Welcome to Real Space! This is the first installment of a monthly column dedicated to those "real" scientific activities that will eventually lead us all into the universe that Perry Rhodan "entered" before us. Together, we will explore the many advances in the fields of science and technology that will one day allow us to follow in Perry's footsteps.
For instance, a major player in the early cycles of the Perry Rhodan series was the Robot Regent of Arkon. Thirty years ago, many people would have said that there is no way that a machine could perform a creative task, such as beating a human at the game of chess. Yet, the computer Deep Blue managed to defeat grandmaster Garry Kasparov, world champion since 1985, in a series of chess games. Does this mean that the computer Deep Blue is intelligent or creative, or is it just a fast adding machine that got lucky? Are we on a course to develop our own Robot Regent or Colossus some day?
In answering these questions, we begin to touch on many questions, including, "What does it mean to design intelligence into a system?" "How do we build and control complex systems that are understandable to those who must use them?" "Is there a correlation between processing power and intelligence?" Consider the following three systems: a human being, the space shuttle and the computer Deep Blue. There is no one that would argue that humans are not complex and (for the most part) intelligent. When it comes to complexity, there are few man-made systems of greater complexity than the space shuttle, but it is in reality, just a "dumb truck". Finally, the computer Deep Blue is not particularly complex, but possesses amazing computing power. Let's look at some facts about these three systems:
| . | Gary Kasparov | IBM'S Deep Blue | Space Shuttle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Height (Size) | 5' 10" | 6' 5" | 122'L x 78'W x 57'H |
| Weight | 176 pounds | 1.4 tons | 110 tons |
| Age | 34 years | 4 years | 7-19 years |
| # Processors | 1 processor consisting of ~ 50 x 10^9 Neurons | 32 IBM P2SC nodes; 8 processors / node | 5 IBM AP-101S general purpose computers |
| Memory | ~ 2 pounds; organic | 64MB-2GB | 256k 32-bit words |
| Operations/Second | 2-7 | 200 x 10^6 | 1.4 x 10^6 |
| Power Source | chemical | electrical | chemical/electrical |
A few things stand out immediately. The space shuttle is an extremely large, complex system. Yet it is controlled by a relatively small set of computers, handling all functions on the shuttle, as well as command and control from Mission Control. In many ways, it is the epitome of the complexity required to perform a very basic task - hauling cargo to space and returning.
The RS/6000SP computer that makes up Deep Blue is a general purpose, parallel processing computer system. It has a "brain" that is scalable into an even larger, more complex structure. It is the result of dedicated effort over a period of 12 years, plus the fruits of the computer industry, stretching back for over 50 years. With a primary development team of 6 individuals, the computer has a program of great sophistication. Yet, for all of its capability, it is not truly intelligent -just a very fast adding machine.
Then we come to man, comparatively small and frail, and limited to one processor, that he himself does not quite understand. Yet, with the efforts of that single processor, he has a flexibility and capability that no machine, no matter how complex, large or fast has been able to match. We are a long way from the days of designing our own Robot Regent. Yet, we will continue to conduct research into those areas of technology that could enable us to construct an autonomous, learning vehicle, because that is probably the only way we will be able to explore other worlds in the near future. In future columns, we will again look at the uses of computers in space in much greater detail.
The purpose of this column is not only to report on the scientific and technological advances that are happening today, and what they mean. It is also meant to provide a forum for readers to become acquainted with some of the more exotic and controversial aspects of science. And if you don't think science is controversial, you should attend some of the symposia and meeting where scientists get together.
Many people feel that science and technology issues are too difficult to understand, or are not relevant in their lives. Yet, we stand on the edge of major changes in our understanding of the universe. Quantum theory and current theories of gravity are successful by the yardstick of making predictions in their respective arenas. However, we know that fundamental breakthroughs are needed, because there is currently no theory which accurately spans the spectrum from the very small (quantum mechanics) to the very large (cosmology and the laws of gravitation). And with the recent claim that evidence exists of a force equivalent to anti-gravity, it is clear that new discoveries and theories to explain them are right around the corner. The revolution that will come from a unification of these theories would, in all likelihood be as sweeping as the one that accompanied the development of quantum mechanics.
Since my charter is to educate in an entertaining way, I'll try to illustrate the fun of science also. Additionally, I'll try to point out places where you can obtain resources that you can use in a variety of ways, and what some of those ways are. For instance, it is possible to obtain sophisticated astronomical software for no cost. Not only is this useful for studying satellite and planetary orbits, it is a useful tool if you are writing science fiction stories and want to accurately develop the background data for your story (or check some author's efforts at developing a realistic planetary system). I'll also try to steer you to relevant sites concerning science and technology on the internet, separating the wheat from the chaff.
Because there is generally more information available on the topics that will be discussed each month than can reasonably be incorporated into a column, I am developing a web site in support of this column. It is located at:
At this site, I will attempt to incorporate additional material for your consideration, as well as links to resources around the web that illuminate that month's topic. I'll also try to provide you additional references for your own reading and research. For instance, for this month, you will find URLs for the NASA shuttle site, and the IBM Deep Blue site.
I also hope that you will consider this your column, as well as mine. Are there questions that you would like answers to? Topics that you would like to see discussed? In that spirit, I actively encourage you to add your thoughts to mine, as well as suggesting topics of discussion. Please feel free to write me with your questions, requests or ideas in care of Vector Enterprises, contact me via the web site, or email me at
I hope that I have whetted your appetite for future offerings of Real Space, and that you will join me there as we explore some of the issues raised above. Next month, we will discuss the current activities of the world's space programs. Remember that NASA is not the only game in town.
For additional information on the topics related to this month's column, try going to the Real Space Resource Page.