Monthly Archives: June 2017

In BriefThis week at the Starmus Festival, Stephen Hawking talkedabout his ongoing work to build a spacecraft capable of trueinterstellar travel. He explained that this unmanned space probewould be crucial to extending humanity's reach into space. Betting His Chips

Stephen Hawking isnt content to just warn humanity about its dwindling potential for longterm survival hes determined to do something about it. In April 2016, the renowned physicist announced he was developing a spacecraft that could facilitate moving our species to a second Earth. This proposed spacecraft, named Star Chip, is part of an initiative called theBreakthrough Starshot.

While speaking at the Starmus Festival in Trondheim, Norway, this week, Hawking explained why his work is more important now than ever. He told the audience that hes convinced we need to leave the Earth and migrate to a second planetary home.Building a base on the Moon by 2020 to serve as a jumping off point and finishing Star Chip as soon as possible are two important steps to making this happen.

This small space probe would be equippedwith a lightsail weighing just a few grams. Powered by an array of Earth-based lasers, Star Chip would travel on a beam of light, reaching about a fifth of the speed of light, roughly 160 million k/h (100 million mph), on its journey to the Alpha Centauri solar system.

According to the Independent,Hawking told the audience what he thought his tiny space probe could achieve:

Such a system could reach Mars in less than an hour, reach Pluto in days, pass Voyager in under a week, and reach Alpha Centauri in just over 20 years. Once there, the nano craft could image any planets discovered in the system, test for magnetic fields and organic molecules, and send the data back to Earth in another laser beam. This tiny signal would be received by the same array of dishes that were used to transit the launch beam.

Since it could reach Alpha Centauri, it could make a fly-by to Proxima b, the exoplanet many consider the most similar to Earth. Star Chip would complete a true interstellar itinerary but without humans on board:

Of course, this would not be human interstellar travel, even if it could be scaled up to a crewed vessel. It would be unable to stop. But it would be the moment when human culture goes interstellar, when we finally reach out into the galaxy. And if Breakthrough Star Shot should send back images of a habitable planet orbiting our closest neighbor, it could be of immense importance to the future of humanity.

This is all very long-term thinking,withHawking predicting humans wouldnt be ready for interstellar travel for at least two more centuries. However, any knowledge we could glean from Star Chips mission could help us understand the nature of space, and perhaps help us find a new home before the doomsday Hawking predicts will befall humanity just 100 years from now. Its worth a shot.

See the rest here:
Stephen Hawking's Tiny Spacecraft Could Reach Another Solar System in Just Over 20 Years - Futurism

In Brief Elon Musk has be teasing the world with ever more mention of how soon we can expect a update on his plans to go to Mars. Updates promise to include a plan on how he is going to finance the trip, and the precise nature of the spacecraft.

Elon Musk and others are certainly not slowing down in the pursuit to colonize Mars. Major changes to this plan are currently underway.

Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 17, 2017

The nature of these updates was confirmed in a media question session at the Kennedy Space Center in March, during which Musk said he would provide an update on the design of the Interplanetary Transport System, and by Interplanetary Transport System, that includes the propellant depot on Mars, He also stated that the tension in the project is to not just get it done technically, but figure out how to get this done without going bankrupt. He is, however, hopeful about this new approach.

Despite multiple assertions that the updates will be arriving imminently including an announcement at an Everyday Astronaut event two and a half months ago that he was coming up with a number of design refinements and probably ready to put on the website within a month or so there has been frustratingly little follow-up.

So, while we wait on tenterhooks for more information stewing in the meta position of waiting for update news about an update we were also given, fortunately, a transcript from the talkin which he details his non-updated plan, and gives an exciting look behind the scenes of SpaceX.

Read the rest here:
Elon Musk to Reveal Major Changes to Plans for Colonizing Mars - Futurism

Leading the Charge

If humanity were to appoint a general in our war against aging, Aubrey de Grey would likely earn the honor. The British author andbiomedical gerontologist has been on the frontline for years,researching ways tofree the world of age-related disease and, ultimately, extend human life indefinitely.

De Grey is the Editor-in-Chief of Rejuvenation Researchand a Fellow of both the Gerontological Society of America and the American Aging Association. In 2009, he co-founded theSENS Research Foundation, a non-profit built around hisStrategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence (SENS).

From the SRF Research Center (SRF-RC) in Mountain View, CA, foundation scientists conduct proof-of-concept research with the goal of addressing the problems caused by aging. They focus on repairing damage to the body at the molecular level, and their work is helping advance the field ofrejuvenation biotechnology.

