Monthly Archives: March 2017

In Brief SpaceX made history by successfully relaunching and re-landing a used Falcon 9 rocket booster for the first time today. SpaceX's orbital rocket system is already the most affordable in the world, but reusability could save companies more than $18 million per launch.

SpaceX has long said it would like to make its entire Falcon 9 rocket reusable.Today, Elon Musks company madehistory by successfully relaunching and re-landing a used Falcon 9 rocket booster for the first time.The SES-10 mission marks a historic milestone on the road to full and rapid reusability as the worlds first re-flight of an orbital class rocket. Falcon 9s first stage for the SES-10 mission previously supported the successful CRS-8 mission in April 2016.

In an interview after the launch, Musk called it a huge revolution in spaceflight.

The recycled rocket carrieda satellite into orbit for SES, a Luxembourg-basedtelecommunications company, which will provide internet and television service for Central and South America.

In order for commercial space travel to be viable, companies like SpaceX have to make it more affordable. Currently, the Falcon 9 costs about$62 million. However, Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceXs COO, says reusing a rocket booster could result in a30 percent discountper launch, saving companies more than $18 million.

This is an amazing day for space as a whole, said Musk post-landing, for the space industry it means you can fly and re-fly an orbital class booster, the most expensive part of the rocket.

This is potentially revolutionary, John Logsdon, a space policy expert and historian at George Washington Universitys Space Policy Institute, told Business Insider. Reusability has been the Holy Grail in access to space for a long, long time.

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SpaceX's Historic Launch Proves Recycled Rockets Are the Future of Space Exploration - Futurism

In Brief A Japanese man has become the first recipient of donated, reprogrammed stem cells as a treatment for macular degeneration. If the treatment proves effective against the age-related eye condition, it could halt or prevent the vision loss of the 10 million people in the U.S. who have macular degeneration. A New Treatment for Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is the leading cause of progressive vision loss with almost 10million Americans affected by the disease. Currently, there are no known cures for the conditionalthough stem cells might change that entirely.

Macular degeneration occurs when the central portion, the macula, of the retina is deteriorated. This is where our eyes record images and send them to the brain through the optic nerve. The macula is known for focusing our vision, controlling our ability to read, recognize faces, and see objects clearly.

A Japaneseman in his sixties is the worlds first person to receive induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells donated by a different individual. Rather than tip-toeing around the ethics of embryonic stem cells, scientists were able to remove mature cells from a donor and reprogram them into an embryonic state, which then could be developed into a specific cell-type to treat the disease. Physicians cultivated donated skin cells that were transplanted onto the mans retina to halt the progression of his age-related macular degeneration.

While the mans first surgery was a success, the doctors have said they will make no more announcements about his progress until they have completed all five of the planned procedures. While the effectiveness of this technique cannot be evaluated until the fate of the donated cells and the progression of the patientsmacular degenerationhave been fully monitored, there is increasing interest inusing iPScells for theraputic purposes.

A similar therapy was performed at the Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital in Japan in September 2014, but with a slight difference. In this case, the patient received her own skin cells reprogrammed into retinal cells. As hoped, a year after the surgery her vision had no decline, seemingly halting the macular degeneration. Four more patients in the clinical trial are expected to receive donor cells as well.

The donor-cell procedure, if successful, could help pave the way for the iPS cell bank thatShinya Yamanaka is establishing. An iPS cell bank would allow physicians find theperfect iPS donor per each patients biological signatures. Yamanaka is a Nobel-prizewinning scientist at Kyoto University who pioneered the iPS cells.

Yamanakas idea of a iPS cell bank has the potential torevolutionize modern medicine. It would provide patients with ready-made cells immediately, givinga widespread population access to more treatment options bylower all-around costs. While the risk of genetic defects or a poor donor match still remains, the new procedurecould offer enormous advantagescompared toother alternatives.

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A Japanese Man Has Become the First Recipient of Donated ... - Futurism

In BriefThe Analemma is a futuristic concept for the world's tallestskyscraper, which would hang from an orbiting asteroid, designed byClouds Architecture Office. While its design is impressive, theAnalemma may prove to be impractical, and (definitely) fatal. A Literal Skyscraper

To go where no man has gone before is a motto that resonates at the heart of manyfuturists and Trekkies (or Trekkers). The sentimentcertainly seems to be the idea behind a design for an out-of-this-world building concept that brings out the literal meaning of skyscraper.

From the minds atClouds Architecture Office, the Analemma Tower is designed to be the future of structural form. Suspended from an orbiting asteroid via super-strong cables, the Analemma rises or falls down, depending on your perspective more than 32,000 meters (104,987 feet) high.

