Futurism

Crazy Ideas that Made the Leap from Scifi to Reality

We may never have our flying cars, but there are some things that science fiction has predicted accurately. Here are some futuristic technologies that started as fiction and are now part of the real world. Tablets Arthur C. Clarke’s NewsPad, from the 2001: Space Odyssey, 1968: E-book readers Opton from Return from the Stars, by…

io9 Vincze Miklós

Is it realistic to think that the future will be like Star Trek?

In the Star Trek universe, humans no longer make war on each other and don’t use money. Poverty has been eradicated and so have sexism, racism, and various other -isms. Science fiction often predicts the future accurately, but do you think humanity could ever really achieve that level of enlightenment? Starfleet’s most impressive ship, the…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Here’s what Elon Musk’s secret project might actually look like

For months, space entrepreneur Elon Musk has been teasing fans with hints about his next big project, a “hyperloop” super train that would get people from San Francisco to Los Angeles in 30 minutes. Now, Musk says that this schematic is the “closest” anyone has gotten to guessing how the hyperloop would work. Via his…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Everything you need to know about AI in a 9-minute video

PBS Digital Studios has put together a fascinating video about the rise of AI that’s packed with provocative insights. We’ve addressed many of the issues discussed in this clip, including whole brain emulations and rule-based AI, the ethics of digital minds, and the prospect of an AI catastrophe. The video also addresses the potential benefits…

io9 George Dvorsky

How Artificial Chromosomes Could Transform Humanity

Normally, an extra pair of chromosomes would be considered dangerous. But what if we could design our own? According to biologists, we could create custom-built chromosomes to fix a variety of health problems, and even give us new abilities. Here’s how a 24th pair of chromosomes could change our biologies forever. To learn more about…

io9 George Dvorsky

Meet the Pentagon’s latest robotic abomination: ATLAS

No, it’s not a souped-up version of Robby the Robot — it’s ATLAS, DARPA’s latest attempt at creating a humanoid robot. Unlike the super-realistic Petman, which was designed to test chemical protection clothing, this 330-pound monster is meant to assist in emergency situations. Riiiight… We’ve seen a proto-version of ATLAS before, but this updated unit…

io9 George Dvorsky

The Inspector Gadget Tech That Ended Up Becoming Real

Back when many of us were still kids and many more had yet to even be twinkles in our mothers’ uteri, Inspector Gadget was the apotheosis of all of technology’s promises—many of which, it turns out, came true. Vanity Fair has a wonderful little collection of those gadgets of the inspector’s that were particularly prescient.…

Tech News Ashley Feinberg

The inventor of Google Glass is designing a wearable computer for dogs

The device will reportedly enable dogs to send commands to a human. The potential applications – from disability assistance to bomb-detection to search and rescue – are manifold. Photo by Adil Dellawalla Over at Tech Review, Rachel Metz explains how wearable tech could play a huge role in animal uplift: At the Georgia Institute of…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

Sophisticated chatbot poses as teenage girl to lure pedophiles

Spanish researchers have developed an advanced — and extremely convincing — chatbot that poses as a 14-year-old girl. Called Negobot, the system will help authorities detect sexual predators in chatrooms and social networks. To sniff out pedophilic behavior, the “conversational agent” utilizes natural language processing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and even game theory — a…

io9 George Dvorsky

Is human super-intelligence a bad idea?

Advocates of human enhancement often say that we ought to increase our intelligence as a species. But the consequences of actually doing this have never fully been explored. An excessive amount of intelligence might actually prove to be a bad thing — and a distraction from what really matters. Top image: The supremely intelligent Ozymandias…

io9 George Dvorsky

How will biotechnology change human evolution?

A somewhat tongue-in-cheek article in The Guardian is proposing some rather interesting predictions for the future of humanity — changes to human form and function that would even make some of the X-Men jealous. To make his predictions, Dean Burnett worked under the assumption that biotechnology will be used to address ongoing selectional pressures. “Evolution…

io9 George Dvorsky

Could open-source GMOs bring down Monsanto at last?

Frederick Kaufman has penned a provocative article for Slate’s Future Tense column in which he makes the case for open-source genetically modified foods. “It will help fight climate change,” he says, “and stick one in Monsanto’s eye.” What’s more, it’s an approach that still favors scientific advancement. Kaufman says that GMOs have increased agriculture’s dependance…

io9 George Dvorsky

Is this the first arrest ever recorded by Google Glass?

