Mathematicians confirm the possibility of data transfer via gravitational waves

Post by kopo » Sat, Oct 13, 2018, 5:42 PM UTC

datenwolf wrote: post #10

Not to sound condescending, but… You can transmit data by modulating in on top of something that propagates through space? Well, big deal, who'd thought? /s In all seriousness, the big problem is, how to create gravitational waves in a controlled manner in the first place. Because the fact remains, that gravity is, by several orders of magnitude, the weakest force in our universe and it takes stooopid amounts of ener…

Post by electrograv » Sat, Oct 13, 2018, 5:51 PM UTC

Falkvinge wrote: post #18

Hurra: yet another way for the NSA to exfiltrate data from my keyboard.

Post by illvm » Sat, Oct 13, 2018, 6:16 PM UTC

pdonis wrote: post #4

"The discovery could lead to a new means of data transfer in space, e.g., between space stations." Sure, we'll be building space stations with gravitational wave transmitters as soon as we can figure out how to wiggle stars and planets in a controlled fashion to produce them. That should happen Real Soon Now.

Post by jcims » Sat, Oct 13, 2018, 6:27 PM UTC

illvm wrote: post #25

pdonis wrote: post #4

"The discovery could lead to a new means of data transfer in space, e.g., between space stations." Sure, we'll be building space stations with gravitational wave transmitters as soon as we can figure out how to wiggle stars and planets in a controlled fashion to produce them. That should happen Real Soon Now.

That's not strictly necessary, is it? All matter should be able to effect gravity. It's a matter of having sensitive enough detectors for whatever is causing the disturbance, not necessarily having something which can produce enough of a disturbance to detect.

Post by pdonis » Sat, Oct 13, 2018, 9:15 PM UTC

jcims wrote: post #27

illvm wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not strictly necessary, is it? All matter should be able to effect gravity. It's a matter of having sensitive enough detectors for whatever is causing the disturbance, not necessarily having something which can produce enough of a disturbance to detect.

I did some high school level math on the equivalence of the signals detected by LIGO vs the gravitational wave induced by the mass energy conversion of 1kg of plutonium from the other side of the earth. If memory serves the signal of the latter should have been ~3 orders of magnitude higher. Using nukes to communicate is a bit intense, but a tuned receiver should be able to pick up lower energy levels.