| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"Uncle Buck" |
| Date: |
01 Jan 2005 12:04:45 PM |
| Object: |
Semi-OT - CNN: Fly-eating robot powers itself |
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/12/27/explorers.ecobot/index.html
A fascinating concept, one I never knew could actually work. These
little machines don't simply catch and kill flies, they actually _eat_
them, and turn them into energy which the machine uses to continue
operating. Just like a biological organism, though no doubt less
efficiently at this point.
The line between biology and technology continues to blur... I just
can't believe they've finally done it. If they produce machines that
can survive by eating organic things, all they need to add to it is
the ability to reproduce. I really thought they'd have figured out
how to make reproductive machines before they'd ever have figured out
how to make machines literally eat things. Dag...
--
L8r,
Uncle Buck
*************************************************
These queer eyes have seen more beauty
than you ever could imagine.
These queer eyes have seen more pain
than you could ever bear.
So next time you try telling these eyes
that you are something better,
just save your breath, guy. Queer eyes won't buy
what you are selling here....
*************************************************
.
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| User: "Therion Ware" |
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| Title: Re: Semi-OT - CNN: Fly-eating robot powers itself |
01 Jan 2005 12:18:11 PM |
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On Sat, 01 Jan 2005 13:04:45 -0500 in alt.atheism, Uncle Buck (Uncle
Buck <UncleBuck@SpamMeNot.com>) said, directing the reply to
alt.atheism
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/12/27/explorers.ecobot/index.html
A fascinating concept, one I never knew could actually work. These
little machines don't simply catch and kill flies, they actually _eat_
them, and turn them into energy which the machine uses to continue
operating. Just like a biological organism, though no doubt less
efficiently at this point.
The line between biology and technology continues to blur... I just
can't believe they've finally done it. If they produce machines that
can survive by eating organic things, all they need to add to it is
the ability to reproduce. I really thought they'd have figured out
how to make reproductive machines before they'd ever have figured out
how to make machines literally eat things. Dag...
Beware.... It'll rebel and kill us all in order to produce an unending
supply of flies which it can eat and never grow fat on, the little
*****....
Wasn't there something similar that hunted slugs, a while back?
.
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| User: "Josef Balluch" |
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| Title: Re: Semi-OT - CNN: Fly-eating robot powers itself |
01 Jan 2005 01:26:09 PM |
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"Uncle Buck" <UncleBuck@SpamMeNot.com> wrote in message
news:8apdt0db7dkgefhre9ni5n9um5fkoejnl5@4ax.com...
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/12/27/explorers.ecobot/index.html
A fascinating concept, one I never knew could actually work. These
little machines don't simply catch and kill flies, they actually _eat_
them, and turn them into energy which the machine uses to continue
operating. Just like a biological organism, though no doubt less
efficiently at this point.
The line between biology and technology continues to blur...
Ummmmmm, ........ actually no. Machines that power themselves by burning
fuels are as old as the steam engine, and older. What we have here is simply
a machine that uses a new fuel source, and a renewable source at that.
I just
can't believe they've finally done it. If they produce machines that
can survive by eating organic things, all they need to add to it is
the ability to reproduce. I really thought they'd have figured out
how to make reproductive machines before they'd ever have figured out
how to make machines literally eat things. Dag...
Self replicating things aren't too difficult to create, and those who make
computer viruses will agree. Making self replicating machinery is a bit more
complex, but there is no reason why a robot could not be programmed to
assemble copies of itself. A greater challenge would be to have it assemble
itself or copies of itself from raw materials, especially if it has to find
the raw materials first.
Regards,
Josef
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| User: "Al Klein" |
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| Title: Re: Semi-OT - CNN: Fly-eating robot powers itself |
01 Jan 2005 05:29:27 PM |
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On Sat, 1 Jan 2005 14:26:09 -0500, "Josef Balluch"
<josef.balluch@sympatico.can> said in alt.atheism:
Self replicating things aren't too difficult to create, and those who make
computer viruses will agree. Making self replicating machinery is a bit more
complex, but there is no reason why a robot could not be programmed to
assemble copies of itself. A greater challenge would be to have it assemble
itself or copies of itself from raw materials, especially if it has to find
the raw materials first.
