Category Archives: Futurist

The latest couple sharing their love story on season nine of 90 Day Fiance is Jibri and Miona. During the 17 April episode, Jibri introduced us to himself as well as his futuristic band, Black Serbs, a new age, space-punk band.

Reality Titbit has all the details on the band as well as their roots, origin, influence and where to find them on Instagram. Check it out.

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In the episode, the 28-year-old musician told audiences of his position as the frontman in the futuristic, punk, hip hop and house band the Black Serbs. Jibri explained their band as:

Black Serbs is a wild group of young, hungry artists. We create space punk music, which is punk rock mixed with electronic hip-hop.

The group is made up of three guys and one girl, Brandi, who is the frontwoman and vocalist of the group. Aside from the Black Serbs, Jibri also explained that he has been making a lot more solo music lately and has been focussing on himself also as an individual artist.

During the episode, he also spoke about the background of the band as well as how it came about and where it originated from. Jibri said how the band wouldnt exist if it wasnt for meeting his high school best friend, he explained:

There would have never been the Black Serbs if I hadnt have met my high school best friend and bandmate, Daveed. Hes a refugee from Serbia, and it really had a huge impact on me when Daveed took me there for the first time. It was life-changing.

Jibri has a deep connection and love for Serbia as a country as well as its rich culture and its people. He has been there over ten times now and to make it even more wholesome, its also where he met his fiance, Miona. He met her whilst he was on tour in the country with his band.

The popular and upcoming band have over 21K followers on Instagram and you can find them under the handle, @blackserbs.

Their feed consists of footage of their live performances, music videos and behind the scenes footage of the band. Their bio states that Jibri is the frontman, on vocals is Daveed Dacho, the frontwoman of the band is Brandi and on guitar and production is Spacecashmusic.

The band have already released a lot of successful music such as their debut album, Space Punk, in 2019. They also released one of their best songs so far, Elevate Your Love, during the same year.

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Niamh is a multi-faceted journalist with speciality interests in entertainment, lifestyle and culture. She recently graduated from the University of South Wales with a degree in Journalism and enjoys writing features, reviews and trending news stories.

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90 Day Fiance's Jibri is the frontman of a futuristic punk band - Reality Titbit - Celebrity TV News

"Phobos is doomed."Death Spiral

Ever seen a Moon doomed to crash and burn into the Martian surface create a solar eclipse? Now you have.

NASAs Perseverance rover captured and posted a video this week that shows Phobos, one of two Martian satellites that NASA describes as being distinctly potato-shaped, as it crossed the Suns surface. In a press release, the space agency said the clip will help scientists better understand the moons orbit and how its gravity pulls on the Martian surface.

Scientists already know that Phobos is doomed, NASA said in the statement. [Its] getting closer to the Martian surface and is destined to crash into the planet in tens of millions of years. But eclipse observations from the surface of Mars over the last two decades have also allowed scientists to refine their understanding of Phobos slow death spiral.

The good news is Phobos inevitable demise shouldnt happen anytime soon, which means NASAs plans to land humans on the Martian surface are still on the table. The same presser said Perseverance is currently studying astrobiology and searching for signs of life on the Red Planet as it paves the way for human missions to touch down.

All of this work should support Artemis, NASAs mission that should eventually land the first woman and person of color on Earths own Moon. Although rocket tests have been less than perfect lately, the goal is to use lessons learned from returning to our lunar surface to catapult over to Mars.

If we make it there, itd be cool to keep the Perseverance rover around as a memorial to our accomplishments. Perhaps it could even witness the eventual demise of Phobos millennia after this weeks eclipse.

