Seeing Michio Kaku today. Any questions you'd like me to ask?

[rhody]

Dr. Kaku will only answer one question per person from the audience, so make it good.

I don't care what question is asked, but someone needs to slip the producers of his show a slip of paper with this thread link on it. I doubt a dose of "reality" will do any good, but I would love to be a fly on the wall when his staff saw this post.

Rhody...

 

[MacLaddy]

Yes, when exposed to this stuff, you get pushed in the general direction of science, but specifically in the direction of real science. The result is some people might find their way to real science after this push while others will find their way to crackpottery.

Michio Kaku and Neil deGrasse Tyson both influenced me into going back to school to learn this stuff for myself, so over the top or not I think he is great.

There are crackpot influences no matter where you look, at least he is giving a sleight academic edge to it.

 

[SeventhSigma]

I really disagree that he is perpetuating pseudoscience when a lot of what he's discussing is technology that already exists and just needs to be further developed and refined.

I agree that the "Maybe the travelers from the future are all around us and they're just invisible" is a bit of a crackpot conclusion bordering on conspiracy-theory mentality, but I see those statements as being in the minority compared to everything else I've ever heard him say.

I also don't think you need to be an "expert" in nuclear physics to know about how radiation works and that there was a lot of fearmongering going down. Kaku is well-known in the public and his scientific literacy is what helps bridge that gap.

As for the civilization scale, I don't think the point is that it needs to have "practical use" -- it's just a way to show us where we are in the big picture of things.

Last night, Neil deGrasse Tyson actually made a surprise appearance and introduced Kaku and then later fielded Q&A. It was so great to be literally a few feet away from both of them. :O

 

[DR13]

There are crackpot influences no matter where you look, at least he is giving a sleight academic edge to it.

I would say that this is a bad thing. It makes crackpots feel validated.

 

[DR13]

I really disagree that he is perpetuating pseudoscience when a lot of what he's discussing is technology that already exists and just needs to be further developed and refined.

You mean like teleportation, inter-gallactic travel, and time travel? These technologies do not exist in any way, shape, or form (except teleportation, but that is just of photons so I don't count it yet).

Also, what did you end up asking?

 

[MacLaddy]

I would say that this is a bad thing. It makes crackpots feel validated.

I don't think crackpots need validation. If they did, they wouldn't be crackpots.

 

[DR13]

I don't think crackpots need validation. If they did, they wouldn't be crackpots.

Touche. But still, I would rather have Kaku talk about things that are possible in the shorter term (10-50 years).

 

[MacLaddy]

Touche. But still, I would rather have Kaku talk about things that are possible in the shorter term (10-50 years).

I agree. It would be nice if he toned it down a bit, but I wonder how much of that is him, and how much is network influenced.

Considering his books, I suppose its mostly his input.

 

[SeventhSigma]

You mean like teleportation, inter-gallactic travel, and time travel? These technologies do not exist in any way, shape, or form (except teleportation, but that is just of photons so I don't count it yet).

Also, what did you end up asking?

Teleportation is actually on its way.

But intergalactic travel/time travel is something that almost every agrees upon as being an insanely difficult feat and it's not like we see him gunning for that stuff any time soon.

Kaku frequently cites Arthur C. Clarke's Third Law ("Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic") and so on some level he does know that talking about future technology is likely to sound crazy to most people. But then you jump forward a handful of years and find that the naysayers are almost always wrong. Growth has a massive presence in the tech industry (hence the high P/E ratios).

Even my own girlfriend, who accompanied me last night, was a bit freaked out by some of the technology Kaku discussed, but it's still important to keep in mind that the technology already exists. Much of what he discussed last night *was* technology of the 10-50 years-ahead variety (invisibility, nanotech, wearable computing, augmented reality, smart windows/glass/paper, Moore's Law, quantum computing, brainwave technology, etc).

 

[Leptos]

Seriously PF, unless you suffer from severe autism or asperger syndrome, I see no reason why you should react to what Kaku is doing in this manner. Simply put, Kaku is doing a great job of popularizing physics(and mathematics) and those that he inspires to pursue these subjects at the technical level will not be harmed by anything he has said. To even get the opportunity to have a time slot for these shows requires that he generate content interesting enough for viewers tuning into return the next show. Please, don't be so thick headed. Those of you that are intelligent, as opposed to simply snobby, will understand why popularizers of science present material in the way that they do. I personally became interested in science through Kaku's books and although I knew the material would be very different at the technical level, it was a starting point, and I'm not sure if this is common, but Kaku was a great influence on me becoming a math student.

