Category Archives: Futurism

In Brief New research shows how, by the year 2100, many regions in South Asia could become so hot that humans could no longer survive there. Climate Change

The consequences of climate change are not only real and imminent, but increasingly catastrophic. Currently, climate change is has been attributed to dangerously increasing temperatures, sea levels rising, the extinction of a variety of species, and much more. Without fierce opposition, the effects of climate change will only become more and more destructive. Natural disasters, mass flooding, food shortages and other crises are all possible (some already happening, in fact) if current trends continue. One part of the world may even become uninhabitable in our lifetime.

Elfatih Eltahir, a professor at MIT, recently published new research in the journal Science Advances that shows how, by the end of the century, areas in South Asia could be too hot for humans to survive there. In a Skype interview from Khartoum, Sudan with CBC News, Eltahir said, The risk of the impacts of climate change in that region could be quite severe.

Eltahir and his colleagues analyzed this projected situation under two conditions: a business-as-usual model and a model in which we increase our efforts to mitigate emissions.The team concluded that the business-as-usual model was not only most likely, but would yield unlivable conditions by the year 2100.

The effects of the projected heat waves will not fall over sparse landscapes that would be easily escapable. They will wash over the densely populated, agricultural areas of South Asia, directly threatening the lives of countless inhabitants who because many of the people living there live in poverty will be essentially trapped in the deadly conditions.

Climate change has already taken lives, and isnt slowing down. This deadly heat wave scenario would only be a piece of the puzzle in the year 2100. Where will the people of the agricultural regions of South Asia go if the rest of the planet is also facing the catastrophic effects of global warming? (That is, of course, if they are able to leave at all in future socioeconomic conditions.) The only way is forward, and the only way forward includes our best efforts against climate change.

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Study Asserts Climate Change Could Make South Asia Uninhabitable in Our Lifetime - Futurism

In BriefIBM, Microsoft, USAA, and Visa are all searching forblockchain developers as of this week. These job openings signalthe increasing importance of the technology and showcase some ofthe roles and projects that will be changing our society in thenear future. Blockchain Developers Wanted

Good news for programmers well-versed in the ways of the blockchain:IBM, Microsoft, USAA, and Visa are allsearching for blockchain developersto join their teams right now, according to ads listed on their respective websites.

According to IBMs job listing, the company is seeking out Consultant Developers with experience on one or more blockchain platform, citing Ethereum, Hyperledger, and Ripple specifically, but also indicating that equivalent proprietary platform experience might also be considered. They are not particular about whether the developer has UX, backend, or full-stack experience.

Meanwhile,Microsoft is looking for a Principal Program Manager. This person will develop a deep understanding of how customers use distributed ledger technologies as well as compute, storage, database, and networking services in Azure to architect their applications.

USAA is hoping to finda Lead Blockchain Developer. As for their preferred qualifications, the financial services company is hoping to find someone with at least two years experience with blockchain, cryptocurrencies, decentralized autonomous organizations, digital registries, distributed ledger, or smart contracts. Their ideal candidate will also have a conceptual knowledge of the mathematical foundations of blockchain technology.

Visa is searching fora strong developer experienced with Ethereum and blockchain architecture. As for specifics, they want someone who has built and released distributed applications, has worked with the Ripple, R3, Ethereum, and/or Bitcoin blockchain, and has experience with Solidity. Visa also notes that their candidate will need to maintain [the companys] relationship with the [IBM] Hyperledger initiative.

The interest in developers with blockchain experience is just one more sign that the technology is poised to radically transform our world.Notably, both USAA and Visa are looking for developers with Ethereum experience no surprise given the strong presence the blockchain now has among financial companies, many of which are using Ethereum as the basis for their blockchain technologies.

IBM and Microsoft are already well on their way to integrating the blockchain into their business models.PC Mag reports thatboth havecustom blockchains for their own blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) platforms (Bluemixfor IBM and Azure for Microsoft) using their cloud infrastructure. These platforms allow the companies to experiment with use cases for customers and for their own purposes.

At the heart of IBMsshort-term goals isblockchain identity managementa real-world, ultra-secure applied use of the technology to guard identity and associated financial and other sensitive information online so if youre thinking about applying there, chances are excellent youll be working on something related to that.

Whether they land at IBM or one of the several other companies looking to delve deeper into blockchain, the developers who fill these open positions will be the people ushering in an entirely new era in technology.

