digg

Join DiggAbout

Donkeys and Elephants and Delegates,oh my!
Check out the most popular Elections 2008 content on Digg.

See the original image at cnn.com

Giant 'Real Time' Telescope Connects London to New York

cnn.com — In all its optical brilliance and brass and wood, there stood the Telectroscope -- a 37 feet long by 11 feet tall dream of a device allowing people on one side of the Atlantic to look into its person-size lens and, in real time, see those on the other side via a recently completed tunnel running under the ocean. Think 19th century webcam.

Bury
show profanity settings
expand all
  • ethomas046, on 05/23/2008, -3/+49That author confused me. Nevertheless, very cool. I will definitely be going to check this out!
    • shakin, on 05/23/2008, -0/+11It would have been so much cooler had it actually been long-range optics.
      • ObeseSnake, on 05/23/2008, -2/+5Long-range optics that can just bend light around the curve of the earth? Do do realize that the earth is round right?
        • Smaulz, on 05/23/2008, -1/+6Heretic!
        • FKnight, on 05/23/2008, -0/+4Mirrors could handle it.
        • easypie, on 05/23/2008, -1/+0Light at the end of tunnel.
        • OrlyonokEaglet, on 05/23/2008, -1/+2I actually thought it was an optical fiber cable for a second when I read the article.
          I've read that rescuers used fiber optic cameras when searching for victims of earth quakes. Surgeons use them to perform surgery.
        • gyrfalcon, on 05/23/2008, -0/+4"Long-range optics that can just bend light around the curve of the earth? Do do realize that the earth is round right?"

          You do realize they've invented something called fiber optics?
        • HonestAbe, on 05/23/2008, -2/+1It says tunnel.
    • Bilabrin, on 05/23/2008, -4/+2"Of course, only part of this story is true.

      St. George is an artist in Britain who does have a grandfather -- minus the great prefix -- named Alexander"

      You do realize of course, that a tunnel under the atlantic ocean is currnetly not possable right? For one thing, the logistics would be a nightmare, for another there's the Mid-Atlantic Ridge - a giant fault line.
  • ethomas046, on 05/23/2008, -2/+36The pictures on the website of the drill bits is pretty amusing

    http://www.tiscali.co.uk/telectroscope/cn/gallery/ ...
  • infinity777, on 05/23/2008, -5/+122This has got to be the coolest thing serving absolutely no practical purpose
    • rrbest, on 05/23/2008, -10/+4Actually, having read the article, i disagree.

      "And the trans-Atlantic tunnel is really a trans-Atlantic broadband network rounded off on each end with HD cameras, according to Tiscali, an Italian Internet provider handling the technical side of the project."

      Things like this could be used for international virtual meetings, quite effectively too.
      • jmpeagle, on 05/23/2008, -1/+16they already have video conferencing
      • KenOh, on 05/23/2008, -0/+9Right, it would have been useful a hundred years ago.
      • MtheoryX, on 05/23/2008, -0/+4HD video conferencing is already used now.
    • trixterIreland, on 05/23/2008, -4/+2the coolest thing I saw was in Edinburgh, basically they project an image into a darkened room on a round white table. There arent any electronics involved, and it kinda looks like a low lumen projector. You can see the people on the street below walking around, although the angles of everything kinda gave me a weird feeling like I was leaning or something.
    • dodgejon, on 05/23/2008, -1/+33My webcam that cost $15 dollars on Woot does the exact same thing. Only I dont have to wear pants when Im using it...

      Not sure why I had to mention Im not wearing pants...
    • endlessoul, on 05/23/2008, -0/+7But, but, you can wave to policeman and street sweepers in Brooklyn!

