1 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: Welcome to tech Stuff, a production from my Heart Radio. 2 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: Hey there, and welcome to tech Stuff. I'm your host, 3 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 1: Jonathan Strickland. I'm an executive producer with I Heart Radio 4 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:23,279 Speaker 1: and I love all things tech and today it is 5 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:26,600 Speaker 1: time to look back at another classic episode of tech Stuff. 6 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 1: This one is titled The Loons at Google and originally 7 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: published on November twenty two. We're going to talk about 8 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:38,919 Speaker 1: Project loon, which actually has had some developments since we 9 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:42,560 Speaker 1: recorded this, but I'll talk about that in a little bit. First, 10 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 1: let's listen to this classic episode. We will continue our 11 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:52,840 Speaker 1: exciting delivery the Google Balloon WiFi project. Let's begin. Actually, 12 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: that's that's that's that's way too low key. I'm sorry, guys. 13 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 1: I I've had a long day. So what is this? 14 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: What is this idea? Balloon wos WiFi Google? These are 15 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: just words, Lauren. He's talking about Google Loon UM and 16 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: this entire project got started off because according to Google, 17 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 1: who would probably know, about two thirds of the world's population, 18 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 1: some five to six billion people don't have Internet access. 19 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 1: And I mean they're not talking like their wifis down today. 20 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 1: They have no internet access, zero way to get to 21 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,479 Speaker 1: the Internet. Um. And so so Google, this this team 22 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:28,400 Speaker 1: and Google, which we will talk about later, came up 23 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:31,280 Speaker 1: with this concept that they could have a network of 24 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: balloons providing WiFi access. Yeah, so you're essentially you're creating 25 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: this radio wave network and the instead of building towers 26 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:42,840 Speaker 1: like you would with a three G or four G 27 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 1: type thing. So so you know that way, we would 28 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: normally build a tower right in the middle of nowhere 29 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 1: and then have a network of towers and that would 30 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 1: be your cellular network or would be your four G 31 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: network or whatever, and that's how you would get access 32 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 1: to the Internet. But this is a more expensive and 33 00:01:56,960 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: that's infrastructure. And yeah, and you have to you have 34 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: to you where to build things. You've got to get 35 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: the permission to build where you want to build. Some 36 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 1: of these places might be really remote and it might 37 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: be difficult to build out that bar the use of 38 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 1: some of the radio signals can get tricky sometimes. So 39 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 1: what if you were instead to have everything that would 40 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:16,640 Speaker 1: be mounted on a tower in held by a balloon, 41 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: a giant balloon that could fly at incredible altitudes and 42 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 1: provide and bounce Internet signals are around, you know, to 43 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: the balloons and then to two receivers on the ground 44 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:30,119 Speaker 1: antenna that are privately owned. Yes, so this is all 45 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: part of a division within Google called Google X, and 46 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 1: Google X is kind of the super secret uh division. 47 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: That's a hey, you know, that's a preview for an 48 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 1: upcoming episode, but yeah, it's it's what would be used 49 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 1: as a way of doing rapid research and development on projects. 50 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: And in fact, the guy who is essentially UH, Sergey 51 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: brin Is, is really in charge of Google X, but 52 00:02:56,040 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: there are other people who oversee these projects. Their roles 53 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 1: supposedly is that they look at projects and look for 54 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 1: reasons to kill them and says that, you know, we 55 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 1: kill projects really quickly, and you have to be able 56 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 1: to justify your projects exact worthfulness that's a great work. 57 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 1: Full of worth is what we're looking for, and if 58 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: it is not, then we will get rid of it. 59 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: So so hypothetically, each of these balloons will will serve 60 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 1: a ground area some forty or twenty five miles in 61 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 1: diameter at three G ish speeds, which is not bad, 62 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: especially when you're thinking about a place that has never 63 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 1: had an Internet before. Like you know, for anyone who's 64 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: used to really fast internet, three G sounds like a 65 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 1: major step down for me. It sounds incredible because I 66 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 1: remember back when I had a dial up modem. Yeah, 67 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:46,119 Speaker 1: so three G speeds is pretty fast to go from 68 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:49,119 Speaker 1: nothing to three g is is that's a that's huge, right? 69 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 1: And uh and and you know we were talking about 70 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: talking earlier about that cellular tower network kind of concept 71 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: and and this is like it's it's not really like 72 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 1: a satellite system as much as like a like a 73 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 1: cellular tower network where and the towers are moving instead 74 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 1: of the users. Right, So the towers themselves will float 75 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: and they'll all float on Okay, uh, and they will 76 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:19,679 Speaker 1: essentially change better than we sat down here. Thank you. Yeah, yeah, 77 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: there's a that's now I've got nothing but Tim Curry 78 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:25,280 Speaker 1: going through my head at this point. Thanks so much 79 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:28,600 Speaker 1: for that vision. No problem. So these loon balloons, um, 80 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:33,360 Speaker 1: they're they're set to float in the stratosphere. I need 81 