carsonc's recent activity
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Comment on Human-driven global warming could cause the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, a powerful ocean current system, and throw Iceland into a deep freeze in ~enviro
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Comment on Elon Musk says SpaceX will prioritize a city on the moon instead of a colony on Mars in ~space
carsonc Link ParentThere is something very Aperture Science about this, no? Well, whether or not ground up moon rocks are pure poison, as Cave Johnson claimed, moon dust is catastrophic for equipment. It rains dust...There is something very Aperture Science about this, no? Well, whether or not ground up moon rocks are pure poison, as Cave Johnson claimed, moon dust is catastrophic for equipment. It rains dust continually on the moon due to the photovoltaic charging of dust during the lunar daytime. The solar wind then blows this back to the nighttime side, where it rains a constant shower of weakly charged, insulating, jaggged, microscopic, silica particles. Each particle carries a large electrostatic dipole, the remnant of the photovoltaic charging which launched it into the lunar sky.
As it settles, it coats everything. Right now, that just other dust, but equipment or machinery would be a different deal. Thermal radiators for cooling radioactive thermal generators or fully fledged nuclear reactors see their emissivities decrease as the dust piles on. Solar panels see their efficiency drop as they get covered in dust. Any bearings or sliding surfaces would quickly see their mechanisms fouled by the the abundance of microscopic abrasives entrained between mating countersurfaces.
Removal is expensive, difficult, and potentially futile, given the continual nature of the cascade, non-existent atmosphere, miniscule gravity, and highly attractive nature of the particles of dust themselves. Did I mention the tribocharging? Yeah, the dust is electrostatically charged to beging with, but there is a way to make them even more charged and sticky: touching and moving them. If you try to brush off the dust, it will tribocharge to a higher electrostatic voltage than it did before you touched it.
Oh, I almost forgot: it permeates and destroys clothing and fabric. The orthofabric used for the space suits is really remarkable stuff, but lunar dust will happily waft through it like a breeze through a freshly napalmed forest (apologies to Neal Stephenson). However, it absolutely destroys Tyvek bunny suits. So disposable bunny suits would work, but unless we figure out how to establish a petrochemical industry on the moon, we would need to send a steady stream of care packages to avoid trucking it back inside after any kind of extra-vehicular activity.
As to the health claims, I am inclined to take the precautionary principle and assume that lunar dust is more harmful than benign. I don't want to be breathing it, and I don't think anyone else should either.
So, if we can solve all those problems: let's do it. But it is far, far easier said than done.
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Comment on Elon Musk says SpaceX will prioritize a city on the moon instead of a colony on Mars in ~space
carsonc LinkLunar dust is utterly fascinating. There is a nice article in IEEE Spectrum “Dust is probably one of our greatest inhibitors to a nominal operation on the moon,” Apollo 17 astronaut Gene Cernan,...Lunar dust is utterly fascinating. There is a nice article in IEEE Spectrum
“Dust is probably one of our greatest inhibitors to a nominal operation on the moon,” Apollo 17 astronaut Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon, said during a postflight debriefing. “I think we can overcome other physiological or physical or mechanical problems, except dust.”
Frankly, if anyone thinks they can solve the lunar dust problem, I will be extremely impressed. I have worked on this and, while my solution worked, it was also wholly impractical, so I'm not holding my breath for a callback from NASA. But hey, go ahead and ship infinite bunny suits to the moon. I'm sure the cost of transport to the moon will enjoy similar reductions in cost to LEO transport and then, well, it would be foolish not to. What could go wrong?
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Comment on What's something you've moved on from? in ~talk
carsonc LinkDwarf Fortress. I haven't touched it since my oldest was one year old. And I miss it still, but I think it's better this way. I still have the memories -- not nostalgia, something else, the...Dwarf Fortress. I haven't touched it since my oldest was one year old. And I miss it still, but I think it's better this way. I still have the memories -- not nostalgia, something else, the sentiment of losing myself in that world. The memory evokes the feeling, but without the need to waste so much copious time on the actual experience.
I still play video games, both too much and not enough (it never is, of course). But I'll let go of these when the time comes too.
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Comment on Let's talk orchestrated objective reduction! in ~science
carsonc Link ParentSpeaking of free will and quantum mechanics, I recently came across the Conway and Kochen Free Will Theorem: I left the field of physics after my undergrad and have been happily at play in the...Speaking of free will and quantum mechanics, I recently came across the Conway and Kochen Free Will Theorem:
Do we really have free will, or, as a few determined folk maintain, is it all an illusion? We don’t know, but will prove in this paper that if indeed there exist any experimenters with a modicum of free will, then elementary particles must have their own share of this valuable commodity.
I left the field of physics after my undergrad and have been happily at play in the fields of chemistry and material science ever since. Also, my quantum was terrible, so I never felt comfortable with bras and kets. Maybe that's why the theorem appeals to me.