      It pays for itself.
  • daveheinzel, on 05/23/2008, -14/+8In other news, a Transatlantic internet backbone cable was recently severed, preventing millions from acquiring their daily morning dose of rick rolls and lolcats.
    • MattTS, on 05/23/2008, -0/+2It'd be great if this thing had microphones and speakers so that a transatlantic rickrolling could could take place.
  • sjug, on 05/23/2008, -8/+132Great, now the British can monitor New Yorkers as well.
  • dupswapdrop, on 05/23/2008, -3/+9This is just about the geekiest thing I have seen in a long time I want one for my backyard!
    • yuanzhoulu, on 05/23/2008, -5/+4Description is misleading. It is a 21st century HD webcam disguised in a 19th century style chassis.
      • btgoss, on 05/23/2008, -1/+7Yeah, and Santa is not real, the Easter Bunny is a marketing ploy and Tom Cruise is not really an action hero.... Are there any other fun myths or flights of fantasy you would like to crush while you are here?
      • shortyjacobs, on 05/23/2008, -1/+4The description was copypasta from the article. How is that misleading??
      • dupswapdrop, on 05/23/2008, -0/+3Yes I know how it works for real. Still would be a fun thing to have in my garden, grandma would freak.
  • akoma1blog, on 05/23/2008, -4/+6This is great. It is an expensive but beautiful work. I like it.
    • wisam, on 05/23/2008, -5/+7Are you aware that it's basically two webcams? Of course they added fake ends of tunnels and a fake drill to add the illusion to the art piece.
      • shortyjacobs, on 05/23/2008, -2/+4OOOOOohhh, looks like someone read the article! Here's a cookie!
  • jake86, on 05/23/2008, -5/+2I hope no one uses this for porn.
  • WaxenPith, on 05/23/2008, -14/+5It's a digital camera inside the thing, there is no glass or mirrors..

    Buried for innacurate.
    • ElektraAssassin, on 05/23/2008, -1/+3Well actually, if you had read the article, you would have noted that they do explain it is cameras:

      "And the trans-Atlantic tunnel is really a trans-Atlantic broadband network rounded off on each end with HD cameras, according to Tiscali, an Italian Internet provider handling the technical side of the project."

      The majority of the article is simply a fanciful artistic story created as part of the concept of the whole project, interwoven with facts on what it really is.
    • Smwbigboss, on 05/23/2008, -0/+3The blatant lies end halfway through the article. Then he just comes out and tells you it's a broadband connection.
  • luke16, on 05/23/2008, -0/+22Pictures inside the scope.
    http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2191/2513359855_b05 ...
    http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3178/2512722319_acf ...
  • 9bpm9, on 05/23/2008, -9/+61That article pissed me off.
    • rrbest, on 05/23/2008, -2/+16Ya I really wish they wouldn't waste our time with a fantasy before telling us halfway through the article; oh hey, it actually works in an entirely uninteresting way.
    • wacomwacoff, on 05/23/2008, -11/+5That is because you have no imagination.
    • LeonidasStokely, on 05/23/2008, -1/+5I know, it made me want to actually dig a tunnel through the earth and fill it with lenses. My landlord is going to be pissed off when he sees the hole in his back garden...
    • wyrdness, on 05/23/2008, -0/+2Lighten up. The first part of the article is a story that the artist made up about it. It's intended to be amusing.
  • PeanutCheeseBar, on 05/23/2008, -12/+2Old news is old.
  • raisedinhell, on 05/23/2008, -12/+2buried due to misleading title
  • keith22, on 05/23/2008, -1/+7Here's a pic of the installation from the London side
    http://lburl.com/6jltv
  • ripple123, on 05/23/2008, -10/+17nifty idea? yes. worth 400,000 pounds? no.
    • voyetra8, on 05/23/2008, -3/+1Look everyone, a videoconference wrapped inside a crazy-ass story and some fake machinery! ISN'T IT AMAZING?!!?

