ESA Opens Oxygen Plant – Making Breathable Air Out of Moondust

Very cool ability:

https://scitechdaily.com/esa-opens-oxygen-plant-making-breathable-air-out-of-moondust/

World's First 'Living Machine' Created Using Frog Cells and Artificial Intelligence

https://www.livescience.com/frogbots-living-robots.html

Samsung's NEON Revealed - Leaked Trailer Looks Perfectly Human!

Indistinguishable from real humans:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6f6EXX-79w&feature=youtu.be

20 Metatrends for the Roaring 20s

Some seriously game-changing advances slated for this decade:

https://www.diamandis.com/blog/20-metatrends-2020s

World’s Most Efficient Lithium-Sulfur Battery Developed – Powers Smartphone for 5 Days

Seriously impressive. What are the downsides?

https://scitechdaily.com/worlds-most-efficient-lithium-sulfur-battery-developed-powers-smartphone-for-5-days/

In the Next 50 Years Our Place in the Universe Will Change Dramatically – Here’s How

A few fun things to look forward to:

https://scitechdaily.com/in-the-next-50-years-our-place-in-the-universe-will-change-dramatically-heres-how/

Successful Test for Superconducting 3.6 Megawatt Wind Turbine

Wind power has needed some more advancements:

https://scitechdaily.com/successful-test-for-superconducting-3-6mw-wind-turbine/

New Way to Make Hydrogen Energy Out of Water Much More Cheaply

Another promising step:

https://scitechdaily.com/new-way-to-make-hydrogen-energy-out-of-water-much-more-cheaply/

Information teleported between two computer chips for the first time

Another breakthrough:

https://newatlas.com/quantum-computing/quantum-teleportation-computer-chips/

U.S. Army’s Top 10 Science and Technology Advances of 2019

Some very cool items here:

https://scitechdaily.com/u-s-armys-top-10-science-and-technology-advances-of-2019-video/

China Expects Its “Artificial Sun” to Be Operational in 2020

This is a desperately needed technology, but China is not the country we want developing that technology first:

https://futurism.com/the-byte/china-artificial-sun-operational-2020

Visual Neurons Don’t Work the Way Scientists Thought – “Much More Complicated”

I imagine this could slow the process of achieving general A.I.:

https://scitechdaily.com/visual-neurons-dont-work-the-way-scientists-thought-much-more-complicated/

Healing the Planet: Atomic Precision for Clean Energy & Clean Air

Nanotech and other solutions to climate change:

https://fs2-bb4c.kxcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Healing_the_Planet_Report.pdf

A Former NASA Astronaut Is Building a Plasma-Powered Mars Rocket

https://futurism.com/the-byte/former-nasa-astronaut-building-mars-rocket

Paradox-Free Time Travel Possible With Many Parallel Universes

"“What time travel means here is stepping between those histories — that’s even freakier,” astrophysicist and dark matter expert Geraint Lewis at the University of Sydney, who was not involved in the research, told New Scientist. “At some level it doesn’t even feel like time travel anymore, because what’s the point of going back and killing Hitler if the second world war still plays out in the universe you’re from?”"

Hmm, but what's to stop you from THEN traveling back to your own timeline and changing it? The article isn't very clear about how that works.

https://futurism.com/paradox-free-time-travel-parallel-universes

Scientists Turn Plastic Waste Into Valuable Chemicals With Sunlight

Sounds like a promising way to start reversing all the plastic pollution in the world:

https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-turn-plastic-waste-into-valuable-chemicals-with-sunlight/

Secret Behind Metformin’s Weight Loss and Anti-Aging Benefits Revealed

This is impressive:

"metformin shows benefits on aging and a number of diverse diseases such as cognitive disorders, cancer and cardiovascular disease."

All three are things I need to keep an eye on.

https://scitechdaily.com/secret-behind-metformins-weight-loss-and-anti-aging-benefits-revealed/

$9 Billion Battery Project with BMW, BASF Gets EU Green Light

Good, this is very much needed to counteract China's dominance in the field:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-12-09/-9-billion-battery-project-with-bmw-basf-gets-eu-green-light

Power firm Iberdrola to become coal free in 2020

Congratulations:

https://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL8N28C317

Love it or hate it, Tesla’s Cybertruck is revolutionary

https://theconversation.com/love-it-or-hate-it-teslas-cybertruck-is-revolutionary-128076

Researchers Find New Way to Convert Carbon Dioxide Into Usable Fuel

https://scitechdaily.com/researchers-find-new-way-to-convert-carbon-dioxide-into-usable-fuel/

Scientists Finally Build Artificial Brain Cells

An important milestone:

https://futurism.com/neoscope/scientists-build-artificial-brain-cells

A quantum computing future is unlikely, due to random hardware errors

I hope this is not the case:

"Last year, Michel Dyakonov, a theoretical physicist at the University of Montpellier in France, offered a slew of technical reasons why practical quantum supercomputers will never be built"

https://theconversation.com/a-quantum-computing-future-is-unlikely-due-to-random-hardware-errors-126503

Can You Cryogenically Freeze Your Body and Come Back to Life?

