20170523

Who's in charge of outer space?


Date: 23/05/2017
Source: foxnews.com

In space, no one can hear you scheme. But here on Earth, plans to go where few have gone before are getting louder by the minute.

In February, Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo passed its third glide-flight test, putting it on pace to offer suborbital space tourism by the end of 2018. In March, Goldman Sachs announced to investors that a single asteroid containing $25 billion to $50 billion of platinum could be mined by a spacecraft costing only $2.6 billion—less than a third of what has been invested in Uber.

“While the psychological barrier to mining asteroids is high,” the Goldman report concludes, “the actual financial and technological barriers are far lower.” In April, NASA selected Trans Astronautica Corp., an aerospace company based in Lake View Terrace, Calif., for $3.25 million in technology study grants. Among TransAstra’s NASA-approved projects: an asteroid-hunting telescope whose stated mission is “to start a gold rush in space.”

The final frontier is starting to look a lot like the Wild West. As more companies announce ambitious plans to do business beyond Earth, serious questions are emerging about the legality of off-planet activity.

This story originally appeared in The Wall Street Journal.

Five Ways Elon Musk’s Brain-Computer Interface Could Transform the World


Date: 18/05/2017
Source: futurism.com


This technology would take the form of an injectable “neural lace” — composed of a mesh of electrodes — that would augment the human brain, adding another layer to the cortex and limbic system that is capable of communicating with a computer (essentially creating cyborgs). This, hypothetically, creates an upgradable, updatable interface that could be applied in countless ways. Some of these include:

CONTROLLING COMPUTERS WITH YOUR MIND

Brains and technology both operate using the same vectors: electricity and data. Musk’s Neural Lace would be a system that provides a way for them to communicate directly with each other. To borrow a simile from Phillip Alvelda, the Neural Engineering System Design (NESD) program manager (another nascent BCI), “Today’s best brain-computer interface systems are like two supercomputers trying to talk to each other using an old 300-baud modem […] Imagine what will become possible when we upgrade our tools.” Applications could stretch from the remote operation of technology to the completely hands free and voiceless operation of computers. Researchers in Korea have already used a BCI to control turtles.

UPDATING YOUR MIND OR COMMUNICATING WITH SOMEONE ELSE’S

Elon Musk’s idea could both initiate brain activity and monitor it. The technology does not necessarily have to be a one-way communication stream, it is capable of both sending messages and creating information in the brain. The high-bandwidth interface could allow you to wirelessly transmit information to the cloud, to computers, or even directly to the brains of other people with a similar interface in their head. There is also the possibility of downloading content to augment your consciousness: think Neo learning kung-fu in the Matrix. While initial tests to improve intelligence haven’t been too successful, if brains and computers speak the same language, then computers can impart information to the brain. The technology is currently being used to allow paralyzed people to communicate, but its uses could extend far beyond that.

BIONIC LIMBS THAT FEEL LIKE REAL LIMBS

As part of this two-way communication stream, robotic arms could communicate fleshy messages by being connected to existing nerve structures. Rather than making the brain learn how to use a new part of the nervous system, robotic limbs could be quickly and easily integrated into the system. This has the potential to revolutionize prosthetic limbs for the disabled, but may also encourage people to rid themselves of their biological arms in favour of mechanical super limbs. Who knows!

EMOTIONALLY AWARE TECHNOLOGY

As computers and brains would essentially be speaking the same language, emotions could be read as data using electrodes. This would shift technology’s perception of humans from basic recognition to complex understanding. Robot helpers would be able to adapt to your emotional state rather than just responding to commands. Photos and videos could also be implanted with emotional metadata, meaning that one could feel what it would be like to be in any given scenario, rather than just trying to imagine it.

NEXT GENERATION ADAPTABLE GAMING

One issue with the lifespan of games is repetition; people become accustomed, know what to expect, or are limited by the programmed narrative. A BCI could improve this situation by having games respond to what your brain is feeling, remaining one step ahead and endlessly diverse. This would be most applicable to the horror genre, in which enemies could come at you when and where you least expect it, providing constant shocks, jumps, and thrills. The Black Mirror episode Playtest is an hour long exploration of just how terrifying this could be. Since AI has been shown to be as creative as a human composer, this reality could be surprisingly close.

As seen @
https://futurism.com/five-ways-elon-musks-brain-computer-interface-could-transform-the-world/

World champion calls Google’s AlphaGo a “Go god” after defeat Technology


AlphaGo has beaten the reigning world Go champion in the first of three matches

Date: 23/05/2017
source: alphr.com

Last year the world’s top Go player said he would never be beaten by a machine. Today, Ke Jie has called Google’s AlphaGo AI a “Go god”, after losing in a tense match that is sure to be held as a watermark in the progress of artificial intelligence.

