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New interpretations suggest the "heat death" hypothesis might not hold (2023)

(www.noemamag.com)
52 points hhs | 9 comments | 30 Aug 25 15:25 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source | bottom
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delichon ◴[30 Aug 25 16:16 UTC] No.45075821[source]▶

  As such, the second law appears to hold a chilling prophecy for humanity in the very long term.
The idea that our species is so uniquely capable of transcending extinction and surviving long enough for the fate of the universe to be relevant to it is optimistic to the point of absurdity. It fits the evidence better to suppose that we're particularly capable of self destruction.
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zdc1 ◴[30 Aug 25 16:22 UTC] No.45075856[source]▶
Even if we don't self-destruct, we will likely have evolved into something else completely different by then. Or maybe a million years from now they will keep some humans (based on present-day DNA) in a museum exhibit somewhere. Or maybe that's us.
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1. qgin ◴[30 Aug 25 16:34 UTC] No.45075939[source]▶
I still maintain that we're not just a simulation, we're a screensaver on the computer of some extradimensional office worker who has been out of office for their version of a weekend.
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2. grufkork ◴[30 Aug 25 16:39 UTC] No.45075968[source]▶
You might like this: https://qntm.org/responsibilit
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3. Jyaif ◴[30 Aug 25 17:14 UTC] No.45076303[source]▶
Loved it! Thanks!
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4. chamomeal ◴[30 Aug 25 18:00 UTC] No.45076726[source]▶
That was freaking awesome
5. AIorNot ◴[30 Aug 25 18:15 UTC] No.45076839{3}[source]▶
It’s also the plot of the show Devs

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devs_(TV_series)

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6. aftbit ◴[30 Aug 25 18:16 UTC] No.45076843[source]▶
Everything by qntm is phenomenal if a bit rough around the edges. Fine Structure was one of my favorites, along with There is No Antimemetics Division, which is now being published as a proper book!
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7. nicoty ◴[31 Aug 25 07:25 UTC] No.45081124{4}[source]▶
Thanks for the spoilers
8. aeve890 ◴[31 Aug 25 11:51 UTC] No.45082461{3}[source]▶
>a bit rough around the edges.

You're right. It almost lost me with this nonsense

>Pi to the last digit? A triviality

Cool stuff though

9. j_bum ◴[01 Sep 25 00:02 UTC] No.45088215[source]▶
Loved this story.

Although, *spoiler*, my mind is still having a hard time understanding how the characters could exist before their simulation started.

Did they just not realize that their reality was sped up before the moment where the simulations began?