at least because Sunnis in other countries, in particular Saudi Arabia, would stop them lest anyone get the idea that oil can be stolen.
#502 Re: Meta New Mars » Spammer » 2006-10-14 18:30:07
#503 Re: Not So Free Chat » Not Forgiven - The Taliban » 2006-10-14 16:54:43
Iraq has 200+ billion barrels of oil. At $50/barrel that's $10+ trillion. The different groups are fighting to gain as large a share as possible of that wealth. Embarrassing the US is a secondary goal at best.
#504 Re: Not So Free Chat » Canada / U.S. relations » 2006-10-13 17:06:05
Um...is there a chance he was just joking/satirical?
Actually, because of global warming, the territory may be worth quite a bit of money.
The sea route over the top of Canada ("the Northwest Passage") from Asia to Europe is 3-4 thousand miles shorter than the route via the Suez or Panama Canals. Some climate models have that route open longer and longer each year until it is open year-round.
The same predicted retreat of the ice makes it easier (i.e., more profitable) to extract any oil in those regions.
#505 Re: Civilization and Culture » Isaac Asimov article about robot rationality over human . . » 2006-10-13 16:42:32
an asimovian foundation
but where will you get your Illuminati? The Yale Skull & Bones Society?
#506 Re: Civilization and Culture » Isaac Asimov article about robot rationality over human . . » 2006-10-13 11:47:36
people have to be willing to live by peer review science
I think people are worried that peer review science will tell them that it would be better if they stopped breathing, or if they gave up their most cherished beliefs that give their lives meaning, etc.
Petitioner: Have mercy!
Ruler: There is nothing I can do. The population reduction program is supported by peer reviewed science.
#507 Re: Interplanetary transportation » Space Elevator news » 2006-10-12 01:35:31
67 "patients", 1000 members. I'd have thought more by now.
#508 Re: Interplanetary transportation » Space Elevator news » 2006-10-11 22:31:49
After skimming over the pages, its pretty clear that this technique only works for large or superlarge molecules, its still a different animal than the angstrom-level atomic manipulation to make near-perfect/near-identical nanotubes.
I agree, they are still talking shake-and-bake assembly, but these assemblies are getting close to nanoscale, they may be able to form the scafolding, or templates, or nozzles, or other formation assembly for the desired nanoproduct(s). They can let you control formation conditions at the nanoscale.
For the kind of stuff Tom is talking about, you need to be able to move individual atoms as well as adjust their electronic state at will probably.
I don't think I'll see self-replicating nanofactories in my lifetime, but probably crude nanobots (find a target, do a multi-step task), and at this point, almost certainly fabrication of arbitrary length single-walled CNTs.
Edison wasn't so much a scientist, he was just a tinkerer, using trial and error (!!!) to find an acceptable material for light bulb filimants for instance. Frankly, things like nanotechnology are too complicated and there are too many variables for mere tinkering
You can already order arbitrary DNA molecules over the web, or the machine that makes them if you're a mid-sized company. And while scanning tunneling microscopes aren't yet available from Fry's, people do have them in their garages ...
http://www.e-basteln.de/index_r.htm
You can't make even micrograms of nanoproduct with them, but you can tinker.
#509 Re: Interplanetary transportation » Space Elevator news » 2006-10-11 15:03:18
nanoscale manipulation of individual or small groups of atoms in a practical and efficient manner for the construction of nanomaterials is a complete Hollywood pipe dream.
What did you think of the articles flash referenced a few weeks ago ...
http://www.newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4959
?
Seems workable to me.
#510 Re: Meta New Mars » We need new moderators » 2006-10-11 14:53:58
To allow it is to support it
Surely a debate on this point would have been more productive than personal attack?
Lamentably, Tom's worldview doesn't seem to be unrepresentative. In fact, as far as I can tell, the US is currently ruled by people with a similar worldview.
#511 Re: Interplanetary transportation » Alternatives to the Ares I and Ares V? » 2006-10-11 14:20:37
Is that the most dismal graph you've ever seen, or what? At least they have it end with an uptick.
#512 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » Mercury Mirror Space Telescope » 2006-10-11 01:41:46
Has anyone thought of this before, or is it a piece of genious?
Well now, novelty need not be a prerequisite for genius.
You might be interested in this sci.astro thread ...
#513 Re: Interplanetary transportation » Space Elevator news » 2006-10-10 20:34:50
Just this guy? And a little graph?
Well ... and his paper that was part of the proceedings of the 3rd annual space elevator conference ...
http://www.isr.us/Spaceelevatorconferen … tions.html
Looking forward to your critique at the next conference.
Anyway, I don't think even his results show that a nonequitorial space elevator would permit much deviation from the orbital plane
which is, as you point out, undesirable in any case. The point is that the anchor isn't constrained to the equator. Which is nice if you don't happen to have a lot of secure equatorial territory available.
