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If youre looking for the best resin 3D printers, the first thing to know is that 3D printers fall into two basic categories: filament or resin. Filament models are usually considered the best 3D printers for large pieces, but resin 3D printers undeniably have the edge when it comes to precision and detail. Even relatively low-cost resin 3D printers can build stunning pieces for gaming, prototyping, component manufacture, jewelry, etc.

Many of these fascinating machines now fall within the budget of keen hobbyists, and small businesses. However, while extensive choice is never a bad thing, the complex technology and associated jargon can make it difficult to know which is the best resin 3D printer for particular needs. The following article explains the key fundamentals, and offers solutions to suit a variety of users.

Best Overall: ANYCUBIC Photon Mono X Resin 3D Printer Best Budget: VOXELAB Proxima 6.08in 2K Resin 3D Printer Best 2K: ELEGOO Mars 2 Pro Resin 3D Printer Best Resolution: ANYCUBIC Photon Mono X 6K Resin 3D Printer Best Entry-Level Industrial: 3D SYSTEMS FabPro 1000 Resin 3D Printer

The Futurism team has been watching developments in the best 3D printers and the best 3D printing software for some time. While filament 3D printers have tended to grab the headlines, we recently focused on resin 3D printers. When making our top picks we looked for the following attributes:

Brand: Even relatively low-cost resin 3D printers represent a significant investment for many, so to ensure durability we looked for machines from established manufacturers. Although the names may not be familiar to everyone, there are a number of companies that have established reputations for quality and reliability. We also took into account feedback from actual users to assess how these machines perform on a day-to-day basis.

Set up and Use: The resin 3D printers we looked at for this article all fall into the entry-level/small production category so it is likely that many buyers will have little or no knowledge of how they function. Setting up the machine, monitoring, and completing the build are key factors. Each resin 3D printer has its own routine, but we selected those that were as straightforward as possible, as long as it had no adverse impact on performance.

Value: It isnt difficult to spend several thousand dollars on a large resin 3D printer, and the performance of these machines is certainly impressive. However, in order to find machines that appealed to the widest possible group of users we looked for a range of machines across all budgets.

Why It Made The Cut: Anycubic is one of the worlds leading manufacturers of resin 3D printers. The Photon Mono X is capable of producing large-scale models with tremendous detail, and at impressive speed.

Specs: Dimensions: 7.87 inches L x 8.66 inches W x 15.75 inches H Print Volume: 7.55 inches L x 4.72 inches W x 9.84 inches H Resolution: 4K Speed: 60mm/hour (2.36 inches )

Pros: Large print volume Faster than many rivals Renowned quality and reliability

Cons: Platform not easy to clean Complicated WiFi A little pricey

Choosing a single best resin 3D printer to meet all demands is an almost impossible task, but the Anycubic Photon Mono X 4K Resin 3D printer is tough to beat. The comprehensive kit includes everything needed to get started, including rubber gloves, mask, cleaning scrapers, and enough resin for the first couple of prints. A set of printed instructions is included. These are thorough, and component quality is excellent.

Anycubic Photon Mono X offers an impressive print volume, and is surprisingly fast. While this makes it a great choice for large-sale single items, with a little ingenuity at the planning stage it can also produce a number of smaller items in a single print run. This is something other machines struggle with, and can make the Anycubic Photon Mono X a good choice for low volume production work. Resolution is rated as 4K. Anycubics interpretation of 3840 x 2400 pixels is slightly higher than standard, resulting in smoother and more detailed modeling.

That said, any movement during the printing process could spoil the finished item. The Anycubic Photon Mono X has rigid Z-axis (height) control to maximize precision. It also uses a brushed aluminum build platform with good adhesion for greater workpiece stability. Unfortunately the flip side is that the platform is a bit of a pain to clean afterwards.

A free cellphone app is included for remote control, and monitoring of the print process. However, installing the necessary WiFi on the printer can be frustrating, and the app offers no real advantage. Many users dont feel it is worth the effort, and as it has no impact on performance it can safely be ignored.

Why It Made The Cut: The Voxelab Proxima comes from a highly respected manufacturer. It is a reliable introduction for those who are interested in resin 3D printing, but dont want to spend a lot of money.

