Back in April, I wrote: Nanotechnology, the revolutionary technology, was always about the power of self-replication and never only about the very small. The ability of a machine system to make more of itself, or more generally, make its own parts and be able to assemble or replace them as needed, is called autogeny. There’s… Continue reading Autogenous or autopoietic?
The other day I got a worried call from my mother-in-law. My wife usually calls her during her commute but that day she neither called or answered her phone. Turns out my wife’s iPhone had crashed — the software had wedged and there was no way to reboot. The amusing, if you can call it… Continue reading Civilization, B.S.O.D.
Roboplane tech can deal with air-traffic control directly • The Register. Flying cars – or personal aircraft anyway – have moved a step nearer, as ongoing trials using robot aeroplanes and next-gen air traffic equipment in America are said to offer the option of “reduced crews” on commercial cargo flights. US aerospace firm GE Aviation… Continue reading Auto-ATC for flying cars edges closer
Aunt Polly: Tom, it’s time for your bath. And make sure to wash behind your ears. Tom: But gosh, Aunt Polly, I couldn’t do that. It might cause the end of the world. Aunt Polly: Land sakes alive, child, what on earth are you talking about? Tom: Well, pouring water in to a tub releases… Continue reading End of the World
Foresight ally Jeff Ubois has a new book out, published by Fondazione Giannino Bassetti, Conversations on Innovation, Power, and Responsibility. Yours truly is quoted. An excerpt: Peterson suggests that a closer look at the software developers might provide some clues about responsible cultures of innovation. “If you really want to know how to create a sense of responsibility,… Continue reading Software responsibility as model for nanotech?
The Burj Dubai opens today. It’s the worlds tallest building at about half a mile high. Except for being only half as high, it resembles Frank Lloyd Wright’s mile-high tower in overall shape — but of course the Burj is real. From what I can tell, it could not only house but form the complete… Continue reading Towers
Tonight is the tenth anniversary of the end of the world, according to some people. May all your future angst be as groundless … and Happy New Year!
There’s a really nice article at Wired about Kevin Dunbar’s research how science is really done and how often scientists get data they didn’t expect. Dunbar knew that scientists often don’t think the way the textbooks say they are supposed to. He suspected that all those philosophers of science — from Aristotle to Karl Popper… Continue reading Learning from science
Futurisms – Critiquing the project to reengineer humanity: Happy Birthday, Nanotechnology?. Adam Keiper over at the New Atlantis reminds us it’s the 50th anniversary of Feynman’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom talk.
Tonight on Fast Forward Radio J Storrs Hall, president of Foresight joins FFR to continue their special series leading up Foresight 2010. The conference, January 16-17 in Palo Alto, California, provides a unique opportunity to explore the convergence of nanotechnology and artificial intelligence and to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Foresight… Continue reading J Storrs Hall on FastForward Radio tonight