The whole point of cryonics is a bet on technologies of the FUTURE, not the past or present, which is why most of this video isn't relevant. But here it is:

https://youtu.be/Wk2NxBYCe6s

How to Get Solar Power on a Rainy Day? Beam It From Space

Finally some movement on the development:

https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-get-solar-power-on-a-rainy-day-beam-it-from-space/

Superfast Charging High-Capacity Potassium Batteries Based on Organic Polymers

Yet another high potential option:

https://scitechdaily.com/superfast-charging-high-capacity-potassium-batteries-based-on-organic-polymers/

Researchers Evolve Bacteria That Consume CO2 for Energy

This has potential to suck much of the excess CO2 from the atmosphere:

https://scitechdaily.com/researchers-evolve-bacteria-that-consume-co2-for-energy/

Ultra-Clean Carbon Nanotube Transistors With Superior Semiconducting Properties

https://scitechdaily.com/ultra-clean-carbon-nanotube-transistors-with-superior-semiconducting-properties/

Watch a Dog-Like Robot Climb Straight up a Ladder

https://futurism.com/the-byte/watch-dog-like-robot-climb-ladder

Objective Reality Doesn't Exist, Quantum Experiment Shows

Anyone who watches Faux News knows that!

https://www.livescience.com/objective-reality-not-exist-quantum-physicists.html

Turning Waste Heat Into Hydrogen Fuel Using Reverse Electrodialysis

https://scitechdaily.com/turning-waste-heat-into-hydrogen-fuel-using-reverse-electrodialysis/

“Big Surprise” Discovery Increases Perovskite Solar Cell Efficiency

If they can just make perovskite cells last longer:

https://scitechdaily.com/big-surprise-discovery-increases-perovskite-solar-cell-efficiency/

New 'smart skin' may let you reach out and virtually touch -- anyone

This will be needed for "real" virtual reality:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/20/health/virtual-touch-scn-wellness/index.html

Mexican 'smart city' would be 100% energy efficient, self-sustaining

Mexico leading the way:

https://bigthink.com/technology-innovation/mexico-smart-forest-city

New Hybrid Device Efficiently Captures and Stores Solar Energy

https://scitechdaily.com/new-hybrid-device-efficiently-captures-and-stores-solar-energy/

New Data From First Human Crispr Trials Shows Promising Results

Debilitating genetic diseases apparently cured with just one treatment:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/leahrosenbaum/2019/11/19/human-crispr-trials-promising/#133eddd92daa

Secretive energy startup backed by Bill Gates achieves solar breakthrough

A game changer for smelting and concrete production:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/19/business/heliogen-solar-energy-bill-gates/index.html

Can You Really Make 'Meat' Out of Air?

A brilliant way to make protein:

https://www.livescience.com/air-protein-meat.html

Photos Show Evidence of Life on Mars: Insect- and Reptile-Like Fossils & Living Creatures

I'm calling bullshit on this (like that "face on Mars" image), but I'll post it anyway:

https://scitechdaily.com/photos-show-evidence-of-life-on-mars-insect-and-reptile-like-fossils-living-creatures/

Scientists Create Holograms You Can See, Hear, and Feel

https://futurism.com/scientists-create-holograms-see-hear-feel

Is your gut health linked to your mental health?

Two startling findings:

"Mice are anxious and prefer dark, enclosed spaces. But if they’re born and raised without gut microbes, they freely scurry around light, exposed areas.

