Category Archives: Futurism

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There have been a number of rap sub-genres that have come along throughout the years including G Funk, snap, crunk, trap and drill, just to name a few. Vince Staples is onhis own wave with the release of his new album, Big Fish Theory,and its called Afro-futurism.

All I can tell you is that its current. Its tomorrow. Its next Thursday, Staples recently told LA Weekly. We making future music. Its Afro-futurism. This is my Afro-futurism. Theres no other kind.

The Long Beach rapper is indeed trying new things. He explained his step outside the box further saying, If a photographer took the same picture over and over again, youd call them crazy, right? If an architect built the same house, if a designer made the same clothes, if a painter made the same painting wed all discredit them.

He added, Then why do we expect musicians, and rappers specifically, to do the same thing over and over and over? Its because they do not look at rap music as art. They like to say the word, but theyre not really holding anything to those standards.

Vince has revealed the release date for Big Fish Theory as June 23. He will be going on tour with Danny Brown and Gorillaz next month. Check out the full list of tour dates here.

20 of Your Favorite Rappers Naming Their Favorite Rappers

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Vince Staples Calls His New 'Big Fish Theory' Album Afro-Futurism - XXLMAG.COM

In Brief The largest floating solar power plant in the world is now online in China. Floating where coal used to be mined, the installation is helping China transition toward renewables and making the most of its surroundings. Sungrow Floating Power Plant

The worlds largest floating solar power plant is now online in China. Built by Sungrow, a supplier of PV inverter systems, the 40MW plant is now afloat in waterfour to 10 meters deep, and successfully linked to Huainan, Chinas grid. The placement was chosen in large part because the area was previously the location of coal mining operations; and, as a result, the water there is now mineralized and mostly useless. The lake itself was only formed after years of mining operations, the surrounding landcollapsed and created a cavity that was filled with rainwater.

Floating solar plants are advantageous because they put otherwise useless water and land to good use, and the water naturally cools the system and the ambient temperatures, improving generation and limiting long-term damage from heat. They also avoid taking up space in densely populated regions, which is especially an issue in China; the country is currently home to more than 100 cities with populations of at least one million people each. Finally, the floating PV arrays, customized to work efficiently despite higher levels of humidity, prevent the evaporation of fresh water.

Although it was once among the worst offenders worldwide in the realm of carbon emissions and climate change, China has turned the page in a serious way. Now, it has become a world leader in the adoption of renewables in its quest to lead the way toward a greener, more sustainable future. This kind of dedication is what each country needs to commit to. As climate change progresses, we continue to see negative trends and changes; the last three years have all set horrifyingtemperature records.The future of humanity is directly tied to the future of renewables. Fortunately, innovations like the floating solar plant prove that there are almost endless ways to approach the problem in a practical, effective way.

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The World's Largest Floating Solar Plant Is Finally Online - Futurism

In Brief Earlier today, Elon Musk threatened to leave his post as an adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump's administration if the latter decides to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreements.

Amidst reports that U.S. President Donald Trump plans to pull out of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, serial entrepreneur and White House adviser Elon Musk has made his thoughts on the matter clearly known.

Earlier today, Musk took to Twitter, threatening to leave the White House advisory councils if Trump drops from the Paris accord. He began by outlining that he has done everything he can to show Trump that the U.S. must take a strong stance on climate change andkeep to the agreement. In a subsequent tweet, he said he would resign as an adviser if his words were not heeded.

When asked what he would do if the U.S. did leave, Musk responded, Will have no choice but to depart councils in that case.

According to the New York Times, three officials with knowledge of Trumps decision regarding the historic climate agreement have confirmed that the president is intent on backing out. Its a stance thats consistent with how the current administration has previously expressed their beliefs regardingclimate change, and if he does follow through, Trump will simply be making good on one of his campaign promises.

Naturally, for a man who owns a company that develops climate-friendly technologyTeslas electric vehicles and solar roofsworking with a government that refuses to recognize the reality of climate change would be a contradiction. If it comes down to it, as Musk pointed out, he would have no choice but to leave his advisory post in the administration.

Musk has previously taken flack for his decision to stay as an adviser to Trump, but it seems like he wont be able to tolerate the administrations stance on climate change any longer.

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Musk To Resign From Trump Government if US Withdraws From Paris Climate Agreement - Futurism

In Brief NASA has released new details about its solar probe and renamed it the Parker Solar Probe. In 1958, astrophysicist Eugene Parker first suggested the presence of a solar wind, which is the primary object of study for this historic mission to the Sun. Named After the Living

As NASA readies itself for its historic mission to the Sun set sometime between July and August 2018, the space agency made an announcement today that highlights the importance of this mission. The Solar Probe Plus has now been renamed the Parker Solar Probe, after astrophysicist Eugene Parker who discovered the phenomenon that this first-ever mission to a star will be investigating.

