Are Saturn's rings a giant data disk?

Question

We think we're so clever to come up with a CD that uses binary information to store data on a disk.

The next step is to produce levels of data within the disk.

Are saturns rings a collossal data storage device?

- This is a recording from the satellite which passed through the rings -

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pGeWBiLVn8g&feature=related

This would be the equivalent of jumping tracks at one part of a CD - gettind all information superimposed.

Could we read the information from one stationary point - optically or magnetically?

As with most data storage mediums, corruption is inevitable - but as it is a multi-layer disk, most of the data will remain intact.

Why is it the only planet in our system with rings? Does each set come with insructions?

Answer 1

that is an interesting concept it could hold quadrillions and quadrillions of tarabytes of information

Answer 2

I don't know the answer.Sounds like words to me..but we've been "trained" on here not to believe anything on You Tube.  You  really streeeettttccchhheedd your imagination to come up with it being disks in the ring .! I think you do like I do..sit around thinkin and thinkin and thinkin!!! lol  If you keep it up...you might really discover some secrets of the universe that no one else has thought of.  I'll bet no one has thought of this one before! Just make sure there's a "Mr. Watson" on the other end to receive your message!!

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/tr...

Answer 3

No but Uranus has giant rings.

Answer 4

They look like a record, don't they.  If you could get a big needle and play it, you'll get a commercial for the car company.

Answer 5

SOunds like something plausible.

Again, we have no idea the maths and technologies advanced aliens would master (thousands if not millions of years ahead of us)...

It's certainly not a data disk you could lose behind the couch.....;-)

I could imagine it's a message for us for when we venture to the outside of our solar system......

Looks like a data disk, that's for sure.

Answer 6

no they are dust clouds

Answer 7

No, not really. You are implying that the rings of saturn were created by an intelligent race?

Do you really think a race that could travel lightyears through space and possibly even through time and dimensions wouldn't be able to store data in a more compact way?

Perhaps this is the same race that couldnt quite master the wrist watch and so constructed the great Stone Henge to tell time?

I would assume that an alien species capable of such feats would be capable of data storage on something at least close to a CD. I mean, hey we had laser discs 30 years ago and we cant even bend space to make lightyear travel possible.

Come on, be logical.

Edit: If you think the data disc thing is logical, your really gonna love this. Jupiter is really an aliens old beach ball. It looks like one, therefore its possible that it is one, right? Isnt that the logic your using. If it looks like something we have, it might be a giant one that aliens build?

Edit Again: Craig, Saturn is not outside our solar system last time I checked.

Answer 8

Yes, in a way but not exactly like a CD. Certainly the rings do have a lot of data (or information if you prefer) that can tell us about the planet, the solar system, possibly natural radio waves, magnetic fields and other information we don't even yet know to ask. So, in that sense yes they are huge storage devices with lots (probably unimaginable amounts) of data (information) stored in them.

Obviously some people didn't consider that aspect.

Also, I like the answer about it being an interesting idea. Could these existing rings be used for storing information of any kind? I don't know but keep on thinking and asking questions to help science advance while others are explaining to you why it can't be done.

Psi

Answer 9

Aloha from Down Unda!

Did you mean ~ '...instructions?'?

The answer is, "Yes"!

Best wishes ~

Answer 10

"Why is it the only planet in our system with rings?" Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all have rings.

My advice for you is to begin work on a planetary CD-ROM drive complete with CD burner.

Answer 11

No, Saturn's rings are dynamic in composition, being composed of small rocks and ice that are not constrained to remain stationary with respect to each other, in contrast with the fixed data on a CD. Moreover, there isn't any known binary aspect to the arrangement of these rocks and ice chunks. The "alien speech" is an example of audio pareidolia, much like finding ghost speech in EVPs, except here it's much easier since there is no need to work at identifying English words or phrases. Any sound qualifies as an alien word.

Also, Saturn is not the only planet in our system with rings. Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune also have ring systems.