Episode #673

[Ron Obvious]

Did Evan really say nanotechnology is getting "bigger and bigger"? 

How is jumping the English Channel getting along Ron?

All that water underneath me will be an incentive to keep going.

[Friendly Angel]

my main meal of the day consists of a very large bowel

Yuck

[bachfiend]

my main meal of the day consists of a very large bowel

Yuck

You don’t like tripe?  Personally, I blame spellcheck and inadequate proofreading.  If I was dishonest, with no ethical standards, I’d go back and edit my comment.  I think I’ll go back and edit my comment...

[stardust39]

As I pause to reflect on my 79 year climb up the Mountain of Life, it occurs to me that it is time to declare myself a Skeptic. From my earliest memories, my deeply religious family continually presented me with stories that had no logical basis. I was told to 'have faith' in those stories. As a young child, I decided that religion was a magic show but I was always in conflict about how those older than me didn't see the deception. I still struggle to understand how so many people at all levels of intelligence can continue to believe. I asked a close family member how she resolves continuing to believe with so much science indicating a different story. Her crushing reply to me, “I just don’t think about it.” That was the point that I decided to learn more about organized Skepticism.

My background is Southerner moved to the Midwest as a Transportation Design and Managing Engineer. I have started listening to the SGU podcast and find it refreshing. My Spirit is finally Home.

The above was my introduction to the SGU last December. In addition to being mystified all my 'aware' life about how I was apparently the only member of our extended family who couldn't accept religion on faith; likewise, I have been mystified for the past decade or so about why I have intense cyclic sexual urges at age 79. My martial situation has been such that relief is necessarily a solo event. At my age that is more of a nuisance than it is a highly anticipated happening.

It was incredulous to me, then, when Steven chose ' Are Men’s Religious Ties Hormonally Regulated?" as a 'Science or Fiction' segment, particularly since it turned out to be true that evidence indicates that male hormones and religious beliefs are related. I knew that somehow I was born different from my 4 siblings when it came to accepting religion but hadn't connected my still raging hormones to that difference. This is one of the most important revelations in my many decades of learning about myself.

Thank you, Steven and the SGU, I am glad we could have this very personal talk. Any comments?

[Friendly Angel]

Any comments?

Yeah, I think this should be a whole thread.

Both my parents are 79 and pretty healthy... I don't ask them about sex but I don't think they're very active.

We were cultural Christians, active in the church - Dad played organ.  I quit going to church in high school because I got a Sunday job - and we all just eventually stopped being church people.  Mom and Dad told me they were "pretty much atheists" a few years ago.

And if you have to have solo sex... the current state of technology is about the best time to need it.

[DevoutCatalyst]

And if you have to have solo sex... the current state of technology is about the best time to need it.

I'd give my right hand to know what technology you're referring to.

[CarbShark]

And if you have to have solo sex... the current state of technology is about the best time to need it.

I'd give my right hand to know what technology you're referring to.

You can keep your hand to yourself.


The truth about sex robots: Panic, pleasure and a candlelit dinner

NSFW Warning: This story may contain links to and descriptions or images of explicit sexual acts.

[daniel1948]

And if you have to have solo sex... the current state of technology is about the best time to need it.

I'd give my right hand to know what technology you're referring to.

You can keep your hand to yourself.


The truth about sex robots: Panic, pleasure and a candlelit dinner

NSFW Warning: This story may contain links to and descriptions or images of explicit sexual acts.

That is the most UNsexy thing I've ever seen!

[CarbShark]

And if you have to have solo sex... the current state of technology is about the best time to need it.

I'd give my right hand to know what technology you're referring to.

You can keep your hand to yourself.


The truth about sex robots: Panic, pleasure and a candlelit dinner

NSFW Warning: This story may contain links to and descriptions or images of explicit sexual acts.

That is the most UNsexy thing I've ever seen!

You're not married?

[DevoutCatalyst]

That is the most UNsexy thing I've ever seen!

Not to worry, Elon Musk is working on a better model at this very moment. All electric, zero tailpipe emissions.

[daniel1948]

That is the most UNsexy thing I've ever seen!

Not to worry, Elon Musk is working on a better model at this very moment. All electric, zero tailpipe emissions.

I already have one of those. Tesla Model 3. ...

Oh, you're talking about the sex bot doll. I really cannot imagine what they think is sexy about that worse-than-Siri voice coming out of a mouth that moves like low-budget animation. And no facial expression at all. When a sex bot can pass the Turing test, let me know. I want it to walk, talk, and act like a real person.

[AtheistApotheosis]

I wish that our "escape to reality" didn't have quite so much silly speculation about people becoming cyborgs, in a tone that suggests the speaker regards such sci-fi/fantasy notions to be science. "Gradually downloading our personality to an implanted computer"? Might as well talk about fighting off Bigfoot with a magic wand.

As for having kids on Mars, I cannot imagine anything more cruel and heartless than to condemn your kids to such a life.

Depending. Let us assume for a second that we can make mars within an order of magnitude as safe as earth and children won't just die. It is entirely plausible that health effects of microgravity won't effect individuals born and raised in microgravity. In wich case we are talking the mane downside of only being able to live in microgravity. But any hab would be home.

