With MRSA threatening to infect huge numbers of patients who make even short trips to the hospital, and the gradual increase in the number of bacteria that are resistant to all known antiobiotics, scientists are turning to new ways to conquer the killer bugs. The emergence of dangerous antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria is most prevalent in the USA where antibiotics are available over the counter and are often mishandled. The answers to these problems may be locked in the science of the former Soviet Union, and whether this potential can be unlocked depends on subtle aspects of intellectual property and patent law, since pharmaceutical companies must be able to control the revenues from a discovery. Join discussion...

In the midst of the Cold War the world's most brilliant scientist, Dr. Charles Forbin (Eric Braeden), devises a supercomputer for the Pentagon to control America's nuclear arsenal. Dubbed Colossus, this gargantuan mainframe is constructed inside a mountain in Colorado where, protected by automated defenses, it is impregnable to sabotage and attack. Its function is to detect, evaluate and respond to all strategic threats to the U.S. and her allies. Its creator hopes that with peace and freedom secured and the threat of accidental war eliminated, Colossus can then focus its attention on researching new scientific discoveries. Upon activating the vast machine, Forbin electronically seals the tomblike complex. Outside he is warmly greeted by the President of the United States (Blacula's Gordon Pinset), praising him for his monumental achievement. http://eccentric-cinema.com/cult_movies/colossus.htm Join discussion...

Open Manufacturing is about bringing free and open source software development methodology and philosophy to the design and construction of the physical world. Join discussion...

An eminent roboticist is warning the people of Earth that we must prepare defenses against the rise of the robots. But for once it isn't Dr Cyboz doing so from the top of an overloading Cyber-Tower - in fact, he hasn't even built the rebelling robots. And an article in the journal Science hardly counts as a desperate rallying cry. Join discussion...

Squirting a little nasal spray up the nose before mealtime is helping obese people shed an average of 50 lbs in a year. Nastech Pharmaceutical Company of Bothell, WA said its compound, known as PYY, addresses obesity and other ailments suffered by overweight patients – diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, and cancer. Statistics show that 65% of Americans are overweight and nearly half of them are considered obese. In an Associated Press interview, Nastech CEO Steven Quay stated that in tests, PYY reduced patients’ daily calorie intake by 30 percent. Join discussion...

Two reports out this week hint at a new political alignment in the coming decades. Both reports focus on nanotechnology, but have implications well beyond. Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison shows a strong correlation between moral doubts about nanotechnology and embrace of religion. Join discussion...

It has long been known that certain psychoactive chemicals, found in such plants as the peyote cactus and diviner’s sage, enhance access to other planes of awareness. (Hence the old saw, “Reality is for people who can’t handle drugs.” Needless to say this comes with risks as well.) More recently, pills have revolutionized brain function among the mentally ill, beginning with the discovery of chlorpromazine in 1950. Now, drugs that enhance mental functioning in healthy people are becoming known and - increasingly - used. We are in the midst of a series of discoveries that will progressively enhance mental abilities. Alpha-CaM kinase II causes remembering a bad memory to erase it, at least in mice. Credible evidence exists for other biomolecular approaches to cognitive enhancement, some listed in the table. Join discussion...

As we prepare for the emergence of the next generation of apocalyptic weapons, it needs to be acknowledged that the world's democracies are set to face their gravest challenge yet as viable and ongoing political options. The continuing presence and increased accessibility of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) are poised to put an abrupt end to politics as usual. Technologies that threaten our very existence will greatly upset current sensibilities about social control and civil liberties. And as a consequence, those institutions that have worked for centuries to protect democratic and humanistic values will be put to the test – a test that may ultimate result in a significant weakening of democracy, if not its outright collapse. Join discussion...

Virtual Reality (VR) has advanced to incredible heights. For those who haven’t kept up with the gaming scene, the newest game renowned for impressive graphics is Fallout 3. Of course, graphics aren’t all that matters to gamers, which is why another one of the hottest games on the block right now is Spore, which looks very cartoonish. Nevertheless, consistent advances in both graphics software and hardware have been propelling ever more realistic graphics into our homes. Movies and gaming were the vanguard for realistic graphics. In only a couple decades we went from Pong to Fallout 3. Yet, we still haven’t ditched the joystick, mouse, and keyboard. Join discussion...

In 1975 Ernest Callenbach published Ecotopia (revisited by NY Times here), a novel which quickly gained cult status (see also video). Three years later, fascinated by the book, architect Craig Hodgetts (of Hodgetts+Fung Design) crafted a set of amazing drawings depicting some of the scenes and concept envisioned in the book, eager to produce Ecotopia for the big screen. Imagine retro-yet-ever-so-futuristic balloon generators over San Francisco Bay, solar-powered high-speed mag-lev trains, helium-filled mylar balloons to lift and orient a wind-powered generator, … Join discussion...