NationStates Jolt Archive

Experts designing a permanent store for the UK's mountain of radioactive waste have something new to worry about: Klingons on the starboard bow. We're not joking. A weighty and sober assessment of the risks of various disposal options, released by the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CORWM), contains the following gem: "At least one specialist suggested it was not unrealistic to suppose that within the 300-year time horizon, terrorists could be armed with anti-matter weapons." The best known anti-matter weapons are photon torpedoes. Yes, from Star Trek. Where to start? After the Dan Brown book, Angels and Demons, featured a bomb said to be made of anti-matter stolen from Cern, the particle physics laboratory in Geneva, its scientists were forced to issue a statement saying there was "no possibility" of making such a device. Gordon MacKerron, chair of CORWM, says the advice came from several security experts: "They were all people who had serious expertise in the area of security; whether they had serious expertise in the notion of anti-matter weaponry I can't say." For Spock's sake, get some more women on that committee. And quickly.

http://society.guardian.co.uk/societyguardian/story/0,,1693679,00.html

Two things.

One, the security advisers need emergency sex.

Two, just goes to show how absurd our threat assessments are these days. :rolleyes:

The writer let them rob CERN and go for the antimatter ? S

Silly robbers... they should have aimed for the mini-blackholes. Much more fun.

http://society.guardian.co.uk/societyguardian/story/0,,1693679,00.html

Two things.

One, the security advisers need emergency sex.

Two, just goes to show how absurd our threat assessments are these days. :rolleyes:

While I would say that it's impossible for terrorists to accumulate or handle antimatter (it serves more as a means of storing energy), it is well within the realm of possibility for a nation like the US to do so.

In fact, the US Air Force has been trying to accumulate antimatter to use as a propellant for vehicles. And they plan to make a warhead someday.

For a country with resources, and the ability to accumulate huge amounts of power, it is only an engineering problem.

http://society.guardian.co.uk/societyguardian/story/0,,1693679,00.html

Two things.

One, the security advisers need emergency sex.

Two, just goes to show how absurd our threat assessments are these days. :rolleyes:

So, you're saying we should let terrorists develop antimatter weapon technology? What are you, an Islamisist fascist decapitating murderer?

Here's some more adventurous US thinking...

http://www-cms.llnl.gov/s-t/nitrogen.html

While I would say that it's impossible for terrorists to accumulate or handle antimatter (it serves more as a means of storing energy), it is well within the realm of possibility for a nation like the US to do so.

In fact, the US Air Force has been trying to accumulate antimatter to use as a propellant for vehicles. And they plan to make a warhead someday.

For a country with resources, and the ability to accumulate huge amounts of power, it is only an engineering problem.

One step closer to Star Trek.

But I want the holodecks, God Damn It!! The Holodecks can be used for so many things, such as sex, sex, sex, and maybe some World War Two fun, plus sex.

One step closer to Star Trek.

But I want the holodecks, God Damn It!! The Holodecks can be used for so many things, such as sex, sex, sex, and maybe some World War Two fun, plus sex.

Consider that if you use it to drive a rocket, you have problems with heat dissipation (the rocket may turn into a puff of vapor), and radiation (gamma rays primarily).

A bomb, on the other hand, makes perfect sense, if only you have the billions of dollars to run multi-gigawatt powerplants for years to accumulate enough antimatter.

Wouldn't it stand to reason that if terrorists are able to acquire antimatter weaponry in a 300 year time frame, that most of the civilized world is going to have them at least by then as well.

Wouldn't it stand to reason that if terrorists are able to acquire antimatter weaponry in a 300 year time frame, that most of the civilized world is going to have them at least by then as well.
It stands to reason that if we had it before the terrorists, we might not be around anymore.

Consider that if you use it to drive a rocket, you have problems with heat dissipation (the rocket may turn into a puff of vapor), and radiation (gamma rays primarily).

A bomb, on the other hand, makes perfect sense, if only you have the billions of dollars to run multi-gigawatt powerplants for years to accumulate enough antimatter.

Right....

Right....
If you consider that we can already build thermonuclear weapons that have yields so large that over half the blast energy is wasted directly upwards into space (50 megatons or greater), you don't really need an antimatter weapon for ground combat.

But I want the holodecks, God Damn It!! The Holodecks can be used for so many things, such as sex, sex, sex, and maybe some World War Two fun, plus sex.
What about sex during World War II?

"Hello, cute French Resistence fighter. My name's Johnny and I've come to liberate you"

So, you're saying we should let terrorists develop antimatter weapon technology? What are you, an Islamisist fascist decapitating murderer?

Dude, my sarcasm meter just exploded.