There's no reason cost/volume shouldn't follow the same curve as other carbon fibers
...Which clearly illustrates that you have no idea what a different animal nanotechnologic nanotube composites are from plain old carbon fiber. Its like comparing a handfull of iron ore to steel, made of much the same stuff, but a totally different material.
I understand that growing arbitrary length single-walled CNTs is a challenge we've yet to overcome, but everything I've read about the Los Almos/CNT Technologies deal says they are going to grow fibers on the order of centimeters (the hard part) and then spin the stuff into arbitrary length thread with near-standard textiles equipment. I'll be very surprised if production volumes aren't exponential.
#514 Re: Interplanetary transportation » Space Elevator news » 2006-10-10 18:42:46
even then, you are still restricted to sites that are directly over the equator
I don't think there'll be a space elevator on Mars for quite a while, but I do want to point out that non-equatorial space elevators are possible ...
http://www.mit.edu/people/gassend/space … quatorial/
You place entirely too much faith in "nanofabric," yes it is amazingly strong, but its not infinitely so, and its extremely difficult to produce. I feel confidant in saying that it will never be cheap enough to outright replace metals for general structural use in buildings or space stations.
I wouldn't be so sure. Never is such a long time. There's no reason cost/volume shouldn't follow the same curve as other carbon fibers ...
#515 Re: Meta New Mars » We need new moderators » 2006-10-10 13:49:48
maxie, would you please tell clark to behave.
#516 Re: Human missions » U.S. National Space Policy » 2006-10-09 21:04:31
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.nl.html?pid=22286
Lots of discussion points, but I thought the following, in particular, was interesting ...
The United States is committed to encouraging and facilitating a growing and entrepreneurial U.S. commercial space sector. Toward that end, the United States Government will use U. S. commercial space capabilities to the maximum practical extent, consistent with national security.
#517 Re: Meta New Mars » Spammer » 2006-10-08 22:17:46
Nokia phone spammer
#518 Re: Interplanetary transportation » Space Elevator news » 2006-10-08 04:04:41
A slamming criticsm of Liftport's roadmap on Brad Edward's site
Ouch.
Note also the link to the announcement: Los Alamos partners with CNT Technologies to commercialize SuperThread that suggests a CNT thread strength of 50GaP will be available soon.
"100 times steel" in a press release is more like 10 GPa (maybe 20) - but it is a huge advance - in 2005, the strongest we had available commercially was Spectra 2000 at 3.5 GPa. The magic number for the space elevator is 62 GPa. I like how the extrapolation curve is looking 
#519 Re: Meta New Mars » Spammer » 2006-10-08 03:42:05
#520 Re: Meta New Mars » Spammer » 2006-10-07 21:07:45
#521 Re: Human missions » Next Shuttle Launch: Late 2006? » 2006-10-06 14:54:58
NASA finds tiny hole in shuttle Atlantis
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061006/ap_ … _shuttle_3
NASA workers inspecting space shuttle Atlantis this week discovered that a tiny piece of space debris had punched a hole in a radiator panel during the shuttle's recent mission, but officials said the damage never endangered the crew.
...
wasn't clear exactly what the object was
...
The impact left a hole about one-tenth of an inch in diameter
...
#522 Re: Meta New Mars » We need new moderators » 2006-10-04 16:37:47
busy with RL and impending matrimony.
Congratulations! Love and madness to the happy couple ...
Ghazal 1393
http://www.blissbat.net/rambles/rumi_compare.html
#523 Re: Not So Free Chat » Bow Down Before Iran? » 2006-10-04 15:50:42
See also ...
Irshad Manji
http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/
#524 Re: Terraformation » Plenty of volatiles supply in the Outer SolSys » 2006-10-01 05:38:10
I think the Mars moon impact would be a cool way to slow an impactor down, but as you point out an easy way to destroy a moon.
If we did use such a method we would want to know the contents of the moon as it would be pretty easy to leave Mars with a debris ring for countless eons.
Last thing we would want would be a sun shield we cant remove.
It would look kinda cool from Earth though Seriously, though, it might be desirable to move one of the moons into a higher so that it doesn't interfere with the Martian space elevator (which would use the other moon as its counterweight).
Using the 2.5% or mars atmospheric nitrogen with ammonia to create ammonium nitrate would produce a huge quantity of fertilizer for Mars.
Yeah, the first settlers will be fine. But we'll need more to turn Mars green.
Instead of trying to move a single asteroid to mars with brute force we could move two with a tether between them.
If we use difference in speed or gravity between the objects we should be able to move one of them with little or no brute force.
Oh interesting! An MX tether assist from the Kuiper belt. Have you seen any calculations on this idea? How would it work? Find a large Kuiper object with a moon. Tie the moon to the object. Reel it in. Then let it go when it is pointed the right direction. I wonder what sort of delta-v you could get this way?
Or we could do a gravity assist of smaller object to larger ones.
Moving a 1km object with a 10km objects gravity etc.
Yes, definitely - even if the tether idea can't work, you could give the moonlet a running start.