Disclosure: Several members of the Futurism team, including the editors of this piece, are personal investors in a number of cryptocurrency markets. Their personal investment perspectives have no impact on editorial content.

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Visa, Microsoft, and IBM Are All Hiring Blockchain Developers - Futurism

In Brief New analysis of data from the ESO's VLT and other telescopes reveals stars orbiting near the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way exhibit relativity effects. Future analysis may reveal more support for relativity and new physics.

Scientists have applied new analytical techniques to data gleaned from the European Southern Observatorys (ESOs) Very Large Telescope(VLT) and other telescopes over the past twenty years. This new analysis of the stars orbiting the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way reveals movement that deviates from what classical physics would predict, supporting instead the subtle effects predicted by Einsteins general theory of relativity.

The closest supermassive black hole to Earth is the one that rests 26,000 light-years away at the center of the Milky Way, and is four million times more massive than the Sun. This giant is surrounded by a cluster of stars orbiting in the strong gravitational field of the black hole the ideal proving ground for Einsteins general theory of relativity and, more generally, gravitational physics. This is why a team of astronomers has recently applied a new technique to observational data of the stars, comparing the star orbits actually measured with those predicted by both classical Newtonian gravity and general relativity.

Image Credit: ESO

The VLTs near-infrared adaptive optics instruments provided the highly accurate positional measurements that were vital for the study to succeed. The accuracy of these measurements was essential, especially during the period when S2 was further away from the black hole, because that data allowed the team to accurately determine the starting shape of the orbit and how it changed as relativity influenced it. This new work also provided more accurate measurements of the black holes distance from Earth and its mass.

This research heralds a thrilling time for astronomers around the world observing the Galactic Center. During 2018, the GRAVITY instrument, installed on the VLT Interferometer, will be ready to measure the orbit of S2 as it passes very close to the supermassive black hole. This should reveal not only relativistic effects with more clarity, but perhaps even new physics, as astronomers detect deviations from general relativity.

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Scientists Just Made a First Ever Observation of Einstein's Theory of General Relativity - Futurism

Weapon of Mass Disruption

Quantum Computers are heralded as the next step in the evolution of data processing. The future of this technology promises us a tool that can outperform any conventional system, handling more data and at faster speeds than even the most powerful of todays supercomputers.

However, at the present juncture, much of the science dedicated to this field is still focused on the technologys ultimate utilization. We know that quantum computers could manage data at a rate that is remarkable, but exactlywhat kind of data processing will they be good for?

This uncertainty raises some interesting questions about the potential impact of such a theoretically powerful tool.

Last month, some of the leading names in quantum technologies gathered at the semi-annual International Conference on Quantum Technologies in Moscow. Futurism was in attendance and was able to sit and talk with some of these scientists about how their work is moving us closer to practical quantum computers, and what impact such developments will have on society.

One of the most interesting topics of discussion was initiated by Alexander Lvovsky, Quantum Optics group leader at the Russian Quantum Center and Professor of Physics at the University of Calgary in Canada. Speaking at a dinner engagement, Lvovsky stated that quantum computers are a tool of destruction, not creation.

What is it about quantum computers that would incite such a claim? In the end, it comes down to one thing, which happens to be one of the most talked about potential applications for the technology:Breaking modern cryptography.

Today, all sensitive digital information sent over the internet is encrypted in order to protect the privacy of the parties involved. Already, we have seen instances where hackers were able to seize this information by breaking the encryption. According to Lvovsky, the advent of the quantum computer will only make that process easier and faster.

In fact, he asserts that no encryptionexisting today would be able to hide from the processing power of a functioning quantum computer. Medical records, financial information, even the secrets of governments and military organizations would be free for the takingmeaning that the entire world order could be threatened by this technology.

The consensus between other experts is, essentially, that Lvovsky isnt wrong. In a sense, hes right, Wenjamin Rosenfeld, a physics professor at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, stated in an interview. He continued, taking a quantum computer as a computer,theres basically not much you can do with this at the moment; however, he went on to explain that this may soon be changing.

To break this down, there are only two quantum algorithms at the moment, one to allow a quantum computer to search a database, and the other,Shors algorithm, which can be used by a quantum computer to break encryption.

Notably, during the conference, Mikhail Lukin, aco-founder of theRussian Quantum Centerand head of the Lukin Group of the Quantum Optics Laboratory at Harvard University, announced that he had successfully built and tested a 51-qubit quantum computerand hes going to use that computer to launch Shors algorithm.

