Monthly Archives: June 2017

Futurism only supports companiesthat we trust. Aura Premiumis one of those companies. We may collect a share of the sales from the items featured on this page. Sign up for Aura Premium here. A New Way to Think

Mindful meditation is becoming an increasingly popular tool, one that people use to manage both their emotional and mental health. The practice is,in essence, the art of not reactingthe art of finding inner stillness through the use of external stillness. Its taking the time to close your eyes, turn your focus inward, and put all of your energy into just breathing.

Its an incredibly simple practice that doesnt take much time at all, and it is incredibly helpful. Ina study published in Clinical Psychology Review,researchers at Boston University and Harvard Medical School found that the technique helps alleviateanxiety and allows individuals to better cope with stressfulsituations. Similarly, in a study fromFrontiers in Psychology, researchers found that individuals who meditate have more gray matter volume in their brains than those that do not.

Yet, only 18 million Americans report their participation. Unfortunately, the reality for many overworked Americans is that relaxation is a luxury. Indeed, 92 % of the country still hasnt caught onto the trend. Its a surprising statistic considering the fact that meditation has been proven to increase concentration, decrease anxiety, and even help to preserve the aging brain.

Over the last few years, there have been a variety of apps that have aimed to close the gap between people who make time for meditation and the people who dont know how to fit it into their lives. And while many of the apps that have hit the market have effective qualities, few are as impressive and progressive asAura Premiumthe app created by meditation teachers and therapists that actually gets to know you, so it can help you better.

The AI-infused app is programmed to take post-session feedback information and use it to become a dynamic tool that assists with your mental health. Each time you use the app, it creates more pathways for you to get better at finding your zen.

And while anyone whos into mindful meditation will appreciate the app for its relaxation enhancers, its most appealing for people who are new to meditation and need guidance. All users need is three minutes a day to practice, though you can also choose 7 and 10-minute meditation durations as well.

The app is mostly geared towards helping its users get into a better headspace through exercises, breathing routines, and key spoken wordsthough it also has the ability to track users moods to help them see patterns and form connections.

Aura is essentially like having a portable guide in your pocket. And its been so successful in helping its users find inner peace, it was rated the best new app for February 2017 with thousands of nearly perfect ratings. For $59.99 on StackSocial, you can get a lifetime subscription to the app and start your journeyto better mental health.

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There's A New Way to Use Meditation to Reshape Your Brain - Futurism

Living in a Post-Truth World

In this post-truth world plagued by fake news and alternative facts, a massive divide has emergedbetween the science communityand muchof society, and the problem isnt limited to just one issue, either.

Despite scientists telling them otherwise, asignificant number of people still believe genetically modifiedfoods are unsafe to eat, others are worriedthat vaccines do more harm than good, and an alarming number of people arent convinced that climate change is a man-made phenomenon.

The public is nervous. They worry, Are scientists trustworthy? Can industry be trusted?, Arthur Caplan, Founding Director of the Division of Medical Ethics at New York University, explains to Futurism.

Thankfully,Caplan believesthe scientific community has the power to regainthe publics trust.

According to Caplan,rebuilding trust starts with better communication.Scientists can spend years or even decades dedicated to one field of study, and their work can be extremely complicated. Not every research projectlends itself to snappy headlines and easily digestible results, so the science community needs to focus on finding people the public can trust to explain its work instead of relying on the press to act as the middleman.

We have to have more scientists learn how to communicate better, asserts Caplan. We dont have many good spokesmen. Out of hundreds of thousands of scientists, we have roughly six that can communicate.

Having more charismatic, trustworthyscience ambassadors like Neil deGrasse Tyson and Michio Kaku who can explain scientific facts and breakthroughs in a relatable way is especially important when it comes toareas of science in which ethics are a concern. Caplan cites gene editing as one such example.

Many people dont understand what thetechnology is all about, he explains. They fear its going to be used by bad people to do bad things, and they dont really understand the upside or the benefits. The public needs to see that scientists arent egomaniacs trying to play God with genetics, but regular people who see ways the technology could save lives.

By focusing first on building better lines of communication, the science community has a chance to regain the publics trust, and the implications of thatwould be extraordinary.

For example, addressing the issue of climate change would be much easier ifan additional 37 percent of the public believed it wasprimarily caused by man (bringing the rate in line with that of the science community in the Pew Research survey). If politicians wanted to be re-elected, theyd be forced to write legislationaddressing the issue, and an additional third of the population would be more likely to make changes on an individual level to address the problem, such as transitioning to electric cars.

Even more important than regaining the publics trust, however, might be building it from the ground up with future generations, particularly in regards to controversial areas of study. Todays youth may not have the established biases of older generations, andcurrently, the science community does little to connect with them.

