Centrist, progressive, radical optimist. Geophysicist, R&D, Planetary Scientist and general nerd in Winnipeg, Canada.

troyunrau.ca (personal)

lithogen.ca (business)

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Joined 2 years ago
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Cake day: June 12th, 2023

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  • Troy@lemmy.catoScience Memes@mander.xyzwtf
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    18 hours ago

    One time, I was in the arctic doing some research. On a snowmobile, in winter, we crest a hill and see a couple of wolves pigging out on a caribou. I’m riding in the toboggan, and I start telling at the driver: “go go go!” They proceeded to chase our snowmobile for like a mile, with no hope at all of catching us, but running anyway. Like dogs chasing tires, I think they had no choice. Instincts are strong.








  • Exceeding FTL (and breaking causality) is basically a sci fi trope at this point with about as much credibility as psychics. To have at least some credibility you need one of: a testable hypothesis, or an unexplained phenomenon. Right now we have neither. At best, we have some equations, that work below light speed, where we can extrapolate past light speed and see how the math works. The problem is: none of these equations are testable as they all contain infinities or other asymptotic features that prevent passing light speed itself. So, if there’s no viable math to get from sublight to FTL, and there’s no unexplained phenomena, then what we’re left with is nothing.

    Even quantum entanglement, which is a darling of sci fi whenever they need a plot device (hello Le Guin and the ansible), has categorically been shown to obey causality and the light speed limit in every lab test.

    At some point it’s like asking for negative mass, antigravity, or other things that the math would allow. Except our universe doesn’t.

    I’ve got a wormhole to sell you ;)












  • Glad he didn’t just run!

    We let our cat out with us in the morning when we have coffee on the front deck. She wanders around with us, checking all the plants. But, most importantly, she has learned where to run towards when she is scared (the door is wedged open a sliver and she can push her way back into the house).

    It’s great, because it means she doesn’t run if she gets out accidentally.


  • Troy@lemmy.catocats@lemmy.world#Goals
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    10 days ago

    Yes. This is the correct view of capitalism if seen from the position of money.

    Until you step back and ask where that money comes from.

    And you realize that it is a funnel, from those without money to those with money.

    And then the exponential growth “feature” starts to feel bad.

    I say this as a small business owner experiencing double digit year-over-year equity growth, trying to claw my way up and out of the crab bucket.