Blockchains in Space: Non-Euclidean Spacetime and Tokenized Thinking - Two requirements for the large-scale beyond-terrestrial expansion of human intelligence into the universe are the ability to operate in diverse spatiotemporal regimes and to instantiate thinking in various formats. Newtonian mechanics describe everyday reality, but Einsteinian physics is needed for GPS and the orbital technologies of telescopes and spacecraft. Space agencies already integrate the Earth-day and the slightly-longer Martian-sol. A more substantial move into space requires facility with non-Euclidean spacetimes. One challenge is that general relativity and quantum mechanics are non-interoperable. However, the theories can be formulated together when considering black holes and quantum computing since geometric theories and gauge theories are both field-based. Quantum blockchains instantiate blockchain logic in quantum computational environments. Blockchains have their own temporal regime (blocktime: the number of blocks for an event to occur), and hence quantum blocktime is a non-classical functionality for operating in diverse spatiotemporal regimes. Thinking is a rule-based activity that is unrestricted by medium. Central to thinking is concepts, which are referenced by words. Word-types include universals, particulars, and indexicals which can be encoded into a formal system as thought-tokens, and registered to blockchains. Blockchains are contemplated as an automation technology for asteroid mining and space settlement construction, and thought-tokening adds an intelligence layer. Time and tokenized thinking come together in the idea of smart networks in space. In blockchain quantum smart networks, spatiotemporal regimes and thought-tokens are simply different value types (asset classes) coordinated with blockchain logic, towards the aim of extending human capabilities into the farther reaches of space.
My INSURER PTE LTD - Insurtech Innovation Award 2024
Blockchains in Space
1. Blockchains in Space
Time and Thinking in the ethically-aware reach to Space
SSoCIA Oxford 9 March 2022
Slides: http://slideshare.net/LaBlogga
Melanie Swan, MBA, PhD
Quantum Technologies
Centre for Blockchain Technologies
University College London
“The past is never dead.
It's not even past.“
– Faulkner, Requiem for a Nun, 1951
2. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space 1
Advanced time and thinking technologies, implemented
with blockchains, quantum computing, and artificial
intelligence (smart network technologies) are next-
generation “telescopes” and “microscopes” for
extending humanity’s ethically-aware reach into space
Framing question: What philosophical tools are
required to extend the reach into space?
Better time interoperability of physical theories (GR, CM, QM)
Better link between General Relativity, Classical (Newtonian)
Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics in our technology platforms
Developing thinking itself as a technology
Thesis
3. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space 2
Smart network technologies: terrestrial+ intelligent self-
operating networks, possibly with native time regimes
1. Blockchain (distributed ledger technology)
2. Artificial intelligence (deep learning networks)
3. Quantum computing
4. Internet of Things sensor networks
5. 3D prototyping gaming-engine asset networks (Unity, Unreal, Outerra)
6. Virtual reality headsets/BCIs (Oculus Rift, Valve Index, HTC Vive)
7. Bio: CRISPR, quantum genomics, quantum protein folding
4. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space 3
Research program
Smart Network Theory
2015 2019 2020
Blockchain Blockchain
Economics
Quantum
Computing
Quantum
Computing
for the Brain
2022
Aim: progression towards a Kardashev-plus society
marshalling all tangible and intangible resources
5. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Agenda
4
Introduction
Very-large very-small
Blockchains
Blockchains in space
Smart network
convergence
Time
Thinking
6. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
We are Here~!
5
Source: Tully, R.B., Courtois, H., Hoffman, Y. & Pomarede, D. (2014). The Laniakea supercluster of galaxies. Nature. 513(7516):71.
