Category Archives: Futurism

An Astounding Discovery

In February, scientists from theEuropean Southern Observatory and NASAannounced the discovery of a new solar system TRAPPIST-1. It has seven Earth-sized planets orbiting a dwarf star, three of which are in the stars habitable zone.

Although TRAPPIST-1 is 40 light-years away, itsremarkable similarities to our own solar system make thediscovery very exciting to scientists. Of allthe solar systems we know of, weve never found one withseven planets let alone multiple Earth-sized planets. TRAPPIST-1sthree habitable planets have density measurements that make them appear to beEarth-like worlds.

Given what TRAPPIST-1s current configuration looks like, the planets located in the habitable zone or goldilocks zonecouldhave water at least theoretically. However, since itssolar systemssun is smaller than ours, theplanets would require a tighter orbitin order to support surface water.

Armed withinsights weve gathered about ourown solar system in recent decades, we have the knowledge and resources to study TRAPPIST-1 and possibly find life beyond our own planet.

Scientists also believe that some of the planets in TRAPPIST-1 are tidally locked to their star. That meansone side of the planet constantly faces their sun, bathing it inperpetual daylight, while the other side is always in the dark. While that doesnt sound much like the life we know on our planet, experts believe it wouldntcompletely negate the possibility of life: what reallymatters is the atmosphere.

We wont have to wait too long to gain further insight into kind of atmosphere these planets have: once the James Webb Space Telescope launches in October of next year, scientists will be able to study the planetsmore in-depth. Our knowledge of how tidally locked planets in our own solar system manage such extreme temperatures based on what weve already learned from Neptune and Jupiter will alsolend itself to a better understanding of how the TRAPPIST-1 planets work.

Granted, everything that we know about life stems from our understanding of life on Earthwhere we experience both day and night. Its wholly possibly that in planets where a diurnal cycle isnt the norm, lifedevelops very differently.

But as Dr. Jessie Christiansen, an astronomer at the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute at the California Institute of Technology, notes while speaking to theChristian Science Monitor, we could liken this to conditions some creatures on our planet know well: the life aquatic. If you think about life in the deep ocean, Dr. Christiansen says, it has evolved without a true diurnal cycle.

Here on our own planet, we are still constantly surprised by life discovered in sea floors, icy climates, deep caves, and other extreme settings. So, that being said,the idea that life could exist in TRAPPIST-1 shouldnt be too hard to fathom.

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Soon, We'll Know if There's Life on TRAPPIST-1's Exoplanets - Futurism

In Brief

The scientific world was set ablazeof late as discussions ramped up aboutthe resurrection of the wholly mammoth. I know what youre thinking: Jurassic Park. Well, not quite but maybe not that far off, either. In an interview with Big Think,Dr. Michio Kaku, professor of theoretical physics at the City College of New York, wonders: what if we could clone the Neanderthal, or a dinosaur, based solely off their genomes?

It is a plausible question.George Church, geneticistand director of Harvard Universitys Church Labs, believes that we can clone a Neanderthal in our lifetime. So much so that he thinks all we need is one extremely adventurous human female. While he doesnt advocate for the project to be attempted straight away,he does encourage discussion on the matter. Church believes that with current stem cell technology and our completed sequence of the Neanderthal genome, we are equipped with thepotential to clone a Neanderthal.

The Neanderthals went extinct tens of thousands of years ago, so cloning one from recovered DNA would be impressive enough of a feat but what about something from 65 million years ago? Dr. Kaku addresses this, admitting that cloning a dinosaurwont be as easy ascloning a Neanderthal or a mammoth (which wouldntvery easy to begin with) but that doesnt mean its impossible.

Dr. Kakunotes thatproteins found within the soft tissues of recovered dinosaur femursresemble those of chickens, frogs, and reptiles confirm the theory of their relation. He posits that through theuse of a supercomputer, a genetic sequence could be produced, which would create theoretical potential for cloning through epigenetics.

When it comes to cloning mammoths or dinosaurs, the limitations are mostly technical at this point. With Neanderthals, however, theres an addition element: ethics.Dr. Kaku asks important questions about what scientists would doafter bringing a Neanderthal child to life: Should he or she be placed in captivity like some kind of zoo animal? Would they face a lifetime of study?What if the Neanderthal is naturally aggressive should it be drugged or confined at all times? Many bioethicists debate the ethics of de-extinction, but there are also those thattout genetic diversity.Others believe the act is far too inhumane to even attempt.

Listen to Dr. Kakus argument below and decide where you stand on the should-we-or-shouldnt-we of prehistoric cloning.

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Forget Mammoths, We Could Bring Dinosaurs and Neanderthals Back to Life - Futurism

In Brief

Heres your first official look at Handle, Boston Dynamics newest robotic creation.

The robot stands a little over six feet tall and has four working limbs two front legs and a pair of hind wheels that allow it to stand upright. It can travel roughly 24 kilometers (15 miles) on a single charge and cancarry items up to about 45 kilograms (100 pounds) in weight.

Handle applies dynamics similar to those found in its quadruped and biped predecessors from Boston Dynamics. Unlike those, though, it only has 10 actuated joints, which makes it less complex, yet it is also more robust, with the same jointed movement ability as humans.

The addition of wheels allows Handle to move very efficiently across virtually all flat surfaces. Because it has both legs and wheels, the robot essentially has the best of both worldsand can go and move anywhere with ease. It can even carry heavier objects with better stability.