The 19-year-old Chinese world champion lost the first of three scheduled matches by only half a point – the closest margin possible in the game. It’s a narrow victory, but the result nevertheless sees AlphaGo take the lead ahead of final matches on Thursday and Saturday.

Ke complimented the AI’s strategy for making “all the stones work across the board”, but said the game had ultimately been a “horrible experience”.

Read the full article @

http://www.alphr.com/technology/1005961/world-champion-calls-google-s-alphago-a-go-god-after-defeat

20170517

3-D Printed Ovaries Yield New Life


Date: 16.05.2017
source: discovermagazine.com

It’s another success for members of the same Northwestern University team that in March reproduced an entire menstrual cycle using organs-on-a-chip. This time, they’ve created ovaries from a type of gelatin hydrogel and infused them with immature egg cells before implanting them in female mice. The ovaries behaved like the natural ones, picking out an egg cell to mature and pass along, allowing the mice to bear healthy offspring. The procedure marks another step toward printing replacements for missing or damaged organs.

From Skeleton to Organ

To create their ovaries, the researchers, led by Theresa Woodruff, the director of the Women’s Health Research Institute at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine, first learned to print the gelatin at exactly the right consistency. It had to be strong enough to handle surgical implantation while porous enough to hold on to egg cells and allow veins to grow. Through a series of trial and error experiments, the researchers discovered the best way to print the scaffolding from gelatin fibers that contained a series of tiny pockets to hold ovarian follicles.

read the whole article @ http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2017/05/16/3d-printed-ovaries-mice/#.WRuCOu0y_tR

Facebook's Future Goals: Brain, Body Hacks for Speech-Free Communication


Date: 20.04.2017
Source: Sci-tech-today.com

Dugan (pictured above), who is vice president of engineering and head of Facebook's Building 8 hardware lab, described these two ambitious goals during the day two keynote of the developers conference in San Jose. Within a few years, Facebook aims to have created non-invasive, scalable technologies that will let people hear through their skin and convey thoughts directly from their brains at a speed of 100 words per minute, she said.

That's because communication via brain activity could capture not only the words we want to convey, but the semantic meaning and imagery behind those words. "Understanding semantics means that one day you may be able to choose to share your thoughts independent of language," Dugan said. "English, Spanish or Mandarin, they become the same."

"One day maybe not so far away, it may be possible for me to think in Mandarin and for you to feel it instantly in Spanish," Dugan said. "Imagine the power it would give to the 700 million people around the world who cannot read or write but can think and feel."

read the whole article @ http://www.sci-tech-today.com/news/Facebook-s-Goals--Brain--Body-Hacks/story.xhtml?story_id=100005NLCQLC

US Stores Dozens of Weapons of Mass Destruction in This Non-Nuclear Country


Date: 16.05.2017
Source: sputniknews.com


Italy has stored US nuclear weapons on its territory as part of NATO's nuclear-sharing arrangement, which has seen Washington station its B61 nuclear bombs in non-nuclear countries. Aviano, a NATO base in the Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, is home to some 50 B61 bombs, while Ghedi, a base of the Italian Air Force in the region of Lombardy, is estimated to host between 20-40 B61 bombs.
In addition, US tactical nuclear weapons are stored in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Turkey.

Di Ernesto expressed doubt that Italian politicians would force the United States to withdraw its troops, weapons and military installations from the country.
"Sadly, our politicians are fully dependent on Washington," he said. "I don't think that Italian politicians could oppose these bases, taking into account that they are mostly financed by the United States.

Read the whole article @ https://sputniknews.com/military/201705161053657854-us-italy-nuclear-weapons/

490. χαρωπά τα δυό μου χέρια τα κτυπώ

Οταν μπαινεις στην πισινα με τους καρχαριες δεν πρεπει να εισαι σαν χρυσοψαρο.


Τεχνικη καταρτιση.

Αμοραλισμος.

Ψυχροτητα.

Ολα μαζι και τιποτα συγκεκριμενο. Ισως καποια μερα καταλαβεις οτι ολα ειναι ενα γελοιο ασκοπο παιχνιδι.


Ναι δεν υπαρχει ουτε μπορει να υπαρξει σκοπος. Νοημα. Ελπιδα.

Κινουμαστε σαν νιφαδες χιονιου μεσα σε μια αμμοθυελλα στην Σαχάρα. Τοσο εφημερα.
Μην το ψαχνεις σου λεω. Flow with the wind λεμε.


