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Saturday, October 18, 2025

Number and Word Converter Utility

 Need to quickly change a large number like 15,000,000 into its written form, or check the value of words for numbers that are verbosely spelled out? This simple bidirectional converter handles all your number-to-word and word-to-number needs for figures up to 999,999,999. It uses the U.S. standard (no hyphens, all lowercase) for word output. It's also designed to be very forgiving when you type words in, as it can handle extra spaces, mixed cases, and even words like "and" without reporting an error. Just paste a number or type out your phrase in the box. The result will instantly appear below. Tap the result box to copy the converted value.

Number to Words Converter

Number & Word Converter

Copied!

*Supports positive whole numbers up to 999,999,999.


For information other ciphers and topics:

  • Pager Code Look Alike Cipher Tool: This is the full 26-letter system that uses visual tricks with numbers for every letter from the 1990's before texting. This cipher will translate messages into this OG secret messaging. [Try out this cipher tool on your own messages.]

  • Beeper Codes: Need a super-fast message? These are simple, standardized three-digit messages used as quick status updates (e.g., 143 for "I love you"). [View the Beeper Code Dictionary] 

  • The Spartan Secret: Encrypt Messages with the Scytale Cipher: Use one of the earliest codes to be employed in the World! [Scytale Cipher Tool]

Friday, October 17, 2025

Futhorc Runic Bi-Directional Converter

The term "runes" refers to the writing systems used across North and Western Europe from the 1st millennium onward. Before the widespread adoption of the Latin alphabet, early forms of English relied on their own distinct runic script: Futhorc. Futhorc wasn't just a simple alphabet; it was a more precise fit for the sounds of Old English. It contained symbols that accurately transliterated phonetic elements that the 26-letter Latin alphabet lacks. For example, it featured a unique letter for the "th" sound, called Thorn (Þ and þ). There is also a dedicated symbol, the Eðel rune (ᛟ), for the long "o" sound (as in oar), distinct from the short "o" sound represented by the Ōs rune (ᚩ).

Try out the Futhorc Bi-Directional Converter to convert modern English letters to Futhorc runes and back! Special character inputs are available for the letters and combinations that don't have direct counterparts in the standard modern English alphabet.


Futhorc Bi-Directional Translator V22 (Added Stān)

Futhorc Bi-Directional Converter

Output (Click to Copy):

Special Input Key (Latin → Futhorc):

Input Rune/Ligature Name/Sound
**EASTER EGG:** BLUETOOTH (all casings) → **ᛒᚼ** (Bindrune B+H)
ST|, St| and st| Stān (ST Ligature)
W| and w| Wēn (Original W Rune)
W and w Ƿ / ƿ Wynn (Latin W)
TH\, th\ and Th\ Thorn (Runic)
TH|, th| and Th| Ð / ð Eth (Voiced Latin)
TH, th and Th Þ / þ Thorn (Modern Latin)
A| and a| Æsc (Long A/Ash)
O| and o| Eðel (Long O)
QU, qu and Qu Cweorþ (KW sound)
SS and ss Sigel (Alternative S)
V and v maps to ᚢ (Ur), the same as U and u.

Unlisted single letters (A, F, E, I, etc.) map to their single runic equivalents (ᚪ, ᚠ, ᛖ, ᛁ, etc.).


For information other ciphers and topics:

  • Pager Code Look Alike Cipher Tool: This is the full 26-letter system that uses visual tricks with numbers for every letter from the 1990's before texting. This cipher will translate messages into this OG secret messaging. [Try out this cipher tool on your own messages.]