More on returning to the Moon: NASA Contractor Unveils First US Lunar Lander Since Apollo Missions

The rest is here:
NASA Says One of Mars' Moons Is Going to Crash Into Its Surface - Futurism

As a futurist, there is often a sense that somewherein my office, or maybe in my computer bagthere sits a magic crystal ball that can reveal what the future holds. Sadly, 1-800-Cleo doesn't live here. However, one of the key trends I have been watching as of late has to do with the increasing reliance that people from all walks of life have with the world of astrology. Corporate executives and baristas alike speak of their favorite apps or astrologist as they might have referred to a personal trainer in the pre-pandemic age of old. And it makes a sort of sense. With daily life so radically altered and maddingly unclear, clarity and guidance are at a premium. Having a savvy soothsayer one tap away sounds pretty damn comforting.

Throughout time, astrology has been a place people turn to when things stop making sense. From famines to plagues, misfortunes to monsoons, humans have often looked to the stars for some deeper explanation. The art of divination, after all, is the school of interpreting the greater plan of the universe, to believe in a larger meaning behind the messiness that is human life. From red skies and black cats to Mercury in retrograde, we have cobbled together a mystical Morse code to help us navigate troubled waters and troubled times. It should be of little surprise, then, that interest in astrology right now is at an all-time high. Despite the blistering pace of scientific and technological developments, we are seeing an equal surge in a swim toward mysticism, arcana, and of course, the stars.

Counterintuitive? Not really. Attention to the occult coincides with times of challenges. The first astrology column appeared in a U.S. newspaper in the early 1930s following the stock-market crash. Big spikes in interest occurred during the World Wars and soared to new heights during the tensions of the Vietnam War and the Summer of Love. It seems that when man-made hierarchies and institutions fail us, we put our hopes in some ethereal source, a mystical plan that can explain life's erratic and challenging events.

That plan might just include the recent pop phenomenon knowns as "Return of Saturn." Consider this newcomer the modern-day astrological equivalent to the previous media IT girl: "Mercury in Retrograde." Like that catchphrase, it serves as a bit of an astrological umbrella, sheltering us from the feeling that life right now is wildly out of our control. What does it mean, exactly? Saturn return periods are known as the coming-of-age planetary transits that peak during people's late twenties and fifties, shaking up the very foundations of their lives. It takes this powerful planet roughly 28 years or so to make its way through the solar system, coinciding with the quarterlife and midlife crises we have all come to at least pay lip service to, if not experience personally. For many, these moments tend to be periods of deep questions, and a probing of life's purpose. They are infamous for making people feeling rocky, ungrounded, and confused AF. Sound familiar? Sounds like 2022.

The current thinking being bandied about in Astrologica-land suggests that perhaps, along with a pandemic and an increasingly polemic political environment, we are also participating in a massive group astrological reset. A collective "return of Saturn." Certainly, we are deep in a time when both younger and older workers are asking the bigger questions about their purpose and their legacy. Across industries and lifestyles, younger millennials and boomers are challenging the structures that have dictated the behavior of generations past and hitting pause. Recent life events (cough, pandemic, cough) may have put this thinking into motion, but how comforting might it be to know that so much of what is happening right now is actually a pre-ordained moment in our astrological lives? Astrology might well be booming right now because it offers a story line that explains our current confusion and unrest. Maybe it's not us who are unmoored and flailing, maybe it's actually written in the stars. This construct gives us something bigger to lean into, and grounds us in a common experience that provides comfort and perspective. It gives us community. It gives us hope.

So, I for one am happy to welcome Return of Saturn to our vox populi. In a world in dire need of a cosmic reset, pointing to a planet spinning 950 million miles away sounds, well, heavenly. And it frees all of us to dream bigger and imagine better. The stars can take care of today.

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Return of Saturn: Was the Great Resignation Written in the Stars? - Muse by Clio

Here is a home that takes you into the future.

Considered one of the most distinctive properties in the world, a smart home that has no walls has hit the market for $6.88 million.

Situated on the charming coastline of Vouliagmeni, Greece, and known as the Butterfly House for its unique shape has been pegged as a one-of-a-kind home.

When seen from above, the five-bedroom, four-bathroom estate looks exactly like the shape of the insect, with wings and oval-shaped holes in the ceiling to emulate a butterflys unique patterns.

