Science + Tech
Advances that redefine reality. Welcome to the future.
Why 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.
By Joshua Samuel Zook8 years ago in Futurism
Star 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.
By Futurism Staff8 years ago in Futurism
E.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.
By Futurism Staff8 years ago in Futurism
Finding 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.
By Futurism Staff8 years ago in Futurism
Most Terrifying Sci-Fi Books
Peanut butter and jelly. Hot rods and bikinis. Sci-fi and horror. Some things are meant to go together! Yet, while most of us are all too familiar with our two favorite genres mixing it up in motion pictures, it’s often under appreciated how well these types blend in book form. Together, we can correct that fault, by cherry-picking a few classics, blowing off the binary dust which has shamefully accumulated upon these wizened tomes, and gearing up to get our wits scared out of us!
By Matt Cates8 years ago in Futurism
Living in a Disconnected World
David Karp, a recent graduate from Cornell University, is part of the up-and-coming trend of initiative Millennials taking their careers by storm. In his visionary film Disconnected, Karp sees the world through a lens that we all find ourselves bound to: that of the screen. In a world where screen-time replaces human interaction, what does it mean to truly be alive?
By Natasha Sydor8 years ago in Futurism
Pioneers of Astronomy
Nicholas Copernicus once said “The massive bulk of the earth does indeed shrink to insignificance in comparison with the size of the heavens." While we may attribute our knowledge of the solar system and astronomy to modern day telescopes, space shuttles, and space probes, it is important to remember that the size of the heavens would not even be discovered without the pioneers of astronomy. From Nicholas Copernicus and Albert Einstein to astronauts and space organizations like NASA, the pioneers of astronomy have laid down an important foundation for which exploration of the stars today is firmly rooted.
By Futurism Staff8 years ago in Futurism