Happy New Year!

Dr. Theopolis and Twiki join Science Patrol in wishing you a happy New Year. May this revolution around the sun be a joyous one for you and yours.

Room with a View.

Massaud Studio designed this beluga whale shaped airship that will serve as a flying hotel. Filled with helium, the hotel will feature 60 rooms and a 500 square meter meeting area. Cruising at 173 mph, the hotel will circle the globe in 3 day non-stop trips. Airships FTW.

Face Fish Swim Among Us

Let this Korean woman tell you all about the mysterious Real Face Fish which have apparently been discovered in that region. Early sightists report this beast is some sort of hybrid, probably resulting from hurried, drunken sex with a mermaid princess--commonly known as a dugong or a sea-cow. Just kidding, folks, those are mammalian, and these are clearly fish, although the origin of those cheekbones is in question.

The NEW Google Earth

Alright guys Google Earth has been cool before, and now it is way new and improved.
Leave it to google to integrate a (pretty intricate) flight simulator and the (science related) google sky. Where ever you are on earth simply go to View>Switch to Sky and you can get a view of the night sky, then simpy click on a star and see a hubble image of it. Really something worth trying out. You won't leave your chair for hours.

This was a Triumph.

Im making a note here: huge success. Its hard to overstate my satisfaction.

brickshelf

Movies From Another Dimension

Future technologies will allow us to view these images in the safety of our homes.

Upload Your Life

As bandwidth continues to increase in every aspect of our lives, the issue of home network storage is becoming more and more urgent. It has become clear that the optical disc is a dead format. Every day that I store data on discs, I am increasing the likelihood that it will become corrupted in the future; already, I have thrown away more scratched and broken CD's than I will ever buy--and most of my current collection has also accreted scratches that carry over to any mp3 copies, so they must be thrown away as well. My DVD and game collection is not large, but it has already overflowed its alloted space in my apartment.

That's why Cory Doctorow's proposed solution appeals so strongly to me: a networked storage box with 3 TB of space, that allows him to store every DVD, .mp3 and .rom in his collection, accessible over home network and stuck in the bottom of the closet so you can't hear it. It would be accesible by remote anywhere in the world. In addition, a second unit would sit at his office and provide total redundancy. Now, I'm not sure keeping a third copy of every single DVD you own is an essential use of that second server, but there's no denying that 3 TB will allow you to do that for some time.

[Image by Craig LaRotonda via nikkisioux]

Space Probe Finds Four New Worlds

I tell you, when you see this headline on the front of your personal homepage, you know you are living in the future. That's how you know what it feels like to be Yanos Solong.
"Corot, a French-funded probe designed to detect worlds orbiting other stars, has found four such candidates in its first year of operation, its mission chiefs said here on Thursday..."

Story here.

Merry Christmas

Science Patrol, John McClain, and the staff of Nakatomi Plaza would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas. "Come out to the coast, well get together, have a few laughs."

Metalosis Maligna

Floris Kaayk is about to freak you out with this fictitious documentary about a fictitious disease called Metalosis Maligna. While it is terrifying, and sometimes difficult to watch; I assure you that the subject matter in the contained video is indeed based in fiction, and is not real. The video is featured at microbia.nl, which is one of the most well designed websites i have ever visited.
But dont blame me for this grotesque and fascinating piece of footage, as it was introduced to me by Yanos. Go blame him.

My God--It's Full of Stars

This video is great, but the mind-blowing part comes in the final 27 seconds, starting at 1:26, when the camera zooms into the center of the galaxy.

Could VR Be Good Again?

When I was a kid VR was the greatest concept imaginable. We would be able to see the world inside computers just like the real world now...unfortunately the Virtual Boy was the closest we ever saw to a practical home VR system. However, Nintendo has once again surreptitiously slipped VR-capable hardware into our homes with the Wii's motion sensing capabilities. Johnny Lee is one of many who have adapted the Wii's hardware to create a truly excellent proof of concept. Now,will anyone ever use this technology? Good question.

Ambassador's Day

A' la Indiepix:

300 Generations...2 Messengers...1 Dilemma...No Choice.
Ambassadors Day takes place thousands of years in the future, when the remnants of the human species have moved indoors to escape the wrath of an environment turned hostile. Many generations have passed, and all that's left of communication between these isolated sanctuaries of humankind are the Ambassadors.

