I am a co-author of this paper, “Science opportunities with solar sailing smallsats,” announcing “Project Sundiver”… offering a wide suite of potential fast interplanetary missions that could accelerate far faster than today’s rockets can manage, by swooping […]
Is this worth pondering as another worry on our plate? A year or so ago astronomers were saying “Don’t worry (much) about Betelgeuse going supernova any time soon,” despite the earlier nerves set off by […]
(The SETI Institute has issued a carefully evasive position paper on the topic, essentially saying “we’ll stay in our lane.”) Sure, a majority have already been explained by careful analyses of receding jet engine exhausts […]
I have a major piece about Artificial Intelligence under submission to some zines. It details the many simplistic stances about AI – either pessimistic or pollyanna – now pushed by some of the smartest folks on Earth… all […]
Following up on my last posting on advances – and worries – about Artificial General Intelligence…. Peter Diamandis’s latest tech blog is regarding AI and ethics. As you know, it’s a topic I’ve long been engaged […]
Been taking a break from the tsunami of “AI stuff” – pokes and pods about the Chat GPT and the absurd “moratorium petition” and such… and also from the USA’s insane political meltdown. At a time when […]
Shermer and Brin discuss: AI and AGI • are they existential threats? • the alignment problem • Large Language Models • ChatGPT, GPT-4, GPT-5, and beyond • the Future of Life Institute’s Open Letter calling […]
Let’s start with a pair of eerily almost-exact predictions. First here’s a prophetic image from my graphic novel, Tinkerers. (published circa 2008.) The slogan was: “New for 2024: The Apple/Honda iCar!” Check the rumors about an announcement next […]
Let’s try looking back at the Foundation universe… which some of you have read… considering Isaac Asimov’s sci fi classic in light of his acknowledged influences – Edward Gibbon, Adam Smith and Karl Marx… which I […]
David Brin’s bold novel EXISTENCE explores the ultimate question: Billions of planets may be ripe for life, even intelligence. So where is Everybody? Do civilizations make the same fatal mistakes, over and over? Might we […]
Modeling this planet. Having cut my teeth long ago on the Whole Earth Catalogue, and later having written a novel called Earth, I’m a bit of a sucker for macro planet modeling projects. Here’s one […]
Looking back at 2022: a roundup of scientific achievements… from asteroids to AI and (possibly) fusion. Science journal calls the initial data and images from the James Webb Space Telescope the 2022 Breakthrough of the year. In light of […]
Lifting our gaze to… the Moon? And beyond? I have some way cool space news to report below. But first a familiar rant. While I disagree with this White House white paper on USA […]
Science fictional scenarios – From recent news to GATTACA and much more! A PLUS-SIZED POSTING FOR THOSE OF YOU STUCK WITH METERS OF ARCTIC SNOW OUTSIDE YOUR FRONT DOOR… I try to vary my postings […]
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