Thursday, September 10, 2026

Harsh mistress

 

Lunar ice indicates the presence of water and oxygen, which may be useful for future manned missions. It is found in permanently shadowed regions, which are among the most difficult areas to observe. The NASA-IBM model combines multimodal and multi-resolution observations to better predict where ice may be present 

https://www.theregister.com/ai-and-ml/2026/09/10/nasa-and-ibm-open-source-lunar-mapping-tools/5295633

When the Federated Nations threaten the colony's resources, computer technician Manuel "Mannie" O'Kelly-Davis, political agitator Wyoming Knott, and rational-anarchist Professor Bernardo de la Paz join forces with "Mike," a self-aware supercomputer, to plan an independence movement 

The elderly Professor ("Prof") Bernardo de la Paz, a former political exile and esteemed Lunar educator. Prof claims that Luna must stop exporting hydroponic grain to Earth immediately, or its ice-mined water resources will eventually be exhausted. Wyoh believes the danger is not imminent and is focused on freedom and economic issues, while Mannie is not interested in what he sees as a lost cause either way. 

Joining the discussion, Mike calculates that continuing current policy will lead to food riots in seven years, cannibalism in nine. Shocked, the three humans ask him to calculate the chance of them overthrowing the Authority and averting the disaster. He gives them one chance in seven.

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