Specs: Dimensions: 7.87 inches L x 9.05 inches W x 16.14 inches H Print Volume: 5.11 inches L x 3.22 inches W x 6.10 inches H Resolution: 2K Speed: 25mm/hour (1 inch)

Pros: Great introduction to 3D printing Durable Low price

Cons: Modest print volume A little noisy Slow

Voxelab is a subsidiary of Flashforge, a company well known for high-quality filament 3D printers, and professional-grade resin models. The Voxelab Proxima resin 3D printer forms part of their budget range, which is aimed very much at hobbyists. For many it is the best 3D printer for beginners because while fairly basic it is well-made, reliable, and easy to set up and use. It comes fully assembled, and just needs to be leveled before it is ready to print. Gloves and good quality scrapers are included, so they havent cut corners when it comes to accessories.

The Voxelab Proxima resin 3D printer does have a few minor drawbacks, though they are perhaps understandable for the price. The print volume is smaller than many, though still very reasonable. At 25mm per hour, it is one of the slowest resin 3D printers we looked at. The motor is a little noisy. If any of this matters, then potential buyers will need to look elsewhere, and invest more. However, for the money the Voxelab Proxima is a surprisingly good machine, and represents excellent value.

Why It Made The Cut: There are two ways to look at the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro: As an affordable machine for the beginner, or a capable production platform for small items. In either case, it offers great value.

Specs: Dimensions: 22.44 inches L x 11.42 inches W x 11.42 inches H Print Volume: 5.1 inches L x 3.1 inches W x 6.3 inches H Resolution: 2K Speed: 30 50mm/hour (1.18 inches 1.97 inches)

Pros: Sturdy metal construction Simple leveling for rapid setup Carbon filter reduces fumes

Cons: Limited item size Poor test piece Some will want higher resolution

Budget-friendly 2K resin 3D printers like the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro are often seen as the inferior machine. However, while 4K versions do offer higher resolution, the difference may not be important in the finished piece. Although 2K models dont portray the same level of detail, with a well-made machine like the Elegoo there neednt be any loss in dimensional accuracy.

The body of the Elegoo is mostly aluminum, giving it a solid feel. The Z-axis is noted for its quality manufacture, and provides smooth motion. Setup is straightforward, with easy leveling. It comes with all necessary accessories, plus printed and digital instructions. A test print is included, but many experts recommend skipping this. The Elegoo has a substantial, flat base that makes it difficult to remove, so damage to either the piece or the print plate is possible. A model with less contact area is suggested instead, either of the users own design, or one of the many available online.

Apart from this minor inconsistency, the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro is difficult to criticize. A nice extra is the carbon filter that reduces unpleasant fumes. The lid has a silicon rubber seal which makes this particularly effective.

Why It Made The Cut: The Anycubic Photon Mono X 6K uses a proven, high-quality platform, and upgrades it to provide fast, high-resolution resin 3D printing at a very competitive price.

Specs: Dimensions: 18.7 inches H x 11.4 inches W x 10.6 inches D Print Volume: 7.8 inches L x 4.8 inches W x 9.6 inches H Resolution: 6K Speed: 80mm/hour (3.15 inches )

Pros: Capable of incredible detail Large print volume Very fast

Cons: Can be hard to remove items from build plate WiFi overly complicated Expensive for hobbyists

Anycubics impressive 6K resin 3D printer is based on the popular Photon Mono X that we have as our top pick. Its another very well-made machine, and is just as easy to set up. There have also been a number of significant improvements. The headline feature is the 6K resolution that can produce extremely fine detail in all kinds of 3D models. This might be expected to come at the expense of production speed, but in fact the Photon Mono X 6K is faster. Print volume is also slightly larger.

The build plate on the standard Photon Mono X has been criticized for providing too much adherence, and therefore being difficult to clean. The 6K model has a checkered pattern, rather than brushed aluminum, but problems still exist if large, solid bases are built. The 6K machine also uses the same WiFi setup, which is fussy, and many independent testers feel it doesnt add a great deal of value.

A big question for many will be whether the Anycubic Photon Mono X 6K is worth the cost, especially as the standard model is already very good. The 6K version offers tremendous detail, and can build larger models faster. It may not be enough of a difference for many hobbyists, but in a small production environment this could be a key issue. The Anycubic Photon Mono X 6K is also very competitively priced when compared with other 6K machines.

Why It Made The Cut: The 3D Systems FabPro 1000 is designed for the commercial production of jewelry molds, production prototypes, functional components, and orthodontic models that, thanks to specialist resins, can survive real-world handling.

