Random access to the stars

Zach Smith — Thu, 17 May 2007 02:47:59 GMT

This is ridiculous, I don't really see the point.

Random access to the stars

Des Emery,The Carborundum Chronicles,St.Thomas,ON,Canada — Thu, 17 May 2007 03:03:15 GMT

Well, Alan, I guess that random is as random does, according to Mrs. Gump anyway. But I don't think there are really any numbers or series of numbers that can really be described as random. Except for Pi, of course. The series for Pi have been computed into the thousands, I think I've read somewhere, though by now it may be in the tens of thousands. Or more. Without actually working out the sequence, no one can predict the subsequent number from here. To me, that's random. Working with signals from space may appear to be random, but those signals are really the results of natural events which could be predicted when we have learned the full process leading to the natural event.

If I pick three "random" numbers, say 2, 5, 0 they appear to be random but if I repeat them in the same order, 2, 5, 0 again, they are seen as just part of a series, and I could jump ahead and tell you which number will appear in the 51st spot or the 107th spot.

Recently I heard on the radio an interview with a researcher at Princeton U. who set up a bunch of computers which generated "random numbers" to be analyzed after the fact, and which he was able to connect to world events. To me, that means the numbers were not really random. And today the radio reported on a Berlin professor who experimented with flies and wine and obtained results which convinced him that flies have a type of "free will." Or was it randomness in their behaviour?

Random access to the stars

Curt, Houston, TX — Thu, 17 May 2007 17:10:42 GMT

Sorry, I don't get it. Is anybody going to pay for a random number? Even though computer generated random numbers are not truly random, so what? When do you really need a number to be that perfectly random?

Random access to the stars

Frank, Dallas, TX — Thu, 17 May 2007 18:49:24 GMT

Its an interesting twist on Astrology - the idea that the stars can guide one to a winning lottery ticket.

I don't really see the value added over any other sort of computer generated random number though. At least, let us know specifically what kind of space phemonena are "influencing" the random number that we are given.

Random access to the stars

Stokely, North Carolina — Thu, 17 May 2007 19:20:12 GMT

I wonder if this random "yuzoz" could be used in robotics to allow for more "human" qualities or responses and incorporated into the bionic brain architecture. If so, then it may be possible the "random number generation" is ultimatly the soul of the robot/brain. Now that is random...And we thought Cloning was playing GOD.

Random access to the stars

Robert Horning, Logan, Utah — Thu, 17 May 2007 20:22:29 GMT

I see there are a number of individuals reading this who "don't get it" in regards to the need for something like this. Psuedorandom numbers such as you get from a typical computer are fine for simple activities such as a video game or for trivial test examples, but there are many situations where you need to simulate physical models (like something to predict weather or model a nuclear power plant) where the mathematical formula used to generate the numbers gets in the way of the formulas used to make these simulations. Simply put, you can't use most random number generators for these simulations.

Another example is with data encryption systems. If you use a pseudorandom number generator, you will eventually be able to decipher the code and discover the "scrambled" message. But if you can use a source of truly random numbers that are generated from a natural source such as what this company is offering here, in theory such encrypted messages are completely secure. So secure that the U.S. military and U.S. State Department regularly use this system, where you can find at least one closet in every U.S. embassy with stacks of CD-ROMs filled with random numbers to send classified messages. This is being done right now.

Most of the methods I've seen to generate these numbers usually use isotopic decay (such as a Geiger counter that measures the time between clicks) or attempt to use something related to cosmic radiation. The problem with most of these methods is that it takes some time to generate a large number or random numbers.... psuedorandom number generators (using just a mathematical formula) can generate 1000x as many numbers or more in the same time it takes these natural random number generators to produce just one number.

Let me just say this is just scratching the surface of what is a major sub-discipline of mathematics. You can quite comfortably make this a lifetime of study if you wish to learn about this topic in depth.

BTW, in regards to the number pi, I've seen formulas that calculate the nth digit of pi without knowing any of the previous digits. That doesn't seem too random from my perspective, but certainly pi is a very interesting number.

Random access to the stars

Jason Isaacs, Oceanside, CA — Fri, 18 May 2007 07:29:45 GMT

Thanks Robert, I was going to post much the same message that you did, but you said it better and had more usefull information than I would have.

The only thing I want to add is that pi has been calculated to more than 1 trillion digits, rather than just a few thousand. It is absolutely deterministic (pi is pi is pi, no matter what) so it is useless as a source for random numbers.

Random access to the stars

Alan Sheets, Loveland CO — Fri, 18 May 2007 21:41:30 GMT

Curt -- lots of people will pay big money for a truly random number. That's because right now so many scientific endevours have to deal with pseudo-randomness.

