From: Louis Newstrom (louisnews@comcast.net)
Date: Tue Feb 19 2002 - 05:32:44 MST
> Anders wrote:
> > Assume we can store x bits / kg of matter. One stored bit is
> > worth c^2/x J of energy if its substrate is transmuted.
I disagree with your premise. As Godel pointed out, a single integer can
store an infinite amount of information:
Digitize the information into discrete bytes a, b, c, ...
Encode a single integer as 2^a * 3 ^b * 5^c ... using prime numbers for the
base.
Any unique infinate data will have a unique result.
Then take only TWO atoms and store the number as say the number of inches
betwen them.
Thus, any two atoms can store an infinite amount of information. (The only
limit in the scheme I have given is the size of the universe in inches.)
Given cleverness in how to store large integers, I don't think there is a
limit based on the amount of matter in the universe.
The real energy shortage will be in how much energy it takes to read/write
information. All reading and writing of data seems to require energy.
Thats where the energy cost will lie.
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