Futurism

Quadcopters now have eagle-like talons to snatch prey — er, objects

Now that BigDog can throw concrete slabs like it’s nobody’s business, it would be a mistake to assume that the humble quadrotor isn’t going through a similar evolution in form and function. Watch as this avian-inspired micro UAV uses its talons to snatch objects like an eagle. To get the quadrotor to do this, engineers…

io9 George Dvorsky

Is China selectively breeding a new generation of genius babies?

There’s a provocative and somewhat disturbing article over at Vice about China’s recent foray into genetics and the country’s unabashed attempt to boost the collective IQ of its citizens. In it, Aleks Eror interviews NYU evolutionary psychologist Geoffrey Miller, who donated DNA to help a Chinese biotech firm identify the genetic markers for intelligence. According…

io9 George Dvorsky

Introducing the 2035 ZAIRE all-terrain concept car

No, this isn’t Batman out on safari. It’s the 2035 ZAIRE concept car, an advanced all-terrain vehicle designed for National Geographic’s photography team. Assuming this badboy actually gets developed, it’ll help the photographers traverse the often challenging and unpredictable African terrain. All images via Yanko Design. Designed by Dong Man Joo. The car can seat…

io9 George Dvorsky

What futurists in 1988 imagined Los Angeles would be like in 2013

With the year 2013 a quarter of a century away, the Los Angeles Times in 1988 asked 30 futurists and other experts what they thought life in their city would look like in 2013. They may have overshot the sophistication of our robots, but many of those predictions for 2013 have come true—or at least…

io9 Lauren Davis

How Much Longer Until Humanity Becomes A Hive Mind?

Last month, researchers created an electronic link between the brains of two rats separated by thousands of miles. This was just another reminder that technology will one day make us telepaths. But how far will this transformation go? And how long will it take before humans evolve into a fully-fledged hive mind? We spoke to…

io9 George Dvorsky

No, you will never have skyscrapers with trees on them

When we imagine the future of environmentally sustainable cities, it’s common to depict them as forests of skyscrapers with, well, forests on them. But environmental writer Tim De Chant says that architects and futurists need to get real. Skyscrapers will never support trees. Here’s why. Though green roofs are not a pipe dream, the problem…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Google Glass Ushers in the Next Wave of Cybernetic Hate Crimes

Last week, a cafe in Seattle banned the use of Google Glass, a reflection of the growing concern about the ways this cutting-edge technology might be abused. But the critics are ignoring the technology’s potential to make our lives safer and more democratic. Worse, by stigmatizing its use, the Glass-haters are spawning an entirely new…

io9 George Dvorsky

Is de-extinction possible? Find out right now.

De-extinction is the act of bringing an entire species back from the grave. It’s the real-life version of Jurassic Park. And tomorrow, National Geographic and the Long Now Foundation are sponsoring a special TEDxDeExtinction event, where scientists and researchers are discussing whether we’ll ever bring back mastodons and even Neandertals. Tune into the live feed…

io9 Annalee Newitz

This is what farms will look like in the future

As the world’s human population grows, we’re reducing the amount of agricultural areas and forests. That’s why some architects are working on concepts for sustainable skyscrapers and vertical agricultural buildings. Here are some of the most interesting plans for the merging of the city and the farm. The Dragonfly for New York City (Vincent Callebaut,…

io9 Vincze Miklós

This microchip healed itself after being blasted by lasers

Our technologies are becoming more biological with each passing year. And here’s the latest breakthrough: Caltech engineers have developed an integrated computer chip that can learn to heal its own injuries. Typically, microchips feature pathways so specialized that a single fault can render the entire thing inoperative. So, in an effort to overcome this lack…

io9 George Dvorsky

Instant floating cities for flooded neighborhoods

Off the coast of Lagos, Nigeria’s biggest city, there is a slum called Makoko that suffers from occasional flooding. Now this neglected area could go from shantytown to a city of the future. Residents are starting to build on the water. According to Architectizer: The usual approach to building in a flood zone is to…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Should we put criminals under surveillance instead of in prison?

