Boku No Hero Academia Next-Season Trailer

I have actually been entertained by this series. pretty good!

Blade of the Immortal Trailer

This looks interesting.

Boruto - the Next "Naruto" Generation

One of the better ideas on how to continue a cartoon or comic book series: yes, go for the next generation.

Copy Corruption: Failing Clones

As in PC hard drives and classic facsimile machines, it seems that errors in copying data is at the root of why cloning has so many failures. The solution to this will probably lead to a revolution in biology and medicine.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161209184310.htm

Will Greenland really go green?

If you're wondering how devastating the rise in sea levels will be, think about it: Greenland's ice sheet is disappearing.

http://www.popsci.com/planet-is-heating-up-faster-than-species-can-migrate

Prosthetic Hands for those who need them: Affordable, 3D-printed

One important factor for prosthetics is cost - so that people from all walks of life can be assisted. new technology can help with that, with 3D-printing as the key.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161209184317.htm

Star Trek Merch: Going to the Nostalgia Nebula

I am somewhat happy that Star Trek is not necessarily my core geekdom. However, if I did have the money... well, it would be one of them.

http://www.popsci.com/best-gifts-for-star-trek-fans

A Tail of the Past: One dinosaur's tale, preserved in amber - with feathers

It seems that the idea of dinosaurs being large birds... had more truth to it than we figured. Hello there, dino feathers!

https://www.engadget.com/2016/12/09/first-feathered-dinosaur-tail-found-encased-in-amber/

NASA's EM-Drive still under scrutiny

Some skeptical scientists are positing that the weak thrust from the EM-Drive might actually be an artefact. In other words, the EM-Drive might not actually work.

There's much more testing, repetition, and analysis to be done in finding out if this propulsion system works - and that is the way science should be, if we want to eventually move forward to finding a propulsion system that does work efficiently for the purposes of space travel.

https://futurism.com/expert-in-advanced-propulsion-says-nasas-em-drive-results-are-likely-not-valid/

An Sad Tale of Scarcity: Climate change and flora, fauna migration

As the world heats up, many plants and animals are migrating to more temperate areas - which aren't as large as the old territories. In fact, this may, in some places, lead to extinction, if the temperate areas disappear entirely.

http://www.popsci.com/planet-is-heating-up-faster-than-species-can-migrate

Better Dead than Red? CIA says Trump had Russian help

Although it reads like a 70's spy movie, all I can say is: If true, then this will ratchet up global tensions. Should we welcome ourselves to a new Cold War?

Washington Post link: https://www.engadget.com/2016/12/09/washington-post-cia-concluded-russia-intervened-to-help-trump/

Cancer Research: An old avenue to reexplore

Science, too, should allow for the possibility that some avenues may have been untaken, due to the limitations of the time. Such is the case with cancer research:

"Cancer researchers and drug companies may have been too quick to ignore a promising line of inquiry that targets a specific cell protein, according to a research team."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161209184821.htm

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 Figures

I like the set... but Angela and Darkhawk? Nova and Vance Astro? Oh, hell yes.

CBR Link: http://www.cbr.com/guardians-of-the-galaxy-toy-line-includes-nova-angela-and-darkhawk/

Hanging Out: Likha Christmas Art Bazaar @ VentureSpace PH Cafe

Just cooling my heels and enjoying being at my new favorite coffee and workspace in the Shaw area, VentureSpace PH. Come on over, I guarantee that the coffee is good, the desserts are heavenly, and you can go home with a lot of great stuff, even with only 200 to 300 pesos in your pocket.

Here’s a little bit of latte art from our resident barista at the VentureSpace Cafe! We’re happy to announce that Likha: A Christmas Art Bazaar will run for TWO days, and we’re extending until 9PM. That’s right, an entire weekend to shop for unique Christmas presents for yourself or your loved ones! All products at the Likha bazaar are made by talented local artists, so if you’re just like us and you #LoveLocal, this is where you should be this coming weekend. #LikhaAtVS #MadeInThePH #VSweekends #VentureSpacePH

The Future has more UV radiation, you have to wear shades

"Higher ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation exposure, directly related to time outdoors and sunlight exposure, was associated with reduced odds of myopia (nearsightedness), and exposure to UVB between ages 14 and 29 years was associated with the highest reduction in odds of adult myopia."

No kidding. I bet climate change deniers and business leaders will ignore this and treat it as a business opportunity to sell more eyeglasses, medical treatments, and indoor entertainment systems.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161201114938.htm

Climate change issues heating up

I think the real issue here is that people who are in power may have radically different mind sets than those who aren't. I can't presume to know what they do think about (though I guess it has to do with profits and structural maintenance, as it were), but really, I hate to say it, but I do think our civilization may be on the road to suicide by denial.

