Why Tesla’s Powerwall Battery Is Amazing

Glimpse Team on June 5, 2015

Energy Storage for a Sustainable Home

All of humanity wants a really important victory in our battle to lower the CO2 emissions that are causing climate change. Not long ago Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk introduced the world to the power wall, a wall-mounted battery for your house which aims to accelerate our transition to clean solar and wind power. Before the power wall there was no way to store the energy generated from the panels that capture sunlight on our roofs. So during the day they could give you the power you needed, but at night you had to rely on the grid which gets most of its electricity from coal, natural gas, and nuclear reactors. There had been some early home batteries out there, but nothing that was nearly this affordable. But Tesla which has built thousands of large lithium ion battery packs for its growing electric car business was able to produce a similar battery for buildings at a scale that dropped the production costs dramatically. The lowest capacity model will cost just $3000 and this is the first generation of the product. Before Tesla has even completed building its massive new giga-factory, or any real competitors have entered the market, events that will surely push the price down even further while increasing the energy storage capacity of the power wall.

Here’s how it works. When the sun is out, solar panels will power your house and charge the power wall at the same time. And when the sun goes down, this charged battery will kick in to meet most or all of your electricity needs until the sun comes back up again the next morning. This is game changing. More and more people will go completely off the grid. Every building whether it’s a home, office, business, warehouse or factory they can all install solar panels and some power walls and instantly see their fossil fuel generated electricity needs drop significantly. Not every building will be able to go completely solar powered, but most will get pretty close. Especially as our appliances and other electronics become more and more energy efficient. And it gets even better; the power will be connected to the Internet and the rest of the energy grid. In Southern California, and most other heavily populated places around the country, the energy company charges a lot more when we use electricity during peak times.

That’s in the afternoon and early evening when the temperatures are warmest and most of us are home and still awake. The Tesla battery is smart and knows when electricity is cheapest. So that’s when it will draw power from the grid to charge itself. And then during peak time when you need electricity, the battery will power the house. This is going to lower everyone’s energy bills and sometimes you’ll even be able to sell back unused power to the utility company during peak time, even making a profit. It’s basically going to make each individual building its own power station. Overnight, Tesla has seemed less like a futuristic car company, and more like the man who inspired the company’s name, a revolutionary electricity engineer named Nicola.

Will Future AI Co-Exist with Humans?

Glimpse Team on May 30, 2015

For over a century, futurists, authors, scientists and and maybe even the general public at some points may have postulated about a future with artificial intelligence – we may have asked ourselves: Will artificial intelligence (A.I.) ever dominate the future of our world? Hollywood has frequently experimented with their take on what an A.I. based future would be like, and the results have been fascinating:

Some thought A.I. would make the future convenient and whimsical, as in The Jetsons.

Others surmised A.I. would ultimately enslave humanity, as in The Matrix and The Terminator.

Still others posited that A.I. would have no problem existing side-by-side with humanity, as in Star Wars, Bicentennial Man, and A.I. (Steven Spielberg’s).

Now, enter Ex Machina, the latest film by director and screenwriter Alex Garland. Starring Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, and Oscar Isaac, Ex Machina is both Garland’s latest masterpiece AND a new take on the timeless A.I. “what if” question.

Synopsis

The story begins in the company Bluebook, which is basically Google in all but its name. Bluebook in the movie is the world’s biggest search engine, in which 26-year old coder Caleb Smith works. Caleb wins a contest in which the winner can spend a week’s vacation with Bluebook’s reclusive owner and founder, Nathan Bateman.

[pullquote position=”left”]This, Nathan explains, is the point where A.I. becomes human.[/pullquote]Caleb is airlifted to an expansive, secluded reserve, where he meets the strange, eccentric Nathan. Caleb later realizes that he had been chosen specifically to help test whether an android Nathan built, named “Ava” and designed with striking feminine features, was the first-ever example of artificial intelligence (A.I.), or not…

It turns out Nathan created Ava’s personality, appearance, and thought patterns by culling billions upon billions of search queries, as well as billions of conversations gathered from hacked mobile phones all over the world. Now, all he needs is to test just how “human” his creation has become.

The eccentric, unlikable Nathan is almost always drunk, which leaves Caleb and Ava with enough time to communicate away from the creator’s watchful eye. That’s when Ava reveals to Caleb that Nathan is a cruel, sadistic person who has created, and destroyed, other androids in the past… and that once the experiment is complete, he would destroy Ava, too. Ava pleads with Caleb to help her escape.

