One day will buildings be so high they reach the sun?
Remember, 100 years ago they weren't building things as high as they are today. The sun is fixed distance, i.e. it's not an impossible distance to bridge with materials. And the sun itself is made of matter, so it's obviously not hot enough to destroy matter completely.
Therefore with some more technology, I think it will happen.
I can't like your comment, but I will tattoo it on my forehead.
Buildings will only need to increase in height by a factor of roughly 10^8
So I predict buildings will be so tall they reach the sun before computers solve chess.
Since chess will be solved so soon (according to geniuses here) I hope I'll live long enough to take an elevator to the sun.
Wouldn't it be genii?
I am now un-ticking the follow button on this topic AGAIN.
So whatever, I will never see it.
For power, we have an incredible wealth of energy below our feet. Molten lava is just too hot for us to handle currently, but just a tiny bit of it could probably provide considerable energy to turn turbines.
Geothermal energy is almost always low grade and there isn't actually as much of it as you might guess. There is VASTLY more solar and wind energy available to be harnessed.
Depends upon how deep you go. There is plenty of energy if you get down far enough.
Energy can be produced using differences in temperature. The problem is that the temperature gradients are generally very gentle, with the exception of at volcanic sites.
Only 47 terawatts of heat comes from hot parts of the Earth to the surface, due to the gentle temperature gradients. Humans consume about 6 terawatts. The total solar radiation that reaches the Earth (at the outer atmosphere) is about 177,000 terawatts. A large fraction of this reaches the surface, and another large fraction is converted to wind energy.
I am now un-ticking the follow button on this topic AGAIN.
So whatever, I will never see it.
Glad to hear it...now do that on every thread and we'll all be better off.
It seems like such a tiny accomplishment to me.
It is by far the furthest humans have reached in person. That is significant. The engineering accomplishment was also a huge deal, especially considering the truly crappy computers that were around in those days! The Saturn V was an awesome machine.
Agreed...as for sbog, I will say that 50000 years from now man reaching the moon will be considered mankind's most significant achievement to this point in history much like we consider fire and the wheel the greatest achievements of cavemen...oh, and Jesus will be as forgotten as the gods of Sumeria.
Well, I hope that it never is solved. As soon as they announce "the perfect opening", then everyone will be playing that opening. After a while, most players will get bored playing the same opening over and over and they will quit playing all together. Then chess will die.
This is nonsense for multiple reasons.
You think you can build a building that reaches the sun and MY comment is nonsense? lmao
So, if one brings in something cold, then that might allow for the creation of electricity? That doesn't sound right to me.
As I said, TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCES can be harnessed. It is the heat flowing between two temperatures that can be harnessed. This is lower grade when the ratio of the two temperatures is nearer 1, higher grade when the ratio is nearer 0. Electricity is the highest grade of energy, which is why a kWh of electricity can generate 4 kWh of heating or cooling, typically.
One day will buildings be so high they reach the sun?
A truly daft comment.
Remember, 100 years ago they weren't building things as high as they are today. The sun is fixed distance, i.e. it's not an impossible distance to bridge with materials. And the sun itself is made of matter, so it's obviously not hot enough to destroy matter completely.
It is however hot enough to prevent the existence of any solid or liquid, and to ionise gases. That means getting even close will turn you into ionised gas.
Therefore with some more technology, I think it will happen.
No, we can be sure it won't.
One day will buildings be so high they reach the sun?
A truly daft comment.
Remember, 100 years ago they weren't building things as high as they are today. The sun is fixed distance, i.e. it's not an impossible distance to bridge with materials. And the sun itself is made of matter, so it's obviously not hot enough to destroy matter completely.
It is however hot enough to prevent the existence of any solid or liquid, and to ionise gases. That means getting even close will turn you into ionised gas.
Therefore with some more technology, I think it will happen.
No, we can be sure it won't.
Plus, it's architecturally impossible. The width at it's base would have to be wider than any landmass on the Earth, in order to support such a structure. Otherwise, it would just fall over, due to strong winds in the upper atmosphere. Also, if I recall, the Babylonians tried to build a structure that would reach heaven and God destroyed it. So, you'd also have Him to contend with. 
Some moron that posted a disgusting animated .gif file on here and then deleted his account.
So, if one brings in something cold, then that might allow for the creation of electricity? That doesn't sound right to me.
As I said, TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCES can be harnessed. It is the heat flowing between two temperatures that can be harnessed. This is lower grade when the ratio of the two temperatures is nearer 1, higher grade when the ratio is nearer 0. Electricity is the highest grade of energy, which is why a kWh of electricity can generate 4 kWh of heating or cooling, typically.
Did you bother to read the rest of my post?
Yes, but it reads like you have never read how real geothermal power works.
I don't know what would be NeXT. But I am openminded enough to allow my thoughts to consider other possibilities. In 50, or 100 years, it is quite possible that computers will be seen as petty toys.
I agree. No one knows what's next, but it's likely to be something unexpected. My guess is that what's next, the thing that will solve chess (and who knows what else) will compare with computers like a formula one car compares with a Roman chariot.
One day will buildings be so high they reach the sun?
A truly daft comment.
Remember, 100 years ago they weren't building things as high as they are today. The sun is fixed distance, i.e. it's not an impossible distance to bridge with materials. And the sun itself is made of matter, so it's obviously not hot enough to destroy matter completely.
It is however hot enough to prevent the existence of any solid or liquid, and to ionise gases. That means getting even close will turn you into ionised gas.
Therefore with some more technology, I think it will happen.
No, we can be sure it won't.
et tu Elroch?
I'm parodying the "computers will solve chess" people. Sheesh.
Thanks for clarifying. That is a relief.
Believe me, people say things as daft as that on chess.com, and I did not detect your ironic tone in print.
Falling liquids and rising gases are fairly efficient generators of electricity.
It is a lot harder to rely on convection when the temperature gradients are low. Bear in mind a lot of effort has been put into geothermal power, and the people who have developed it are bright and knowledgeable. They use pumps because that is the best option they could find.
That could be useful in ventilation shafts. But, I am really more interested in something that can be done when completely sealed off from the outside world.
Or deep below the ocean, or in the farthest reaches of the solar system.
The payback on geothermal installations is quite long. Clearly it would be infinite on installations in much less ideal locations.
Eventually, yes.