How many different Youtube videos are possible?
Stand-up Maths・14 minutes read
The exploration of the vast number of possible grayscale images at 256 by 256 pixels reveals an incomprehensible amount of variations, with a supercomputer needing an unimaginable amount of time to generate them all. The discussion extends to the realm of Youtube videos and file sizes, showcasing the enormity of possibilities within a limited scope and emphasizing the impact of subscriptions on content creators.
Insights
- A 256 by 256 grayscale image contains an immense number of possible variations, totaling 2 to the power of 524,288 images due to the 256 shades of gray per pixel, illustrating the vastness of image possibilities within this format.
- The exploration of the time needed for a supercomputer to generate all possible grayscale images at this scale highlights the incomprehensible amount of time required, equating it to running the supercomputer from the beginning of the universe, looping through images, and even creating new universes with each iteration, emphasizing the complexity and scale of this computational task.
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Recent questions
How many possible grayscale images exist?
Over two to the power of 524,288 images.
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Summary
00:00
"Exploring Infinite Grayscale Images: A Supercomputer's Challenge"
- The question of how many grayscale images exist was posed a week ago, leading to an exploration of the topic.
- The inquiry stemmed from a Twitter Q&A session promoting a science-themed radio show called Domestic Science.
- The specific question asked was about the time a supercomputer would need to generate all possible grayscale images at 256 by 256 pixels.
- A 256 by 256 grayscale image contains 256 shades of gray, represented by an 8-digit binary number.
- For a 2 by 2 grayscale image, there are over four billion possible variations due to the 256 color options per pixel.
- A 256 by 256 image comprises 65,536 pixels, resulting in a total of 2 to the power of 524,288 possible images.
- To generate all these images, a supercomputer running at femtohertz rates would require an incomprehensible amount of time.
- The calculation involves running the supercomputer from the beginning of the universe, looping through images, and creating new universes with each loop.
- The exploration extends to the realm of possible Youtube videos, with an upper limit set by the maximum file size of 128 gigabytes.
- Downloading the podcast of the radio show, which is 13.9 megabytes, involves dealing with a finite but vast number of ones and zeros, showcasing the enormity of possibilities within a limited scope.
14:50
Podcast creator seeks subscriptions for creative content
- The binary expansion of the file for the podcast corresponds to a preexisting number on the number line, making the creation process less creative. The podcast consists of four episodes, and viewers are encouraged to join in on Twitter using the hashtag askthenerds. The creator requests subscriptions to the channel, noting that 73.4% of viewers are not subscribed, emphasizing the impact of subscriptions on the creator and encouraging listeners to download the podcast for future notifications of new content.
