Reposted a slightly-edited and improved version of my 2007 essay "Milespires and the Rebirth of the Environment," onto Fantastic Worlds at http://fantasticworlds-jordan179.blogspot.com/2011/03/milespires-and-rebirth-of-environment.html

Hope you all like it! :)

In a good example of an announcement of something which presumably all physicists, and most hard-science fiction writers and fans were already aware, in a condescencing style which implies both that they weren't and that this is some amazing new discovery, comes this article "Warp Speed Will Kill You," by Jeremy Hsu in Space.com (Read more... )

Bigelow Aerospace, founded in 1999 by construction and real estate multi-millionaire Robert Bigelow, is working to put private space stations in orbit during the 2010's. These space stations will be lofted by Atlas 5 or Falcon 9 rockets (the Falcon 9 is a private booster under development by Space Exploration Technologies). They will feature " ( Read more... )

I've noticed that science fiction movies have tended to turn away from depicting their future combatants with energy weapons, and towards equipment which looks as if it came out of the wars of the mid- to late-20th century. This is first noticable in Aliens, and has become increasingly prevealent since then.

( But Why? )

From my response to a post by maskedretriever (http://maskedretriever.livejournal.com/293534.html?view=1071262#t1071262):

===

To reduce our footprint and remain numerous and wealthy, we need to

( What? What do we Need to Do? Tell us, Oh Wise Jordan! )

This is fairly close to pulp-sf concepts of energy beams which could be controlled in fine detail, including being made to bend ( Read more... )

This should keep the ratbastards in their holes ...

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=14940ED5-E7F2-99DF-3DE29A3817AF32FF&ref=rdf

... and when they stir out, Uncle Sam can give them a PGM enema :

http://technology.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg19526216.000&feedId=online-news_rss20Read more... )

http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/chemical-advance-could-make-better-laptop-displays-14241.htmlRead more... )

One of the wild dreams of science fiction now looks physically possible ( Read more... )