We need some serious ethical and science-related discussion related to [these topics] in high school. After all, its the next generation that will answer many of these issues, and most of them dont get any discussion of these topics even though theyre keenly interested in all of them, says Caplan. We neglect high school, and if you produce an illiterate population with respect to science, you suffer the consequences.

This interview has been slightly edited for clarity and brevity.

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The Public Doesn't Trust Science. It's 2017. We Need to Fix This. - Futurism

In Brief Director James Cameron is currently developing a 3D format for his Avatar sequels that will do away with the need for special glasses. If it comes to fruition, the technology could cause as big a revolution in visual media as the initial groundbreaking film did. A Better Experience

Avatarwas a cinema juggernaut, catalyzing the integration of 3D technology into theaters and homes alike. However, the sequels director James Cameron has planned the first of which will be released in 2020may take the technology to an entirely new level by utilizinga new RGB laser projection system designed by Christie Digitalthat would eliminate the need for viewers to wear glasses.

Two pieces of news fuel the speculation that Cameron is pursuing glasses-free 3D. The first comes directly from Cameron himself, whosaid as much during an acceptance speech in November:Im still very bullish on 3D, but we need brighter projection, and ultimately I think it can happen with no glasses. Well get there. Then in March, his Lightstorm Entertainment production companyrenewed a five-year agreement withChristie Digital.

However, very few details regarding how the technology would work other than the fact that Christie Digitals projectors are capable of using 60,000 lumens to solve the problem of blur and distortion in high frame rateshave been announced.

Although systems already exist that are capable of rudimentary versions of glasses-less 3D, none have had the mainstream awareness that James Camerons backing would grant the technology plenty of cinemas across the country onlyinstalled 3D systems afterAvatar was released.If the technology is developed, it could change the screen-based visual entertainment industry fundamentally.

Although 3D technology has its share of issues, the biggest is arguably the glasses, which many people find uncomfortable, impractical, and too expensive. If a glasses-less 3D system comes to fruition, it might result in wider adoption of 3D technology.

As what Cameron is proposing is effectively a screen-produced hologram,this technology could also have uses far beyond the theater. Gamers could use it as an alternative to virtual reality (VR), which is often criticized for its cumbersome headsets, architects could use it to show their plans to clients, and shoppers could see 3D versions of the items theyre thinking of buying online.

Regardless of whether the tech is ready in time for Avatar 2, its poised to have a major impact on the viewing experiences of the future.

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Avatar Sequels Could Be Shown in 3D That Doesn't Require Glasses - Futurism

In BriefA new report has found that the cost of solar energy isdropping at a staggering rate of 4.4 percent worldwide each year.However, it cites some worrying causes as to why the power sourcehas become so cheap. The Solar Price Slump

Solar energy is becoming much cheaper all over the world according to a GTM Researchstudy by solar analyst Ben Gallagher. He predicts that the price of constructing solar power technologywill decrease by 4.4 percent each year, meaning that by 2022 the price of projects will have dropped by 27 percent. This decrease in cost is causing more countries to adopt solar power as a viable means of supplying energy.

Gallagher attributes the falling price to the globalization of the tools and resources needed to construct the systems like the investors, labor cost, modules, and trackers which has meant that regional hardware pricing [has] been eroded by market forces, he wrote in the study.

The leader in this global price decrease is India which, according to the report, can produce solar energy at 65 cents per watt. This is the lowest price of solar energy that the world has ever recorded, in any region.

Japan had the highest construction cost worldwide, although its costs are still falling overall, with each watt of energy costing around $2. The price of construction for Japan, therefore, is roughly double the U.S.s $1.10 and the U.K.s $1, which was the lowest priced solar power in western Europe.

On one hand, a decrease in the price of solar energy and that of other renewable sourceslike wind energy is a positive,because environmentally friendly options are unlikely to be accepted into general use unless they are also economically attractive. The lower cost means that both the environment and society benefit mutually, and that we can maintain our current standard of living without relying on fuels that cause severe damage to the planet.

However, on the other hand, this decrease in the price of solar energy may not be as promising as it first seems, as it may be caused by unethically cutting corners during construction. Gallagher claims in the report that the high level of market competition has lead to suspicion that many of the new solar tech, in India particularly, were hastily constructed using poor-quality components. In addition, the low cost may be due to paying workers very little.

Mark Twain once wrote, There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics we must be careful that we are not seduced by attractive figures without digging into the reasons and causes behind them. If we are to succeed in making the planet greener, we must ensure it is due to technological innovation rather than unethical manipulation of humans and poor construction.

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The Cost of Solar Will Drop Another 25% by 2022 - Futurism