Alternative Energies Update

Researchers combine nanotechnology with genetically engineered viruses to build batteries to eventually power hybrid cars and cell phones:

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9130968&intsrc=news_ts_head

Predictions Update

Here's a long, old but well-written article on the path to the singularity, using references to science fiction throughout the ages:

http://www.grg.org/charter/Krell2.htm

Notable quote:

"If we assume that self-programming ability follows processing power, very soon after the point that computers of human brainpower are mass-production items, we may expect that computers will attain the total information processing power of all human minds on the planet. They will have long since become the experts in the design of more complex computers, just as they are today the reigning experts at chess strategy. At some point not long after that, computers will recapitulate human history, human culture, and human thought. They will then teach each other everything we humans know in a matter of years (months? days? hours?), and then move on. The whole thing will happen in a flash, and if it happens at all, will certainly happen long before we’re really ready for it. The "flash" seems inevitable before the end of this century, and seems quite probable (given even modest extrapolation) before the middle of it. And, of course, we’ll be unable to stop it, anymore than we can stop anything on the Internet. Before we know it, it will be done."

Update

Now that I've gotten my pile of backlogged technology articles posted, I figure I should give a little more information on the topic of this blog.

For anyone interested in seeing where technology may ultimately lead, I recommend reading K. Eric Drexler's "Engines of Creation" and "Unbounding the Future," as well as Ray Kurzweil's "The Age of Intelligent Machines," "The Age of Spiritual Machines" (my favorite), and "The Singularity is Near." Both these writers have an impressive track record on technological prognostication.

Basically, they point to the double exponential growth of various technological benchmarks and extrapolate on where they may lead over the next couple of decades. These include reverse engineering the human brain (which should allow the creation of true artificial intelligence), achieving mature nanotechnology (which should allow us to create almost any material objects for very little cost), and eventually reaching the Singularity (when computers and robotics far exceeding human capabilities in all areas, leading to a technological and sociological change so drastic we cannot predict the outcome in any meaningful way). Eventually, we may need to either become our machines or be left in their technological dust.

We've already hit a number of the predicted milestones, so I'm inclined to believe the projections stand a reasonable chance of coming true. At the very least, the next couple of decades should prove very interesting. Most of us should still be alive to witness what happpens, so keep your eyes open and brace yourselves....