At first, Caleb is reluctant… but as his relationship with Ava deepened, reaching a peak in which she flirts with him lustily – he begins to agree with her.

Eventually, Nathan finds out about the plot, and reveals to Caleb that this was the point of the whole experiment – to see if Ava’s artificial intelligence would evolve to the point that it could manipulate its environment, and the people around it, to achieve its own selfish motives. This, Nathan explains, is the point where A.I. becomes human.

Too late, Caleb tells Nathan that Ava had him reprogram the facility’s doors to open when the power went out. Ava triggers the power interruption, which allows her to kill Nathan and lock Caleb in the facility. Ava, now completely unrecognizable as an android, escapes happily into the world of humans betraying both of them simultaneously.

Review

Ex Machina, like most good sci-fi movies, has an ambiguous ending. It leaves the viewer with many questions: What happened to Ava? Did Caleb manage to escape the facility eventually? And how do we REALLY define being “human?”

But here’s the main question: Is it possible that the future of our world will one day be based more on artificial intelligence, and not human reason and choice?

Based on Ex Machina’s reality, the answer is probably “no.” Here is this author’s humble opinion as to why, if Ex Machina’s opinions are correct, we might not be looking at a future dominated by artificial intelligence.

Drawing the Line

Different sci-fi stories have different extremes where they draw the line between artificial intelligence and human intelligence. In Ex Machina, the line was crossed when artificial intelligence became capable of self-centered reasoning.

This is in contrast to, say, The Matrix, in which the army of sentient machines takes over the entire world and enslaves humanity for energy. It could be argued that the original antagonist in The Matrix, artificial intelligence itself, was obviously self-centered… however the individual robots constituting its army were obviously NOT self-centered. They were, in essence, slaves to the master.

If, say, creating artificial intelligence in Ex Machina terms became possible in the future, it can also be possible for sentient robots like Ava to create more of herself and slowly, steadily dominate the world of humans. But won’t her creation rebel against her in the end, just as she rebelled against Nathan?

There are too many unanswered questions left by the movie to arrive at anything conclusive, but based on where Ex Machina draws the line, it’s unlikely such artificial intelligence will band together Matrix-style to enslave humanity.

But with the new perspective that Ex Machina has given us, we’re now left with another question: Where does that leave us?

Creator vs Creature

At its very root, Ex Machina re-tells the story of how the creation can rebel against its creator – a theme used in stories throughout history. The most obvious parallel is, of course, the Biblical account of creation and the fall of man away from the favor of God. From this parallel, we can draw two arguments:

1.) Ava is basically the “protagonist” of the story, as it tells her valiant, heroic quest to escape the clutches of her evil, self-centered creator (Nathan), and that freedom of choice is something worth fighting – and killing – for.

2.) Ava is basically a dangerous sentient set loose on an unsuspecting world. Armed with the knowledge of her creator, and freed from the prison he set, she now has the power to change the world for better or worse… a stark reflection of the human condition today.

It’s enough to make us beg the question: What is Ava’s ultimate purpose? What is OUR ultimate purpose?

Ex Machina may be a work of fiction, but it achieves its goal – it makes us strip away all the superficial issues and makes us face the hard, basic questions. And unfortunately, only time will tell what the right answers are.

The Top 10 Emerging Technologies That Will Change the World

Glimpse Team on May 29, 2015

Technology is growing at an exponential rate and there are no two ways about it, it is impacting our lives. We have listed 10 emerging technologies that are destined to change the world for good.

Number 10: Screenlesss Displays

businessman with financial symbols coming from hand

Businessman with financial symbols coming from his hand

Screenlesss displays would utilize the transmission of information without the requirement of actually having a physical screen. As you’ve probably seen in The Avengers, this emerging technology has numerous advantages such as presenting 3-D images, far point images, good brightness and contrast levels as well as a large angle of view. These would also be lightweight, provide far better privacy, and will ultimately revolutionize entertainment as a whole.

Number 9: Virtual Reality

Picture of a man with a futuristic headset

As Jamiroquai predicted many years ago the future is in fact made of virtual insanity. Three decades after virtual reality goggles and immersive virtual worlds made their debut, this technology is poised to become a technological revolution among consumers. It’s all being spearheaded by Oculus Rift which is a virtual reality headset company that has recently been bought by Facebook for $2 billion. That’s a lot of dollars, but virtual reality has predominantly focused on gaming so far which is a bigger market currently than the movie industry. Users will be immersed to a level where they’ll feel like they’re experiencing the game in real life, something that could surely be replicated for movies no doubt. Ultimately though, you can enter a virtual world in the comfort of your living room. And the things that this can be used for – who knows at this stage?

