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is it safe to say that bugs are the worst thing ever?

5,882 190 February 16, 2011 at 08:12 PM in Cool
when i was little, i would wish some scientists would build a giant steel sphere, big enough to fit all the bugs in the world in. then after all the bugs were in it, they would shoot it off into space.

as i grew older, i stopped thinking about this idea for a while.

not that i am old, i've been thinking about it again. first there is the logistics of how big it would have to be. i know there are a lot of bugs in the world...trillions probably, but they're also really small for the most part. i think 2 miles in diameter would suffice. then there is the question of where in space we should aim it. the moon would be easy, but it would be a hassle if we were to colonize the moon one day. we'd have to deal with that problem all over again. we could shoot it off into deep space, but what if it were to hit an alien spaceship and they then declared war on us? no good. ultimately, what must be done is to shoot it in to the sun. there it will melt and the bugs inside would get the fiery death they deserve.

there are other questions, like how to lure all the bugs in, but we'll leave that one up to entymologists. they will be paid handsomely for their efforts, because afterward they will be out of a job.

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Joined Sep 2006
skinny2by4
> bubble2 8,318 Posts
415 Reputation
Me
02-16-2011 at 08:59 PM.
02-16-2011 at 08:59 PM.
Quote from thikthird :
i'm not going to get in on the second part, but as for the first part, no, i don't see any flaws.
but you can't have 2nd without 1st. you need to retain a mathemagician to calculate these math for you. You'll need not only spherical engineers, but also taxidermists to do your taxes
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Joined Oct 2009
$trange but true
> bubble2 5,882 Posts
190 Reputation
Original Poster
thikthird
02-16-2011 at 08:59 PM.
02-16-2011 at 08:59 PM.
Quote from ikonoklast :
Why shoot them into space? Why not just burn them on earth?
i'm glad you asked. it would smell bad, that's the big problem. plus it wouldn't be nearly as epic.
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Joined Sep 2006
skinny2by4
> bubble2 8,318 Posts
415 Reputation
Me
02-16-2011 at 09:00 PM.
02-16-2011 at 09:00 PM.
Quote from thikthird :
i'm glad you asked. it would smell bad, that's the big problem. plus it wouldn't be nearly as epic.
epictologists have long theorized that shooting spheres into space might cause space-tempura disturbances. you need to hire more consultants
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Joined Jan 2007
The Mistress of All Evil!
> bubble2 22,510 Posts
8,433 Reputation
Maleficent
02-16-2011 at 09:00 PM.
02-16-2011 at 09:00 PM.
Quote from Me :
but you can't have 2nd without 1st. you need to retain a mathemagician to calculate these math for you. You'll need not only spherical engineers, but also taxidermists to do your taxes
Yes, "taxes," that's exactly what we'll tell him when the taxidermist knocks on his door... Evil
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Joined Oct 2009
$trange but true
> bubble2 5,882 Posts
190 Reputation
Original Poster
thikthird
02-16-2011 at 09:01 PM.
02-16-2011 at 09:01 PM.
Quote from IVIal :
I never said the sun wouldn't kill them - my point was that YOU would never be able to collect them all, nor would anyone else, hence you cannot effectively interfere with their survival. Which you still haven't addressed. And even after eating other, they would still die before reaching it.



Just get a really big bug zapper! Whee
you said they would die of starvation before they hit the sun. i provided an answer to how they would reach the sun before they died of starvation.
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Joined Jan 2007
The Mistress of All Evil!
> bubble2 22,510 Posts
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Maleficent
02-16-2011 at 09:03 PM.
02-16-2011 at 09:03 PM.
Quote from thikthird :
you said they would die of starvation before they hit the sun. i provided an answer to how they would reach the sun before they died of starvation.
Not really. laugh out loud

Do you know how long it would take to get to the sun from earth?