Earlier, a leaked video from Boston Dynamics gave us a glimpse of what Handle could do by demonstrating its impressive flexibility and balance. But its nothing compared to what was just revealedin their official demonstration.

While its an impressive display of technological advancement, seeing all we have achieved in the field of robotics in the form of this robot may also leave you withunsettling feeling that humans have just created something that is simultaneouslycool and slightly terrifying.

Read the original here:
New Boston Dynamics Robot is Terrifying Science Fiction Brought to Life - Futurism

This is good news not just for Indias future energy security but also for its peoples short-term energy needs.

The plant was built in only eight months, comprises 2.5 million individual solar modules and cost $679m to build. It is estimated that it will produce enough electricity to power about 150,000 homes at full capacity.

Installed solar capacity and cost in India. Image: Bridge to India

A signatory of the Paris Agreement, India is forecast to meet its renewable energy commitments three years early and exceed them by nearly half. The country is aiming to generate nearly 60% of its electricity from non-fossil sources by 2027.

Solar is a particular focus: it makes up only 16% of renewable energy capacity now but is set to contribute over half of the renewables target by 2022: 100 gigawatts of 175 GW. Large installations will be key to achieving this, and the government is planning 33 solar parks in 21 states, with a capacity of at least 500 megawatts each.

Prioritizing solar is not just an investment in the future, though. India is one of the worlds fastest growing economies, and its energy use has doubled since 2000, according to the International Energy Agency.

Last year, the country declared that it had a power surplus for the first time ever, though The Hindu reported that 300 million people still dont have access to electricity and power cuts continue to be rampant. The issue, it appears, is that capacity remains unused in the grid because some state power companies simply cannot afford to buy sufficient electricity.

The Indian government has recently launched an energy blueprint, and raised its investment target for solar energy to $100 billion in an attempt to address both these near-term issues as well as securing its energy supply far into the future.

See the article here:
India Just Broke a World Record With Its New Solar Farm - Futurism

Income for All

In theory, a universal basic income (UBI) would be great. Under such a system, all citizens of a country are entitled to an unconditional amount of money on top of income they already generate through other means. It could spur productivity, improve health, alleviate poverty, reduce crime, raise education, and improve quality of life. Its also especially relevant, given the reality of automation taking over more and more jobs.

UBIs potential has prompted several nations to study and test its viability. Among the pioneers are Finland, which just started implementing a UBI program that gives 2,000 randomly selected citizens $587 tax-free per month; India, which proposed the system as a solution to job loss caused by increased automation; and Canada, which saw leaders of four political parties unanimously support the decision to establish a program that will guarantee income.

Its all going well so far, but until the trials are able to deliver definitive results showing UBIs effectiveness, we are left to ponder the many questions surrounding it.For instance, how much income should be distributed? Should it be limited to the minimum needed, similar to welfare state programs? Would a higher amount be more effective? Would UBI prompt people to lose their motivation to work? Is it enough of a response to address job displacement caused by automation? Can countries around the world afford it?

The urgency that most UBI advocates feel, given the current state of the economy and realities of job displacement, isnt shared by Bill Gates. While the co-chair of the Gates Foundation isnt exactly opposed to the concept, he doesnt think the program is ready for public implementation just yet.

Over time, countries will be rich enough to do this. However, we still have a lot of work that should be done helping older people, helping kids with special needs, having more adults helping in education, said Gates during a recent AMA on Reddit.

While others worry about impending employee displacement in the age of automation, Gates believes that technology will open more opportunities for countries, allowing them to raise money that could be used to finance sectors that need people in the jobs he mentioned. Governments can use this added income as an opportunity to train the unemployed to fill new roles in the job market.

Gatesalso added during his AMA that countries arent financially equipped to finance a stable UBI program. Even the U.S. isnt rich enough to allow people not to work. Someday we will be, but until then, things like the Earned Income Tax Credit will help increase the demand for labor.

The Microsoft co-foundercould be right and now may not be the right time for a UBI, but thanks to the countries giving it a shot, we should know for sure rather soon.

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Bill Gates: The World Isn't Ready for Universal Basic Income - Futurism

In Brief

Experts have predicted that machines will take over a good number of jobs in the next five to ten years, but for a Dublin-based Wendys the automation began last year with their self-ordering kiosks. The demand for the technology has been rather high, coming from both costumers and franchise owners.

There is a huge amount of pull from (franchisees) in order to get them, according to the Wendys chief information officer David Trimm, speaking during the companys investors day. With the demand we are seeing we can absolutely see our way to having 1,000 or more restaurants live with kiosks by the end of the year.

Obviously, these kiosks would cut labor costs: They are looking to improve their automation and their labor costs, and this is a good way to do it, said Darren Tristano, VP at food-service research and consulting firm Technomic. They are also trying to enhance the customer experience. Younger customers prefer to use a kiosk.

They always are courteous. They always show up for work on time, Bob Welcher, president of Restaurant Consultants Inc., jokedabout the kiosks last year.

As automation reaches the food industry, Wendys is taking the lead. It helps that the kiosks are made in-house, at the companys 90 Degrees lab on North High Street in the University District. So we know that the things we build work, Trimm said.

Wendys is the third largest burger chainin the world, afterMcDonalds and Burger King. In the United States, around 49 million consumersgo to Wendys each month, and self-serve kiosks could definitely help those numbers climb higher.

Link:
One Fast Food Chain Is Adding Automated Kiosks to 1000 of Its Restaurants in 2017 - Futurism