Laniakea Supercluster
Milky Way Galaxy
Distribution of Galaxies
Milky Way (Virgo Supercluster) in the Laniakea Supercluster
Analyze relative velocities of galaxies as watershed divides
7. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
James Webb Space Telescope (Dec 2021)
Hopefully enabling us to “see” farther back into the
Big Bang in the
infrared spectrum
6
Source: https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/about/comparisonWebbVsHubble.html
Hubble (HST) can see “toddler galaxies”
Webb (JWST) can see “baby galaxies”
6.25x larger collecting area than Hubble
8. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
5,000+ exoplanets discovered (Jan 2022)
NASA Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS)
Over 800 have more than one planet
7
Source: https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/about/comparisonWebbVsHubble.html
9. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
The small scale of things
8
“Quantum” = anything at the scale of
Atoms (Nano 10-9)
Ions and photons (Pico 10-12)
Subatomic particles (Femto 10-15)
Nanotechnology is already “quantum”
Microscopy: atoms (femtosecond 10-15); electrons (attosecond 10-18)
Scale Entities Special Properties
1 1 x 101 m Meter Humans
2 1 x 10-9 m Nanometer Atoms Surface-to-volume ratio, van der Waals and
electrostatic forces, thermodynamics (heat transfer,
melting point, crystallization, glass transition),
magnetism and conductivity, solubility and dissolution
3 1 x 10-12 m Picometer Ions, photons Superposition, entanglement, interference, entropy
(UV-IR correlations), renormalization, thermality,
symmetry, scrambling, chaos, quantum probability
4 1 x 10-15 m Femtometer Subatomic particles Strong force (QCD), plasma, gauge theory
5 1 x 10-35 m Planck scale Planck length
10. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Life: one proposed theory
3 phases per computational sophistication
Life 1.0 Biology: evolves both its hardware and software
Life 2.0 Culture: evolves hardware & designs software
Life 3.0 Technology: designs both hardware and software
Any matter can be a substrate for computation
Has many different stable states
The stable states can be used as building blocks
Combined to make computational functions
Namely a NAND (NOT-AND) gate
Complement to AND gate
NAND gates and neurons
Universal “computational atoms”
9
Source: Tegmark, M. (2017). Life 3.0: Being human in the age of artificial intelligence. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, pp. 42, 106.
NAND gate (NOT-AND): logic gate producing an output which is false only if all its inputs are true
11. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Agenda
10
Introduction
Blockchains
Blockchains in space
Smart network
convergence
Time
Thinking
12. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
internet transfer.
11
information.
email.
voice.
video.
money.
neural files. High Sensitivity
Low Sensitivity
Medium Sensitivity
transfer various types of content on the internet, each traffic type has its own instructions or protocol
(webpages with http; mail with smtp; voice with voip; and blockchain is the protocol for transferring money)
file header indicates traffic type, software version, routing, etc.
challenge: secure internet
transfer of increasingly
valuable and unique files
13. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Digital money: special requirements
Information: send a PDF file or image many times
Money: requires unique instances (no double-spending)
Enabled by the internet as an always-on 24/7 global
network technology to check transactions in real-time
Network time-stamps every transaction
Can submit duplicate transactions (try to double-spend) but the
network only counts the first one
Blockchain network checks every transaction
Computational confirmation by each node
12
EMR: Electronic Medical Record
14. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Cryptoeconomics (digital economic system)
Blockchain (distributed ledger technology): distributed
database of asset ownership
1.0 Cryptocurrency (Bitcoin)
2.0 Smart contracts (Ethereum)
Automatically-executing blockchain contract
DeFi (decentralized finance)
3.0 Beyond financial markets applications
Problem: need for trustable information
Cryptographically tamper-resistant
Computational verification, zero-knowledge proofs
Cryptographically-trustable space applications
Time-keeping, secure comms, supply chain
Transnational economic system, contracting
13
Digital financial and legal
infrastructure
Digital institutions better
serving the public good
Blockchain 1.0: Currency
Blockchain 2.0: Contracts
Blockchain 3.0: Beyond
financial market applications:
space, genomics, supply chain
Blueprint for a New Economy
15. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
How does Bitcoin (any cryptocurrency) work?
Use Wallet app to submit transaction
14
Scan recipient address and submit transaction
Address: 32-character alphanumeric string
Coin appears in recipient wallet
(receive immediately, confirm later)
Wallet has keys not money
Creates PKI signature address pairs A unique PKI signature for each transaction
PKI: public-private key pair (cryptography standard )
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5JGQXCTe3c
16. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
What happens in the background?
P2P network confirms & records transaction
15
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5JGQXCTe3c
Transaction computationally confirmed
and ledger account balances updated
Transactions submitted to a pool and miners assemble
new batch (block) of transactions each 10 min (btc)
Each block: transactions and a cryptographic hash of
the last block, chaining the blocks, hence “blockchain”
Wallet 1
Wallet 2
Peer network maintains the blockchain:
ledger nodes and mining nodes
Citizen Infrastructure
Github
17. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
How robust is the network?