SRF-RC teams are currently focusing on two equally complex-sounding research projects, one centered onallotopic expression(a way to bypass the harmful effects of age-caused mitochondrial mutations) and the other ontelomerase-independent telomere elongation(a little-researched process by which some cancer cells overcome mortality).

Either project could lead to major breakthroughs in anti-aging treatments, butas de Grey explains toFuturism, the path to immortality doesnt just run through the science lab.

While the research being conducted at the SRF-RC is far from simple, de Grey claims DNA mutations and cancer cells arent the biggest hurdles to anti-aging breakthroughs: The most difficult aspect [of fighting age-related diseases] is raising the money to actually fund the research.

The nature of most science research is exploratory. Researchers dont know that what theyre working on is going to yield the results they expect, and even if it does, turning basic research into income is no easy task. To support their work, most have to rely on funding from outside sources, such asgovernment grants, educational institutions, or private companies.

The amount of funding a specific field receives varies wildly. For example, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that it allocated $5.5 billion forcancer research in 2016, while amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) research received a comparatively paltry $52 million. However, raising funds for anti-aging research has proven even more difficult, according to de Grey.

Its still an incredibly hard sell, he claims. We have very limited resources. We only have about 4 million dollars a year to spend, and so we spent it very judiciously.

That money isnt going to just the two in-house projects, either. The SENS Foundation funds anti-aging research at institutions across the globe and providesgrants and internships for students, so raising money to support those endeavors is key to continued success in its fight against aging.

Essentialto raising money for anti-aging research is ensuring that those with the funds understands why its worth the investmenta not-so-easy task given current misconceptions about aging.

In 2015, eight major aging-focused organizations, including AARP, the American Geriatrics Society, and the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR), released a report detailing what they call the many notable gaps that exist between expert perspectives on aging and the publics perception of the process. If the public isnt well informed on aging, its even less knowledgeable about anti-aging.

Fifty-eight percent of respondents ina 2013 Pew Research studysaid they had never even heard of radical life extension before. When asked if they would undergo treatments that would allow them to live to the age of 120 or older, the majority of those surveyed said they would not, and51 percent thought such treatments would be bad for society.

There is still a huge amount of resistance to the logic that aging is bad for you and that its a medical problem that needs to be addressed, explains de Grey. Its really, really extraordinary to me that its so hard to get this through to people, but that is the way it is.

The SENS Foundationfocuses a significant portion of its resources toward combatting this disconnect. In 2014, it dedicated more than $1 million tooutreach and education, spreading the gospel of anti-aging research through speaking engagements, newsletters, press coverage, conferences, and other forms of community engagement.

Once the field is properly funded and supported, de Greythinks researchers will have a clear path forward to curing the problem of aging:

Aging is not mysterious. We understand it pretty well. Its not even a phenomenon of biology. Its more a phenomenon of physics. Any machine with moving parts is going to damage itselfand the result is inevitably going to be that eventually the machine fails. Its the same for the human body as it is for a car, for example, and if we think about it that way, it becomes pretty easy to actually see what to do about it.

The benefits of ending the problem of aging would be tremendous. Not only would we be living longer, wed be living healthier for longer.

Without the debilitating diseases and disorders that have become synonymous with old age vision loss, dementia, muscle weakness wed have extra years or even decades to do all the things we loved to do when were were younger: travel, play sports, spend time with our loved ones. Wed avoid the personal financial burden associated with treating the side effects of aging, and some argue that governments would even see a monetarybenefit from radical life extension as two-thirds of Social Security expenditures for retirees currently go toward healthcare.

Anti-aging proponents like de Grey will be the people leading us toward that figurative fountain of youth, but you shouldnt start living like youre immortal just yet. We have made very significant breakthroughs in some of the most difficult areas, says de Grey. Im fairly proud of what weve achieved so far, though, of course, we still have a long way to go.

Read this article:
Science Isn't The Reason That Humans Can't Live Forever - Futurism

In Brief Google launched it's personalized job search function in the U.S. today as part of its efforts to utilize artificial intelligence in everything it does. Now, you can search for jobs that you prefer without the hassle of going through multiple sites and job boards.

As promised during its annual developer conference earlier this month, Google launched its search engine for jobs yesterday. Powered by artificial intelligence (AI), this specialized job search uses Googles Cloud Jobs API that launched back in 2016 as part of the companys AI-first approach. Instead of requiring users to downloada newapp, this new AI-powered tool allows job seekers in the U.S. to use Googles existing search function, which are accessible via desktop and mobile.