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 1: some details here, Lauren. What is the stratosphere? I mean, 82 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,479 Speaker 1: I hear like, I think this is going to the stratosphere, 83 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 1: So I assume it's high up for something pretty high, 84 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 1: all right. It is the second layer of the Earth's atmosphere, 85 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 1: which is about ten to fifty kilometers a k a 86 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:52,279 Speaker 1: thirty thousand to nine thousand feet a k a six 87 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 1: to thirty seven miles above the surface. It's all of 88 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: this is is pretty approximate and rough because you know, 89 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 1: the it changes as the altitude is the altitude of 90 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:05,480 Speaker 1: the ground level changing, right, So like in mountainous areas, 91 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: it's different than if you're at the Dead Sea or something, right, 92 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:11,599 Speaker 1: so or or Death Valley is really what I was 93 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 1: thinking of. But anyway, so sure the dead Sea is 94 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 1: relatively low to yeah, yeah, you know, it's it's not 95 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 1: high up on my list at any rate. It's a 96 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:23,320 Speaker 1: good spot to locate this, right because at that level, 97 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: you're really floating above weather patterns. Right, most of the 98 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 1: clouds and and and everything, all the storms and stuff 99 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:33,719 Speaker 1: are going to happen in the troposphere, which is you 100 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 1: know where we are, So that's the stuff that's all 101 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 1: around us and above the stress sphere is the miso sphere, right, 102 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 1: and so we've got this this region where if the 103 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 1: balloons are traveling through this, they're going to avoid all 104 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 1: those storms. It's also important because as I understand it, 105 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 1: when we get to it, their power source is going 106 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 1: to be heavily depend upon not having clouds in the way. Absolutely. Um, 107 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:00,840 Speaker 1: it's also above most birds and jet planes, so you're 108 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 1: going to avoid interference with that stuff, right, Yeah, because 109 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 1: most commercial jets travel at around thirty five thousand feet 110 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 1: or so, So if it's in the stratosphere at you know, 111 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 1: a hundred thousand feet, it's well over what most commercial 112 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: jets are traveling at. Even at a hundred thousand you're 113 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:21,839 Speaker 1: even talking about higher than most surveillance vehicles unless there's 114 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: some secret ones out there that we don't know about, 115 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 1: which is totally possible, entirely possible. I've never been to 116 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: telescope that way myself, so it's hard for me to 117 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 1: say they're they're supposed to be around right around twenty 118 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 1: kilometers or sixty six thousand feet or twelve miles about 119 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:37,919 Speaker 1: the surface, so not not quite at that hundred thousand 120 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 1: mile mark, but pretty high up, yeah, really high up. 121 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 1: So no, it is called the stratosphere, and this is important. 122 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 1: It's not just useless weather related information because because it's 123 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 1: stratified or layered in, temperature getting warmer as it goes higher. Now, 124 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 1: the troposphere where we are gets colder as it goes higher. 125 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 1: So this is this is a little bit of a 126 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:01,800 Speaker 1: of a difference, and thanks to that temperature differentiation, the 127 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: layers are going to contain different currents of relatively slow 128 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 1: winds that are going in different directions. So in other words, 129 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 1: if you are able to control the altitude of a balloon, 130 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: you would be able to change direction right to get 131 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 1: it into those different air streams and move it around 132 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:22,559 Speaker 1: pretty much as you please. That will also come into 133 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 1: play in a little bit. It's just a little teaser. Uh, 134 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 1: you know, it's um. It's also where the ozone layer is, right, 135 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 1: that is correct. So this is obviously if for those 136 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,240 Speaker 1: of you who were around in the eighties and you 137 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: remember hearing about the ozone layer uh a lot every 138 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 1: day getting destroyed by all of our hair spray. Uh. 139 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 1: This is the layer of the atmosphere where you would 140 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 1: find the ozone layer. By the way, that also is 141 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 1: why you know, you hear about stuff that produces ozone 142 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: and people talk about how that's bad, and you might 143 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,119 Speaker 1: get a mixed reaction there. You're thinking, wait, I remember 144 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 1: the ozone layer was going away and that was bad, 145 00:07:57,240 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 1: But now there's these other things that make ozone and 146 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: that's bad. It's because of the location of those on 147 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: layers of the strassphere. That's where it's useful for us. 148 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 1: But ozone down here in the troposphere is bad news 149 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 1: and not useful for us. So that's why it gets 150 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 1: a little confusing. So yeah, so it's a pretty elegant system. 151 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: I mean, the basic concept is is if you launch 152 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: these balloons, then uh, and we will get into the 153 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: construction of those in just a moment, then you can 154 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:25,239 Speaker 1: you can use these air currents to let them travel 155 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:28,640 Speaker 1: basically as they will, but in a relatively controlled manner. Right, 156 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: So if it starts going too far off, you can 157 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:34,160 Speaker 1: change the altitude of the balloon using whatever control mechanism 158 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 1: you've set up, and then that way it will drift 159 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 1: in a different direction, hopefully back toward where you wanted 160 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 1: to go. But if you were able to make a 161 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 1: large enough network of these, then presumably you could just 162 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: allow them to drift across the countryside, because another one 163 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:52,000 Speaker 1: would pick up the slacker for the first one, creating 164 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 1: a more or less continuous ring of connectivity. There's also 165 00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: pretty amazing just imagining this ring of balloons circling globe 166 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:05,720 Speaker 1: and slowly providing WiFi to everybody. So let's talk about 167 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 1: what these things are actually made out of. So it's 168 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 1: not like a balloon that you would find at a 169 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:15,719 Speaker 1: kid's birthday party, not exactly. No, um, okay. So so 170 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:18,080 Speaker 1: it's going to consist of of the balloon itself. It's 171 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 1: called the envelope, and that's made of sheets of polythylene plastic, 172 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 1: which is a really large family of plastics with a 173 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: whole range of flexibilities and other properties. It's used for 174 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: everything from like film to juice bottles, cable jacketing, car bumpers, 175 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 1: and plastic shopping bags, which the team says, the balloons 176 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 1: are really similar to if some three times thicker. Yeah, 177 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:39,680 Speaker 1: the bags are three times thicker, I should say, because 178 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 1: the balloon is three mill thick. Now, mill is actually 179 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 1: a measurement here, we're talking about point zero seven six millimeters. 180 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: That's how thin this envelope is. Point zero seven six millimeters. Now, 181 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 1: that is incredibly thin. This polyethylene sheet is is very 182 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 1: very vulnerable. So you have to be very careful when 183 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 1: you unfolded before you inflated, obviously, because otherwise just the 184 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: tiniest uh probably yeah, yeah, you end up with a 185 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,080 Speaker 1: big ripping it. Um this by the way is very 186 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 1: similar to the balloon that was used by Felix Baumgartner 187 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 1: who did his space jump, where he flew as high 188 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 1: up as anyone had ever done in a balloon and 189 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 1: higher in fact, and set a world record, and then 190 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:26,319 Speaker 1: jumped all of the balloon to plummet to the Earth, 191 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:29,719 Speaker 1: because that's what same people do. No, it's actually it 192 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 1: was a really good TV. It was a phenomenal I 193 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: mean I watched it. I watched it from I missed 194 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 1: the very beginning because I was I remember I was 195 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 1: out at the time, but I got home, turned it 196 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:41,839 Speaker 1: on and it was still during the earliest part of 197 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 1: the ascent, so he was maybe I don't know, ten 198 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: thousand feet up. I was glued to that thing. It 199 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 1: was incredible. So anyway, the balloons that they're using, or 200 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:54,079 Speaker 1: that they will use for this, they've got a pilot 201 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 1: program we'll talk about in the bit, but the for 202 00:10:56,520 --> 00:10:58,959 Speaker 1: the full rollout, it's very similar to the balloon that 203 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:01,440 Speaker 1: Felix Baumgartner. You and in fact it's it's provided by 204 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:03,760 Speaker 1: the same company. It's Raven Arrow Stars the name of 205 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:09,440 Speaker 1: the company. And uh so these incredibly thin balloons get 206 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,840 Speaker 1: pretty big as I recall, Yeah, about fifteen wid by 207 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:16,680 Speaker 1: twelve meters tall, which is about fifty BYTT when inflated. Yeah, 208 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:19,320 Speaker 1: and they don't get fully inflated until they've reached a 209 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 1: certain altitude. And it's another one of those things like 210 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 1: if you watch the Felix Baumgartner uh ascent, you saw 211 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 1: that the shape of the balloon actually changed quite a 212 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 1: bit as it went up. You know, it went from 213 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 1: kind of this bulbous balloon to an elongated tear drop 214 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 1: kind of shape. And that's more or less what these 215 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 1: would look like once they reached the right altitude. So 216 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:42,960 Speaker 1: what is giving them the lift? That would be helium gas, 217 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:45,599 Speaker 1: good old helium. Yes, that's not a bad choice. I 218 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 1: mean it's you know, it's hard to get ahold of 219 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:51,200 Speaker 1: comparatively speaking in the sense that we talked about how 220 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 1: helium is one of those resources that's increasingly difficult for 221 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:56,560 Speaker 1: us to get, and we need it for lots of 222 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,560 Speaker 1: different stuff, including things like cooling down super colliders so 223 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 1: that we can you you know, universe level science. But 224 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:08,559 Speaker 1: it's still i would say, preferable to something like hydrogen, 225 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 1: which can go boom, right, absolutely doesn't go boom. Helium 226 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 1: will make you talk funny if you breathe it, but 227 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:19,080 Speaker 1: other it do won't make you go boom hypothetically, not 228 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 1: unless something else is very very wrong. Yeah, I would 229 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 1: say maybe physics have somehow changed in your local area. 230 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:29,680 Speaker 1: Then I suggest you find shelter. But so these these balloons, 231 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 1: these balloons are filled with helium gas and um. They 232 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:36,079 Speaker 1: contain a pump to control the fill of the balloon 233 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 1: UM that would allow you to make a descent if 234 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:42,079 Speaker 1: you needed to, or a further ascent. Right, So that's 235 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:44,720 Speaker 1: that's how they can control where the balloon is going 236 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 1: by using this pump to either vent out or put 237 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 1: in more helium um. It also includes a parachute in 238 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:55,600 Speaker 1: case of some kind of popping related emergency wherein you 239 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:57,680 Speaker 1: need to get the equipment back to the ground without 240 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 1: yeah or possibly smooshing someone underneath it if it's in 241 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: a populated area. So that makes sense. And then what 242 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 1: I love about this is that how do you how 243 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 1: do you power the electronics? I mean, obviously you've got 244 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 1: some sort of transmitter and a receiver up there. You 245 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:14,800 Speaker 1: would have to write, so the receiver is going to 246 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 1: take the the information that's been essentially broadcast out from 247 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 1: the user and then transmit the new information down to 248 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 1: the user. And that's how you get your Internet access. 