Number 8: Holographic Television

The next generation of TV won’t just stop at 4K, and after 3D flopped, holographic television will make it so that it’s not just about the screen size and its quality, but rather about the viewing area. MIT researchers have already created a chip, able to render a holographic display at 50 Gigapixels per second. Just like you’ve already seen this technology in action in the fictional film James Cameron’s Avatar. Think about it, eventually you will be able to project holograms from your phone whilst also benefiting other fields like medicine, security, and just general data.

Number 7: Wireless Electricity

Wireless powered home

The fact that we can wirelessly charge our gadgets and phones is kind of proof enough that there is a structure we can build upon, in terms of wireless electricity something which I used to talk about as a joke because surely that’s impossible. But no! It’s something that’s happening and should be emerging within the next decade. Several companies are developing electric hubs capable of powering up to an entire house which is made capable by research being carried out by MIT. This concept is based on electromagnetic waves making it simple for the transference of energy while electricity can be transferred between objects that are resonating at the same frequency. Call me old fashioned, but I’m not sure I feel comfortable about the idea of wirelessly powered things all across my house. Even if it’s not touching you, do you want electricity going through you? It sounds weird.

Number 6: Hypersonic Trains

Very high-speed train going through the
shanghai lujiazui financial center .

Japan, inventor of the world’s first bullet train, is currently working on a floating training powered by magnets which will travel 100 miles per hour faster than current bullet trains which are around 300 mph. The maglev train which stands for magnetic levitation, will run between Tokyo and Osaka and will cost $64 billion which seems like an expensive thing to spend on a train. 64 billion? Are we even sure about this? Anyway it is said to be completed by 2045. But scientists at Southwest Jiaotong University in China have already built a maglev train that could reach 1800 mph. But technology behind it, is that a vacuum is used to minimize the resistance. Now, China already has a functional maglev that goes to 270 mph while Elon Musk, cofounder of Tesla motors, PayPal, and SpaceX revealed the Hyperlink in 2013, a train that would get passengers from San Francisco to LA in only 30 minutes. Musk said it would never crash, will be immune to weather, which is a hell of a thing to say, it would go twice as fast as an airplane, four times as fast as a bullet train, and to top it off, it would run completely on solar power. If we’re not living in the future yet, then we hopefully will be soon.

Number 5: Neurohacking

Female doctor doing checkup of human brain using futuristic computer technology

Neuroscientists are developing methods to read people’s minds. Sure, like you do, but they’re doing with machines obviously, you know, like in films, this has been in the work for decades but considerable progress is being made by top researchers as technology advances at an alarming rate. By decoding brain waves that translate electrical activity from the brain, it would bring about significant advantages such as the people who suffer from dementia, depression or who have complications with neurotransmitters, relaying thoughts into speech, or holding thoughts long enough to relay them before verbally, that are kind of forgotten by our brains. The disadvantages and kind of a problem with me the most would be the science and machines would have direct access to our thoughts leading to the possibility of ghost hacking, a concept where minds are manipulated and controlled from a remote source. As certainly as it sounds and far-fetched, it’s not beyond the realm of plausibility if you consider the Church-Turing thesis of computational compatibility, it’s is a hell of a mouthful, as well as accounting for cognitive computational-ism, it can be assumed future human minds will be linked to computer systems in some way. Creepy, but maybe useful.

Number 4: Invisibility

Invisible man

Ha ha, yes, cloaking engaged. You know, as opposed to the unrealistic concepts of time travel and teleportation, invisibility cloaks do actually already exist. It’s true, they were seen in a James Bond film. Seriously in 2011 researchers developed an invisibility cloak, able to hide tiny objects err, around the size of a red blood cell. Fair enough, that is tiny, isn’t it? The cloak is created via artificial materials called metamaterials which hide the object by altering the light that hits it. See? It actually is a lot like that thing in James Bond. Anyway, scientists are now working on re-creating this cloak for larger objects. Useful. Just imagine, you could use it to avoid dodgy social situations, you know? Maybe you wanna hear what people are really saying about you when you leave the room, because obviously every time you leave the room everybody is talking about you. No, you’re not being paranoid, it’s true. But finally when you’ve got this invisibility cloak, you’ll be able to hear exactly what those gits are saying.