      **zzzzzzzzzzz**
  • thebigtime, on 05/23/2008, -2/+13Thank god they didn't actually drill for this baby! it would have cost squillions
  • phargarten, on 05/23/2008, -4/+84See, it is a real telescope that uses a transatlantic tunnel to connect London and New York. But the tunnel, see, it isn't real. And the telescopes. Those are fake too. But they did dug a tunnel though across the Atlantic. With drill bits. But, see, the tunnel is actually not a tunnel but just cable. HD cable. The telescopes are real though. They are cameras actually. So they aren't real telescopes. I am really good reporter for cnn.
    • JazzFlight, on 05/23/2008, -3/+19Possibly the best Digg comment I've read in quite a while.
    • thebigtime, on 05/23/2008, -19/+2'I am really good reporter for cnn'. (Lesson number one, proofread)
    • 007isbond1, on 05/23/2008, -0/+62 words: 'Pure Win'
  • iizh, on 05/23/2008, -2/+69You know people are just going to use it moon the other country.
  • CaLeDee, on 05/23/2008, -1/+11A marriage proposal through this thing would be awesome!
  • Stonekeeper, on 05/23/2008, -8/+2Although it's expensive and using old technology, something inspires me about this. I'd love to go see it.
  • thebigtime, on 05/23/2008, -22/+4Phargarten. 'I am really good reporter for cnn'. (Lesson number one, proof read)
    • palehorse864, on 05/23/2008, -1/+8I think the improper grammar was intentional. He was mocking the CNN reporter, though in a somewhat grade school-ish manner. By the way, you don't need to include the person's name. Just hit the reply button and it will nest your comment right under theeirs so it is clearly tied to their comment.

      Just like this one.
    • thebigtime, on 05/23/2008, -2/+5Noted
  • fitriidayu, on 05/23/2008, -11/+4WEBCAM > Telectroscope . nuff said
  • IVIrMP3, on 05/23/2008, -53/+5Why is it open only for a month? It's obviously not shopped, but it's gotta be a hoax. No one knew about a tunnel under the atlantic from over a 100 years ago. How did some building not spring up in the exact site the telectroscope is now. It's not like someone said "you can't build here, we'll tell you why in 2008" tel-ectro-scope. Probably a camera on either end, cables between and a nice projector to fool people
    • palehorse864, on 05/23/2008, -1/+15It says it's a camera in the article.
    • Arkitan, on 05/23/2008, -1/+16Finish reading the article
    • foaf, on 05/23/2008, -2/+13burried for being an idiot
    • jpowlus, on 05/23/2008, -1/+13You should really consider RTFA before commenting...
    • gerryk, on 05/23/2008, -1/+5You can't really be that stupid, can you?
    • IVIrMP3, on 05/23/2008, -1/+1Are you new to digg? It's called the Digg Effect. When a site won't load due to the affect of high volumes of Digg traffic, hence why I click on the links provided by ethomas046 and luke16. But thanks to all 4 of you assholes for being so judgmental and to palehorse for actually contributing something that I couldn't see because the article wouldn't load.
  • Suricou, on 05/23/2008, -4/+44For all those complaining that this isn't a real tunnel under the ocean, you don't get the point. Anyone could set up a public videoconference - but this isn't a videoconference, it's the realisation of a victorian dream. True, it works by a piece of modern technology hidden inside - but, if you do not acknowledge that, then it becomes the device envisioned so long ago.
    • migshark, on 05/23/2008, -1/+5 Well he just wanted the tunnel to have a direct line-of-sight. But telescopes use magnifying lenses and the nifty ones often use mirrors too. Doesn't anyone else know how fibre optics work? This is quite close to being a telescope. Think of fibre optics as a cable containing spiralling mirrors that reflect light exactly how you want, even if you bend them. That was a lie of course, but it will do.
    • thescimitar, on 05/23/2008, -0/+5It's a really large artist installation of what is essentially steampunk.
  • fflis, on 05/23/2008, -67/+2Ok here is my question. WHY MUST PEOPLE DRILL A ***** TUNNEL FROM HERE TO LONDON FOR A DAMN WEBCAM????! This is ***** stupid as hell. Drill a ***** hole big enough to insert your giant dick of a fake telescope, and slip it in.
    • hokie47, on 05/23/2008, -1/+13Calm down is is not real
    • wacomwacoff, on 05/23/2008, -0/+21You didn't read the article, did you?

