Stardust@Home is a Time Waster with real astronomical significance

Filed under: Fun, News, Time-Wasters, Web

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to search for interstellar dust particles. They're the tiny particles that measure only a few microns (one millionth of a meter) in diameter and hail from distant stars that are now floating in space. They are the only matter from other stars that reaches our solar system. Impressive huh?

If you are successful in locating one of the particles (in all there are 40-100), as its discoverer, you will get to name the particle and be named as co-author on any scientific paper mentioning the discovery of the particle. Henceforth, you will be a Master of the Universe to friend and foe alike.

This is the grandaddy of all time wasters, because even though you "waste time," you are being productive while doing so. If you're successful at your mission, you really become a recognized Master of the Universe, which is not just a meaningless virtual title.

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Stardust@Home is a Time Waster with real astronomical significance originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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