Live data from Hacker News

A computer made from DNA can compute the square root of 900

newscientist.com

31–40 of 57 posts

Re: A computer made from DNA can compute the square root of 900

#32
post #20

We know this is true, because most people can compute that it is 30. The interesting thing is how little dna is required.

TBH I think 'most people' being able to work out the square root of 900 is rather optimistic (it would be nice to be wrong).

Well, there's the question of explicitly or implicitly. If someone (maybe your dog) can catch a thrown ball, does that mean they can do calculus and/or physics?

Re: A computer made from DNA can compute the square root of 900

#34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> We know this is true, because most people can compute that it is 30. The interesting thing is how little dna is required. I was going to say that "No, it means a computer made from DNA can make another computer from DNA that can compute the square root of 900, but I'm the father of the two year old that will, presumably at some point, be able to calculate it as well. It'll just take somewhere around 10 years(?). I…

Yeah, it took six or seven years from when I was created to when I could compute the square root of 900, and that’s considered prodigiously fast .

Referring to yourself as "prodigiously" anything is liable to get you downvotes.

Re: A computer made from DNA can compute the square root of 900

#36
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, it took six or seven years from when I was created to when I could compute the square root of 900, and that’s considered prodigiously fast .

Referring to yourself as "prodigiously" anything is liable to get you downvotes.

They may happen to have a prodigious ego.

Re: A computer made from DNA can compute the square root of 900

#37
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do wonder however whether there exist a deep learning architecture built with real neurons.

is that not what you and I are?

Nah, everyone knows our brains are just quantum antennas for communicating with our immaterial souls that just coincidentally resemble neural networks.

Re: A computer made from DNA can compute the square root of 900

#38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sad, I loved the idea of bubble computing. I wonder if there are similar ideas with complex electric fields to model equation and enjoy "RT" (sampling speed time) evaluation of solutions.

Every time I hear about a sad story of "this scientist had spent their whole life trying to discover the better computing in DNA and failed" I feel like the reporters are not mentioning the fact that actually the scientist knew perfectly well that their model of computation was inherently unscalable and they were simply pulling money out of absolutely oblivious investors. Oh god I love the _idea_ of better computing.…

At some point it becomes important to ask yourself, "What would I be content spending my life failing to accomplish?"

I mean, it'd be nicer to accomplish it, but if you can find something that you could spend fifty years failing at, that on your deathbed you would simply be happy you tried, that's something really special.

Re: A computer made from DNA can compute the square root of 900

#40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

is that not what you and I are?

Nah, everyone knows our brains are just quantum antennas for communicating with our immaterial souls that just coincidentally resemble neural networks.

This is the best explanation for why AI is impossible.
Post reply on HN