  • Beeper Codes: Need a super-fast message? These are simple, standardized three-digit messages used as quick status updates (e.g., 143 for "I love you"). [View the Beeper Code Dictionary] 

  • The Spartan Secret: Encrypt Messages with the Scytale Cipher: Use one of the earliest codes to be employed in the World! [Scytale Cipher Tool]

Thursday, October 16, 2025

Earth's Looming Expiration Date

Why Earth Faces an Early Deadline

Our Sun is a seemingly constant beacon in our sky. However, it is a slowly evolving star. As the Sun changes, it will ultimately render Earth uninhabitable long before it swells into a red giant in roughly 5 billion years. Long before then, a more subtle, yet equally catastrophic process is already underway and accelerating.[1] Understanding this gradual escalation is crucial to grasping the true urgency of humanity's long-term survival plans.

Currently, our Sun is a main sequence star. This is its most stable phase, but it is not static. The Sun's energy is derived from nuclear fusion, specifically converting hydrogen into helium in its core. As this process continues, the core accumulates helium "ash," which doesn't fuse at the current temperature. This inert helium core contracts under its own gravity, causing it to heat up. This increased temperature then ignites the remaining hydrogen fuel in a shell surrounding the core, leading to faster fusion rates.

The net effect is a gradual and yet relentless increase in the Sun's overall luminosity and energy output. This isn't the dramatic swelling of the red giant phase, but a continuous incremental brightening. Current astrophysical models suggest the Sun's luminosity increases by roughly 8 to 10% every billion years. This escalating energy output is the true "early deadline" for life on Earth. Estimates vary, but a rise of just a few percent could trigger catastrophic climate change, making the planet uninhabitable in as little as 100 million years, and almost certainly within the next billion years. Certain conditions may allow for some life to remain beyond 1.63 billion years, but support for animal and much of the plant life will end sooner.[2][3]


Earth's Transformation into a Venus-like Inferno [2]

The consequence of this escalating solar energy is the initiation of a runaway greenhouse effect. As the amount of solar energy reaching Earth (called solar flux) increases, global temperatures rise. This causes more water to evaporate from the oceans, injecting massive amounts of water vapor into the atmosphere. Water vapor is a powerful greenhouse gas, far more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide.

This creates a vicious feedback loop:

  • Increased Solar Energy Higher surface temperature.

  • Higher Temperature More water evaporates (more water vapor in the atmosphere).

  • More Water Vapor Stronger greenhouse effect Even higher surface temperature.

This cycle rapidly spirals out of control. Eventually, the temperature will reach the boiling point of water, and Earth's vast oceans will boil away entirely. The planet would be left with a dense, superheated atmosphere and a scorched surface, transforming our blue marble into a hot and arid world reminiscent of present-day Venus. Escaping this fate requires either abandoning the Earth or fundamentally altering its relationship with the Sun.


The Grand Project to Nudge Our Home [4]


How can we help Earth remain inhabitable much longer? 

One of the most radical solutions proposed to mitigate the Sun's slow burn is orbital boosting, a planetary-scale engineering project designed to continuously push Earth into a larger, cooler orbit, keeping it within the ever-retreating habitable zone.

The proposed mechanism relies on gravitational slingshots using a massive asteroid as a reusable "tug."

  • The Tug: A large asteroid, perhaps hundreds of kilometers in diameter, would be steered into a precise orbital path that brings it close to Earth.

  • The Slingshot: During each close flyby, the asteroid's gravity would subtly interact with Earth's gravity. The flyby geometry would be set up to ensure Earth "steals" a tiny amount of the asteroid's orbital energy. This small transfer of momentum results in a minute increase in Earth's orbital velocity, effectively pushing it into a wider orbit.

  • The Recirculation: Because the asteroid's orbit is altered after each close pass, it must be "reset." This would be achieved by using the enormous gravity of Jupiter (or another outer planet) to perform a reverse slingshot, sending the asteroid back onto a trajectory for another Earth encounter.

This process would require millions of repeated, precisely timed maneuvers over hundreds of millions of years. While conceptually sound, the practical challenges are immense, demanding unparalleled precision, long-term political will, and technologies capable of controlling massive celestial bodies over geological timescales. If successful, however, it would be the ultimate act of planetary preservation, extending Earth's life far beyond its natural cosmic expiration date.