It is inspired by the shape of the butterfly so as to ensure shading and complete privacy at the same time, the listing notes.

Spanning over 5,300 square feet extending three levels, the main level of the home features an open-floor plan concept and has no walls. There is an elevator that takes you from floor-to-floor.

Designed in pristine all-white, the architecture is accented by nature and greenery throughout, including the entrance staircase to offer optimal privacy.

Located in the upscale neighborhood of Kavouri, it is just a few steps away from the beach.

The ground floor features the living and dining areas with direct access to the pool and outdoor space. It also has an open-concept kitchen and one ensuite bedroom.

Below the ground floor is the lower level which comes with a home theater and three bedrooms with three additional bathrooms, which does have some walls.

Upstairs level features the primary bedroom with a walk-in closet and a verdan veranda that provides a jacuzzi.

Other features include a maids room, laundry room and four closed parking spaces.

The home is still currently in construction and is expected to be fully completed by the end of the year.

Elena Triantafyllidou with JK Property & Yachting holds the listing.

Read more here:
Futuristic Greek home that's shaped like a butterfly and lacks walls asks $6.9M - New York Post

In the annals of phony viral images, the one of former Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield holding a bag of weed while aboard the International Space Station is right up there.

The photo made the rounds in 2018, prompting a fact-check from the online watchdog Snopes.

In the original photo that was posted to Hadfields Twitter account in 2013, he is seen holding a bag of Easter Eggs.

The internet being the internet, that same image was manipulated years later and reposted by a Facebook page (ironically named Pictures in History), this time with the eggs replaced with ganja.

Not only is the image of Chris Hadfield holding a bag of marijuana fake, but its unlikely that any similar (but genuine) photographs of astronauts with drug paraphernalia exist, as NASA has been a drug-free workplace since at least the mid-1980s, Snopes said.

But the spurious image may have been somewhat prescient. Late last year, Hadfield joined the board of BioHarvest Sciences, a biotech firm involved in medicinal cannabis.

In an interview with Futurism that was published this week, Hadfield and BioHarvest CEO Ilan Sobel detailed how space might even be the perfect environment to produce out-of-this-world, medical-grade cannabinoids.

We see the potential ability for valuable minor cannabinoids to be grown at significantly higher quantities compared to its growth on Earth, Sobel told Futurism.

These unique compositions of full-spectrum cannabis could have significant value in providing more optimized treatment solutions for many palliative diseases where current pharma synthesized compounds are not delivering adequate solutions, he added.

But Hadfield told Futurism that cannabinoids are only one part of BioHarvests cultivation program, and what really drew him to the company was the scalability of the biotech platform, and how it can solve a lot of the agricultural problems we face in feeding 10 billion people.

As such, BioHarvest is focusing its efforts on providing future astronautsand humans back on the groundwith microgravity-enhanced nutrients, rather than a way to get high, Futurism reported.

Hadfield joined BioHarvests Board of Advisers in December, saying at the time that the companys proprietary platform technology has the potential to make a significant impact on the world as well as in bio-space science.

The company has built a world-class team of scientists, and I look forward to working with them, with my fellow advisors, to scale BioHarvests solution, Hadfield said in the announcement.

Sobel said at the time that Hadfields unparalleled experience will help marry our plant cellular biology expertise with space science.

He is a great addition to our advisory board at this phase of our growth, and hell help us in our drive to be a global biotech leader, Sobel said.

As for that infamous viral image, Hadfield told Futurism that toking in space might not be such a great idea.

On the space station, if theres an emergency, you are the fire department, he said. You cant have intoxicated yourself or inebriated yourself or whatever, just because if something goes wrong, then youll die.

He did leave open the possibility, however.

Once the population gets large enough, once you get to a stable enough situation, people are gonna want, you know, a drink, Hadfield told Futurism. People are gonna want some pot.

When it comes to cannabinoids and space, Hadfield and BioHarvest arent exactly going where no man has gone before.