On July 4, a fight broke out on the Jersey Shore boardwalk. Documentary filmmaker Chris Barrett happend to be wearing his Glass at the time — and what he recorded may go down as the first arrest ever caught with the device. It’s not the most spectacular video we’ve ever seen, but it’s likely the…

io9 George Dvorsky

10 mindblowingly futuristic technologies that will appear by the 2030s

Two decades is not a lot in the grand scheme of things, but owing to accelerating change we can expect to see the emergence of some fairly disruptive technological innovations in the coming years. Here are 10 mindblowingly futuristic technologies that should appear by the 2030s. As a futurist, it’s my job to make predictions.…

io9 George Dvorsky

We can’t stop watching this documentary about glass making

This is Glas, a 1959 Oscar-winning short subject documentary by Bert Haanstra about glass making, and it is the most mesmerizing thing you’ll see today. The film is notable for a number of reasons, but what caught my attention was how effectively it contrasts the meticulous, method-based craftsmanship of the glassblowers with the automated processes…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

In the future, our food will come alive and interact with us

Food is so boring. It just sits there, waiting to be eaten. But what if it could writhe around and interact with us, prior to being devoured? This is the dream of bio-artist Minsu Kim, who envisions the day when our food comes alive. The food in the above video is not real, but it’s…

io9 George Dvorsky

This Is What It Feels Like to Pass Through A Singularity

The government has an automated system to track your movements and monitor who your friends are. Our news comes from remote-controlled “drone reporters.” There’s a device in your pocket that can produce a sex partner for you at the touch of a button. Maybe the singularity just happened, and we didn’t notice. https://gizmodo.com/edward-snowden-the-nsa-whistleblower-explains-why-he-512212147 Perhaps the…

io9 Annalee Newitz

PayPal teams up with SETI to launch PayPal Galactic (a Space Bank)

You guys. You guys, it’s happening. PayPal and members of the SETI Institute (like Jill Tarter) have teamed up to bring the world/solar neighborhood PayPal Galactic. Which is basically just like PayPal, only it’s for space-payments. https://gizmodo.com/it-looks-like-paypal-is-making-a-move-to-be-the-first-b-514001258 https://gizmodo.com/jill-tarter-inspiration-for-the-movie-contact-tells-u-5932368 PayPal president David Marcus had this to say, in a statement: As space tourism programs are opening…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

U.S. feds make their first-ever Bitcoin seizure

It may be the currency of the future, but it now appears that Bitcoin is not immune to the U.S. government’s prying eyes and hands — especially when it’s being used to fuel black market activities. A few days ago, the federal Drug Enforcement Agency announced that it had seized 11.02 bitcons (~USD$814.22) from South…

io9 George Dvorsky

Proposed ‘deflector shield’ could protect astronauts from radiation

As if Star Trek didn’t already provide enough futuristic inspiration, scientists from the UK are working on an actual deflector shield that could protect astronauts from dangerous levels of radiation. And it would work in a way that’s very similar to how we’re protected right here on Earth. https://gizmodo.com/how-nasa-might-build-its-very-first-warp-drive-5963263 https://gizmodo.com/nasa-shows-off-a-prototype-of-its-new-xenon-ion-engine-510277963 It’s well known that a…

io9 George Dvorsky

Crazy Ideas that Made the Leap from Scifi to Reality

Is it realistic to think that the future will be like Star Trek?

Here’s what Elon Musk’s secret project might actually look like

Everything you need to know about AI in a 9-minute video

How Artificial Chromosomes Could Transform Humanity

Meet the Pentagon’s latest robotic abomination: ATLAS

The Inspector Gadget Tech That Ended Up Becoming Real

The inventor of Google Glass is designing a wearable computer for dogs

Sophisticated chatbot poses as teenage girl to lure pedophiles

Is human super-intelligence a bad idea?

How will biotechnology change human evolution?

Could open-source GMOs bring down Monsanto at last?

Is this the first arrest ever recorded by Google Glass?

10 mindblowingly futuristic technologies that will appear by the 2030s

We can’t stop watching this documentary about glass making

In the future, our food will come alive and interact with us

This Is What It Feels Like to Pass Through A Singularity

PayPal teams up with SETI to launch PayPal Galactic (a Space Bank)

U.S. feds make their first-ever Bitcoin seizure

Proposed ‘deflector shield’ could protect astronauts from radiation

Elon Musk’s Lawyer Claims Jury’s 420 ‘Joke’ Proves He Didn’t Receive a Fair Trial

‘Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice’ Is a Genre Blending Delight

Leaked Anthropic Model Presents ‘Unprecedented Cybersecurity Risks,’ Much to Pentagon’s Pleasure

Don’t miss out: Bitdefender, One of the World’s Best Antiviruses, Is Now on Sale

The Secret to Better Sperm? It’s Probably Already on Your Schedule

Lego Is Leaning Into Your Marvel Memories With a New Helicarrier Set

Toshiba’s 65-inch Smart Fire TV Now Matches 43-Inch Pricing After 44% Drop on Amazon

Kash Patel’s Email Account Hacked, Iran-Linked Group Takes Credit

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets

Let us help find what you are looking for...