249 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 1: But that means that you have to get electricity somewhere 250 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 1: because these things just don't run on helium and the 251 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:35,600 Speaker 1: pump doesn't run on helium itself. Point uh. And that 252 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:37,080 Speaker 1: would be I mean, you know, if you were doing 253 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:39,720 Speaker 1: this in Victorian times, would have a really fancy steam engine, 254 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:45,320 Speaker 1: that would be need an enormous balloon. Um. But but 255 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:47,920 Speaker 1: in this case, we're powering it with solar panels UM, 256 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:50,839 Speaker 1: just just a really thin layer UM kind of hanging 257 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:53,520 Speaker 1: in between the envelope of the balloon and the hardware 258 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:56,439 Speaker 1: that's going to hang out below and UM. In full sun, 259 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:59,079 Speaker 1: it's supposed to produce about a hundred wats and so 260 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 1: you've also got on there's some batteries, which makes sense 261 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:06,200 Speaker 1: because even when it's floating above the cloud line so 262 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 1: that you're still going to get as much sun as possible, 263 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:12,000 Speaker 1: there's this thing called nighttime, right right, So so the 264 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 1: the the box of hardware that floats or doesn't float, 265 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:18,000 Speaker 1: it's attached below the solar panels, is going to contain 266 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:22,000 Speaker 1: some rechargeable batteries for that whole wacky nighttime thing, all right, 267 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 1: and what does uh? What? What? What kind of software 268 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,360 Speaker 1: we talking about? What's the operating system? Linux based? Well 269 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: that makes sense, I mean, so is Android really? Android 270 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 1: is a variation of Linux, so that makes us to me. 271 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: And it's got GPS on it so it knows where 272 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:39,000 Speaker 1: it is, which is important because obviously you're gonna have 273 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 1: ground teams monitoring these balloons to make sure that they're 274 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 1: operational and that they are where they're supposed to be. 275 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: And they can also send some commands to the balloons 276 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,560 Speaker 1: if they if needed yep, which again could be important 277 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 1: if you need to change the altitude UM and so 278 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 1: they also have some sensors aboard right right, including UM 279 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 1: air temperature monitoring also for altitude and speed, so that 280 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 1: they can tell those operators what's going on. Then, temperature 281 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:08,200 Speaker 1: is a big deal because that's one of those things 282 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:09,960 Speaker 1: in the stratosphere that you have to deal with it. 283 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 1: It gets pretty chilly up there. So yeah, like like 284 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 1: negative fifty degrees celsius, which in some I don't understand 285 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:19,080 Speaker 1: how temperature works at those ranges, but it's only negative 286 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:22,160 Speaker 1: fifty eight degrees fahrenheit seems incorrect, but no, no, No, 287 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 1: it's it's when you get down to those low temperatures, 288 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 1: they kind of they converge at one point and then 289 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 1: they start to go apart again. I think I think 290 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: what that means is technically just really bloody cold. Yeah, 291 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 1: it's really really cold. And but here's nice thing. Electronics 292 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 1: work better when they're cold. Yes, there's that, um, but 293 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:40,600 Speaker 1: but also important for that air temperature is to figure 294 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:43,600 Speaker 1: out what you know. You know, if if you are 295 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 1: for some reason not picking up what speed you're going 296 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:49,280 Speaker 1: or what direction you're going correctly, you can use that 297 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 1: air temperature to help guide the balloon into the correct 298 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 1: air stream. Gotcha, all right? And then you have the 299 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 1: radio antennas themselves, the actual antennas that end up receiving 300 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 1: and transmitting the information to the users on the ground. Um. Yeah, 301 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 1: that's kind of interesting. I saw a picture of the 302 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:10,160 Speaker 1: ones that were on the ground that they look a 303 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:13,240 Speaker 1: little weird. Yeah, they're they're kind of basketball shaped. And 304 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 1: this is this is really this is a specific design 305 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 1: point that they that they created because when you when 306 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 1: you've got this bulbous antenna, it should hypothetically help sending 307 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 1: capture signals between the balloons even when the angles are 308 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 1: very awkward, so you don't have to have it as 309 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 1: directional as you would with a regular antenna. So in 310 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 1: order to launch one of these balloons, you have to 311 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 1: have a team of at least six people. So that 312 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:41,160 Speaker 1: includes a launch commander and a coordination team at mission control. 313 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:43,480 Speaker 1: I love that they have a mission control, but yeah, 314 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 1: it takes six people to to launch one of these. 