Technology & Society
The Foresight Institute is holding its Vision 2007 “unconference” this weekend. I was there yesterday and will be speaking today. So far, the conference has been amazing — talks I attended yesterday included the latest on nanotech and stem cell
America’s first baby boomer, Kathleen Casey-Kirschling, recently signed up for the Social Security benefits that she will start to collect in January. The new phase of life that she and her generation are entering is creating demand for new industries
Last weekend, 150 people attended the Alcor life extension conference in Scottsdale, Ariz. The main subject was cryonics, the use of technology to cool and preserve the human body with the aim of future revival. The technology, still speculative, raises
In California, patients must provide written consent before their blood can be tested for HIV. This is in contrast to other screening tests for cholesterol and diabetes that do not need consent. To change this so that more people get
There’s a cool article in this month’s Discover Magazine on nanoliquid developed at MIT. According to the article, “The liquid is a solution of small protein pieces that assemble into nanoscale fibers on contact, creating a gel that stops the
Every once in a while a newspaper headline wakes me up before my morning coffee. This was one of them. According to the Reuter’s report, Chinese president Hu Jintao recently said “We must promote civilized running and use of the
That’s the word from Dr. John Rutledge, one of the nation’s most accomplished economists who has advised several presidents (including the current administration). He’s been spending a lot of time in China recently and has first hand knowledge of how
Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., caused a political firestorm recently when he said he wanted to reinstate a military draft. His radical proposal brings to light a growing theme that both political parties should consider very closely. In a world where
The European Commission has taken a break from trying to re-design Microsoft’s software just long enough to get excited about DVDs. According to this report, “European Commission antitrust officials are probing the licensing strategies of two rival new generation DVD
There’s a cool looking program on the Science Channel today at 2pm. According to the site, the “film will closely examine the technologies that give hope to the disabled, allowing them to push beyond their limits and realize their potential.”
The 2006 Winter Olympics is winding down, offering an opportunity for the world community to look back on the event and reflect. Drug testing, for instance, was an ongoing element of the games, bringing about intrigue that included Italian drug
At a recent meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a group of biologists discussed how, in the near future, people could expect to live 100 years. A longer, healthier life is good news to most, but
Anyone who purchased clear sunscreen or wore stain-resistant pants during the holidays was probably enjoying the benefits of commercialized nanotechnology. While nanotech advances are exciting, some observers dangerously press for greater government oversight in the sector. Nanotechnology, the manipulation of
I spent another day this week leading a seminar at California’s Command College, a place where police officers go for extra training on a number of issues. My topic was technology and below are the links I said I’d post
Oh yeah – I want one of these. Honda’s second-generation Asimo robot can run 6KM and hour (that’s 3.7 miles) and can carry drinks on a tray. Soon, it might be possible to feel as though you just landed in
A new book by Carnegie Mellon University roboticist Daniel H. Wilson makes fun of all the silly scenarios people come up with about how robots could go bad. Apparently, it’s also being made into a hollywood film — this is
Bold predictions about the future in The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology, recently released by legendary inventor Ray Kurzweil, are causing reviewers to marvel in awe or disbelief. But while Kurzweil’s forecasts are fascinating, the book’s analysis of
Here’s a great piece from Kevin Maney at USA Today on new diamond technology that has the potential to significantly change the computing world. He quotes me as saying that I’m awed by the technology, and I really am. The
Today I led a discussion seminar at Command College on technology issues such as broadband, communications applications, privacy, security, intellectual property, nanotech, robotics, and biotech. The officers in the program were engaging and thoughtful — a good sign for the
If you’re wondering why, it’s because I changed my mind on TIA and this NY Sun piece by Josh Gerstein quotes me and others on the need to re-examine government data-mining programs.