One member was doubtful it would get past regulations, and another said "tentative p>0.05 that a hyperloop gets made by 2100", which was met with "p>0.05 that uploading people and moving them between bodies will be available by 2100".
It struck me that people might be interested in betting on things like this, or at least having a conversation about it.
Big tube in the air rests on pylons / support towers. Maybe goes along a highway. Vehicle inside the tube has batteries for running a compressor. It pumps air away from its front to reduce air resistance, pumps below for suspension and behind. High subsonic speed (~700 mi/hr, 1100 km/hr). Accelerated by occasional linear induction motors on the tube, like a maglev train. Vehicle estimated to cost millions, tube estimated to cost billions. Conventional rails cost tens of billions. That's all from the abstract, much more inside.
I was studying in the LW Study Hall, and during our break someone posted this link to the official hyperloop announcement:
http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/hyperloop_alpha-20130812.pdf
One member was doubtful it would get past regulations, and another said "tentative p>0.05 that a hyperloop gets made by 2100", which was met with "p>0.05 that uploading people and moving them between bodies will be available by 2100".
It struck me that people might be interested in betting on things like this, or at least having a conversation about it.
A few predictions to start: