Imagine you could build the city of the future, from scratch, right now. What would it look like? What would it do? It’s not a hypothetical question. According to this Salon article, software developer Plan IT intends to do exactly that: “Plan IT Valley” will be a new city located in northern Portugal, and is …
Just came across this bizarre story on Nextnature.net: Tired of spending time, money and energy on preparing meals, [Rob Rhinehart] decided to find a new way to survive without actual food. He created a unique mixture called “Soylent”, which contains nothing but the elements the body needs: iron, vitamins, fat, calcium and dozens of other …
Welcome to Cosmic Revolutions’ Topic Guides, where we wrap up a series of articles on a common theme. This week, let’s look at one of the biggest tags at Cosmic Revolutions: Sustainability. Sustainability is all about whether we humans survive as a civilization, and how well. Earth’s resources are finite, meaning the our growth potential …
The best way to solve the world’s hunger problem is a hotly debated topic. In the next few paragraphs, I’ll take a look at one fairly conventional idea, and explore another proposal that’s a bit more out of the box. But in the end, I’d like to poke at some of the assumptions underlying both …
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 …
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 …
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. – Arthur C. Clarke In last week’s post, we looked at the emerging technologies that allow a direct interface between your brain and a computer (or machine) – a BCI. Check out last week’s links if you’re interested in the “how.” Intracranial wiretaps, hands-free driving and monkey-robot …
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 …
Those of you who follow my writing here at Cosmic Revolutions know I don’t take breaks very often. Since I started my weekly Wednesday schedule for posting columns, I haven’t missed a single one (although I do occasionally go for the low hanging fruit when I’m crunched for time). As much as I hate to … Continue reading
The last time I wrote about Google’s Project Glass, I called it inspiring but probably more hype than commercial product. Well, the awesome-in-concept augmented reality glasses might be coming to a store near you sooner than I guessed. At least, if we can trust this first-hand account from a writer at the Gothamist (h/t Greg … Continue reading
America’s colors are changing – and I don’t mean the flag. As I mentioned on Monday, the Census Bureau found that over half of the babies born in 2011 were members of ethnic or racial minorities. Those babies are the future population of the United States, and it’s going to be an increasingly black, brown … Continue reading
Today we honor one of the greatest human rights heroes of our time, someone whose life work is testament to the mountain-moving power of nonviolence. I could go on all day about his legacy, but since this is a future-focused blog, let’s look forwards: what’s the relevance of Dr. King’s work in the United States … Continue reading
(That’s Pinoccio without the “h”, for reasons that remain unclear. The reference to the little wooden boy does appear to be intentional, perhaps because it helps your otherwise inanimate objects acquire a life of their own). Anyway, never mind what it’s called. Just what is this wonky little circuit board we’re looking at? It’s a … Continue reading
Have you ever had your power knocked out by a storm? If so, you know that with no electricity, your lifestyle regresses about 100 years into the past. And if you were out of gas, too, you’d be really stuck. So I’m not exaggerating when I say that cheap and plentiful power is the lifeblood … Continue reading
When’s the last time you made a call by dropping a coin into a public phone? I know I haven’t done it since I was a teenager. And with the cell-phone era in full swing, there’s probably an entire generation of people now who don’t even know what a payphone is. But the phone booth … Continue reading
Picking January 1st to do all the stuff you’ve been putting off for the past year is an enduring tradition, but the actual resolutions change over time. In the early 21st century, losing weight and saving money were the most popular choices. But now that the future is here, there are some new ones in … Continue reading
It’s not exactly breaking news that freight trains produce enormous vibrations. But until now, it’s never occurred to me that it might be possible to capture that vibrational energy and convert it to electricity. From NBC News’ FutureTech, engineering professor Lei Zuo has invented a device to do just that. It attaches to the tracks … Continue reading
Ah, Christmas lists: the classic childhood tradition of filling a page with all the cool toys you don’t have, then mailing it off to a rotund stranger in a distant land. Well, wishlists aren’t just for kids – here’s one that will satisfy future enthusiasts of any age. Send it to your clueless aunt who … Continue reading
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