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mathematic

(1,434 posts)

34. Still does, just different things

Sat Mar 29, 2014, 01:13 AM

Mar 2014

The Human Genome Project is what comes to mind. It's hard to believe that it was just over a decade ago that the decade long, multibillion dollar project completed. The technology has advanced so far that we can do the same thing nowadays on an individual level for mere thousands of dollars.

Sometimes "big things" are small things done by a big number of people. Take the transformative technologies of widespread connectivity, smart phones, video and music recording and editing, and the Internet in general.

Similarly, open source software is both big and critically important from a freedom-and-democracy perspective.

Some big things right around the corner:
Grid-parity solar power.
Bionic limbs and other medical treatments for things that we've traditionally thought of as permanent disabilities.

It's very easy to get excited about science and technology today, it's just not the same things that have been exciting in the past.

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America used to do big things. [View all] MannyGoldstein Mar 2014 OP

The GOP are blocking big things. hrmjustin Mar 2014 #1

/\ This X1000 deathrind Mar 2014 #3

Perhaps our fall will be epic 1000words Mar 2014 #2

Unfortunately it will not happen in our lifetimes. I'm an engineer madinmaryland Mar 2014 #4

How do we knock some sense into these people? MannyGoldstein Mar 2014 #5

Are you suggesting a return of.. madinmaryland Mar 2014 #9

I am in no way suggesting that World War II was a net positive, MannyGoldstein Mar 2014 #13

No. I don't believe that you suggested any of those things.... madinmaryland Mar 2014 #18

MIC IT? MannyGoldstein Mar 2014 #20

Well, there are various options when you order MIC cable... madinmaryland Mar 2014 #23

That's a lotta bandwidth you're packin' there, mister. nt MannyGoldstein Mar 2014 #26

Yeap. Too bad my ISP doesn't see it that way. They seem more interested in providing me with this. madinmaryland Mar 2014 #29

The RW wants corporations to do the big things and reap the big profits. Gidney N Cloyd Mar 2014 #6

I remember that extremely well, I was part of the technology build up, the early days of RKP5637 Mar 2014 #7

We can't even put a man in orbit today. Pathetic. Jgarrick Mar 2014 #8

We have to pay the Russians to do that for us! MannyGoldstein Mar 2014 #10

China can do it. Russia can do it. We can't. Jgarrick Mar 2014 #11

Krugman's right, as always. MannyGoldstein Mar 2014 #21

My father once owned a small-town radio station. Jenoch Mar 2014 #12

Obama's signature on Mars! ProSense Mar 2014 #14

Pr0n in space! MannyGoldstein Mar 2014 #17

Back then we had adults in Congress. oldandhappy Mar 2014 #15

steely-eyed missile men pokerfan Mar 2014 #16

Now we have billionaires. GeorgeGist Mar 2014 #19

Indeed: we have The Donald and the Hair From Beyond Time hatrack Mar 2014 #31

top leadership with no vision except for finding the corporate give away holy grail nt msongs Mar 2014 #22

Silly, we don't need to anymore. The Right group got rich enough for there to be no need! Rex Mar 2014 #24

Because we have a military that sucks up 70% of the budget. alarimer Mar 2014 #25

The technological trajectory is too fast for you to notice it. joshcryer Mar 2014 #27

That's a very cool chart, thanks. MannyGoldstein Mar 2014 #28

You can fly in the metaverse as your car drives you to work. joshcryer Mar 2014 #30

JFK didn't give a damn about the moon, you know. Spider Jerusalem Mar 2014 #32

You're blind, Manny ConservativeDemocrat Mar 2014 #33

Still does, just different things mathematic Mar 2014 #34

I'm oddly certain this is the Shuttle's fault MisterP Mar 2014 #35