The gravity on Mars is 38% of 1G, that's not exactly micro-gravity. We've never had people live in that kind of gravity before. The effects of micro-gravity are well known. Mars is a whole new situation and not even comparable to the Moon. The first wave of colonist will have it hardest. Harsh environments can produce harsh people. Limited resources will necessitate strict population control and resource management. The habitats will be small and scattered to start with. Some, if not all will be partly underground. You don't want all of your population in one habitat or even one location, because if there is a disaster you don't want to lose the whole colony at once. And there are all sorts of unforeseen problems that will have to be dealt with, without help from Earth. And it will be a long time before the first martians will be totally independent of Earth. If history tells us anything, colonists will start as innovators and improvisors until they reach a point of stability. But then they may become very conservative and resistant to change. Even fearful of anything new after a few generations. That's what happens when resources are extremely limited and education, science and industry is restricted to only what is immediately useful. But the next wave of colonists will bring new technology, new ways of doing things, and have a much easier time of it as a lot of the hard work will have already been done. Australia and America followed a similar pattern after the arrival of Europeans. The only thing we can be certain of is it's going to take a long time.

I want to be an astrofizzlescist one day.  Because I like things that fizzle in space.

[arthwollipot]

Oh, you're talking about the sex bot doll. I really cannot imagine what they think is sexy about that worse-than-Siri voice coming out of a mouth that moves like low-budget animation. And no facial expression at all. When a sex bot can pass the Turing test, let me know. I want it to walk, talk, and act like a real person.

I'm tired of all these people talking about science fiction as though it were real science. May as well be talking about ancient aliens and divination. 

[CarbShark]

I wish that our "escape to reality" didn't have quite so much silly speculation about people becoming cyborgs, in a tone that suggests the speaker regards such sci-fi/fantasy notions to be science. "Gradually downloading our personality to an implanted computer"? Might as well talk about fighting off Bigfoot with a magic wand.

As for having kids on Mars, I cannot imagine anything more cruel and heartless than to condemn your kids to such a life.

Depending. Let us assume for a second that we can make mars within an order of magnitude as safe as earth and children won't just die. It is entirely plausible that health effects of microgravity won't effect individuals born and raised in microgravity. In wich case we are talking the mane downside of only being able to live in microgravity. But any hab would be home.

The gravity on Mars is 38% of 1G, that's not exactly micro-gravity. We've never had people live in that kind of gravity before. The effects of micro-gravity are well known. Mars is a whole new situation and not even comparable to the Moon. The first wave of colonist will have it hardest. Harsh environments can produce harsh people. Limited resources will necessitate strict population control and resource management. The habitats will be small and scattered to start with. Some, if not all will be partly underground. You don't want all of your population in one habitat or even one location, because if there is a disaster you don't want to lose the whole colony at once. And there are all sorts of unforeseen problems that will have to be dealt with, without help from Earth. And it will be a long time before the first martians will be totally independent of Earth. If history tells us anything, colonists will start as innovators and improvisors until they reach a point of stability. But then they may become very conservative and resistant to change. Even fearful of anything new after a few generations. That's what happens when resources are extremely limited and education, science and industry is restricted to only what is immediately useful. But the next wave of colonists will bring new technology, new ways of doing things, and have a much easier time of it as a lot of the hard work will have already been done. Australia and America followed a similar pattern after the arrival of Europeans. The only thing we can be certain of is it's going to take a long time.

I want to be an astrofizzlescist one day.  Because I like things that fizzle in space.

Yeah, some of that by be an exaggeration, but it's got a lot of merit. Here's the thing, when they say they want to colonize mars the colonists who go to settle the planet will be there for good.

They'll want to recruit young healthy adults willing to migrate to another planet and spend the rest of their lives their. Round trips are too expensive and difficult for an entire colony.

A ticket to colonize mars is a one way ticket.

[arthwollipot]

I wish that our "escape to reality" didn't have quite so much silly speculation about people becoming cyborgs, in a tone that suggests the speaker regards such sci-fi/fantasy notions to be science. "Gradually downloading our personality to an implanted computer"? Might as well talk about fighting off Bigfoot with a magic wand.

As for having kids on Mars, I cannot imagine anything more cruel and heartless than to condemn your kids to such a life.

Depending. Let us assume for a second that we can make mars within an order of magnitude as safe as earth and children won't just die. It is entirely plausible that health effects of microgravity won't effect individuals born and raised in microgravity. In wich case we are talking the mane downside of only being able to live in microgravity. But any hab would be home.

The gravity on Mars is 38% of 1G, that's not exactly micro-gravity. We've never had people live in that kind of gravity before. The effects of micro-gravity are well known. Mars is a whole new situation and not even comparable to the Moon. The first wave of colonist will have it hardest. Harsh environments can produce harsh people. Limited resources will necessitate strict population control and resource management. The habitats will be small and scattered to start with. Some, if not all will be partly underground. You don't want all of your population in one habitat or even one location, because if there is a disaster you don't want to lose the whole colony at once. And there are all sorts of unforeseen problems that will have to be dealt with, without help from Earth. And it will be a long time before the first martians will be totally independent of Earth. If history tells us anything, colonists will start as innovators and improvisors until they reach a point of stability. But then they may become very conservative and resistant to change. Even fearful of anything new after a few generations. That's what happens when resources are extremely limited and education, science and industry is restricted to only what is immediately useful. But the next wave of colonists will bring new technology, new ways of doing things, and have a much easier time of it as a lot of the hard work will have already been done. Australia and America followed a similar pattern after the arrival of Europeans. The only thing we can be certain of is it's going to take a long time.

I want to be an astrofizzlescist one day.  Because I like things that fizzle in space.

Yeah, some of that by be an exaggeration, but it's got a lot of merit. Here's the thing, when they say they want to colonize mars the colonists who go to settle the planet will be there for good.

They'll want to recruit young healthy adults willing to migrate to another planet and spend the rest of their lives their. Round trips are too expensive and difficult for an entire colony.

A ticket to colonize mars is a one way ticket.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_cycler