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Monday, August 22, 2016

A New Documentary Of The Internet (Werner Herzog)

Werner Herzog Has Met The Internet and It Is Us

Alex Pasternack | August 22, 2016



[Blogger's note: Herzog is considered one of the greatest figures of the New German Cinema, along with Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Margarethe von Trotta, Volker Schlöndorff, Werner Schröter, and Wim Wenders. Herzog's films often feature heroes with impossible dreams, people with unique talents in obscure fields, or individuals who are in conflict with nature.French filmmaker François Truffaut once called Herzog "the most important film director alive." American film critic Roger Ebert said that Herzog "has never created a single film that is compromised, shameful, made for pragmatic reasons, or uninteresting. Even his failures are spectacular." He was named one of the 100 most influential people on the planet by Time magazine in 2009. - from Wikipedia.]
Look, the internet is so many things, everywhere and nowhere, necessary but often completely obscure to us. Talking or thinking about it is, like a sign-on screen, practically an invitation to get lost. The so-called "network of networks" now represents digital culture, new media, new war, the global commons, a digital Times Square, the world's economic engine, increasingly, everything. It is also arguably a kind of work of art—is it the greatest masterpiece of human civilization? It's what William Gibson imagined it would be, after wandering around Vancouver, listening to his new Walkman for the first time: "A consensual hallucination," he wrote in Neuromancer about cyberspace,
experienced daily by billions of legitimate operators, in every nation...A graphic representation of data abstracted from banks of every computer in the human system. Unthinkable complexity. Lines of light ranged in the nonspace of the mind, clusters and constellations of data. Like city lights, receding... [William Gibson in Cyberspace]

[Click on link for video.] Source: http://motherboard.vice.com/read/herzog-lo-and-behold-internet-dreams
[Click on link for video.] "In his newest film, Werner Herzog is again asking existential questions -- this time, about the internet. In “Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World,” released in theaters on Friday, Herzog analyzes this ever-expanding fortress of information, and how it promises possibilities of both progress and catastrophe." Source: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/legendary-filmmaker-explores-internet-reflects-human-nature/

<more at http://motherboard.vice.com/read/herzog-lo-and-behold-internet-dreams; related articles and links: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/legendary-filmmaker-explores-internet-reflects-human-nature/ (Legendary filmmaker explores how the internet reflects human nature. August 19. 2016) and http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/21/movies/werner-herzog-lo-and-behold.html?_r=0 (Werner Herzog Says ‘The Internet Has Its Glorious Side’. August 18, 2016)>

Ancient 'Genetic Engineering'

10 Foods That Exist Because Of Ancient Genetic Engineering

Bridget O'Ryan | August 22, 2016



"GMO” foods may seem like a modern phenomenon, made possible only because of well-funded labs and genome analysis. What most consumers don’t realize is that most of humanity’s crops were already genetically modified thousands of years ago. In almost all cases, our favorite fruits and vegetables were engineered to be fundamentally different from their wild ancestors.

The List of Ten Plant Foods:covered in the article
  • Wheat
  • Coffee
  • Avocados
  • Strawberries
  • Pumpkins
  • Corn
  • Bananas
  • Brocoli, Cauliflower And Other Cultivars
  • Watermelon
  • Almonds

"Even in ancient times, humans were genetically modifying their food without realizing it, molding crops into more desirable versions over time." Source: http://www.medicaldaily.com/brief-history-genetically-modified-organisms-prehistoric-breeding-modern-344076

[Click to Enlarge] "Use of Genetically Modified Organisms" Source: http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/from-corgis-to-corn-a-brief-look-at-the-long-history-of-gmo-technology/

<more at http://listverse.com/2016/08/22/10-foods-that-exist-because-of-ancient-genetic-engineering/; related articles and links: http://www.medicaldaily.com/brief-history-genetically-modified-organisms-prehistoric-breeding-modern-344076 (A Brief History Of Genetically Modified Organisms: From Prehistoric Breeding To Modern Biotechnology. July 23, 2015) and http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/from-corgis-to-corn-a-brief-look-at-the-long-history-of-gmo-technology/ (From Corgis to Corn: A Brief Look at the Long History of GMO Technology. August 19, 2015)>

