It's an incredible development scientists have been looking into for some time, but the use of microwaves to transmit electricity from solar collectors in space to anywhere on the planet may soon be a reality if one proposal by India's former president is given the necessary momentum to take flight. The proposal by India's APJ Kalam and the National Space Society suggests that we may soon have the technology required to solve the energy crisis forever. But there is a deadly side to this proposal even if it could essentially save the planet and give free energy to all.
The proposal sounds simple, but is incredibly complex at its core. A rocket would be used to launch a massive solar array into space. Once it reaches orbit the array would be either constructed or unfold itself into a fully capable solar collection system. And this system would then have the ability to collect virtually an unlimited supply of solar energy to be transmitted back to the planet's surface. How would it get the electricity to Earth below? The solar collectors would be attached to a massive microwave transmitter which would then fire beams of incredibly powerful energy through the Earth's atmosphere to the planet below and microwave collection centers located throughout the planet.
But why haven't we created a system such as this before? Aside from the obvious costs associated with launching a massive satellite array into space, there are some very real concerns over the means such a satellite would use to transmit energy back to the planet's surface. A massive cable dragged into space would prove too heavy to effectively launch into space, and without the use of an orbital tower, this would be virtually impossible to create. But the wireless transmission of energy into microwaves could allow the electricity to bypass the atmosphere, which traditionally blocks a substantial portion of light that reaches Earth and then be collected on the ground in a form usable by those working with power companies.
But is it safe to launch microwaves to the planet? This is one of the concerns that has been raised in the past. If such a system's navigational controls were compromised somehow, it would make this potential power generating system and savior of mankind into a disturbing and nightmarish enemy for all those on the surface of the planet. Needless to say, there would have to be an incredibly advanced security system designed around the satellite that could shut it down remotely from Earth. But then with people depending on the power, this system too would be dangerous.
On the other hand, if the system truly were effective and the current technological limitations were overcome in seeking clean energy, we may one day live in a world where power is limitless, and the only thing we would have to worry about from the power companies would be stray microwaves bombarding Earth from above. Needless to say there are still a couple of things to work out.
Passenger planes of the future may be quite a different experience from what we experience today. The claustrophobic sensation of being in a tiny fuselage among a hundred other passengers may soon give way to a sensation of awe as the fuselage suddenly becomes transparent and passengers look in any direction able to see themselves passing through the clouds without the plane anywhere in sight. Imagine standing in a plane as the floor suddenly vanishes from sight and seeing the ground passing beneath your feet a thousand feet below.
Imagine sitting down in your seat and watching as the plane's fuselage disappears all around you. As you watch yourself suspended in what seems to be thin air the plane would begin take off and you would be able to see the runway quickly speeding past you on the ground. As the craft made its ascent you would be able to observe your ascent as you quickly took off the ground. Many people would have various reactions to this technology. Many have already declared they would never get on an invisible plane even if they were paid to. But imagine, if you will, the breathtaking sight of flying into a storm cloud and witnessing the cloud parting in front of you as you soar into the distance. This incredible technology may just what the aviation industry needs to keep flying. But other than a tourist draw, how many applications will there be for invisible aircraft? And what problems might these planes face if they ever got off the ground so to speak?
Aside from the obvious military applications of invisibility technology, there is a very real possibility that people travelling with invisibility technology may find the experience more convenient as windows are customized to each passengers' wishes. If an electrified field around a specially treated plate are all that is necessary to render an area invisible, windows could simply be made of layers like onions that could be made wider or smaller leaving the flying experience still more convenient for those terrified of flying.
Will invisible planes be the future of air travel? And what problems will they face? First of all, bathrooms will obviously have to be made opaque for the convenience and privacy of passengers. The seats would obviously still be visible. And there may even be a carpeted area or platform for passengers to make sure they were able to see their way around the craft. The cockpit would likely have to remain opaque, or a wall would have to be placed between the passengers and the pilots of the craft. And if the vehicle were entirely invisible to the outside as well, it may pose a threat to birds and other planes in the area. Landing and guidance may be more difficult without visual confirmation unless the plane once again turned opaque. But these problems seem small enough given the opportunity to soar amid the clouds in what seems like an unaided and magical trip.
