Editorial – August 2023: How we measure time.

Hello, everyone,

We are all aging, but how do we truly quantify time? It’s not merely by a wristwatch or the digital clock on our smartphones. Over the years, I’ve observed my tendency to gauge my age against peers in the media, both living and deceased. If I’m outliving them, then it seems I’m faring better than most, regardless of whether they passed away years ago. It may be an unconventional perspective, but it seems to align with a geek’s approach to life. We need a benchmark to measure our lives against, and this method is as good as any.

The concept of time often transcends the basic units of years, days, hours, and minutes. These are relative terms. It’ll be intriguing to see how the concept of relative time will adapt when astronauts spend significant time on Mars, given that Martian days and years differ from ours. Will we find a parallel to share with our populace, or establish a universal numbering system based on mission duration? These considerations will likely extend to prolonged lunar missions, enabling comparisons for future endeavors.

The discussion so far should provoke thoughts about the age of the universe. According to scientists, estimates suggest it’s around 13.8 billion years old, with a margin of a billion. This approximation is hardly precise and represents a span so immense that it serves more as a pacifier than an accurate depiction. It’s much easier to say it’s been an incredibly long time, similar to the time representation in the ‘Star Wars’ universe.

Human beings have an innate predilection for measuring everything. If a large number seems to fit our perception, we typically don’t question it, especially when it pertains to time. If a duration is immeasurably long, expressing it in terrestrial years becomes virtually impossible. Apart from our local planetary times based on planetary rotations (day and night) and orbits (year), the same logic might be applied by extraterrestrial species on their own worlds. Even if communication is challenging, this could provide some insight into their mathematical numbering system. However, if we inspect our system, it’s all rounded up. For instance, we prefer referring to a day as 24 hours, instead of 24¼ hours, opting for a leap year every four years. Remember, our Gregorian calendar only began in 1582, meaning our time measurements are still only relative to that date and not exact. Using such numbers to navigate a time machine would likely leave you lost in time. If we ever managed to calculate the precise time, it would still be a collection of numbers with minimal meaning, apart from indicating a long duration. In this sense, time is just a set of numbers, relevant only when compared to other people’s experiences. Perhaps my habit of comparing the length of lives of others near my age isn’t so strange. It adds a dimension of finality to time that is otherwise absent.

The quantification of time is more a matter of practical convenience than anything else. It’s a shared language, with international datelines facilitating maximum daylight utilization worldwide, accepted unquestionably. However, this agreement is unlikely to be truly universal.

In any interaction with extraterrestrial visitors, we may discuss absolute numbers, but the concept of time will require an entirely new communication method.

Thank you, and take care. As you say goodnight, consider how you perceive relative time. It’s not all relative. Even editorials can be shorter than you think, yet carry profound meaning.

Geoff Willmetts

editor: www.SFCrowsnest.info

A Zen thought: Being related does not mean relative.

What Qualities Does A Geek Have: Geeks like to find reason in everything.

The Reveal: How come every prediction of the rise in global warming temperature, governments seem to give a date far in the future when they can stop it?

Computer Observation: This probably only happens with the more expensive laptops because normally they wear out after 3 or 4 years but the battery in the more expensive models (they do last longer, mine is supposed to have a 10 year lifespan, so you do get your money back if you can afford one) doesn’t last, even if, like me, you have it plugged into the mains so it shouldn’t be used. However, 5 bleeps is a battery dying message, so duly ordered up a replacement battery. Mine then died with Windows open.

            Thing is, while you’re waiting for the replacement battery, you can reseat the battery. Look up YouTube or wherever to find out how to do this with your own laptop which is essentially disconnecting the cable into the computer and taking the battery out and then reconnecting it. Booted up and the battery had 10% of life and Windows was back where I left it with open programs. The only thing not working was the Internet connection so closed the programs and restarted. That re-established the Internet connection and the battery charge jumped up to 26% and, in short order, up to 100% quicker than when I’ve actually accidentally disconnected the power cable in the past. Whether this is simply a result of the reseat I haven’t found out but it does give enough power while waiting for the replacement. It also teaches you how to disconnect the battery for the main event.

As with all things, which came as much a surprise to me, is that apart from shape, even batteries change a bit over a couple years. So have faith in the manufacturer and even if there are superficial changes, change it over and think they have made changes even it doesn’t always make sense.

Observation: Why would Dr. Manhattan need a belly button?

 Observation: It must be a long nose story why no parent has ever called their child Pinocchio as far as I know or someone is lying.

 Observation: Weather is fluctuating far too much. How are we going to invite aliens to stay when we can’t offer decent weather.

 Humour:        Who was the abstract llama?

The Dali llama.

 Feeling Stressed: It might pass in time.