h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I just thought I'd get off the ground a discussion thread on the big subject. It's limited by the rule that each post should either change the specific subject, question the previous post, or answer or attempt to answer a question. The first of these options may be a question, the second and third of these may cycle, and simulposting is always bound to muck things up, but the intent is that each post basically be random about the past, future or the whole concept. You should post on a period of time, an instant in time, or theories regarding time, and mostly about big issues rather than small ones (Use good judgment). I'll start with a question that can be repeatedly updated:

What is the precise measurement for the age of our Universe according to the best physical cosmology?

The (short) answer according to a 2006 book (The Oxford Companion to Cosmology) is (essentially) 13.7-8 billion years.

it depends on how many windows an hour the carpenter makes????

This is a discussion thread. Let it have a chance to breathe a little. Say something on topic or leave, please.

it is on topic

ask clive and he will confirm it

I'll ask him some other time.

This isn't for fun and games.

Death/marriage/birth notices pertaining to hootooers or famous people are the only parts of personal stories that should be here, I forgot to say. These should be brief, and this thread should sink low on the list most of the time.

Experienced hootooers and the specially informed/invited should try to control this thread. I don't know if that's something workable, given the nature of openness we have here; but that's my intent for when there isn't a serious question of science, history, or various theories of time and related matters being discussed.

The history can be moments or periods that are recent, but then it should definitely be source material rather than personal experience or straight opinion *in most cases*.

JGM

I think I'm allowed to refer back to the subject of time - aren't I?

If so, can I point out that since the inception of hte digital radio, the GMT pips have become redundant, as digital broadcasting delays reception by up to 10 seconds.

Am I allowed to point out the obvious?

Now that would make a great QI question! A22174526

But me and Taff would have to recuse ourselves on the grounds of prior knowledge.

Folderol2: Well, that's about this particular period in time, and it's also about time's reporting and our perception of time. Good observation. When you hear that on the radio, you know what it was to the speaker and why it isn't the same (and by how much of a difference) to the listener. Not too trivial.

Clive: Sure. Can I ask you a question? What's the most interesting single thing to you in the fossil record that you've read or heard about that precedes primates (and when would that be, of course, if you have that available).

Arrggh: ?

IIRC

Cardinal Richelieu called a conference in Paris to argue that the meridian line for Longitude should run through The Canary Islands.

I'll answer that later Julzes / Jim, I'm dashing out to college.

Because time won't give me time
And time makes lovers feel
Like they've got something real
But you and me we know
They've got nothing but time

RF

That's by Boy George of the Culture Club--still living, despite it all, if I'm not mistaken.

I've hungered for your touch
a long lonely time
and time goes by so slowly
and time can do so much
are you still mine?


lil xx

Still alive, and recently (-ish) released from jail: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8045193.stm

RF

I thought he was older than 47. Coming soon: Links to two songs I was going to put in originally before I decided to make it all serious.

Firt song (video) starts the album that spent the longest time on the charts (someone may want to be specific later): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntm1YfehK7U

This will do for the second [I wanted "Right Now" by van Halen, but I love this one too.]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C6AXnnjgqI

Rather hard to narrow it down, and I'm probably forgetting something vital, but I think the bit of knowledge I know to date that I found the most interesting regarding fossils concerns fossilised coral beds.

The growth lines (rather like tree rings) recorded in the fossilised rock show that the rotational speed of the earth is slowing down through tidal forces. This meant days were shorter. So although a year (defined as a single orbit around the sun) has remained seemingly the same, in eons past, the *length* of a year calculated as many days you can fit into one solar orbit) was longer.

In the Devonian (er...400 million years ago - and so called because the rock was first found in Devon) , and when the world looked somethign like this:


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/LateDevonianGlobal.jpg

The length of the year was over 400 days long!

That's pretty interesting and predates primates by some considerable measure.


P.S I'm considering adding it as a stipulation to my will when I write it that I don't want to be cremated or buried; rather I'd like my earthly remains to be deposited in the delta of a high sediment, fast-flowing river.

I'd like to attempt to become a fossil.

The fossil record being so patchwork as it is, and fossilisation being such a rare occurance, I feel we owe it to the anthropologists of the the future () to do all we can to preserve a record that we were here.