Scientists can now bottle solar energy, turn it into liquid fuel

This is the first time I ever heard of such a technology:

https://bigthink.com/technology-innovation/liquid-solar-fuel-storage

Too bad it's only really useful for heating houses or water, but it's still useful.

Why the Future of Solar Power Is from Space

The only major obstacle is price:

https://singularityhub.com/2018/12/31/why-the-future-of-solar-power-is-from-space/

New Equations Go Beyond Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity

https://scitechdaily.com/new-equations-go-beyond-einsteins-theory-of-general-relativity/

Alien Hunters, Stop Using the Drake Equation

I grew up believing the Drake Equation indicated the galaxy was surely filled with thousands of civilizations. Not so fast....

https://www.space.com/42739-stop-using-the-drake-equation.html

Quantum Communication Just Took a Great Leap Forward

"Large-scale quantum communication may now be possible sooner than we thought":

https://singularityhub.com/2018/12/26/quantum-communication-just-took-a-great-leap-forward/

Congress Passes $1.2 Billion Quantum Computing Bill

Very cool. Here's hoping that Trump doesn't fuck it up by not signing it into law:

https://futurism.com/the-byte/quantum-computing-bill-congress

New steps toward brain-like computing

https://nano-magazine.com/news/2018/12/17/new-steps-toward-brain-like-computing

MIT invents method to shrink objects to nanoscale using basic lab equipment

Using a laser to shrink simple objects to 1/1000 of its original size:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/17/us/mit-nanosize-technology-trnd/index.html

Researchers Use Gelatin to Make Powerful New Hydrogen Fuel Catalyst

https://scitechdaily.com/researchers-use-gelatin-to-make-powerful-new-hydrogen-fuel-catalyst/

Smart dust

This is the stuff that makes the privacy-free society envisioned in The Transparent Society (David Brin) possible, even likely:

https://qz.com/emails/quartz-obsession/1494837/

Tasting the World’s First Test-Tube Steak

We are graduating from lab-grown beef burgers and chicken nuggets to actual steaks, with accurate steak texture:

https://youtu.be/bjSe-0vSRMY

Revolutionary graphene lithium battery launched

https://nano-magazine.com/news/2018/12/10/revolutionary-graphene-lithium-battery-launched

Forbes | the World in 2033

Some perspectives on different aspects of culture in the future:

http://www.kurzweilai.net/forbes-the-world-in-2033

But I'm highly skeptical of the geologist weighing in on climate change.

A New Battery Could Store Ten Times the Power as Lithium-Ion

Exciting...but still probably a decade away, assuming it pans out:

https://futurism.com/new-battery-ten-times-power

“Sun in a box” would store renewable energy for the grid

Another potential game-changer in large-scale energy storage:

https://news.mit.edu/2018/liquid-silicon-store-renewable-energy-1206

Bizarre ‘dark fluid’ with negative mass could dominate the universe – what my research suggests

A solution to the dark energy and dark matter issue?

https://theconversation.com/bizarre-dark-fluid-with-negative-mass-could-dominate-the-universe-what-my-research-suggests-107922

Listen To An AI’s Nightmarish Beatboxing

Okay, so now we know the soundtrack to the A.I. takeover of the world:

https://futurism.com/ai-baby-spawn-holly-herndon-jlin-godmother

The Military Is Investing Millions in Exoskeleton “Super-Soldiers”

Another exoskeleton, but this one seems more focused on the most important task:

https://futurism.com/exoskeleton-super-soldiers-military

Researchers Just Overcame a Key Barrier to Fusion Power

Inching closer:

https://futurism.com/researchers-overcame-key-barrier-fusion-power

New AI Dreams Up Trippy Video Games Based on Real Life Video

A promise of things to come:

https://futurism.com/ai-dreams-trippy-video-games-based-real-life

Toyota taps Docomo 5G to remotely control its humanoid robot

"As for what such a robot might actual be good for (beyond knocking the snot out of pint-sized kaiju), Toyota sees potential in homes and healthcare, with an eye on “a prosperous society of mobility.”"

Oh, I can see many more uses than that! How about sending them into dangerous situations where human dexterity and agility are necessary? Like shutting down a radioactive power plant, fighting fires, dealing with active shooters, going into battle (like Predator and Reaper drones, only for foot soldiers), etc.:

https://techcrunch.com/2018/11/30/toyota-taps-docomo-5g-to-remotely-control-its-humanoid-robot/