Science + Tech
Advances that redefine reality. Welcome to the future.
Atmosphere of Earth
Imagine you are an otherworldly explorer. As part of your survey of the Milky Way, you have come across an interesting stellar system with nine major planets. You have gotten permission from your superiors to investigate the lively third planet. The planet is called “Earth” in one of the many languages used there. In your last report you discussed the development of the planet as part of the entire system. Now you are going to begin a more detailed examination of Earth itself. The most logical place to start is the atmosphere, the envelope of gasses and vapors that gives this planet so much of its character. Since it is always best to begin at the beginning, you review your findings concerning the early history of the atmosphere.
Futurism StaffPublished 8 years ago in FuturismCoolest Sci-Fi Spaceships
From novels to feature films, from TV series to video games, the presence of spaceships have been prevalent across all forms of the science fiction genre. With imaginative minds creating these fictional machines, some realistic and some far­fetched, there are bound to be several that enthrall us unlike any others. What makes a great spaceship can be hard to define, though. Intriguing technological enhancements and mind bending paradoxes are sure to attract attention, but for some, their sheer massiveness will suffice. The coolest sci-fi spaceships encompass a wide variety of types like the ones mentioned above. Some you will be sure to recognize. Others are more obscure. All are among the greatest spaceships in all of sci-­fi.
Futurism StaffPublished 8 years ago in FuturismStar Trek: Deep Space Nine's Best & Worst Episodes
One of the most popular television shows ever developed for the Star Trek franchise, Deep Space Nine (DS9), came to an end in June of 1999. Its growing popularity did come as a bit of a surprise, especially to the community of Trek fans. When the show began airing in January 1993, Star Trek: The Next Generation was at its prime, and it had taken long enough for the fans of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy to warm up to that show. Deep Space Nine had quite a few other strikes against it. Not only was it a darker vision of the future, but it was the first Star Trek ongoing series to be developed after the death of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry.
Futurism StaffPublished 8 years ago in FuturismWhy Presidents Swear on the Bible
Symbolism is not always what it seems. Presidents swear on a Bible. “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Do they actually believe in the deity whose purported book, religion, and ideals are sworn over and, by definition, are therefore the judge of their success? Are all our presidents, according to accepted scientific belief, swearing over a book that may have no more truth in it than Lord of the Rings. Did Eve talk to snakes? Did Frodo talk to a dragon? In an age of deteriorating numbers of true believers, and a resurgence of science as the authority, why do the leaders of our country swear over what half the country believes is a book written by men in their pursuit of organized and institutional religion. Where is the separation of church and state, when the first act as president is religiously symbolic? Maybe they should swear over Frank Herbert’s Dune or George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones. Or perhaps the best idea would be to swear over the constitution. God should have very little to do with it, irrespective of traditions. The perception that it is a requirement is wrong. There have been notable presidents who have not sworn over a religious book. Irrespective of their religious beliefs, they did not confuse their duties to America with God.
Joshua Samuel ZookPublished 8 years ago in FuturismRod Serling's 'The Twilight Zone'
The television screen fades to black. From out of nowhere, a faint starfield appears: an endless swath of space that slowly begins to twist and turn before the camera's eye. A message seems to be coming into view.
Futurism StaffPublished 8 years ago in FuturismStar Cluster Science
Тhe star clusters must be regions of incredible beauty. Imagine living on a planet inside a star cluster. Your night sky would be densely spangled with bright points of light. Glowing bands of cosmic gas might arch overhead. The spectacle could make Earth's clearest winter skies seem dull.
Futurism StaffPublished 8 years ago in FuturismE.O. Wilson Interview
The publication of E.O. Wilson's Sociobiology in 1975 was to use a cliché—a landmark event in the history of biology. This enormous volume (697 oversize pages) is a truly remarkable compendium of a vast, widely dispersed literature on the relationship between biology and social behavior throughout the animal kingdom. It ranges from Homo sapiens to the social insects (Wilson is by trade an entomologist; his speciality—he calls them his "totem animal"—is ants). He intended it to be a scientifically respectable, thorough review, so it is full of tables and charts and extensively referenced. On the other hand, it is well written and handsomely illustrated.
Futurism StaffPublished 8 years ago in FuturismFinding Scorpius Constellation
Scorpius' claim to fame lies in its poisonous sting. The great hunter Orion boasted that he could wipe out all the creatures of the Earth. Gaia, the goddess of the Earth, realized how lonely our planet would be without the birds and beasts, so she sent a giant scorpion to attack the bragging hunter. In the terrible battle that followed, Orion killed the scorpion, but not before he was fatally stung.
Futurism StaffPublished 8 years ago in Futurism