Specs: Dimensions: 16.9 inches L x 16.9 inches W x 24.1 inches H Print Volume: 4.92 inches L x 2.75 inches W x 4.72 inches H Resolution: 65 x 65 x 30 microns (see below) Speed: 21mm/hour (0.83 inches)

Pros: Superb value for money Impressive software Range of specialist resins

Cons: Time-consuming setup Heavy Expensive

At first glance, the specifications for the 3D Systems FabPro 1000 does not look particularly impressive. Print volume is somewhat limited, and it isnt particularly fast. However, this is not a resin 3D printer intended for hobbyists and plastic models. It is a commercial DLP machine aimed at jewelers, orthodontists, engineering companies, etc., that either need to produce high-quality working prototypes, or functional components with high durability.

Much of the FabPro 1000s impressive production capability is due to the specialist resins available for it. FabPro Tough is strong enough for mechanical testing. FabPro JewelCast can create highly-detailed masters from which casts can be created. FabPro NextDent is used for dental applications.

Resolution is given in microns rather than pixels (a micron is 1/25,000 of an inch). Each build layer of a model is just 30 microns thick. For some comparison, the smallest particle the human eye can detect is about 25 microns. The FabPro 1000 can provide very high detail with great repeatability, and can run more or less continuously if required. It also costs a good deal less than similarly specified rivals.

Resin 3D printing is often seen as modern technology, but the use of resin and UV light for modeling has actually been around for 40 years. While many of the principles remain the same, the following elements should be investigated when making your choice.

There are three common types of resin 3D printer (though confusingly 4 terms can be used). They are SLA (stereolithography), DLP (digital light processing), and MSLA (masked stereolithography), which is also called LCD.

In basic terms, a UV resin 3D printer works by projecting ultraviolet light onto liquid resin, which then hardens as a result. Objects are built in a number of layers each one often thinner than a human hair.

SLA is the longest established technology, and still widely used. It uses a laser to form the layer in a number of passes. DLP flashes the whole layer all at once, so generally speaking it is faster. MSLA is similar to DLP, but also uses a mask to filter and shape the projected light. This can lead to greater precision, combined with the speed advantages of DLP. Most of our top picks fall into this category. Technically speaking the SLA laser creates smooth lines, whereas DLP and MSLA use pixels. However, resolution is the key feature here, which we talk about in a moment.

In a production environment the type of resin 3D printer can be significant. However, for the machines covered in this article the differences are often small. Knowing the print speed is probably sufficient.

While early resin 3D printer screens were RGB, the majority are now monochrome. The latter uses a shorter exposure, which speeds up printing, and also uses less power.

The screen also defines the detail possible. Resolution is usually either 2K (2560 x 1440 pixels), 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) or 6K (6144 x 3160 pixels), though the number of pixels can vary slightly from one machine to another. Each increase in resolution comes at greater cost. However, even the lowest 2K resolution is higher than most filament 3D printers are capable of, so for many that will be enough. That said, 4K has become something of a standard. The difference between 4K and 6K is only likely to be important for users with a need for highly detailed pieces.

A resin 3D printers print volume is the maximum size of object that can be created. This is often given in millimeters (25.4mm = 1 inch). Where quoted, the X and Y dimensions refer to width and depth (front to back) whereas Z refers to height.

Many of the best resin 3D printer makers also offer their own resins, which simplifies choice. However, there are all kinds of resins available, with different characteristics. Some offer increased strength. Some produce a surface that is better for painting. There are metal resins that can withstand temperatures of more than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Resin properties are beyond the scope of this article, but it is an area well worth investigating. Compatibility may impact choice.

Resin objects take time to cure fully. Some of this happens during the production process, but objects may not be entirely cured when completed. Some require additional UV exposure to reach full strength. For some resins, simply leaving the item on a sunny window ledge could be enough. UV lamps or dedicated machines (washing and curing stations) can be used. While this wont directly affect the choice of resin 3D printer, its important to know whether post-processing is necessary in order to ensure component longevity.

A resin 3D printer is a device that uses liquid resin and a UV light source to create 3D models. The variations in processes are discussed above.

Resin 3D printers are good for detailed models and prototypes, with a high-quality surface finish.

How much a good resin 3D printer costs really depends on the size of model and detail required. Entry-level machines can be found for around $200. High-end production equipment can be over $200,000. In our detailed report above we cover models from $200 to $2,000.

