The technological singularity is a hypothesized point in the future variously characterized by the technological creation of self-improving intelligence, unprecedentedly rapid technological progress, or some combination of the two. I would want to focus on the aspect of “unprecendentedly rapid technological progress“. I feel that a proxy for measuring “technological progress” can be the rate …
Nuclear rockets can have 2 to 200 times the performance of chemical rockets. They are a technology that we only need the will to develop. The science is solid and straight forward. We just have to have the courage to become a truly interplanetary civilization. This article will review the various pulsed plasma (using nuclear …
From Centauri Dreams, a historic discovery has been made of a potentially habitable earth-like planet around the star Gliese 581 (20.5 light years from us). The planet is about five times Earth mass, one whose radius is only 1.5 times that of our own world. Brian Wangwww.nextbigfuture.com
Centauri Dreams discusses how applying Devon Crowe space bubble ideas with nanotechnology could fully enable the ideas of Robert Forward for interstellar solar sails. The prior article about Devon Crowe’s space bubble concepts. Prior article on the state of solar sails Prior article on putting the brakes on laser mirror solar sails Article on laser …
The most interesting study released from the March 2007 meeting is Devon Crowe of PSI corporation for making large space structures from bubbles that are made rigid using metals or UV curing A single bubble can be 1 meter in earth gravity, 100 kilometer in low earth orbit or 1000 kilometers in deep space. Foams …
By getting superconducting theory right (or making enough progress from theory and better experiment), we could guide material design of room temperature superconductors, higher current density material, better electronics, better power grid, possible magnetically ground launched space craft. Room-temperature superconductors would be an important milestone on the path to complete mastery (within the actual limits …
The US army has some small funding for a Slingatron. Initial studies have demonstrated the fundamental feasibility of the Slingatron concept. This program will explore the concept’s bounding limits and seek to develop uses for the technology within those limits. Included in this program will be studies of the key technologies that will allow the …