[TML] Unified Field Theory

[Jerry W Barrington]

On 12/5/07 1:02 AM, Douglas Knapp wrote:

> And from there, we have the possibility of Bio enhancements (at a
> minimum for our kids) with a bit more DNA tech. I could easily
> envision a time when people think of the creature that they want and
> just make the DNA plan and then grow it. Things like this will perhaps
> be the steps that bring us to the point were we can envision the next
> step beyond quantum computers.

DNA isn't like a literal blueprint.  You can't just say "this is the
creature I want, so here's the DNA sequence that will grow it".

As for the computers, without some major physics breakthrough (and maybe
even with a breakthrough), there may not *be* anything beyond quantum
computers.  It may be an absolute limit, like light speed.



On 12/5/07 1:02 AM, Leonard Erickson wrote:

> Well, I have vague memories that a strong enough field will bend a
> *polarized* light beam (has to be polarized in the right plane, of
> course)

Well, I just did a bit of research, and it seems that in a vacuum, a
magnetic field in itself has no effect on light.  Odd things can happen in
other media though.

And apparently QED predicts that light waves can interact.

Apparently the gravitation potential of a magnetic field is not actually
proved yet, but some think it's obvious, since it's a form of energy.



On 12/5/07 1:02 AM, Timothy Little wrote:

> Although machine intelligence seems just as far off as ever, fusion
> power has really made great progress, with most of the well defined
> milestones already passed.  It's just likely to be bigger and more
> expensive than we expected forty years ago, at least to begin with.

Maybe I'm behind the times, but I hadn't yet heard that they had achieved
more power out than in yet...

And I just saw a quote that "IF commercial fusion is viable, it may well be
a CENTURY away."  (my emphasis on both words)  And apparently, the 1st
commercial reactor isn't expected until 2050.  (of course, some of that may
be bureaucracy)