Long after the End of the World has passed into myth, two envoys meet to exchange the weekly numbers of their people. It is a day like any other in Rendezvous Zone Eight-Seven Northwest, until one of the Ambassadors is ordered to shoot the other. Refusing, the Ambassador tries to defuse the situation. Unfortunately the problem began thousands of years ago, and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

Ambassadors Day Trailer
Uploaded by indiepix

Art-Science Representative Spotlight: Daniel Rozin

The meshing of art and science is one way for man to expand it's thinking about possible futures by way of breaking the mold, and envisioning new uses for current and past-prime technologies. Daniel Rozin is one such master of this domain, using art and science as one, and the results are brilliant. Like the above pictured wooden mirror, and like the peg mirror, below. Both use image capturing to see the movements in front of the mirror, and then translate that image into predetermined positions corresponding to the level of darkness or light displayed. Check out his website linked by Rozin's name, as there is a lot more interesting stuff there.

I could not resist

Attack of the Thirty Meter Telescope

The Thirty Meter Telescope will be larger than any current telescope by a factor of three. It whips the tar out of other telescopes and sends them squalling to their mammies. According to the article, it is somehow even larger than the European Southern Observatory's 42-meter Extremely Large Telescope. It may even be able to see extrasolar planets. Interstellar Rear Window For The Win.

Virtual Rube

The Half-Life 2 engine is frickin awesome. It provides amazingly lifelike physics within its environments, as eloquently demonstrated by this Rube Goldberg device built using Garry's Mod.

fully operational

A distant galaxy is shooting a death beam at another distant galaxy.

Mars and Fiction

Kim Stanley Robinson, author of the Blue Mars series, wrote this article after the Mars rovers discovered water there in 2004. He discusses how science fiction, and dreams of Mars, inspired the original rocket scientists, and carries that forward to the present day. An awesome vision of how we are reaching out to the stars. Please also see this article about the Singularity.

EDIT: Interesting synchronicity: BLDGBLOG has just posted an interview with Robinson.

Superfluid Science

Reason Enough

So, yeah....AVP:R is coming to theaters this christmas. Which i guess is reason enough to post this awesome picture of a facehugger. Learning now will save you in the future.
Click to Enlarge.

LucidTouch: Semi-Transparent Handheld Device

Are your modern conveniences too inconvenient? Can you not touch the buttons on your touchscreen display because your fingers are in the way? Do you think weirdo future gadgets are awesome? Then it looks like LucidTouch could be for you. Researchers at the Mitsubishi Electric Research Lab are developing this device to eliminate some of the shortcomings of modern touch screen applications.

The Invisible World

Empire Star

Comet Jo had a body that was brown and slim and looked like a cat's, and on his left hand were sharp brass claws with which he had already killed three wild kepards and a boy his own age. He also had a propensity for wandering, and this was to lead him on an adventure spanning uncounted light-years of space and incalculable spans of time, to free a race of beings upon whom the civilizations of the stars depended.

Along the way he would meet: the strange multiplex consciousness called Jewel; the beautiful, soul-burdened space traveler San Severina; a creature known as the Lump, who was half-alien, half-machine; Ni Ty Lee, the suicidal poet of the stars, who lived everyone's life but his own; a young princess of the Galactic Empire, fresh from Miss Perrypicker's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies...

And finally he would meet - himself. A thousand times, or perhaps more.

-Empire Star, Samuel Delany

More Sci-Fi Covers

Lance Hates These.....

Except this one. This one is cool.

Russians are Calling Extraterrestrials

When I was a child and I first learned about SETI, I wondered why scientists weren't actively sending out transmissions to other parts of space, instead of only listening for others to phone us. Well, it turns out that a Russian scientist has been doing just that, and others in the scientific community are demanding that he knock it off. Read all about it.

In Space, Noone can hear you Carol...

I just read This Press Release at nasa.gov inviting all of us down here on Earth to send holiday greeting cards to the astronauts at the ISS(international space station). Log on to http://www.nasa.gov and hit the link under "Interactive Features" to choose a postcard and send your own message to the crew! As soon as i finish this post, im sending them a personalized greeting from Lance Cardigan and the rest of Science Patrol! You should do the same.