 

[MacLaddy]

Seriously PF, unless you suffer from severe autism or asperger syndrome, I see no reason why you should react to what Kaku is doing in this manner.

Do you believe that the members of PF are part of a larger collective consciousness, or perhaps that of a hive mind- like the Borg? Maybe your science fiction has gone a bit too far.

If you have criticism, please direct it appropriately.

 

[Misericorde]

Is it theoretically possible (say via 'magic') to create something like a wormhole to traverse, which allows travel at something significantly below 'c'?

 

[JaredJames]

Is it theoretically possible (say via 'magic') to create something like a wormhole to traverse, which allows travel at something significantly below 'c'?

I can pull a unicorn out of my backside if you want to allow magic.

There are theoretical ways to create wormholes, but they involve exotic matter.

Wormholes don't violate relativity.

This is a discussion for elsewhere, not here. There are plenty of threads on the subject.

 

[Misericorde]

I can pull a unicorn out of my backside if you want to allow magic.

There are theoretical ways to create wormholes, but they involve exotic matter.

Wormholes don't violate relativity.

This is a discussion for elsewhere, not here. There are plenty of threads on the subject.

I'm asking this regarding a work of fiction, so unicorns as a valid mechanism works for me. As for asking Dr. Kaku, given his history of speculation and erudition, he seems ideal to ask this kind of question.

 

[JaredJames]

I'm asking this regarding a work of fiction, so unicorns as a valid mechanism works for me. As for asking Dr. Kaku, given his history of speculation and erudition, he seems ideal to ask this kind of question.

Fiction let's you do what you like.

You don't need to ask him that, there is plenty of material out there on the subject that doesn't involve the use of magic.

 

[glueball8]

Yes, when exposed to this stuff, you get pushed in the general direction of science, but specifically in the direction of real science. The result is some people might find their way to real science after this push while others will find their way to crackpottery.

Yes, I agree that it might push people in the direction real science, but that is only after they did studying away from Prof. Kaku. And it might also lead people crack pottery, but I feel that when Prof. Kaku talks its almost like the movie "What the beep do we know", even though it might lead towards people studying real science but it mostly will lead to crackpottery. Now if someone was listen to someone like Richard Feynman, they will get interested in science but there's hardly any chance of them going into crackpottery.

From what I have seen Neil deGrasse Tyson is completely different from Prof. Kaku, Neil deGrasse Tyson's thoughts were scientifically stated.

Teleportation is actually on its way.

What do you mean by that? You mean having me here and the next second in China is on its way?

 

[Misericorde]

Fiction let's you do what you like.

You don't need to ask him that, there is plenty of material out there on the subject that doesn't involve the use of magic.

Do you know the answer to my question then? Beyond that, I like to cut my fiction closer to what is possible than simply using buzzwords. There is 'fairy magic', 'Star Trek' magic, and then the more subtle magic of such authors as Larry Niven. I'd prefer that unicorns not be the mechanism by which this kind of travel is achieved in my writing, and I'd be interested if it's possible using a wormhole, or if you'd need something less, because a wormhole is by definition something which can be a time machine if it's '2-way'.

 

[JaredJames]

Do you know the answer to my question then?

I've told you, there are theories on it. GOOGLE WORMHOLES! It's really not that difficult.

The results will explain to you the basis of wormholes so you can use it. Again, there are plenty of threads here on the subject.

No, we don't have a way of making them because we lack the materials required to do so.

The moment you mention use of wormholes in a story you are in the realms of fiction.

 

[Misericorde]

I've told you, there are theories on it. GOOGLE WORMHOLES! It's really not that difficult.

The results will explain to you the basis of wormholes so you can use it. Again, there are plenty of threads here on the subject.

No, we don't have a way of making them because we lack the materials required to do so.

The moment you mention use of wormholes in a story you are in the realms of fiction.

It's the sheer variety and madness that arises from that kind of search that drew me here in the in the first place. I'm done justifying my question, although if you have some scholarly articles to link I'll be happy to read them. Your view is noted, but my question remains and that says a lot about your ability to answer it perhaps. It's possible that answers like yours are the reasons I'm not asking you, and why I would like the opinion of a man who does tend to speculate in the realm of wormholes and such.

