May 2010

Hubble’s 20th Anniversary Video Tribute

by Socrates
Thumbnail image for Hubble’s 20th Anniversary Video Tribute

This 16 min video is NASA‘s tribute to the Hubble Space Telescope on its 20th anniversary in space. It surveys the incredible accomplishments of this revolutionary instrument and the fact that we have learned more about the universe since Hubble went up in orbit than during the previous 400 years since Galileo invented the telescope. Things such as black holes, exo-sollar planets, dark energy and dark matter, greater details about the history and evolution of the universe were only some among the many discoveries that Hubble helped us make. Enjoy! Related articles by Zemanta Hubble Discovers Star Eating a Planet (cbsnews.com) Happy Birthday, Hubble telescope! (mt-soft.com.ar) May 20, 1990: Hubble Opens Its Eye … and Blinks (wired.com) Hubble Space Telescope clocks up 20 years (nature.com) Google Tells Hubble Space Telescope Happy Birthday (pamil-visions.net)

Read the full article →

Gregory Stock: To Upgrade is Human

by Socrates
Thumbnail image for Gregory Stock: To Upgrade is Human

It has often been argued that the more technology the further away from our “human nature.” Thus to enhance or upgrade our biology is often given as a clear example of denying what is “normal,” “natural” and “human.” In this 2003 TED talk biophysicist, best-selling author and biotech entrepreneur Gregory Stock looks forward to new and controversial technologies such as designer babies, human enhancement, genetic manipulation etc and argues that upgrading (our biology) is, in fact, a very human thing to do. Thus for him, the question is not if but when and how we are going to take a hold of our evolution and become the true architects of our future. Enjoy! So, do you agree that to upgrade is human?

Read the full article →

Synthetic Biology Breakthrough: Programming Life on Your Computer Screen

by Socrates
Thumbnail image for Synthetic Biology Breakthrough: Programming Life on Your Computer Screen

Usually I don’t post on weekends but the amazing scientific developments of the last couple of days demand that I do so. Underneath you will find a short summary, some informative videos, relevant links and initial commentary by me and others on Craig Venter‘s breakthrough creation of synthetic life. This first clip is the original press conference where Dr. Venter provides a brief chronology of the project and discusses some of the ethical and potential practical implications thereof. The Unveiling of Synthetic Life The second video is the consequent Journal Science video interview with J. Craig Venter about the first synthetic cell. Notable Quotes by Craig Venter: “This is the first self-replicating species that we have had on the planet whose parent is a computer.” “Cells are software driven biological machines.” Some initial reactions: The Washington Post says of J. [...]

Read the full article →

Singularia (Part 3): What Was It We Were Thinking Of…

by James Harvey
Thumbnail image for Singularia (Part 3): What Was It We Were Thinking Of…

Oh yes, will technology transcend biology … and our mostly metaphysical reply: Technology, while a big and important cultural driver, has always been only a part of the fundamental shifts that humans have increasingly manifested over time and which may be expected to culminate in the coming Singularity event. From a Metaphysical point of view the so called Technological Singularity, Transhumanism, AI, or whatever one may wish to call it, represents an illusion, spawned within a continuing cynical, materialist hallucination in projecting a disrespect for life and a desired ultimate dominance of and a total submission from nature. This technological vision promotes an adolescent wet dream of the ego supreme; a very attractive, but delusional and dangerous fantasy that revels in power and control. Indeed, at the end of the day, who would the Technological Singularity Trans-humanist agenda serve and [...]

Read the full article →

Andrew Hessel: An Introduction to Synthetic Biology

by Socrates
Thumbnail image for Andrew Hessel: An Introduction to Synthetic Biology

In the following 2 fascinating videos, Andrew Hessel — a geneticist, research pioneer and founder of the Pink Army Cooperative, speaks about synthetic biology. Andrew discusses the similarities between biology and computer science and claims we can look at biological systems the same way that we look at computer networks. Thus, if the cells are information processors and DNA is their programming language, then synthetic biology is the next IT industry. Consequently, for him the best way of thinking about synthetic biology is thinking of it as programming computer code. Though indirectly, Hessel provides evidence in support of Ray Kurzweil‘s claim that biology has recently turned into an information technology and therefore we can expect that it too will abide by the Law of Accelerating Returns and exhibit an exponential growth in the amount of our knowledge and discoveries. Andrew [...]

Read the full article →

Our Digital Genome Time Capsule

by Socrates
Thumbnail image for Our Digital Genome Time Capsule

Reuters Television has exclusive access during the vault deposit of our digital genome time capsule. The digital genome is a European Union project aimed at preserving and storing our information technology blueprint so that future generations are able to access and understand all of our digital information and software long after the current generation is replaced. The digital time capsule is locked inside a “zero-risk” secret bunker, called the Swiss Fort Knox, and located in an undisclosed location in the Swiss Alps. Related articles by Zemanta Work begins on ‘digital genome’ storage vault (v3.co.uk) Europeans Bury “Digital DNA” Inside a Mountain (hardware.slashdot.org) The Blueprint To All Our Data Is Hidden Inside This Mountain Fortress [Preservation] (gizmodo.com)

Read the full article →

Virtual Worlds and Second Life

by Socrates
Thumbnail image for Virtual Worlds and Second Life

This is another cool video from Singularity University. Philip Rosedale, the founder of Second Life, talks about the future of virtual world technology, its impact and importance for the real world, and how Second Life can be a testing ground for new ideas and a predictor of things to come. Enjoy! Related articles by Zemanta Dreaming AI coming to Second Life (boingboing.net)

Read the full article →

2 Amazing Regenerative Medicine Videos

by Socrates
Thumbnail image for 2 Amazing Regenerative Medicine Videos

Scientists at Columbia University have engineered an anatomically-accurate human jawbone using human stem cells. The second video is even more impressive than the first one for it is demonstrating work on regenerating bones, tissues and organs right within the body itself. It seems that, as one of the experts says, we need to give up on all ideas of what we thought was impossible… Thus the question is nor really if, but how soon will regenerative medicine technologies like the above be widely available and at affordable prices for anyone who needs them. My answer to that: Not a moment too soon… Related articles by Zemanta Molly Stevens: Getting the body to grow its own spare parts (guardian.co.uk) Replacement Bones, Grown to Order in the Lab (biosingularity.wordpress.com) This Living Human Bone Was Grown In Lab [Medicine] (gizmodo.com)

Read the full article →
Page 1 of 3
1
2
3