(By the way, careful. If you post what looks like an insult but is instead sarcastic, add the tags so no one accidentally thinks you're flaming.)

It stands to reason that if we had it before the terrorists, we might not be around anymore.

Then who would they be terrorizing? And why would we care, if we weren't around anymore, if they had anitmatter weapons?

Ha

First off, reminds me of a Star Trek DS9 episode where Jack announces that they've only got three trillion years, four trillion if they're lucky, before the universe ends. When Bashir suggests they talk about it later, he says ,"If we wait, their won't be a later!"

Second, does antimatter, actually cancel out any matter it comes into contact with, or is that just a myth?

Ha

First off, reminds me of a Star Trek DS9 episode where Jack announces that they've only got three trillion years, four trillion if they're lucky, before the universe ends. When Bashir suggests they talk about it later, he says ,"If we wait, their won't be a later!"

Second, does antimatter, actually cancel out any matter it comes into contact with, or is that just a myth?

My understanding is that it's very explodey.

Second, does antimatter, actually cancel out any matter it comes into contact with, or is that just a myth?
They cancel each other and become energy. And since e=mc**2, that's a lot of energy.

So, you're saying we should let terrorists develop antimatter weapon technology? What are you, an Islamisist fascist decapitating murderer?

What's wrong with decapitating Islamo-fascists?

Second, does antimatter, actually cancel out any matter it comes into contact with, or is that just a myth?

They turn into energy. It's the most efficient energy production in the universe (if you ignore all the energy that was wasted trying to produce the anti-matter). It's a 100% matter to energy transformation. Most reactions, from nuclear reactions to matches produce less than 10% (I don't remember the exact numbers. physics ain't my bag.) The energy released by matter falling into black holes is about 20% efficient and that's the most efficient we know of in nature.

Hold the phone, I thought that anti-matter was only a theory. One that hasn't been proven yet.

Consider that if you use it to drive a rocket, you have problems with heat dissipation (the rocket may turn into a puff of vapor), and radiation (gamma rays primarily).

A bomb, on the other hand, makes perfect sense, if only you have the billions of dollars to run multi-gigawatt powerplants for years to accumulate enough antimatter.

An antitmatter bomb would just be a slightly bigger nuke, it would pretty much be redundant technology. H Bombs are already overkill, an antimatter bomb would just be retarded, the only viable use I can see is as fuel.

Hold the phone, I thought that anti-matter was only a theory. One that hasn't been proven yet.

It has been produced.

Dude, my sarcasm meter just exploded.

(By the way, careful. If you post what looks like an insult but is instead sarcastic, add the tags so no one accidentally thinks you're flaming.)

Eh... maybe I'm egotistical, but I think the moderators know my views enough to know that I wasn't flaming with that.

I mean, I did drench it in enough sarcasm to kill a whole litter of kittens. :p

So, you're saying we should let terrorists develop antimatter weapon technology? What are you, an Islamisist fascist decapitating murderer?

well that's exactly what i would say! can u imagine a basement anti-matter laboratory?

it would be like Scotty with a balaclava yelling "Aye, Cap'n, the antimatter's reacting with the tupperware! I canna hold 'er! She's gonna blow."

THey managed a few years back to produce the first observed anti matter atom.

It was basically an anti hydrogen atom, one anti proton with an anti electron (or positron).

Matter and anti matter do indeed "cancel out", but not in the "poof both vanish" sorta way.

Anti matter is generally incorrectly named. It is...matter. It has mass, if you could hold it it has weight. There is a branch of theoretical physics that actually describes "negative" mass. Entirely theoretical, and you get wierd things happen when you apply an idea of negative mass (such as, if a planet made of matter, and negative matter come close, not only would they REPEL each other, instead of attract, but they would actually accelerate faster and faster the further they got from each other).

As for anti matter, if an amount of anti matter with mass X, comes in contact with matter also with amount X, they obliterate themselves, and turn into energy. And since even a small amount of mass is equivilent to a lot of energy...if even a few grams of matter touches a few grams of anti matter...there's a smoking crater half a mile wide.

It does exist, it's been made in a lab.

THey managed a few years back to produce the first observed anti matter atom.

It was basically an anti hydrogen atom, one anti proton with an anti electron (or positron).

Matter and anti matter do indeed "cancel out", but not in the "poof both vanish" sorta way.

Anti matter is generally incorrectly named. It is...matter. It has mass, if you could hold it it has weight. There is a branch of theoretical physics that actually describes "negative" mass. Entirely theoretical, and you get wierd things happen when you apply an idea of negative mass (such as, if a planet made of matter, and negative matter come close, not only would they REPEL each other, instead of attract, but they would actually accelerate faster and faster the further they got from each other).