      They didn't actually drill a tunnel. It's imaginary.
      • gyrfalcon, on 05/23/2008, -0/+1Stop lying!!! We all know they spent 2 trillion dollars making the trans Atlantic tunnel for this project.
    • philz, on 05/23/2008, -3/+3People like you make us writing "/sarcasm" at the end...
    • Ryan0617, on 05/23/2008, -1/+3Did you really think they would drill a tunnel that would cost Billions+ for a web cam? Dont be so naive.
      Its just fibre optics connected to a camera.
    • JustinPM, on 05/23/2008, -0/+5Gar! This telescope confuses and arouses me! NOW IT IS TIME FOR CAPS! WITH MULTIPLE QUESTION MARKS????!
  • trixterIreland, on 05/23/2008, -0/+55if you flash someone on that have you broken the laws against public nudity in 2 countries or just one?
    • joeydoo, on 05/23/2008, -1/+8There are no laws against public nudity in the UK... so it's never going to be more than 1. ;)
      Now if you started masturbating that would be a different matter.
      • theright, on 05/23/2008, -0/+1The Sexual Offences Act (2003) does treat the exposure of a person's genitals as indecent exposure. Everything else is fair game under the law, though, so knock yourself out...
  • uselessexpert, on 05/23/2008, -3/+4Dugg for the "Think 19th century webcam" comment!
    • ideavirus, on 05/23/2008, -0/+0yeah people here are just ignorants, I saw this on engadget like one century ago, back then they just didn't have enough bandwidth to make it work properly so they had to be limited to the tunnel version
  • omgstfu, on 05/23/2008, -0/+45That article is a reading comprehension exam for Digg users.
  • billbugger, on 05/23/2008, -0/+51I thought cnn.com was syndicating an onion article for a minute.
    • Arkitan, on 05/23/2008, -1/+6So did I I even scrolled up to see if I was at the Onion's site.
    • kh99, on 05/23/2008, -0/+1The comments are pretty funny - obviously some didn't read the whole article, and some of the people who did read the article are pissed off because apparently they didn't realize from the start (as they should have) that it couldn't possibly be real.
  • parkamark, on 05/23/2008, -8/+13The article confirms that this is NOT real:

    "And the trans-Atlantic tunnel is really a trans-Atlantic broadband network rounded off on each end with HD cameras, according to Tiscali, an Italian Internet provider handling the technical side of the project."

    I was gonna say, I hope to make it "real-time", they have taken into account the circular distance from London to New York (roughly 5584 km) which means, if it was genuine (a real tunnel), you would be seeing things as they were 0.019 seconds ago (5584 km is about 0.019 light seconds). On this "fake mock-up" however, the time delay is probably much higher than this by the time you've hopped through several routers here in the UK, and then several in New York, to transfer the digital image between both end points.

    If this was actually "real", it would be pretty cool. But since it's not, I'm not that impressed by it.
    • PabloIV, on 05/23/2008, -0/+7I was very disappointed. I really wanted this to be powered by some convoluted yet ingenious 19th century specs involving mirrors and lenses.
      And although I know that the fact that there is a global network of computers that allows for the near instantaneous delivery of HD video is significantly more impressive, I'm still disappointed.
  • senatorpjt, on 05/23/2008, -1/+9They had HD videocameras and transatlantic broadband links in the 19th century?

    Still, it would be cool to see more of these. Maybe a collection in each city, like how the clocks are arranged in an airport/hotel. In say, NYC, there would be different ones for London, Paris, Tokyo, etc. Each city would have a screen for each other city in the network.
    • camaroz06, on 05/23/2008, -1/+1Hey why not, the Egyptians had helicopters and the Mayans had airplanes.
  • thebigtime, on 05/23/2008, -12/+2They didn't drill anything. 'It is a webcam'. dugg down
  • Steven8890, on 05/23/2008, -4/+12Had to read half way through just to find out I was lied to. Lame.
    • emailingRob, on 05/23/2008, -0/+4Had to read half way through just to find out I was gullible. Lame.
    • demodawid, on 05/23/2008, -0/+2I think we would have heard about this a bit earlier if someone was drilling a tunnel from London to New York...
    • sarangnorway, on 05/23/2008, -0/+0Man u actually believed this *****?
  • cybrjoe, on 05/23/2008, -3/+36Can you imagine when our civilizations are found after years of extinction? Nothing will ***** work. The aliens will just stand around looking through the black telescope and go, wtf? At least ancient marvels are still marvelous without power. We need more cool analog *****.
    • daveheinzel, on 05/23/2008, -5/+4Well said. I award you three internets.
    • shortyjacobs, on 05/23/2008, -0/+12They'll be pretty ***** aliens if they don't know what the ***** electricity is.....
    • ObeseSnake, on 05/23/2008, -9/+1Yeah but the problem is this isn't even close to being analog. You only read halfway through the article.
      • Kornstalx, on 05/23/2008, -0/+6and you, apparently, only read halfway through his comment.
  • daxsymbiont, on 05/23/2008, -12/+2***** the british. in reality they only care about themselves. they think they are the pinnacle of western civilization while they are a total load of bull. they've only been around for a few centuries and they act like the started damn human civilization.
    • waydee, on 05/23/2008, -1/+6What spurred that little outburst of misplaced hate?
      • mickstephenson, on 05/23/2008, -1/+3Jealousy
      • theHM, on 05/23/2008, -1/+3Mommy didn't give daxsymbiont enough hugs so now (s)he gets attention by trolling online.
    • joeydoo, on 05/23/2008, -3/+1Well we did do that whole industrial revolution.... so technically, yeah we did start "modern", western civilisation.
  • itsthebrod, on 05/23/2008, -2/+5I'm waiting for the article regarding the world's first criminal case of cross-continental, indecent exposure.
  • beabis, on 05/23/2008, -2/+35Worst written news story ever.
  • RadiatedAnt, on 05/23/2008, -1/+3closed circuit telectroscope
  • Muligan21, on 05/23/2008, -5/+0I just want to know how much money was spend running that cable and from what pockets it came from...

