I looked at nuclear winter and city firestorms a few months ago I will summarize the case I made then in the next section. there is significant additions based on my further research and email exchanges that I had with Prof Alan Robock and Brian Toon who wrote the nuclear winter research. The Steps needed …
J Storrs Hall looks at what the Singularity look like with just nanotech (full out molecular nanotechnology) and narrow AI? * Life Extension via molecular nanotech * human level AI * nanofactories enable the entire physical economy over into a Moore’s Law-like growth mode, eradicating hunger and poverty in a decade or two. * Flying …
David Brin talks about how the Constellation program was no good. He likes going to Phobos (Mars Moon) or near earth asteroids. He wants to open up low earth orbit access to commercial competition. He wants to lower the cost to get to orbit and space. He likes space mining. Space Exploration Part 1:Planning our …
The core idea for the nuclear verne launch gun is simple though dramatic: Dig a kilometers deep shaft—a salt layer would be easiest to penetrate (some exist 3.5 kilometers thick) —build at the bottom a giant shell, from components lowered into place, layer by layer enclosing its internal payloads with external structures (such as a …
Network World – IBM’s Jeopardy-playing supercomputer is now capable of beating human Jeopardy contestants on a regular basis, but has a ways to go before it takes on the likes of 74-time champion Ken Jennings. IBM announced plans to build a computer that can win on Jeopardy last April, and expects to stage a public …
Feb 2009 status of China’s High Temperature modular pebble bed reactor project ( 8 page pdf) by Zhang The expected project construction period from pouring the first tank of concrete to generating electricity for the grid is scheduled to be 50 months. Although the workload of building, construction and installation is relatively clear and straight …
H/T to the Talk Polywell forum for a conference that will present updates on Mach Effect propulsion and other advanced space propulsion research Conference – Space, Propulsion & Energy Sciences International Forum February 23-25, 2010 The agenda is here Abstracts are here Test for the Existence of Mach Effects With a Rotary Device James F. …
(H/T to Joel Upchurch for the links) The interstellar spaceship that is used in the Avatar movie story is based upon the Valkerie Antimatter Starship designed by Charles Pellegrino and Brookhaven physicist Jim Powell Dr. Pellegrino served as a scientific consultant on James Cameron’s Avatar movie. The interstellar vehicles seen in the film are based …
Eric Drexler wrote an article about why he believes that nuclear fusion will not provide power. Eric is an expert in molecular nanotechnology and has deep knowledge in chemistry, physics and space technology (among other things). He is pointing out studies which indicate the cost problems even if the tokomaks of the ITER project are …
Ray Kurzweil responds to Michael Anissimov and I got a copy of the letter as well. The complete letter is below. After the letter is a discussion of Ray’s technology predictions and the work needed for accurate, precise and unambiguous predictions. Here is Michael Anissimov’s original article Here is a link to Chapter 9 of …
Monica Anderson of Syntience Why are so many things that are so easy for humans so difficult for computers ? Computers use models Science use models people don’t So AGI should not Split things into reasoning and understanding Reasoning -conscious, logic based deliberation Understanding – subconscious intuition Conscious reasoning has been overemphasized. People receive 10 …