Keith F. Lynch <kfl@KeithLynch.net> wrote:
But neutrinos and gravitational waves have the advantage that they
go right through the planet, rather than having to go around its
outside. They have the disadvantage that they're difficult to
generate and very difficult to detect.
Neutrinos are easy to generate! They're getting generated all
around us. Which is part of the problem.
Scott Dorsey <kludge@panix.com> wrote:
Neutrinos are easy to generate! They're getting generated all
around us. Which is part of the problem.
So are gravitational waves. But they are difficult for people to
generate in eastily detectable power levels.
Keith F. Lynch <kfl@KeithLynch.net> wrote:
So are gravitational waves. But they are difficult for people to
generate in eastily detectable power levels.
Also a problem... very difficult to key them. Although I remember
an SF story where an alien communications device used a captive
black hole for signalling with gravity waves, until humans trying to
figure out how to operate it accidentally ejected the black hole.
Although I remember an SF story where an alien communications device
used a captive black hole for signalling with gravity waves, until
humans trying to figure out how to operate it accidentally ejected the
black hole.
kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) writes:
Although I remember an SF story where an alien communications device
used a captive black hole for signalling with gravity waves, until
humans trying to figure out how to operate it accidentally ejected the
black hole.
"The Hole Man"? Although in that story it was ambiguous whether it was
an accident or frpbaq qrterr zheqre.
Niven's "Wrong Way Street"? Imagine the guilt of a man who is
resonsible, not just for killing all of mankind, but causing us
to never have existed in the first place!
Keith F. Lynch:
Niven's "Wrong Way Street"? Imagine the guilt of a man who is
resonsible, not just for killing all of mankind, but causing us
to never have existed in the first place!
Why would he feel guilt? There's nobody to blame him.
Scott Dorsey <kludge@panix.com> wrote:
Keith F. Lynch <kfl@KeithLynch.net> wrote:
So are gravitational waves. But they are difficult for people to
generate in eastily detectable power levels.
Also a problem... very difficult to key them. Although I remember
an SF story where an alien communications device used a captive
black hole for signalling with gravity waves, until humans trying to
figure out how to operate it accidentally ejected the black hole.
Niven's "Wrong Way Street"? Imagine the guilt of a man who is
resonsible, not just for killing all of mankind, but causing us
to never have existed in the first place!
In article <114vdu0$rst$1@reader1.panix.com>, kfl@KeithLynch.net (Keith F. Lynch) wrote:
Scott Dorsey <kludge@panix.com> wrote:
Keith F. Lynch <kfl@KeithLynch.net> wrote:
So are gravitational waves. But they are difficult for people to
generate in eastily detectable power levels.
Also a problem... very difficult to key them. Although I remember
an SF story where an alien communications device used a captive
black hole for signalling with gravity waves, until humans trying to figure out how to operate it accidentally ejected the black hole.
Niven's "Wrong Way Street"? Imagine the guilt of a man who is
resonsible, not just for killing all of mankind, but causing us
to never have existed in the first place!
I think it was Niven's The Hole Man, Analog January 1974. And it was on Mars, so he only destroyed a planet (and that would take a while).
kfl@KeithLynch.net (Keith F. Lynch) wrote:
Niven's "Wrong Way Street"? Imagine the guilt of a man who is
responsible, not just for killing all of mankind, but causing us
to never have existed in the first place!
I think it was Niven's The Hole Man, Analog January 1974. And it
was on Mars, so he only destroyed a planet (and that would take a
while).
Scott Dorsey <kludge@panix.com> wrote:
Keith F. Lynch <kfl@KeithLynch.net> wrote:
But neutrinos and gravitational waves have the advantage that they
go right through the planet, rather than having to go around its
outside. They have the disadvantage that they're difficult to
generate and very difficult to detect.
Neutrinos are easy to generate! They're getting generated all
around us. Which is part of the problem.
So are gravitational waves. But they are difficult for people to
generate in eastily detectable power levels.
Nuclear reactors produce anti-neutrinos. Perhaps it's a good thing
that they are difficult to detect. Otherwise someone could figure out exactly where every nuclear submarine in the world was. That would
give them a first-strike capability, making a nuclear war more likely. Especially if they suspect that the secret of how to detect them was
likely to soon leak to the other side, also giving the other side a first-strike capability.
Speaking of nuclear war, today, August 4, 2026, is the date that
Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains" was set.
(Well, one version of it. Other versions are in 1985 and in 2057.)
Bertel Lund Hansen <rundtosset@lundhansen.dk> wrote:
Keith F. Lynch:
Niven's "Wrong Way Street"? Imagine the guilt of a man who is
resonsible, not just for killing all of mankind, but causing us
to never have existed in the first place!
Why would he feel guilt? There's nobody to blame him.
He blamed himself. And rightly so.
Just as I blame myself for guessing the wrong Niven story.
Scott was thinking of a different one.
In article <114vdu0$rst$1@reader1.panix.com>, kfl@KeithLynch.net (Keith F. Lynch) wrote:
Scott Dorsey <kludge@panix.com> wrote:
Keith F. Lynch <kfl@KeithLynch.net> wrote:
So are gravitational waves. But they are difficult for people to
generate in eastily detectable power levels.
Also a problem... very difficult to key them. Although I remember
an SF story where an alien communications device used a captive
black hole for signalling with gravity waves, until humans trying to
figure out how to operate it accidentally ejected the black hole.
Niven's "Wrong Way Street"? Imagine the guilt of a man who is
resonsible, not just for killing all of mankind, but causing us
to never have existed in the first place!
I think it was Niven's The Hole Man, Analog January 1974. And it was on Mars, so he only destroyed a planet (and that would take a while).
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