Science & Technology | Medicine, Science & Technology

Robotics: Ethics of artificial intelligence : Nature News & Comment

Four leading researchers share their concerns and solutions for reducing societal risks from intelligent machines.

Artificial intelligence brings huge issues of how to protect against abuse.

Will society come to grips with this or will the Terminator singularity (Judgment Day) occur?

Science & Technology | Medicine, Science & Technology

Killer robots will leave humans 'utterly defenceless' warns professor - Telegraph

Robots, called LAWS – lethal autonomous weapons systems – will be able to kill without human intervention

The Terminator is almost here!

It's going to be a Brave New World.

Science & Technology | Medicine, Science & Technology

Astronomer Royal Martin Rees: How soon will robots take over the world? - Telegraph

An explosion in artificial intelligence has sent us hurtling towards a post-human future, warns Martin Rees

These predictions are becoming a trend. Must be some real technological breakthroughs behind it. HAL? Is that you, HAL?

Science & Technology | Medicine, Science & Technology

More Consensus on Coffee’s Benefits Than You Might Think - NYTimes.com

A review of studies shows that coffee’s reputation as being unhealthy is undeserved, with the potential health benefits surprisingly large.

Coffee - what doesn't it do for you? I now drink 2 cups a day for health reasons. I also like it a lot as a drink.

Science & Technology | Medicine, Science & Technology

New machine could one day replace anesthesiologists - The Washington Post

Four U.S. hospitals are using the Sedasys machine, which is limited to simple screenings in healthy patients.

This is how the cost of medicine will go down - not through major bureaucratic boondoggles like Obamacare. Dropping the cost of anesthesiology from up to $2,000 down to $200!

Science & Technology | Medicine, Science & Technology

Why Pi Matters - The New Yorker

Yes, Pi Day is again upon us. And not just any Pi Day. They’re calling this the Pi Day of the century: 3.14.15. Pi to five digits.

Science & Technology | Medicine, Science & Technology

Why processed foods make you fat: two common food additives linked to obesity and gut inflammation

A new study suggests that two very common emulsifiers - chemicals that stabilize foods and stop products like mayo from separating - could increase the risk of obesity and irritable bowel syndrome.

Note that gluten-free products use these additives!

Science & Technology | Medicine, Science & Technology

What if the universe had no beginning? | Science Wire | EarthSky

Reports of the death of the Big Bang have been greatly exaggerated. Big Bang theory is alive and well. At the same time, our universe may not have a beginning

I personally believe that this simply takes us further back toward the beginning of the universe and does not necessarily mean that there never was a singularity. We just haven't found it yet.

Science & Technology | Medicine, Science & Technology

Nano-Coated Steel Is 10 Times Stronger | MIT Technology Review

A new way to produce metals could have wide-ranging effects.

This steel could be used to reduce the weight of cars while increasing the strength of the car body. Exciting stuff!

Science & Technology | Medicine, Science & Technology

The fiddling with temperature data is the biggest science scandal ever - Telegraph

New data shows that the “vanishing” of polar ice is not the result of runaway global warming

It seems like every time anyone drills down on the global warming data and debates its accuracy, the warming alarmists lose the scientific debate.

Science & Technology | Medicine, Science & Technology

Asteroids Had Magnetic Fields That Could Have Protected Hitchhiking Lifeforms

New research that shows that the rubble of our solar system, asteroids and meteoroids, once had long-lasting magnetic fields that perhaps could have protected life stowing away on them.

I'm partial to the panspermia hypothesis of how life may have been spread throughout the universe. Interesting support from recent findings.

Science & Technology | Medicine, Science & Technology

Thorium Power Is the Safer Future of Nuclear Energy

There’s another kind of nuclear energy that’s been waiting in the wings for decades – and it may just demand a recalibration of our thoughts on nuclear.

Can you imagine how thorium power would change nuclear proliferation issues in Iran, etc.? Faster please!

Science & Technology | Medicine, Science & Technology

First new antibiotic in 30 years discovered in major breakthrough - Telegraph

The discovery of Teixobactin could pave the way for a new generation of antibiotics because of the way it was discovered.

Good news on antibiotics!