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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhuxl!mhuxi!houxm!houxy!stekas
From: stekas@houxy.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: The "I Love Lucy" Problem.
Message-ID: <148@houxy.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 26-Oct-83 13:32:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: houxy.148
Posted: Wed Oct 26 13:32:02 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 27-Oct-83 06:16:58 EDT
Organization: Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 23


  Having tackled the problems of nuclear waste, violations of the
second law, changing speeds of light, and creation, I think that
net.physics is ready for one of the great problems of physics,
the dreaded "I Love Lucy" problem.  Briefly, here is the problem -

  It is widely held that the only records of our culture
  certain to survive forever are the T.V. and radio
  broadcasts riding on EM waves which travel ever deeper
  into space.

  But is this really true? Will far off civilizations really
  be watching the Lucy show long after the red giant phase of
  the sun has consumed the Earth?  What do you think?


Acclaim and undying gratitude will go to whoever provides the most
elegant quantitative treatment of the problem. (Posting containing
more than 1200 lines of equations will immediately fail the elegance
criterion.)

                                            Enjoy,
                                              Jim