Three-dimensional printing is getting more flexible and powerful every day. You might have seen the 3D printed guitar, or the 3D printed race car (yes, they actually work). But how about a 3D printed gun? If pro-gun advocacy group Defense Distribution has anything to say about it, you’ll one day be able to create guns … Continue reading
Quick! What do robots, bicycles, art, and the Boston community have in common? If you said “they all need to be made by someone,” you’re right. So wouldn’t it be fun if we could make all those things in one place, together? Well, a startup venture called the Artisan’s Asylum, just a few blocks from … Continue reading
I can’t be sure this is really the future of mashed potatoes, but the pessimist in me is worried: That’s right, the time-honored Thanksgiving classic can now be dispensed with the same method (and consistency) as a 7-11 slurpee, complete with gravy. Looks delicious! There’s not much more I can say about this, except to … Continue reading
The systematic, scientific study of the future is impossible. Wait, what? Really? Well, speaking as someone who has deeply internalized the values of science, and who also loves to study the future, the thought certainly leaves me uncomfortable. And yet I’m pretty sure that’s an ironclad statement. I’m not quite about to throw in the … Continue reading
It’s no secret that the internet has given us new ways to communicate. But if you think the information revolution has come and gone, I’ve got news for you: it’s just getting started, and we’re already seeing a dramatic transformation in the way we learn about the world. It’s also causing a shift in some … Continue reading
Last week, we looked at some reasons why even the most rational individual might feel a touch of dread at the thought of a car that drives itself. This week, let’s zoom out a bit, and imagine a future society where driverless cars are the norm. I think this is a very plausible scenario, but … Continue reading
I came across a very intriguing post on NPR’s 13.7 blog this week, suggesting that the internet has made us all immortal – sort of. In the post, physicist Marcelo Gleiser describes how he searched the internet for his stepmother after she passed away. He found a lot, including photos of her, activities she liked, … Continue reading
