Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Futurism.
Physics of Frisbees
No one gives a flying disk about Frisbees. It’s just a sport reserved for semi-athletic college students who don’t want to try out for a real team, right? Wrong. In 2012, Ultimate Frisbee players developed the American Ultimate Disc League which now has 25 teams across North America, according to the New Yorker. In August of 2015, the International Olympic Committee recognized Ultimate Frisbee is eligible to be an event at the summer Olympics. Some people have become so passionate about Frisbees that they have dedicated their lives to studying the physics behind them. That’s exactly what Tom McClintock, a University of Arizona Physics graduate, is doing with his career. He plans on studying the physics behind Frisbees so that he can help UltimateFrisbee players increase their skills on the field.
By Futurism Staff9 years ago in Futurism
Nothing But Stars in the Sky
Lt. Rand Jones lay in a puddle of his own blood on a flat, rocky shelf. He was separated from his squad during a firefight and barely escaped with what was left of his life. He knew if he didn't get medical treatment soon he would be just another corpse in the Iraqi desert.
By Steve Benton9 years ago in Futurism
What Are Dwarf Planets?
In the Kuiper belt in the outer solar system alone, it is estimated that there could be 200 dwarf planets, as well as anywhere up to 10,000 beyond that. And with so many celestial objects just waiting to be discovered, we can't help but wonder what are dwarf planets?
By Lindsie Polhemus9 years ago in Futurism
Costuming 'Star Trek The Motion Picture'
Bob Fletcher created more than 700 costumes for the Star Trek movie in less than 10 months, directing in excess of 200 drapers, cutters, tailors, operators, finishers, plastic workers, molders, shoemakers and assistants who had been hired to make his design concepts a reality. Star Trek—The Motion Picture was the first of the Star Trek films and debuted in 1979. William Shatner, Leonard Nemoy and George Takei made up some of the cast for the feature film, following their roles on the television series that aired from 1966 to 1969.
By Futurism Staff9 years ago in Futurism
'Star Wars' Jedi Books That Will Bring You to the Light Side
Help us Obi-Wan, these books are our only hope! Every Star Wars fan familiar with the universe certainly knows that there are many Star Wars books written about it. And obviously, there are good ones and bad ones. However, there are a few that are better than the rest and are actually considered to be extraordinary. The Jedi Apprentice, Star Wars trilogy is one of the most famous Star Wars book trilogies known worldwide. Author Dave Wolverton released the first edition of it more than a decade ago, in 1999. After the first edition, Rising Force, there were many others to come in the period from 1999-2002. These are now considered as the pearls of sci-fi writing, as Star Wars has never failed to deliver perfect stories and amazing scenery. Likewise, Jude Watson Star Wars Jedi books are renown for their quality and explanations of the universe. That is why these are our picks for the 10 best Star Wars Jedi books – which of them are the really best ones is for you to decide.
By Futurism Staff9 years ago in Futurism
Can Technology Help Mankind's Moral Compass?
Guide, like most new technologies, began in a billionaire's dream of reason. The PR-generated story of Guide's origin posited it as a passion project of Metra's cofounder and longtime CEO. Its aim was simple, universal: help people act more rationally.
By Ken Baumann9 years ago in Futurism
3D Bioprinting is the Future of Transplants
Imagine a world where there was no organ donor waiting list. A world where you would be able to get the organ you needed straight from a printer. According to Quartz, a Philadelphia-based company, BioBots, has released a printer that lets users 3D print human tissue and (potentially) human organs. In May of 2014, BioBots publicly launched at TechCrunch Disrupt in New York and printed a replica of Van Gogh’s ear for everyone to see. Currently, the printer works with a liquid mixture of different cells called “bio-ink.” This liquid is pressed through an extruder and fused together on the printer bed using blue light. A representative from the company told Quartz that the system could print out an object that has blood vessels and organ tissue at once, and the goal is to use this to create livers for drug testing and skins for cosmetic testing. This would eliminate the need for testing on humans and animals. However, BioBots isn’t the only company to create 3D printing for organs.
By Futurism Staff9 years ago in Futurism
Most Terrifying 80s Sci-Fi Movies
Maybe burying your dead pet in that haunted cemetery wasn't the best idea. Whether it's Pet Sematary or The Fly, America loves horror movies. Add some science fiction into the mix, and it's a recipe for disaster for the characters, but success in the movie business. Terrifying 80s sci-fi movies encompass everything that scares us—whether it's the terror of death or disaster—but they also make us think long and hard after the movie is over about its scientific realities. Could we really have a serum that rejuvenates dead people in the future like Re-Animator? Or would we really want our dead cat Fluffy to come back from the dead like Pet Sematary? Or what if, like in Parasite, we were run by an organization other than a government and they wanted to control the population with a deadly parasite? It's the mystery of terrifying 80s sci-fi movies that drive us to watch them over and over.
By Emily McCay9 years ago in Futurism
Does the Earth Have a Hidden Twin?
For several years now we have been hearing about new planetary bodies being discovered inside and outside our solar system. There are suggestions that our familiar companions - Mercury Venus, Mars, and the rest - may not be all there is to the sun's family. There is evidence that one member or more still awaits discovery through scientific research. This idea is not new. With ideas like Planet X and also back a century ago it was widely thought that another planet could be found within the orbit of Mercury. It was even given a name: Vulcan.
By George Gott9 years ago in Futurism
Rio 2016—The Olympic Games Meet The Science Fiction Games
If intellectual luminaries of Ancient Greece such as Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle could see a modern interpretation of our classic Olympic games, they’d likely be gratified their legendary athletic contest evolved into a unifying global event. Compare the ancient Olympians with our present day athletic engagement and depictions of a far flung future in sci-fi romps such as, The Hunger Games, Star Wars, and Star Trek, and if nothing else, it’s clear challenging athletic contests will survive centuries of sweeping, transforming modernity.
By Will Stape9 years ago in Futurism
