Watson to Become a Supercharged Siri

This was what I envisioned as soon as I saw Watson spank Jeopardy:

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-08-28/ibm-creating-pocket-sized-watson-in-16-billion-sales-push-tech

Robot learns self-awareness

The article seems a bit self-contradictory, but this appears to be another step forward in the creation of a true general artificial intelligence:

http://www.kurzweilai.net/robot-learns-self-awareness

3D Printing Houses

Very cool:

http://www.technologyreview.com/view/428909/a-3-d-printed-house/?ref=rss

A Real Life 4 Ton Mech Robot

Japan (of course) creates the world's first functional battlemech!

http://singularityhub.com/2012/08/04/thats-right-japan-has-created-a-real-life-4-ton-mech-robot/

View the second YouTube video. It's hilarious.

Liquid protein challenges importance of water

Could this be the key element that allows humans to be safely cryogenically frozen?:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22152-liquid-protein-challenges-importance-of-water.html

Highly efficient artificial photosynthesis system generates organic materials from carbon dioxide and water

This is essentially the promise of nanotech:

http://panasonic.co.jp/corp/news/official.data/data.dir/2012/07/en120730-5/en120730-5.html