This is the first time NASA has named a spacecraft for a living individual, NASA administrator for the Science Mission DirectorateThomas Zurbuchen said in todays announcement. Its a testament to the importance of his body of work, founding a new field of science that also inspired my own research and many important science questions NASA continues to study and further understand every day. Im very excited to be personally involved honoring a great man and his unprecedented legacy.

Usually, NASA missions are renamed only after launch and certification, the agency noted. However, NASA decided not to follow the usual naming procedures to highlight the importance of Parkers work and his contributions to heliophysics and space science, as well as how the planned mission ties in with his research.

The Parker Solar Probe will examine a phenomenon known as a solar wind, which Parker first pointed out in 1958. High speed matter and magnetism, Parker theorized, constantly come out of the Sun and affect the planets and space around it.

The solar probe is going to a region of space that has never been explored before, Parker said in the NASA announcement. Its very exciting that well finally get a look. One would like to have some more detailed measurements of whats going on in the solar wind. Im sure that there will be some surprises. There always are.

Getting close enough to the Sun is crucial, and the Parker Solar Probe is equipped with technology that would allow it to do so. Its a spacecraft loaded with technological breakthroughs that will solve many of the largest mysteries about our star, including finding out why the suns corona is so much hotter than its surface, explained Nicola Fox, the probes project scientist, in the announcement.

Parker Solar Probe is going to answer questions about solar physics that weve puzzled over for more than six decades, Fox said in the announcement. We will finally touch the sun.

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NASA Just Unveiled Their Next Mission: We Will Finally Touch the Sun. - Futurism

In BriefA small clinical trial has demonstrated that 100-year-old drugcan relieved symptoms of autism in children. The work has alsogenerated a unifying theory of ASD linking the disorder to alteredmetabolic processes. Old Drug, New Tricks

A small clinical trial fromthe University of California, San Diego, has just yielded some promising results for those living withautism spectrum disorder (ASD). The results indicate that suramin, a 100-year-old drug used to treat African sleeping sickness, can measurably, albeit transiently, improve ASD symptoms in children.

This has led the research team to conclude that ASD in many children may becaused by a treatable metabolic syndrome and that, for some people with ASD, the right treatment can improve symptoms since they are not necessarily permanent.

ASD is just that a spectrum, and many children fall somewhere on that spectrum. According to the World Health Organization, about one in 160 children worldwide have ASD, although the CDC estimates that number to beone in 68.While it is not entirely clear whether the incidence of ASD is increasing, or detection of ASD is changing, or some other mechanism is at work making the numbers grow, there is no doubt that many people are affected.

The UCSD team is now focusing on metabolismthe shared language of the brain, immune system, and gutwhich allows the three linked systems to communicate. In peoplewith ASD, each of these systems works differently, and the communication between them is altered.

The researchers chose to test suramin because it inhibits purinergic signaling, a cell communications process that takes place in metabolism. Within seven days, all five of the children treated with suramin showed a steady improvement of symptoms, with no change at all shown in the placebo group.

These results mark the first time any drug has shown the potential to actually altersymptoms of ASD. Of course this is a small first trail, and the treatment may never be available depending on further research outcomes. Even so, these results are likely to prompt a major shift in the way we think about autism.

If the researchers are right, abnormally persistent cell danger response (CDR) is whats producing the metabolic syndrome causing ASD. Both environment and genes are factors in the CDR, so its possible that genetic causes alone might produce the metabolic syndrome and ASD. However, if a metabolic syndrome is whats behind ASD symptoms, it can be treated, even though the genes cant be.

This research also provides the first real unifying theory for the root cause of ASD. The lack of such a theory has been a huge factor in pharmacologic failures in treating aspects ASD. Treatments werent targeting the aspect of autism that could lower peoples quality of life and were sometimes worse than symptoms.

However, if this unifying theory is right thatCDR and problems in purinergic signaling play an important role in some forms of ASD, then doctors should be able to treat some symptoms of ASD such as difficulties with verbal communication, fear of changes in routine, and social anxiety without suppressing the traits that sometimes make people with ASD exceptional.

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100-Year-Old Drug May Be the Key to Treating Autism - Futurism

In Brief The European Space Organization (ESO) has started construction on the Extremely Large Telescope, which will be the world's largest optical telescope. The new equipment will give astronomers a new tool to search for alien planets and any life they host.

A new era in space exploration is upon us.

Elon Musks SpaceX has expanded the possibility for what we can do in space, and the latest development in astronomyis going to expand what we can learn about space. Construction began late last week on what will be the worlds largest optical telescope.

