The best way to get into orbit might just be taking its cue from the Jack and the Beanstalk fable. — Our future in space depends upon many factors: our continued ability to pay for research, development, and missions; discovering new and innovative ways to reach orbit that are more efficient; and ensuring educational opportunities in STEM subjects to foster the upcoming generations of space and rocket scientists to name just…

The merging of humanity with the technology we have created has begun… — In a paper published in July 2019, researchers described a way in which neuroprosthetic devices — capable of monitoring and making sense of electrical signals in the human brain — will soon be able to help patients incapable of physical speech to be able to fully take part in interactive…

There is no such thing as equality of the sexes when it comes to how much it costs to simply exist. — When I was watching my wife paint the finger and toenails of my 3 girls this past Sunday (60 nails in all), I found myself thinking about just how much women must need to “invest” in simply doing all of the stuff that comes along with being a woman. Sure…

Zero-G living and cosmic rays are dangerous obstacles to navigate on our quest to explore the stars: The effects on our bodies and minds will be far-reaching. — “It is a very sobering feeling to be up in space and realize that one’s safety factor was determined by the lowest bidder on a government contract.” ― Alan Shepard Little research was actually done to determine the full extent of what spending long periods of time in space would…

Is freezing your way into the future a good idea — and is post-cryonic survival even possible? — What? Based in Scottsdale, AZ, the Alcor Life Extension Foundation is a nonprofit that works to advocate, research and improve upon the science of cryonics, in which humans are stored in liquid nitrogen at a temperature of -196 degrees Celsius (-320.8 degrees Fahrenheit). Absolute zero, the temperature at which atoms stop…

When our daughter was born 15 weeks prematurely, it was the beginning of a medical and emotional roller-coaster ride. — (Note to my readers: I decided to put a pretty, serene image at the top of this post, rather than lead with some of the other pictures I want to use. A couple of them might be distressing to some viewers. Nevertheless, I want to share them, because they are…

The existence of zombies and the undead are more possible than you might think… — According to a report published by Johns Hopkins’ Center for Health Security, the next major pathogenic outbreak, or pandemic, will have the following features: Contagious during the “incubation period,” before people show any symptoms, or when people have only mild symptoms. A microbe that most people are not immune to…

An interview with Ben Pring on what can be done to stave off the internet’s darkest manifestations — Alongside nuclear power, the understanding of DNA, and a handful of other milestones, the invention of the internet stands as one of the 20th century’s most impactful breakthroughs. And just as with any other world-changing technology, the internet has proven that it, too, possesses two sides: the immense good of…

To find out if life as we know it is virtual, we must look for bugs in the very fabric of reality. — Is life real? This is one of many questions that has plagued philosophers for thousands of years. In his 2003 paper Are You Living in a Computer Simulation?, the Swedish philosopher, futurist, Oxford professor and Director of the Future of Humanity Institute and Governance of AI Program Nick Bostrom covers…