When microbe-depleted rats get fecal transplants from people with severe depression, they act more sad and anxious than rats that get transplants from people without depression."

https://www.nutritionaction.com/daily/brain-health/is-your-gut-health-linked-to-your-mental-health/

Efficient Seawater Desalination and Hydrogen Production Possible With New Catalyst

https://scitechdaily.com/efficient-seawater-desalination-and-hydrogen-production-possible-with-new-catalyst/

Kick-Starting Moore’s Law With Breakthrough ‘Synthetic’ Method for Making Microchips

https://scitechdaily.com/kick-starting-moores-law-with-breakthrough-synthetic-method-for-making-microchips/

Highly Efficient Solar Cells Possible With Hybrid Perovskite Breakthrough

Another step toward a big increase in solar cell efficiency:

https://scitechdaily.com/highly-efficient-solar-cells-possible-with-hybrid-perovskite-breakthrough/

Scientists Tout “Miracle” Cancer Drug That Starves Tumor Cells

Potential game-changer:

https://futurism.com/neoscope/miracle-cancer-drug-starves-tumor-cells

New Organic Solar Cells Set Efficiency World Record

This should lead to cheaper solar cells on the horizon:

https://scitechdaily.com/new-organic-solar-cells-set-efficiency-world-record/

Mountain Gravity Energy Storage – Environmental Long-Term Energy Storage

An interesting mid-size storage option:

https://scitechdaily.com/mountain-gravity-energy-storage-environmental-long-term-energy-storage/

A startup just announced the world’s first fake-meat “steaks” made from fungi. Are we ready?

This could be great:

https://newfoodeconomy.org/move-over-plant-based-meat-fungi-steaks-are-here/

Solving a Riddle That Would Provide the World With Entirely Clean, Renewable Energy

The search for a catalyst to split water into hydrogen and oxygen cheaply and efficiently:

https://scitechdaily.com/solving-a-riddle-that-would-provide-the-world-with-entirely-clean-renewable-energy/

New ‘Artificial Leaf’ Converts Harmful Carbon Dioxide Into Fuel

Could be a game changer if it can be scaled up large enough and at a reasonable price:

https://scitechdaily.com/new-artificial-leaf-converts-harmful-carbon-dioxide-into-fuel/

Important Breakthrough in Perovskite Solar Cells

https://scitechdaily.com/important-breakthrough-in-perovskite-solar-cells/

An upper bound for the background rate of human extinction

If this is accurate, it's pretty scary:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-47540-7?utm_source=commission_junction

But this section is confusing:

"Using only the information that Homo sapiens has existed at least 200,000 years, we conclude that the probability that humanity goes extinct from natural causes in any given year is almost guaranteed to be less than one in 14,000, and likely to be less than one in 87,000. Using the longer track record of survival for our entire genus Homo produces even tighter bounds, with an annual probability of natural extinction likely below one in 870,000."

Doctors Are Trying to Use CRISPR to Fight Cancer. The 1st Trial Suggests It's Safe.

Yay, CRISPR!

https://www.livescience.com/crispr-to-fight-cancer.html

Moth-Poulsen’s Energy-Trapping Molecule Could Solve Solar Storage

This could dramatically lower home heating bills, as well as serve as a launching point for a new solar electricity generation system:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-04/moth-poulsen-s-energy-trapping-molecule-could-solve-solar-storage

Post-Lithium Technology: High-Energy-Density Next-Generation Rechargeable Batteries

Encouraging:

https://scitechdaily.com/post-lithium-technology-high-energy-density-next-generation-rechargeable-batteries/

Two-Legged Robot Mimics Human Operator in Force-Feedback Exoskeleton Suit [Video]

It's about time we had these full-body waldos to accomplish dangerous tasks:

https://scitechdaily.com/two-legged-robot-mimics-human-operator-in-force-feedback-exoskeleton-suit-video/

MIT Device Cools With No Electricity or Moving Parts – Even Under the Blazing Sun

This could massively cut the cost of air conditioning, among other things:

https://scitechdaily.com/mit-device-cools-with-no-electricity-or-moving-parts-even-under-the-blazing-sun/

Focus on renewable energy, not carbon capture, say researchers

https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/carbon-capture-efficacy

The Size of Space

Fun for size comparisons of objects in outer space (though mine stopped functioning toward the end):

https://neal.fun/size-of-space/

Swarms of Self-Transforming Robot Blocks Unlock Stealthy Abilities to Accomplish Complex Tasks

https://scitechdaily.com/swarms-of-self-transforming-robot-blocks-unlock-stealthy-abilities-to-accomplish-complex-tasks/

Doubt Cast on Carbon Capture by Stanford Study – “It Usually Increases Air Pollution”

At least this is regular carbon capture, not the latest developments:

https://scitechdaily.com/doubt-cast-on-carbon-capture-by-stanford-study-it-usually-increases-air-pollution/