Also see:

Monday, October 06, 2025

Roman Numeral Conversion Tool

Roman numerals are an ancient numerical system that uses a combination of seven Latin letters (I, V, X, L, C, D, and M).

In stark contrast, the modern Western number system, which is a game-changing advancement brought to Europe by Arabic scholars around the 10th century CE, is a positional base-10 system utilizing a crucial zero placeholder.[1] [2] The classical Roman method is non-positional and relies heavily on additive aggregation (for example, VI=5+1=6).

To convert a Roman numeral to a standard number, we interpret its symbols from left to right: we either add the values or employ the more compact, modern subtractive notation (for example, IV instead of IIII for 4).

The classic Roman system peaks at 3,999, only reaching 3,999,999 through the use of the vinculum (an overline that acts as a ×1,000 multiplier). Try out the conversion tool linked below to translate your numbers between the different systems! 🧮

Roman Numeral Value Chart (Standard & Vinculum)
Roman Numeral Number Value
Base Numerals (1 - 1,000)
I1
V5
X10
L50
C100
D500
M1,000
Vinculum Numerals (x1,000)
1,000
5,000
10,000
50,000
100,000
500,000
1,000,000
Traditional (Subtractive) vs. Classical (Additive) Roman Numeral Notation
Value Subtractive (Traditional) Additive (Classical)
Base Numerals (1 - 1,000)
4 IV IIII
9 IX VIIII
40 XL XXXX
90 XC LXXXX
400 CD CCCC
900 CM DCCCC
Vinculum Numerals (x1,000)
4,000 I̅V̅ I̅I̅I̅I̅ or MMMM
9,000 I̅X̅ V̅MMMM
40,000 X̅L̅ X̅X̅X̅X̅
90,000 X̅C̅ L̅X̅X̅X̅X̅
400,000 C̅D̅ C̅C̅C̅C̅
900,000 C̅M̅ D̅C̅C̅C̅C̅
4,000,000 I̅V̅ [Nonstandard] M̅M̅M̅M̅


For information other ciphers and topics:

  • Pager Code Look Alike Cipher Tool: This is the full 26-letter system that uses visual tricks with numbers for every letter from the 1990's before texting. This cipher will translate messages into this OG secret messaging. [Try out this cipher tool on your own messages.]

  • Beeper Codes: Need a super-fast message? These are simple, standardized three-digit messages used as quick status updates (e.g., 143 for "I love you"). [View the Beeper Code Dictionary] 

  • The Spartan Secret: Encrypt Messages with the Scytale Cipher: Use one of the earliest codes to be employed in the World! [Scytale Cipher Tool]

Sunday, October 05, 2025

The Spartan Secret: Encrypt Messages with the Scytale Cipher

The Scytale Cipher is one of the oldest known methods of secret communication, originating in ancient Sparta around the 5th century B.C. It's a method where the letters of the message are rearranged rather than replaced. The core of the cipher is a rod (the scytale) of a specific diameter, around which the sender wraps a strip of parchment spirally. The sender then writes the message across the parchment's edge. When the strip is unwound, the letters are scrambled and appear meaningless. The recipient must possess a rod of the exact same diameter to wrap the strip and successfully read the secret message.

Ready to send your own secret message? Use the form below and choose a Key (rod diameter) to instantly encrypt your message! 🛡️✉️ Please note that this cipher tool is a simplified digital approximation of the Scytale Cipher, and may not produce results equal to those IRL. However, if you use a validated key, this tool should be able to decrypt what it encrypts.

Scytale Cipher Tool

Note: Numbers must be between 1 and 3999 to be converted to Roman numerals.

⚠️ Verification Tip: For large keys, please decrypt your resulting encrypted message to ensure the key is valid.

For information other ciphers and topics:
  • Pager Code Look Alike Cipher Tool: This is the full 26-letter system that uses visual tricks with numbers for every letter from the 1990's before texting. This cipher will translate messages into this OG secret messaging. [Try out this cipher tool on your own messages.]

