Newton’s Laws explained with Lego.
I’ll be reading in Saskatoon Monday…
…at 7 p.m. at McNally Robinson Bookstore. This visit is to promote A Safe and Prosperous Future: 100 years of engineering and geoscience achievements in Saskatchewan. I’ll probably be reading the chapter on Saskatoon’s bridges, in honour of the location. The reading will take place in the Prairie Ink restaurant attached to the bookstore. I …
The snow-eating robot
This seems to be my day for cute gadgets. Behold Yuki-taro, the Japanese snowplow robot. It eats the snow and turns it into compressed blocks perfect for building igloos or snow forts with. It would look great on, say, the Scarth Street Mall here in Regina. (Via Gizmodo.)
The irrationality of political beliefs
People are irrational about politics, says this fascinating paper by Michael Huemer, and that’s why there is such enormous polarization in political belief (among people who care about politics at all, that is). Such polarization is dangerous, he points out, because it prevents us from finding solutions to problems. He offers some suggestions, which I’ve …
Now you can buy your own submarine
It’s amazing how stories like this leap out at me since I wrote a novel set on an ocean world: The world’s first personal submarines have been launched with a price tag of £65,000. Dutch designers claim the subs will make owners feel like they are “flying through the water”. The one-seater version is 9ft …
First quantum computer running commercial applications
D-Wave Systems Inc. says it will demonstrate it on February 13. But get this: This is the core of a new quantum computer to be unveiled by D-Wave Systems, says Steve Jurvetson, Managing Director of Draper Fisher Jurvetson, a leading venture-capital firm. “It is attached to a Leiden Cryogenics dilution fridge, ready to begin a …
Disney is bringing back hand-drawn animation
This makes me happy.
Do you lie about what you read?
Apparently the Brits do: People once said ‘you are what you eat’ but it appears the phrase has been hijacked by image-conscious Brits to state ‘you are what you read.’ So suggests new research from the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, which found almost half of people lie about their literary credentials. Joining in conversation …
Rethinking the piano
A grand piano is a grand piano is a grand piano, at least in the looks department, right? Oh, sure, it might be white or red or black, but they all have roughly the same design. Not any more.The music of shape and the design of sound are created in the M. Liminal model, designed …
A machine that knows what you intend to do…
…before you do it. These findings also raise hope for improvement of clinical and technical applications. Already today the first steps are being made in easing the lives of paralyzed patients with computer-assisted prosthetic devices and so-called brain computer interfaces. These devices focus on reading out the movement the patient intends to – but is …
Website about Canadian science fiction updated
The SF Canada website, which I maintain, has just been updated for winter. We have an interview with agent Scott Hoffman, conducted by Celu Amberstone and a new bit of short fiction, “Aisles of the Blest,” by Leslie Carmichael. I also updated the membership list. Up-to-date information about the activities of the authors who make …
Photo of the Morning: Sunrise in the Crescents
More photos here.
My latest live walk and vlog
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