The World's Largest Computer in 1951

[Chi Meson]

My other hint was going to be: "he got first prize"

That is, Roentgen was the recipient of the first Nobel prize in Physics.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Evo? Have you recovered from all of your wild birthday celebrations?

 

[wolram]

oh my golly gosh have i missed a birthday? you are only as old as
you look anyway EVO, what 21 today?

 

[Evo]

oh my golly gosh have i missed a birthday? you are only as old as
you look anyway EVO, what 21 today?

Wolram, I love you.

 

[Tsu]

See, Sis! Birthdays are GOOD!

 

[zoobyshoe]

Although "photograph" is a technically correct answer, as I tell my students, you did not read my mind, therefore you are wrong!

I just figured out what this bizarre utterance meant.

 

[Evo]

I just figured out what this bizarre utterance meant.

Don't feel bad zoob, I had a typo on 93.999999=1 ( I meant 93.999999=94). Integral pointed out my mistake, in a way apparently much too vague for this old brain, and I didn't figure out what I had typed wrong until the next morning.

BTW, how many of these precious FREE kittens that a stray cat just had at my house should I send you?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

A what was it revival?

This made quite a splash in 1979.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Uh oh! That was a bad clue.

...and those down under would know!

 

[Gokul43201]

This made quite a splash in 1979.

What was Skylab 1 ?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Yerrrrrrr it!

On July 11, 1979, Skylab impacted the Earth surface. The debris dispersion area stretched from the Southeastern Indian Ocean across a sparsely populated section of Western Australia.

http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/history/skylab/skylab-operations.htm

 

[Gokul43201]

A slight deviation from the beaten path, if I may ...

What is this ?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

A slight deviation from the beaten path, if I may ...

What is this ?

I looked before you posted the attachment and was really stumped! I was hoping that you weren't done yet.

 

[zoobyshoe]

A nano-swimmingpool?

 

[Danger]

What is this ?

False-colour image of a shark waiting for a skydiver?


I dunno. Looks like stuff that I've seen from an atomic-force microscope, but no idea what it's a picture of.

 

[Gokul43201]

Looks like stuff that I've seen from an atomic-force microscope, but no idea what it's a picture of.

Close enough (so was Zoob) ! And the sharks may appear in future samples.

This is an STM image of what is called a quantum corral (corral -> reef -> shark, etc.) The cyan peaks are Fe atoms deposited one at a time (using an STM tip) over a Cu matrix !

Courtesy : IBM Almaden, STM Group

More amazing pictures and descriptions at :
http://www.almaden.ibm.com/vis/stm/corral.html
http://www.almaden.ibm.com/vis/stm/gallery.html

 

[Ivan Seeking]

That's amazing! I was going to venture a guess but now I'm glad I didn't.

Zooby, Danger, next? Or Gokul could try another one...

 

[Danger]

Or Gokul could try another one...

4*10^19 variations

I know it's not much of a clue, but I don't expect anyone here to have trouble getting it.

 

[Chi Meson]

The game of "go"?

 

[Danger]

The game of "go"?

Noooope... but the math is probably close.

 

[Chi Meson]

The game of chess, then?

The game of Life?

Poker?

Wait, maybe it's not a game?

 

[Gokul43201]

21! is close (5*10^19) but not close enough...anyway, I don't know anything that comes in 21 sizes/flavors/colors/etc.

 

[Nereid]

Human DNA?

 

[Gokul43201]

Human DNA?

Ooh nice guess ! Also, aren't there like only 20-odd different amino acids ? ...but protein lengths aren't limited, are they ?

 

[Danger]

Wait, maybe it's not a game?

Sort of...

Sorry I didn't respond until now; I've been asleep. Now I'm going to work, so you're on your own for a few hours.

hint: educational aid

 

[zoobyshoe]

educational aid

Wild guess based on this clue: The periodic table?

 

[brewnog]

Wild guess based on the same clue: An abacus?

 

[Danger]

Nope, and twice nope.
That was a short-lived work day. I got there and my co-worker showed up 5 minutes later. It turns out the shift change we did last week was supposed to be permanent, so I don't have to go for another 3 hours.

next hint: accidental best-seller

 

[zoobyshoe]

next hint: accidental best-seller

Babbages' difference engine?

 

[Dr.Brain]

computers?