In 2020, the ag biotech company Front Range Biosciences announced that it will be sending cell cultures of the hemp plant to the International Space Station on a resupply trip, Rolling Stone reported at the time, adding that the purpose of the project is to see whether or not these cells develop any genetic mutations in those conditions, and once they return, scientists will analyze their DNA to see if they have changed at all.

Original post:
Retired Astronaut Wants to Grow Cannabinoids in Space - High Times

India is home to the worlds second-largest population and a significant contributor to global agricultural production. But to meet the growing demands of a burgeoning global population, which is estimated to surpass 9.8 billion by 2050, India must move mountains to bolster its agricultural sector. Considering that about 58% of the Indian populace relies on agriculture as their primary source of livelihood, farm productivity and profitability should collectively and sustainably be improved to meet future demands.

Technology has the potential to leapfrog these challenges and give rise to a new futuristic model. Steered by the innovation of Indian startups and underpinned by government intervention, the dynamics of agriculture in India are already changing. Ripe for disruption, the Indian AgriTech sector is projected to propel to $30-35 billion by 2025. By leveraging technology, India can further improve its agricultural and food systems while improving peoples livelihoods and producing healthier ecosystems.

Redefining farming methods

The emergence of AgriTech in India has empowered many farmers to embrace new farming methods that boost productivity and reduce environmental impact. Technological intervention and digital transformation have given rise to precision farming which harnesses data, artificial intelligence, automation, sensors and drones to optimize farm production and returns. Farmers are now collaborating with startups to deploy sensors and wireless devices on their fields that help them continually monitor soil health, crop growth and detect pests and diseases, thereby enabling them to take action as and when needed.

Data-fortified agriculture

Indian farmers are plagued by wavering weather, pests and diseases and volatile output prices. To build resilient farming systems, farmers must leverage data and predictive analytics that can equip them with timely information to minimize risk. Several startups are providing farmers with smart sensors, smartphones and UAVs that capture the most granular data such as soil moisture, pH and temperature, weather patterns, wind speed, etc. Experts analyze this data and share it in real-time with farmers to enable timely interventions.

Digital resources at farmers disposal

Most Indian farmers live in remote and underdeveloped villages far from technology. But in recent years, smartphones and the Internet have penetrated even the remotest corners of the country. Additionally, through AgriTech startups technology and digital tools have reached the farming communities of India. Currently, there are over 1300 agriculture startups harnessing AI, ML and IoT to increase utilization and innovation of farming resources. By leveraging these digital resources, farmers can procure the latest farming inputs, machines and data, connect with traders and exporters and improve productivity and profitability.

Agricultural diversification

Most Indian farmers possess small landholdings and rely on the mono-crop culture that provides seasonal income, low output and poor returns. However, with increasing awareness, better market linkages and financial inclusion, many small and marginal farmers are diversifying their agricultural practices. These farmers are supplementing their existing produce with the production of fruits, vegetables, spices, nuts, dairy, livestock, and aquaculture. With integrated farming systems, farmers can maximize their time, profitability and output.

Government initiatives & interventions

Over the years, the government has introduced numerous measures and policies to improve farming outputs, returns and welfare conditions. Whether it is covering farmers under the ambit of formal credit and crop insurance or allowing foreign investments into the agricultural sector, these initiatives have boosted farmer income and agricultural growth. Additionally, the Digital Agricultural Mission is also set to clear several roadblocks in the agricultural sector and uplift the status of Indian farmers.Furthermore, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has also announced allocation of 600 million towards digital agriculture in Budget FY 2022-23.

