A company called Magcap Engineering has developed a way to draw electrical power from trees. Some quotes: Basically, the existing system includes a metal rod embedded in the tree, a grounding rod driven into the ground, and the connecting circuitry, which filters and boosts the power output sufficient to charge a battery. In its current …
Category: Blog
Photo of the Day: Victoria Park Spring
More photos here.
Brains on a chip
Our current primary means of communicating with computers, typing, is inelegant, to say the least. Some people never learn how to do it. Even those who are good at it must use a keyboard actually designed to slow typists down. Wouldn’t it be great if we could just think at a computer? Or better yet, …
The first sentence I wrote today was…
When the need to eat had become a little less urgent, Anton began to ask questions.
Belated Photo of the (Yester)Day: Tree Meets Wall
More photos here.
Vat-grown meat…
… is in the news again, though not yet on your plate. Me, I wouldn’t have a problem with it. As long it’s not called “Soylent Green”…
The first sentence I wrote today was…
Half an hour later, dressed–shaved, even (though the downy hairs on his chin hardly deserved to be glorified as “stubble”)–Anton found himself sitting down to breakfast in a flower-bedecked, glass-walled nook brilliantly lit by both the sun overhead and its reflection on the thick layer of fresh snow covering the garden outside.
Get that chip off your shoulder and into your brain where it belongs
European scientists have developed a working interface between neurons (brain cells) and silicon chips. The ultimate applications are potentially limitless. In the long term it will possibly enable the creation of very sophisticated neural prostheses to combat neurological disorders. What’s more, it could allow the creation of organic computers that use living neurons as their …
Scientists create gravity
Using a superconductive gyroscope, scientists have created gravity in the lab. There’s mention that “this effect could form the basis for a new technological domain, which would have numerous applications in space and other high-tech sectors,” but no more detail on possible applications than that. Being the SF guy I am, though I have to …
Photo of the Weekend: Rope
What have I been doing all weekend? Mostly directing Rope, Patrick Hamilton’s classic 1929 thriller (best-known today in its Alfred Hitchock movie version) for Regina Little Theatre. That’s Mark Claxton as Rupert Cadell on the left and Josh Strait as Wyndham Brandon on the right. Rope opens Wednesday and runs through Saturday at the Regina …
The amazing story of Amazing finally over?
Amazing Stories, first published in 1926 and in the last few years oft pronounced dead and just as oft revived, may be dead for good.
Setback for private space firm
SpaceX’s Falcon 1 rocket was lost just after launch today. Drat.
My latest live walk and vlog
Buy Autographed Books