FYI, earth is the planet we live on. Do you know where the sun is from here?
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Joined Sep 2006
skinny2by4
> bubble2 8,318 Posts
415 Reputation
Me
02-16-2011 at 09:03 PM.
02-16-2011 at 09:03 PM.
Quote from thikthird :
you said they would die of starvation before they hit the sun. i provided an answer to how they would reach the sun before they died of starvation.
what about oxygen? and also, keep in mind that some bugs need sunlight. Where are they going to find that in the sun? huh? have you thought about that?
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Joined Aug 2003
(o)(o)
> bubble2 9,556 Posts
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ikonoklast
02-16-2011 at 09:04 PM.
02-16-2011 at 09:04 PM.
Holy shit a spider just crawled onto my keyboard as I was reading this thread, no joke. It wasn't small either. OMG

Yea yea spiders aren't insects blah blah suck it.
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Joined Oct 2009
$trange but true
> bubble2 5,882 Posts
190 Reputation
Original Poster
thikthird
02-16-2011 at 09:06 PM.
02-16-2011 at 09:06 PM.
Quote from IVIal :
Not really. laugh out loud

Do you know how long it would take to get to the sun from earth?


FYI, earth is the planet we live on. Do you know where the sun is from here?
8 - 9 years, i'd guess.
Quote from Me :
what about oxygen? and also, keep in mind that some bugs need sunlight. Where are they going to find that in the sun? huh? have you thought about that?
the sphere will be 2 miles in diameter, that should be plenty of oxygen. as a backup, we'll outfit the sphere with the same co2 scrubs and air filters in spaceships. we'll put sunlamps in the sphere. if that's not enough, the light-dependent bugs will die first and be eaten by the others.
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Joined Jan 2007
The Mistress of All Evil!
> bubble2 22,510 Posts
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Maleficent
02-16-2011 at 09:07 PM.
02-16-2011 at 09:07 PM.
Quote from Me :
what about oxygen? and also, keep in mind that some bugs need sunlight. Where are they going to find that in the sun? huh? have you thought about that?
We will have to make the spacecraft big enough to provide enough food and other items necessary for their survival until they reach the sun. laugh out loud

Quote from ikonoklast :
Holy shit a spider just crawled onto my keyboard as I was reading this thread, no joke. It wasn't small either. OMG

Yea yea spiders aren't insects blah blah suck it.
Burn it! Whee
Reply
Joined Oct 2009
$trange but true
> bubble2 5,882 Posts
190 Reputation
Original Poster
thikthird
02-16-2011 at 09:07 PM.
02-16-2011 at 09:07 PM.
Quote from ikonoklast :
Holy shit a spider just crawled onto my keyboard as I was reading this thread, no joke. It wasn't small either. OMG

Yea yea spiders aren't insects blah blah suck it.
i never said insects only. i purposely said bugs to leave the discussion open to spiders, scorpions, etc.
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Joined Sep 2006
skinny2by4
> bubble2 8,318 Posts
415 Reputation
Me
02-16-2011 at 09:07 PM.
02-16-2011 at 09:07 PM.
Quote from thikthird :
8 - 9 years, i'd guess.

the sphere will be 2 miles in diameter, that should be plenty of oxygen. as a backup, we'll outfit the sphere with the same co2 scrubs and air filters in spaceships. we'll put sunlamps in the sphere. if that's not enough, the light-dependent bugs will die first and be eaten by the others.
what about vegetarian bugs?
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Joined Jan 2007
The Mistress of All Evil!
> bubble2 22,510 Posts
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Maleficent
02-16-2011 at 09:11 PM.
02-16-2011 at 09:11 PM.
What about honey? I kind of like honey.

Would you never miss having honey or anything that contains honey?
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Joined Sep 2006
skinny2by4
> bubble2 8,318 Posts
415 Reputation
Me
02-16-2011 at 09:14 PM.
02-16-2011 at 09:14 PM.
Quote from IVIal :
What about honey? I kind of like honey.

Would you never miss having honey or anything that contains honey?
powdered honey?
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Joined Aug 2008
L99: Slicker than Ice
> bubble2 6,537 Posts
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slapshot136
02-16-2011 at 09:18 PM.
02-16-2011 at 09:18 PM.
before we kill off/send away all the bugs, shouldn't we have a replacement ready? something that can feed birds/small animals? (ant eaters, frogs, etc.)

not only that, even if you could build a trap that draws ALL the bugs on the planet to it, many of them would be unable to go to the trap - i.e. they are on an island/continent and separated by an ocean that they can't cross, or are in some sort of long-term cocoon/etc.

also, a metal ball 2 miles in diameter - how exactly do you plan on launching that into space?
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