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New currency for space travellers

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posted on Oct, 5 2007 @ 05:00 PM
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news.bbc.co.uk...

Scientists have come up with a new currency designed to be used by inter-planetary travellers.
It is called the Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination, or Quid.

It is designed to withstand the stresses of space travel and has no sharp edges or chemicals that could hurt space tourists.

It was designed for the foreign exchange company Travelex by scientists from the National Space Centre and the University of Leicester.

"None of the existing payment systems we use on earth - like cash, credit or debit cards - could be used in space," said Professor George Fraser from the University of Leicester.

"Anything with sharp edges, like coins, would be a risk to astronauts while the chips and magnetic strips used in our cards on Earth would be damaged beyond repair by cosmic radiation," he added.

Using any sort of technology that involved sending and receiving information from Earth would also be impractical because of the distances involved.

Quids are made of the polymer best-known for its use in non-stick pans.

The Quid "coins" have moulded edges so that they will not damage anything if they accidentally float free in zero gravity.

National Space Centre scientists predict that regular trips into space will be commonplace in the next five years and that tourist facilities on the Moon are a distinct possibility by 2050.

Professor Fraser told BBC News: "With an inflatable space hotel, from Bigelow Aerospace, under development in the US, and Virgin Galactic developing SpaceShipTwo, there will be better access to space than there has been.

"In the fullness of time we will have to adopt a universal currency if we are going to carry out serious commerce in space. It's an interesting initiative."

Travelex said: "It's only a matter of time before people will be walking up to our shops and asking for Quids for their two weeks in a space hotel."

It is currently quoting the currency at £6.25 to the Quid.

Interesting...



posted on Oct, 5 2007 @ 05:06 PM
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Great thread!

I was wondering, I didnt see it anywhere in the article, what will back the QUID?

-Gold?
-Silver?
-Oil?
-Space dust?

Because if it is already £6.25 to the Quid then something has to support its value correct?

Just little old me wondering.

Onward and upward!

Dorian Soran



posted on Oct, 5 2007 @ 06:49 PM
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Originally posted by Dorian Soran
Great thread!

I was wondering, I didnt see it anywhere in the article, what will back the QUID?



The same as the dollar today? The money itself.
Value is determined by the amount of currency currently in use...



posted on Oct, 5 2007 @ 07:00 PM
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Idiots. I dont know how people can call them scientists.

Its as good as Monopoly money. A make believe piece of crap.

What a waste of time.



posted on Oct, 5 2007 @ 07:01 PM
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Money is not backed up by anything. It is a misconception that there is a large mass of gold that gives the money you use actual value, as the U.S. left the Gold Standard in 1971, and most other countries followed suite.
The only thing that stops money being worthless is you believing that it is worth something.



posted on Oct, 6 2007 @ 12:40 PM
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These quids seem too big to logically carry around with you, they need to be a bit flatter, smaller.




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