16
Source: https://getaddr.bitnodes.io/
15,010 global nodes hosting Bitcoin ledger (Mar 2022)
Historical context: 5,404 global nodes (Dec 2016)
18. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Blockchain primitive (building block)
Hash functions
Hash function: function converting any length input (image,
movie, legal document) to a fixed length encrypted output
Example: output (digest) of the SHA-256 hash function for
“My last will and testament on this day”
13789917A50601C55D396B83FD98F1A0BED628948AD5F84890C63
210E0897D76
“My last will and testament, on this day”
C6E9D7F4C9F7D0C8CD24E4D674BED1146331DB61555F9D68EBA
AA3A0E827BBAB
Adding one comma results in a completely different hash digest
NP-complete problem: hard to compute, easy to verify
Cannot guess the output ahead of time without putting the inputs
into the algorithm and performing the calculation
Must do the actual “work” to compute the output
17
Source: SHA-256 hash algorithm: https://passwordsgenerator.net/sha256-hash-generator/
19. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Hash-linked data structure (IPLD)
Merkle tree: hierarchical structure of hash codes
corresponding to a large data structure
A hash is made for each data element, then a hash of these
hashes, and so on, hierarchically until there is just one top-
level hash that calls the entire data structure, the Merkle root
One top-level Merkle root calls an entire data corpus
Bitcoin blockchain: 725,000+ transaction blocks since
inception (Jan 2009) as of Mar 2022
All Github code, all Pubmed publications
An entire brain or cloudmind (brain of brains)
All human knowledge (digitally encoded)
Data pillar (crypto science fiction, Bear, Eon, 1985)
Whole human genome or brain file
18
IPLD: interplanetary hash-linked data structure standard Source: Swan, M., dos Santos, R.P. & Witte, F. (2020). Quantum
Computing: Physics, Blockchains, and Deep Learning Smart Networks. London: World Scientific.
Blockchain:
transaction blocks
hashed together
20. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Automated supply chain
19
Call entire project as a unified data structure
Source: PwC (2019). PwC’s Global Blockchain Survey.
https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/industrial-products/library/blockchain-industrial-manufacturing.html
Automotive track and trace
Aircraft/spacecraft product lifecycle
Blockchain data structure calls
multiple levels and items
21. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space 20
A brain is a Merkle forest of ideas
A group of Merkle trees, each calling
an arbitrarily-large thought trajectory
Brain DAC I: Basic Brain DAC
Instantiate thinking in a blockchain
Brain DAC II: Quantum Brain DAC
Brain DAC on a quantum platform
Quantum blocktime and superpositioned
states (Egan’s solipsist nation)
Personalized connectome scan
NFT-controlled hash structure
Quantum Brain DAC
Hash-linked data structure applications (IPLD for the Brain)
Brain DAC and quantum brain DAC
DAC: distributed autonomous corporation = package of blockchain-based smart contracts for automated execution
Source: Swan, M. (2015). Blockchain thinking: The brain as a DAC (decentralized autonomous corporation). IEEE Technology and Society
Magazine 34(4):41-52
Crypto science fiction: corporations
replaced by AI DACs (Schroeder,
Stealing Worlds, 2019)
22. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Source: https://www.seattletimes.com/business/bitcoin-miners-exit-china-beat-a-path-to-the-u-s-as-crypto-climate-shifts/
21
Source: https://www.illumina.com/science/technology/next-generation-sequencing.html
Mining shifting to US as China bans
cryptocurrency production (June 2021)
USD $45 million/day business:
block reward 6.25 btc/block ($312,500) x 6
blocks/hour x 24 hours/day ~= $45,000,000
(at Bitcoin = $50,000)
Mining. technical deep-dive.
Miners calculate a hash value using the block header (constant for
a specific block) and a nonce (random string changed repeatedly)
to create a hash output that hopefully meets the block requirements
23. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
How does mining work?
