Are openly gay generals the new signifiers of The Future?
The presence of a black US president in a summer blockbuster used to mean that the film occurred in The Future. But in 2010, we need a new signifier. I think I know the one: the openly gay general. With the recent repeal-that-wasn’t of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the gay military commander has replaced a…
On the art of drinking ice cores
What’s the epitome of beverage decadence? Drinking the ice cores from pristine ancient ice. These cores can have a vintage of 100,000 years, and if you’re a glacial scientist, you may be lucky enough to chug one. Edible Geography has a fun interview up with glacial scientist Paul Mayewski, director of the Climate Change Institute…
Body Organs Can Send Status Updates To Your Cellphone
Currently, if a cardiac patient’s heart rate gets too high the implanted defibrillator in their chest gives them a friendly remedial shock to avoid a heart attack. But that could soon change—by giving hearts their very own IP addresses. Dutch research organisation IMEC, based in Eindhoven, this week demonstrated a new type of wireless body…
