# Once again, the SDMB is ahead of the curve. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 13, 2009, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679 "2009-02-13T14:25:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/1 "2009-02-13T14:25:53Z")
Scientists are discovering the [same source of energy](http://www.physorg.com/news153666127.html) that has been used to run this board for years. Did Cecil patent it? ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/2 "2009-02-13T18:46:36Z")
_speachless_ And I thought all that stuff about board hamsters were just jokes- ignorance fought! ---
**Author:** ![AllWalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@AllWalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllWalker)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/3 "2009-02-14T01:13:03Z")
Can you feed the hamsters with posts, like the Dope’s? If so, it could also lead to a new source of revenue for us. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/4 "2009-02-14T01:19:09Z")
Ham **p** sters, people. The SDMB is run by ham **p** sters. Rookies… ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/5 "2009-02-14T01:21:01Z")
Yeah, this technology is the first thing I learned when they made me a mod last year. Turned my hair white, it did. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/6 "2009-02-14T01:26:05Z")
Hamster: Doc! I feel so tired and run-down these days! Doc: Just a minute while I disconnect these power cables… ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/7 "2009-02-14T01:27:14Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Yeah, this technology is the first thing I learned when they made me a mod last year. Turned my hair white, it did. What, they don’t have _you_ in the exercise wheel, do they? ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/8 "2009-02-14T01:36:57Z")
“BEHOLD! My newest creation, a tiny jacket for hamsters, can harvest their irregular biomotions to generate electricity as they run on their wheel!” “Er… wouldn’t it be a lot more efficient to just hook a generator directly to the wheel?” “YES! But if you did that, then your hamsters would be NUDE! I envision a future where people can look at hamsters without SHAME! A world of clean, limitless energy, generated by hamsters in DECENT CLOTHING! A world in which our very eyes are no longer SOILED by the sight of IMMODEST, SWEATY NAKED HAMSTERS!” “Please come down off the table, Doctor.” ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/9 "2009-02-14T01:54:45Z")
I’m afraid the Japanese could be 7 years ahead of us. > **[Toyota Idea Olympics](https://www.pistonheads.com/features/ph-features-newcars/toyota-idea-olympics/3682)** > > Hampster powered cars?! > [@](#): > > “Hamster Car” – Winner of Dream Car Contest for School and University Students > > Designed to look like a ladybird, this car has windows where a ladybird has spots. More unique is the source of power as the motor is driven by amplifying the electric power generated by hamsters running. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/10 "2009-02-14T02:07:01Z")
That ain’t no dream car. I know what hamsters smell like. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/11 "2009-02-14T02:46:36Z")
Power machines with an organism bio energy? One step closer to the Matrix!, wheeeee!! :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/12 "2009-02-14T03:58:26Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > Ham **p** sters, people. The SDMB is run by ham **p** sters. > > Rookies… Maybe it’s actually run by hampers. That _would_ explain a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/13 "2009-02-14T04:09:46Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > What, they don’t have _you_ in the exercise wheel, do they? I know some people say this board’s slow, but a message board powered by exercise from people who volunteer to moderate a message board probably wouldn’t get off the ground at all. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/14 "2009-02-14T04:44:01Z")
> [@Ale](#): > > Power machines with an organism bio energy? > One step closer to the Matrix!, wheeeee!! :dubious: Shut up and get in The Machine. Welcome to The Machine! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/15 "2009-02-14T05:07:53Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I know some people say this board’s slow, but a message board powered by exercise from people who volunteer to moderate a message board probably wouldn’t get off the ground at all. You’re right. They wouldn’t have staff in exercise wheels. That just wouldn’t be efficient. [sub]It would probably be treadmills…[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/16 "2009-02-14T05:16:46Z")
In case you missed it, here is a tour of the [server room](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=458913) at SDMB central. ---
**Author:** ![horsetech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dec6dc/32.png) [@horsetech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/horsetech)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/17 "2009-02-14T06:27:52Z")
Maybe our search function would go faster if they upgraded to [badgers.](http://www.badgerbadgerbadger.com/) (animation/sound warning) Sunspace, word has it that engineers are signing a contract with the people who brought us the [Treadmobile](http://technology.todaysbigthing.com/2008/11/21). On a serious note, they mention using piezoelectric wires to harvest energy from random movements, but couldn’t you just use some kind of rotating magnet set up to get energy from a wheel? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-the-sdmb-is-ahead-of-the-curve/485679/18 "2009-02-14T06:31:15Z")
[How to make your own hamster engine](http://www.otherpower.com/hamster.html)