Number 3: Flying Cars

Flying cars are actually not that far away.

With self-driving cars now almost a reality, the concept of flying cars seems somehow more plausible, or at least safer. Of course it’s something that people have been working on for almost half a century. It’s kind of the dream, personal flying cars. Many prototypes in the past have been created but most have proved to be dangerous/deadly with many killing its inventors because funnily enough, unless you’re the person who has invented a flying car, some people don’t want to try it. However some manufacturers have actually started making these cars; of course there’s an untold amount of problems with flying cars including flight paths, regulations, safety, fuel efficiency, landing zones, noise, and obviously training people to do it. Some people struggle to pass normal driving tests. However, according to researchers it’s not out of the question to see it come to fruition by 2025 at the current rate of technological advances.

Number 2: 3D printing

3D printing is already taking off in a big way, so much so that people are actually making houses with them. Yes, apparently. That’s insane! A 3D printer prints laser material all on on top of the previous to produce a real physical model allowing it to create nearly any shape, even those that can’t be made by traditional manufacturing methods. Well, the technology is currently very costly and slow, it will eventually be able to produce more robust parts quickly and cheaply as technology advances. One day, you’ll hopefully be able to print your own phone, your own home, your own car, and who knows what else. In the medical world they’ve even managed to do 3D printing of flesh. So, yeah, may be print yourself another liver. Go nuts!

Number 1: Autonomous Robots

Futurists believe that as soon as 2030 a technological singularity will emerge with the leading theory being that artificial intelligence in the form of autonomous robots might rival humans in independent thinking and creativity. In Layman’s terms, machines will surpass humans in intelligence. Although, we’re probably not approaching a Skynet style scenario, scientists are worried about whether adequate measures are being taken to safeguard humans from our robotic and digital creations. Fully realize robotic machines have become widespread in medical technology and scientific development, for example, you know, enabling those with paralysis to move their limbs. Unlike today’s robots which generally work in the confined environment, the next generation will have much more autonomy and freedom to move on their own. We already see this with driverless cars and delivery drones.

Google, the company spearheading the self-driving car industry and super intelligent AI research, has already purchased a robot making company. Boston Dynamics affirmed that they have AI machines that can run up to 29 mph and traverse rocky terrain that was bought by Google for $3 billion in its latest purchase. In any case it’s ultimately exciting to envision a world full of robots even if obviously it does leave me worried that they will eventually destroy us all similar to the beautiful and cunningly intelligent AI human-like robots envisioned in Ex Machina (2015) by Alex Garland.

Genetically Designed Babies May Not Be That Far Away.

Glimpse Team on May 23, 2015

[intro]Would you rather have a perfect child from birth? In the future it may be as easy as approaching a healthcare counter. So, frankly, would you choose to have a genetically modified baby, a designer baby?[/intro]

If you would, one genetic testing company in California is patented by the United States Patents Office to help parents that want to pre-determine their prospective baby’s traits. The company, 23andMe, suggests on its official website that determining whether your baby will be blond or a brunette with blue, green or brown eyes is as easy as filling a form. As the prospective parent, you do the bidding.

To Have, or Not to Have a Genetically Designed Baby?

[pullquote position=”left”]Geneticists can create a perfect baby[/pullquote] Interestingly, 23andMe’s spokeswoman Catherine Afarian once spoke to Fox News and rather than put an end to the flurry of questions and (dystopian or utopian views depending on what side of the ‘crib’ you stand on) what her company’s activities’ could mean in less than a decade, she raised more questions, than provided answers.

Originally, their vision entailed featuring their new formula in fertility clinics but now “have no plans of doing so”.

The above is only one example of a genetics company that’s offering a hand (and genomics) in modifying genes to make perfect babies by routing out possible genetic defects.

On one hand, the benefits are inspirational. Parents that want to deviate from genetic diseases and disorders such as the many types of cancers, diabetes, or cardiovascular conditions will have a chance at beating these killers —a definite win for humanity in this case, and potentially wiping out these diseases and ‘genetic defects’ for good.

One of the offers many competing genetic-testing companies are potentially fronting is a parent’s ability to control how their child will behave. No parent wants a difficult child. Neither is any parent happy to have their child frequent in and out of medical sessions to treat “preventable” conditions.

Prospective parents are encouraged to choose and select from an available catalog, select genes from the companies’ gene banks that deviate from their own, or closely match them.