    Cool but useless. I could think of other ways of accomplishing practically the same goal.
    • gerryk, on 05/23/2008, -0/+2It's art... art doesn't have to be useful
    • shortyjacobs, on 05/23/2008, -0/+3I don't think they ran a cable. I think they are just using the transoceanic communications cables already in place....
  • jcannonb, on 05/23/2008, -4/+2I assume they didn't build it with a scratched lens, the way the Hubble was built?
    • btgoss, on 05/23/2008, -0/+4oh... Science smack.... burn!
    • sarangnorway, on 05/23/2008, -2/+0*****! Does your webcam have a scratched lens?
  • ElectroStep, on 05/23/2008, -2/+6Someone wear a Digg shirt and get photograpghed from the other end.
  • LZeppelinJ0, on 05/23/2008, -2/+1I can only imagine the lewd things people are going to be doing to each other through this thing, but the whole idea of it is very very cool.
  • Ryan0617, on 05/23/2008, -0/+12Seriously the amount of people who are complaining about why they have drilled something startles me.
  • Jeffool, on 05/23/2008, -1/+7Genius idea, but the implementation was too limited in scope (even if by design.)

    It would be much cooler if mocked up as a brick wall with relatively little depth and a "window" in it, that would really just be a very high quality screen. Put up a sign that read "Window to London, where it is currently: xx:xx," and have one in London doing the opposite.

    In fact, call it "The World Wall," and have large panels from all around the world. Of course, then you'd need to keep security nearby... Because someone always has to be "that guy" and ruin everyone else's fun.
    • shortyjacobs, on 05/23/2008, -1/+6I think a massive telescope sticking out of the ground is way cooler than a brick wall.....but that's just me.
    • luke16, on 05/23/2008, -1/+4Jeffool, you should seriously make that, or pitch it to someone. It would be awesome!
  • snolan1990, on 05/23/2008, -0/+11I wish it was real.
  • andergriff, on 05/23/2008, -3/+4You mean like live TV feeds? Wait! We've already done this...
  • keith22, on 05/23/2008, -0/+5More pics of the London side http://lburl.com/3i3q0
  • spleeyah, on 05/23/2008, -5/+2telectroscope
  • escapedspecimen, on 05/23/2008, -7/+1What a waste of money and resources...we are truly doomed :(
  • cjacks9, on 05/23/2008, -0/+1I'm also wondering why it's only open to the public until June 15th. Beware the Ides of June?
  • Fetching more discussions...
    Show 51 - 71 of 71 discussions
  •  

    Login or register to add a comment

    Create a new account or login to join in the conversation on Digg. You'll also be able to Digg stories to help promote things you like.


© Digg Inc. 2008 — Content posted by Digg users is dedicated to the public domain.
DIGG, DIGG IT, DUGG, DIGG THIS, Digg graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and other service names are the trademarks of Digg Inc.