Future News - ISS Dodges Disaster, SLS Counts down to T-29 sec., Sonic Levitation Advance, Starship passes Environmental Hurdles, Homage to JJ Webb, Meta's latest VR headsets, Neighborhood Whirlpool Turbine Power

Listen Now to Future News 6.21.2022

Another amazing friend has passed, a pioneer in tech and the arts, JJ Webb. We speak of him today and some of his accomplishments in space tech and online poetry.  In space news, the ISS dodged some space junk, NASA’s giant rocket, known as SLS (Space Launch System), had a mostly successful wet test with fuel on the launchpad, and Space X has to address more environmental concerns as it makes its way to its next launch. And closer to home, Zuck himself outlines the features of three new experimental VR headsets, and we look at a new small whirlpool hydro-power generator, small enough to work on neighborhood rivers and canals, powering up to 60 homes! And one of our phone calls this week asked Dr. Future what his vision was for Santa Cruz in 5-10 years.  Enjoy!

NASA’s Space Launch System rocket rolled out for a wet dress rehearsal

Future News - M1 Solar Flare, Far out Voyager 1 Losing Sense of Direction, Report from Sean Down Under, Exotic Cultured Meat Tasting, Venus to be Probed, Google's 'Sentient' AI Discussion, Stucco Power, High Tech UFO investigation, Pebble in the Percy's Wheel

Listen Now to Future News 6.14.2022

The most discussed story this week by us and our callers was not alien but artificial intelligence, regarding the recent reports of the Google chat system known as LaMDA becoming self aware, by engineer Blake Lemoine. Blake was placed on paid leave as this story broke, and proceeded to post his pov and transcript of his conversations with LaMDA on Medium, listed in our links page. We and our callers explored this story in a way I think you’ll find both entertaining and maybe even educational. Enjoy!

Interview - Feature Filmmaker Brett Leonard on how the Metaverse can heal our global family

Listen Now to filmmaker Brett Leonard on how the Metaverse can heal our global  human family

What will it take to move humanity from the tailspin we appear to be experiencing?  The forces that divide us seem very powerful and we feel the tension all around us..yet…is it possible that we can reflect the better angels of our nature,  perhaps with the help of better stories that we tell to each other, stories perhaps that empower us to be kinder and more loving.  

Brett shares with us some of his thoughts and ideas on how the immersive interactive media of the metaverse can embody positive change in a way never before possible, with AI helping us activate group minds,  transcend our differences and bring us to understanding who we are as connected global humans. There are new concepts of the future to grasp, like Medical Immersive environMents or MIMs, for healing psychological trauma, DAOs, Decentralized Autonomous Organizations, and ‘Narrative Magnets,’magnetizing people to different story tropes.  After listening to Brett, and you want to know more, check out the podcast, What the F*** is the Metaverse?, an audio podcast created by himself and his millennial son, Shannon, also deeply engaged with new media and the metaverse. Enjoy!

Brett Leonard expounding on the Metaverse

Interview - Transpo visionary engineer Bruce McHenry on Transformational Transit, Apple Analyst Taylor Barcroft on iOS 16, M2 Air and Pro, latest announcements this week from WWDC.

Listen Now to Bruce McHenry

With a passion for mass transportation and armed with several degrees from MIT, Bruce McHenry sees the future of moving us around en masse as bright. In our brief interview with him he describes a novel evolutionary system where small car-sized vehicles can autonomously combine with other such ‘pods’ to create small trains on a single rail on fast routes, saving energy and time, compared to conventional  cars, buses, and trains. When your pod reaches its destination, it splits off the ‘train’ and drives on wheels to your destination. With today’s revolution in tech, personal rapid transit concepts such as Bruce’s are closer than ever to being realized, disrupting more traditional ways of moving us all.  We enjoyed Bruce’s visionary presentation to us and are excited to share it with you.  He joined us in the KSCO studio with our mutual friend and regular contributor to the show, Giselle Bisson.

Also, Apple Computer made some big announcements as they begin their annual WWDC (World Wide Developer’s Conference). Our Apple Analyst (and straight man :-))Taylor Barcroft gives us an Apple update on the latest and greatest Apple products, with high marks especially for the new M2-based MacBook Air. Enjoy!

L-R Dr.Mrs. Future, Bruce McHenry, Giselle Bisson at KSCO

Future News and Views - Meteor Storm Dud, Primeval Black Holes, Asteroid Mining Startup Funded, Starlink RV Field Report, Low cost efficient water extraction from Atmosphere, Mysterious Blob below Hawaii, Warm-blooded Dinos, Sheep and Solar Panels, New School Security Approach

Listen Now to Future News and Views 5.31.2022

How about that meteor storm that never was, eh?  Less than impressive, but a great excuse to freeze outside for an hour, scanning the sky.  We did see two simultaneous meteoric streaks of light at one point, which made StarlinkRV in actionit all worthwhile.  This week we explore the mystery of why some supermassive black holes already existed in the first billion years of our universe (usually they form later), the mysterious giant blob of iron below Hawaii, how dinos may have begun as warm-blooded, and a new asteroid mining startup being funded.  Also of interest is a new easy, cheap, and efficient way to extract water from even dry air, and our personal report on Starlink RV, a newmobile satellite-based internet service. Enjoy!

The mysterious mass below the Hawaii Plume