The main difference between resin and filament 3D printers is that the former generally provides more detail. Filament 3D printers can be faster (though they have to sacrifice precision), and produce large pieces more economically. Our recent Creality 3D printer review may be of interest.

Ventilation for resin 3D printers is recommended. 3D resin printers should not be used in unventilated living spaces. Some resins are toxic, and while non-toxic 3D resin is available the fumes can be irritating to eyes and airways.

The Anycubic Photon Mono X Resin 3D Printer has several very capable rivals, but none offer the combination of print volume, precision and speed. It will appeal to all kinds of model makers, and those looking for accurate prototypes or low volume production. The Voxelab Proxima is our best budget resin 3D printer. It is an excellent introduction for beginners, allowing them to learn and experiment without major expense.

This post was created by a non-news editorial team at Recurrent Media, Futurisms owner. Futurism may receive a portion of sales on products linked within this post.

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Best Resin 3D Printers of 2022 - Futurism

What's the government hiding?Top Secret

Name a better duo than the US government and hiding secrets about UFOs. Well wait.

While the Pentagon has in recent years started trickling out documents acknowledging its interest in unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) its rebranded term for good old fashioned UFOs much of it has been redacted due to its sensitive nature. However, what the releases do reveal can be intriguing.

Case in point: The Black Vault, a privately owned database of declassified records, has now acquiredthe classified version of that infamous UFO report that the Director of National Intelligence sent to Congress back in June 2021.

While an enormous amount of the document is redacted, including almost every potentially interesting portion, what we can see is certainly eyebrow-raising. One lengthy redaction concernscommon shapes of UFOs, for instance, and another appears to describe a report of a Navy pilot describing some sort of aerial encounter.

The document also contains numerous instances in which it described the most common shapes of UAP. While the description of the shapes themselves were redacted, even the existence of that section wasnt included in the report originally released to the public last year.

Other sections of the report such as And a Handful of UAP Appear to Demonstrate Advanced Technology and UAP Probably Lack a Single Explanation are also expanded on with the newly released document. The former includes a section, for instance, in which multipleNavy personnel witnessed UAP.

One new account said that a pilot was fighting to keep his aircraft in the airspace, apparently due to high winds, when they witnessed a UAP whose position was unaffected.

The entire document is available for download at The Black Vault. Like we said, its heavily redacted but theres still a lot of intriguing elements in it. Often, what they leave in can tell you a lot about what they leave out.

READ MORE: June 2021 Classified UAP / UFO Report Given to Congress Partially Released [The Black Vault]

More on UFOs: Pentagon Document Tells How to Answer Questions About Extraterrestrial Technology

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US Government Releases Classified UFO Report With Huge, Intriguing Redactions - Futurism

Its possible that an extremely advanced alien civilization has created a transportation network of wormholes around the universe and we might even be able to spot them.

While its certainly a far fetched theory,according to a new piece by BBCScience Focus, it has some scientists intrigued. Take Nagoya University astrophysicist Fumio Abe, who told the publication that we may have even already captured evidence of such a network in existing observations but lost them in the sea of data, leading to the intriguing prospect that reanalyzing old observations could lead to a breakthrough in SETI.

If the wormholes have throat radii between 100 and ten million kilometers, are bound to our Galaxy, and are as common as ordinary stars, detection might be achieved by reanalyzing past data, Abe told Science Focus.

Its an alluring theory,in other words,that suggests one more pathway to figure out once and for all whether humans are alone in the universe.

In simple terms, wormholes are theoretical tunnels with two ends at separate points in time and space. While they dont violate Einsteins general theory of relativity, we still have no idea if they could actually exist, let alone if a sufficiently advanced civilization would be capable of producing them.

For a wormhole to exist, though, it would take astronomical amounts of energy.

Intrinsically unstable, a wormhole would need stuff with repulsive gravity to hold open each mouth, and the energy equivalent to that emitted by an appreciable fraction of the stars in a galaxy, reads Science Focus story. The idea would be that if ETs have created a network of wormholes, it might be detectable by gravitational microlensing.

That technique has been used in the past to detect thousands of distant exoplanetsand stars by detecting how they bend light.Whether it could be used to detect wormholes, to be clear, is an open question.