Analemma inverts the traditional diagram of an earth-based foundation, instead depending on a space-based supporting foundation from which the tower is suspended, according to Clouds Architecture. This system, they say, is referred to as the Universal Orbital Support System (UOSS).

The building would be powered by space-based solar panels and be divided into nine sections. The top three levels, closer to its asteroid-base, are the funerary, reliquary, and worship sections. The very bottom, the part the scrapes the Earths sky, is an entertainment area where guests and residents can shop and dine. Above that is a business and commercial section, while a huge section of the tower is residential.

The Analemma would follow a geosynchronous orbit matches Earths sidereal rotation period of one day, according to Clouds Architecture. The towers position in the sky traces out a path in a figure-8 form, returning the tower to exactly the same position in the sky each day.

Theres just one problem: You would absolutely die on this skyscraper. Also, we arent good enough at physics to make this work.okay, so two problems.

An orbiting building thatpeople can parachute from seems like a good idea, and it isuntil it isnt. Not only would its absurd location demand incredibly high prices prices that are unprecedented in the history of real estate the very concept itself raises a number of concerns.

First, theres no air, so youd probably asphyxiate. Second, its not really clear how gravity would work on this. Theoretically, the asteroid would be big enough to keep you tethered to the rock (and inside the skyscraper), but given that the skyscraper is so close to Earth, its not looking good.

Never mind the absurd precisionneeded to get an asteroid to follow an artificial orbit this close to our own planet, what about making sure that the asteroid survives and doesnt hit other space objects? Space debris, anyone?

Theres just too much uncertainty (and, you know, physics) that keeps the Analemma from being a good idea for future citiesand future worlds. Fortunately! Clouds Architecture isnt the only one with ideas for whatthe cities of the future will look like. There are a number of viable options, such as cities floating on water and concepts for colonies on Mars. Then theres also plans for colonies on the Moon, including the ESAs Moon Village.As for skyscraper ideas, Dubais 3D-printed buildingsare a bitmore probable than the Analemma.

In any case, its fun to imagine how the future will look.While we may not put our money on the the Analemma Tower, it may well inspire some ideas that are worth investing in.

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Here's How Long You'd Survive on a Skyscraper That Hangs Off an Asteroid - Futurism

Chlorpyrifos

On Wednesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) doubled-back on its course to ban achemical used in pesticides called chlorpyrifos. The moveto reverse its earlierdecisionwhich was made during the Obama administration is a sign of changein the agencys approach to toxic chemicals under the newEPA head, Scott Pruitt.

Chlorpyrifos, previously found in bug spray,is known to attack the nervous system of not just insects, but humans too causing an array of symptoms like dizziness, vomiting, and diarrhea. Its been banned from household use for more than a decade, but its still used by farmers on citrus trees, strawberries, broccoli, and cauliflower. The residue may be found on produce in supermarkets.

Based on the harm that this pesticide causes, the EPA cannot, consistent with the law, allow it in our food, said Patti Goldman, a lawyer with the environmental advocacy group Earthjustice, citing a number of studies that have demonstrated theharmful effects ofthe pesticide in humans.

Wednesdays decision was the EPAs response to a federal judges order for a final decision on the matter. That order had been prompted by petitions from environmental groups, including Earthjustice, to ban chlorpyrifos. The EPA previously proposed a ban on chlorpyrifos back in 2015.

The law against pesticides doesnt mince words: it strictly prohibits chemicals that cannot demonstrate a reasonable certainty that no harm will result to consumersor anyone else exposed to these pesticides. Still, as far the fate of chlorpyrifos is still subject to debate despite evidence pointing to its health dangers.

Some of that evidenceagainst chlorpyrifos came from a study by researchers atColumbia Universitywho measured the levels of this chemical present in theumbilical cords of newborn babies. The study was part of a series done on mothers and their babies who were exposed to several chemicals and showed that chlorpyrifos was more dangerous than previously thought.

Jim Jones, a former assistant administrator of the EPA whowas in-charge of pesticide regulation, admitted that the EPA struggled with translating these findings into a prediction of risks for chlorpyrifos residues on food. But once we cracked that nut, and you had the risk evaluated and in front of you, it became, in my view, a very straightforward decision, with not a lot of ambiguity in terms of what you would do, he told NPR. I just dont know what basis they would have to deny the petition [to ban chlorpyrifos], given the vast scientific record that the EPAs got right now.