The idea of a Game Show playing computer might seem like it was coming straight out of a Hollywood film, but a new system developed by IBM's Watson does just that. And while it might not sound like the cutting edge of computer processing, it's certainly the first machine to perform one incredibly difficult task programmers have been trying to do for some time. And it could mean the age of Artificial Intelligence has arrived.
It's no secret that computers run exclusively on numbers. Though we see text and operating systems translate the numbers into symbols we can understand, the premise never changes. We're dealing with numbers that cannot be translated easily into words and concepts. That is the duty of the programmer. But as we get into the future and computers become increasingly powerful, we'll have more need for computers to be able to not only take a user's commands through simple numeric instructions, but also by conversing with them. In other words, the growing use of computers in our world means we'll have to find a way to talk to them and be spoken to by them.
When a computer understands a concept such as a date and can cross reference that information with other bits of data streaming about its processor, it will quickly be able to arrange these concepts and then speak to us.
Essentially if we were to want to know what day it was, we would just ask a person, "What day is it?" That person would look at a calendar or simply know off the top of his or her heads. But if we were to ask a computer the same thing, we would have to go to a program that had a calendar in it. The conversation would essentially be "Access calendar, display date: today" or something like it. But humans didn't develop language to meet the needs of computers. And as such, computers can not have a simple conversation with us. But if we were able to, for example, tell the computer we weren't feeling well, and it had the capabilities of human speech patterns it would be able to ask the symptoms we were feeling. We could tell the computer we were feeling lethargic, tired, and had a headache. The computer could then ask for a few other symptoms to which we could answer yes or no and then come to a diagnosis. The result? Computerized doctors who could save time and worry for both customers and after sufficient tweaking might be able to even prescribe medicine or recommend treatments with the confidence of both the users and the medical community.
And imagine being able to have a desktop companion that you could simply switch on and converse about the topics of the day. Each new bit of information could be stored and cross referenced on a massive computer database and provide much needed perspective on current events issues. But not only that. It could prove just as useful to us tomorrow as computers originally became in the mid 1990's. Such a machine would essentially be able to pass the Turing Test and artificial intelligence would be finally born.
How far off is this technological miracle? And what challenges will a world of intelligent computers bring to us? Only time will tell, but if current technology is any indicator, it seems that time is coming quite soon.
In 1912 when the RMS Titanic set sail on its maiden voyage from Southampton England to New York City, many speculated that the massive ship would prove unsinkable. But then en route it encountered an iceberg that collided with the massive vessel ending the lives of 1,517 people including its captain. But as this mysterious disaster has captured the imaginations of millions it still yields new mysteries almost every time it is investigated. And now the latest mystery is the presence of some previously undiscovered passengers. But unlike the other passengers, these did not have a ticket and most did not arrive on the vessel until years after it sank.
The new residents are a type of microbe previously undiscovered known as Halomonas titanicae were named after the ill fated ship. And just as the vessel of its namesake, Halomonas titanicae will be a matter of scientific interest for quite some time. The microbes live in the porous structures that are developed on top of rust as it turns the once proud ship into a tomb no doubt to be left to the annals of history for the coming centuries.
But even as the ship remains in its resting place never to rise again from the waters, a new breed of passenger somehow throughout the next 100 years stowed away on the ship and started multiplying in masse. Halomonas titanicae, though previously unknown to scientists is proving quite the interesting specimen. Though they were gathered up twelve years ago by the Mir 2 Robotic submersible pod, they have remained in laboratories without being discovered.