315 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: Um So, I mean it's you know, it's not something 316 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 1: that you can fully automate. Like I said, just the 317 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 1: fact that the balloon itself is so delicate means that 318 00:16:53,400 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 1: you have to take great care. I remember that watching 319 00:16:56,960 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 1: that video of of the team for Felix baumb Gardners 320 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:03,920 Speaker 1: a set where they were very carefully unrolling the balloon 321 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 1: and everyone was being extra sensitive about it because even 322 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 1: the smallest hair could mean disaster. The same sort of 323 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 1: thing for these balloons. Hey, guys, I know it might 324 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:16,680 Speaker 1: be a little looney of Jonathan to bust in here, 325 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:26,439 Speaker 1: but we need to take a quick break. Alright, so 326 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 1: we're back. Let's talk about some of the challenges Google 327 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:33,480 Speaker 1: faces with this program, right, um So, so, the stratosphere 328 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:36,159 Speaker 1: is not really the most friendly environment to work and 329 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:39,240 Speaker 1: necessarily um. The air pressure is about one percent that 330 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:42,440 Speaker 1: of sea level. UM. We talked about the temperature, talked 331 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:45,119 Speaker 1: about the temperature, it's it's it's a little bit chilly 332 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:48,159 Speaker 1: up there. And UM. Also that the part of the 333 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:50,359 Speaker 1: stratosphere that the balloons are working in is near the 334 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:53,639 Speaker 1: upper end of the ozone layer UM, which means that 335 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:55,879 Speaker 1: the balloons are going to be subject to more radiation 336 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 1: and temperature swings from the sun. Right, so that means 337 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:02,159 Speaker 1: more ultra violet radiation. There's some other issues that they 338 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:05,360 Speaker 1: could potentially run into that. You know, the atmosphere protects 339 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:08,040 Speaker 1: us from a lot of that stuff, but these balloons 340 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:10,440 Speaker 1: would be much more vulnerable to it. Now, it doesn't 341 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 1: mean that the likelihood of them failing is super high. 342 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 1: In some cases, we're talking about events that we just 343 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:20,879 Speaker 1: can't plan for because we don't understand enough to be 344 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: able to predict what would happen. But it does mean 345 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:27,760 Speaker 1: it's something that could potentially impact the project, right. It 346 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:29,640 Speaker 1: basically just means that they need to think about how 347 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:31,920 Speaker 1: to make the equipment a little bit sturdier than they 348 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:35,200 Speaker 1: than they normally would for something ground basis, and which 349 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:37,920 Speaker 1: will impact the cost and google of course, is really 350 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:40,359 Speaker 1: interested in making these as cheap as possible to be 351 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: able to provide the service the service to as many 352 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 1: people as possible. Right, So keeping it cheap and durable, 353 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:48,240 Speaker 1: those are that's a huge challenge, right because those two 354 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:50,919 Speaker 1: things don't normally go hand in hand. Cheap and uh 355 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:54,720 Speaker 1: it'll last forever not something we see very frequently. However, 356 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:57,480 Speaker 1: to upset some of those costs, they are collaborating with 357 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:01,560 Speaker 1: Noah thought it's the National Ocean A Graphic an Atmospheric Administration, 358 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:06,200 Speaker 1: thank you. Um. They're in return for giving Noah's some 359 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:08,880 Speaker 1: data about the wind patterns that they're they're picking up 360 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:11,920 Speaker 1: from all of these balloons being up there. Uh, Noah 361 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:14,400 Speaker 1: is helping them out a little bit with funding and 362 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 1: uh and oh interesting, So it's so it really is 363 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: a great collaborative uh project. Yeah, yeah, Yeah, they're they're 364 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 1: also getting a little bit of information about them because 365 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:24,960 Speaker 1: of course Noah has a whole lot of weather balloons 366 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:27,719 Speaker 1: and so they're they're getting some good info about how 367 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:30,000 Speaker 1: to construct these things. Now I've got I've got another 368 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:32,640 Speaker 1: question for you, Lauren. So if I'm understanding this correctly, 369 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:35,359 Speaker 1: we've got these balloons floating around the stress fere. They 370 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,439 Speaker 1: are obviously mobile, so the stress fere will be pushing 371 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:40,639 Speaker 1: them around the winds. Even though they're moving slowly, you 372 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:43,720 Speaker 1: will still push these balloons around. Wouldn't that mean that 373 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:46,560 Speaker 1: there would be the possibility occasionally that I might not 374 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:50,120 Speaker 1: have a balloon that's in range of me. Absolutely, and 375 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 1: part of that is going to be covered by that 376 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:55,679 Speaker 1: by that bulbous antenna design. But they're also collaborating with 377 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 1: a bunch of ground based Internet service providers in order 378 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 1: to help fill in the coverage and and create a 379 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:06,200 Speaker 1: more continuous network. Also, they're looking to get like four 380 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:10,200 Speaker 1: to five hundred balloons for a single latitude, so hopefully 381 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 1: they would be able to to provide a pretty good 382 00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:15,800 Speaker 1: coverage there. Um, But there's also some international laws to 383 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:18,479 Speaker 1: worry about in in these are modern times, I can 384 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:22,919 Speaker 1: imagine that some countries might not be excited about Internet 385 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:27,879 Speaker 1: based things flying through their airspace. Yeah. I think anytime 386 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 1: you are flying something over another sovereign nation's airspace and 387 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:35,880 Speaker 1: you are not part of that