On: A googol-to-one gear ratio [video]

[hnuser123456]

In the hour-long video, from the start to the end, only the first seven gears move visibly, and the 8th moves maybe a pixel. You probably couldn't move anything past the 3rd or 4th gear with your hand, depending on how low-friction the bearings are, how strong you are, and how little you care about hurting your hand. You could attach a long lever to one, but that'll only get you one, maybe two gears further.

[tunesmith → hnuser123456]

Yeah, but that's just an engineering problem.

[chrisseaton → tunesmith]

> that's just an engineering problem

It's not - it's a physics problem - it reaches fundamental physical limits of the universe.

[jagged-chisel → chrisseaton]

Like he said, an engineering problem.

[FortCollinsDev → chrisseaton]

Okay, time for me to go sit in a dark room and think for a bit.

[Aeolun → chrisseaton]

Pfft, hold my beer.

[samstave → tunesmith]

Your arm is poorly engineered for this particular problem, so you are correct.