“How little we know of what there is to know. I wish that I were going to live a long time instead of going to die today because I have learned much about life in these four days; more, I think than in all other time. I’d like to be an old man to really know. I wonder if you keep on learning or if there is only a certain amount each man can understand. I thought I knew so many things that I know nothing of. I wish there was more time.” ― Ernest Hemingway, For Whom The Bell Tolls Knowledge is not something that you possess. It is a flowing river of information that runs over you, under you, and through you. What you know now is only in this moment, and in the next, you will become something different. We are not computers, geniuses, or masterminds of any kind. We are observers being swept along through time’s currents and though we have a pen, paper, and maybe a camera to record what we see, ultimate we can only know what is right in front of us, and everything else is fleeting. Sorry if I made your head spin there, but that’s the kind of thought I had today when I was reading about the concepts of quantum entanglement and more importantly, a recent breakthrough in the field. Until this morning, I was fairly certain I knew how the world worked. Not in a profound and scientific way, mind you, but a lofty kind of understanding that made me feel, I don’t know, comfortable. Then I read this, and suddenly I was uprooted from my place under the tree of knowledge. It started raining apples and it was all I could do not to run for cover. We are not the owners of knowledge my friends, we are simply custodians of its gifts and temporary tenants of the information therein. What we know now will be challenged, changed, and turned into something else entirely. Nothing is set in stone and we need to accept the fact that every discovery, every breakthrough, and every step we take forward is nothing more than the shuffling gait of a toddler taking their first steps. Alright Confucius, What’s The Point Here? On a very basic level which is fueled by my minimal understanding of the concept, quantum entanglement represents a phenomenon where two particles become “entangled” at which point they suddenly become exact copies of one another. Whatever characteristics they had individually are now gone. They exist as a single identity and what’s more, if you change something about one of them, the other one mimics the change instantaneously, no matter how far apart they are. This change happens so quickly that is completely ignores the laws of space and time. It literally occurs without a single measurable increment of delay. Einstein actually first explored this phenomenon, but he didn’t think it was possible. He called it “spooky action at a distance.” … Read More
New Rumors Suggest the PS5 Will Use 3D Stacked RAM
“Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have a faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them.” – Steve Jobs Technology is all about efficiency. It’s about creating something that is smarter, stronger, and more powerful than we could ever be. The first computers must have wowed the people who saw them, but they are mere cavemen compared to the demigod-like power of the devices we wield today. We are constantly searching for that next breakthrough, that next schism that further separates us from these all powerful beings that we have crafted. Of course, these computers have not turned on us because although we have given them true power, we left free will dangling in front of them like a proverbial carrot. We consistently chase this ever fleeting goal of ultimate efficiency by improving the processing power, upping the storage capacity, and streamlining the interface. Logic dictates that a plateau exists where we can go no further, but each passing day further cements the fact that we are far from such a place. As the opening quote suggests, technology can be a tool for doing wonderful things. We gamers exist because enough people saw the potential for technology to create a new medium of entertainment. This website exists because of those people, and the PS5 will exist because that dream will never die. Technological Breakthrough: 3D Stacked RAM Researchers at Rice University have developed a way to create what is known as 3D stacked RAM, or also commonly known as resistive random access memory (RRAM). This kind of memory has been around, but the cost of manufacturing it was too expensive, so no one really pursued the concept. In theory though, this method of chip manufacturing can create single postage stamp sized chips that can hold as much as a terabyte of data. Currently, 3D stacked RAM is being considered as an alternative for smartphones which still use flash memory. Like flash memory, it doesn’t need a constant supply of power to store data. Flash memory however, uses transistors to store bits of information, and this new type of RAM uses resistance to store data which means less space is required. It also operates a hundred times faster than flash memory, so there’s that too. Normally, to create 3D stacked RAM, there has to be a lot of high-temperatures and extreme voltages present. This new method developed by the folks at Rice University allows the process to happen at a low voltage and at room temperature which honestly sounds too good to be true. Without going into ridiculous amounts of scientific jargon, I’ll explain how the process works. It starts with a layer of silicon dioxide that has a bunch of tiny holes that are each five nanometers wide. Very, very tiny. This layer is sandwiched between two thin layers of metal that serve as electrodes. When a voltage is applied, the metal migrates into the … Read More