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-38146248

AI and the middle class

Continuing in the vein of concerns on how AI will radically change human society, I think it's time people consider something that may be irreplaceable: imagination. Creativity might be the next big commodity for human workers, aside from those who can understand, build, and maintain technological structures - that is, until we hand *that* over to AIs as well.

http://www.businessinsider.com/stephen-hawking-ai-automation-middle-class-jobs-most-dangerous-moment-humanity-2016-12

AI and Industry

I think it's important that we hammer out guidelines and changes for ourselves even before we bring AIs online that can displace many people in different industries.

Strangely enough, this reminds me of how in Star Trek: The Next Generation, there was talk about how people had moved past the concept of capitalism as it is known now, in our time. On the other hand, we could end up with anti-AI guidelines, such as in the Dune universe, complete with mentats.

https://futurism.com/the-dawn-of-ai-congress-is-discussing-what-well-do-in-a-world-run-by-robots/

Water on Mars

It sounds like something straight out of a science fiction novel: There is water on Mars.

And yet, under the Utopia Planitia region, there is supposedly a reservoir of water ice below the surface, the size of Lake Superior.

Oh, wow.

http://www.futuretimeline.net/blog/2016/11/24.htm

3D-printed Lungs

It's not science fiction anymore; although it will probably take some more time to come up with fully-functioning, implantable 3D-printed organs, the idea of using them for modeling and preparation is here. The next big challenge is to make this technology affordable - we don't want an Elysium situation here, right?

https://futurism.com/new-synthetic-human-lung-is-quite-literally-a-breath-of-fresh-air/

Blockchain application and natural disasters

While blockchain software does have many people suspicious about it, the nature of it can help keep important documents safe during disasters that can wipe out physical copies. At the same time, it can also help keep funding processes transparent.

The big takeaway, of course, is that it applies to much more than disaster management.

https://futurism.com/during-natural-disasters-blockchain-could-make-all-the-difference/

Curation as the answer to fake news

While I do have some concerns about exactly how Facebook will determine who is a confirmed source, I think this simply points out the need for curation in today's info-overload world.

"Sources tell Business Insider that the new feature, called Collections, will serve up stories and media from sources chosen by Facebook. The social media titan has been courting entertainment and media companies in the last few weeks to create content for the new section. Early partners have been told that their created content will be inserted directly into users' News Feed, giving it a much broader reach."

https://www.engadget.com/2016/12/02/facebook-could-fight-fake-news-with-curated-articles/

Elon Musk, Tesla, and the Global Tug-of-War

You know that a big change is coming when countries are vying to get Tesla's production contracts. Let's hope that it doesn't fizzle out, that people realize that it's time to think long-term about energy production and its consequences.

https://futurism.com/the-worlds-nations-are-fighting-over-tesla/

https://player.vimeo.com/video/108958187

Tidal Turbine Array now powering up homes in Nova Scotia

As a believer in alternative cleaner sources of energy, I welcome this development.

"Cape Sharp Tidal, a joint venture between Emera and OpenHydro, is now lighting up homes in Nova Scotia, Canada, after being successfully connected to the grid. North America’s largest tidal turbine array, this 2 megawatt (MW) machine weighs 1,000 tons and is the height of a five-storey building when fitted on its base. Following deployment in the Bay of Fundy, a marine operations team safely connected its subsea cable to an onshore substation and then thoroughly tested the entire system, including all monitors and communications links. More than 300 people have been employed on the project in areas such as fabrication, environmental monitoring, engineering, health and safety and marine services."

http://www.futuretimeline.net/blog/2016/11/25-2.htm

New entries in the periodic table of elements

As much as I am a geek about many things, I have to say with much sorrow that I had difficulty with chemistry. I still love it, though, in a "No, Macgyver, it doesn't work like that, the Mythbusters are better at it" sort of way (haters and trolls: I'm just having fun there).

Still, a new periodic table!

"Following tradition, the new additions to the seventh row of the periodic table received names that paid homage to either the region of their discovery or a person, and their suffixes reflected chemical consistency. Nihonium, Moscovium, and Tennessine are named after places where they were discovered: Nihon (the Japanese word for Japan), Moscow (Russia’s capital), and Tennessee (the U.S. state), respectively. Oganesson was named after Yuri Oganessian, a Russian nuclear scientist."

https://futurism.com/we-have-a-new-periodic-table-of-elements/

The road to finding a functional cure for HIV

It's amazing what medical science is doing these days, and none more than in the leaps and bounds in finding a functional (and hopefully affordable) cure for HIV. Can you imagine how it would be if we could pour even more funding into this and other medical lines of research?

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161201114938.htm

Live-action Full Metal Alchemist movie

I hope the movie is of equal value to the anime and manga series (winks).

Ice Shelf Collapse: Within our Lifetimes?

