This is cool, it sure looks like we’ll see productive use of carbon nanotubes in the next few years. I hope to see a space elevator before I die.
Of course, new tech to keep me from dyin would be nice too.
I don’t think so. The fact that, as humans, we consciously know we will die often gives us a feeling of direction, meaning, and a sense of purpose to our lives. (At least in theory) I don’t think I would want to live forever and ever and ever.
If you knew for certain that you were never going to die, would it really matter how you raise your children, or who you fall in love with? I mean, you could do it all over again a thousand million times, if you were going to live forever.
I do not grok…
I read an article in Scientific American, I think, about the space elevator concept and it sure is fascinating stuff. I’d love to see it happen. But, it seemed like there’s still a lot of technological problems to overcome.
Dale
Arthur C. Clarke wrote a story that featured a space elevator - I remember one of the “connectors” was in Sri Lanka (which just happens to be where he lives). But I forget the title of the book…
The Fountains of Paradise. I can recall readining it when it came out. It got appreciative but not stellar reviews, but the 25 years since have shown it to have been wildly influential. A lot of really capable geeks appear to have read it, and they’re working hard to make it happen.
The idea wasn’t Clarke’s–he copped it from someone else–but he’ll be forever associated with it, for making the sales pitch so sexy.
amar, a sanscrit name/word, meaning immortal. so, i’ll be around quite a while.. 
Amar is a common name (but most people named Amar seem to capitalise it, FWIW), and I’m sure that all the Amars in the world who ever lived are not still alive. Hate to break it to you, bud…
At any rate, Arthur C. Clarke used to have a television show on the Discovery Channel. He always creeped me out.
i can’t be bothered with the
-key. haven’t you noticed?
BUT WHAT ABOUT CAPS LOCK?
no, that’s considered as shouting.
BUT IF YOU DO IT ALL THE TIME, PEOPLE GET USED TO IT.
BESIDES, TO MAKE THE HAPPY FACE YOU HAVE TO CLICK THE SHIFT BUTTON, OR TO MAKE AN EXCLAMATION POINT!!!
The idea of any kind of permanently installed cable strikes me as very strange somehow. I guess I’m imagining it just hanging there in the middle of the desert, but I suppose the Earth end would be housed in a substantial facility.
But you do have to watch out. Willy Wonka got into quite a bit of trouble with his Great Glass Elevator. We don’t want to be inviting vermicious knids back to Earth.
THAT’S JUST COOL! Watch out Crystal People, here we come! I live in the eastern Washington, north Idaho area, so with a bit of detective work, I could probably figure out where they are just from the ecology and geography in the picture. If I do, I won’t tell anybody. That might even be Moscow Mountain in the background, the highest point visible from my hometown, Moscow Idaho.
Rod
Actually, if you read the linked articles, they are proposing the Earth end to be tethered to a floating platform in the equatorial oceans somewhere. That would circumvent the USA needing to conquer some tropical backwater just to have an equatorial landbase.
Yes, kinda like spinning through space with your fly undone. 
djm
a bit worse that that I’d think!
That’s one elevator I wouldn’t want to get stuck in. (Of course, I can’t think of any elevators I would want to get stuck in.)
Will O’Ban
…unless this dood gets to you first…
There can be only one, amar…
i’ll let this dude deal with that sissy:
