|
An elevator.
With a really strong wire
|
|
|
|
|
|
But Tsiolkovsky's original suggestion was a tower.
|
|
|
|
|
There is a very good book by Arthur C. Clarke, The Fountains of Paradise, about the building of the first space elevator.
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.
-- 6079 Smith W.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I know, the best part of that page is the calculations.
|
|
|
|
|
My surprise is the number of reasonably qualified people who have pursued this idea for 125 years, when the calculations show that with current materials (over those 125 years), we many magnitudes away from being able to build such an elevator. There is only one reasonable explanation for that: These people never did the calculations. (And they didn't have Wikipedia to give it to them  )
Even today, we are theorizing about nanomaterials that might be strong enough. I didn't see any estimate of the total amount of nanotubes required, but it occurs to me that those USD 6 billion for building the whole thing is slightly on the optimistic side.
If those estimates hold true, we might even use a similar solution for an electricity generator: Put a little extra weight on the counterweight to pull the rope slowly outwards. In the earth end, the rope is pulled from a huge spool; the rotation of the spool drives the generator (through an almost unimaginable gearbox that probably will require another nano-development of strong enough materials).
Maybe we end up with such a demand for carbon that we can't allow coal to be burned for heating...
|
|
|
|
|
Member 7989122 wrote: My surprise is the number of reasonably qualified people who have pursued this idea for 125 years
People searching to solve the impossible are the one that makes science leap forward.
The amount of things we can do or build today that was impossible 100 years ago is quite staggering.
Then of course, the amount of things people thought would be easy to solve but still aren't is also really large.
|
|
|
|
|
Alternatively, very tiny astronauts.
| Ravings en masse^ |
|---|
| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
NASA Engineers don't make good interior decorators
I'm not sure how many cookies it makes to be happy, but so far it's not 27.
JaxCoder.com
|
|
|
|
|
That's good  , the next time someone comments on state of my desk, my new (less antagonistic) response will be
"If it's good enough for the space station, it's good enough for me!"
"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
"Facebook is where you tell lies to your friends. Twitter is where you tell the truth to strangers." - chriselst
"I don't drink any more... then again, I don't drink any less." - Mike Mullikins uncle
|
|
|
|
|
I wonder if it started out looking less cluttered, and then, upgrades...
Streaming comedy shows:
https://www.facebook.com/FunSimulation2000/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjlYc8XLMNVsWhHwFstwtCg/videos
https://www.twitch.tv/funsimulation
|
|
|
|
|
|
Close enough! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
His foresights always turned out to be nore wishful thinking anyway. The only things he did not see coming were those he ended up with. Amateur.
And I need a new black bathrobe to run around with.
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.
|
|
|
|
|
CodeWraith wrote: And I need a new black bathrobe to run around with.
I assume you already have a lightsaber? 
|
|
|
|
|
Lightsabers! Jedi propaganda wants to make you believe how great these things are, but they never tell you how many batteries you need to carry around with you. Nothing is more embarrassing than to stand before a worthy opponent with only a dead flashlight in your hands. I prefer carbon nanofiber blades.
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.
|
|
|
|
|
Made into part of real life:
Many years ago my son was at his desk doing his homework (on a desktop - when no one worried about a fashionable PC). He needed to leave the room for a bit and whilst he was out I scampered in and hid in the closet about 8 feet behind him. And waited.
After a bit, when I could hear his fingers dancing on the keyboard and he was thus well settled in I burst forth from the closet and exclaimed:
"Ah ha! No One Expects the Unexpected!"
His remark . . . "that was pretty good!" and went back to work.
| Ravings en masse^ |
|---|
| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
If an aromatherapist breaks wind, will that cost you £25?
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
|
|
|
|
|
OriginalGriff wrote: aromatherapist breaks wind,
For that part, no charge at all.
To use their "skills" to cover it up? Yeah, that amount should cover it.
Look - everyone has to make a living, even if their job really stinks.
| Ravings en masse^ |
|---|
| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
W∴ Balboos, GHB wrote: Look - everyone has to make a living, even if their job really stinks.
this should have been your only comment.
the first two sentences ruined your delivery. Just saying.
|
|
|
|
|
I'm glad you scent your reply.
| Ravings en masse^ |
|---|
| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
It should cost you £25 just for being fool enough to be there.
|
|
|
|
General 
News 
Suggestion 
Question 
Bug 
Answer 
Joke 
Praise 
Rant 
Admin 
Submit an article or tip
