Six degrees of separation

This is really cool.

Some folks in China have started an experiment whereby they enlist the help of interested parties to actively test this theory. For those of you not familiar, the theory, originally introduced in 1957, proposes that everyone on the planet can be interconnected by way of four intermediaries or less. The scientific studies supporting the theory were inconclusive, yet still there is strong evidence to suggest that there is something to the notion we are all indirectly connected.

I stumbled upon the site today, and decided to register to be part of the study. I had to enter some basic demographic information and create a username. Then I was given a target - an actual person in China - to try to reach via my own personal contacts.

My uncle lives in Hong Kong, and my target is in Shanghai. I sent him an email telling him what I was trying to do and asking him to either send a message directly to the target (if he knows who she is), or to email someone whom he feels may know who she is. I was given basic demographic information about her to aid in the search.

I am way excited to see how this works out. To garner interest, there is a contest set up complete with prizes for the person who reaches the target first. If you are interested in participating too, go here.

Let's see if it's really as small a world as we think it is!

B.G. ;)