If you created every possible DVD, would there really be a version of Star Wars starring me? And every other crazy movie I can think of?

Yes, you are correct. There is a prescribed size and format of DVDs (they need to be able to play on DVD players) and these restrictions stop you from creating a hypothetical, infinitely-sized DVD. Thus, all DVDs can only, by definition, contain a finite amount of information. The number of combinations of bits in a DVD is extraordinarily large.

If you had an 8 GB DVD, this DVD can encode 68,719,476,736 bits of information (where each bit is either 0 or 1). The total number of combinations of 68,719,476,736 bits that you can have is [math]2^{68719476736}[/math]; therefore, there are a total of [math]2^{68719476736}[/math] unique 8 GB DVDs that you can make. This is a tremendously huge number that has 20,686,623,784 decimal digits in it. Note that the liberal estimate of the number of atoms in the observable universe is [math]10^{82}[/math], which has 82 decimal digits in it.

And so, the number of possible 8 GB DVDs that you can make far, far, far exceeds the total number of atoms in the observable universe. In fact, the number of times more 8 GB DVDs than atoms in the observable universe has a shocking 20,686,623,702 decimal digits. And so, the number of times more 8 GB DVDs than atoms in the observable universe far, far, far exceeds the total number of atoms in the observable universe! That is a mind-blowing amount of DVDs!

Good luck making this many DVDs... You don't have enough atoms to do it! Also, you won't even be able to come close to watching all these DVDs as the existence of the universe will surely end before you can finish (given that you can live until the end of the universe).

Thus, there are also versions of Star Wars, starring you, in which you have a giant afro. There are versions in which Darth Vader is named "Kim Jong-Il." Heak, there is even a version where Darth Vader IS Kim Jong-Il! There are also movies which look like homemade camcorder videos, filmed and dubbed over by Mitt Romney, of Barack Obama at a hospital in Antarctica, holding his newly born son, Benjamin Button, who is just like Benjamin Button in the movie but with the face of... That's right, Kim Jong-Il... And you're the doctor! (Okay, I'll stop now.) It's pretty amazing, isn't it?

And remember, this is only including 8 GB DVDs! DVDs come in many other capacities as well!

And yet, keep in mind, we are still discussing a FINITE amount of things. It makes you wonder about the extraordinary concept of infinity; it certainly makes sense why people throughout the ages have often found themselves in fearful awe of the concept of eternity.

If you enjoy pondering this type of stuff (like I do!), you should also check out the similar question here: If you created every possible audio CD, how much space would they take up?

Read other related questions on Quora:

• If you created every possible audio CD, how much space would they take up?
• What do you think, Is this really possible?
• Which theaters display DVD movies without stars?

Read more answers on Quora.

from Quora http://ift.tt/2e9BBcC