As for anti matter, if an amount of anti matter with mass X, comes in contact with matter also with amount X, they obliterate themselves, and turn into energy. And since even a small amount of mass is equivilent to a lot of energy...if even a few grams of matter touches a few grams of anti matter...there's a smoking crater half a mile wide.

It does exist, it's been made in a lab.

Yes, but it's far too costly to be used as a weapon. Nuclear and conventional explosives are energy, time and cost effective. Antimatter is none.

The idea that terrorists will acquire anti-matter weapons in 300 years is not all that unreasonable an estimate. There is a lot of scientific data to back up that conclusion, namely:


Star Trek Episodes #54, 122, 124, and 234, which discuss the science behind photon torpedoes with references to the antimatter reactions
Chewbacca, because he owns.


How can you argue with such strong data, let alone ridicule the poor scientist. Actually, there's one more:


Star Trek's Data. He's a terrorist, and does have access to anti-matter weapons. He also happens to be a robot.


Which brings me to an even more frightening conclusion: robotic terrorists will aquire anti-matter weapons and inter-galactic spaceships. They will probably achieve this is in, conservatively speaking, 425 years. Watch out.

It has been produced.
just a few atoms of antimatter.
not enough for a bomb.

What's wrong with decapitating Islamo-fascists?
Well, there's a lot to be said for an old fashioned ass-kicking.

just a few atoms of antimatter.
not enough for a bomb.Not a large one, but enough to blow up a few atoms ;)

Aren't we ignoring a more serious matter (or anti-matter :)) that should come to pass? Terrorism should be non-existant in 300 years. Yes, there were terrorists in various episodes of Star Trek (et al), but their uses of antimatter and other weapons technology, which may seem far fetched to us now, would then seem practical.

Anyway, since the subject seems to have changed to Trek tech, humans have also already experimented with primitive transporter technology. That can lead to holodecks (sex, apparently) and replicators, as they are all based on the principle that matter and energy are interchangable.

I'm sure these can all be perverted by a psychopath terrorist, but I honestly believe that terrorism won't be a concern in 300 years.

YOu would be able to build anti-matter bombs smaller than nukes. Just use a smaller amount of anti-matter.

A particle beam weapon using anti-matter would also be a nice addition to anyones arsenal.

I'd rather have the holodeck though.

Once the holodeck is invented, people will stop living in real life, and everyone will live in the holodeck.

All problems will be solved.

Since you mentioned Star Trek...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcubierre_Drive

This is a hypothesis how to exceed the speed of light. When we have functioning anti-matter reactors and holodecks, perhaps we can also travel between the stars.

Once the holodeck is invented, people will stop living in real life, and everyone will live in the holodeck.

All problems will be solved.

And thus, the Matrix is borne.

Once the holodeck is invented, people will stop living in real life, and everyone will live in the holodeck.

All problems will be solved.

well except for the holodeck deniers

well except for the holodeck deniers
Oh, Like Trinity and Neo...

Guess I'll have a job after all - I'd love to be an Agent.

http://society.guardian.co.uk/societyguardian/story/0,,1693679,00.html

Two things.

One, the security advisers need emergency sex.

Two, just goes to show how absurd our threat assessments are these days. :rolleyes:
I'm now waiting for the terrorist alert to be raised to Orange because of this. No doubt coincidently just when Bush's approval rating slips below 40%.

well except for the holodeck deniers

You know i could never get my head around the holodeck in ST, why didn't you ever see anyone bump into the walls?

Does the holodeck create "solid" holograms (ala rimmer) or just create picutres in your mind?

Its sad that one little plot device cnn cause me hours of wodnerment...

You know i could never get my head around the holodeck in ST, why didn't you ever see anyone bump into the walls?

Does the holodeck create "solid" holograms (ala rimmer) or just create picutres in your mind?

Its sad that one little plot device cnn cause me hours of wodnerment...
I couldn't stand how many episodes they made that consisted almost solely of them 'leaving' the holodeck, getting into a weird, cool adventure then, deux ex machina-like, realising they were still in the holodeck which explained everything.

On a holodeck, the environment moves with you. The size of the environment is not restricted based on the size of the actual room, and it's impossible to run into the walls of the actual room. The objects and people in the holodeck are quite "real", in terms of mass, but they are created by energy (photons and forcefields, I think), hence "matter and energy are interchangeable".

http://society.guardian.co.uk/societyguardian/story/0,,1693679,00.html

Two things.

One, the security advisers need emergency sex.

Two, just goes to show how absurd our threat assessments are these days. :rolleyes:
Anti-matter opposite of matter... hence, it doesn't matter. :D