But just recently, researchers at Dalhousie University uncovered what appeared to be a new life form in laboratories. And as they explored the organisms closer, they realized that it may have dramatic implications for the development of future seafaring technology and could change our views entirely on one of the constant threats to operations taking place in water - rust.
But the microbes and the rust on which they were discovered may soon be under scientific scrutiny as their discovery allows scientists to look more deeply into how the mysterious formations known as "rusticles." Rusticles are icicle-like formations that often appear on sunken ships after they sink beneath the waves. But up until recently the true meaning of their presence was largely unknown. And far from the once long thought abandoned warehouses devoid of life, it turns out now that many bacteria may consider them home including the titanicae which allow for the formations to develop their strange stalagmite and stalagtite-like structures. The formations are suspected to be the homes to many other bacteria as well. What else will we discover as we explore this ancient watery tomb? If there's anything this most recent discovery tells us, it's that we may not actually have to go out for another expedition in order to discover anything at all. The rusting of vessels is also a very important point of research for many who suggest the discovery of these formations could even lead to cheaper ways of preventing rust in long
Cybernetically enhanced humans are still pioneering new ways of augmenting themselves through the use of technology and with the integration of computerized chips into their own bodies. And now one of these cybernetic frontiersmen is volunteering a section in the back of his own head to be implanted with a camera system to automatically survey his environment. The purpose of the implant? Self expression. He wishes to catch everything going on behind his back and have it transmitted to an art exhibit in Qatar.
The chip has already caused a stir amongst privacy advocates who suggest the endeavor will make public everything that goes on literally behind Wafa Bilal's back. The tiny camera, estimated to be the approximate size of a contact lens will snap pictures periodically once every two minutes. Assuming Mr. Bilal's project gets the green light with health officials, the move could be mimicked in due time by others. While the technology exists to create more advanced camera implants, even including tiny video cameras as seen with homemade real life superhero "Eyeborg," the cost and size of the system were likely both factors in selecting what Mr. Bilal ultimately decided on.
The art exhibit in itself will likely be very interesting. As one would expect, it is perceivable that filming the opposite side of everything going on in a college professor's life could yield some surprising results. But even with this in mind, perhaps the most compelling aspect of this story is the way it paves for the future. Futurists have suggested for years that the only thing keeping us from a world where technological questions of ethics are commonplace is waiting period before they become contemporary. In other words, as cameras get smaller it's only a matter of time before they become a part of more peoples' bodies. And once that happens, it's easy enough to surmise that our planet will have a very real question about when and where camera surveillance is and is not occurring - particularly if the implants cannot be reliably turned off and on. Think about everywhere you go being observed, and everything you see being transmitted to a remote area elsewhere. Would this have an effect on what you do?
While privacy is obviously a concern for Mr. Bilal's students, what of other parties involved? How would you act around a man the world was constantly tuning in to? And if Mr. Bilal was able to transmit audio as well as pictures of his life, what conclusions would people draw about him? In 1998 the film The Truman Show received mixed reviews for its take of a clandestine television corporation taking on every aspect of one man's life and transmitting it as a television show. Are we soon to face a reverse scenario where Truman is running the show? And if this is the case, what will we learn both about him and ourselves? And what will the face of our planet look like when there is not one, but thousands of others like Bilal?
Stefan Ulrich, German designer, and inventor of the newest bizarre robot has alleged that his robot can simulate a strange creature "falling in love" with its owner. The robots are specially designed to hug and cling to their owners, though they don't actually have arms. And these amorphous automatons are creating quite a bit of stir amongst some AI advocates who suggest once a robot has been invented that can fall in love, it has taken a significant step toward becoming more human. 
Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately depending on who you ask, an understanding of the systems behind these robots suggests that perhaps the words "falling in love" may be a bit too ambitious to describe Ulrich's invention. Still, the cuddle bots are designed to provide a PG rated level of affection with their owners by sensing their presence, their movements, and even the sensation of touch as they are petted. Though they may not be the latest strain of super robots designed to take over the world, many of those interested in the subject of artificial intelligence are vociferously declaring it dangerous to start using words such as "love" with so simple a robot as the advanced machine Ulrich has put forward.