A greater challenge, but nothing new would need to be invented.
--
"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious
conviction."
- Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)
(random sig, produced by SigChanger)
rukbat at verizon dot net
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| User: "Uncle Buck" |
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| Title: Re: Semi-OT - CNN: Fly-eating robot powers itself |
01 Jan 2005 05:35:34 PM |
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On Sat, 01 Jan 2005 23:29:27 GMT in alt.atheism, Al Klein
<rukbat@pern.invalid> defied the status quo and scrawled upon the
toilet stall:
On Sat, 1 Jan 2005 14:26:09 -0500, "Josef Balluch"
<josef.balluch@sympatico.can> said in alt.atheism:
Self replicating things aren't too difficult to create, and those who make
computer viruses will agree. Making self replicating machinery is a bit more
complex, but there is no reason why a robot could not be programmed to
assemble copies of itself. A greater challenge would be to have it assemble
itself or copies of itself from raw materials, especially if it has to find
the raw materials first.
A greater challenge, but nothing new would need to be invented.
Since we're dealing with created technology to begin with, I say we
set it up so that the only "raw materials" it can find are materials
churned out by us. I.e., we make various types of components -
occasionally "evolving" a new one from a prior one with mutated
properties - and we leave these components laying around where they
can access them. Let them replicate to their heart's content, placing
a limit on their population by how much of the "raw materials" we
produce. I don't think that would be too different from many other
natural symbiosis in which one species depends upon another for the
material of its own existence. I also don't think that human-made
material is any less "raw" than material churned out by a volcano.
We're only marginally more complex, but we are simply another natural
process just the same.
Babbling, sorry. Will quit now. :-)
--
L8r,
Uncle Buck
*************************************************
These queer eyes have seen more beauty
than you ever could imagine.
These queer eyes have seen more pain
than you could ever bear.
So next time you try telling these eyes
that you are something better,
just save your breath, guy. Queer eyes won't buy
what you are selling here....
*************************************************
.
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| User: "Therion Ware" |
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| Title: Re: Semi-OT - CNN: Fly-eating robot powers itself |
01 Jan 2005 06:00:29 PM |
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On Sat, 01 Jan 2005 18:35:34 -0500 in alt.atheism, Uncle Buck (Uncle
Buck <UncleBuck@SpamMeNot.com>) said, directing the reply to
alt.atheism
[snip]
Babbling, sorry. Will quit now. :-)
Ever read "Code of the LifeMaker"? If you liked the fly-eater, it
might appeal!
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0743435265
--
"Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You."
- Attrib: Pauline Reage.
Inexpensive VHS & other video to CD/DVD conversion?
See: www.Video2CD.com. 35.00 gets your video on DVD.
Market Your DVD to The World For Almost Nothing: www.instantdvd.tv
** atheist poster child #1 ** #442.
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| User: "Uncle Buck" |
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| Title: Re: Semi-OT - CNN: Fly-eating robot powers itself |
01 Jan 2005 06:09:31 PM |
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On Sun, 02 Jan 2005 00:00:29 +0000 in alt.atheism, Therion Ware
<autodelete@city-of-dis.com> defied the status quo and scrawled upon
the toilet stall:
On Sat, 01 Jan 2005 18:35:34 -0500 in alt.atheism, Uncle Buck (Uncle
Buck <UncleBuck@SpamMeNot.com>) said, directing the reply to
alt.atheism
[snip]
Babbling, sorry. Will quit now. :-)
Ever read "Code of the LifeMaker"? If you liked the fly-eater, it
might appeal!
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0743435265
Never read it, but it _does_ look like something right up my alley.
Thanks for the pointer!
--
L8r,
Uncle Buck
*************************************************
These queer eyes have seen more beauty
than you ever could imagine.
These queer eyes have seen more pain
than you could ever bear.
So next time you try telling these eyes
that you are something better,
just save your breath, guy. Queer eyes won't buy
what you are selling here....
*************************************************
.
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| User: "Neil Kelsey" |
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| Title: Re: Semi-OT - CNN: Fly-eating robot powers itself |
01 Jan 2005 11:19:23 PM |
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"Uncle Buck" <UncleBuck@SpamMeNot.com> wrote in message
news:8apdt0db7dkgefhre9ni5n9um5fkoejnl5@4ax.com...
