How about cyborg bugs? Building a from-scratch robot that can do everything a bug can do is difficult. So instead, scientists are looking at a fuel cell powered by a bug’s own biochemistry. The energy can be used for sensing, recording, or control by stimulation of neurons.
Fantasy has several different classifications:
The last category, Portal Fantasy, is based on the idea that there’s a secret world, a magical way to get from this one to another that is hidden or only available to rare people. This morning I read about the Hamza, a river that flows 13,000 feet below the Amazon. It flows at a slower pace than the river above–and perhaps time flows at a slower pace in those depths as well. Perhaps the water is still tainted with the blood of ancient sacrifices; the vital essence of men and women whose veins were opened to appease an ancient feathered serpent god. Perhaps that river is really the twisting belly of the ancient animal itself and our scientific drilling will cause it to awaken, hungry, irritated, and eager for a contract with the Sci Fi channel.
I was not expecting much in the way of beer during my stay in Utah. But I tasted one really good beer. What really made the experience was the label was the label “Polygamy Porter.” The slogan is “Why have just one?” It’s good that the people of Utah have a sense of humor about themselves.
The Max Headroom television series provided us with a dystopian vision of the future in which credit fraud was a more serious crime than murder, turning the television off was illegal, and network executives would do anything to increase their ratings for a few minutes. Oh, and every television network had its own political candidate. At first, of course, I merely thought this was as clever and funny idea. But now I think they may be on to something. (more…)
A recent “Big Bang Theory” episode featured famed physicist Sheldon Cooper creating a wacky three player game of chess.
While my family has compared me to Sheldon before, this is one of the few real examples where the comparison worked. I have a 3 player chess game (hexagonal grid instead of square grid) sitting on my desk at work. It is not nearly as wacky as Sheldon’s, however I invented another chess variant (2 player) which was. The concept was a collectable trading card game based on chess. Cards would give pieces new powers.
The Siege Rook: It could move up to 8 squares without capturing, or capture a piece up to four squares away without moving.
The Lady-Killer Pawn could move up to 8 squares if it was capturing a queen.
The Samuraii Pawn: When it captures it detonates and takes out all the pieces in the adjacent squares.
The Archbiship: Like a bishop, but he imparts the ability to move as a bishop to any friendly piece he could move to.
And so on. Hopefully I will find the time to make this a real game available on http://thegamecrafter.com, a Print On Design (POD) game maker.
Well, sort of. Astrology predicts that you have traits or characteristics that are determined by the time of your birth within the year. (more…)
My sister and brother-in-law have two indoor cats who love a chance to escape and get outside. To give them a taste of this freedom, my brother-in-law built an elaborate system of tunnels and rooms from chicken wire outside their dwelling. I bring you thirteen pictures of this stunning creation:
 out the door… |
 toward the backyard |
 farther |
 around the corner… |
 along the back… |
 branching point, right goes behind the bush |
 over the wall and round the tree |
 up the hill… |
 close to the sun room |
 sun room close up |
 another angle |
 yet another view |
 looking back from the sun room |
Australia had lots of fun critters in ancient times — including saber-toothed kangaroos.
http://www.physorg.com/news71983836.html
Update: Giant penguins in Peru: http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/06/26/0126244&from=rss