Topics pertaining to science fiction and/or fantasy, in book, TV show, or movie formats.
For those of you who don’t know, there’s a rather famous game called Portal. From the Wikipedia entry: […] The game primarily comprises a series of puzzles that must be solved by teleporting the player’s character and simple objects using “the handheld portal device”, a device that can create inter-spatial portals between two flat planes. …
SF authors generally make up their technologies based on the needs of the story they’re trying to tell, rather than based on reality, but the more “hard” science-oriented ones try to make their science as believable as possible too. This site seems to fit a common theme in this blog, of “track[ing] predictions and descriptions …
More news on the effects of violent video games. Only preliminary results, but it’s something to keep an eye on. As a somewhat-related item: most of us figure out the difference between reality and make-believe when we’re very young. Apparently those who don’t end up in organizations like the Red Cross, which is considering accusing …
Continue reading ‘“One week playing violent video games alters brain activity”’ »
A nice idea, but I suspect the execution would be pretty difficult. Hollywood special effects are a lot better now than in 1938, but there are many more science-educated people who would be a lot harder to fool too. All it would take is one slip-up, caught and pointed out by some bright teenager, and …
Continue reading ‘“Paul Krugman: save the economy by staging an alien invasion hoax”’ »
This sort of thing has been talked about for decades (it was the idea that spawned the book Jurassic Park, published in 1990, after all). I look forward to seeing the results, but I have to wonder how much mammoth behavior in the wild was learned and passed down from the herd. I suspect that’s …
Continue reading ‘“Japan, Russia in plan for elephant to birth CLONE MAMMOTH”’ »
An excellent review of science fiction spacecraft to date and how close each might be to future reality, though sadly concentrated solely on TV and movie SF. I find the spacecraft in SF literature to be much more varied and interesting, and usually more realistic-sounding as well, given the science they’re based on. (There’s a …
Continue reading ‘“What should a sci-fi spaceship REALLY look like?”’ »
This sort of thing will be useful for lots of peaceful purposes too. True telepresence, for instance, a la Surrogates. Fire and rescue workers equipped with something like this will be able to save others without having to risk their own lives. Astronauts could remain safely in orbiting ships, sending down only robotic suits, possibly …
Continue reading ‘“Brainscan breakthrough: Working robot limbs come closer”’ »
If anyone is looking for a holiday present for me, one of these would be REALLY appreciated. 😉 Think of the possibilities… this could eventually eliminate the need for a screen entirely! Add a way for the computer to understand subvocalized commands, and you could have a full-powered general-purpose computer and entertainment center with you …
Continue reading ‘“Laser display could mean 3D sans screens”’ »
This had better become required by law, and soon, if the government wants people to trust electronic voting machines. Every security expert who’s even glanced at them has been appalled at how easily they can be manipulated. Related and possibly-interesting note: a significant part of one of the Stainless Steel Rat books — written long …
Continue reading ‘“Researchers propose simple fix to thwart e-voting attack”’ »
This is assuming, of course, that these aliens are exactly like us and send dumb, inflexible machines that will run out of power and can’t draw attention to themselves. And, for that matter, that they would want to draw attention to themselves. We’ll probably have some form of strong AI within a generation, and one …
Continue reading ‘“Mars, Moon, solar system could be littered with alien artifacts”’ »