Fortunately, spotting wormholes isnt our only shot at detecting life elsewhere in the universe. Science Focus also pointed to the search for theoretical megastructures that harness the energy of a star by fully enclosing it, or atmospheric chemicals linked to human pollution, or extremely thin reflective spacecraft called light sails, any of which could theoretically lead us to discover an extraterrestrial civilization.

The concept of wormholes is a tantalizing prospect, especially considering the fact that they could give an alien civilization or even us the ability to travel over vast stretches of space and time.

But for now, unfortunately, theyre not much more than a fun thought experiment.

READ MORE: These 4 signs of alien technology could lead us to extraterrestrial life [Science Focus]

More on wormholes: New Paper Claims That Yes, You Could Climb Through a Wormhole to a Distant Galaxy

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Astrophysicist Says We May Have Already Observed Wormholes Created by Alien Civilization - Futurism

Do androids dream of electric creeps? Freak Show

The nightmare neural networks are back at it again and this time, theyre taking requests.

Ever wanted to know how an artificial intelligence bot would paint Ben Franklin and Sonic the Hedgehog battle rapping over the legality of cocaine, or what it would have looked like had the late, great MF Doom played cards with Gilles Deleuze?

If so, youre in luck. As their handle suggests, Twitter user and generative artist @ai_curio_bot uses neural networks to create gorgeous, trippy works of art. Per the artists other account, @ai_curio, theyve created two bespoke neural networks Looking Glass AI and Zoetrope 5 to generate the phantasmagoric and often-hilarious pieces showcased on their account.

Along with creating the art itself, the latest iteration of the account also allows fans to submit prompts to the artists neural networks, and see what it spits out. Unsurprisingly, the results are insane.

In response to the neon nights wizard gang prompt, the neural networks created a badass-looking collective that look a whole lot like the neon-themed Golums gang who stalked the streets of Gotham in 1997s Batman & Robin

When another user directed the bot to envision a new Shrek poster, it got to work and created a nightmarish work of abstract art that looks more like 2021s The Green Knight than any forthcoming Pixar film.

This impressionistic style of generative art has made leaps and bounds over the past few years since Googles deep dream made those weird bubble-eyed doggo pics ubiquitous, and its so freaking awesome to see the people behind these sorts of accounts not only bringing their own terrifying and whimsical ideas to life, but also allowing fans to get in on the action as well.

The bots submission inbox is backed up, but hopefully it will soon get to our request to see a nightmarishly abstract look at Elon Musk throwing a shoe at Jeff Bezos.

More generative art: Neural Networks Generate Demonic Simpsons Characters Straight From Hell

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Neural Network Twitter Bot Creates Whatever Delights Or Nightmares Its Fans Force Upon It - Futurism

To be fair, lots of 2016 predictions didn't come true. I Summon You

When hes wrong, hes wrong, folks.

Way back in January 2016 remember 2016? before he was either the worlds richest man or Twitters favored heel, Tesla CEO Elon Musk predicted that within approximately two years Tesla owners would be able to click a button and summon their self-driving cars across the country.

In ~2 years, summon should work anywhere connected by land & not blocked by borders, eg youre in LA and the car is in NY, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO tweeted, to endless accolades from his adoring stans.

It should come as no shock that Musks pipe dream, which hinges upon the concept of Teslas being able to operate full self-driving (FSD) mode successfully, has yet to come true in the six years since he sent that tweet.

Thats especially considering that its been eight years running that hes claimed the tech would happen in the subsequent year.

To be clear, these are far from the only broken promises Musk has made regarding Teslas there are so many, in fact, that in early 2021, one automotive magazine published a running list of them all.

AsRoad and Track noted, Musk said in 2019 that he was very confident that there would be upwards of a million autonomous Tesla robotaxies on the streets of major cities by 2020.Hasnt happened yet, people.

As always, were forced to ask: why do people keep buying this guys boastful claims when his track record is so hit or miss?

READ MORE: Checking in on All the Promises Elon Musk and Tesla Have Made [Road & Track]

More FSD: Tesla Fires Employee Who Posted Shocking YouTube Videos About Its Full Self-Driving Beta

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This 2016 Elon Musk Prediction About the Future Turned Out to Be Hilariously Wrong - Futurism

"It is creating use of what would be otherwise wasted."Bitcoin Burn

Instead of simply burning excess natural gas and wasting it completely, Exxon Mobil is making a change that may or may not be an improvement itstaking that extra 18 million cubic feet of gas per month and using it to power crypto mining facilities.