22
How does Bitcoin mining
work?
https://blockexplorer.com/block/0000000000000000002274a2b1f93c85a489c5d75895e9250ac40f06268fafc0
Difficulty: a measure of how hard it is to create a hash that
is less than the target (system-set computational number
involving floating point operations, exponents, integrals);
re-tuned every 2016 blocks (~2 weeks) to keep PoW as a
meaningful deterrent against rogue miners as the overall
network computation power increases or decreases
The winning nonce (number used once) for
this block, a number appended to the current
header, that when re-hashed, meets the
difficulty level (for any block, the Bitcoin nonce
is an integer between 0 and 4,294,967,296)
Step 2: Record the block. The block hash is the digest of
SHA-256 run on six data elements: 1. Bitcoin version number
2. previous block hash 3. Merkle Root of all the transactions in
the block 4. timestamp 5. difficulty target 6. nonce
18 leading zeros (can vary)
Step 1: Find the nonce (NP-complete problem). A miner guesses a nonce
(random string), appends it to the hash of the current header, rehashes
the value, and compares to the target hash value (which has a certain
number of leading zeros). If the resulting hash value is equal to or lower
than the target, the miner has a solution and is awarded the block
HERE: Oct 7, 2018 (18 leading zeros)
https://blockexplorer.com/block/0000000000000000002274a2b1f93c85a489c5d75895e9250ac40f06268fafc0
RECENT: Nov 6, 2021 (19 leading zeros)
https://www.blockchain.com/btc/block/0000000000000000000633b91a8cd72235104935c9d3af0b0edae9ad6f89f4ef
Summary: the hash is calculated using the block header, which
is constant for a specific block, and a nonce, which is changed
repeatedly by the miner, to create different hash digests in the
hope of finding a digest that fits the block requirements
Target value: an integer in the range of [0, (2256 - difficulty)]
24. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
PoW mining energy consumption
Proof-of-work competition among miners ensures
security of blockchain ledger
Critics argue “wasteful” use of resources but provides secure
computational system (725,000 btc blocks Jan 2009-Mar 2022)
39 per cent of proof-of-work mining is powered by renewable
energy, primarily hydroelectric energy (Cambridge study, 2021)
Alternatives: proof-of-stake, entropy
Energy consumption
23
Sources: Statista. (2021). https://www.statista.com/chart/18632/estimated-annual-electricity-consumption-of-bitcoin/
Blandin, A. et al. (2021). 3rd Global Cryptographic Benchmarking Study. University of Cambridge.
Less than all the world’s data centers
Less than China, USA, Germany
Less overhead than worldwide bank
branch infrastructure
Resource substitution from
physical to digital domain
25. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
economic system.
24
old model.
networks.
banks.
new model.
Digital transformation
26. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Bitcoin denominations
25
Satoshis: common unit of transfer (wallet default)
500 satoshis = USD $0.25 (at Btc = $50,000)
$5 coffee = 10,000 satoshis
1 satoshi = USD $0.0005 (at Btc = $50,000)
Source: Bitcoin Foundation, https:// bitcoin.org/
Unit Abbreviation Description BTC
1 Satoshi SAT Satoshi 0.00000001 BTC
2 Microbit uBTC Microbit or bit 0.000001 BTC
3 Millibit mBTC Millibitcoin 0.001 BTC
4 Centibit cBTC Centibitcoin 0.01 BTC
5 Decibit dBTC Decibitcoin 0.1 BTC
6 Bitcoin BTC Bitcoin 1 BTC
7 Decabit daBTC Decabitcoin 10 BTC
8 Hectobit hBTC Hectobitcoin 100 BTC
9 Kilobit kBTC Kilobitcoin 1000 BTC
10 Megabit MBTC Metabitcoin 1,000,000 BTC
100 millionth of a BTC
1 millionth of a BTC
27. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs)
NFT: unique IP token registered to a blockchain
CryptoKitties (early NFT)
Ethereum smart contracts for breeding digital cats
CryptoDragons game: own dragon NFT and feed it CryptoKitties
(send the dragon contract tokens from the kitties contract)
NFT marketplaces
Mint cryptoart: OpenSea, Rarible, Foundation
NFT registries of physical-world assets
Baseball cards (Candy Digital), Marvel comics
(VeVe), Hot Wheels cars (Wax)
Owner/author rights
SIAE Italy 4.5 mn author rights tokenized (Algorand)
Genomics (Nebula Genomics) (Oasis) NGTs
Pharmaceutical supply chain (MediLedger)
26
“Catribute” DNA
28. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Christie’s $69 million NFT sale (2021)
Collage created over 5,000 days