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
carsonc Link ParentThank you for posting this! I would have blown right past this topic because I am not writing a novel or perfecting my blown glass spheres, but yeah, I can totally post a design project here or...Thank you for posting this! I would have blown right past this topic because I am not writing a novel or perfecting my blown glass spheres, but yeah, I can totally post a design project here or there. I'll see if I can get something together to post.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - A New Year - Fire on the Mountain by Terry Bisson in ~books
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Comment on BYD overtakes Tesla as China reshapes the global electric vehicle race in ~transport
carsonc LinkHere is a link to The Musk Partisan Effect on Tesla Sales, the paper referenced in the article. Fascinating how one can be rewarded so generously for demonstrably hampering sales so dramatically....Here is a link to The Musk Partisan Effect on Tesla Sales, the paper referenced in the article. Fascinating how one can be rewarded so generously for demonstrably hampering sales so dramatically. The paper doesn't mention BYD and we can imagine a world where BYD enters the US market and cuts into Tesla sales by the same amount in the absence of partisan activities, but I doubt that the current administration was eager to encourage a Chinese entrant to the US auto market.
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Comment on What video games would you say have the best stories? Feel free to suggest more than one. in ~games
carsonc LinkI have to make a pitch for Chrono Trigger, which had portions that gave me chills when they happened. Also Portal 2, mostly for the story of Aperture Science and the booming voice of Cave Johnson...I have to make a pitch for Chrono Trigger, which had portions that gave me chills when they happened.
Also Portal 2, mostly for the story of Aperture Science and the booming voice of Cave Johnson echoing through the facility after all those years.
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Comment on The paperclip problem in ~tech
carsonc Link ParentThe Bobiverse connection is apt. I'm unsure about the conclusion and about the premises. This appears to be a thought experiment based entirely in fiction. Whereas, other thought experiments, say...The Bobiverse connection is apt. I'm unsure about the conclusion and about the premises. This appears to be a thought experiment based entirely in fiction. Whereas, other thought experiments, say Schrödinger's cat or Zeno's Paradox, take their premises in reality, the paperclip "problem" takes it's premise of super-intelligence from fantasy and then claims to derive a "real-world" conclusion. If the premises are founded in make-believe, then so are the conclusions.
In His Master's Voice, Stanislaw Lem imagines a message containing such super-intelligent message being beamed to earth from the stars. Far from using such an event for the betterment of humanity, the Great Powers try to discover its martial capabilities. Ultimately, they fail at this as well. In the end, our inability to understand the message blinds us to the potential benefits of this message, but thankfully, also prevents us from destroying ourselves with it.
This interpretation of the paperclip problem is wrong, of course. But, in my opinion, so are all such approaches. The premise is fictive, so all conclusions from are it also equally fictive.
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Comment on Nvidia-backed Starcloud trains first AI model in space in ~space
carsonc (edited )Link ParentIt seems like they might use a Molniya orbit. Edit because I accidentally hit save: This might be good for training data, I suppose, as you could uplink at perihelion and then let it plug and chug...It seems like they might use a Molniya orbit.
Edit because I accidentally hit save: This might be good for training data, I suppose, as you could uplink at perihelion and then let it plug and chug for 12 hours.
Also, does Starfighter Space plan to compete with Stratolaunch, because it seems like Stratolaunch would have a much easier time of putting things in orbit, as that's what it was designed to do.
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Comment on Nvidia-backed Starcloud trains first AI model in space in ~space
carsonc Link ParentWouldn't these deorbit and burn up long before they could be excessed to anyone? Apparently, Starlink satellites are coming down daily.Wouldn't these deorbit and burn up long before they could be excessed to anyone? Apparently, Starlink satellites are coming down daily.
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Comment on Backing up Spotify in ~music
carsonc LinkSome of you may have seem this around, but I wanted to post this here to get your thoughts: There are several data visualizations on the blog page. The project seems audacious and questionably...Some of you may have seem this around, but I wanted to post this here to get your thoughts:
We backed up Spotify (metadata and music files). It’s distributed in bulk torrents (~300TB), grouped by popularity.
This release includes the largest publicly available music metadata database with 256 million tracks and 186 million unique ISRCs.
It’s the world’s first “preservation archive” for music which is fully open (meaning it can easily be mirrored by anyone with enough disk space), with 86 million music files, representing around 99.6% of listens.
There are several data visualizations on the blog page. The project seems audacious and questionably legal. What do you think?
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Backing up Spotify
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Comment on Can I defeat telematics in a GM car? in ~transport
carsonc Link ParentHey, if it's as simple as pulling a fuse, go for it. I've never heard of battery problems associated with poor cell phone reception, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. After all, you can...Hey, if it's as simple as pulling a fuse, go for it. I've never heard of battery problems associated with poor cell phone reception, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. After all, you can always put the fuse back.
Edit: Just to be clear, the fuse supplying power to a certain device and the coaxial RF cable connecting that device to a separate antenna are two different components. The antenna can be disconnected, but the resulting open circuit will produce atypical signals that may be detected as a malfunction, thus the 50 ohm terminator. Pulling the fuse just disconnects the power to the device, completely preventing operation.