China Plans A Manned Moon Station

China Wants to Build a Manned Radar Station on the MOON: 'Lunatic' Idea Could Improve Our Images of Earth

Facility could include living quarters for astronauts and a powerful radar. Would have to be powerful, stretching at least 164 feet (50 metres) high. The deadline for the team to submit its final report on the project is 2020 

Abigail Beall | August 22, 2016



Over the past few years China has shown increased interest in exploring the moon and space, with its Jade Rabbit lunar rover and the world's biggest radio telescope.
Now the country is looking into building a manned radar station on our natural satellite, in order to monitor our planet in more detail than current satellites allow.
But experts have said the potentially massive cost of the project could outweigh the benefits. 

Artist's sketch showing moon-based readar station scanning a much larger area of Earth than is possible by satellite (shown on right). Source: http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2006611/chinese-scientists-study-viability-manned-radar-station

"China's Jade Rabbit lunar rover spent 31 months surveying the moon's surface. The device, designed for a lifespan of a mere three months, surveyed the moon's surface for 31 months, overcoming numerous technical problems and design flaws to become a national icon. Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3752944/China-wants-build-manned-radar-station-moon-Lunatic-idea-improve-monitoring-Earth-need-power-station.html

<more at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3752944/China-wants-build-manned-radar-station-moon-Lunatic-idea-improve-monitoring-Earth-need-power-station.html; related articles and links: http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2006611/chinese-scientists-study-viability-manned-radar-station (Chinese scientists study viability of manned radar station on the moon. August 21, 2016) and http://www.techinsider.io/china-plans-mars-moon-landings-2016-4 (China plans to reach Mars by 2020 and eventually build a moon base. April 21. 2016)>

North Korea's 'Netflix' Service

North Korea Has Just Launched Its Own Netflix-Style Streaming Service

Trevor Mogg | August 22, 2016



North Korea now has its own Netflix-style streaming service. Sort of.
The highly secretive state reportedly launched the service in recent days, offering citizens in three cities, including the capital Pyongyang, access to five streamed channels alongside a selection of on-demand content.

"For movies made outside of North Korea, its citizens will have to continue to rely on smuggled material from activists..." Source: http://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/north-korea-streaming-service/
"SThe box, called Manbang, has been dubbed the country's version of Netflix in some reports." ource: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-37154456

<more at http://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/north-korea-streaming-service/; related articleds and links: http://variety.com/2016/digital/news/north-korea-netflix-clone-1201841320/ (North Korea Built Its Own Netflix, Roku Clone. August 20, 2016) and http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-37154456 (North Korea 'Netflix' device unveiled. August 22, 2016)>

Maker Movement Is Attracting Researchers, Scientists

Maker Movement Turns Scientists into Tinkerers

Researchers in growing numbers are starting to enlist do-it-yourself 3-D printers, cheap electronics, sensors and more to advance their work 

Prachi Patel | August 22, 2016



To do science, scientists need money—and usually a lot of it because specialized equipment and tools don’t come cheap. That means researchers often have to spend a significant amount of time pursuing funds from government agencies and private entities. But the era of open-source software and cheap hardware, including 3-D printers, is making it easier for them to quickly test innovative ideas and make their own research tools. These technologies are typically considered the dominion of “makers,” a word that evokes tinkerers and hobbyists, yet many scientists have begun to embrace the build-it-yourself ethos to advance their research in a variety of fields, including energy, transportation, neuroscience and consumer electronics.

[Click on link for video.] (New tech turns your skin into a touchscreen for your smartwatch. A team at Carnegie Mellon has found a way to make skin a user interface for gadgets.May 5, 2016) Source: http://www.theverge.com/2016/5/5/11597878/skintrack-carnegie-mellon-skin-tracking-smartwatch-userface
Maker Movement - LinkedIn. Source: https://www.linkedin.com/topic/maker-movement

<more at http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/maker-movement-turns-scientists-into-tinkerers/; related articles and links: http://www.theatlantic.com/notes/all/2016/06/does-the-maker-movement-matter/486647/ (More on the Public Role in Fostering Private Innovation. June 18, 2016) and http://www.theatlantic.com/notes/2016/06/the-maker-movement-if-hamilton-were-around-he-would-be-a-fan/487292/ (The Maker Movement: If Hamilton Were Around, He Would Be a Fan. Jun 16, 2016)>