  • Beeper Codes: Need a super-fast message? These are simple, standardized three-digit messages used as quick status updates (e.g., 143 for "I love you"). [View the Beeper Code Dictionary] 

  • Calculator Method: Possibly the original code for pagers, limited but still useful, and meant to be read upside down (e.g., 07734 for "hELLO") [See the Calculator Method]

Wednesday, October 01, 2025

Calculator Codes: Texting Before Text Messages Was A Thing

Black 1980's pager
Imagine a world where your cell phone couldn't send an SMS text message, or even before cell phones were commonplace. Between the late 1980's and early 2000's, the only way most people could contact someone immediately (when the phone be couldn't be picked up) was via a pager (or beeper). 

These devices didn't receive "texts" as we know them. They received short, one-way notifications called pages. The most common type was the numeric page, which meant you could only send messages made up of numbers, usually by typing them on a landline phone's keypad. This was before the term "landline phone" was used to differentiate between a cell phone and the phone attached to physical wire.

This limitation forced early users to get incredibly creative, inventing codes to communicate. The Calculator Code was one of the original and simplest solutions, a trick that turned those basic numbers into readable words.

What is the Calculator Method?

The trick relies on the physical display of early digital devices. Both pocket calculators and basic pagers used a segmented display where numbers are formed by showing specific bars of light or contrast. For example, the number 8 was formed by showing all seven segments (top horizontal, upper right vertical, upper left vertical, middle horizontal, lower left vertical and lower right vertical).

By entering certain numbers, the received page could be read by flipping the device upside down. Those number shapes visually resemble certain letters. This allowed users to send words like "HELLO" (07734) or a quick note like "BEE" (338).

Why This Method was Very Limited

Because the Calculator Method depended on the physical shape of the numbers as they appeared upside down, only a handful of letters could be clearly formed. If a number didn't have a clear upside-down equivalent, it couldn't be used.

Here are the only letters that were considered authentic and unambiguous within the Calculator Code set:

The Complete Calculator Code Key (The Nine Letters)

If a letter is not on this list, it was encoded using the true Calculator Method.

Number Letter How it looks (Flipped)
0 O, D Looks like O or D
1 I Looks like I
2 Z Looks like Z
3 E Looks like E
4 h Looks like h (lowercase)
5 S Looks like S
6 g Looks like g (lowercase)
7 L Looks like L
8 B Looks like B
9 G Looks like G
Note on Ambiguity: The letters B and G are often confused with the numbers 8 and 9 respectively, as the digital display varied between calculators.

Ready for Full Messages?

The Calculator Code is fun, but to send a full message that requires the entire alphabet (A-Z) on a pager, users had to switch to more advanced methods:

Get Messaging, Encode Your Own Messages Now!

Want to generate your own full message using the Look Alike method right now? [ → Use Our Live Pager Code Encoder Tool Here ← ]

Numeric Pager Code Encoder Tool (Look Alike Cipher)

Pager Code Encoder Utility

For more information on the history of Pager, Beeper and Calculator Codes:
  • Look Alike Cipher: This is the full 26-letter system that uses visual tricks with numbers for every letter. It became a dominant method for long, complex messages sent to pagers, called "pages" (1990's version of texting). [See the Full Pager Code Key]

  • Beeper Codes: Need a super-fast message? These are simple, standardized three-digit messages used as quick status updates (e.g., 143 for "I love you"). [View the Beeper Code Dictionary] 

  • Calculator Method: Possibly the original code for pagers, limited but still useful, and meant to be read upside down (e.g., 07734 for "hELLO") [See the Calculator Method]

Thursday, September 04, 2025

The Luddites Among Us!

Back in the late 1700's and early 1800's in England, there was this legend of a man named Ned Ludd. He became the folk hero of workers who were smashing textile machines because those machines supposedly threatened their jobs due to automation. These workers called themselves Luddites and saw their actions as a fight for survival, not just being grumpy about technology.

