How many Apple II's is that?
So all the DNA on earth equals 10(21) supercomputers, in both storage and processing power, apparently.
Fine. Good to know. Thank you.
How many Kaypro's is that?
And I see elsewhere that ABC news prophesied in 2008 that by June 2015 New York City would be underwater because of global warming, which means you folks there have two weeks to pack your crap and get the hell out.
I bring that up because I'd like to know, seven or eight years from now, how many supercomputers will equal that same amount of DNA? I assume the DNA side will hold constant, though it might not. (I suppose global warming implies it will drop to zero.)
So what do you suppose? 10(3) supercomputers (which sounds like a lot to me, but probably not so many to a supercomputer or my DNA)? 10(10)? One leering machine, to direct them all?
posted by ColumbusGuy @ 3:00 AM
3 Comments:
ABC did not predict New York would be underwater by now. They said a bunch of things might happen by now, some of which have, but all they did was show a map of water encroaching on Manhattan Island--no one said it had to happen or when it might happen. In fact, even the most ardent believers in global warming didn't claim water would be rising more than a few inches a year.
There have been various projection of sea rise, but these numbers are by their very nature tentative, since the rate could continue to increase, and the effects of climate change on ice sheets could vary.
Here's a helpful analysis of the estimates: http://e360.yale.edu/feature/rising_waters_how_fast_and_how_far_will_sea_levels_rise/2702/
In the last century, ocean levels rose about eight inches. The rates have increased since then and today it's estimated the levels could rise around a meter by 2100. But the lower estimates--if things go well--put it closer to a foot, while the most disastrous estimates--if something really goes wrong--put it at several meters or even more. (I know the lack of precision may make it hard to plan, but it's inherent in a process where lots of assumptions have to be made.)
Also notable is there could be local variations, with the U.S. East Coast seeing levels rise 3 to 4 times faster than the global average.
So you guys can't do the math, either, huh? No shame, no shame.
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