Glass 3D Printing For Walls And Entire Buildings

New Russian Patent-Pending Glass 3D Printing Solution Makes Glass Walls and Buildings a Reality

Alec [www.3ders.org] | August 19. 2016



Over the past few months, Russia has been making quite a few 3D printing headlines – but mostly in the context of metal 3D printing for aerospace and nuclear applications. But Russian PhD candidates Anuar Kulmagambetov and Vladimir Bodyakin are moving into an entirely new direction with a remarkable patent application. With an eye on the construction industry, they are working on a 3D printing setup that can build durable walls and structures from glass, using a compact glass melting furnace as an extrusion unit. The researchers are currently looking to set up a pilot, and see significant cost-saving and environmentally-friendly opportunities.

3D Glass Printing Concept. "Most importantly, its ‘filament’ is the most eco-friendly, natural and widespread material in the world: silica sand. Combined with with sodium bicarbonate, dolomite, lime and other additives (depending on the application), it is very cheap and adaptable. But it doesn’t end there. Glass is also very resistant to decay, mold and humidity, requires very little maintenance and is quite energy-efficient to produce." Source: http://www.3ders.org/articles/20160819-new-russian-patent-pending-glass-3d-printing-solution-makes-glass-walls-and-buildings-a-reality.html

"This object was built by a new 3-D printer that can work with molten glass." Source: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/540926/3-d-printing-breaks-the-glass-barrier/

<more at http://www.3ders.org/articles/20160819-new-russian-patent-pending-glass-3d-printing-solution-makes-glass-walls-and-buildings-a-reality.html; related articles and links: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/540926/3-d-printing-breaks-the-glass-barrier/ (3-D Printing Breaks the Glass Barrier. Researchers have cracked the challenge of printing glass through a nozzle. September 3, 2015) and https://www.technologyreview.com/s/515501/redesigning-product-design/ (Redesigning Product Design. The Media Lab’s Neri Oxman, PhD ’10, wants designers not just to dream up new products but to change the way they’re made. June 18, 2013)>

Laser 3D Printing

Demand for Laser 3D Printing Grows As Concept Laser Reports 88 Percent Sales increase

Alec [www.3ders.org] | August 17, 2016



While laser 3D printing has sometimes been criticized for being too expensive and too limited in its usefulness, it’s obvious that the technology’s popularity is surging. This is certainly reflected in the sales figures of numerous prominent laser-based 3D printing specialists. Just last week, SLM Solutions reported excellent growth figures, and now fellow German specialists Concept Laser have revealed that 2016 has been hugely successful so far – with an 88 percent increase in sales compared to the same period in 2015.
Concept Laser is a very promising company based in Lichtenfels that has been making a name for itself in industrial circles. Founded in 2000 by couple Kerstin and Frank Herzog, Concept Laser has been particularly praised for its patented LaserCUSING layer construction technology and its top-of-the-line industrial grade machines. What’s more, they have not at all suffered from a supposedly stagnating 3D printing market, as 2015 was the best year in their history in terms of sales.

"QM Meltpool 3D monitoring concept." Source: http://www.3ders.org/articles/20160817-demand-for-laser-3d-printing-grows-as-concept-laser-reports-88-percent-sales-increase.html

"This awesome ‘replicator’ combines industrial machining with laser 3D printing to create just about anything." Source: http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/174782-this-awesome-replicator-combines-industrial-machining-with-laser-3d-printing-to-create-just-about-anything

<more at http://www.3ders.org/articles/20160817-demand-for-laser-3d-printing-grows-as-concept-laser-reports-88-percent-sales-increase.html; related articles and links: http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/174782-this-awesome-replicator-combines-industrial-machining-with-laser-3d-printing-to-create-just-about-anything (This awesome ‘replicator’ combines industrial machining with laser 3D printing to create just about anything. January 23, 2014) and http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Laser-3D-Printer-Stereolithography-at-Ho/ (Build a Laser 3D Printer - Stereolithography at Home. July 28, 2016)>