The telescope is aptly named the European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT).

The telescope is being constructed on a 3,000 meter (9842.5 foot) high mountain in a Chilean desert. The President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet Jeria, was present for the start of construction ceremony and noted the significance of this move to the sciences:

With the symbolic start of this construction work, we are building more than a telescope hereIt is one of the greatest expressions of scientific and technological capabilities and of the extraordinary potential of international cooperation.

It will boast some truly impressive measurements including a total weight of 5,000 tons(5,512 US tons), an 85 meter (279 ft) rotating dome, and a 39 meter (128 ft) diameter main mirror. The ELT will be five times larger than the largest telescopes in use today. The new equipment will allow for greater planetdiscovering ability and perhaps even help us discern the makeup of the atmospheres of alien worlds, giving us greater insights into a planets ability to host life as-we-know-it.

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Construction Has Begun On A Telescope That's 5 Times Bigger Than The World's Largest - Futurism

In BriefPhysicists have developed a method that could potentially spota previously hidden force in the universe. If proven to exists,this fifth force could change how we model physics itself. Redefining Physics

For the most part, we seem to have our universe figured out: there are four fundamental forces that govern the interactions of every conceivable object, from atoms to planets. These four the weak and strong nuclear forces, electromagnetic force, and gravity explain all there is. Except they dont, really.

As much as weve understood these forces, there are still phenomena that the standard model of physics and Einsteins theory of general relativity dont quite make explain. For instance, theres more gravity in space than what all visible matter can supposedly produce. Thats why some suggest undiscovered dark matteras the source of this, or as other physicists suggests, that a hidden fifth force is out there. One such physicist isAndrea Ghez, director at the University of California, Los Angeles, Galactic Center Group.

The key to detecting this fifth force, according to Ghez and her team, is studying the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way and the stars around it. By watching the stars move over 20 years using very precise measurements taken from Keck Observatory data, you can see and put constraints on how gravity works, she explained in a press release. If gravitation is driven by something other than Einsteins theory of General Relativity, youll see small variations in the orbital paths of the stars. They published their method in the journal Physical Review Letters.

This research could go a long way to answering questions that have risen since Einstein published his theories, Ghez said.

Einsteins theory describes [gravity] beautifully well, but theres lots of evidence showing the theory has holes, Ghez said in her interview for the press release. The mere existence of supermassive black holes tells us that our current theories of how the Universe works are inadequate to explain what a black hole is.

In particular, the team is excited to observe a star called S0-2 as it passes closer than ever to the Milky Ways supermassive black hole next year. If the orbital path of these stars show deviations from what general relativity predicts, then the researchers might discoverclues about the supposed fifth force.

If a fifth force does exist and Ghezs method discovers it, wed probably need to reexamine the physics of our Universe. This is really exciting. Its taken us 20 years to get here, but now our work on studying stars at the center of our galaxy is opening up a new method of looking at how gravity works, Ghez said in the interview.

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Our Galaxy's Supermassive Black Hole May Reveal the Universe's Hidden Fifth Force - Futurism

Apples Other Steve

Experts in techand tech enthusiasts alike know that there wasnt just one Steve behind Apple. While Steve Jobs was the popular (and disruptive) face of the company, Steve Wozniak was the genius behind Apples earliest technology most notably, the original Macintosh that was the key to Apples initial successes.

No stranger to innovation himself, Wozniak has made some startling assertions recently, stating that hethinks that the next big thing in tech wont be coming from the company he co-foundedand in whichhe still owns a sizable amount ofstock. In a recent interview with Bloomberg Canada,

Wozniakis betting that Tesla, and its CEO Elon Musk, will be the source of the next, greatinnovation.

I think Tesla is on the best direction right now. Theyve put an awful lot of effort into very risky things, Wozniak said. They started with a carthe Tesla Model Sthat made little sense in engineering terms in how much you have to build for what price and what the market will be.

Its precisely that kind of attitude that won Wozs admiration. Im going to bet on Tesla, he added.

Back in the day, Jobs and Wozniak didnt always see eye to eye, but its not this largely unspoken conflict that made Woz bet on Tesla. More than anything, its the bit of Apple that Woz sees in Tesla now. Look at the companies like Google and Facebook and Apple and Microsoft that changed the worldand Tesla included. They usually came from young people. They didnt spring out of big businesses, he said.

For the most part, its also because Tesla started with a product that Musk liked very much. Again, this is another parallel with how Apple started froma project Woz was building as a hobby. It was really built for Elons own life. What car would he like? And when things come from yourself, knowing what youd like very much and being in control of it .thats when you get the best products, he explained.