Being so far removed from those events now, the term Luddite still persists. However, its meaning morphed into a somewhat pejorative term that identifies someone who is opposed to new technology or ways of working.[1]

The word Luddite has been used to coin more terms, such as luddism, neo-luddite, neo-luddism and luddic (as in the gaming faction called Luddic Church). But, this is an interesting word that deserves a full backform, complete with adjectives, adverbs, verbs and more nouns! These will serve a new purpose in an era when AI is changing the world in a manner that is faster than many are ready. Sure, we have the term technophobia, but that's more about fear of technology rather than being opposed to it.  

As the Information Age ramps up with the new AI Boom, let's use these new terms to describe how we interact with technology (assuming we narrow the definition of Luddite to mean someone that is identified as a ludd). This list isn't in alphabetic order to encourage amused perusal.

  • ludd (noun) – a person, action or mindset that resists change resulting from technological progress. Backformation of Luddite. 
    • Example: "The office was full of ludds who avoided the new software."
  • ludd (verb) – to resist or sabotage change resulting from technological progress. Backformation of Luddite. 
    • Example: "He ludds every software update."
  • luddish (adj.; informal) – having qualities that are reminiscent of ludd, such as being passively resistant to change that results from progress of technology. Similar to word-forms such as reddish and childish. 
    • Example: "He gave a luddish groan when I suggested using AI for his project."
  • luddical (adj.; formal) – Exhibiting the characteristics of a ludd, such as actively resisting changes from technological progress. Resembles fanatical and heretical. 
    • Example: "The committee’s luddical stance slowed adoption of new tools."
  • luddicity (noun) – the quality of being ludd. Similar to word-forms such as electricity and historicity. 
    • Example: "Their luddicity is slowing down our adoption of AI."

  • luddbomb (verb) – to take away one's phone or other device, typically as a form of punishment.
    • Example: "I can't text you later because my parents luddbombed me for being out past curfew last night."
  • deludd (verb) – to remove resistance to use of technology or technological progress. Resembles demote and defund. 
    • Example: "We'll have to deludd our processes to allow for the use of AI in tasks.
  • luddophobic (noun) – one who is irrationally fearful of ludds, Luddites or of being a ludd. Similar to word-forms such as hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia and aibohphobia. 
    • Example: "He was accused of being luddophobic."
  • luddly (adv.) – In a manner that is characteristic of ludd; acting with resistance to changes resulting from technological progress. Resembles actively and warmly. 
    • Example: "She luddly ignored the update, preferring her old methods."
  • ludditely (adv.) – In a Luddite manner. Similar to word-forms such as heretically and ironically.
    • Example: "They ludditely jumped to conclusions about effectiveness of AI."

  • luddful (adj.) – Full of or characterized by luddical behavior or characteristics; actively inclined to oppose technological progress. Resembles prideful and masterful.
    • Example: "The luddful staffers are trying to rebel against our most recent process improvements."
  • inludd (verb) – to actively insert or introduce luddical resistance into a system, situation or process. Similar to word-forms such as inculcate and infuse.
    • Example: "They inludded the workflow by banning cloud-based tools."

  • luddify (verb) – to make something old-fashioned or resistant to technological progress. Resembling nullify and electrify.
    • Example: "My parents are trying to luddify our home after the recent wifi controversy." 
  • emludd (verb) – to immerse a system, environment or group with luddical behavior or characteristics. Similar to word-forms such as empower and embody.
    • Example: "The manager emludded the office by banning digital tools."
  • imludd (verb) – to become luddical or adopt luddicity. Resembles imbue and immolate.
    • Example: "She will imludd her use of new apps on her phone."
  • antiludd (noun) – a person, action or attitude that promotes or supports technological progress; opposes luddical behaviors or characteristics. Similar to word-forms such as antithesis and antifreeze. 
    • Example: "I will become the office's antiludd in order to force the use of new technology for much needed process improvement."

