Tag Archive

When Science Asks, “What if?”

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The visions of tomorrow inspire the actions we take today. Science fiction is as much a reflection of society’s deep fascination with science as it is an agent of change for its future course.
In 1984, William Gibson coined a word—“cyberspace”— and used it in a science fiction novel. At the time, few people [...]

Is My Robot Happy To See Me?

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People are social creatures. Robots … not so much. When we think of robots, we think of cold, metallic computers without emotion. If science fiction has taught us anything, though, it’s that we crave emotion, even in our robots – think C-3PO or Star Trek’s Data. So it stands to reason that if [...]

BYD’s Incredibly Sensible House of the Future

SHENZHEN, CHINA– One of my very early posts for TechCrunch referenced the “futurism” of 1950s Americana, where companies like Monsanto and Disney played out dreamy visions of a new automated way of living that never quite came true. I’m writing this post from Shenzhen, in Southern China—a place whose jaw-droppingly impractical-yet-beautiful architecture and building-size LED-lit [...]

‘Star Trek’ Warp Speed? Physicists Have New Idea That Could Make It So

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With the new movie ‘Star Trek’ opening in theaters across the nation, one thing movie goers will undoubtedly see is the Starship Enterprise racing across the galaxy at the speed of light. But can traveling at warp speed ever become a reality?
Two Baylor University physicists believe they have an idea that can turn [...]

Holodeck 1.0? Star Trek-style 3-D Displays Make Their Debut

photo credit: casio_beatnik
Star Trek’s holodeck is a famous science fiction concept. Crewmembers could walk through the garden of their childhood home, re-enact famous historical events or watch full, 3-D performances of famous plays. It was a rich source of story lines for the Star Trek writers because the holodeck offered so many opportunities to [...]