Feelitmon - Slashdot User

Fewer Than 10 ET Civilizations In Our Galaxy? 642

Posted by kdawson on Friday July 31, 2009 @10:13AM from the black-rectangles dept.

Al writes "The Fermi Paradox focuses on the existence of advanced civilizations elsewhere in the galaxy. If these civilizations are out there — and many analyses suggest the galaxy should be teeming with life — why haven't we seen them? Carlos Cotta and Álvaro Morales from the University of Malaga in Spain investigate another angle by considering the speed at which a sufficiently advanced civilization could colonize the galaxy. Various analyses suggest that using spacecraft that travel at a tenth of the speed of light, the colonization wavefront could take some 50 million years to sweep the galaxy. Others have calculated that it may be closer to 13 billion years, which may explain ET's absence. Cotta and Morales study how automated probes sent ahead of the colonization could explore the galaxy. If these probes left evidence of a visit that lasts for 100 million years, then there can be no more than about 10 civilizations out there."

Comment Why DID the aluminum have to be transparent? (Score 1) 406

by Feelitmon on Tuesday July 28, 2009 @08:43PM (#28860993) Attached to: Transparent Aluminum Is "New State of Matter"

Nobody has ever been able to answer this question to my satisfaction. Was it so that the audience could see those whales get beamed into the cargo hold? I think they should have just gone with plain old aluminum. No temporal loops to worry about that way...

Comment Re:A US-only thing (Score 1) 475

by Feelitmon on Saturday July 25, 2009 @05:37PM (#28821791) Attached to: Apple Dominates "Premium PC" Market

I guess that's 1000 EUR after VAT, right? We don't have VAT in the USA yet, so taxes are generally not included in posted prices.

NASA Plans To De-Orbit ISS In 2016 554

Posted by CmdrTaco on Monday July 13, 2009 @10:00AM from the everybody-duck dept.

NewbieV writes "The international space station is by far the largest spacecraft ever built by earthlings. Circling the Earth every 90 minutes, it often passes over North America and is visible from the ground when night has fallen but the station, up high, is still bathed in sunlight. After more than a decade of construction, it is nearing completion and finally has a full crew of six astronauts. The last components should be installed by the end of next year. And then? 'In the first quarter of 2016, we'll prep and de-orbit the spacecraft,' says NASA's space station program manager, Michael T. Suffredini."

Computer Associates Offers Warranties 82

Posted by kdawson on Thursday September 28, 2006 @01:52PM from the you-bet-your-identity dept.

Kelvin D. writes, "Computer Associates has come up with a new angle to get consumers to buy its security software — a warranty with cash benefits if you catch a virus ($1,500) or get your identity stolen ($5,000). From the article: 'Users who want the identity theft coverage need to both install and register their copies of Warranty Corporation of America's Mobile Lifeline (included). No registration, no coverage.'" Moblie Lifeline includes something that sounds like a benign Trojan: it lets you retrieve or delete files from your stolen computer if it's ever connected again to the Internet.

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