Bill Gates' New Company to Take on Hurricanes?

[JMcEntegart]

Bill Gates is a man of many talents. Founder of Microsoft, philanthropist and owner of a mystery company that we don't quite know the purpose of, Bill has proved that his retirement does not mean he's resting on his laurels.USA Today reports say that Ga

Bill Gates' New Company to Take on Hurricanes? : Read more

 

[Gin Fushicho]

Wow , If he can do that , then I will have respect for him , a LOT more respect. Not the tiny "video game" respect I have right now.

 

[KyleSTL]

In other news: College dropout hatches plan to slow tornados with pinwheels. (Only a little kidding, but honestly, there's absolutely no way to we can move enough cold water to make ANY difference)

 

[mlcloud]

[citation][nom]KyleSTL[/nom]In other news: College dropout hatches plan to slow tornados with pinwheels. (Only a little kidding, but honestly, there's absolutely no way to we can move enough cold water to make ANY difference)[/citation]

I'm not sure about the sciences of this stuff, but if all of us were as pessimistic as you were, there certainly is no way, ya cynical old fart.

 

[JasonAkkerman]

Is it me, or does Bill look a little evil in that picture?

 

[bfstev]

he gives alot to charity too and his charity organization does alot for fighting world hunger and diseases.

I live in florida, so this is good news for me

 

[KyleSTL]

[citation][nom]mlcloud[/nom]I'm not sure about the sciences of this stuff, but if all of us were as pessimistic as you were, there certainly is no way, ya cynical old fart.[/citation]
I'm 26 and a chemical engineer. I took thermodynamics and I'm highly sceptically there is any way we can make a difference, and even if there is the energy consumption to do so would be astronomical (i.e. making shuttle launches look like child's play in comparison)

 

[Parrdacc]

Ok, here's my ridiculous idea: Drop a big ice cube into the hurricane from one of those hurricane hunter planes that fly into them. Just grab a chunk from the poles.

Better get my patent sent in before Steve Jobs or Mr. Gates tries to beat me to it.

 

[DarkMantle]

I think the biggest issue here is this... "the patents will offer 18 years of legal rights to the idea to Gates and his co-inventors". If he is trying to do something good for humankind why would he want to have a patent of it?.

 

[brendano257]

Well, great and all but let's think for a second. It's Bill Gates. The proper question to ask right now is; "Well, how much is it gonna cost?"

 

[lifelesspoet]

Its hard to see in the pic, but that kinda looks like a BSOD.

 

[tmike]

Different application, but he's still just breaking wind.

 

[SAL-e]

[citation][nom]KyleSTL[/nom]I'm 26 and a chemical engineer. I took thermodynamics and I'm highly sceptically there is any way we can make a difference, and even if there is the energy consumption to do so would be astronomical (i.e. making shuttle launches look like child's play in comparison)[/citation]
Agree. As far I know the single hurricane caries more energy then energy produced my humans in one year. Bill should finished his education and not to skip physics classes and recognize when someone is a attempting to spend his money.
Plus there is other issue here. Everything in nature is linked and balanced. If you create imbalance the nature will counter act and restore the balance. So if Bill some how stops a hurricane hitting Florida for example will cause more strong one in Mexican Ocean for example.

 

[chripuck]

[citation][nom]DarkMantle[/nom]I think the biggest issue here is this... "the patents will offer 18 years of legal rights to the idea to Gates and his co-inventors". If he is trying to do something good for humankind why would he want to have a patent of it?.[/citation]
So someone else doesn't patent it and try to sell it? Patent's aren't bad, its what people do with them that are.

 

[Guest]

nah, I'll wait until Bill and crew release Wind Down XP. The 1st revision could be unstable and a BSoD actually kills someone.

 

[rrf]

I'm not an expert but I do know that hurricanes are the result of an immense energy differential and that the release of that pent up energy is a necessary aspect of the Earth's natural cycle. Throughout the early to mid 20th century humanity attempted to dominate the Earth, and we are just now starting to realize how foolish that idea truly is. However, changing the dynamics of a hurricane will make all of those failures pale in comparison. I am appalled that most of the comments are in support of this outrageous idea. Here is a better suggestion: stop building inadequate structures that obviously lie in harm's way.

 

[g0rilla]

[citation][nom]lifelesspoet[/nom]Its hard to see in the pic, but that kinda looks like a BSOD.[/citation]

Judging by the age of the computer, I would say it is safe to assume that the picture was taken pre-BSOD. It's probably an old version of Microsoft Works.

 

[DarkMantle]

So someone else doesn't patent it and try to sell it? Patent's aren't bad, its what people do with them that are.

Thats the whole point, you never know. So today is a patent to stop hurricanes and tomorrow a patent for making hurricanes, i think there are things that shouldn't be patentable, specially if its something that will help save many people lifes. I'm not an expert on this area but as far as i know you can't get a patent of something that already exist even if the invention that already exist doesn't have a patent. So if someone else try to patent the idea the patent office will just say no.

 

[gzhang]

[citation][nom]rrf[/nom]I'm not an expert but I do know that hurricanes are the result of an immense energy differential and that the release of that pent up energy is a necessary aspect of the Earth's natural cycle. Throughout the early to mid 20th century humanity attempted to dominate the Earth, and we are just now starting to realize how foolish that idea truly is. However, changing the dynamics of a hurricane will make all of those failures pale in comparison. I am appalled that most of the comments are in support of this outrageous idea. Here is a better suggestion: stop building inadequate structures that obviously lie in harm's way.[/citation]

Agreed. about 40 or 50 years ago the Chinese government declared that humans will win over earth (sky/god in direct translation) and acted on it. The direct result from that is a famine that killed millions.

 

[gzhang]

that said, Bill is a rich man and we should never discourage him from trying.

 

[tenor77]

[citation][nom]SAL-e[/nom]Plus there is other issue here. Everything in nature is linked and balanced. If you create imbalance the nature will counter act and restore the balance. So if Bill some how stops a hurricane hitting Florida for example will cause more strong one in Mexican Ocean for example.[/citation]

On this you are 100% correct. I think it's possible to lower the surface temperature 1 degree which could theoretically lower a hurricane to a tropical storm. It's not neccessary to combat the force of a hurricane, but the underlining roots.

BUT, and we're talking ghetto booty butts here, pumping cold water up to the surface means the temperature below could get warmer as a result. This could damage coral reefs, sea life or could alter the global current.
We've already learned in National Parks to let a forest burn if it's natural and doesn't threaten people. It's part of nature, and trying to control it leads to worse things down the road. Same logic applys here.
Same rule here.

 

[tipoo]

Oh god, I'm waiting till SP1 before i go near that thing.


But seriously, how will tampering with systems we know little about help us get out of the situation we caused by tampering with systems we know little about?

 

[Wayoffbase]

As much damage as hurricanes cause, I'm thinking that tampering with the natural course of weather could be a really bad idea. Like you stop a hurricane off the coast of Florida, and a year later massive tidal waves wipe japan off the map- or something.

 

[tipoo]

[citation][nom]Wayoffbase[/nom]As much damage as hurricanes cause, I'm thinking that tampering with the natural course of weather could be a really bad idea. Like you stop a hurricane off the coast of Florida, and a year later massive tidal waves wipe japan off the map- or something.[/citation]


Blue wave of death?

 

[Wayoffbase]

[citation][nom]tipoo[/nom]Blue wave of death?[/citation]
good one, I didn't think of that