However, I don't think this scheme is going to be truly random either -- the universe is governed by lots of fixed constants that will have their effect on what Yuzoz is trying to do. Sure, they'll be less psuedo-random than ever before (which is good), but they won't be truly random.

Here's a page on the "randomness" of pi --

http://mirror.href.com/thestarman/math/pi/RandPI.html

-- and that even with this distribution, it still isn't good enough for a lot of things.

BTW, Des -- there is a web site that will allow you to locate any sequence of numbers within pi, even though as far as anyone knows pi itself does not repeat. http://www.angio.net/pi/piquery.html

Random access to the stars

Des Emery, St. Thomas, ON, Canada — Tue, 22 May 2007 04:06:28 GMT

Well, I'm never too old to learn something new, thanks to Robert Horning, Allan Sheets, and others who shared their knowledge with me. I think I have been thinking of Pi as a series of numerals rather than as a number itself with numerals which can be repeated in a pattern contained within itself. I think. It would seem there are no 'random' numbers then, as any pattern could eventually be computed, given enough time to complete the job.

Random access to the stars

Trevor HM Cooper — Thu, 29 May 2008 16:47:01 GMT

Trevor HM Cooper it typing to you.

Wile reading everything on Space and science I can get, I imagined making a deal with you.

We are in desperate need of positive publicity.

Will you read a story and contact me?

We have a design concept to use as a Heavy Life Vehicle.HLV ( I hope your interested in space future)
This HLV produces no space junk. (chunks of metal in LEO)
Each HLV will be able lift six individual satellites. (along with a small landing craft)
When we connect six used HLVs together, clean and reposition the empty fuel and oxygen tanks, reposition a few parts and What do we have?
Infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit. LEO
Each HLV can lift six different satellites and after the infrastructure is attached and rebuilt, each of the 36 satellites can be put into their own orbit.
This idea makes all used rocketry reusable. No waste.
The cost savings alone should have sold it to the NASA, Russia, China, Brazil, Japan etc...
We will then have the first structure in LEO with six robotic arms that can reach out to collect some space junk.
We will have an air tight container with sleeping for 216 people in space.
We will have a hotel in space.
We will have six robotic arms that can spin around pre made tracks (Maglev technology) and sling satellites in any direction.
We can use Maglev to frictionlessly attach three individual compartments. (made from used rocket parts)
We can spin two parts and leave one motionless.
We will have five different artificial gravity levels.
We can spin the infrastructure around a hollow core.
We can wrap electrically charged wires around the structure and around each floor producing a Hollow Bar Magnet.
Hypothetically, any Plasma flowing past, should get caught in our mini magnetosphere and be pulled into the hollow core.
If our mini magnetosphere protects humans from the plasma, space travel can go beyond the Van Allan Belt.
No more worry about radiation.

We will then have infrastructure in LEO that can have up to six landing crafts docked to the 0g section.
Space will begin to produce a profit.

All the technology has been tried and proven.
We just want to reshape and reposition the hardware.

Now we have to sell the idea.
We need positive publicity.

Would you know how we could attract such a vehicle on a limited budget?

How could I tempt you to print a positive story about a company with no more than a design idea.
We need to sell the Hotel Idea.

Could I offer you part of the FUTURE FUNDS that will be available?
(We could list you, with the other owners who have traded for ownership, on our web site!)

OH:
Then after every six successful launches, another hotel is opened for business.
These individual pieces of infrastructure can be connected end to end with each other, creating larger islands in the sky.

We want to sell the idea to the public so the people own the factories and the infrastructure, with the governments.
After all, we paid for the ISS, but who owns it?
We want to sell the idea as a hotel, so if any comfortable inn places buys into tasha9503, they will own part of it.
We need millions of dollars worth of technology.
Any University who trades their technology for ownership will have a time share.

Any organization that invested $52,000,000.00, will own the use of one unit, 52 weeks of the year.
When tasha9503 has two hotels in space, that organization will have the use of two units, all year long.
Each unit sleeps three at any one time.

Hotels In Space,
Now Affordable,
Condos In Space,
A Place,
In Space,
to Play,
www . tasha9503 . com

Random access to the stars

Trevor HM Cooper Ottawa Ontario — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 07:08:05 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfts-XxyWYY

Random access to the stars

Trevor HM Cooper Ottawa Ontario — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 07:08:42 GMT

This is do-able today with yesterday’s technology.

Random access to the stars

Trevor Ottawa Canada — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:10:37 GMT

We must make space profitable if we are ever going to get there in a big way.
So search youtube tasha9503 APlaceInSpaceToPlay
We build these and learn what ever else we need to know Before leaving on an Away Mission.
Or Type in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivHAO96FIiw