Computing Update

Quantum teleportation has been achieved to distances of 16km, opening the possibility of instantaneous communications with satellites and thus possibly eventually replacing current communications systems:

http://www.physorg.com/news193551675.html

Alternative Energies Update

The Swedes are developing an underwater kite power generation system to tap the power of currents in deep water:

http://ecogeek.org/tidal-and-wave-power/3159

Robotics Update

The roaming "Anybot" allows mobile teleconferencing through a cute robot:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/196633/meet_qb_your_new_robotic_coworker.html

Transportation Update

New plane designs could cut fuel use by 70%:

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2010/nplus3-0517.html

Genetic Engineering Update

For decades creationists have insisted evolution is impossible because it is impossible to create life from non-life. They'd point to the fact that scientists had yet to create artificial life as evidence. I would respond by saying that we were a lot closer to creating artificial life than they realized. And sure enough, ahead of schedule (faster than even I'd expected), scientists have created self-replicating, synthetic life, designed on a computer and using off-the-shelf, non-living chemical components:

http://www.jcvi.org/cms/press/press-releases/full-text/article/first-self-replicating-synthetic-bacterial-cell-constructed-by-j-craig-venter-institute-researcher/

Robotics Update

Teaching robots to behave more like humans to give them better manners:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18913-innovation-teaching-robots-some-manners.html

Robotics Update

Scientists create programmable robots out of DNA:

http://media.caltech.edu/press_releases/13345

Nanotechnology Update

Using DNA to make an assembly line-process to create new materials:

http://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2010/05/12/nyu-nanjing-u-chemists-create-dna-assembly-line.html

Alternative Energies Update

Using quantum entanglement to duplicate conversion of light into energy, photosynthesis-style:

http://newscenter.lbl.gov/feature-stories/2010/05/10/untangling-quantum-entanglement/

Computing Update

"An experimental demonstration of a quantum calculation has shown that a single molecule can perform operations thousands of times faster than any conventional computer."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100504220042.htm

Robotics Update

Robots built with collision detection prevent humans from being injured by stabbing and slashing knives:

http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/medical-robots/050610-robots-with-knives-a-study-of-soft-tissue-injury-in-robotics

(See video for examples in action.)

Technology Update

This doesn't really have anything to do with nanotech or the singularity, but it is cool. Cell phone imaging devices can be made to act as nightvision enhancers:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-05/uof-uer050410.php

Artificial Intelligence Update

Using cheap, low-powered cell phone chips to emulate brain-like activities:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20627585.700-army-of-smartphone-chips-could-emulate-the-human-brain.html