Synthetic Reality

A "Claytronic atom", or "catom", is a nano-scale object, covered with electromagnets capable of attaching the catom to other catoms. LEDs, and photo-sensors on the surface complete the picture (no pun intended). A suitably programmed ensemble of catoms could dynamically replicate just about any object - even a person. Some have called it "dynamic physical rendering". Whatever you call it, the technology is probably a decade off (famous last words).

Carnegie Mellon University researchers Seth Goldstein and Todd Mowry lead the small, DARPA and industry-backed research team that is investigating the engineering of these devices.

References

Synthetic Reality (CMU Group)

Programmable Matter (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Presentation at IC Fall 2004 (.pdf)

Ride a magnetic bubble

Mini-Magnetosphere Plasma Propulsion

Create a magnetic bubble around your spacecraft and ride the solar wind to interstellar space. This is not Sci-Fi. The basics have been experimentally demonstrated in the laboratory. Downside - your cell phone won't work inside the bubble.

Scientists overjoyed: comet samples and aerogel story

The Stardust return to Earth with comet and solar wind samples is fantastic! After the Genesis spacecraft had its "sporty landing" not long ago (the switch for the 'chutes was installed upside down), we have all been holding our breath for safe return of Stardust.

Aerogel: Solid Smoke

I work at JPL. Here is a "true story" (as well as I can recollect) about the aerogel used to capture the comet and solar wind samples: A janitor at JPL decided he'd like some of the aerogel. He pretended to be a scientist (yes, even our janitors have advanced degrees) and told the Stardust project office that he was going to give a lecture at a local school, and may he, please, borrow a piece of aerogel for show and tell? Of course, was the reply. There were hundreds of fragments left from the Stardust spacecraft engineering, each put in a nice little clear box with the Stardust logo on the lid. Aerogel is fragile and also sharp, so the boxes are a good idea. Time marched on and the sample was forgotten until our NASA administrator at the time, Dan Goldin, decided it was time that he learned about eBay. Lo and behold! NASA aerogel was for sale on eBay! The phones rang and rang down the whole management chain and everyone caught a bit of the legendary Goldin temper that night. The eBay ad was pulled and within a day or two the friendly janitor was tracked down, fired, and the sample retrieved.

I have a sample just like this that I use for teaching. You'll never see it on eBay, but if you ever get a chance to see aerogel - "solid smoke" - you will be truly amazed.

Read more at msnbc.msn.com/id/109097...

Transgenic Fluorescent Green Pigs

They Glow in the Dark! Are Chickens Next?

These pigs, produced by a research group in Taiwan are more than the long sought reification of green ham in the children's book by Dr. Seuss, "Green Eggs and Ham". The are the result of research to develop a reliable method for gene transfer in the product of transgenic animals, widely used for research. Unlike other green pigs which are only partially green, these pigs are green throughout their bodies. DNA from jellyfish was joined with genetic material from normal pig embryos. The new strain of pigs will enable non-invasive testing for scientists studying gene expression in disease research.

Abstract:
Effective generation of transgenic pigs and mice by linker sperm-mediated gene transfer, BMC BioTechnology, Vol. 2.

Small Co-Axial Personal Helicopter

GEN H-4

I live in Los Angeles. I could really use this!

This small helicopter is a kit requiring about 40 hrs to assemble (if you are "mechanically minded") according the sales literature from the U.S. distributor, Ace Craft USA. At a maximum speed of 55 mph and flying in a straight line I could get to my office at JPL in just a few minutes. A 5 gallon gas tank provides an average of 1 hour of flight time (depending on your weight). At a cost of USD$29,000 it is cheaper than one year of tuition at many US colleges (and putting it together probably includes many lessons-learned as well). They'll sell you one only if you are also willing to do "further testing along side the company." I don't think I'll be the first on block to own one, but I definitely look forward to personal air transport I can land in my back yard!