Can a robot feel love? AI futurists say the answer is most certainly yes, but with a few asterisks. First, we would have to establish what love is within certain parameters and take into account various differences in the concept of love. By the end of the exercise, however, many have come to the conclusion that AI robots can feel love assuming love is something that can be defined. The simple fact of the matter is, within a reasonable equation such as the one proposed, many of us, although knowing when something is or is not love, still have yet to agree upon a strict set of parameters that can define love to the satisfaction of the scientific community.
Sensors buried just beneath the creature's "skin" react to touch, color, and warmth indicating when someone around them is pleasant to be around. This alone creates a simulation of love that Ulrich is confident will go a long way toward synthesizing affection. In a recent interview with "The Sun," Ulrich outlined his motivation for undertaking the project, "People already bury themselves in possessions and shield themselves from real life with technology. So if robots and objects can fulfill all their emotional needs as well, why do they need other humans?" The words, while seemingly innocent actually paint a strange picture on the state of human nature in the 21st century. In our effort to control all aspects of our lives while affording others infinite freedom, are we really willing to lose the affection of human contact in favor of a synthetic alternative? While this device alone is likely no danger to worldwide interpersonal relationships, it will be interesting to see how this device - and others like it - will catch on. Will the strange amorphous robots become a new type of "meta-pet?" Or will they simply be considered creepy in their attempt to subvert human contact? It seems likely technology from this object could be used in teddy bears and children's dolls, but will likely not actually replace true human interaction. Still, given sufficient time, will we reach a point where we cannot tell the difference?
Scientists at Harvard Medical Institution have discovered a way to not only stop aging in mice, but actually turn their old and worn out organs into new and rejuvenated ones with a simple drug administered by a syringe. Will the new miracle drug also be able to add years or even centuries to human existence? Or will this youth in a needle drug turn out to be nothing but a pain?
The incredible experiment centered around the basic fundamentals of aging. As cells divide, the ends of each strand of DNA has a barrier on it known as a telomere. As cells divide throughout the natural course of life, eventually these telomeres become shorter. As the telomeres eventually deteriorate - so does the human body's ability to divide healthy cells with no reduced structural quality. When the telomeres get too short, the body starts to break down. We know this process as aging.
So Ronald DePinho dared to ask the question, "What if this process could be stopped entirely?" After genetically engineering a new type of mouse to be born without the ability to produce Telomares, they aged rapidly and the deterioration of their cells killed them. But then afterward, the doctor began injections of the enzyme through a syringe and this brought back the cellular deterioration that had previously happened just as though the aging was a wound that needed to be healed. If this technology were somehow applied to human cells in a way that worked effectively, it could mean future generations could be genetically modified to never age or die from age related diseases.
Of course such drastic genetic modification would not only be extremely difficult, but would raise several ethical questions as well. Is it right to genetically modify your own children if you know they will never age or die? What if the decision meant they would depend forever on injections in order to sustain their youth or risk dying? And what effect would such a process have on the rest of the population down the genetic line?
Imagine attempting to explain age and dying to someone who will likely live for centuries and quite possibly never have to deal with concepts such as aging themselves. How different would our society look?
Of course in addition to the negative aspects of such a possibility, there are numerous potential benefits as well. Unfortunately, long before these potential drawbacks are fully understood there is a real possibility that the urgency of such genetic development could require it to be implemented long before the potential long term dangers could be understood.
Take into consideration the use of an irreversible medical system in the case of a great thinker whose expertise is needed to progress humanity, for example.
Of course the dependency on regular injections could eventually be removed from the equation entirely. And by extending life, scientists could ensure those seeking the answers would be around for when the technology reached this level of development.