Ονειρο ειναι η ζωη και θα περασει προτου προλαβεις να πεις κύμινο.


Ηδη..
Ηδη....
Ηδη!
Ηδονης το αναγνωσμα. Ηδονης το διακυβευμα.

Προχωραμε στα τυφλα με προταγματα περασμενων αιωνων. Ποια ατομικοτητα; Ποια ιδιωτικη πρωτοβουλια; Ποια προσωπικη ελευθερια; Πιστευεις ακομη σε αυτες τις πλανες; Η συσκευη απο οπου διαβαζεις το παρον ειναι ο υπερτατος ρουφιανος.


Ελα να βαραμε παλαμακια όσο η μηχανή μαθαίνει από εμάς για εμάς. Δεν είσαι πλέον το γρανάζι αλλά μια γνωσιακή μονάδα.  

20170515

489. Αν ημασταν εξυπνοι εδω θα βρισκομασταν?

Σε καθε περιπτωση πρεπει να κοιτας τον ανθρωπο.

Σαν ειδος, σαν συνολο, σαν ενωση.
Δεν εισαι μια αυθυπαρκτη οντοτητα ξεκομμενη, φυλλο στον ανεμο.
Ολα ειμαστε ενα.
Ξεκινα να κοιτας τον ανθρωπο και ισως επειτα δεις και την υπολοιπη πλαση.

Ο πόνος της ύπαρξης είναι ο ίδιος, άσχετα αν είσαι δισεκατομμυριούχος της Silicon walley είτε παιδικός εργάτης σε βιομηχανία ρούχων στην Ντάκα. Το μόνο που αλλάζει είναι τα μέσα που έχει στην διάθεση του κάθε ένας από εμάς προκειμένου να ξεγελάσει την κοσμική φρίκη που σέρνεται κάτω από κάθε πράξη και σκέψη.

Η φθοροποιός ματαιόπονη αναζήτηση νοήματος εκεί που δεν υπάρχει οδηγεί στην παράνοια. Νομίζεις ότι διαφέρεις ενώ στην ουσία είσαι και εσύ όπως και γω όπως και όλοι μας μελλοντική σκουληκοτροφή ή καύσιμη ύλη για τον κλίβανο. Αργά ή γρήγορα θα ξεχαστείς και ό,τι θεωρείς σημαντικό θα θεωρείται ασήμαντο. Ό,τι σοβαρό σε ανησύχησε θα προκαλεί γέλιο.  

Σε αδικησα; (Απεκρυψα δλδ εν γνωσει μου καποιες παραμετρους προκειμνου να εχω οφελος;)

Η αδικια παλευεται, η ηλιθιοτητα οχι.

Απορω.

Ειναι καποιες δραστηριοτητες που με κανουν να νιωθω γαματος και αλλες που με κανουν να νιωθω σκουπιδι. Απορω λοιπον γιατι επιλεγω την περισσοτερη ωρα τις δευτερες.

Κατακερματισμενες σκεψεις και αδυναμια συγκεντρωσης.
Σκεψεις μονο με ατακες.
Ολοι εδω μπροστα απο μια οθονη να επικοινωνουμε με καποιον χιλιαδες μιλια μακρια και να χανουμε τον διπλανο μας. Δεν υπαρχει ο διπλανος.

Εχω δικιο, εχεις αδικο τελος. Θα γινει αυτο που λεω γιατι ετσι. Μην το παίρνεις προσωπικά, δεν αντλώ καμία περηφάνια από αυτό το αναμφισβήτητο γεγονός διότι είναι αποκλειστικά και μόνο προϊόν τύχης.

Οτιδηποτε με απομακρυνει όμως απο τον στοχο να μην θετω αυτούς τους έστω εφήμερους, ανούσιους στοχους θεωρειται βλαβερο.


Η στιγμη. Η χαρα της στιγμης; Οχι. Η χαρα της συνειδητοποιησης της μοναδικοτητας καθε στιγμης.

Επαναληψη μητηρ πασης μαθησεως.
Αργια μητηρ πασης κακιας.

Ξεκινα να τρεχεις μεχρι να μην ξερεις που εχεις φτασει.
Run forest, run. To the forests, where heavenly things await you. But beware: dont get caught up by them.

Ολα φανταζαν ιδανικα στην αρχη, μα οταν διαπιστωνεις προσωπα αριθμους καταστασεις συμμαχιες αλληλοσυσχετισεις κλικες ευνοιες αδικιες κτλ τοτε επερχεται το ξενερωμα. Τοτε καταλαβαινεις οτι πρεπει να την κανεις.

Να μου πεις, πού δεν θα τα βρεις αυτα;

Παντου.