The road ahead is riddled with a slew of challenges- growing global population, natural disasters, worsening climate change and a looming food crisis. To meet the new challenges of the future, Indian farmers can no longer rely on obsolete methods and machinery. By harnessing modern technologies, farmers can overcome challenges and grow food more sustainably, boost productivity and earn better returns. A farming system led by technology can pave the way for new-age agriculture in India that is resilient to brave the uncertainties of the future and robust to meet the needs of tomorrow.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

END OF ARTICLE

Read more:
How agricultural evolution is giving rise to a new futuristic model of farming - Times of India

Sawyer Merritt, Chile Al100

Love it or hate it, the Cybertruck and its futuristic design have a lot going for it. However, with all those polarizing design choices, the windshield wiper is about as dull and ugly as it gets.

People cant stop talking about the bare steel outer shell, bullet-proof windows, potential 0-60 mph speeds for a truck, and everything else Tesla does. That said, one aspect of the Cybertruck is about as basic and practical as it gets, at least for now, and thats the massive windshield wiper blade running up the entire side of the vehicle.

In December, we got our first look at Teslas solution for the massive windshield. At the time, CEO Elon Musk was quick to reply to everyone on Twitter that the design was not final and would not make it to production.

Will Tesla and CEO Elon Musk come up with a futuristic answer to the wiper blade problem to match the rest of the unique vehicle? It sounds like Tesla is working on a laser system that can detect when something is on the glass, then clean it, and it recently obtained a patent for the technology.

That said, this late in production, were not sure if the company has enough time to implement it. Last week Tesla opened its new Gigafactory in Texas and had a few Cybertruck prototypes out on stage making the rounds. One visitor got some up-close images of the windshield wiper system, and here we are four months later, and its still nothing special.

While theres no way to know if its the final design, Tesla has confirmed it plans to finish designing the Cybertruck this year in time to fully start production and release the electric truck in 2023. Were seeing one large wiper arm with two smaller traditional wiper blades so far. And while its far from pretty or futuristic, its practical.

Using a standard wiper system, owners would be able to easily replace blades as necessary, rather than have to deal with some fancy system that extends out of the frunk or an all-new laser system. Plus, were not sure how well lasers would handle dirt and snow, considering this is a truck with the expectation that owners will take it offroad.

Either way, these latest images from April 2022 suggest that Tesla is either still trying to figure out a solution to its ugly wiper blades problem or that it settled on what you see above.

Well keep an eye out for more details and are hopeful that by the time this thing hits the streets in 2023 (if it does), the company will figure out a more elegant solution.

via InsideEVs

Read more:
The Cybertrucks Design Is Futuristic, but Its Windshield Wipers Arent - Review Geek

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Martin Kepman, a Canadian lithium-ion battery futurist and CEO of Manganese X Energy recently released a report on the future of the lithium-ion battery market.

Saint-Laurent , April 09, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) Lithium-ion battery expert Martin Kepman forecasts that in the next few years, there will be a large demand for a Canadian and U.S. rare mineral supply chain. This is especially true for manganese, which is an important mineral for electric vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries and energy storage devices. The current electric car and EV revolution has shown manganese to be an essential mineral in all future lithium-ion batteries, with the potential to produce more power, have more stability, with larger capacities, and be safer for consumers.

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Martin recently released a report on the future of the lithium-ion battery market. Here are some highlights from his report.

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The full report is available here and is available for download.

About Manganese X Energy

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Martin Kepman Futurist and CEO of Manganese X Energy Reports on the Lithium-ion Battery Market. - Financial Post

I love Star Trek. Or more precisely, I really love the 80s, 90s and 00s Trek. Nothing is more soothing to me than the low hum of the Enterprise D, with Data and Geordi La Forge discussing the alignment of dilithium crystals in their coveted warp core.

While most of Star Treks technobabble is intricately thought out nonsense, its no secret that early sci-fi has had a huge influence on the development of real world tech. And while Ive yet to use a tractor beam to pull a comet out of a trajectory towards the Klingon homeworld QonoS, I have used a tablet to play Fruit Ninja.

So without further ado (thanks YouTube), heres a few sci-fi technologies that have made it into real life.