 

[DR13]

It's the sheer variety and madness that arises from that kind of search that drew me here in the in the first place. I'm done justifying my question, although if you have some scholarly articles to link I'll be happy to read them. Your view is noted, but my question remains and that says a lot about your ability to answer it perhaps. It's possible that answers like yours are the reasons I'm not asking you, and why I would like the opinion of a man who does tend to speculate in the realm of wormholes and such.

I'd recemmend starting a new thread. That way people who know how to answer your question can see the title and answer it.

 

[JaredJames]

It's the sheer variety and madness that arises from that kind of search that drew me here in the in the first place.

To GD?

I'm done justifying my question, although if you have some scholarly articles to link I'll be happy to read them.

Justifying it? Who asked you to do that?

What you are looking for can be found in the relevant PF section. Not in GD.

Your view is noted, but my question remains and that says a lot about your ability to answer it perhaps. It's possible that answers like yours are the reasons I'm not asking you, and why I would like the opinion of a man who does tend to speculate in the realm of wormholes and such.

You're in GD. You are asking people like me. You hijacked the thread to do so.

You want better answers, go to the right place, Astrophysics, Cosmology etc.

Everything about wormholes is speculative. So any answer you get is going to be so. You are the one speculating about it by asking they're possible.

 

[Misericorde]

This is about asking someone who will in turn be able to ask Michio Kaku, right? How would starting another thread lead to this individual possibly asking that specific person this question? As for being drawn to "gd", believe me when I say I couldn't be more repelled; a quick perusal shows this to be the slum of the site.

 

[Evo]

a quick perusal shows this to be the slum of the site.

Ooooh, guys, he called GD a slum.

 

[glueball8]

Lets tie him up and whack him with fishes.

 

[Evo]

Lets tie him up and whack him with fishes.

Spiny fishes!

 

[fuzzyfelt]

I think he wanted to ask Michio Kaku the question about magic and wormholes because he was a day late to ask Michio Kaku the question about magic and wormholes :)

 

[Misericorde]

I think he wanted to ask Michio Kaku the question about magic and wormholes because he was a day late to ask Michio Kaku the question about magic and wormholes :)

Nah, because I'm interested in something that doesn't allow for time travel against the thermodynamic arrow, but cute notion. It is true that I didn't realize I was a day late though, which probably could have been the first thing cat-boy mentioned.

As for a slum, other than quotes, this is what I've seen and read some of the politics. It's a startling contrast with the rest of the site, and if you don't think so, maybe you ate too many spiny fishes and the TTX is kicking in? :)

Nothing personal you know; every city needs a slum, and it's not a commentary on the entire city. In fact, to recognize a slum you need to appreciate the contrast with the city. Beyond that, you guys realize that, once again I state this, I'm talking about fiction? I'm going out on a limb and guessing that most of you like science fiction, so I'd have guessed the distinction between a question of what IS, vs. a book scenario would have been clear.

It seems strange that this would be seen as an odd question for a scientist who spends at least as much time in front of a green-screen talking about what most here would consider magic and fancy, but hey, slum-dwellers are idiosyncratic by nature.

 

[Evo]

Alright, enough with the slum thing.

This is the lounge and the rules here are not as strict. It is where members come to have fun and have less serious discussions. It is for people to get to know each other on a more personal level.

 

[rhody]

Alright, enough with the slum thing.

This is the lounge and the rules here are not as strict. It is where members come to have fun and have less serious discussions. It is for people to get to know each other on a more personal level.

Wow, excitement, all I can say is DUCK ! I don't thrive on stress. I am outta here...

This is turning into a PF Dogpile, have fun guys... Evo, QuarkCharmer, Jimmy, lisab, fuzzy, russ, lacy, andre, play nice, I can't remember a pile like this in a long time.

Rhody... hits the un-subcribe button, whew, now I feel better...

 

[AlephZero]

Without people like him, although in my case it was more Ian Stewart with Flatterland, I would probably not have much of a serious interest in math/physics as a career.

That's a bad analogy IMO. I've never read anything by Ian Stewart that was matheatical speculation. Mostly, he writes about mathematical history.

Sure, he sometimes mixes science fiction with solid mainstream science (as in the collaborations with Terry Pratchett), but anybody with a reasonable amount of intelligence should be able to tell which is which, and there are nice helpful graphics at the top of each chapter, in case anybody gets confused.

And in any case, you need to have a very good and very wide general education to pick up all the jokes and references to the real world in Pratchett's fantasy books. I keep finding new ones years after the first time I read them.