Vladimir Shalaev, who sits on the International Advisory Board of the Russian Quantum Center and is a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University, takes a more nuanced approach to this question, saying it is neither a tool of destruction nor creationit is both: I would disagree with him. I think I would say that any new breakthrough breeds both evil and good things.

He evoked the development of laser technology as an example, saying, Lasers changed our lives with communications, surgery, their use in machinery, but they are also used in missiles to destroy buildings.But I think this is life. Nothing comes with only good, there is always bad as well. So I dont think it is just a destructive technology, it could also be a constructive one.

There is a great deal of truth to Shalaevs assessment. Nuclear technology was primarily developed as a destructive tool. After the war, many more positive applications were found, impacting energy, medicine, and agriculture, among many other fields. Quantum computers may not be capable of the physical destruction of a nuclear bomb, but their potential application in relation to encryption is the digital equivalent, making this topic worthy of reflection in these early stages.

So, if quantum computers do have such dangerous potential, why are we pursuing them? As Lukin expounds, there are other potential applications outside of encryption breaking, applications that many experts are excited about.

For example, Lukin sees enormous potential in quantum sensors. It has the potential to change the field of medical diagnostics, where some of the tasks which require huge labs can be performed on the scale of aniPhone. Imagine the implications for third world countries in parts of the world like Africa. It can really allow to diagnose and treat patients. I think theres actually a huge impact on society, he explained.

Also, the processing power of quantum computers could push research in artificial intelligence (AI) forward by leaps and bounds. Indeed, it could assist this field to such a degree that AI could be a part of the answer to the problem proposed by Lvovsky. To that end, Lukins asserts, Im fairly convinced that, before quantum computers start breaking encryption, we will have new classical encryption, we will have new schemes based on quantum computers, based on quantum cryptography, which will be operational.

Much like lasers or nuclear weapons, the scientists involved in creating quantum computers are unable to predict the total utility of this technology. There very well could be a host of world changing applications for quantum computers. Still, even with just considering the encryption busting potential of the technology, we must remain cognizant of the power we areunleashing.

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World's Leading Physicist Says Quantum Computers Are Tools of Destruction, Not Creation - Futurism

In Brief The prototype version has great potential, from assisting the elderly and disabled to scifi-esque neurological command pathways. However, many obstacles in voice integration and extended applications lie ahead. Alexa, Lets Stand Up

Canadian robotics company Bionik Laboratories has demonstrated a prototype of its Arke lower-body exoskeleton that can be controlled via Amazons voice assistant, Alexa.

In normal usage, the Arke is controlled using an array of sensors that respond to the wearers natural movements. However, as the user gets used to the exoskeleton, they typically use a tablet to issue instructions. Since this could be too much multitasking, some might find voice commands to be more intuitive.

Exoskeletons can also benefit able-bodied people for instance, the chairless chair could be a major boon to anyone working a job that requires them to stand for long periods of time. Of course, the most life-changing effects will be felt by people who dont have full control of their body.

Whether thecondition is caused by old age or disability, an exoskeleton can vastly improve the wearers quality of life. Integrating support for Alexa commands into the Arke makes this technology much more accessible.Click to View Full Infographic

While researchers have made progress toward developingnon-invasive brain implants that could potentially control an exoskeleton, this is still an intimidating prospect for many potential users. Issuing voice commands isnt anywhere near as daunting.

All this aside, theres plentyof work to be done before an Alexa-enabled version of the Arke is commercially available. To make good on the promised prototype, a plethora of certification requirements are needed if this exoskeleton is to graduate to the advanced applications.

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Amazon's Alexa Helps This Exoskeleton Respond to Spoken Instructions - Futurism

In BriefA new visualization from NASA shows how the moon's irregularshape will influence where the upcoming solar eclipse will bevisible. Simulating Shadows

On August 21, a swatch of Earth residents will witness the rare side effect of our planets long dance with its oldest partner: a total solar eclipse, caused by the perfect alignment of the Moon in front of the sun.

A new visualization from NASA shows in extraordinary detail where the total eclipse will be visible; primarily along an approximately 112 km (70 mile) stretch, cutting across the United Statesdiagonally from Oregon to South Carolina. This diagonal lies in the path of the umbra, the part of the Moons shadow where the sun is entirely blocked by the Moon.

The visualization shows that the umbra is shaped like an irregular, slightly curved polygon, rather than the circle you might expect. The same dips and bumps that shade faces and imaginary seas into the Moons surface also affect how light passes around it.