The oil giant reached an agreement with Crusoe Energy Systems Inc. that will use the gas to power mobile Bitcoin mining sites, according to a new Bloomberg story based on sources familiar with the plans.

It is creating use of what would be otherwise wasted, Danielle Fugere, president of corporate environmental group As You Sow, told the business publication about the merits of the decision.

Bloomberg reported that Exxon simply doesnt have enough pipelines to transport all the gas it produces from shale oil. How much Exxon is getting paid for pumping the resource to Bitcoin miners isnt yet clear.

On the one hand, the gas is going to be burned either way, so at least now its being used. So it may be the rare case in which crypto mining is creating a small positive environmental impact. After all, most operations create tons of greenhouse gases and often use fossil fuels to power warehouses full of mining rigs. Its also messing up the economies of entire countries, like El Salvador, which recently required every business to accept Bitcoin as legal tender.

Of course, that doesnt negate the fact that Exxon is pouring resources into an industry rife with fraud and possible money laundering, though and in doing so, contributing to an industry with a vast environmental impact.

If we had to grade Exxons new plan wed give it a solid meh. Using the gas is better than nothing, but the real solution would probably be figuring out how to waste less gas in the first place.

More on crypto troubles: Everybody Hates Elizabeth Warrens Crypto Regulation Bill

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Exxon Mobil Is Starting to Burn Excess Gas to Mine Bitcoin - Futurism

It will counter the "unremitting doom and gloom" of the last UN climate report. Suck It Up

A forthcoming United Nations report is set to lay out a roadmap for implementing various forms of carbon removal technology. In addition to emissions reduction efforts, effective carbon removal technology could bring us back from the brink of a climate catastrophe.

Professor Jim Skea, an Imperial College London fellow in climate science and co-chair of the UNs Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), told the BBC that the panels latest report will focus on mitigation efforts as well as carbon removal.

The report was scoped out to cover the full spectrum of carbon dioxide removal approaches, which vary absolutely hugely, and the carbon dioxide that is removed can end up in very different stores and in very different places, Skea told the BBC. So it was within the scope of the report to cover the whole lot, basically.

According to Skea, the 3,000 page report will cover a range of approaches from planting trees and other agricultural efforts to remove carbon from the atmosphere to advanced carbon capture machines that suck CO2 out of the air.

The review, which is due to be released early next month, is going to focus for the first time on the social motivators of carbon removal and will hopefully aid adoption of carbon removal methods, Skea said.

He added that unlike the IPCCs last report about the terrifying, apocalyptic consequences of unmitigated climate change this latest report will not be unremitting doom and gloom.

What will ultimately come from the report will depend on the outcome of negotiations between government representatives from almost 200 countries, a delicate process that will likely take a considerable amount of time.

But in the end, its all about setting the tone going forward.

What I think we have to convey in our report is that the activities of humans have caused climate change, but human beings also have the agency to do something about it, Skea told the BBC. And that I think is a really big part of the messaging for the report.

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UN Taking Carbon Removal Tech Very, Very Seriously in New Report - Futurism

And where's he complaining? On Twitter, of course.Send Tweet

Space and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has had many loves think electric vehicles, large rockets, Claire Grimes Boucher, and internet memes.

But he may have no greater and more longstanding infatuation than the microblogging service Twitter, which he joined in 2009 and has consistently used as a megaphone to grow his personal brand, issue proclamations and predictions about the future, and occasionally nurse feuds with a staggeringly broad selection of other famous people and institutions.

Now it appears that Musk has turned his sights on a new foe: Twitter itself. In a series of messages on the platform yes, hes using Twitter to complain about Twitter the mercurial CEO griped over the past day that the sites algorithm isnt fair, and that there should be more transparency around how it works.

The algorithm needs to be open source, he wrote.

That wasnt all. Soon afterward, Musk expressed amusement at a meme making fun of coders use of the word algorithm. Then, perhaps in a fit of self-doubt, he reframed his initial anti-Twitter tweet as a poll, asking his followers to weigh in on whether the sites algorithm should be open source (at press time, 82.7 percent had agreed.)

Perhaps most striking is his single-minded focus on Twitter. Its difficult to argue with the critique that social media companies opaque algorithms have a worrisome amount of control over public discourse in this extremely online era, but compared to a heavily algorithm-mediated service like Facebook, Twitters algorithm is relatively unobtrusive. And, while Twitter makes the setting fairly difficult to activate, it does still offer a purely reverse chronological feed.