The most convenient bit of sci-fi tech ever created: replicators. Theyre essentially hyper-advanced 3D printers that can instantly create anything, from a cup of Earl Grey to alien-melting guns. While current 3D printers arent quite there yet, Star Treks replicators have been the inspiration and aspiration for many of these devices with some of them getting eerily close.

For years, Martin Cooper the inventor of the mobile phone cited the original Star Trek communicator as his inspiration for the famous brick phone he designed at Motorola. But it was all a lie. Last year, in his memoir, Cooper revealed that it was actually the two-way wrist radio from the 1930s comic Dick Tracy that drove him to invent the mobile phone. *Gasp!*

In 2014, Arx Pax revealed its Hendo Hoverboard, which is currently still being developed. While even Tony Hawk has a hard time looking cool on this thing, were still excited to see the first person do a 360 kickflip on one of these.

The current versions of the hoverbike wont get you through Endors forest quite as fast as the ones in Return of the Jedi. Still, there have been actual live demonstrations. Most recently, the Japanese startup A.L.I. Technologies showed off its Xturismo in front of a crowd. And it did the thing!

Tractor beams have been a sci-fi staple for years, but the real life versions tend to operate on a slightly smaller scale. Researchers have been trying out different techniques, utilizing soundwaves and light to pull and push things as small nanoparticles. Currently, NASA and Arx Pax (the Hoverboard people) are working on a tractor beam powered by magnetism. Awesome.

The PADD, Star Treks version of the tablet computer, was so clearly Apples inspiration for the iPad, that when revealing it in 2010, Steve Jobs showed a Star Trek movie on the device.

There are a lot of different versions of invisibility tech in sci-fi, but one of the first iconic ones was used by the monster that had the unenviable task of duking it out with Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987: the Predator. Considering its violent origin, its not surprising that the website of one of the leading companies developing the tech today HyperStealth looks like this.

While it doesnt seem particularly futuristic now, the MP3 format was invented by Karlheinz Brandenburg, who has cited this brilliant scene from Star Trek: The Next Generation as being his inspiration for a digital audio format. Thank you, Mr. Data.

Whats your favorite bit of sci-fi tech? Let us know on Twitter.

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The 'futuristic' sci-fi inventions that inspired modern-day tech - The Next Web

Image by Getty Images/Futurism

A team of MIT scientists behind the biotech firm Frequency Therapeutics claims to have developed a new type of regenerative therapy that can reverse hearing loss, without the need of hearing aids or cochlear implants.

By programming special kinds of human cells called progenitor cells, the team discovered a new way to encourage the growth of hair cells inside the cochlea.

These hair cells allow us to hear, but they die off over time or when exposed to excess noise. They usually dont grow back but allowing the ear to regenerate them could bring back at least some degree of hearing.

In experiments, the team was able to improve trial participants ability to perceive speech. While that may sound oddly specific, theres a good reason.

Speech perception is the number one goal for improving hearing and the number one need we hear from patients, said Frequency co-founder and CEO Chris Loose, in a statement.

Some of these improvements stuck around for almost two years, according to the company.

The treatment works by injecting molecules into the inner ear, which then transform existing progenitor cells into other cells that can grow hair cells inside the cochlea.

The approach is also simpler than conventional gene therapies, which rely on the patients own cells, which first need to the reprogrammed in a lab.

The team is hopeful their new technique could have lasting effects in the near future.

I wouldnt be surprised if in ten or 15 years, because of the resources being put into this space and the incredible science being done, said Frequency co-founder Jeff Karp in the statement, we can get to the point where [reversing hearing loss] would be similar to Lasik surgery, where youre in and out in an hour or two and you can completely restore your vision.

I think well see the same thing for hearing loss, he added.

READ MORE: MIT Scientists Develop New Regenerative Drug That Reverses Hearing Loss [MIT]

More on hearing: Elon Musk Jumps to Fix Tesla Glitch Damaging Users Hearing

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MIT Scientists Say They've Invented a Treatment That Reverses Hearing Loss - Futurism