# Most counted object in the world **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 19, 2011, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786 "2011-09-19T03:24:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/61 "2011-09-21T08:15:08Z")
> [@Grestarian](#): > > But it’s not gambling. And because it’s not gambling there’s no organized crime involved. In fact, Japan has absolutely no gambling, prostitution, drugs, or organized crime at all.G! Isn’t the Yakuza organised crime? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/62 "2011-09-21T08:32:01Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > Isn’t the Yakuza organised crime? I’m hoping that the poster was being sarcastic, as none of those statements are true. I think it must be what some people claim. I mean, his very next sentence contradicts no gambling and no organized crime: if neither existed, there wouldn’t be regulations against it. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/63 "2011-09-21T10:08:56Z")
This isn’t exactly an “object”, but… computer clock cycles. A single computer running for a long period of time can count many quadrillions of clock cycles; quintillions, if you count multi-core setups. And the computer does it exactly: in all likelihood, not a single glitch over the course of years. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/64 "2011-09-21T16:01:26Z")
I don’t think it’s what the OP is looking for (they’re rather like the pachinko balls), but I can’t resist. Holes in the interior liner of the old Metrodome roof, pre-collapse. (What can I say, I’m not big into baseball.) I’m certain every kid that’s ever been to a Twins game (before the new stadium), Vikings game, or whatever else that’s been held in the Dome has counted those holes. (Many adults, too.) Same holes, but they’ve been counted several hundreds of thousands of times by now. The new roof’s interior liner doesn’t have any holes - apparently dome technology has advanced since 1982. ---
**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/65 "2011-09-21T22:20:50Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Or if you want to represent negative numbers, just use toe’s compliment. Booooooo! ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/66 "2011-09-22T00:24:22Z")
> [@Belrix](#): > > Booooooo! 'bout time. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/67 "2011-09-22T01:01:21Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I think he’s a German spy. That’s interesting. I always thought counting with thumbs was more a European thing (and, yes, I know Europe isn’t a homogenous area.) When you ask an American to show “two” with his fingers, in my experience, usually you will be shown a peace sign, the forefinger and the middle finger. When I was living in Hungary, I had to learn to show “two” by extending my thumb and forefinger, instead. ETA: That said, now that I think about it, when actually counting, I will start with my left thumb, and my right thumb will be six, and not ten. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/68 "2011-09-22T04:28:44Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > I don’t think it’s what the OP is looking for (they’re rather like the pachinko balls), but I can’t resist. > > Holes in the interior liner of the old Metrodome roof, pre-collapse. (What can I say, I’m not big into baseball.) I’m certain every kid that’s ever been to a Twins game (before the new stadium), Vikings game, or whatever else that’s been held in the Dome has counted those holes. (Many adults, too.) Same holes, but they’ve been counted several hundreds of thousands of times by now. > > The new roof’s interior liner doesn’t have any holes - apparently dome technology has advanced since 1982. How many holes there are in Albert Hall. ---
**Author:** ![Vashbul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Vashbul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vashbul)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/69 "2011-09-22T08:11:25Z")
This reminds me of the [Great Thinkin’ Contest](http://i695.photobucket.com/albums/vv319/ashbul/thinking.jpg) of Nineteen-Ought-Fifty-Four. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/70 "2011-09-22T11:58:34Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > How many holes there are in Albert Hall. And 10,000 holes in Blackburn, Lancashire. ---
**Author:** ![Molesworth\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9dc877/32.png) [@Molesworth\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Molesworth_2)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/71 "2011-09-24T12:59:17Z")
Has anyone mentioned sperm? Untold trillions of sperm die every day. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/72 "2011-09-24T13:47:16Z")
Fingers. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/73 "2011-09-24T14:24:50Z")
[These guys](http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/21749) have a device that counts individual electrons as they flow in a circuit. It is limited to one pA, which is about 6 million electrons a second, but that still means they can count 21 billion electrons in an hour. Real individual electrons. (As much as the notion of individual electrons actually makes sense.) I suspect the Lincon one cent is actually the right answer. I live in Australia - and I found one whilst cleaning up my wardrobe this afternoon. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/74 "2011-09-24T17:22:36Z")
> [@](#): > > Has anyone mentioned sperm? > > Untold trillions of sperm die every day. Call us back when you have _told_ trillions, not just untold ones. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/75 "2011-09-24T17:38:55Z")
Time? We’ve been counting time for a long while now. While time is continuous it can be broken down into discrete countable units- second, minutes etc. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/76 "2011-09-24T17:43:15Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > [These guys](http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/21749) have a device that counts individual electrons as they flow in a circuit. It is limited to one pA, which is about 6 million electrons a second, but that still means they can count 21 billion electrons in an hour. Real individual electrons. (As much as the notion of individual electrons actually makes sense.) I was coming here to say electrons. From the Wiki on ampere > [@](#): > > In practical terms, the ampere is a measure of the amount of electric charge passing a point in an electric circuit per unit time with 6.241 × 10[sup]18[/sup] electrons, or one coulomb per second constituting one ampere. Think of all the amp meters on all the equipment in the world measuring all those amps then multiply by 6.241 × 10[sup]18[/sup]. That my friends is a metric butt load ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/77 "2011-09-24T19:14:53Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Think of all the amp meters on all the equipment in the world measuring all those amps then multiply by 6.241 × 10[sup]18[/sup]. > That my friends is a metric butt load Can you guarantee that they’ve never counted the same electron twice? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/78 "2011-09-24T19:16:16Z")
I can’t even guarantee that there’s more than one electron in the Universe. ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786/79 "2011-09-26T21:27:20Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I’m hoping that the poster was being sarcastic, as none of those statements are true. I think it must be what some people claim. > > I mean, his very next sentence contradicts no gambling and no organized crime: if neither existed, there wouldn’t be regulations against it. Thank you, BigT I really thought I was being obvious. I’ll try working more with the icons next time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-counted-object-in-the-world/596786.md?page=3)