The new feature, currently available only in English, uses the same simple language Google searches are known for. Simply type jobs near me, teaching jobs, writing jobs, or any other query along these lines. The results page would then show the new job search widget, accompanied by a wide range of jobs from across several online job boards like LinkedIn, Monster, WayUP, and even Facebook which you could then refine further depending on your preferences.

Speaking of preferences, once you find a job that interests you, you could turn on notifications that would send you alerts through the Google app or through email when a new job matching your personalized search gets posted. TheAI filters out all duplicate listings posted on various job sites. However, Google wont handle any of the actual application process, and will simply direct you to the existing job application site.

Google hopes to cut the time job seekers spend on searching for jobs that may not be a good fit. As Nick Zakrasek, project manager for this new search function, wrote in a Google blog, Whether youre a young adult looking for your first job, a veteran hoping to leverage your leadership experience in civilian life, or a parent looking for a job with better pay to support a growing family, we hope this new experience on Google will help make the job search simpler and more effective.

See the original post here:
Google Now Employs AI to Help You Land a New Job - Futurism

Ethers Rise

Bitcoinhas achieved record highs this year: currently, its worth almost three times as much as it was for most of January. Even so, Ethers success this year is eclipsing Bitcoins, given that Ether has risen an unbelievable 4,500 percent in 2017. When we rang in the new year, Ether was worth only around 5 percent as much as Bitcoin, but as of this week, The New York Times reports that outstanding units of the Ether currency were worth around $34 billion. . .82 percent as much as all the Bitcoin in existence.Click to View Full Infographic

Ether is now backed by not only the usual tekkies, but major corporations such as Accenture, Microsoft, Toyota, Intel, and JPMorgan Chase. These companies are becoming part ofEthereums planned global computing network(which will require Ether to use) on the ground floor. Furthermore, Ethereum is gaining traction among cryptocurrency users, with 94 percent feeling positive about the Bitcoin alternative. Only 49 percent report feeling positive about Bitcoin, according to CoinDesks report on a recent survey. Recent trends seem to indicateEthereums value will surpassBitcoins soon an event cryptocurrency enthusiasts have termed the flippening.

Ethereum and Bitcoin share many important qualities. Both are maintained and hosted by volunteers all over the world, and tracked by a network of computers, rather than acompany or government. Private exchanges establish the prices of both, and people can buy and sell them at market rates ortrade them.However, Ethereum was created to do far more than work like digital currency. The Ethereum computer network can also run computer programs and do computational work; functions otherwise known as decentralized applications, or Dapps. This has attracted a massive community of programmers who all contribute their labor to improving the software. In turn, companies have started using the Ethereum network as a base for other programs. JPMorgan Chase, for example, is creating a monitoring system for trading. Some corporate Ethereum users are creating their own Ether currency-free versions of the software, althoughmany observers believe that these software programs will eventually be connected to the Ethereum network.

The rapid boom of both Ethereum and Bitcoin showcase not only the massive potential of blockchain technology, but the volatility of the cryptocurrency world. The Bitcoin community has, at times, been plagued by technical issues and struggles with hackers demanding ransom, and illicit activity like online drug sales. Ethereum has problems, too like the DAO heist in 2016. However, challenges like these are not unexpected in totally new systems, and both Bitcoin and Ethereum have been robust enough to recover well. NYT reports that their combined value is now worth more than the market value of PayPal and is approaching the size of Goldman Sachs.

The idea that companies and individuals will choose to use the computing capabilities of the Ethereum network, as well as the currency, is still speculative. More conservative investors want to see extensive evidence before they make this kind of choice, and right now they dont have that much to go on.

Meanwhile, Bitcoins choice to use retail acceptance of its currency as an entry into mainstream commerce through companies like Expedia and Overstock.com is less risky. Even still,that strategy does run the risk of less savory retailers like drug traffickers. blockchain technology, the basis for the software, is clearly secure, but Ethereums strategy may prove more successful over time.

See the rest here:
Ether is King of Cryptocurrency For Now - Futurism

In BriefA new study found that climate change-driven heatwavescurrently threaten the lives of 30% of the world's population. Ifno action is taken against climate change, they predict the numberwill climb to 74% by 2100. The Heat Is On

For many,warm weather has traditionally meant beaches and BBQs, but according toa new studypublishedin Nature,climate change is pushingthe human capacity to survive heatwaves to and in some cases, beyond its limit.

Right now, for 20 days or more each year, roughly30 percent of Earths population is exposed to climatic conditions that exceed the researchers estimated global threshold for mortality risk. In other words, almost a third of us are living in places where the humidity and surface air temperatures exceed the point at which conditions are likely to be deadly 20 days every year.

