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View Full Version : Hypothetical question I have been pondering...


BoogieWoogieWookie
15th September 2007, 11:53 AM
I apologize if this is a little lengthy, but I wanted to make sure that you understood my thoughts leading to this. I'm also sorry if this sounds a bit crazy. I am a bit crazy so there's no helping that.

Here is the scenario:

1) You are presented with a vehicle that will instantaneously take you anywhere within the observable universe, say within a distance of 15 billion light years or so. This vehicle does not obey Relativity so this means instantaneously to you and to those of us that remain here awaiting your return. You are also given a fantastic force-field type environment suit that will allow you to explore any environment comfortably and without restriction. Both vehicle and suit are impervious to matter and restrict the passage of all frequencies of electromagnetic radiation to levels that are safe and comfortable for you. They also block gravity above 1G. Who gave you these and the facts that they are impossible to construct are irrelevant so please ignore them.

2) You will be allowed to visit three(3) places.

3) You will remain at each destination for exactly one hour. You may leave the vehicle and explore, but the vehicle will remain stationary for the duration. At the end of the hour you will be instantly transported to the next location.

4) At the end of the last hour at the last location you will be instantly transported back to Earth. Vehicle and suit will then disappear.

5) You may not take anything with you except the clothes you are wearing. (You can go naked if you want)

6) You must be ready to go within 30 minutes.

7) You must choose the three destinations BEFORE you leave (remember, you only have 30 minutes). You must be as specific as you can. The vehicle can not help you choose a destination but it can help 'land' when you arrive.
example: You CANNOT say 'take me to the planet with the highest population of intelligent life' or 'take me to the nearest star with an earth-like planet'. You CAN say 'I want to go to the top of the highest mountain on Mars' or 'a point 500 miles from the pulsar at the center of the Crab Nebula'.

So, that's it. List the three places you would visit under these conditions in all the universe. Maybe list why you chose these if you wish.

JetLeg
15th September 2007, 01:03 PM
I would visit the moon, the heart of the sun in our system, and a different galaxy than ours.

Cool question. I wonder what Carl Sagan would answer.

Ryokan
15th September 2007, 01:30 PM
Tokyo, Bangkok and Beijing :D

RandFan
15th September 2007, 01:31 PM
Interesting question, however, to me, it's like asking if you could have a minute in 3 different cities which would you chose?

How much could one experience in an hour? I might just skip the whole thing knowing how disappointed I would be.

If I could have a day each I might be interested. That's just me though.

It's still an interesting concpet.

Hokulele
15th September 2007, 02:40 PM
Since this is apparently purely for touristy purposes (only 1 hour, no instruments or equipment), I would choose a point in Saturn's orbit where I could get a good view of the rings, a point just outside the Horsehead nebula where it would pretty much fill the field of view, and right smack in the middle of a jet coming from the area of a black hole. That would be better than any roller-coaster, wheeeee!

Seismosaurus
15th September 2007, 02:43 PM
I'd ask to visit a random point on the shore of a continent in the temperate zone on the three most Earthlike planets in the universe.

I figure that's probably my best chance of finding life, which is what I want to see most.

TV's Frank
15th September 2007, 02:46 PM
The inside of a supermassive black hole. You can look out and witness the entire future history of the universe unfold before you.

And I want to see if it would take me out!

TV's Frank
15th September 2007, 02:48 PM
You CANNOT say 'take me to the planet with the highest population of intelligent life' or 'take me to the nearest star with an earth-like planet'.

I'd ask to visit a random point on the shore of a continent in the temperate zone on the three most Earthlike planets in the universe.

No wonder you're extinct. :D

BoogieWoogieWookie
15th September 2007, 02:51 PM
I'd ask to visit a random point on the shore of a continent in the temperate zone on the three most Earthlike planets in the universe.

I figure that's probably my best chance of finding life, which is what I want to see most.

Can't do that. That would break one of the rules as stated.

Lex Luthor
15th September 2007, 03:18 PM
I'd ask to visit Heaven, Hell, and the inside of the largest vault at Fort Knox.

I'd take a camcorder with me, along with a really big bag.

triadboy
15th September 2007, 07:09 PM
1) You are presented with a vehicle that will instantaneously take you anywhere within the observable universe, say within a distance of 15 billion light years or so.

I would travel the exact distance necessary to look back at our sun and see it as it was 2011 years ago. Then I would instantaneously transport myself to "Bethleham" to watch a "virgin" give birth to a "God". (I'm planning on bringing an 8-piece nursing bottle set as a gift. <whisper> Mary's breast never really started producing milk. We think it's because she's still a virgin. </whisper>)

TuftedPuffin
15th September 2007, 07:13 PM
Can this thing take on into a black hole? Because that's totally one of them.

Otherwise, maybe inside of that moon of jupiter (or was it saturn?) with the ice covered sea, to look for life, and into some big star/nebula for general coolness.

BillyJoe
15th September 2007, 08:03 PM
To the beginning of time.
To the edge of the universe.
To the end of time.

KingMerv00
17th September 2007, 07:14 AM
1) Black Hole

2) Titan

3) Inside Scrooge McDuck's money bin.