[extropy-chat] MBRAIN: Imaging the universe, NOT

[Mike Lorrey]

An interesting article by Seth Shostak on space.com:

http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_shostak_seeing_031120.html

details why the hand waving that Robert made recently about the ability
of M-Brains to observe the universe should be seriously questioned.
According to Seth, observing a terrestrial planet at only 50 light
years distance CAN be done, but the resolution limits imposed by
distance and interstellar gasses say that a 2000 mile diameter
telescope (or interferometer with 2000 mile aperture separation) would
have a 50 mile pixel resolution at 50 light years. This is certainly
doable some time in the next century, but going much beyond this will
reach a curve of diminishing returns.

Imaging at 1 foot per pixel, small enough to see animals, would reqire
a telescope 500 million miles in diameter. Interferometry is of
diminishing usefulness, as one would need a 100,000 mile diameter
mirror just to catch 1 photon per second at that distance and
resolution.

So, I think that as Spike has proposed, there are significant limits on
the ability of an M-Brain to observe to a fine enough detail on other
star systems to become a see-all/know-all enough to satisfy the
insatiable curiosity of such an entity.


=====
Mike Lorrey
"Live Free or Die, Death is not the Worst of Evils."
                                       - Gen. John Stark
"Fascists are objectively pro-pacifist..."
                                       - Mike Lorrey
Do not label me, I am an ism of one...
Sado-Mikeyism: http://mikeysoft.zblogger.com

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