One thing is clear: issues like this prove that politics and science are becoming more and more intertwined. It seems that would be the natural progression of things,as there are a number of issues vaccines, stem cells, artificial intelligence (AI) development, climate change, and even nuclear weapons to name a few that require policies backed by sound and solid, evidence-based science.

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The EPA Approves the Continued Use of a Harmful Chemical in Pesticides - Futurism

In Brief A top U.S. official believes we must prepare to fight space battles now that technology has allowed humanity to explore the far reaches of space. Deflector Shields Up

Whenever you hear about space battles, your mind might go straight toStar Wars, Star Trek, orBattlestar Galactica,where such intergalactic battlesare merely works of science fiction.Butaccording to a top-ranking U.S. military officer, it may behoove the United States to ready itself forout-of-this-world warfare.

Speaking at a conference by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C., Navy Vice Adm. Charles A. Richard argued for the necessity of a preparation without provocation strategy that the U.S. must adopt to keep space a safe place, and to protect American assetsthat have taken up residence there. His full talk can be viewed here.

Just as nuclear assets deter aggression by convincing potential adversaries theres just no benefit to the attack, we have to maintain a space posture that communicates the same strategic message,said Vice Adm. Richard, who happens to be the deputy commander of the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM).

Vice Adm. Richard isnt being facetious; on the contrary, hes serious about ensuring the U.S. is able to fight space battles as ameasure for keeping peace beyond our planet. I submit [that] the best way to prevent war is to be prepared for war, and were going to make sure that everyone knows were going to be prepared to fight and win wars in all domains, to include space, he said.

Vice Adm. Richard went on to suggest that space is no longer the benign environment it once was.

As todays technological advances make us capable of extending our reach into worlds beyond ours, defense against what we may find there becomes even more necessary. Our goal ultimately is to promote secure access to space so it can be explored for generations to come, Richardexplained. And with great technology comes an even greater responsibility as we know from all those superhero movies.

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Top U.S. Military Official Says We Need to Prepare for Space Battles - Futurism

In Brief A new algorithm has shown in simulations that traffic jams can be considerably reduced even if just 10 percent of cars on the road follow its guidelines. Traffic Troubles

Despite differences in individual politicsand any number of other preferences, onething many people agree on is how much they loathe getting stuck in traffic. Those that do share the sentiment withElon Musk, whose desire to find a better mode of public transportlead to the birth of Hyperloop. Although, another solution may just be to wait thirty years for autonomous vehiclesto take the main stage.

Estimates sayAmericans spent a collective 6.9 billion hours stuck in traffic in 2014. Which rounds to 42 hours per average citizen,per year, spent in traffic thats almost two days of sitting in your vehicle. Moreover, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that there were over 6 million traffic accidents in 2015. To make matters worse, the number of accidents per year has only been going up, with a 5% increase since 2006. The cost for traffic-related incidents runs up to $2200 billion per year in developed countries worldwide. Although there is promise in new AI research that might just make traffic problems a thing of the past.

Computer scientists at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore are working on an algorithm that can reduce traffic jams through intelligent routing. The program runs with the breakdown assumption, which is idea that at some point within a large traffic density, something (such as an accident)willprobably happen. The programs task is to minimize the probability of such a traffic breakdown.

After working their algorithm in simulations, and further analysis with BMW, the team is confident that their algorithm can positively improve traffic even if just 10percent of the cars in a network are driving according to their optimizations.

With similar algorithms improving in the years to come, we may live to see a day whentraffic accidents are a thing of the past. Our predecessors may one day look at how we drive, and at car safety, the way we gawk in horror at how things were almost a century ago.

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A New Intelligent Routing Algorithm for Cars Could Dramatically Improve Traffic Flow - Futurism

Jamiroquais eighth album straddles two traditional scenarios: a dystopian, digital future and booze-soaked sunny days spent spying on sophisticated ladies. Set to the sounds of French touch, disco funk, Tron movie scores and Bond-style strings, there are agitated prophecies such as on synth onslaught Automaton and libidinous love songs: he worships at the feet of a cosmopolitan female on Summer Girl, while Hot Property is about a woman whose mind is so sharp that she just killed a man.

While his energies might have waned (his voice on the chemically addled Dr Buzz is particularly fried), the spooky groove of We Can Do It and the chintzy jazz-lite of Vitamin revive the classic traits of his early career. Despite some naff phrases, dodgy song titles and a lot of robotic trickery, during times of grim austerity, the return of Jay Kays elite, escapist lifestyle full of fast cars, fast girls and big bulldozing basslines offers a flash of ostentatious fun.

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Jamiroquai: Automaton review escapist futurism and libidinous ... - The Guardian