This may come as a surprise, but the future of transportation has been around for two centuries already. Of course, back when ol’ Baron Karl first put two wheels together and rode them around 1817 Mannheim, he just thought he’d made a kind of a re-usable horse. He certainly had no idea his invention would … Continue reading
There’s something fun about pondering the end of the world, as many movie fans can attest. The end of a single life might well be a tragedy, but the end of all human civilization is so epic that it’s hard not to be awed. And unless you think humans will be around forever (which I’m … Continue reading
It may look like pond scum to you, but one day, the plant-like organism known as algae could rule the world. How can such an immobile, simple-bodied eukaryote pull this off? For one, many of these little guys are photosynthetic. “Big deal,” you say. “Every plant on earth can claim the same thing, from the … Continue reading
What’s the future of human civilization? Cosmic Revolutions has looked at a lot of big questions, but this one’s as big as they come. Indeed, everything I’ve posted so far has tried to fill in a piece of the answer. But today, I want to step back, way back, and try to catch a glimpse … Continue reading
What’s the most complicated thing you’ve ever folded? Paper airplane? Road map, perhaps? I’ve folded my fair share of origami cranes in my day. Then there’s this guy, whose ornate paper dragons and hermit crabs beggar belief. But here’s something on a whole other level: a fully-functional, self-folding, flying robot inspired by pop-up books. Harvard’s … Continue reading
Last week, I mentioned some research that has the potential to turn any window into a solar panel. It turns out that’s just a side benefit – the original aim of the research is actually even more innovative, in its own way. The technology features thin, transparent layers of material that absorb infrared light (heat) … Continue reading
Three times a week, I go to the gym on my way home from work. And three times a week, I ask myself the same question: isn’t this a waste? I don’t mean the exercise. A longer lifespan, plus reduced risk of Alzheimer‘s and cancer, is all the justification I need. No, I’m talking about … Continue reading
Oil is a finite and non-renewable resource. This is not a political position, nor a scientific theory, but a straightforward fact. “Peak Oil” is the time at which worldwide extraction begins to slow. Wells won’t run dry overnight, but beyond peak oil, dwindling supply will make oil ever more difficult and expensive to produce. The … Continue reading
In the last couple of years, our planet’s human inhabitants have crossed two major thresholds, one of which indicates major problems ahead, and the other of which offers a glimmer of hope. We’ll get back to the hopeful bit in a minute, but let’s begin with the problem, which you’ve probably seen in the news … Continue reading
Since my day job is at a non-profit with tight budgets, it’s not often it introduces me to new technology. But thanks to a mid-October workshop hosted by our international department, I had the chance to get hands-on experience with a remarkable innovation: it’s a deceptively simple device, yet it has the potential to lift … Continue reading
Cosmic Revolutions 