sarevok9

Wait.... did you just link that from work?

Alright, since this is an AMA, I have a few questions to ask you (in regards to your profession. I should preface by saying that I am honestly curious, and if any of this comes off making me sound like a prick, I apologize:

1. You keep mentioning sustainable communities, however you focus on these units as being free-standing units (or so it seems.) that can house 1-4 people. Isn't a community about linking together multiple families / people? I know that this is your vision, but wouldn't allowing these habitats to be linked to other habitats and allowing a 'common area' do more to promote it?

2. In reference to staying underwater for extended durations: You mentioned that you have a phone, electricity, etc. However you didn't mention whether or not you had internet or any computers. It seems entirely plausible that you could function them underwater, but this would use up a LOT more electricity, is there a theorhetical maximum amount of electricity you could have available underwater (from a practical engineering standpoint)?

3. You mention that it's always been your dream to set up a permanent underwater monitoring station, but you didn't really explain what you meant by that. What would the station monitor? Why would it monitor it? What impact would it have? What action would it take if conditions changed in a notable way in a short period of time?

4. Is your project funded through NASA?

5. I think that this is a very interesting project for a multitude of reasons, but with the open bottom design, isn't there a maximum depth that these habitats can reach before the pressure outside is (much) greater than the pressure inside?

6. You mentioned that in 10 years these would be a viable living situation, and I have no doubt that at some point, they will be. But the one thing I don't understand from a practical standpoint is the economy of an underwater self-contained community. How would people live underwater in a fixed location but still work and have any type of income for electricity / consumables.

7. This one is going to sound silly but ummmm: Showering? Or would you just hop in the water? This would be viable (kinda) in freshwater, but it would become (much?) less viable in salt water, correct?

8. How long have you worked at NASA? How invested is NASA in this project?

I really hope you find time to reply to these!!

Edit: I noticed that you stated that these habitats would NOT be self-sustaining, which brings up a question of practicality...especially in terms of number 6. If you had to commute to work from the bottom of the ocean, wouldn't that be a little.... tempestuous some days?

Edit 2: 9: With the open bottom design, would there be any danger in the event of a sea-quake or tsunami / rogue wave / extremely high tide changing the pressure above the habitat? and forcing water in?

People are still hung up over the titanic 100+ years later, yet noone remembers the Lusitania. It's all about size.

Dear Lomar:

Have you considered making Riot's official action something more interesting? I know that riot Trist was unlockable via liking something on twitter facebook, perhaps you could start a petition that would unlock a character or a costume for an existing character based on signing a petition or something along those lines?

I'm sure that whipping up a 3d-texture for a character wouldn't take someone more than an afternoon, and it would motivate up to 10k people to click a link and fill out information that matches with their account info... If more mmo's / Moabs / online services did the same and sent them to the senate / congress / etc.... then we'd be in business.

I know this wouldn't be easy to facilitate, but I think that this would be a good alternative to a blackout for both financial and political reasons-

1. You can opt in or out.
   
2. You don't force anyone to participate in anything they don't want to.
3. You reward users for fighting for something beneficial to your company.

Hhhhhhhhh, those cables.