From the editor’s desk comments on the week ending on May 26th 2012.
With dozens of patents and research papers published and approved this week it is clear that the world continues to know more and create more opportunity for itself than ever. Here are some of the stories that caught our eye this week.
DISCOVERY: Of course Space Exploration Technologies historic launch tops the news. It has, so far been a high tech work of art. The capture, docking and berthing of its Dragon spacecraft were truly an encouraging sign that we are able to do more now that the shuttle era is over and not less. We now can begin thinking more realistically about entering the era beyond only engaging in orbital missions and begin to think instead of creating orbital sub-orbital systems. Multi layered orbital systems will not be applicable routinely untill private enterprise begins space flight for humans which should be somewhere in 2015. Until then watch for accelerated development of systems for tourism, research, manufacturing and mining to unfold.
INVENTION: The next story that tops the tech culture charts has to be Facebook;
Mark Zuckerburg the youthfulnvertor/entrepreneur who proved if you build it they will come now has to prove you can make billions doing it. The problem is as old as time. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. The problem is how do you get people to buy something while they are not there to shop but only to chat and socialize. Quantum POP thinks it will not be hard but will require some creative solutions to get er done.
The idea is to include elements into the environment that are more like socializing at the mall which people do all the time and less like hanging out at home. It will require data mining and customer tracking like you can’t believe. The question is will people stay in a product rich environment, in enough numbers to make it work, or move their conversations elsewhere.
INNOVATION: Speaking of youth. Do you think that science phenom Sir Issac Newton, ever imagined that his 300 year old mathematical problem of finding a formula for determining the path of a projectile under gravity, subject to air resistance, would be solved by a 16 year old 1st generation German of Indian decent? For over 300 years it was considered impossible to calculate this with one formula and yet this kid said, what the heck I’ll give it a shot. Congratulations Mr. sixteen year old Shouryya Ray.
And one more item that proves the older a thing is the newer it can become.
University of Missouri researchers have developed computer software that combines the ancient practices and modern medicine by providing an automated system for analyzing images of the tongue. Ancient Chinese medicine is one of those great things that keeps on bringing new advances in our world. The understanding that the body and in fact all life in this world consists of yin and yang elements that constantly mutate and change the phenomenon we observe, gets re-affirmed again. Ancient Chinese medicine affirms that these phenomenon can be observed and through these observations proper action to affect change can be determined. In physiognomy this means that the body is constantly revealing its condition to us through the color and shape of various parts of itself. The tongue has long been considered an indicator of overall health so these researchers have begun to develop a self diagnosis phone app so that you can look at your tongue and find out if you are about to need some medical attention up to a year or more before you actually get the symptoms. East may be east and west may be west but here the twain shall meet. Soon there will be a phone app for everthing.