sovereign nation, there's already 388 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:39,280 Speaker 1: a level of trust that you are asking for that 389 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: that that's a big that's a big request. And then 390 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:44,439 Speaker 1: on top of it. We're talking about a communication system 391 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:46,880 Speaker 1: that really what the Internet is, and and something run 392 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 1: by Google which may or may not share information with 393 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 1: the n ESSAY and may or may not knowingly share 394 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: information with the n s A. Because there's a lot 395 00:20:56,359 --> 00:20:58,920 Speaker 1: of information ever since we did our n s A 396 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:01,959 Speaker 1: at so we've had people say you need to update 397 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:04,880 Speaker 1: that because all this other information that's come out. That's 398 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 1: a story that's just continuing to break and it does 399 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 1: look like so it's really sad and I don't want 400 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 1: to go there, right. Yeah, there's plus there there's this 401 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:14,720 Speaker 1: weird car. I don't know if I told you about this, Lauren, 402 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:16,520 Speaker 1: but there's this weird car on the corner and it's 403 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:20,440 Speaker 1: been there for like ever. I'm sure it's nothing anyway. Um, 404 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:22,640 Speaker 1: there's just things that we think about at any rate. Yeah, 405 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 1: I would see that that would be a barrier. Possibly. 406 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:27,879 Speaker 1: Is that making sure that all the countries you want 407 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:31,239 Speaker 1: to stuff over and you know some of them and 408 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:33,719 Speaker 1: maybe that they don't want it but they don't need 409 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:36,040 Speaker 1: the service. But in order to get to the countries 410 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 1: that do need the service, Yeah, you gotta fly through 411 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:40,400 Speaker 1: the stratosphere. It's not like you have complete control over 412 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:43,439 Speaker 1: these balloons. You can make them go generally where you 413 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:45,359 Speaker 1: want them to go, but there's gonna be some you know, 414 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:47,639 Speaker 1: some floating there. So and and that level of the 415 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:50,480 Speaker 1: stratosphere is, by the way, still part of any given 416 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 1: sovereign nation's territory. It's not. It's high up enough that 417 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 1: it would be in um in space where you where 418 00:21:56,680 --> 00:21:58,959 Speaker 1: it's No, it doesn't belong to anybody where no one 419 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:02,240 Speaker 1: can hear you make a lawsuit, right exactly, UM, tort 420 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:06,399 Speaker 1: reform doesn't exist in space. Uh. There there are a 421 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: few naysayers. Bill Bill Gates made a really awesomely scathing comment. 422 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:14,199 Speaker 1: I'm this is this is kind of terrible, but I 423 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:17,040 Speaker 1: love it all right. So he was basically saying that 424 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:19,639 Speaker 1: there are really bigger problems to worry about in thorop 425 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 1: world countries other than internet service UM. According to tech Radar, 426 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:27,119 Speaker 1: he said, yeah, when you're dying of malaria, I suppose 427 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:28,879 Speaker 1: you'll look up and see that balloon, and I'm not 428 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:31,119 Speaker 1: sure how it will help you when it ki gets diarrh. Yet. No, 429 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:34,000 Speaker 1: there's no website to fix that. So, uh, I have 430 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:37,439 Speaker 1: I have this gentle message for for Mr Bill Gates. 431 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:39,679 Speaker 1: Mr Bill Gates. I would go so far as to 432 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:43,080 Speaker 1: suggest that solving the world's problems is not a zero 433 00:22:43,119 --> 00:22:47,640 Speaker 1: sum game, and therefore concentrating on one problem does not 434 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:52,920 Speaker 1: necessarily mean you cannot also contribute effort towards solving another problem, 435 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:55,280 Speaker 1: and that we do not live in a world where 436 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:57,639 Speaker 1: we have to pick and choose which problems we solve. 437 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 1: We in fact live in the world where we have 438 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:05,120 Speaker 1: the capability of addressing many problems simultaneously. So I think 439 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:10,160 Speaker 1: it's okay for Google to address the access to Internet problem, 440 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:12,840 Speaker 1: and it doesn't suggest that Google does not care about 441 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 1: these other issues. Rather, it says we can do all 442 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: of this if we put our minds to it. That's 443 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:22,600 Speaker 1: all I have to say about that, although I will 444 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:26,160 Speaker 1: point out that Google has also said that by sixteen 445 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:29,760 Speaker 1: they expect the Internet to generate four point to trillion 446 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:33,280 Speaker 1: dollars in value, doubling what it was in two thousand twelve, 447 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:35,920 Speaker 1: meaning that if you are not part of the Internet, 448 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:38,680 Speaker 1: then you're kind of not making the money that you 449 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:41,680 Speaker 1: would need to address some of these problems. So perhaps 450 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:47,440 Speaker 1: by getting this access, countries that are experiencing really serious 451 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 1: issues well beyond internet access could maybe move towards addressing 452 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:55,640 Speaker 1: those problems as well with this new beneficial tool called 453 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,879 Speaker 1: the Internet. Just throwing it out there. That's that's getting 454 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:02,399 Speaker 1: getting you know, business and education and stuff like that 455 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:05,800 Speaker 1: at the ground level is probably a really big block 456 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 1: right now to some of these populations entrance into To 457 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:12,119 Speaker 1: be fair, Bill Gates is probably still a little ticked 458 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 1: off that Microsoft got on the Internet game way too late, 459 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:17,120 Speaker 1: and that was his fault. So I mean, that's probably 460 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:20,200 Speaker 1: some sour grapes that I'm just saying. Possibly also I 461 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:24,400 Speaker 1: need a cookie, I'm getting We have a bit more 462 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:35,520 Speaker 1: to say about Project Loon after this