By 2100, the number of people living under these conditions will be higher, but how much higher depends almost entirely on how aggressively we combat climate change.

If greenhouse gas emissions are reduced dramatically between now and then, about 48 percent of us will be living under this deadly heatwave threat. If we do nothing, 74 percent of people will. Some of those people will unquestionably die, and theyll probably bethe most vulnerable among us, such as the elderly and children who are not receiving adequate care.

Thankfully, efforts are already underway to combat climate change and keep the mercury from rising.

The largest states in the U.S., mayors of more than 85 American cities, and private organizations such as Bloomberg, Apple, Microsoft, Exxon-Mobil, Google, Morgan Stanley, and Tesla have taken leadership roles inAmerican climate change effortsby reaffirming their commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement.

Their actions reveal that the country is not unilaterally in support of the Trump Administrations climate change denial and withdrawal of the U.S. from the international agreement, a move that also prompted waves of protests from individual citizens.

Other countries, including China and India, have confirmed their commitment to the deal, and France has even extended an invitation to climate change scientists from the U.S. to continue their work as part of the French community.

Will these efforts be enough? No one can say for sure, but given that this new report concludes that even very aggressive action will still result in nearly half of the world living in danger from heatwaves, it seems obvious that there is no such thing as too much effort in the battle against climate change.

Originally posted here:
By 2100, Climate Change-Driven Heatwaves Could Threaten 74% of the Population - Futurism

In Brief Sweden has passed a law accelerating its timetable for achieving carbon neutrality. The country is joined by other world leaders (with the exception of the U.S.) in renewed commitments to the Paris goals and the fight against climate change.

Sweden has passed a law via cross-party committee that dedicates the country to reduce its net carbon emissions to zero by 2045. This makes Sweden the first nation to adopt serious post-Paris Accord goals; its previous aim was to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. This new law requires an action plan to be updated every four years, and creates an independent Climate Policy Council to ensure its goal is met.

Sweden is already operating with 83 percent renewable energy, split between hydropower and nuclear energy. This high level of success reflects an earlier target which they beat eight years early of 50 percent renewables by 2020. Moving forward, the nations strategy will focus heavily on reducing domestic emissions by at least 85 percent, in large part through the increased use of electric vehicles and biofuels. The rest of this carbon neutral goal will be met by investing abroad or planting trees.

Since the U.S.s unpopular decision to withdraw from the Paris Accord, other countries are also stepping up their efforts. India, China, Canada, France, and EU leaders have all reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris goals. Femke de Jong of Carbon Market Watch tells New Scientist that other countries in the EU will likely announce more ambitious goals, With the Trump decision to get out of the Paris agreement, Europe is more united than ever and wants to show leadership to the world.

See the original post here:
Sweden Passes New Law to Become Carbon Neutral By 2045 - Futurism

In Brief A pair of drivers from Belgium just set a new record for distance traveled on a single charge in a Tesla Model S, but CEO and founder Elon Musk says the vehicle could've gone even farther if it had the right set of tires.

Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk claims that aModel S P100D could travel a distance of over1,000 kilometers (~621 miles) if driven efficiently on a single charge as long as it had the right tires. Musks assertion was made after he retweeted a post by Electrekfeaturing a link toan article about a new Model S hypermiling record.

For the unfamiliar, hypermiling is done to test just how far a vehicle can go on a single tank of fuel or, in the case of electric vehicles, a single charge when driven to maximize efficiency.

In the article, a hypermiling duo from Belgium drove a Model S P100D currently the fastest Tesla caravailable in a 26-km (16-mile) closed loop for nearly 24 hours. Traveling at speeds of 40 km/h (24mph), they were able to run the car for 901.2 km (roughly 560 miles) on a single charge.

The previous record was set byCasey Spencer, who drove a Model S 85D ~885 kilometers (550.3 miles) on one charge.The Model SP100Dhas a higher energy capacity, which accounts for Musks confidence that it could go even farther under ideal conditions.

While the average driver wont be operating their Tesla under hypermiling conditions, the significance of this new record is clear: Teslas EVs are now more efficient than ever before. Thats a plus for anyone considering an electric car, as a primary obstacle to adoption has been concerns aboutlimited range, and the more EVs we can get on the roads, the fewer of their fossil fuel-powered counterparts will be contributing to carbon emissions.

Link:
Elon Musk: With the Right Tires, a Tesla Could Travel 1000+ Kilometers on a Single Charge - Futurism