Futurism

There are only four types of homes in science fiction

And a great article in the Financial Times breaks them down for you. There’s the “futuristic” home where everything is white and automatic, there’s the “retro” home, that looks Victorian or art deco, there’s the “dystopian” ruins. And finally, there’s the “modernist” home, which is someone’s actual house that they filmed in. The FT article…

What Makes You Optimistic About the Future?

Some days, the future can seem like a dark place, likely full of despair, excessive pollution, and killer robots. But, not today. Today, we want to know what it is that makes you optimistic about the future. Maybe it’s the connectivity and power of the internet that’s letting us have this conversation right now. Maybe…

In some countries, there is euthanasia for “psychological suffering”

In Belgium, euthanasia is legal, which means the state will assist people who wish to commit suicide. Most cases involve people who are dying, and want to avoid unnecessary physical pain. But a growing number are for people who are in mental pain, and want to end it all. The most recent case came earlier…

Blue Screen of Insomnia. Designers Chris Noessel and Nathan Shedroff analyzed screen colors in tons of science fiction movies, and concluded that future computer screens would be tinted blue. Which is bad news, since our eyes are hypersensitive to blue light, and it keeps us from sleeping.

Tomorrow’s wind turbines could look like enormous owl wings

Engineers often take inspiration from animal designs because they’re more efficient than machines are. In the case of owl wings, nature has a major advantage over human engineering: owl wings are uncannily quiet. Now, researchers are considering outfitting wind turbines with an upscaled equivalent – if they can figure out how to do it. https://gizmodo.com/darpa-just-obliterated-the-landspeed-record-for-the-fas-5941367…

Yes, One Person Could Actually Destroy the World

Apocalyptic weapons are currently the domain of world powers. But this is set to change. Within a few decades, small groups — and even single individuals — will be able to get their hands on any number of extinction-inducing technologies. As shocking as it sounds, the world could be destroyed by a small team or…

A map of what the state boundaries in the U.S. might have been

In the nineteenth century, a geologist named John Wesley Powell suggested that the United States should draw state lines based on watersheds. It would prevent conflicts over water, and make agricultural projects more successful. Now, a land use planner has created a map that matches Powell’s vision. It’s a different world. This is a great…

​Peter Singer and David Brin to speak at animal personhood conference

The final list of speakers has been announced for Personhood Beyond the Human, a conference devoted to the issue of granting human-like legal protections to a select group of highly sapient nonhuman animals. The idea that some animals should be designated legal persons — and not just property — is starting to gain some serious…

​What is the Biggest Mistake We’re Making in Planning for the Future?

Mistakes, we all make them. But today, we want to know which mistake we are making right now that future generations will most judge us for. Will it be the lack of a kill-switch embedded in our robo-tech that future generations regret? Or perhaps they’ll wish we’d pushed further with our space program? Or maybe…

Watch how a paralyzed man can use a quadrotor drone to fly

It’s all drones all week at TED, with experts asking if these things will save us or destroy us. But as shown in this remarkable talk delivered teleremotely by quadriplegic Henry Evens, they have the potential to expand the worlds of bedridden people by giving them the sense of flight. Henry Evans became a mute…

This is the tiniest storage device ever built

Theoretically speaking, a single atom could be made to represent one computer bit — a technological prospect that could lead to unimaginably small storage devices. But getting atoms to behave in the desired way is easier said than done. Until now. Above: A scanning tunneling microscope showing single holmium atoms on a platinum surface. It’s…

James Woods explains why robots should eventually get to vote

Starting tonight, the Science Channel will air a six-part series called Futurescape, a slick documentary-style show hosted by James Woods about the world of tomorrow. We recently caught up with the oscar-nominated actor to learn more. One of the more interesting aspects of Futurescape is that, in addition to heralding the technologies of the future,…

These Skytwisters Are the 21st Century’s Answer to the Skyscraper

We live in the age of the twisty, twirly, spun-up skyscraper. From the pages of conceptual architectural journals, to the streets of many cities, these eye-boggling wonders look like some of the most futuristic buildings in the world. Here is a gallery of the most insane sky-twisters. Absolute Towers by MAD Architects in Mississauga, Ontario,…

Get ready for a baby boom in China

Today, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that the government would ease back on its “one child” policy, and also begin closing labor reeducation camps. This could transform Chinese society, and lead to some major population growth. Writes Chris Buckley in the New York Times: For decades, most urban couples have been restricted to having one…

J.J. Abrams’ Pet Peeve: When Futuristic Stories Use Present-Day Jargon

Sunday sees the first episode of Almost Human, the android-cyborg buddy cop show from some of the peeps behind Fringe. Co-creator J.J. Abrams has been doing interviews to promote the show, and he brought up the biggest thing that annoys him in future-set stories: anachronistically present-day references. Talking to Time, Abrams says: I don’t often…

Scientists Use a Mutated Virus to Build a Better Battery

By unleashing a genetically modified virus onto microscopic electrode wires, researchers from MIT have shown that the performance of lithium-air batteries can be significantly improved — a remarkable breakthrough that could revolutionize the way our electric devices are powered. Indeed, lithium-air batteries have generated considerable buzz over the years because of the way they can…

Synthetic animals will save the planet

A recent project by designer Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg proposes that bioengineered creatures be released into the wild to save endangered species and clean up pollution. And she’s already designed four organisms to do it, including soil-scouring slugs and seed-dispersing porcupines. All images: Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg. Synthetic biology is not a new concept. Craig Venter proposed…

How Self-Replicating Spacecraft Could Take Over the Galaxy

Forget about generation ships, suspended animation, or the sudden appearance of a worm hole. The most likely way for aliens to visit us — whatever their motive — is by sending robotic probes. Here’s how swarms of self-replicating spacecraft could someday rule the galaxy. Top image by Alejandro Burdisio via Concept Ships. Back in late…

Your friends on Facebook may already be robots

Why bother writing anything on Facebook when you can just outsource your personal comments to a bot? That’s the idea behind a new app that reads your past Facebook updates and automatically generates new ones for you. Writes Will Oremus over at Slate: Just go to a fun little hacked-together website called What Would I…

How We’ll Swear in the Future

Every culture has its swear words, nasty and highly offensive terms that pack a powerful punch when we’re not in polite company. But many of our swear words have diminished in potency over time, a sure sign of their ever-changing nature. Here’s how you can expect to be swearing in the future. Alright people, seeing…