Tesla and Musk have gone a long way from that first electric car. For one, Woz admires Musks latest boring project. Apple, on the other hand, seems to be suffering from a lack of innovative spark. This has led some toargue that Apple and Tesla might work better by combining their resources together Apples money and Teslas innovation. However, Musk has alreadycast doubt on the proposal. Alas.

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Apple Founder Says Tesla, Not Apple, Will Create The Next Breakthrough Technology - Futurism

In BriefJobs in the solar field in the United States grew at a rate 17times faster than the overall economy. This was part of a largertrend towards jobs in renewable energy and away from moredangerous, less sustainable jobs in fossil fuels. Jobs in Solar Power

A new report released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) reveals that solar jobs in the U.S. (and other nations) are expanding quickly. As of November 2016, the American solar industry employed 260,077 workers. This is an increase of 24.5% from 2015, with a growth rate that is 17 times faster than the United States economy as a whole.

The lions share of these jobs(241,900) were in solar photovoltaics, with an additional 13,000 in solar heating and cooling, and the remaining 5,200 in concentrated solar power (CSP). More than half of all solar jobs in the U.S. were in installation. Another 15% were in manufacturing, with 13% in project development, 12% in sales and distribution, and a final 6% in other areas, including research and development.

The sunlight that is harvested by solar systems is, obviously, free. This makes labor costs and materials the main areas of spending in the solar industry. As costs for materials continue to drop, solar jobs remain a well-compensated area for blue-collar workers. The solar labor force is also becoming more diverse, with the number of women workers at 28% in 2016, up from 19% in 2013, with up to33.8% in the sales and distribution area. This means more women have jobs in solar than in the conventional energy industry, although women in solar still lag behind their representative 47% of the U.S. economy.

Solar jobs arent the only thriving area in the U.S. economy right now. Wind industry employment produced around 102,500 jobs in 2016, which IRENA projects will grow to 147,000 jobs by 2020. Jobs in ethanol declined despite increased production due to rising labor productivity; most ethanol-related jobs (about 161,700) were in agriculture, with about 35,000 jobs in actual ethanol production. 23% more biodiesel production in 2016 meant a corresponding 23% in jobs, about 61,100 total, with almost 80,000 total in direct and indirect employment in solid biomass. Finally, there were about 7,000 biogas jobs in the U.S. in 2016.

Jobs in fossil fuels are going away as the sources of the fuels become scarcer and less expensive options become available. As R&D overcomes more of the stumbling blocks to bringing power from renewable sources into the grid and prices continue to drop, we can expect to see more jobs in renewables. They are safer, healthier, and more sustainable than jobs in the fossil fuel industry, so this is great for our labor force as well as the planet.

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The Solar Industry Is Creating Jobs 17 Times Faster Than the Rest of the US Economy - Futurism

In Brief NASA's mission to visit the asteroid 16 Psyched has been fast-tracked and should happen in 2026. The agency will look at but not extract metals from the $10,000 quadrillion asteroid, which is worth more than the global economy. Asteroid Could Crash Into Economy

NASA is fast-tracking a planned trip to 16 Psyche an asteroid that almost completely consists of nickel-iron metal. The iron in 16 Psyche alone is estimated to be worth $10,000 quadrillion, if humans were able to somehow extract it and bring it to Earth, which sounds great, until you realize that the entire global economy is only worth $78 trillion. Injecting that much worth into the world economy would crash it, in a totally different kind of asteroid impact than most people think about.

Fortunately, extracting minerals from 16 Psyche is not in NASAs plans. NASAs lead scientist for the mission, Lindy Elkins-Tanton, posed some fascinating questions to Global News Canada in January 2017: Even if we could grab a big metal piece and drag it back herewhat would you do? Could you kind of sit on it and hide it and control the global resource kind of like diamonds are controlled corporately and protect your market? What if you decided you were going to bring it back and you were just going to solve the metal resource problems of humankind for all time? This is wild speculation, obviously.

16 Psyche will allow humans their first shot at exploring a world made of iron rather than ice or rock if NASA succeeds. The mission was originally set to begin in 2023, but now the agency is planning on starting in 2022 and making contact in 2026, thanks to a more efficient, lower-cost trajectory discovered by the team.

The potential importance of the 16 Psyche mission will also affect the future of space mining something we are likely to see in the future, especially if we have a colony on Mars. Last year, a former NASA researcher presented a report declaring that space mining is possible with technologies we have right now, and that we will see it within a few decades. Luxembourg has already established a space mining fund. Given the extreme distances in space, it seems likely that we will depend on our ability to mine resources in space as we travel further from Earth and an exciting experience on 16 Psyche may be what the majority of humanity needs to be convinced that space mining is possible.

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NASA Is Fast-Tracking Plans to Explore a Metal Asteroid Worth $10000 Quadrillion - Futurism