Lucifigus t1_iu298tl wrote on October 28, 2022 at 12:40 AM

125 years ago, we did not have technology for powered flight. 100 years ago, we were unaware of that the universe was larger than our home galaxy. 50 years ago, there were no personal computers in homes. Less than 30 years ago, we were unaware of any firm evidence of exoplanets.

It’s very difficult to imagine future technology and what developments will cascade exponentially. If we manage to make fusion energy work in the next 75 years, it will be a real game changer for a lot of things. Getting information back from another planet is a major technological jump, and as has been discussed, it will take a long time. Getting information back with evidence of life, or images of lifeforms is just a matter of more time for more distance as we increase the number of data points with improvements in technology.

Within 10 parsecs (33 ly) of Sol, there are about 413 stars. Most are red stars, which may be less conducive to life due to higher dynamic solar radiation and activity. Within those 413 stars, there are only 54 stars that are either G type - like Sol; K type - Orange/Red; F type – Yellow/White; or A type – Bluish/White.

I will go out on a limb and say inside of 250 years from now we will have decent data from some visitation to 15-20 planets associated with these stars. How many will show any evidence of life? It’s impossible to say.

JerryWasARaceCarDrvr t1_iu2w1ku wrote on October 28, 2022 at 3:40 AM

Good point. I think that quantum computing will be an absolute game changer in technology once it is more mainstream.

Think of the problems we are unable to solve today. They will take seconds to solve.

“Quantum computing is a new generation of technology that involves a type of computer 158 million times faster than the most sophisticated supercomputer we have in the world today. It is a device so powerful that it could do in four minutes what it would take a traditional supercomputer 10,000 years to accomplish”

Lucifigus t1_iu56ovp wrote on October 28, 2022 at 5:05 PM

I recall when new computers with faster chips were a serious issue for consumers. After a number of years of this improvement, I thought, "Yeah, a faster computer...like I will spot the difference." The slow part of my computing (then) was the idiot operating the keyboard.

I get that quantum computing is a major jump, but it's not clear to me what that will change for the masses. All one hears in the media is about encryption, although I am sure there is much more.

JerryWasARaceCarDrvr t1_iu5wp3l wrote on October 28, 2022 at 8:00 PM

Well they could break existing encryption almost instantly. But they will also be able to make algorithms that are completely unbreakable.

Then interesting thing for me will be that once they surpass normal supercomputers (they are not faster yet. About one year away) there will be a time that certain folks can crack what the masses are using very easily.

The first real use will be in big data and AI. You won’t see much of a benefit but google and Amazon will know even more about you. Lol.

After that it will start solving some of the really hard physics issues and with that we may see real advances in the space race and then eventually consumer goods.

Gonna be a good 20 years until we see things hit mainstream but once it does. Look out.

Lucifigus t1_iu5zfal wrote on October 28, 2022 at 8:19 PM

As to the original post, when we send spacecraft to other plaetary systems, we will need pretty serious AI, or something close, to manage the probes, drones and other devices for data collection and analysis. Although I really have no idea, I assume quantum computing will play a big part in that overall success with no human involvement in decision processes to complate the tasks.