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Friday Science Fun Stack
Author: BobR
Date: 11/05/2010 04:20:11
It's been a long ugly campaign this year, and I'm sure I'm not the only one that's a little burned out on the political battles. There will be plenty to come when Congress gets back in session, and even more next year when the new Congress gets under way. For now, though, I'd like to indulge in a Friday Science Fun Stack.
One of the most fascinating things I've seen in a while is a photo of comet Hartley 2. NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft flew within 435 miles of it and took pictures:
It's simply amazing that we can get photos like that, especially from a spacecraft that already fullfilled its mission 5 years ago. This one was bonus.
Also somewhat space related, but closer to home is the Holy Grail of home enertainment: projected 3D. It's interesting how popular science fiction can drive consumer products (think Star Trek and doors that open automatically and cell phones that flip open like the communicators on the show). The projected hologram of Princess Leia on Star Wars is the inspiration for new technology that some research scientists are working on:
There's still some details to work out, but you might want to hold off on buying that new 3D flatscreen that requires you to wear glasses.
Naturally, not all technological advances are fun and cool. Some just make you wonder whatever happened to privacy. Cisco, who makes a lot of the high-end high-tech stuff on which the internet runs has created software to allow companies to "mine" social networks like FaceBook and Twitter and spy on employees and even potential customers:
Naturally, Big Business isn't going to be the only one poking around. It's a given that the government is going to do it too. In fact, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Homeland Security was doing a Big Brother on its residents' tweets:
Wait a minute - Quakers tweet? Oh right - they're not the Amish. Anyway...
How long before 1984 becomes a reality? We might be closer than we think. And here I said this wasn't going to be political...
One of the most fascinating things I've seen in a while is a photo of comet Hartley 2. NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft flew within 435 miles of it and took pictures:
It's simply amazing that we can get photos like that, especially from a spacecraft that already fullfilled its mission 5 years ago. This one was bonus.
Also somewhat space related, but closer to home is the Holy Grail of home enertainment: projected 3D. It's interesting how popular science fiction can drive consumer products (think Star Trek and doors that open automatically and cell phones that flip open like the communicators on the show). The projected hologram of Princess Leia on Star Wars is the inspiration for new technology that some research scientists are working on:
Scientists say they have taken a big step toward displaying live video in three dimensions — a technology far beyond 3-D movies and more like the "Star Wars" scene where a ghostly Princess Leia image pleads, "Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi."
In that classic movie, the audience sees her back before a new camera perspective shows her face. Such a wraparound view of a moving image was just movie-trick fantasy in the 1977 film, but now?
"It is actually very, very close to reality. We have demonstrated the concept that it works. It's no longer something that is science fiction," said Nasser Peyghambarian of the University of Arizona.
There's still some details to work out, but you might want to hold off on buying that new 3D flatscreen that requires you to wear glasses.
Naturally, not all technological advances are fun and cool. Some just make you wonder whatever happened to privacy. Cisco, who makes a lot of the high-end high-tech stuff on which the internet runs has created software to allow companies to "mine" social networks like FaceBook and Twitter and spy on employees and even potential customers:
Now, it seems, you have nowhere to hide.
New software released by Cisco Systems Inc. on Wednesday makes it much easier for banks, retailers, and other businesses -- including your employer -- to monitor the mountain of data on social networking websites such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Naturally, Big Business isn't going to be the only one poking around. It's a given that the government is going to do it too. In fact, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Homeland Security was doing a Big Brother on its residents' tweets:
Emails recently released from a Right-To-Know request show that the Pennsylvania Department of Homeland Security monitored the twitter activity of law-abiding citizens.
The emails, obtained by the website PARevolution.com, show that a private firm used twitter to collect intelligence on anti-war protests as a part of their contract with the department.
Institute of Terrorism Research and Response (ITRR) monitored the activities of the Berks Peace Community, a group of Quaker-affiliated senior citizens, who routinely meet on the Penn State Bridge in Reading to protest America's "war habit."
Wait a minute - Quakers tweet? Oh right - they're not the Amish. Anyway...
How long before 1984 becomes a reality? We might be closer than we think. And here I said this wasn't going to be political...
