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Feb 13, 2017

Interstellar Travel Is a Lot More Complicated Than Rocket Science

Posted by in category: space travel

A dash of philosophy and existential crisis.

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Feb 13, 2017

Transhumanist politician wants to run for governor of California

Posted by in categories: bioengineering, biotech/medical, economics, genetics, geopolitics, governance, transhumanism

A new story out on Engadget, emphasizing the need to make government treat science and technology as a primary focus:


Zoltan Istvan didn’t have much of a chance at being president, but that didn’t stop him from campaigning as the Transhumanist Party’s candidate to promote his pro-technology and science positions. Now, he’s setting his sights a bit lower, and with a different party. Istvan announced this morning that he plans to run for governor of California in 2018 under the Libertarian Party.

“We need leadership that is willing to use radical science, technology, and innovation—what California is famous for—to benefit us all,” he wrote in a Newsweek article. “We need someone with the nerve to risk the tremendous possibilities to save the environment through bioengineering, to end cancer by seeking a vaccine or a gene-editing solution for it, to embrace startups that will take California from the world’s 7th largest economy to maybe even the largest economy—bigger than the rest of America altogether.”

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Feb 13, 2017

4 Main Economic Implications Of An Aging Population, And How Life Extension Technologies Could Solve Them

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, economics, life extension

The effects of a rapidly aging population have a number of serious economic and social implications.


What a rapidly aging populaton means to the economy and the workforce and why biotechnology is the answer.

#aging #economy

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Feb 13, 2017

Bionic Leaf Is 10 Times Better At Photosynthesis Than Real Plants

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, cyborgs, transhumanism

Plants take in carbon dioxide, water, and sunshine to create a sugary fuel. Now researchers have done the same, but even better.

A recent study in Science describes the system, named Bionic Leaf 2.0. In the “leaf,” solar energy splits up a water molecule, and bacteria turn hydrogen and carbon dioxide into liquid fuel, mainly isopropanol. The fuel could possibly be used to power a car’s engine or motor in the future.

The researchers, led by Daniel Nocera and Pamela Silver from Harvard University, have made advancements on their original Bionic Leaf, released last year. The system had some problems, mainly with the metal catalyst that helped the reaction. In the first edition, the catalyst also set off a reaction that attacked the bacteria’s DNA.

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Feb 13, 2017

Here’s how to use AI to make America great again

Posted by in categories: economics, robotics/AI

Artificial intelligence could dramatically improve the economy and aspects of everyday life, but we need to invent ways to make sure everyone benefits.

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Feb 13, 2017

Bacteria Have ‘Biological Wheels’ That We Can Finally See In 3D

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

Among bacteria’s many attributes, perhaps one of its most overlooked yet important ones is its ability to propel itself via flagellum, a unique appendage hanging off its end. This mechanism is a perfect example of a naturally occurring, biological wheel.

Now, for the first time, scientists were able to take a high resolution, 3D look at these wheels at work, using an electron microscope. Their work was published online yesterday in the journal, PNAS.

A flagella is like a tiny tail at the end of the bacteria, allowing it to move through various mediums. It generates torque (that’s twisting force) from stators, a ring of structures around the motor part of the organ. These act as the wheel providing the power.

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Feb 13, 2017

Cassie — The Bipedal Ostrich Robot

Posted by in category: robotics/AI

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Feb 13, 2017

Proxima Centauri b And Most Other Exo-Planets Are Likely Uninhabitable

Posted by in category: alien life

Bad news for anyone who thinks Earth-mass planets must automatically harbor life.


New study says nearby earth-mass planet Proxima Centauri b may not be habitable after all. The implications for astrobiology aren’t good.

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Feb 12, 2017

Why Elon Musk Thinks Universal Basic Income Is Inevitable

Posted by in categories: economics, Elon Musk, employment, government

Elon Musk shared his thoughts on the future of jobs and the government’s role in a rapidly changing society.

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Feb 12, 2017

Zoltan Istvan, who advocates radical technology, hopes to be governor of California

Posted by in categories: economics, futurism

Here’s my official announcement/OpEd article via Newsweek for running for California Governor as a Libertarian. Thanks for reading it!


Futurist Zoltan Istvan believes California could become the world’s largest economy.

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