back to article Big Blue to handle SKA's Big Data about Big Bang

Big Blue has been given the ultimate big data gig - collecting and analysing data all the way back to the universe's early history, thanks to a brief from the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON) and a €32.9m cheque from the Dutch government. ASTRON and IBM will collaborate on a computer capable of ingesting the …

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  1. Khaptain Silver badge

    Is it all really worth it ?

    The universe that we perceive is just that, it's "Mans Perception of the Universe", it might actually be something entirely different, we only see it in relation to our scale within the universe. ( thinking Voltaire's Micro Mega here). Is it possible that we still haven't seen the real picture yet ?

    We are a tiny intelligent life form on one of a infinite number of planets looking out into an infinite number of universes, galaxies etc We have difficulty taking care of our own planet correctly and yet we are interested in things that may or may not have happened millions of light years ago.

    It's almost as though we are looking for a solution that will allow us to create our own "universes". In other words we want to play at being God, now there's a scary thought.

    1. kyza

      Re: Is it all really worth it ?

      Get off the PC & go back to your cave if you don't think it's worth it.

      1. Khaptain Silver badge
        Angel

        Re: Is it all really worth it ?

        Spot the difference......

        I'm a caveman, looking up at the sky thinking to myself, I wonder whats up there and will I ever be able to understand it ?

        I'm a contemporary scientist , looking up at the sky thinking to myself, I wonder whats up there and will I ever be able to understand it ?

        Now ask yourself if we have ever really left the caves, or have we simply modified them to look a little bit better ?

  2. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
    Holmes

    This means they will process radio astronomy data...

    ...not up to the Big Bang but up to the Cosmic Microwave Background, which is at +380'000y or so (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Reion_diagram.jpg)

    At €32.9m, this means 0.0024 per year. Cheap!

  3. Roger Kynaston
    Joke

    Ska got the blues

    Sorry, had to be done!

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