...the hand or the brain?
Our hands are unique. Apes, monkeys, even raccoons have hands, but they don't have hands like we do. We have the best hands - in fact, hands are part of what makes us human. There are structures in our hands that don't exist in, say, a chimp's hands.
Our hands are perfectly adapted for tool use. And we just pushed the modern hand back to 1.42 million years ago.
There's a theory that the hand may have come before the brain - that we actually evolved our complex brains and, ultimately, our intelligence, in order to better manage our clever hands.
Thoughts?
http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/11636/20131217/ancient-human-ancestor-evolved-agile-hands-earlier-thought.htm
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Monday, December 16, 2013
Interesting Article.
Very interesting, and easy to understand, article from Space Daily about what alien life might really look like.
Science fiction writers tend to be conservative - because our aliens need to be something people can identify with or, in the case of some forms of horror, fear. So, even in written work, we tend to create recognizable aliens - often bipedal humanoids.
Not necessarily the case.
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/SciTechTalk_Think_you_know_what_alien_life_may_look_like_Be_careful!_999.html
Science fiction writers tend to be conservative - because our aliens need to be something people can identify with or, in the case of some forms of horror, fear. So, even in written work, we tend to create recognizable aliens - often bipedal humanoids.
Not necessarily the case.
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/SciTechTalk_Think_you_know_what_alien_life_may_look_like_Be_careful!_999.html
Friday, December 13, 2013
Friday Updates
Nothing new this week, so just a reminder that my short story War Crimes is free on Musa Publishing through December 31. You have to get it from their site (and yes, you do have to make a purchaser account if you don't already have one - but you'll get a $5.99 gift certificate for your pains).
You can find it here: http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17&products_id=707
And, a very personal update - my cousin, Kevin Torrington, just told me that his wife, Kim, is expecting their first child - the due date is in late June.
You can find it here: http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17&products_id=707
And, a very personal update - my cousin, Kevin Torrington, just told me that his wife, Kim, is expecting their first child - the due date is in late June.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
One Step Closer: C/Fe Society
I'm not exaggerating...much.
Meet Valkyrie. It (she?) stands 6'2 and looks more than anything else like an Iron Man suit. It's designed that way so humans who work with it will be comfortable with the robot's presence. In fact, they are even giving it clothing.
More details will be announced on the 18th, but Valkyrie is, if it works as advertised, the first truly human-sized, humanoid robot capable of human-like tasks. It moves like a human and, rumor has it, can even drive vehicles. It's designed for search and rescue...but also to go to Mars ahead of human colonists so that when the squishy biologicals arrive they'll already have somewhere to live.
Valkyrie looks...I'm trying not to get too excited here...much like how the not fully humanoid robots in Asimov's work would appear. It's not going to be nearly that intelligent and will work in conjunction with human handlers...but it may also work alongside humans in dangerous environments. Troopers in Iraq are already mourning the destruction of bomb-sniffing robots. Valkyrie's almost human appearance might lead to an even greater emotional attachment.
Like, I don't know, a partner.
Meet Valkyrie. It (she?) stands 6'2 and looks more than anything else like an Iron Man suit. It's designed that way so humans who work with it will be comfortable with the robot's presence. In fact, they are even giving it clothing.
More details will be announced on the 18th, but Valkyrie is, if it works as advertised, the first truly human-sized, humanoid robot capable of human-like tasks. It moves like a human and, rumor has it, can even drive vehicles. It's designed for search and rescue...but also to go to Mars ahead of human colonists so that when the squishy biologicals arrive they'll already have somewhere to live.
Valkyrie looks...I'm trying not to get too excited here...much like how the not fully humanoid robots in Asimov's work would appear. It's not going to be nearly that intelligent and will work in conjunction with human handlers...but it may also work alongside humans in dangerous environments. Troopers in Iraq are already mourning the destruction of bomb-sniffing robots. Valkyrie's almost human appearance might lead to an even greater emotional attachment.
Like, I don't know, a partner.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Because, Cute.
Because we all need cute every now and then - http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/rescue-centre-overrun-by-adorable-seal-pups-in-wake-of-record-flood-surge-8995541.html
And if you're in any position to help, please do. They're overwhelmed with adorable little babies...most of which aren't weaned. Seal milk is unusual in its composition and hard to make replacement for, so this is expensive.
And they're adorable. I don't normally do things like this, but really, baby seals...
And if you're in any position to help, please do. They're overwhelmed with adorable little babies...most of which aren't weaned. Seal milk is unusual in its composition and hard to make replacement for, so this is expensive.
And they're adorable. I don't normally do things like this, but really, baby seals...
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Ha.
Rush Limbaugh has been claiming the Pope has gone Marxist and "somebody has gotten to him."
I like the zinging response of a Huffington Post blogger who speculated that somebody has - Jesus.
Seriously. I'm not Catholic. I'm not even Christian. But it does seem our current Pope is determined to give his church and his entire religion a good name.
Lots of snow today.
No.
Without sarcasm, there's a little bit of snow. Of course, DC is shut down, because three flakes is a blizzard around here. It almost reached "Christmas Card" before starting to melt. Ah well.
I like the zinging response of a Huffington Post blogger who speculated that somebody has - Jesus.
Seriously. I'm not Catholic. I'm not even Christian. But it does seem our current Pope is determined to give his church and his entire religion a good name.
Lots of snow today.
No.
Without sarcasm, there's a little bit of snow. Of course, DC is shut down, because three flakes is a blizzard around here. It almost reached "Christmas Card" before starting to melt. Ah well.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Ice storm...
...well, sort of. It was definitely unpleasant yesterday and distinctly slippery this morning, but I've seen worse. Of course, this being fairly far south, many people think two inches of snow constitutes a blizzard.
Weather's very much a relative thing. If you aren't used to heat, 80 becomes a heat wave in which people collapse. If you aren't used to cold...
It's all in what you're used to - and that goes for society as a whole. We notice most of all things that are outside the norm, and don't notice the (sometimes crazy) rituals of our culture and subculture.
At least the ice is melting now...but it might re-freeze again overnight. Ugh.
Weather's very much a relative thing. If you aren't used to heat, 80 becomes a heat wave in which people collapse. If you aren't used to cold...
It's all in what you're used to - and that goes for society as a whole. We notice most of all things that are outside the norm, and don't notice the (sometimes crazy) rituals of our culture and subculture.
At least the ice is melting now...but it might re-freeze again overnight. Ugh.
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