Make Like a Leaf: ‘Carbon Photosynthesis’ With Nanotechnology to Convert CO2 Into Fuels

https://scitechdaily.com/make-like-a-leaf-carbon-photosynthesis-with-nanotechnology-to-convert-co2-into-fuels/

New Robot Makes Soldiers Obsolete (Bosstown Dynamics)

An amusing update on the Atlas robot testing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3RIHnK0_NE

“Revolutionary” New Way to Remove Carbon Dioxide From Air Developed at MIT

It's capable of stripping CO2 from the atmosphere at a reasonable cost. The video shows it all nicely:

https://scitechdaily.com/revolutionary-new-way-to-remove-carbon-dioxide-from-air-developed-at-mit-video/

Tesla is unveiling a 3rd version of its solar roof this week, Elon Musk says

I really hope this works, because it would be a game changer:

https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-solar-roof-version-3-is-coming-elon-musk-says-2019-10

Tesla: Autopilot Is Nearly 9 Times Safer Than the Average Driver

This comes with a number of caveats, though:

https://futurism.com/the-byte/tesla-autopilot-safer-average-driver

These U.N. Climate Scientists Think They Can Halt Global Warming for $300 Billion. Here's How

$300 billion is incredibly cheap to stave off the effects of climate change for a couple decades:

https://time.com/5709100/halt-climate-change-300-billion/

The Director of the NIH Lays Out His Vision of the Future of Medical Science

The near future advances:

https://time.com/5709207/medical-science-age-of-discovery/

Why Do Some People Need Less Sleep? It’s in Their DNA

"We all wish we could get by on less sleep, but one father and son actually can—without suffering any health consequences and while actually performing on memory tests as well as, or better than, most people."

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-do-some-people-need-less-sleep-its-in-their-dna/

ROBOTICS: Teaming for Future Soldier Combat

According to this, we still have a long way to go to get true general artificial intelligence:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loCEM9b_pxc&feature=youtu.be

Google Has Achieved 'Quantum Supremacy.' Just What the Heck Is That?

"What makes Google’s accomplishment worthy of the hoopla was, for starters, speed: The Sycamore computer solved the random-number problem in just 200 seconds. Even the most powerful traditional supercomputer would require a somewhat pokier 10,000 years — give or take a century — to achieve the same feat."

https://time.com/5708327/google-quantum-supremacy-explainer/

Giant Plasma Guns Could Be the Answer to Limitless Fusion Power

Fusion power would be world-changing, making up the difference from solar and wind:

https://www.livescience.com/fusion-power-new-method-plasma-guns.html

"Game changer" superconductor discovered to power future computers

Paving the way for quantum computers:

https://bigthink.com/technology-innovation/quantum-computing-john-hopkins

Scientists extend mice lifespan 12% by tweaking telomeres

Tweak my telomeres, baby:

https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/telomere-aging

CVS to test drone delivery for your medications

I wonder what the skies will look like in a decade or so:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/21/tech/cvs-ups-drone/index.html

Harvard researchers grew meat in a lab from cow and rabbit cells. It looks a lot like the real thing

It's getting there:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/21/us/harvard-lab-grown-meat-trnd/index.html

I wonder whether plant-based meat or lab-grown meat will ultimately win out?

Scientists Worried That Human Brains Grown in Lab May Be Sentient

Hmm, problem:

https://futurism.com/the-byte/scientists-worried-lab-grown-brains-sentient

Watch a Real-Life Invisibility Cloak Designed for Military Use

Wow, the invisibility cloak is really here:

https://futurism.com/the-byte/watch-invisibility-cloak-military-use

Powered by Sunlight, ‘Artificial Leaf’ Successfully Produces Clean Gas From CO2 and Water

A potentially powerful stopgap option:

https://scitechdaily.com/powered-by-sunlight-artificial-leaf-successfully-produces-clean-gas-from-co2-and-water/

Breakthrough Flexible, Cuttable Lithium-Ion Battery Won’t Catch Fire – Unbreakable & Incombustible

More energy storage per unit weight is more important, but this is good too:

https://scitechdaily.com/breakthrough-flexible-cuttable-lithium-ion-battery-wont-catch-fire-unbreakable-incombustible/

All Plastic Waste Could Be Recycled Into New, High-Quality Plastic With Advanced New Process

Full recycling of plastic is critical, and it seems to have finally been achieved:

https://scitechdaily.com/all-plastic-waste-could-be-recycled-into-new-high-quality-plastic-with-advanced-new-process/

Just How Feasible is a Warp Drive?