UPDATE: The following message has been sent to the crew of the ISS:
Dear ISS Crew, On behalf of myself and all of the bloggers at www.sciencepatrol.net, we would like to wish you a happy holiday in space. We are very lucky to live in an age where brilliant people such as yourselves have the ability to carry out such amazing research. Have a wonderful holiday. Thanks for helping us all live in the future. -Lance Cardigan and Yanos Solong, SciencePatrol.net

Violinbotic Uprising Iminent.....

He can also melt your face on Guitar Hero III, chump.

The Enrichment Center Reminds Henchmen of Proper Loading Dock Procedure

Give Yourself Something From Your Own Future

POPSCI asked a bunch of cool guys what Geek Gifts and Ultimate Gifts they'd like to receive this holiday. What are your own wishes?


Geek Gift: A PS3. Sure, I already decided that a 360 would be a better investment of my own money. That's why I'd love someone else to buy me the PS3, so I wouldn't have to look at the price tag. With more games coming out every day, its looking more attractive by the minute.

Dream Gift: A Flux Capacitor Watch. Sure, driving a DeLorean through the space/time continuum is awesome, and with a Mr. Fusion attached you'll never have to worry about your carbon footprint. But at the end of the day, getting that baby up to 88 mph is an unreliable method of diverting those tachyons. I think I'll just ask for a wrist-mounted version instead. Thanks, Jesus!

So easy a monkey could do it.

Most of us humans have never piloted spacecraft or learned sign language. Most of us probably suck at Memory too. Not these chimps. Our evolutionary cousins at The Primate Research Institute of Kyoto have learned to outperform humans in tasks of numerical sequence and memory. The study suggests that chimpanzees may have much higher cognitive abilities than previously estimated, even by many modern biologists. The study also suggests that placing treat dispensers in arcade games is good for science.

Gaming Cubed

levelHead is a game that uses digital cameras and software to sense the cube's position on a tabletop then superimpose the game world onto the face of the cube. By tilting and turning the cube, the player moves his character through the environments on each side of the cube. Using multiple cubes, the player can guide his character from one cube to the other by finding the connecting door. The game is being designed by digital artist Julian Oliver of New Zealand. I couldn't get my head around it either till i saw this video.

Books Will Kill Us All

Paper cut-out books by Thomas Allen.

(signs of) Life on Mars

The mars rover Spirit has uncovered a batch of pure silica on a plateau called "Home Plate" on the Martian surface. Researchers say that this silica may be the result of a fumarole-or hot spring that emits acidic steam. Similar springs on Earth are typically teeming with microbial life-which leads scientists to believe that this bed of silica may be the ancient graveyard of martian microbes. While not much is understood about the fossilization of microbes in a fumarolic environment, research is being done here on earth to determine if such fossils may be available on the surface of Mars.

via telegraph.co.uk

I am Awake.

Vision von Braun has called my attention to I am Legend:Awakening; an animated next gen graphic novel by dc/vertigo that plays as a companion to the full length feature starring the fresh prince. Here is the 4th installment in the series at Apple.

Internet Relaxation Cooldown.

The Internet is a hectic place. Millions of gigabytes of information whizzing past your eyes at face melting speed. Its enough to make you freak out in a schizoid embolism if you arent careful. That is why the researchers at Science Patrol value the import of taking a deep breath and relaxing from time to time. After all-every synapse in your cerebrum is a precious one. Calibrate your browsing apparatus to THIS SITE and point your cursor towards a happier and more healthy future.

Some Blood with your Future?

I have just uncovered data that we are in contact with alien forces. Forces with only one desire: to completely mess with your Mynd while telling a great story. I'm referring to Darren Franz, a colleague of mine who has published two novels and 22 short stories in various publications. The image above is an illustration from his story "The Drain," published in Black Ink Horror Issue #0--which is sadly no longer available.

Many people may be unaware that these Writers may be people you work alongside every day. They may not make their true intentions known to you until it is too late. If you encounter a writer in your daily activities, the Science Patrol advises you to avert your eyes and do not allow them to suck you into their twisting narratives and well-established characters. It may be the last mistake you ever make.

A Novel Idea.

Back in november, Yanos made us aware of these steampunk book creations. In that same vein, i present to you the Spring Clasp Journal, spotted on cre.ations.net. This is a wonderful way to keep your journal from opening willy nilly and thus allowing anyone to peruse your entries about how much you love star trek:the next generation.

Robot (arm) Uprising Iminent....

