A Conversation for The Language of Coastal Projections
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Vip Started conversation Nov 24, 2009
This is a fantastic article. What's scary is that I recognise most of the terms, but I could have never named them off the top of my head.
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Moonhogg - Captain Coffee Break Posted Nov 24, 2009
A fascinating article - but I'm intrigued as to how someone worked out that our coastline is infinite!
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IctoanAWEWawi Posted Nov 24, 2009
it's the fractal bit. Basically you can zoom in on a fractal an infinite amount and still see the same sort of details. There is no bottom level to one. So no matter how close you look at it, there is still more detail below that level of magnification.
A coast line is given as an example. The closer you look at it the more ins and outs and 'squiggly bits' you see and have to measure. These thus increase the overall length. Even going down to the atomic level the atoms don;t line up in a nice straight line - some are in front, some behind. So that too adds to the overall length.
It is, basically, a mathematical model of the actual coastline and not the real thing. And, once you get quantum, things aren;t in a defined position anyway so you can;t say that something *is* here or there thus it is rather difficult to measure it.
s'all quantum, init.
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Moonhogg - Captain Coffee Break Posted Nov 25, 2009
I must admit, I've never compared the coastline to a blancmangellar cross-section, but I shall be licking the rocks next time I go to the seaside!
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lil ~ Auntie Giggles with added login ~ returned Posted Nov 25, 2009
* Just Arrived jiggles, wiggles and slides__________ into action*
*husky voiced and purring*....
Can I help you boys?
*winks to stop her eye rolling on the floor*
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Icy North Posted Nov 25, 2009
Lil is one of h2g2's leading authorities on fractal mathematics, I'll have you know.
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Matt-The-Matt. Hand wash, 30'c, drip dry, don't iron. Posted Nov 25, 2009
I keep finding all the crumbs and rubbish you sweep under me, that doesn't make it mine!!
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Icy North Posted Nov 25, 2009
"Would it help if I stuck my head in a bucket of water?" said Marvin...
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Moonhogg - Captain Coffee Break Posted Nov 25, 2009
Hello, Icy's just phoned up to wash his head at us...
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MonkeyS- all revved up with no place to go Posted Nov 25, 2009
The SINGLE most amazing piece of information is that I've finally found out that Paul McCartney wasn't singing Mulligan Tyre!
The song makes a little more sense now. Not much, but a little.
Key: Complain about this post
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Wow
- 1: Vip (Nov 24, 2009)
- 2: Moonhogg - Captain Coffee Break (Nov 24, 2009)
- 3: IctoanAWEWawi (Nov 24, 2009)
- 4: Icy North (Nov 25, 2009)
- 5: Moonhogg - Captain Coffee Break (Nov 25, 2009)
- 6: IctoanAWEWawi (Nov 25, 2009)
- 7: lil ~ Auntie Giggles with added login ~ returned (Nov 25, 2009)
- 8: Moonhogg - Captain Coffee Break (Nov 25, 2009)
- 9: Icy North (Nov 25, 2009)
- 10: lil ~ Auntie Giggles with added login ~ returned (Nov 25, 2009)
- 11: IctoanAWEWawi (Nov 25, 2009)
- 12: Moonhogg - Captain Coffee Break (Nov 25, 2009)
- 13: lil ~ Auntie Giggles with added login ~ returned (Nov 25, 2009)
- 14: Matt-The-Matt. Hand wash, 30'c, drip dry, don't iron. (Nov 25, 2009)
- 15: lil ~ Auntie Giggles with added login ~ returned (Nov 25, 2009)
- 16: Matt-The-Matt. Hand wash, 30'c, drip dry, don't iron. (Nov 25, 2009)
- 17: Icy North (Nov 25, 2009)
- 18: Moonhogg - Captain Coffee Break (Nov 25, 2009)
- 19: lil ~ Auntie Giggles with added login ~ returned (Nov 25, 2009)
- 20: MonkeyS- all revved up with no place to go (Nov 25, 2009)
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