Still plenty of hurdles to overcome...but it may indeed be possible:

https://www.universetoday.com/143422/just-how-feasible-is-a-warp-drive/

Paris zoo unveils the 'blob', an organism with no brain but 720 sexes

Okay, this is a contender for the weirdest known life form:

https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/paris-zoo-unveils-the-blob-an-organism-with-no-brain-but-720-sexes

Why a computer will never be truly conscious

I'm dubious. This article seems narrow in its approach, ignoring things like reverse-engineer the human brain:

https://theconversation.com/why-a-computer-will-never-be-truly-conscious-120644

A New Bioreactor Captures as Much Carbon as an Acre of Trees

A 63-cubic foot box filled with algae that supposedly absorbs as much carbon as 400 trees and keeps it out of the environment. It's a start:

https://futurism.com/the-byte/bioreactor-captures-carbon-acre-trees

Is NASA ignoring proof of Martian life from the 1970s?

Intriguing...and disturbing that it wasn't followed up on with subsequent visits:

https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/life-on-mars-proof

NASA to test its first all-electric plane, the X-57

12 propellers. Huh. I'd think the extra weight and blocking of the wing would be an issue:

https://bigthink.com/technology-innovation/electric-aircraft

New Electrolyte Improves Cycle Life of Next-Generation Lithium-Ion Batteries

https://scitechdaily.com/new-electrolyte-improves-cycle-life-of-next-generation-lithium-ion-batteries/

Navy Scientist Known For “UFO-Like Tech” Patents Fusion Reactor

"Salvatore Cezar Pais, the engineer who also patented room-temperature superconductors for the Navy, was granted a patent for a small nuclear fusion reactor capable of generating anywhere from 1 billion to 1 trillion watts."

If this pans out, it would change the world:

https://futurism.com/the-byte/navy-scientist-ufo-tech-fusion

Converting Plastic Waste From Cities and Rivers Into Fuel

Great to put discarded plastic to use, but it still puts CO2 in the atmosphere:

https://scitechdaily.com/converting-plastic-waste-from-cities-and-rivers-into-fuel/

Oh Good, They’re Adding Guns to the Flying Iron Man Jet Suit

Yeah, but it IS cool:

https://futurism.com/the-byte/adding-guns-flying-iron-man-jet-suit

Toyota Used VR to Teach a Home Helper Robot How to Clean

I've been wondering why there hasn't been much mentioned about using VR (or motion capture suits) to demonstrate to a robot how to carry out the desired tasks, with the motions being automatically converted into the necessary computer code:

https://futurism.com/the-byte/toyota-vr-teach-home-robot

Peeking at Schrodinger’s Cat Without Disturbing It – A Way of Measuring a Quantum System While Keeping Its Superposition Intact

Quantum mechanics is just so damn weird. I love it:

https://scitechdaily.com/peeking-at-schrodingers-cat-without-disturbing-it-a-way-of-measuring-a-quantum-system-while-keeping-its-superposition-intact/

As Graphene Turns 15, It Is on Track to Deliver on Its Promises

Looking forward to it. It should change the world:

https://scitechdaily.com/as-graphene-turns-15-it-is-on-track-to-deliver-on-its-promises/

Kitty Hawk's Extremely Quiet Flying Car Has a 100-Mile Range

100x quieter than a helicopter. Very cool indeed:

https://futurism.com/the-byte/kitty-hawk-flying-car-heaviside

Paralysed man moves in mind-reading exoskeleton

The early beginning of proper bionics?

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-49907356

AI bests humans in medical diagnosis

And A.I. surpasses humans yet again:

https://bigthink.com/technology-innovation/ai-bests-humans-medical-diagnosis?rebelltitem=1

A floating device created to clean up plastic from the ocean is finally doing its job, organizers say

Finally!

"Ocean Cleanup plans to build a fleet of these devices, and predicts it will be able to reduce the size of the patch by half every five years."

https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/02/tech/ocean-cleanup-catching-plastic-scn-trnd/index.html

Algae might be a secret weapon to combatting climate change

Algea is FAR more efficient at absorbing CO2 than trees are:

https://qz.com/1718988/algae-might-be-a-secret-weapon-to-combatting-climate-change/

Some Black Holes May Actually Be Blobs of Dark Energy

Bizarre and unexpected:

https://futurism.com/the-byte/black-holes-dark-energy