by US-based digital artist Beeple
Political cartoons of current events
Themes: fear and obsession with
technology, resentment and desire
for wealth, political turbulence
First purely digital artwork (NFT)
offered at Christie’s
Sold online for $69,346,250 (2021)
NFT as a guarantee of authenticity
Christie’s accepting Ether payments
27
Source: https://www.christies.com/features/Monumental-collage-by-Beeple-is-first-purely-digital-artwork-NFT-to-come-
to-auction-11510-7.aspx
Everydays: The First 5,000 Days
Beeple, 2007-2020
“Beeple is looking at his whole body of work as it is
presented on Instagram as a kind of Duchampian
readymade” – specialist Noah Davis
Artworld
acceptance:
29. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Financial infrastructure
Gaming and 3d prototyping NFTs
Space prototyping automatically NFT-registered
Unity and Unreal engine 3d prototyping digital asset creation
Virtual reality CAD-CAM prototyping, product design and test
Game Asset Store merchandizing (analog to the App Store)
Blockchain-register game engine-developed assets as NFTs
Plug-ins (e.g. Arkane-Unity) enable NFT contract creation
Model for molecular printing design exchange (Etsy + Unity + NFTs)
Creating digital infrastructure of CAD/CAM design blueprints
28
Sources: https://unity.com/products; Corke, G. (2019). Unity for manufacturing. Develop 3D.
https://develop3d.com/features/unity-visualisation-vr-manufacturing-industrial-design-game-on-simulation/
Digital Twin software
Lightweight CAD viewer Robotic simulation Prototyping in VR
30. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Blockchain supply chain: Maersk
Maersk TradeLens supply
chain blockchain
Provenance chains
Food security, cold storage
Operating at 20+ ports
Hong Kong, Singapore,
Halifax, Rotterdam, Bilbao
29
Provenance chain: global supply chain of flowers
TradeLens (Maersk-IBM supply chain blockchain)
Source: Musienko, Y. (2021). Maersk Blockchain Use Case. Merehead. 16 November 2021.
https://merehead.com/blog/maersk-blockchain-use-case/.
Maersk TradeLens blockchain (Hyperledger
Fabric/IBM): operating at 20+ worldwide ports
31. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Agenda
30
Introduction
Blockchains
Blockchains in space
Smart network
convergence
Time
Thinking
32. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Blockchains in space
Integrated supply chain management
Automated multi-level asset registries
Missions, equipment, personnel
Transnational economic and legal system
Contracting, payment, audit, dispute resolution
IP registration (sNFTs: space NFTs)
In-space manufacturing
Lot feedstock serialization (additive manufacturing powders)
Printers (electromagnetic field directed aerosol)
B-SURE: biomanufacturing, survival, utility and reliability
beyond Earth
Blockchain science
Replicability, evolution
31
Sources: Chin, A.C. (2020). Blockchain Biology. Front. Blockchain. 3:606413. Short, K. (2014). Printable spacecraft.
https://spacenews.com/darpa-to-launch-dods-first-in-space-manufacturing-research-program
33. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Status: space agency planning
Blockchains in space
Secure comms and extra-planetary economic system
European Space Agency Space 4.0 vision:
A sustainable space sector connected with the global
economy using DLT (distributed ledger technology)
applications for payments, procurement, supplier
agreements, and automated smart contracts
Applications (ESA Space 4.0, NASA SensorWeb)
Financing and smart contract trustless execution
Supply chain management (provenance blockchains)
Networking and communications, traffic management
Identity and intellectual property rights management
Space-as-a-service (SpaceChain)
2019 Bitcoin demo in space, Jun 2021 Ethereum launch
32
Sources: Torben, D. (2017). Distributed Ledger Technology Leveraging Blockchain for ESA’s Success. ESA HQ: Strategy
Department; Jones, K.L. (2020). Blockchain in the Space Sector. The Aerospace Corporation space consultancy. https://www.aero.org
NASA
SensorWeb:
interoperable
satellite sensors
34. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Smart contracts in space
Problem: secure asynchronous space communications
NASA grant to University of Akron (Jin Wei) for research into
data analysis and other topics related to space exploration
Develop a resilient networking system partially based on the
Ethereum blockchain
33
Source: NASA. 13 January 2018.
35. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space 34
Smart contract-based satellite coordination
Proposal for blockchain
application within a multi-
sensor satellite architecture
Platform: Hyperledger
Fabric
Source: NASA and academic researchers Mital, R. et al. (2018). Blockchain application within a multi-sensor satellite architecture.
36. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
NASA Mission Priorities
35
Source: NASA. (2019). https://www.nasa.gov/ames/spacescience-and-astrobiology/overview
37. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Agenda
36
Introduction
Blockchains
Blockchains in space
Smart network
convergence
Time
Thinking
38. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Various temporality regimes
Phenomenological human time
Time parallelism: access unlived trajectories
History, literature, social media streams
Biotime: natural cycles and rhythms
Birth-development-maturity-aging-death
The temporality of biological processes
Cellular lifecycles, oscillatory patterns,
circadian rhythms, disease (cancer)
Migratory flight, krill swarms (bioconvection)
Compute-time: information technology
Blockchain blocktime
Quantum computing
Deep learning network function-finding time
37
Source: Winfree, A.T. (1980). The Geometry of Biological Time. Springer-Verlag: Berlin, Germany.
(lived experience)
39. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Blocktime
Blocktime: native time regime of blockchains
Average time to add a new block
Bitcoin ~10 min so enough miners have time to confirm (Ethereum ~10 sec)
Blockchain events are specified in blocktime
Blockheight: total number of blockchain blocks (Btc 725,000 Mar 2022)
Software protocol updates go into effect at a certain blockheight
Taproot activated at blockheight 709, 632 (Nov 2021)
Miner rewards paid 100 blocks after block is added (~17 hours)
Mining difficulty changed every 2016 blocks (~2 weeks)
Block reward halving every 210,000 blocks (~4 years)
Completely separate alternative time domain
Time lock: restricted time period: escrow, check-dating
Time arbitrage opportunities between FiatFi and DeFi
38
FiatFi and DeFi: fiat finance and decentralized finance
40. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Quantum blocktime
Quantum blocktime: time regime of quantum blockchains
Quantum blockchains: blockchains using quantum methods for
cryptography, mining (consensus), and protocol implementation
Migrate to quantum networks entails quantum blockchains
Quantum blockchains as a technology platform
Multi-time interface, implement diverse time regimes
Quantum computational time formulations
Traditional construction of Schrödinger wavefunction
in the background of absolute time and space (Newton)
More recent discoveries of time entanglement, information scrambling,
chaotic ballistic spread and saturation cycles, discrete time crystals,
Floquet engineering (periodicity), spacetime superfluids, OTOCs
(out-of-time-order-correlation functions)
39
Source: Hayden, P. & May, A. (2019). Localizing and excluding quantum information; or, how to share a quantum secret in
spacetime. Quantum. 3(196).
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Blockchains in Space
The time of GR-CM-QM
Warped time
Normal time
Superpositioned time
40
General Relativity
Classical Mechanics
Quantum Mechanics
The “same” time, treated differently
Bent and stretched, distorted; same time multiple instances
GR-QM: similar domains of universal multiplicity
What is strange is the “squeezing in” of Earth’s classical regime
Simultaneity and multiplicity
Infinite magnitude
Euclidean spacetime
Time is simply a clock, an event
denomination system (Oriti)
42. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics
Incompatible as traditionally formulated
GR: Riemannian curved geometry in dynamic space-time
QM: (Schrödinger wavefunction) Newtonian absolute space-time
Wheeler DeWitt: GR-QM linked in a universe without time
Integrated modern formulations
Field-based approach in gauge theories and gravity theories
AdS/CFT (Anti-de Sitter Space/Conformal Field Theory)
correspondence: gauge/gravity duality
Random tensors (tensors generalized to 3+D), melonic diagrams
Relativistic quantum information
Study of GR and QM together: black holes, Big Bang, dark energy
Applicability of quantum information when relativistic effects become
important in gravitational waves, spacetime structure, Hawking
radiation, black hole information paradox
41
Sources: Barbour, J. (2009). The Nature of Time. Foundational Questions Institute essay competition (The Nature of Time) first prize
winner. arXiv: 0903.3489. Rovelli, C. (2015). The Strange Equation of Quantum Gravity.” Classical & Quantum Gravity. 32:12, 124005.