Festo is a company that deals in industrial automation. One of their products is Airic’s_arm, a robotic arm developed based on the natural structure of the human arm, and incorporates artificial bones and muscles. This blend of nature and technology has lent itself to one of the most fluid robotic limbs i have seen to date. I want to teach a couple of these things karate so they can guard my base. Notice how the Arm is spelling "Hell" in the youtube embed!


Spotted by Yanos at Technovelgy.

Visions of the Future.

Ok, ok im late on this one. Starting on November 5 and ending November 19, BBC4 (which i dont have in the U.S.) ran a 3 part series of documentaries called Visions of the Future; hosted by my absolute favorite human being in the universe: Michio Kaku. Michio sais that we are transitioning from the age of scientific discovery to the age of scientific mastery. Like i said-my favorite human being in the universe.
I have recently received copies of the broadcast and will post a full write up and review in the very near future. As a teaser, here is a trailer.

The Owls are Not What They Seem

OVVLVVERK supposedly began as a parody of another blog, but I think it's a wonderful site on its own merits. Much as we explore and report on Science, they focus solely on owls and on the multitude of connections they offer to other subjects. It reminds me of free association in longform improv or jazz.

Let's not forget Bohemian Grove. These guys LOVE owls!



Some noteable members




Here's what Nixon had to say about the place...

**You have gained a Level**

Attention all cadets:

Kindly set phasers to http://www.sciencepatrol.net/.

Of course, the old name is still active.

Your experience points can be used to purchase valuable skills.
"I'm gonna specialize in Data Mining!"

recipients of the medal of infinite density

These individuals are Immortals in the Eyes of Admiral Ackbar. He pronounces them Impenetrable, in the name of science.

• Admiral Ackbar
  
• Allen, Paul
• Archimedes (OSG)
• Asimo
• Asimov, Isaac
• Bender Bending Rodriguez
• Blow, Jonathan
  
• Conchords, The Flight of The
• Concrete Ron
• Cylon G1
• Doom, Dr. Otto von
• Fresco, Jacque
• Ganesha (OSG)
• Gondry, Michel
• Grey, Alex
• HAL 9000
• Hawking, Stephen (OSG)
• Johnny 5, S-A-I-N-T Prototype #5
• Kaku Michio
• Kojima Hideo
• Led Zeppelin
• Mega Man (Rockman)
• Megalon
• Miyamoto Shigeru
• Miyazaki Hayao
• Pistorius, Oscar
• R2-D2 (09/26/07)
• Randi, James "The Amazing" (OSG)
• Robotnik, Dr. (Genesis only)
• Stark, Tony
• Strange, Dr. Stephen
• T-1000
• T-800 (Face Melted Only)
• Tesla, Nikola
• Tezuka Osamu
• Turbo Teen
• Twiki & Dr. Theopolis
• Waits, Tom
• Wily, Dr. Albert W.
• Xavier, Charles Francis

In sixty seconds your Head will be an Egg.

Scientific American has a great video podcast series called "Instant Egghead". In their latest release, total hotty Christie Nicholson explains Moore's Law in layman's terms. Not that any of you are layman...it's just Moore's law is something that has intruiged me since i was a junior league scientist-so i get excited when total hotties start talking it up. Also, check out the first podcast-explaining dark matter.

Click To Play

Cosmos: War of the Planets

This movie is intense. especially from 1:48 to 2:00. I have watched this clip about ten times.

This day in space:1964

Fourty-three years ago today marked the launch of Mariner 4, the first man made vessel to do a flyby of the planet Mars. Since then we have come a long way-we have 2 rovers on the surface and plans for manned flight to mars are in the works for as early as the next decade.
Mariner 4 orbited Mars for over 3 years-much longer than initially expected by nasa scientists. Below are some pictures taken from mariner 4 courtesy of nasa. Happy 43rd Mariner4!

Sound Science

Not this Universe, the other one...

Constellation Eridanus

Lately scientists have been looking at some pretty strange stuff out in the cosmos. First there was the scare that observing dark energy may hasten the decay of the universe. Now astronomers are saying that a large hole at the edge of the universe could be the beginning of a whole new universe-a so called exo-universe. From iTwire:

The hole is estimated to be almost one billion light-years across, where one light-year is about 9.5 trillion kilometers (5.9 trillion miles) and is located within the constellation Eridanus.

The Mersini-Houghton team states that the hole is another universe at the edge of our own universe. Such an explanation, if true, would be the first experimental evidence of such an exo-universe, or a universe outside of our own universe.