short break. Let's 463 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:38,800 Speaker 1: talk about the the staff working on this project and 464 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:41,280 Speaker 1: a little bit into the future. Um. Alright, so the 465 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:45,359 Speaker 1: project is being headed by one Mike Cassidy uh previously 466 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:47,879 Speaker 1: the founder of a search engine direct Hit, which sold 467 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:51,000 Speaker 1: to ask Jeeves for like five million back in the 468 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:56,320 Speaker 1: year nothing UM and Rich of All, formerly of Apple's 469 00:24:56,359 --> 00:24:59,800 Speaker 1: Tech Advancement crew, both of whom matriculated at M I T. H. 470 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:01,600 Speaker 1: And rich of All I believe is in fact the 471 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:04,040 Speaker 1: person I was referring to who would be looking at 472 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:07,119 Speaker 1: projects and saying this needs to be proven to be 473 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:11,040 Speaker 1: worthwhile or it gets axed. And so far Google Loon 474 00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:14,360 Speaker 1: has has not crossed that threshold where it's okay, it's 475 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:17,480 Speaker 1: above the line, it's floating over it. You might say, 476 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:22,600 Speaker 1: you you might, because it's a balloon. Goodness, my gracious. 477 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:26,879 Speaker 1: They began testing prototypes out in Central Valley, California, inn 478 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 1: And once they had some good ones, a pilot test 479 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 1: was conducted in June out in christ Church in Canterbury, 480 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:39,520 Speaker 1: New Zealand. So now they're they're as I recall, they 481 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:42,359 Speaker 1: did that test. Now they're kind of fine tuning everything 482 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:44,800 Speaker 1: right right right there. They're back in Central Valley. As 483 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:47,880 Speaker 1: of as of this podcast, I think they've actually just 484 00:25:48,119 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 1: launched a full pilot program according to their own website, 485 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:54,600 Speaker 1: So that's like breaking news as of the recording of this. 486 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:57,359 Speaker 1: Probably did. Yeah, it's on their on their website they 487 00:25:57,400 --> 00:26:00,920 Speaker 1: talk about the pilot program is in pla ace. Uh, 488 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:03,399 Speaker 1: this is our pilot test began this week. We launched 489 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:06,960 Speaker 1: thirty balloons. So there you go. But I think that 490 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:10,200 Speaker 1: might that there's no date on that website, so it 491 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: might be that that announcement is actually the test that 492 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 1: you're talking about here. So um, you know, I'm willing 493 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:21,240 Speaker 1: to guess that that's probably the case, and that it's 494 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:23,359 Speaker 1: you know, since there is no date there, they didn't 495 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:27,480 Speaker 1: literally launched it this week. Either way, they're hoping to 496 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:33,360 Speaker 1: launch a wide scale test around the parallel South um 497 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:38,159 Speaker 1: providing service to like New Zealand, Australia, Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, 498 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:41,280 Speaker 1: South Africa, that kind of that kind of band. Yeah, 499 00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:43,960 Speaker 1: and then they're talking they're about three to four hundred balloons, 500 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:46,080 Speaker 1: which is far more than thirty. So I am now 501 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:49,520 Speaker 1: convinced that that thirty one I was talking about, Samuel 502 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:52,120 Speaker 1: was the June test. Yeah, well, there's there's no there's 503 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 1: no date on when they're planning on launching this. Everything 504 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 1: is still in testing right now. You know. They're they're 505 00:26:57,520 --> 00:26:59,719 Speaker 1: they're working on designs that will stand the air longer 506 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 1: for for up to about a hundred days of a 507 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:04,840 Speaker 1: time without needing to be serviced. So their pilot test 508 00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:07,680 Speaker 1: began with thirty balloons that they launched from Teka Po, 509 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:11,400 Speaker 1: which is an area in New Zealand on New Zealand's 510 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:14,639 Speaker 1: South Island. In fact, and there's an article in Wired 511 00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:17,920 Speaker 1: that is a blast to read where they talk about 512 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 1: the pilot program and what it was like to be 513 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:26,040 Speaker 1: um approached by Google. Uh so, the first civilian who 514 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:30,919 Speaker 1: got access secretly to this, his name is Charles Nimmo 515 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:35,720 Speaker 1: and the very first sight he visited was Google. Uh 516 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 1: you know, I thought it was only fair, but then 517 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:42,760 Speaker 1: but then the the second family actually that got access 518 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:45,800 Speaker 1: was a New Zealand family called the Mackenzies. It was 519 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:50,280 Speaker 1: Hayden and Anna Mackenzie and Hayley Mackenzie told Wired. He 520 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:54,120 Speaker 1: said that he was approached by mysterious dudes who said 521 00:27:54,119 --> 00:27:56,520 Speaker 1: that they wanted to have him be part of a test, 522 00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:59,119 Speaker 1: but they couldn't tell him what the test was until 523 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:00,720 Speaker 1: he had agreed to be part of a test. And 524 00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:03,400 Speaker 1: then he couldn't talk about the test until they told him. 525 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:05,400 Speaker 1: He could talk about the test, but he couldn't even 526 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:07,280 Speaker 1: know what the test was until he agreed to do it. 527 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 1: Those guys in that car outside of our buildings really similar. 528 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:16,880 Speaker 1: We can't look at them because then they get scarier anyway, 529 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:19,560 Speaker 1: the test, Um gosh, I hope those guys in that 530 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:22,520 Speaker 1: car don't play a larger role in future of podcasts. 531 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:27,480 Speaker 1: Would be terrible, to be dreadful. The so the mysterious 532 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:30,080 Speaker 1: dudes convinced the mackenzie Is that they weren't there to 533 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:32,640 Speaker 1: steal their brains or anything, and the Mackenzie's agreed, that's 534 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 1: all right, Well, whatever this test is, let's try it out. 535 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 1: So then the dudes went up and put this red 536 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:40,160 Speaker 1: basketball or the in the article I think they said 537 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 1: it was like a soccer ball size or football for 538 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:46,320 Speaker 1: those in New Zealand sized object and put it on 539 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 1: top of their house. Still didn't tell him what it 540 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:52,400 Speaker 1: was for, totally left that part out, left the house. 