Science Fiction becomes Science Fact

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Oh, man. How did I miss that?

- Doc

Because this tech actually predates that novel by decades?

You're such a god damn retard.

- Doc

[_Lemmie]

One of my favorite popular fiction writers, gone too soon.

Agreed!

Oh, man. How did I miss that? I read JP, Lost World, Sphere, Prey, Congo, Timeline, and Disclosure. Prey is especially unsettling considering our forays into nanotech and A.I.. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.

Anyway. I can't wait for the LDS church to use LIDAR on the Hill Cumorah. We're gonna see SO MANY THINGS! Things like HIDDEN CAVES WITH MOUNTAINS OF METAL PLATES. SWORDS EVERYWHERE. BATTLE RAMPARTS.

CAN'T WAIT.

- Doc

Doc, it's cracking me up that on my screen, your abbreviation of Jurassic Park turns into you reading Jesse Pinkman!

I loved his books too, I still have my old beat up paperback of Andromeda Strain that was my first encounter with his works. When Prey, State of Fear and Next came out I still bought them for my collection but I remember wondering if his editors had gone on strike? They were so disjointed, rambling and paranoid. He died shortly after that, I still wonder if there was some cognitive issue affecting him in those last years. I also didn't know until recently that he wrote and directed the original WestWorld movie, wow. Another great idea.

Hey, MeDotOrg, I have a similar problem with the overspill of my books- one solution is to make a permanent lending library. I sent my young nephew home from Thanksgiving with a couple of Dan Brown books, an author he recently discovered, and anyone who spends the night gets offered whatever books end up by their bed the next morning. My college age kids of course go home from every visit with another paperback tucked into their backpacks. It's a slow process, but really, really satisfying.

[_MeDotOrg]

One of my favorite popular fiction writers, gone too soon.

Oh, man. How did I miss that? I read JP, Lost World, Sphere, Prey, Congo, Timeline, and Disclosure. Prey is especially unsettling considering our forays into nanotech and A.I.. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.

Anyway. I can't wait for the LDS church to use LIDAR on the Hill Cumorah. We're gonna see SO MANY THINGS! Things like HIDDEN CAVES WITH MOUNTAINS OF METAL PLATES. SWORDS EVERYWHERE. BATTLE RAMPARTS.

CAN'T WAIT.

- Doc

I thought about all of the implications this might have for LDS archaeologists. Should make their job a lot easier...right?

Subgenius: I wasn't aware that LIDAR had been around since the 60's. Good point.

In the book Congo, scientists were using computers to scan thousands of satellite images looking for a particular range of light reflection associated with late secondary growth jungle. So they were looking for a specific type of jungle growth that would have been associated with humans chopping down jungle for a settlement, and secondary growth jungle covering the original settlement. So they weren't looking for buildings or other human structures, but rather the type of jungle that would grow after humans cut the original jungle down.

LIDAR is obviously a much more accurate way of looking for structures, which doesn't rely on jungle growth patterns, so it becomes a lot more useful tool in a lot more places. LIDAR is now being used in Satellite technology.

[_Res Ipsa]

Geologists used LIDAR to investigate the cause of the OSO landslide several years ago. I thought the images were amazing and very helpful.

[_honorentheos]

Anyone who lived in Cache Valley in Utah would recognize the ALO (Atmospheric LIDAR Observatory) and the "big green laser" beam as another example.
http://www.usu.edu/alo/aboutlidar.htm
https://news.hjnews.com/news/the-green- ... a0004.html

[_Res Ipsa]

Anyone who lived in Cache Valley in Utah would recognize the ALO (Atmospheric LIDAR Observatory) and the "big green laser" beam as another example.
http://www.usu.edu/alo/aboutlidar.htm
https://news.hjnews.com/news/the-green- ... a0004.html

OK, that is flat out cool.

[_subgenius]

Because this tech actually predates that novel by decades?

You're such a god damn retard.

- Doc

*damned

[_canpakes]

You're such a god damn retard.

- Doc

*damned

Only if he's done.

[_moksha]

So this LIDAR is not an apologetics detection device?

[_subgenius]

*damned

Only if he's done.

then *damning