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Interesting New Magnetic Motor Announced: Big Claims Made

If you are interested in alternative energy, here's something new to look at -- a new magnetic motor based on ideas that originated with Nikola Tesla. The makers claim it is an "economical solution for the world's power and energy needs." Well, we've heard that before, but it's good to keep an open mind -- maybe someone will get it right eventually. For more info, see their site, which has a lot more info on how it works.

Dolphins Save Humans from Shark Attack

Here is an interesting true story about how a group of humans were saved from a shark attack by a group of dolphins.

If the Universe is a Simulation, then What?

Here's an interesting speculation. Assume for the moment that our universe is in fact a simulation runnning on a vast computing system created a race of beings that is far more advanced than we can presently imagine. The next logical question would be, "Why would an advanced civilization want or need to undertake such a project?"

Fascinating US Air Force Teleportation Physics Study

It's official, the US Air Force has looked seriously at teleportation. This recently released Air Force report details the history of teleportation science, the present state-of-the-art, as well as several new directions for research and an extensive bibliography. Fascinating reading!

Zapping Your Brain Improves Verbal Skills

New research has found that running a mild electric current through your brain can significantly boost your verbal skills, with no side-effects, as far as anyone knows so far. Very interesting. It appears to decrease the firing threshold of neurons in the path of the current. This research was applied mainly to the frontal lobe of the brain. I wonder what it might do to other brain regions? Fascinating discovery.

Great Article on Psychohistory and Sociophysics -- Can We Predict Behavior?

Great find from Rob Usey at Psydex Corporation: This article is a survey of the emerging field of "sociophysics" which attempts to apply statistical mechanics to predict human social behavior. It's very cool stuff if you're interested in social networks, memes, sociology and prediction science. The article discusses recent progress towards Isaac Asimov's vision for a science of Psychohistory as proposed in his Foundation stories. This relates in many ways to my previous article on "A Physics of Ideas" in which I proposed some elementary ways to measure the trajectories of memes as if they were moving particles in a Newtonian system.

New Study Shows Measurable Effects from Homeopathy

Interesting new research has found a measurable effect from homeopathic medicines on inflammation. The research has been published in a respected peer-reviewed medical journal. The authors admit they cannot explain the cause of this effect, and they are hoping others will join them in trying to figure it out. The basic issue is that homeopathic solutions contain such extremely dilute quantities of the "active ingredients" that there is almost no probability that enough molecules remain after dilution to have any effect at all. But for some reason, these extremely dilute solutions, which are for all intents and purposes just water or just sugar, have demonstrable medical effects that in some cases outperform that of a placebo. One hypothesis is that somehow water molecules are able to retain a "molecular memory" -- perhaps in a quantum field -- of other substances that they come into contact with, essentially enabling the "active ingredient" to "program" the water molecules with its "molecular imprint." But who knows!!! It's interesting though. I really enjoy these exotic unexplained frontiers. Magic is the future of science waiting to be understood.

Messages in DNA: You Saw it Here First

In August of 2003, I posted an article that suggested the SETI folks ought to look at our own DNA to see if there happens to be a hidden message from aliens in there waiting to be discovered. Putting a message in human DNA, particularly in the junk DNA regions, is guaranteed (a) not to degrade significantly over long periods of time and (b) to be found by humans when we reached a suitable level of technological development, and (d) to go with each of us wherever we went on earth and beyond. So, thinking like an alien, DNA would be a much better place to leave a message for future humans than just about anywhere else. Now, the well-known science writer, Paul Davies has come up with the exact same suggestion.

By the way, I wouldn't be surprised if we look and actually find just such a message. Most likely it will read, "Property of Microsoft Corporation, patent-pending" or something to that effect.