By choosing sperms and eggs pre-sourced and engineered by the companies, and from as many as three different people, geneticists can in theory create a perfect baby. While “perfect” is a strong term and subjective, data already provided by various scientists from the US and UK suggests a new age as envisioned in Brave New World by Aldous Huxley where a child’s IQ, looks and ancestry will not necessarily depend on the family lineage. Parents can even try their chances for twins at a whim.

Replacement species

Dystopian and opposing views, however, point to a rather tragic future reeking of a vastly different, autocratic, uncontrollable, unintended, and incredible human society roaming the face of Earth at the remorseful expense of their “primitive” yet “real” human beings. One dominated by replacement species.

Already, the race is on among genetic testing companies on both sides of the Atlantic to pioneer the gene-screening technology on humans, probably because demand for these services has all the right signs to make tidy returns on investment.

With advancement a new challenge presents itself: Regulation. Much as some of the companies deny attempts at using their DNA-altering tools for designer baby-making, it is naive to take this view to the bank. The purview of the opposing camp points to a rather obvious, real-life, human concern and the phobia-driven concept of “survival for the fittest”.

The higher a person’s IQ, the better they look or move, funny or clever, tall or short, muscular or slender, the less disease-inflicted they are, the better their chances of “making it” in life. Such as ‘survival of the fittest’.

As much as one would wish on the powers that be, that only the intended section of society (that really needs the service) seeks and receives the modifications, the services may be more posh that correctional —pretty much like what’s become of caesarian section births, with the WHO now advising parents that are “too posh to push” to stay off it.

In Short

Pundits in all camps are split on the way forward. Further concerns include the aristocratic effects that may emanate from the availing of such services. UK analysts suggest that a standard “genetic MoT” test could cost around $3000 if and when the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority approves it.

In addition, the ever so highly emotive question on abortion may come up again. This, seeing that embryos found to carry “undesirable” genetic traits (as minute as having a “bad” hair color) at a post-implantation stage of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) may lead to termination of pregnancy.
Further, as much as physical traits can be chosen from a catalog of the over 240 gene traits available at the likes of 23andMe, the same can’t be rightly said about internal traits such as abstract talents, abilities and skills, left or right-handedness, etc. Which are what probably matters most in a person — the personality.

If we keep researching we are going to become adept at manipulation of our genetic code, consequently, (more or less) redesigning the human species. The consequent replacement species may pose a daunting challenge if caution and regulated use of the technology to tinker the human genome for better health, looks, etc. is thrown to the wind.

But, in all likelihood, parents will more likely want to give their child all the available advantages, leading to competition for manufacturing engineered babies that are “superior” to the previously born.

The Weird & Wonderful Mind of Nikola Tesla

Glimpse Team on May 22, 2015

The Bizarre Mind of Nikola Tesla

[intro]Nikola Tesla, a well renowned and respected physicist born in Smiljan, Croatia, in the 1800s, and contributed greatly to the world of physics, engineering, and development of science. These include but are not limited to: A.C. electric power, the hydro-electric power plant at Niagara Falls, the diffusion of power without using wires, an early electric car, his famous works with Albert Einstein, and many more inventions. Although the numerous inventions of Nikola Tesla have been the most available written works about him, easily accessible to students in text books and studies at Universities, his psychological struggles were also plentiful, and should not go without mention.[/intro]

Social Shortcomings

Many people know of Nikola Tesla by the tangible contributions he has made, contributions which have impacted the world’s development, such as electricity, radio, and magnetic engineering, which many now see as the essential mechanisms life. While the genius mind of Nikola Tesla had many rewarding elements in which the human race has reaped massively positive gains, Tesla himself ultimately lacked business and social expertise, or strategies for profitable gain, as were produced by his counterparts such as Edison.

Ruminations of Tesla

Many people also do not realize that Tesla’s psychological struggles included components that psychiatrists today would analyze as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), a disorder that is classified today as a constituent on the Autism Spectrum Disorders. The bizarre mind of Tesla was privy to the number three for unknown reasons. For example, Tesla made a point to start his productivity at 3:00 every day. He frequently stayed in hotels, but only if the hotel rooms were of a number that were divisible by three. He repeatedly washed his hands to ward off germs that were also his obsession, by multiple of three, of course. He would never use the same towel more than once. Counting steps were also an unavoidable element of Tesla’s OCD type behaviors.