We’ve reached a point in our technological development where it might be possible to imprison people without jails — just by using surveillance technology. And that’s exactly what a group of researchers at DeLoitte hope to do. Over at Popular Mechanics, Eric Sofge has a fascinating article about a proposal that risk management corporation DeLoitte…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Earthrise in Luna City

Sunlight caught in the geoengineered haze over Luna City as Earth hung over the horizon. On the Moon, you got used to gray sands punctuated by the red glow of LEDs. They were the colors of home. The Earth might have been a pretty jewel in the sky, but the idea of living inside that…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Watch a day in the life of a terraformed Mars

No, this isn’t Earth or an artistic rendering of some far away exoplanet. It’s Mars — but a hypothetical version of the Red Planet after it’s undergone a rather radical facelift. The video was put together by software engineer Kevin Gill who simply wanted to know what a terraformed Mars might look like (and to…

io9 George Dvorsky

Robots can now collaborate over their very own Internet

One of the more serious limitations facing the robotics industry today is that each bot it produces is an island unto itself. Worse, robots’ primitive AI doesn’t allow for intuitive thinking or problem solving — what’s known as artificial general intelligence. Looking to overcome this problem, researchers from several different European universities have developed a…

io9 George Dvorsky

How We’ll Live in a Future Where Cities Have Become Forests

Tomorrow’s cities may be constructed partly out of living materials that produce energy without destroying the environment. But what will transportation look like in a world where you can’t tell the difference between cities and forests? We get some hints in these gorgeous images of freeways built over forests in today’s world. Imagine that these…

io9 Annalee Newitz

This satellite can detect earthquakes from space

Some earthquakes are so powerful they can actually be felt up in space. Looking to take advantage of this phenomenon, a group of researchers have created the world’s first seismometer in orbit around the Earth. Well, to be more accurate, they’re re-purposing a satellite originally designed to measure gravity fields on our planet’s surface. It’s…

io9 George Dvorsky

20 Lies Back to the Future II Told Us (Besides the Hoverboard)

I think it’s safe to say we’re not getting our hoverboards. Despite the 2015 Back to the Future Part II showed us, it’s 2013 and we can’t even make a non-hovering replica of the hoverboard correctly. But while the lack of hoverboards will always be its greatest disappointment, it’s hardly the only thing BttF promised…

io9 Rob Bricken

Texas bill could restrict drones — which may not be a good thing

The idea of drones flying above our heads and tracking our every move is a spooky prospect. Just last month the Federal Aviation Administration released its drone list, which freaked out the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the ACLU. While the general public has yet to make a big fuss over this, some Texas representatives have…

io9 George Dvorsky

China’s ‘farmscrapers’ are highrises that will generate their own food

The Chinese city of Shenzhen recently commissioned the French firm Vincent Callebaut Architects to come up with an innovative and sustainable building solution for the growing metropolis. The result is this: The Shenzhen Asian Cairn Farmscraper project, an initiative consisting of six mix-used towers structured like a pile of rocks. Aside from being absolutely gorgeous,…

io9 George Dvorsky

Quadcopters now have eagle-like talons to snatch prey — er, objects

Is China selectively breeding a new generation of genius babies?

Introducing the 2035 ZAIRE all-terrain concept car

What futurists in 1988 imagined Los Angeles would be like in 2013

How Much Longer Until Humanity Becomes A Hive Mind?

No, you will never have skyscrapers with trees on them

Google Glass Ushers in the Next Wave of Cybernetic Hate Crimes

Is de-extinction possible? Find out right now.

This is what farms will look like in the future

This microchip healed itself after being blasted by lasers

Instant floating cities for flooded neighborhoods

Should we put criminals under surveillance instead of in prison?

Earthrise in Luna City

Watch a day in the life of a terraformed Mars

Robots can now collaborate over their very own Internet

How We’ll Live in a Future Where Cities Have Become Forests

This satellite can detect earthquakes from space

20 Lies Back to the Future II Told Us (Besides the Hoverboard)

Texas bill could restrict drones — which may not be a good thing

China’s ‘farmscrapers’ are highrises that will generate their own food

April Set to Unleash Some Wild Weather Across Parts of the US, Meteorologists Warn

Scientists Create ‘Living Pharmacy’ Implant That Doses 3 Drugs at Once

Dyson Supersonic Nural Hair Dryer Cuts Into Its Premium Price Tag in the Spring Sale, Bid Frequent Salon Visits Goodbye

I Wouldn’t Plan on Wearing Smart Glasses to Court Anytime Soon

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Comes Down $130 Amid a 2025 Smartwatch Lineup Clearout on Amazon

Disney Will Not Bow to Audience Belief That the Rock’s ‘Moana’ Wig Looks Awful

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Hits a Record Low as It Moves Beyond Espresso Machine Deals on Amazon

Doctors Struggle to Spot AI-Generated X-Rays, Raising Scam Risks

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

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