Physics of the Future

"The superior energy density of antimatter annihilation has often been pointed to as the ultimate source of energy for propulsion. Unfortunately, the limited capacity and very low efficiency of present-day antiproton production methods suggest that antimatter may be too costly to consider for near-term propulsion applications." Antimatter is not the same thing as dark matter or the lack of matter altogether. A single teaspoon of antimatter can destroy the metropolitan area of New York City. Antimatter is extremely difficult to harness, and prohibitively expensive as of now. However, in the future, antimatter may be able to be used to power rockets into the depths of outer space. This concept was discussed in Physics of the Future.

"Graphene is made of a single layer of carbon atoms that are bonded together in a repeating pattern of hexagons. Graphene is one million times thinner than paper; so thin that it is actually considered two dimensional" The definition of what graphene really is.

"Ever since Gordon Moore made his famous "Moore's Law" prediction, stating that the number of transistors on a semiconductor application would double every couple of years, the industry has seen fit to beat that trend" The definition of what Moore's law really is.

"The distance any signal has to travel is astronomical - so it will be weakened by an astronomical amount squared. It has been said that SETI is like looking for a needle in a haystack. But if the instruments proposed by this group are built, SETI scientists will stop sifting the hay with spoons; they'll have a pitchfork." As this article focused primarily on the future of SETI, as one may have assumed from the title, it shall be very helpful while I am writing a draft on the theme. Since this article is in a well-known and respectable science magazine, I can conclude that "The Future of SETI" is a reliable source.

In this article, you will learn probably learn every idea you would need to know about finding Earth-like planets. Also, you should be able to understand all that you would need to know about the telescope itself, the Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF), the telescope in which people hope will eventually be launched into space. The TPF has two separate parts in which one has a mirror 100 times more precise than the Hubble Space Telescope detecting dim starlight reflected off of small, rocky planets. The TPF would also help to detect if the planet is close enough to the sun to support life and if the planet has a stable atmosphere to support life. This telescope may be the first step in eventually discovering alien life on different planets.

"So the main danger we face from an advanced civilization is simply that we might get in their way." This is an interview with Michio Kaku, where he talks briefly about SETI. Here, he talks about how silly it would be to "advertise our existence in space" (Kaku) because we might find a civilization that is a million years ahead of us in terms of technology, and would therefore be crushed. Kaku uses examples such as a fruit fly versus Goliath, to compare to what might happen if we were to find such a civilization. This is helpful, as it gives me an idea as to where Kaku stands on the subject. I trust that this is a reliable source, as I found a link to it on Michio Kaku's website.

"A solar sail, simply put, is a spacecraft propelled by sunlight. Whereas a conventional rocket is propelled by the thrust produced by its internal engine burn, a solar sail is pushed forward simply by light from the Sun." This site gives great information on how solar sails work and how efficient they are. The text describes how solar sails can accelerate indefinitely. It also mentions how large they generally are. This information can be useful for certain research points and help clarify what a solar sail really is. This site is most likely reliable because websites ending in ".org" are typically reliable. It has very sound research, as well.

"Beyond listening for deliberate signals, SETI scientists could conceivably find extraterrestrial transmissions that weren't meant for us, just as our radio and television signals have been leaking into space this century." This pdf gave some very helpful information on SETI. I gained much knowledge about the background of this theme and will definitely be able to use what I have learned while writing my paragraph about this theme. To make sure that this was a reliable source, I did a bit of research on the author. Dr. Steven Garber is the founder of the Washington Institute and is the Scholar-in-Residence of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, leading me to believe that this pdf is a very dependable source. Citations: "Staff." The Washington Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2014.

This site is from MIT, it talks about their nuclear energy program and other people's ideas. It also talks about their nuclear fusion reactor. Their reactor is the same as the one in the book, this makes it a useful site to cross reference the information in the book. This site is reliable because it comes from MIT, a university known for its science and engineering programs.

I feel this goes quite well with what we have been looking at for main topics. One part that I found particularly interesting was the medical section where the hologram and glass room was used. I feel that this video would be a good insight into future touch technology, computing in the medical field and augmented reality in the small girls field trip.

Steps from Type o to Type 1 that we have taken during the transition.

How organ printing works.

4 videos demonstrating organ printing

I Wikipedia page for Technological Singularity

"The "nanowires" is another alternative of the post silicon era, but there are many issues such as connecting them to the rest of the transistor, improving the semiconductor property, and ensuring the nanotubes are sized and positioned correctly. " Nanowires might be one of the alternatives of replacing silicon.

""In about ten years or so, we will see the collapse of Moore's Law. In fact, already, already we see a slowing down of Moore's Law," Moore's law will eventually collapse in the future.

It's a little out there but hey..