+
-
43. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Interoperability: GR-CM-QM
Status: technology platforms link GR-CM-QM
42
General Relativity Classical Mechanics Quantum Mechanics
GPS, spacecraft navigation, orbits, cometary trajectories
(classical computing)
Next-generation computing (quantum computing)
Quantum computing in space: orbits, trajectories, navigation (quantum blockchains)
44. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Time on Mars
Mars24 Sunclock
Earth-day and Martian-sol
43
Sources: https://www.giss.nasa.gov/tools/mars24, https://marsclock.com
45. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Quantum astronomy (of the future)
44
Source: Luo, L. (2021). Architectures of neuronal circuits. Science. 373:eabg7285
Optical interferometry: European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope in
northern Chile is the world’s premier astronomical facility for optical interferometry,
comprised of four 8.2-meter telescopes that can act as one
Quantum optical methods could allow astronomers to
make larger more capable optical interferometers
46. 9 Mar 2022
Blockchains in Space
Interoperability stack
45
Time
interoperable
Thinking
interoperable
Communications Networks
interoperable
Economics
interoperable
Quantum blockchains
AI (IPLD for the Brain)
Internet
Blockchain
Low
Med
High
News/information
Money/contracts
BCI/headset/connectome
Smart Network Domain Sensitivity
Smart network convergence story
Med
Med
Low
High
47. 9 Mar 2022
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IPLD hash-linked data structure for the brain
Source: IPLD: interplanetary hash-linked data structure (call an entire data structure with top-level Merkle root). Swan, M. (2015).
Blockchain thinking: The brain as a DAC (decentralized autonomous corporation). Technology and Society Magazine 34(4):41-52
A brain is a Merkle forest of ideas
A group of Merkle trees, each calling an
arbitrarily-large thought trajectory
Brain DAC II: IPLD for the Brain
Thought content compatibility through
multi-hash protocols and Merkle roots
Blockchain overlay realizes B/CI
cloudminds through secure thought
interoperability between minds
IPLD is an overlay for the web; IPLD for
the Brain is an overlay for cloudminds
Brain DAC I
Instantiate thinking in a blockchain
IPLD for the Brain
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Neuroscience physics
Neuroscience Physics Description
AdS/Neuroscience AdS/CFT correspondence bulk-boundary relationships for neuroscience
AdS/Brain 4-tier AdS/CFT model of neural signaling network-neuron-synapse-ion
AdS/Memory Trigger information storage with highly-critical states
AdS/Superconducting Neural signaling is a phase transition with ordered-disordered phases
AdS/Energy Energy = Entropy (Hamiltonian energy calculation equated to entropy)
Chern-Simons/Neuroscience Geometrical curvature-based min/max model indicates anomaly
AdS/Chern-Simons Geodesic-determined neural signaling path (shortest-length curve)
Neuronal Gauge Theories Gauge fields reset universal symmetry quantity (free energy)
Network Neuroscience Graph theoretical basis for multiscalar brain function
Random Tensors Extend random matrices (2D) to 3+D to consider high-dimensional systems
Melonic Diagrams Solve graph particle interactions as geometry, label fields with vertices
Neuroscience physics: neuroscience
interpretation of foundational physics findings
Source: Swan, M., et al. (2022). Quantum Neurobiology. Quantum Reports. 3:1-30.
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AdS/Neuroscience
AdS/CFT Correspondence
Mathematics to compute physical system
with a bulk volume and a boundary surface
AdS/Brain (Neural Signaling)
Multiscalar phase transitions
Floquet periodicity-based dynamics
bMERA tensor networks and matrix
quantum mechanics for renormalization
Continuous-time quantum walks
AdS/Information Storage (memory)
Highly-critical states trigger special
functionality in systems (new matter
phases, memory storage)
Sources: Swan, M., dos Santos, R.P., Lebedev, M.A. & Witte, F. (2022). Quantum Computing for the Brain. London: World
Scientific. Dvali, G. (2018). Black Holes as Brains: Neural Networks with Area Law Entropy. arXiv:1801.03918v1. 48
Tier Scale Signal
1 Network 10-2 Local field potential
2 Neuron 10-4 Action potential
3 Synapse 10-6 Dendritic spike
4 Molecule 10-10 Ion charge
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Quantum blocktime applications
Thought tokening
Thinking functionality as an overlay
AI deep learning nets
Pattern recognition (sound, image, object, face)
Concept identification (tennis game)
Generative learning (make new samples)
Quantum AI deep learning nets
Born machines replace Boltzmann machines
Output interpretation of loss function based on Born rule
Thought-tokening overlay for computational “thinking”
Thinking as a rule-based activity
Word-types: universals, particulars, indexicals
Encoded into a formal system as thought-tokens,
registered to blockchains
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Existing
New
Source: Cheng, S., Chen, J. & Wang, L. (2018). Information perspective to probabilistic modeling: Boltzmann machines versus Born
machines. Entropy. 20:583.
