Menu

Blog

Page 9470

May 16, 2018

Architects behind Apple’s “spaceship” unveil new building for drone giant DJI

Posted by in categories: drones, robotics/AI, space travel

A skybridge for flight tests & robot fighting rings. Welcome to DJI’s new Shenzhen digs.

Read more

May 16, 2018

Elon Musk Details Incredible Hyperloop Plan to Connect With SpaceX Launches

Posted by in categories: Elon Musk, transportation

Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk outlined plans to use The Boring Company’s hyperloop to link city centers to spaceports, which in turn will be used to transport humans across the planet in under an hour using the SpaceX BFR as an “Earth-to-Earth” transit system.

Read more

May 16, 2018

Scientists Kick Off Synthetic Biology Project to Make Virus-Resistant Super Cells

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, biotech/medical, genetics, life extension

Recently, roughly 200 eminent scientists assembled in Boston. Their agenda? Creating “superhero” human cells impervious to all viral attacks and possibly other killers—radiation, freezing, aging, or even cancer.

The trick isn’t super-soldier serum. Instead, the team is relying on tools from synthetic biology to read the cell’s genetic blueprint and rewrite large chunks of the genome to unlock these superpowers.

“There is very strong reason to believe that we can produce cells that would be completely resistant to all known viruses,” said Dr. Jef Boeke, a geneticist at New York University and a co-leader of the project. “It should also be possible to engineer other traits, including resistance to prions and cancer.”

Continue reading “Scientists Kick Off Synthetic Biology Project to Make Virus-Resistant Super Cells” »

May 16, 2018

Reviewing Genomic Instability, Cellular Senescence, and Aging

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, life extension

Today, we wanted to bring your attention to a new review that takes an in-depth look at genomic instability, senescent cell accumulation, and its role in aging.

DNA damage as a driver of aging

Genomic instability, otherwise known as DNA damage, is thought by many researchers to be a primary reason why we age. Damage to, and imperfect repair of, the genomes of stem and progenitor cells causes mutations, which are then passed to the somatic cells they create [1].

Continue reading “Reviewing Genomic Instability, Cellular Senescence, and Aging” »

May 16, 2018

A green approach to making ammonia could help feed the world

Posted by in categories: energy, food, physics, sustainability

A UCF research team with collaborators at Virginia Tech have developed a new “green” approach to making ammonia that may help make feeding the rising world population more sustainable.

“This new approach can facilitate using , such as electricity generated from solar or wind,” said physics Assistant Professor Xiaofeng Feng. “Basically, this new approach can help advance a sustainable development of our human society.”

Ammonia, a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen, is essential to all life on the planet and is a vital ingredient in most fertilizers used for food production. Since World War I, the in fertilizer has been primarily produced using the Haber-Bosch method, which is and fossil-fuel intensive. There have been substantial obstacles to improving the process, until now.

Read more

May 16, 2018

Almost everything you know about e-waste is wrong

Posted by in categories: computing, economics, health

Many of us think we know what electronic waste is because we wonder what to do with devices we no longer want or need.

It’s the old cellphone and its charger stuffed in the drawer.

It’s that old laptop, monitor or printer packed behind the door or in the basement.

Continue reading “Almost everything you know about e-waste is wrong” »

May 16, 2018

Hawaii goes on RED ALERT for ‘major eruption’ of Kilauea volcano

Posted by in category: futurism

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano could have a major devastating eruption at ‘any time’, the US Geographical Survey has said.

The volcano has been erupting for 10 days, and more than 2000 residents have already been evacuated.

Continue reading “Hawaii goes on RED ALERT for ‘major eruption’ of Kilauea volcano” »

May 16, 2018

European Space Agency receives prototype microgravity 3D printer

Posted by in categories: 3D printing, space

After two years in development, Project MELT (Manufacturing of Experimental Layer Technology) has resurfaced with a prototype microgravity 3D printer.

Made for the European Space Agency (ESA) the Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM) breadboard machine is designed to 3D print high performance polymers aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and other off-world locations.

Read more

May 16, 2018

‘Westworld’ and the Question of Immortality

Posted by in categories: life extension, robotics/AI, sex

Westworld’s first season was largely focused on the abuse of artificial life, given that the park hosts’ purpose almost exclusively revolved around sex, violence, and suffering. The freedom Dolores and her ilk were fighting for was simple consciousness—a right to their own memories and self-awareness. In just the first four episodes, Westworld’s second season has exploded that basic quest into all kinds of fascinating directions, but “The Riddle of the Sphinx” was the first to really grapple with one of the most obvious questions in AI, which is: Isn’t artificial intelligence the key to immortality?


Three Atlantic staffers discuss “The Riddle of the Sphinx,” the fourth episode of Season 2.

Read more

May 15, 2018

An asteroid the size of the Statue of Liberty is set to narrowly miss Earth tonight

Posted by in category: space

Don’t panic.


An asteroid the size of the Statue of Liberty is set to narrowly miss Earth on Tuesday evening. Luckily, it won’t actually smack into our planet or cause any da.

Read more