Perhaps most intriguing is why Musk is irate at Twitters algorithm at this precise moment. If its burying anybodys posts, Musk isnt a very prominent victim not only is he one of the sites most popular users, but his poll complaining about its algorithm received more than a million votes.

More on Elon Musk: Elon Musk Busts Enthusiastic Dance Moves at Tesla Gigafactory Opening

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Elon Musk Is Absolutely Furious at the Twitter Algorithm - Futurism

Future literacy raises awareness of alternative learning pathways and gives confidence in collectively co-creating learning futures

Future literacy raises awareness of alternative learning pathways and gives confidence in collectively co-creating learning futures

Fuel stations are closed. Roads are empty. You realise that the world is waking up to a sudden oil shortage. This is how World Without Oil, an award-winning artificial reality game, begins. The game engaged millions of ordinary individuals to tap collective intelligence on how people imagine and adapt during a crisis. It is a futurists attempt to ignite awareness, dialogue, and action about a possible future crisis.

Thinking about the future need not be limited to crises. In an uncertain world, future literacy is a civic capability and responsibility.

Just like reading and writing, being future literate is an essential competency. UNESCO sees it as a field-tested solution to the poverty of imagination. Being future literate enhances our ability to prepare, imagine/reimagine, create/recreate, recover and discover possibilities. Reshaping education at the intersection of technology and sustainability requires us to apply the same skills at least to move away from the past. While the past is a good reference point and learning source, it is important to move forward. for which foresight skills need to be developed.

A futurist is one who models next-order outcomes using a spectrum of signals, trends and tools. Futurists do not make predictions., but create readiness and imagine alternate futures. Businesses use it to strategise. It aids governments in policy planning. For instance, how many facilities of higher learning we need in Sikkim and Bihar in 2040 will be influenced by the prevailing fertility rates, as one of the input variables. Sikkim has the lowest and Bihar has the highest fertility rates.

Thinking about education futures opens up a range of possible futures. It raises awareness of alternative learning pathways, discards passivity, and gives confidence in collectively co-creating learning futures, setting aside careerism and ideological baggage.

As the future is not static and is about possibilities, there can be a range of futures within education. The widest set of possibilities that may happen, given the limits of uncertainty, is called plausible futures. Within that, there are probable futures that are likely to happen. Then there is preferred futures the future that you want to see happen. Futures co-exist. That is how classroom, blended and online learning can coexist.

Is imagining the future a difficult skill? Though the brain has the power to imagine, scientists say it is not wired to think about the future in vivid ways. So, we need deliberate efforts to impart future skills and tools.

For a futurist, imagination is not a playful pursuit, but a journey through new questions towards different scenarios. Take the old question of class size? A lecture by an eminent professor may require large classrooms. When learning demands proximate mentoring, it needs small. This thinking lends itself to different scheduling options.

Spotting signals is an important future skill. A signal is a specific example of the future in the present, says renowned futurist Marina Gorbis. It could be a new technology, a policy change, or a new business model. It is real, not speculation or philosophy. Futurists scan and collect such signals and cluster them to project trends, forecasts and scenarios.

Non-judgemental understanding of how students learn everyday will enable us to capture the leading edge behaviour, something that individuals do to adapt to changes. It could be a new way of using technology, a new way of credentialing or sharing of resources. Futurists look at leading-edge behaviours and ask what if more people live and learn in these ways.

Old ways of work move through forecasts, plans and execution. But the future workflow imagines, explores, creates scenarios, experiments, pilots and repeats. Thus, future skills allow us to test our decisions. Institutions can think of future literacy laboratories and action-learning fields to impart the use of future tools.

Given a chance, as a species, we avoid dealing with long-term issues. We are likely to reward those who first solve the Maths problem in the class and inadvertently nurture the quick-fix culture. The future is an antidote to short-term thinking. Though we cannot change the past, we can create better futures.

We see the past as an eventful space and the future as an empty area. But, while you read this, the future is being created in the present. So, when thinking about the future, you are effectively dealing with the present.

For the uninitiated in future skills, this may appear ridiculous. The entrance of the Institute for the Future, the worlds leading future organisation based in Palo Alto, exhibits a quote by the futurist Jim Dator, Any useful statement about the future should at first seem ridiculous.

The views expressed are personal.

The writer is Education Officer, University Grants Commission

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A range of futures - The Hindu