Second Thoughts – The Square Kilometer Array

Greetings Dear Reader,

Sometimes I will end the day with thoughts that are important to get out.  Usually I just write them and put them in my journal folder.  I have chosen that on occasion I will share them with you Dear Reader.

Concept of the SKA

Thanks to a heads up from a friend I have been reading about the Square Kilometer Array from a standpoint of data collection.  The article I was reading mentioned that the array is expected to generate about ten petabytes of data every hour.  A single petabyte of data is 1024 1 terabyte drives.  A 1 terabyte drive will hold about 200 movies so we are talking about 2,048,000 movies per hour in data.

All of that information about our universe makes me feel very small.  As a person who trades in data when I am not trading in words I find that our need to store that which we collect growing at an alarming rate.  With the anticipated data generation so high I begin to wonder if we will become of world of data hoarders.

It makes me realize that in some ways I already am.  I have about six terabytes of data that I store and backup just for personal or social use.  In this long array of binary information are movies, music, pictures, and the data to run my various games and applications.

I am accountable for all I have.  I am to use all that I am given to better follow Christ.  In light of that what does this impending accumulation of these vast stores of knowledge mean for me?  I love space and the infinite imagination of God that created it.  Every new discovery fills me with wonder.  It is not enough, however, to see the magnificence and sit in awe of God.  I must find a way to use this to be a better follower of Christ.  I do not have the answers yet but the anticipation leaves me with much excitement.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store."