Why putting the limit at 501? If you look at the distribution, the distribution arround 500 is relatively flat which means there are a lot of computer at around that performance point.
There is nothing super about them. You could probably buy one of those key in hand from IBM or another provider. And you would probably run the same software than you already run on your other server around.
Super computer should be limited to the top 10 / 50.
It takes ~ 8 years to go from top to bottom of the top 500.
And looking at the list, most of the top 500 are not supercomputer, they are just big server rooms that have been used once to perform the test necessary to calculate the combine power of the macines.
Such a machine would probably be more used as super computer ( used to process one thing at a time that needs lots of power) than the server rooms of Internet utilities that makes the top500 ( process millions of small requests).
Difficult to know what caused that particular mutation.
Radiation, bad mitoses, too much antibiotics in the water...
Earth is naturaly radioactive and is constantly bombarded by particles.
A certain percentage of all the mutation is probably caused by these source of radiation. (I have no idea what's the percentage)
So we can consider that all dangerous living things are due partly by mutation generated by radiations.
tigers, sharks, venomous mushrooms, snakes,
I think that the deadly claws of the tiger is beneficial for its survival (up to recently at least).
How does supermarket provides cheaper food than local store?
Power of negotiation. They buy a lot of the stuff that producer has to sell. If a supermarket don't buy your product, they will buy someone else and their market share will increase and yours drop. If a little shop tried to make you reduce your price, you would just ignore him.
Same with health care. If the government decide that one drug is too expensive while the next one which has similar effect is cheaper, they can decide to push the prescription of the cheaper one. especially if they agree to reduce their price even more. Even if the first company offer better holiday package for doctors, the price of prescription will diminish.
Why do you think drug in the US are so much more expensive than in Europe?
Health insurance is easy for people in good health. Unfortunately, not everybody is so lucky.
True, if you get killed waving a gun around.
It would be harder to stole your identity using the data from the laptop.
I don't see Iran going to the American with: "Hi, we would like to put our spy satellite in orbit. We want to know what you are up to in our region of the world. Can you help us?"
Should not be too difficult to do.
Send it as a telecom satellite. Claim it is a faulty one and unresponsive. it may be your first, who will doubt you make an error. The next one can be a success.
Leave it there for a few month. Then drop it on your target.You can leave the empty shell in orbit if someone is really looking for it.
Nobody would be able to make the connection. Unless some of the techies who build the device talk.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-phase_electric_power
It comes in a 5 wires cables. 3 phases, a neutral and the ground. Out of wich you can get 3 different, Slightly dephased normal 230V.
I know that because I was almost electrocuted trying to do just that for a Xmas party at University in a Parking facility. The beer pumps needed normal outlet whil the parking had triple phase one.
Someone connected the cable to the power while I was I finishing at my end. No harm done, just a little shock.
In vacuum, many materials will sublimate.
Also keeping your container vacuum tight for 50 years will be a big challenge.
Innert gas like nitrogen is relatively cheap and as the difference in pressure between the inside and outside of the vesel will be minimised, you have a better chance to maintain the atmosphere inside.
The biggest challenge will be to remove all traces of humidity which will be the killer fof any equipment.
On a routine basis, I doubt that many general or whoever can make decision and give order,
For one the awacs has an active radar, it is easy to know where it is so they are relatively easy targets.
You don't want to fill it with your top command.
Air Force One will be much more discreet while communicating with the AWACS and the people corrdinated from the AWACS.
If you want to put yourself on the map, publish your own map.