If this is true, then stare at dark energy all you want, we found a spare universe.

The Future as Seen From The Past, Again

I drive by the old Flushing Meadows Park on the L.I.E. from time to time. That silver globe poking up from the skyline has beckoned me to do a little further research on the site. The World's Fair was a spotlight on things to come in the world of tomorrow (a creepy film shown by GM in the 1939 Fair, 2:18 is it's most sinister moment).Extravagant exhibits blanketed the former landfill and swamp once in 1939 and in '63-'64 respectively. Then, after all of that "looking toward the future" mumbo jumbo, the 196 participating companies, from GM, DuPont, the Masons, and Christian Science to Schaffer Beer and Chunky chocolate bars, ( you could spend all day with this interactive map ) were required to demolish their exhibits within 90 days of the closing of the Fair. The only structures still standing on the site today were paid for with taxpayer money and deemed too expensive to demolish. Because the structures were intended to be temporary, construction crews were forced to drive new metal pilings to replace the 11 or so wood pilings that had sunk into the soft toxic slurry, all of which probably sunk as well.
In the seventies, the New York State Pavillion has housed a roller rink, as well as concerts by the Grateful Dead and The Byrds. There are plans for the structure to be renovated into a new aeronautics and space musuem, but I'm sure they'll need to put in a few more pilings for good measure.

Yours Truly,
Vision

Science Patrol Welcomes Vision Von Braun

If you peek just to your right there, under where it sais we are geniuses, you will see the tab labeled "Alpha Squad". Today i have the great pleasure of announcing our first addition to that list since our inauguration. Science Patrol gladly welcomes Vision Von Braun as a regular contributor here at the fight. VvB has been a vital force behind the scenes at Science Patrol well before we first began transmitting, and we are honored to have him at our side in the fight of science for life of man. Sally Forth, Vision Von Braun!

Cybernetic Pets

Spotted over on the Behance Network comes this cute, cuddly, precious little cybernetic fawn by artist Lisa Black. Also, here is a link to a duckling in the same series.

Robot Replication Iminent

These robots are from Cornell University circa 2005. The idea is that they can replicate themselves in a contained lab environment. Each bot is made of several "molecubes"; each articulated and fitted with electromagnets to aide in assembly. Watch the video and you will soon realize that the robot is building a copy of itself out of further molecubes. The under-construction bot will even assist in the construction of itself.



via Cornell News.

Days of Future Past

An amazing set of retro-skiffy landscapes.

The Damanhurian Temples

Since ancient times men have dreamed of a secret world lying underneath our own. In days of old many underground complexes have been created for many purposes, but rarely with such skill as those put to use in the design of the Damanhurian temples, located deep within the rocks of Italy, far beneath the house of a 57-year-old insurance broker who secretly built these temples starting in 1978. They were since discovered and repossessed by the government, but the work continues.

Set condition one throughout the fleet....

Thats right, today marks the long awaited return of one of the best television shows currently in production. I speak of course of Battlestar Gallactica. Tonight at 9pm est. on SciFi you can catch Razor; the two hour special event that marks the triumphant return of the series after nearly a years hiatus following the startling revalations seen in the last episodes of season 3.
Supposedly Razor will be a series of flashbacks that follow Battlestar Pegasus after the Cylon attack on the Colonies, and if the Flashback teasers that aired during the less good Flash Gordon over the last few weeks are any indication; we are in for more of the same excellent storytelling that BSG has offered in the past. Ohh and Admiral Cain returns in this and im all hot and bothered just thinking about it.

Autobot Uprising Iminent

In the wake of the CGI heavy hollywood blockbuster comes this real life transformer. Right after the video cuts off this thing jumps off the table and steals everyones Energon.
Science Patrol: Transform and Roll Out!!

spotted on hitslot.com

The Road Ahead

"My feeling is that the time has passed in which SF, in its predictive mode, can successfully utter jeremiads and point out the hazards in the road ahead. This has now become a pointless act from which all meaning has been drained, for the simple fact that the road ahead is almost nothing but hazards. To create a successful work of fiction--one that will penetrate the protective shell of numbness surrounding the reader--it is necessary to give up pointing at potholes and instead attempt to search out whatever is left of the road."

-Bruce Sterling in a letter to John Kessel, 13 June 1985