Not that I'm being a climate change downer here, but I don't really care what's causing the climate change - we should be aware that we have it in our power to reverse it, or just stabilize it at some point. As with the Great Barrier Reef dying, I doubt that the international community will care about the Antarctic ice sheet collapsing - until it happens. And then, I expect to see a lot of finger pointing.

I do hope I'm wrong. I do hope that something will be done soon.

http://www.futuretimeline.net/blog/2016/11/30.htm

Gass Clouds and Embryonic Galaxies

"Astronomers studying a cluster of still-forming protogalaxies seen as they were more than 10 billion years ago have found that a giant galaxy in the center of the cluster is forming from a surprisingly-dense soup of molecular gas."

From the way I understand it, it seems that we're finding a very dense "cloud" of matter in space - and they have embryonic galaxies in them. Exciting!

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161201164658.htm

Racing to the Cure for Cancer

With cancer cases rising worldwide, the cancer vaccine is the next big thing. A new alliance composed of around thirty organizations is working on it. Let's hope they don't get too many bumps on the road.

https://futurism.com/a-new-alliance-could-give-humanity-the-worlds-first-cancer-vaccine/

The Great Barrier Reef: Dying

It looks like we're going to see this amazing natural wonder die within our lifetimes. What's sad is that this situation, so far, is not sending the shockwaves across the international community as it should be doing.

http://www.futuretimeline.net/blog/2016/12/1.htm

More deaths for the white demographic in the USA

"The research found that non-Hispanic white deaths now exceed births in a growing number of states because more whites are dying and fewer white babies are being born. These demographic changes in the white population result from a rising number of older adults, fewer women of childbearing age and lower fertility rates. Because these trends are difficult to reverse many of these states are likely to see white deaths continue to exceed births."

This may be a function of affluence and a few other discrete variables. Interesting to see, though. It reminds me of some science fiction narratives.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161201165023.htm

Google's new AI-powered algorithms

As Google's work on deep neural networks progresses, I do hope they have some hardcore safeties built into it. On one end, we may get the equivalent of Asimov's Multivac, where we will, essentially create the being that will state "Fiat Lux" for our next universal cycle. On the other, we're looking at Matrix, Hal, and whole bunch of other AI horror stories. I honestly have no problems, though, if we end up creating post-organic life as our next evolutionary step - just as long as we don't get forcibly "phased out" in the process.

Let's keep on going!
https://futurism.com/google-just-launched-new-ai-powered-algorithms/

Automation and Human Employment

As artificial intelligence and industrial development changes the human component and requirement, we have to explore where humans will be in the chain of production. And if we won't be there, eventually, the implications for human society will be far-reaching. Will we make places for ourselves in the automated system, simply as part of the check and balance, or will we let go completely, to explore other aspects of human development?

http://www.futuretimeline.net/blog/2016/12/1-2.htm

More tornadoes and climate change

I think there is definitely a link between extreme weather and climate change. While the USA may have more tornadoes, here in my country, it seems that the pattern and timing of typhoon onset and paths are changing, too. And we're not even talking about their intensity.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161201161715.htm

Recovering Infantile Memories

It seems that scientists are working on recovering infantile memories so they can learn how to block traumatic ones.

https://futurism.com/soon-we-could-access-our-memories-from-early-childhood/

Gundam statue to be dismantled, Gundam Front exhibit closed

In retrospect, it's no surprise that the Gundam statue in Odaiba will be dismantled - unless you have a brand that is as powerful and focused on theme park ideas as Disney (and even then, they've had clunkers and changes in their park segments), it only makes sense to have a set time for your theme presentations.

If you want to see the Gundam statue, do be sure to go there before March 5, when it will be taken down. The Gundam Front Tokyo exhibit at DiverCity Mall in Tokyo will close down on April 5. Bandai has announced that they do have plans for the future, but will announce it as soon as they are ready.

http://gundamguy.blogspot.com/2016/12/life-size-gundam-statue-will-be-closing.html

Rurouni Kenshin: Hokkaido

It looks like there will be a new chapter of Rurouni Kenshin out. Named Hokkaido, it's going to be interesting how this one will fit into canon.

http://www.taghobby.com/?p=150697

Radio Republic: Living in a Small World

"And it’s the same thing, sadly, with our society as a whole here in the Philippines: we are prisoners to our own ties, our own connections. And this interconnection comes with its own inertia. The longer you stay in it, the more that you do not want to rock the boat, the more things stay as they are."

Read more at http://www.radiorepublic.ph/living-in-a-small-world/

Magic Kaito/Kid the Phantom Thief

I actually tried to follow this series, both in the anime and the manga. I like how they tried to get the little details - like the monocle - right. I bet one of the add-on accessories (special release?) will be the glider form of the cape.

http://www.taghobby.com/?p=149728

Katamari Damacy Prince!

All I can say is, that makes for one nostalgic display piece!

http://www.collectiondx.com/news_item/112216/first4figures_katamari_damacy_prince_statue