With this new visualization, we can represent the umbral shadow with more accuracy by accounting for the influence of elevation at different points on Earth, as well as the way light rays stream through lunar valleys along the moons ragged edge, said NASA visualizer Ernie Wright of Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.

This new level of detail comes from pairing 3-D maps of the Moons surface, created by NASAs Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, with elevation data for the places its shadow will hit.

Because the umbral shadow is relatively small, a solar eclipse is only visible somewhere on Earth roughly every 18 months.

So, if you find your area in the path of totality one year, youve hit the jackpot, NASA officials explain in the video above.Because on average, that same spot on Earth will only get to see a solar eclipse every 375 years.

However, this already rare phenomenon is getting evenmore so:the Moon exerts a pull on the earth that creates ocean tides, and subsequentlyslows our planets rotation.This also transfers energy into the Moons orbit that pushes it away from Earth.

As a result, our Moon recedes by about 1.48 inches every year roughly the same speed at which your fingernails grow. Someday, it will be too far to block the sun fully.

Over time, the number and frequency of total solar eclipses will decrease, explains Richard Vondrak, a lunar scientist at NASAs Goddard, in the statement. About 600 million years from now, Earth will experience the beauty and drama of a total solar eclipse for the last time.

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New NASA Visualization Shows Where This Month's Solar Eclipse Will Be Visible - Futurism

In BriefAs part of the quadrennial National Climate Assessment, a teamof scientists from 13 federal institutions have drafted a specialreport on climate change in the U.S. A leaked draft of this reportvery clearly asserts that human-made climate change is real,leaving some scientists concerned that the Trump administrationwill try to suppress it. Setting the Record Straight

As part of a congressional mandate, the Global Change Research Programis required to produce a National Climate Assessment every four years. A draft for this years report has already been submitted to the Trump administrationfor approval before it can be made public. In the meantime, a draft copy of one section,Climate Science Special Report (CSSR), has been obtained and published by The New York Times.

Prepared by scientists from 13 federal agencies, the CSSR concludes that human-made climate change is real and that its effects are being felt by Americans right now. According to the report, average temperatures in the U.S. have risen dramatically since the 1980s, andthe past few decades have been the warmestof the last 1,500 years.

Evidence for a changing climate abounds, from the top of the atmosphere to the depths of the oceans, the CSSR reads. Its extremely likely that more than half of the global average temperature increase since 1951 is linked to human influence. Many lines of evidence demonstrate that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse (heat-trapping) gases, are primarily responsible for recent observed climate change.

The scientists also validate concerns over rising sea levels, which arealready affecting some places in the U.S. The report also notes an unmistakable link between climate change and extreme weather conditions. However, this field of attribution science is complex.

The researchers found relatively strong evidence that man-made factors played a role in such extreme weather events as the 2003 European heat wave and the 2013 record heat in Australia. Other events, like the Texas heat wave in 2011, were more complicated, withLa Nia playing a significant role.

While the CSSR doesnt includeany policy recommendations, it does predict some potential implications of climate change in the U.S.

Depending on future carbon emission levels, average annual temperatures in the U.S. couldincrease by 2.8 to 4.8 degrees Celsius (5.0 to 8.6 degrees Fahrenheit) before the end of the century.

Indeed, to remain below the global mean temperature increase limitof 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), worldwide emissions need to be significantly reduced.

Thankfully, the Paris Climate Agreement aims to cap theglobal temperature increase at 1.5 degrees Celsius. Despite the U.S. officially withdrawing from the agreement, a coalition of states as well as organizations within the private sector remain dedicated toreaching this goal and maybe even surpassing it. Renewable energy is becoming an increasingly cheaper alternative to fossil fuels, as well as a viable source of employment for a great number of Americans.

The CSSRs authors, however, have one other concern. One scientist who wished to remain anonymous toldThe New York Timesthat theyre worried the Trump administration might try to alter or suppress the report.

U.S. President Donald Trump has calledclimate change a hoax, and the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Scott Pruitt,doesnt think carbon dioxide plays a huge factor in climate change. The EPA is one of the 13 agencies tasked withapproving the report by August 18. Meanwhile, The Guardianreports that U.S. Department of Agriculture staff have been told to avoid using the term climate change in their work.

Its a fraught situation, Michael Oppenheimer, a professor of geoscience and international affairs at Princeton University who was not involved in the CSSR, told The New York Times. This is the first case in which an analysis of climate change of this scope has come up in the Trump administration, and scientists will be watching very carefully to see how they handle it.