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Comment on Can I defeat telematics in a GM car? in ~transport
carsonc (edited )Link ParentI wanted to respond to this for the benefit of anyone else that might want to try this approach. I wouldn't do this first. The reason for the 50 ohm terminator is that it makes the telemetry unit...I wanted to respond to this for the benefit of anyone else that might want to try this approach. I wouldn't do this first. The reason for the 50 ohm terminator is that it makes the telemetry unit believe that the antenna is still there, it just isn't receiving a signal. It doesn't know the difference between the terminator and the antenna, except that one is silent and the other isn't.
Accordingly, it can continue to try to broadcast your data to its little silicon heart's content. Alas, there is no longer an antenna, just a dead end for that signal. Even so, the system doesn't know that anything is wrong, it's just that the reception is poor. It's not like the car should brick itself just because you drove outside of its cell phone range.
On the other hand, removing fuses or leaving connections unterminated tells the system that something is definitely wrong, that something needs to be repaired, and that maybe it should prevent operation until it can be fixed (for your own safety, of course).
This is just my understanding, though. If I'm wrong, I'm happy to learn differently.
Edit: " "
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Comment on Can I defeat telematics in a GM car? in ~transport
carsonc LinkSo, GM has these special coax connectors called Fakra Z. If you get a Fakra Z to SMA adapter, you can disconnect the cellular antenna and replace it with a 50 Ohm terminal. First, though, you...So, GM has these special coax connectors called Fakra Z. If you get a Fakra Z to SMA adapter, you can disconnect the cellular antenna and replace it with a 50 Ohm terminal.
First, though, you would have find said cellular antenna connection, which could be anywhere. I'm not familiar with the Lyriq (we only have the Volt), but someone on the internet said that "Its behind the right wall of the cargo area. Youll have to remove the floor storage to properly get into that panel to access the module." [cadillacforums.com]
Once you find this connection, you might need some instructions like those on this reddit post.
I have read the tutorials. I have purchased the parts. I have still not installed the fix. Good luck, friend.
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Comment on Good News Everyone! in ~news
carsonc LinkNASA is building the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor to find city-killer asteroids before they can threaten us. I was listening to this on the Science News podcast and they discussed how, despite...NASA is building the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor to find city-killer asteroids before they can threaten us. I was listening to this on the Science News podcast and they discussed how, despite the cuts to other programs, no one wanted to defund a mission that would protect earth by sighting asteroids that could wipe out an entire city.
Also, I'll plug the Science News Podcast as a font of (mostly) good news.
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Comment on Reading my first Stephen King novel - What are your favorites? in ~books
carsonc Link ParentI'll second the Dark Tower series. I think the series is uneven, bring written across several decades of King's life, but some of the books are inarguably amazing. The Gunslinger and Wizard and...I'll second the Dark Tower series. I think the series is uneven, bring written across several decades of King's life, but some of the books are inarguably amazing. The Gunslinger and Wizard and Glass are my favorites from the series.
I'll also make a plug for Lisey's Story, which is, among many things, a study in a marriage.
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Comment on ‘Zootopia 2’ jumps to $556.4m global opening for biggest WW start of 2025 in ~movies
carsonc Link ParentThe originals were both unforgettable for me. We have seen Moana and Zootopia many, many times at home. The songs to Moana are engraved in my memory, many in a language that I do not speak nor...The originals were both unforgettable for me. We have seen Moana and Zootopia many, many times at home. The songs to Moana are engraved in my memory, many in a language that I do not speak nor understand. Zootopia had really well written plot twists and a cast of new and engaging characters. For all the eye-popping opening weekend figures, I wonder if the sequels will be rewatched in streaming in the same way the originals were.
I definitely do agree with @DefinitelyNotAFae that there is no consensus. The issue balancing economic and ecological interests is not alone in this though; there are many such issues on which there is no consensus. The absence of consensus on so many issues of such great importance is one of the defining features of this this time.
From that perspective, the thing that "the masses" or anyone else for that matter can do improve affairs is to build consensus. Historically, "consensus" was indistinguishable from the will of whatever ruler happened to be in charge at a given time. Over the past 2 - 3 centuries, societies have moved away from this model towards a model of collective decision-making: from monarchs to parliments, from mayors to councils. In this context, building consensus is a difficult and essential activity.
Unfortunately, people still view these bodies as vehicles to accrue power and influence. So we saddle otherwise free polities with coalition-building party systems, not for the purpose of improving their outcomes, but to advance a priori interests and agendas. While often preferable to rule by decree, it may as well be such for the ousted party.
The move from coalition-building to consensus-building may still be a ways off, but it would prevent the worst of what could occur from coming to pass. Personally, though, my belief is that humanity will probably have to learn how to build consensus by experiencing the worst of what could come to pass.
Giving yourself, your family, neighbors and associates a head start can't hurt though.