The World's Largest Computer in 1951

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In summary, the ENIAC was a massive machine weighing 30 tons, occupying 1,000 square feet of floor space, and containing over 70,000 resistors, 10,000 capacitors, 6,000 switches, and 18,000 vacuum tubes. It required 150 kilowatts of power to run, which was enough to light a small town. The final machine was less powerful than a $5 pocket calculator. The Russian Ekranoplan, also known as the Caspian Sea Monster, was a ground effect vehicle that could travel over 400 km/h and weighed 540 tons fully loaded. It was used as a high-speed military transport and could transport over 100 tonnes of cargo. The
  • #176
ok you just have to find another name for Ahura Mazda
to find the distant thing.
 
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  • #177
Temple Of Zoroaster?
 
  • #178
its not earthly, only its namesake
 
  • #179
Hmm, other names for Ahura Mazda were Ormazd, which evolved to Ormuzd. Long after, Ormuzd morphed to Hormuz, though I don't know if the diety was ever called this by worshippers.
Njorl
 
  • #180
Ah, Hindus who were converted in the heyday of the Persian Empire associated Ahura Mazda with Varuna. In the early vedic days, Varuna was the keeper of the celestial waters.
 
  • #181
...and it seems Varuna is a large Kuiper belt object, nearly as large as Pluto.

Njorl
 
  • #182
Njorl,
you are correct, its a new hobby of mine to associate
celestial bodies with their name sake
 
  • #183
Njorl,
have you a question? that is within the bounds of thread
participants ken :biggrin:
 
  • #184
Oh yeah. Umm...
 
  • #185
Contrary to what the name implies, it was made of birch. It was the largest of it's kind ever made. I have a couple hints ready, but this might be enough.

Njorl
 
  • #186
Njorl said:
Contrary to what the name implies, it was made of birch. It was the largest of it's kind ever made. I have a couple hints ready, but this might be enough.

Njorl

The "Spruce Goose"?
 
  • #187
I guess you won't need those hints after all.

Yep.

Njorl
 
  • #188
do you have one LURCH?
 
  • #189
this wheel has a diameter of 72 feet 6 inches, (over 22 metres), and a width of 6 feet.
 
  • #190
London Eye (the millenium wheel thingy)
 
  • #191
good guess jimmy p , but this wheel is much older
 
  • #192
wolram said:
this wheel has a diameter of 72 feet 6 inches, (over 22 metres), and a width of 6 feet.

That's that big water wheel in Europe, Isabelle I think it's called.

I like big machines! :biggrin:

Today's clocks are read by site. By what sense did one tell time in early (c. 18th century) Chinese homes?
 
  • #193
http://www.isle-of-man.com/information/lwheel.htm

i should take umbrage with you for saying EUROPE
but i forgive you :biggrin:
 
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  • #194
Today's clocks are read by site. By what sense did one tell time in early (c. 18th century) Chinese homes?
i know the chinese had a facination for birds, and i think
some of their clocks had birds tweet the time
 
  • #195
wolram said:
i know the chinese had a facination for birds, and i think some of their clocks had birds tweet the time
And so...by what sense would the chinese have sensed the time?
 
  • #196
wolram said:
i know the chinese had a facination for birds, and i think
some of their clocks had birds tweet the time

Nope, not by hearing. But you are correct in that properly identifying the device will give the sense.
 
  • #197
Aha! Sense of smell! The Chinese would speak of lumps of time as "the time it takes to burn a stick of incense."
 
  • #198
Amateur electrical experimentor, Benjamin Franklin, nearly killed himself with electricity once. Not, however, when he flew a kite during an electrical storm, but when he was walking holding two charged Leyden jars, on his way to do what?
 
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  • #199
cook a turkey
 
  • #200
wolram said:
cook a turkey
So close, and yet so far. That isn't the specific task he was on his way to perform when he shocked himself. It was, indeed, thanksgiving day, however, and a turkey was to be cooked that day, which is a hint.
 
  • #201
remove the feathers?
 
  • #202
Evo said:
remove the feathers?
No. He was on his way to to something with the two charged leyden jars.
 
  • #203
you're telling me that shocking a turkey with two leyden jars won't loosen it's feathers? :wink:
 
  • #204
Evo said:
you're telling me that shocking a turkey with two leyden jars won't loosen it's feathers? :wink:
Hmmmm. I can't tell if your suggestion he shocked the turkey is a joke or not. Either way, it is correct. This is how Franklin killed his thanksgiving turkeys.

Your turn, Evo.
 
  • #205
It's transmitters broadcast on frequencies at 20 and 40 MHz.
 
  • #206
a turkey broadcasts on 20 and 40 MHz?
ohhhh new question silly me.
 
  • #207
It's a very special turkey.
 
  • #208
sputnik, if my old ham radio book is right.
 
  • #209
wolram said:
sputnik, if my old ham radio book is right.
Damn, you are good!
 
  • #210
no just an old hobby
 

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