541 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 1: The next day they came back and said, okay, you 542 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:58,040 Speaker 1: have internet now, because they had launched a baloon that 543 00:28:58,160 --> 00:29:01,760 Speaker 1: was now floating. Sixtet were the mackenzies farm They were 544 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:05,920 Speaker 1: there farmers, and so they the Anna Mackenzie turned on 545 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:09,920 Speaker 1: her computer, logged into the network that was for the 546 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 1: Google Loon program, and discovered that she did indeed have 547 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 1: Internet access, and she went to like the New Zealand 548 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:21,200 Speaker 1: equivalent of eBay to look at tractors because they're farmers. 549 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 1: So but it was so funny to hear about these guys, 550 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 1: just like, we want you to be in this test, 551 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:28,200 Speaker 1: but we can't tell you what it is or what 552 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:31,840 Speaker 1: it'll do. Installing it and still not telling them till 553 00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:34,160 Speaker 1: the next day, and that they were just like, yeah, sure, 554 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:37,920 Speaker 1: now you've got Internet loves New Zealand. I mean, you know, 555 00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:41,000 Speaker 1: there's there's only so many Hobbit films that can be 556 00:29:41,040 --> 00:29:43,200 Speaker 1: made there, so you've gotta you gotta make your own fun. 557 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:45,560 Speaker 1: I suppose. I suppose at a certain point, when you've 558 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:48,360 Speaker 1: had like orcs running through your relative backyard, it's things 559 00:29:48,360 --> 00:29:51,040 Speaker 1: are less strange, I suppose. So I just thought that 560 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:54,480 Speaker 1: was a cool story. Highly recommend that Wired article. You can, 561 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 1: speaking speaking of New Zealand, New Zealand listeners, you can 562 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 1: still sign up to be a pilot test. If I'm 563 00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:03,760 Speaker 1: not I mean, if you have really spotty access to Internet, 564 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:06,320 Speaker 1: I'm not entirely sure how you're listening to the show 565 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:08,640 Speaker 1: right at this very moment, but but yeah, you can 566 00:30:08,680 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 1: just go to www dot Google dot com slash loon 567 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:15,720 Speaker 1: slash where that's w H E R E and scroll 568 00:30:15,720 --> 00:30:17,560 Speaker 1: all the way down to sign up. That's pretty cool. 569 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 1: You know, this is a really neat project. I think 570 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:23,120 Speaker 1: it's one of those things where if it works, it's 571 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:27,160 Speaker 1: just gonna be uh, completely awesome to see that level 572 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:31,800 Speaker 1: of access suddenly becoming much more widespread. I really hope 573 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:34,440 Speaker 1: that it works out. It's just it's to me. I 574 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:36,120 Speaker 1: like what I like about is that it's a really 575 00:30:36,160 --> 00:30:39,440 Speaker 1: innovative approach to a problem. Right. Yeah, I had never 576 00:30:39,760 --> 00:30:42,760 Speaker 1: thought I would never ever ever have thought of anything 577 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:44,480 Speaker 1: like this. And you know a few people on the 578 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:47,840 Speaker 1: internets have have said that, you know, old Loon is 579 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:51,040 Speaker 1: a really appropriate name for the project because it's crazy. 580 00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 1: So I was going to the moon and we did that, 581 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 1: So not me personally, I have I haven't been, but yeah, 582 00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:02,320 Speaker 1: I just the thing forward. I think it's uh, I 583 00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:04,680 Speaker 1: think it's pretty exciting and let and again, this really 584 00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 1: kind of illustrates how the culture at Google and specifically 585 00:31:09,040 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 1: the Google X division really rewards innovation and that they 586 00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:17,040 Speaker 1: want people to think in new and interesting ways to 587 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:21,400 Speaker 1: come at problems from directions that you just wouldn't expect. Hey, guys, 588 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:24,560 Speaker 1: Jonathan from twenty here and in the days since we 589 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:28,000 Speaker 1: recorded this episode, a lot of stuffs happened with lun. 590 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:31,960 Speaker 1: Luon has become Loon LLC, a company under the Alphabet 591 00:31:32,080 --> 00:31:35,520 Speaker 1: family of companies, of which Google is also a company, 592 00:31:36,080 --> 00:31:39,880 Speaker 1: and that you know, in in recent times, Luon has 593 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:43,880 Speaker 1: actually been deployed and various areas around the world. It's 594 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:47,480 Speaker 1: also provided endless hours of entertainment for yours truly, as 595 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:54,440 Speaker 1: people have misidentified loon balloons as UFOs, they are not UFOs, 596 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:57,720 Speaker 1: they are i fos. We have completely identified them. But 597 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:03,680 Speaker 1: in St. Louis, uh and Africa. In Texas, we've seen 598 00:32:04,120 --> 00:32:06,800 Speaker 1: reports of people saying, Hey, there's some sort of flying 599 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:08,920 Speaker 1: saucer or something up in the sky, and it turns 600 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 1: out it's one of these balloons, which I find very interesting. 601 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:15,200 Speaker 1: But it's it's cool to be able to follow up 602 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:18,400 Speaker 1: on something that when we first covered it was still 603 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:21,360 Speaker 1: very much in the project stage, and it's now in 604 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 1: a real world deployment stage, although still very early in 605 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:28,440 Speaker 1: its life cycle. I'm excited to see how this continues 606 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:31,760 Speaker 1: and how effective it ends up being. If you guys 607 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:34,760 Speaker 1: have suggestions for future topics of tech stuff, you should 608 00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:36,960 Speaker 1: reach out to me on Twitter. The handle is text 609 00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:41,240 Speaker 1: stuff hs W and I'll talk to you again really soon. 610 00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:49,400 Speaker 1: Text Stuff is an I Heart Radio production. For more 611 00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:52,880 Speaker 1: podcasts from My Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, 612 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:56,160 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.