Sci/Tech Hella Good: Scientists Petition to Name a Very Large Number

[The Helper]

As science becomes increasing precise, and as computers provide the ability to crunch ever larger (and smaller) numbers, scientists are looking to name numbers with lots of zeroes. You've heard of mega, giga and tera. You might have even heard of yotta -- which is a one followed by 24 zeroes. But now some scientists are petitioning the International System of Units to create a binary prefix for a one followed by 27 zeroes. This number, they think, should be called "hella".

As in, "That's one hella big number."

In fact, there is a Facebook effort underway, with more than 20,000 students and scientists calling for this name. One of the instigators is Austin Sendek, a student in physics at the University of California. Fox News reports on his reasoning for naming the number hella:

Hella Good: Scientists Petition to Name a Very Large Number

(PhysOrg.com) -- As science becomes increasing precise, and as computers provide the ability to crunch ever larger (and smaller) numbers, scientists are looking to name numbers with lots of zeroes. You've heard of mega, giga and tera. You might have even heard of yotta -- which is a one followed...

phys.org

 

[BANANAMAN]

"HellaBytes" That sounds awesome.

 

[Samael88]

It would be even greater if it would be censored out "Blipabytes"

 

[Prometheus]

Oh, that's great.

 

[Ninja_sheep]

not that funny

 

[The Helper]

not that funny

Slow news day....

 

[tom_mai78101]

Slow news day....

I'll prove it's not.

 

[Slayer4000X2008]

Why would you jump from a 1 with 24 zero's to a 1 with 27 zero's. What about 25 and 26 zeros, why not give them a name?

 

[tom_mai78101]

Look at the pattern:

1000                     : Thousand 
1000000                  : Million
1000000000               : Billion
1000000000000            : Trillion
1000000000000000         : Quadrillion
1000000000000000000      : Quintillion
1000000000000000000000   : Sextillion
1000000000000000000000000: Septillion
etc.

See how names goes with the pattern of 3 zeroes at the back?

 

[sqrage]

Why would you jump from a 1 with 24 zero's to a 1 with 27 zero's. What about 25 and 26 zeros, why not give them a name?

1x-yotta hundredsomething-yotta.

Not need.

 

[Sevion]

Next: 1 with 30 zero's is named zomgwtfbbqsauce.

In an example:

"Hey, dude! I have a 500 zomgwtfbbqsaucebyte hard drive in my new pc!"

 

[Slayer4000X2008]

Look at the pattern:

1000                     : Thousand 
1000000                  : Million
1000000000               : Billion
1000000000000            : Trillion
1000000000000000         : Quadrillion
1000000000000000000      : Quintillion
1000000000000000000000   : Septillion
1000000000000000000000000: Sextillion
etc.

See how names goes with the pattern of 3 zeroes at the back?

+rep for that, it very clearly answers my question, and I find it rather interesting.

 

[Avaleirra]

I would like to sign this petition.

 

[FireCat]

Holy crap, a petition for that?!

 

[ZeroThirteen]

Look at the pattern:

1000                     : Thousand 
1000000                  : Million
1000000000               : Billion
1000000000000            : Trillion
1000000000000000         : Quadrillion
1000000000000000000      : Quintillion
1000000000000000000000   : Septillion
1000000000000000000000000: Sextillion
etc.

See how names goes with the pattern of 3 zeroes at the back?

One correction - sextillion (sextuplets, hexagon, etc.) is six, which comes before septillion (septuplets, septagon, etc.), which is seven.

 

[tom_mai78101]

Oh, thanks. Sorry I got them both mixed up.

+rep.