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Unpublished US Government Report: Human-Caused Climate Change Is Real - Futurism

In Brief After a weekend of significant gains, Bitcoin has continued that trend by being worth nearly three times the price of gold.

Gold is often seen as an investment safe-haven due to the long term stability of the commodity. It is also often used as a standard by which to compare cryptocurrency, especially Bitcoin. Many of the leading cryptocurrencys major milestones have been viewed in terms of their comparison to gold.

The latest numbers are truly staggering. The price of Bitcoin reached a high today of over $3,400 (at the time of writing it stands at a similarly impressive $3,390.66), while the price of an ounce of gold is $1,260.40. This leaves Bitcoin at nearly triple the price of gold, renewing speculations about the ability of Bitcoin to become a substitute for gold.

This is great news considering the tumultuous recent history of Bitcoin that resulted in amuch-dreaded splitting pointfor the currency. Still, Bitcoin has never been stronger in spite of (or perhaps thanks to) the upheaval.

Bitcoin also enjoyed some significant gains this weekend, crossing $3,200 for the first time in history.

Bitcoin, and cryptocurrencies in general, are enjoying an uptick in public visibility, which is undoubtedlyfortifying the impressive gains being made. It will be interesting to see how meteoric the rise of Bitcoin will continue to be.

Disclosure: Several members of the Futurism team, including the editors of this piece, are personal investors in a number of cryptocurrency markets. Their personal investment perspectives have no impact on editorial content.

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Bitcoin is Now Worth Nearly Three Times the Price of Gold - Futurism

In Brief Members of the Tesla Owners Club Italia have broken the June hypermiling record set in Belgium, traveling in a Tesla Model S P100D for 1,078km (669.8 miles) on a single charge. This makes the P100D the first production EV to break the 1000km goal.

2017 has been the year to set(and break) driving records with electric vehicles. The latest record-breaking event happened in Italy just last week. Tesla Owners Club Italia drove a Model S P100D for 1,078km (669.8 miles) on a single charge, breaking the long-distance record that had been in place since June. The previous record, from Belgium, was a mere 901.2km (560 miles). This makes the Tesla Owners Club Italia the first to drive a production EV more than 1,000km between charges.

This victory is in large part symbolic, because to break the record at this point its necessary to drive in a way youd never want to duplicate in real life. Hypermiling, optimizing driving behaviors to maximize a charge, isnt fun or efficient from a getting somewhere perspective. The team toured Salerno at a sluggish 40km/h (24.9MPH) without air conditioning on low rolling resistance tires, and used Autopilot to ensure they employed smooth driving techniques to get the most from the battery. In the end, the trip took 29 hours 29 hours that were almost certainly exciting only for serious Tesla and/or EV fans.

However, the outcome should be exciting to everyone. Although EVs are not likely to achieve mileage like this anytime soon, the basic achievability shows how far the engineering and design of EVs has come. Tesla rates the range of the P100D at 337 miles (and the range jumps up when you drop the traveling speed below 65MPH). This rate reflects the reality of a vehicle needing tostop and go, negotiate turns and uneven terrain, and handle other issues encountered on the road all of which shrink the range. However, the achievement reveals that EVs that are truly long-range really arent so far off in the future.

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Tesla Drivers in Italy Just Broke the EV Long Distance Driving Record on a Single Charge - Futurism

In Brief Post fork, Bitcoin is surging up once more, reaching $3,000 for the first time since June, and surpassing $3,200 for the first time. This was accompanied by a peak in trade volume, and bitcoins market cap rests at around $54.13 billion at press time.

According to the CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index (BPI), the price of bitcoin has shot up again, surpassing $3,200 for the first time. Market data indicates this latest surge started after 1:00 UTC on August 5, when the price of bitcoin surged past $2,900. By about 3:12 UTC, the price breached the $3,000 mark.

Although many predicted bitcoin would not fare well after the fork, these numbers seem to indicate otherwise. In fact, as Redditors have been discussing, Bitcoin is now worth more than $1 for each day it has existed. Senior Goldman Sachs technician Sheba Jafaris prediction about bitcoin starting a wave V during which its value could reach almost $3,700 is looking on point.Disclosure: Several members of the Futurism team, including the editors of this piece, are personal investors in cryptocurrency markets. Their personal investment perspectives have no impact on editorial content.

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Bitcoin Just Reached a New All-Time High - Futurism - Futurism