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Feb 24, 2015

AI: Artificial Imagination?

Posted by in category: robotics/AI

Margaret Boden — IA News
Margaret Boden
Most of us are fascinated by creativity. New ideas in science and art are often hugely exciting – and, paradoxically, sometimes seemingly “obvious” once they’ve arrived. But how can that be? Many people, perhaps most of us, think there’s no hope of an answer. Creativity is deeply mysterious, indeed almost magical. Any suggestion that there might be a scientific theory of creativity strikes such people as absurd. And as for computer models of creativity, those are felt to be utterly impossible.

But they aren’t. Scientific psychology has identified three different ways in which new, surprising, and valuable ideas – that is, creative ideas – can arise in people’s minds. These involve combinational, exploratory, and transformational creativity. The information processes involved can be understood in terms of concepts drawn from Artificial Intelligence (AI). They can even be modelled by computers using AI techniques.
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Feb 23, 2015

Lifeboat Foundation — Futurism Update — Feb/25/2015

Posted by in category: futurism

Lifeboat Foundation — Futurism Update — Feb/25/2015

Researched By Andres Agostini at https://www.AMAZON.com/author/agostini

Point of Contact: https://www.LINKEDIN.com/in/andresagostini

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Continue reading “Lifeboat Foundation — Futurism Update — Feb/25/2015” »

Feb 23, 2015

A Nanotech Skylight That Looks Just Like the Sun Shining Overhead

Posted by in category: nanotechnology

By — Wired

As portions of the US are battered by snowstorms and shrouded beneath gray skies, a European startup is developing a light fixture that mimics the sun.

Each CoeLux fixture models the sunlight of a specific locale, be it the cool color and strong shadows of equatorial countries, the even glow of Mediterranean sunlight, or the slightly dimmer and warmer, but more striking patterns found along the Arctic Circle.

CoeLux fixtures use traditional LEDs, calibrated to the same wavelengths as the sun. However, accurately recreating sunlight also requires mimicking subtle variations caused by the atmosphere, which varies in thickness and composition depending upon where you are on earth. CoeLux uses a milimeters-thick layer of plastic, peppered with nanoparticles, that does essentially the same thing in your living room. CoeLux’s inventor, Professor Paolo Di Trapani hasn’t made any disclosures about how the nanotechnology works in practice, but an impressive list of peer-reviewed publications, industry awards, and testimonials from customers provide comfort that these devices actually work as advertised.

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Feb 23, 2015

I Need Advice from Everyone

Posted by in categories: existential risks, particle physics

I am old and have not many years left. My most recent physics results are c-global and cryodynamics. Both are minor results that nonetheless upset cosmology and energy technology.

I see no way how to get them the recognition they deserve. Especially not since one of them endows black holes with properties that render the most prestigious experiment of history unsafe.

I implored CERN to renew their Safety Report before doubling their collision-energy world records — to no avail. My results require this for 7 years as CERN knows, but their Safety Report goes un-updated for equally long.

My friends John A. Wheeler and John S. Bell would help me if they could. Now only a renowned journalist can.

Do you, dear reader, know one?

Feb 23, 2015

Might a ‘Gold Rush’ on the Moon Trigger the Next Epic Space Race?

Posted by in categories: business, space, space travel

By — Singularity Hub
http://cdn.singularityhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/moon-mining-water-1-1000x400.jpg

As a kid, I devoured Star Trek: The Next Generation, and though it now appears nearly as campy as the original series did back then, I still love it. But Star Trek led me astray. I thought exploration for the sake of exploration would get us to the stars. Now, I’m not so sure. Fifty years in, and we humans are still stuck in low-Earth orbit.

First comes a smattering of fiery idealists blazing trails and climbing peaks. The risks are high and the returns are individual fame, newly detailed maps, and a general sense of awe.

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Feb 22, 2015

Lifeboat Foundation — Futurism Update — Feb/24/2015

Posted by in category: futurism

Lifeboat Foundation — Futurism Update — Feb/24/2015

Researched By Andres Agostini at https://www.AMAZON.com/author/agostini

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LINKEDIN: The State of the Future (February 23, 2015 Update!) https://lnkd.in/eaGRVES

Lifeboat Foundation — Futurism Update — Feb/23/2015 — https://lifeboat.com/blog/2015/02/future_up_feb_23_2015

Continue reading “Lifeboat Foundation — Futurism Update — Feb/24/2015” »

Feb 22, 2015

Lifeboat Foundation — Futurism Update — Feb/23/2015

Posted by in category: futurism

Lifeboat Foundation — Futurism Update — Feb/23/2015 — http://www.AMAZON.com/author/agostini

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FORBES: Why Information Security Is Everybody’s Business Now http://www.forbes.com/sites/sungardas/2015/02/05/why-informa…iness-now/

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN: Physics Week in Review (Valentine’s Edition): February 14, 2015 http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cocktail-party-physics/2…A_Facebook

Continue reading “Lifeboat Foundation — Futurism Update — Feb/23/2015” »

Feb 22, 2015

Hyperloop Is Coming

Posted by in category: transportation

By –Singularity Hubhttp://cdn.singularityhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/hyperloop-is-coming-3-1000x400.jpg

Have you heard of the Hyperloop? It’s the concept described as “a cross between a Concorde, a railgun and a bullet train.” Think: Los Angeles to Vegas in 20 minutes or LA to San Francisco in 35 minutes.

A new company called Hyperloop Technologies, Inc. was announced on the cover of Forbes this week, and they are taking on a bold new mission. I’m proud to be a founding director of the company, and very excited about the supercredible team that has come together to make Hyperloop happen.

I sit on the Board of the company along with Shervin Pishevar (major early Investor in Uber, Sherpa Ventures), Joe Lonsdale (Founder Palantir & Formation 8), Jim Messina (Pres. Obama’s Reelection Campaign Manager), David Sacks (Paypal, Yammer), and Brogan BamBrogran (Former SpaceX Engineer, and acting CEO).

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Feb 22, 2015

Lifeboat Foundation — Washington, D.C. event

Posted by in category: space

The following is short notice, but we just found out this event is open to the public.

You’re invited!

To an announcement of the formation of a new coalition of organizations focused on space development — with special guests Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and Rep. Chaka Fattah.

Continue reading “Lifeboat Foundation — Washington, D.C. event” »

Feb 22, 2015

How NASA uses quantum computing for space travel and robotics

Posted by in categories: computing, quantum physics
— GigaOM

Quantum computing is still in its infancy, even though the idea of a quantum computer was developed some thirty years ago. But there are a whole load of pioneering organizations (like Google) that are exploring how this potentially revolutionary technology could help them solve complex problems that modern-day computers just aren’t capable of doing at any useful speed.

One such organization is NASA, whose use of D-Wave Systems quantum computing machines is helping it research better and safer methods of space travel, air traffic controls and missions involving sending robots to far-off places, explained Davide Venturelli, a science operations manager at NASA Ames Research Center, Universities Space Research Association. I’ll be speaking with Venturelli on stage at Structure Data 2015 from March 18–19 in New York City and we’ll be sure to cover how NASA envisions the future of quantum computing.

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