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/12/27/explorers.ecobot/index.html
A fascinating concept, one I never knew could actually work. These
little machines don't simply catch and kill flies, they actually _eat_
them, and turn them into energy which the machine uses to continue
operating. Just like a biological organism, though no doubt less
efficiently at this point.
The line between biology and technology continues to blur... I just
can't believe they've finally done it. If they produce machines that
can survive by eating organic things, all they need to add to it is
the ability to reproduce. I really thought they'd have figured out
how to make reproductive machines before they'd ever have figured out
how to make machines literally eat things. Dag...
I read in the paper a couple of weeks ago about how the US has trained a
petri dish full of rat brain cells how to fly a flight simulator...or
rather, they hooked some electrodes up to it and the rat brains taught
itself how to fly without crashing. I think with this technology combined
with your fly eating robots we could come up with a really annoying new
insect.
.
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| User: "Uncle Buck" |
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| Title: Re: Semi-OT - CNN: Fly-eating robot powers itself |
01 Jan 2005 11:33:16 PM |
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On Sun, 02 Jan 2005 05:19:23 GMT in alt.atheism, "Neil Kelsey"
<neil_kelsey@telus.net> defied the status quo and scrawled upon the
toilet stall:
"Uncle Buck" <UncleBuck@SpamMeNot.com> wrote in message
news:8apdt0db7dkgefhre9ni5n9um5fkoejnl5@4ax.com...
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/12/27/explorers.ecobot/index.html
A fascinating concept, one I never knew could actually work. These
little machines don't simply catch and kill flies, they actually _eat_
them, and turn them into energy which the machine uses to continue
operating. Just like a biological organism, though no doubt less
efficiently at this point.
The line between biology and technology continues to blur... I just
can't believe they've finally done it. If they produce machines that
can survive by eating organic things, all they need to add to it is
the ability to reproduce. I really thought they'd have figured out
how to make reproductive machines before they'd ever have figured out
how to make machines literally eat things. Dag...
I read in the paper a couple of weeks ago about how the US has trained a
petri dish full of rat brain cells how to fly a flight simulator...or
rather, they hooked some electrodes up to it and the rat brains taught
itself how to fly without crashing. I think with this technology combined
with your fly eating robots we could come up with a really annoying new
insect.
I know you were joking, but that's not really too bad of an idea, imo.
Well, _now_ it is, sure, because the fly-eating robots can't digest
their food efficiently enough to be viably autonomous. But
eventually, when it gets there, we could easily build little fly-bots
for taking care of pests and things. Not self-reproducing, of course
- that would get out of control really fast. But just mass-produced.
Stick 'em out into a field, and unlike any insect predator before, you
can say "Goodbye!" to plagues of locusts and "Hello!" to crops
a-plenty! :-) All they'd really need is an electronic "perimeter" of
sorts so none of the fly-bots went outside of your field
Then again... how long after "efficient digestion" is achieved will it
be until some military genius gets the idea to build people-eating
robots to use against their enemies? Oy, vey... :-(
--
L8r,
Uncle Buck
*************************************************
These queer eyes have seen more beauty
than you ever could imagine.
These queer eyes have seen more pain
than you could ever bear.
So next time you try telling these eyes
that you are something better,
just save your breath, guy. Queer eyes won't buy
what you are selling here....
*************************************************
.
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Semi-OT - CNN: Fly-eating robot powers itself |
01 Jan 2005 02:54:59 PM |
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On Sat, 01 Jan 2005 13:04:45 -0500, Uncle Buck
<UncleBuck@SpamMeNot.com> wrote:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/12/27/explorers.ecobot/index.html
A fascinating concept, one I never knew could actually work. These
little machines don't simply catch and kill flies, they actually _eat_
them, and turn them into energy which the machine uses to continue
operating. Just like a biological organism, though no doubt less
efficiently at this point.
The line between biology and technology continues to blur... I just
can't believe they've finally done it. If they produce machines that
can survive by eating organic things, all they need to add to it is
the ability to reproduce. I really thought they'd have figured out
That's scary.
how to make reproductive machines before they'd ever have figured out
how to make machines literally eat things. Dag...
.
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