  • antiludd (verb) – to act in a way that counters luddical behaviors or characteristics; to promote modernization or technological adoption. Resembles antihack and antagonize. 
    • Example: "Have we been antiludding the office on pace with corporate requirements?"

  • ludd out (verb) – aggressively removing particular forms of technology from one's life or environment. Similar to word phrases such as deck out and all out.
    • Example, "He ludded out his home to avoid the government from reading his mind while he sleeps."
  • luddment (noun) – an instance, example or individual that embodies luddical behaviors or characteristics. Remembles achievement and settlement. 
    • Example: "The luddment within the department was a clear obstacle to adopting new tools."
  • luddology (noun) – the study or application of outdated or old-fashioned processes and technologies, often ironically or nostalgically. Similar word-form to technology and anthology.
    • Example: "The luddology used by the artist allows her to recreate the style of photographs from the late 1800's.
  • luddfart (noun) – A brief moment where one forgets how to use certain technology before remembering again. Resembles brainfart and codefart.
    • Example: "I got a luddfart trying to use this app."

Monday, March 31, 2025

Monkeydactyl: Pterosaur to Human?

Imagine a world where pterosaurs didn't just soar, but swung through trees like monkeys. A recent discovery in China suggests this might not be pure fantasy. A few years ago, paleontologists unearthed a remarkable pterosaur fossil: a creature with opposable thumbs.  This species, Kunpengopterus antipollicatus (nicknamed 'Monkeydactyl'), lived roughly 160 million years ago and represents a pivotal moment in pterosaur evolution.  It's important to clarify that while often mistaken for dinosaurs, pterosaurs were a distinct group of flying reptiles, closely related to, but separate from, the dinosaurs. 

Though Monkeydactyl retained a classic pterodactyl-like body, its unique thumb structure hints at a potential shift towards arboreal life, perhaps even capable of navigating the forest canopy and soar above it.

Kunpengopterus antipollicatus

The discovery of Kunpengopterus antipollicatus establishes it as the earliest known reptile, and indeed one of the earliest animals, to possess opposable thumbs. This unique adaptation, coupled with the fossil site's rich assemblage of 150 other arboreal species, strongly suggests that Monkeydactyl thrived in a densely forested environment.  It's fascinating to consider that this ancient habitat shares similarities with those inhabited by early Homo sapien ancestors.  

Given this context, it's not entirely unreasonable to speculate that descendants of Monkeydactyl might have undergone convergent evolution, developing traits analogous to modern monkeys and apes.  Some lineages could have become increasingly specialized for arboreal life, exhibiting monkey-like features. While other branches might have evolved distinct adaptations, perhaps even resembling the mythical griffin, if we allow our imagination to roam.  In such scenarios, the selective pressures of a forest environment could have led to the gradual reduction or even complete loss of wings in certain pterosaur lines.

Aptepterus liaoningensis Nemogryphus scandens

Assuming the monkey-like lineage thrived, it's plausible that subsequent generations would have experienced further evolutionary shifts, trending towards ape-like characteristics.  Imagine a creature with even more robust and muscular arms were perfectly adapted for swinging and manipulating objects within the dense forest canopy.  This evolutionary trajectory would have favored enhanced dexterity, intelligence, and social complexity, mirroring the path taken by our own primate ancestors.
Primaptepterus simius

Imagine, if the ancient forests had shifted and opened into vast grasslands, much like the cradle of humanity in Africa. What if a flying creature became a climber? What if it then stood tall, abandoning the trees? What if, instead of wings, it held tools with hands to shape its world? 

A different path, a different mind, born from the same relentless dance of life, yet utterly alien from our own experience. Perhaps, in some other twist of fate, the echo of our own story could have been a song sung by kin with elongated snouts and covered with pycnofibers. Evolution's canvas is far wider, wilder, and weirder with the slightest environmental change.
Gnathambulator pterectus

Let your imagination take flight. What other extraordinary forms might evolution have sculpted, given a different turn of the cosmic wheel?