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Quantum blockchains in space
Smart network technologies needed for next
steps in beyond planetary expansion into space
Indexicality tools: persistent form, fillable content
Tensor networks: canonical quantum index technology
Treat dimensions as indices (expand and contract)
Quantum blockchain (blocktime) applications
Multi-time interface
Quantum blockchains in space application
Integrate GM-human-QM time, and Euclidean and
non-Euclidean time regimes for interoperability
Tokenized thinking
Quantum blockchains in space application
Tokenized thinking automation technology for asteroid mining and
space settlement; thought-tokening adds an intelligence layer
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Index Tech
Tensors are indexical
Thinking is indexical
Time is indexical
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Agenda
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Introduction
Blockchains
Blockchains in space
Smart network
convergence
Time
Thinking
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Advanced time and thinking technologies, implemented
with blockchains, quantum computing, and artificial
intelligence (smart network technologies) are next-
generation “telescopes” and “microscopes” for
extending humanity’s ethically-aware reach into space
Framing question: What philosophical tools are
required to extend the reach into space?
Better time interoperability of physical theories (GR, CM, QM)
Better link between General Relativity, Classical (Newtonian)
Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics in our technology platforms
Developing thinking itself as a technology
Thesis
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Risks and limitations
Technology cycle too early
Blockchains: deployments remain as get-rich-quick schemes not
foundational life-improving information technologies
Quantum: no semiconductor supply chain roll-out for QPUs
Smart network technologies are complicated to understand
Quantum error correction stalls
Unable to move from ~100-qubit to million-qubit machines
Blockchain trust issues
Unclear consequences of network-based digital financial system
Social adoption stalls and alienation
Increasing difficulty adapting to intense presence of technology
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QPU: Quantum Processing Unit
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Shipmind thinker
Standard SciFi tropes
Thinking as a technology (shipmind)
Interface as a technology (everything is
an interface technology (i.e. yourself))
Alcubierre drive: idea to compact space in
front and stretch it out in back for efficient
travel (requires lots of energy)
Bear SciFi: Alcubierre-White drive: warp
bubble FTL, intergalactic rescue of ships stuck
in warp bubbles, dropping out of white space
Alcubierre: would not work IRL
White: exploring possible structure of the
energy density present in a Casimir cavity
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Sources: Bear, E. (2018). Ancestral Night; (2020) Machine. New York: Tor. Alcubierre, M. (1994). The warp drive: hyper-fast travel
within general relativity. Classical and Quantum Gravity. 11:L73-L77. White, H. et al. (2021). Worldline numerics applied to custom
Casimir geometry generates unanticipated intersection with Alcubierre warp metric. Eur. Phys. J. C. 81:677.
Machine, 2020
Ancestral Night, 2018
White Space series
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Time and Thinking in the ethically-aware reach to Space
SSoCIA Oxford 9 March 2022
Slides: http://slideshare.net/LaBlogga
Melanie Swan, MBA, PhD
Quantum Technologies
UCL Centre for Blockchain Technologies
“The past is never dead.
It's not even past.“
– Faulkner, Requiem for a Nun, 1951
Thank you!
Questions?
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Conclusion
Blockchains in space
Smart network automation technology for advanced projects
Multi-level tracking, economics, contracting coordination
Convergence with other smart network technologies: CRISPR,
BCIs, deep learning nets, molecular manufacturing, IoT
Kardashev-level (planetary scale) technologies
Internet, cryptoeconomic networks, coin community democracy
Blockchains and quantum blockchains: theoretical
tools for extending humanity’s reach into space
Interoperability of major physical theories (GR, CM, QM)
Quantum blocktime interoperability
Thinking as a technology: IPLD for the Brain
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