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Submitted via IRC for SoyCow2718
Fans of sci-fi and fringe tech may already be familiar with the idea of the "space elevator," which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like — and totally impossible with today's technology. But a pair of scientists think they've found an alternative: a Moon elevator. And it's slightly less insane... technically.
The idea of the space elevator, first explored in detail by Arthur C. Clarke in his novel "The Fountains of Paradise," is essentially a tower so tall it reaches space. Instead of launching ships and materials from the surface of the Earth to orbit, you just put them in the elevator of this tower and when they reach the top, somewhere about 26,000 miles up in geosynchronous orbit, they're already beyond gravity's pull, for all intents and purposes.
It's a fun idea, but the simple fact is that this tower would need to be so strong to support its own weight, and that of the counterweight at the far end, that no known material or even reasonably hypothetical one will do it. Not by a long shot. So the space elevator has remained well on the "fiction" side of science fiction since its first proposal. Hasn't stopped people from patenting it, though.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2019/09/12/scientists-propose-spaceline-elevator-to-the-moon/
(Score: 5, Insightful) by PinkyGigglebrain on Sunday September 15 2019, @02:42PM (1 child)
patenting something before it can be made might actually have some benefits in the long run.
By the time technology and materials catch up the patent will have, or be about, to expire so anyone who wants to use the idea could without having to worry as much about licensing costs.
And any attempts to get a new patent would be easier to challenge because prior art could be cited.
Sucks for the original holder of the patent though.
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 16 2019, @02:53PM
They may have been hoping that someone would figure out how to build very long carbon nanotubes within the lifetime of the patent and that they could play the patent extension game until.then.. Works better with stealth patents though since having the patent in the open can discourage the research of others that they would depend on.