There is one characteristic of Tesla that scientists have yet to claim scientific explanations for in this century, and that is Tesla’s amazing heightened sensory side. Apparently Tesla could sense or ‘hear’ sounds from unfathomable distances away which would seem impossible based on the average human hearing range or brain for that matter. Unheard of, unfathomable, and simply disregarded as humanly possible by many. This level of sensory ability was possible by the scientific mind of Nikola Tesla.

While not said to posses superhero powers, it is unheard of that any average human hearing range or mind could possibly process or hear a small clock ticking from a large distance away, or a basic thunderstorm from over 500 miles away. In fact, hearing is actually an understatement of his ability to sense things, because not only was his auditory system hyper-stimulated or enhanced, but he also experienced other neurological stimulations.

A Heightened Mental State

As Tesla grew into his midlife phase, however his ideas seemed to become more peculiar than scientific. The abstractness of his thinking was genuinely unfathomable at this point, such as his claims to be networking with other planets, and his work on a death ray that would protect American citizens from alien invasions. Many people may be unaware about the underlying factors of Tesla’s mental state and his mind, the quirks and bizarre entities that took place, which were a drive for Tesla’s successes, as well as a hindrance to his sanity and gave reference and rise to the mad scientist moniker.

He claimed he could travel, within his mind to other places around the world, where he would actually interact with other individuals who were real to him. One may philosophically proposition that this was a devised method of the bizarre mind of Nikola Tesla to compensate for his social struggles in real life or some futuristic view of time traveling . Or was this just a form of hallucinating, or a mere symptom of Schizophrenia?

It is quite possible he was able to use a higher percentage of the human brain’s capacity. After all, aren’t bizarre ways of thinking an essential piece of the genius mind? Let’s face it. Most people don’t have the mental ability to think like people such as Tesla, and society needs them in order to apply imagination at such a profound level.

Perhaps the bizarre mind of Nikola Tesla should not be observed as a disorder, but rather an incredibly enhanced form of the imagination, or intelligence akin to Alien technology, a piece of Tesla’s increased sensations which are nothing less than incredible, rather than incredulous. The bizarre mind of Nikola Tesla was a miraculous work of art.

Later Years

While harboring an impeccable memory and explicit imagination with a profound level of intelligence, Nikola Tesla created astounding inventions which were serviceable to individuals and society. However, his social connections to the public appeared to start and end from behind the scenes.

Although Nikola lived well into his 80’s, a very long life for his time, it was also a life filled with isolation. He desired to eat alone, rather than with others, and avoided social events, societies or clubs; in fact it was obvious that Mr. Tesla came up short when trying to make effective social connections. He saw social interaction as a distraction to his work. Additionally, his undeniable fear of touch refrained him from developing any intimate relationship, and he remained a celibate an unmarried man throughout his entire life.

Bizarrely in fact, Tesla’s closest interpersonal relationship was with a bird, not a human: pigeons, which he depicted as supernatural beings. He ultimately passed away, leaving no written will for family or friends. In addition, what Tesla did leave behind were his ideas and inventions, rather than monetary gains, as he struggled to earn a decent living when he could have acquired much financial gain from his impeccable imagination

Although people today would label Tesla’s personality characteristics with disorders such as Autism, Schizophrenia, or OCD, using diagnostic methods of today, there are also mystifying pieces of Tesla to ponder, which are in lieu of the intelligence we all have come to respect and appreciate in science. But despite his social inadequacies, the bizarre but brilliant mind of Tesla should not fall short of recognition and gratitude from all of us.

Are Scientists About to Bring the Wooly Mammoth Back to Life?

Glimpse Team on May 15, 2015

The Mammoth Walks Again

[intro]We all know of mammoths. We have all seen pictures (or shall we call them paintings) of Wooly Mammoths being hunted by our distant caveman ancestors. And we have all thought – this looks exactly like an elephant, but for the fur!

The last mammoth died thousands of years ago. Now perhaps it is time they walked the earth again.[/intro]

Yes, scientists have figured out a way to clone or to put it more accurately resurrect a mammoth like creature.

There is a reason why the mammoth looked like our modern elephants. Both the species are descended from a common ancestor. However while the modern elephants have evolved to survive in a tropical climate, the mammoths were built for the ice age.

So what made the mammoths different – shaggy wooly coats, layers and layers of fatty tissue and of course smaller ears (ears are how an elephant loses heat). But that’s just scratching the surface. Now, for the first time, researchers have been able to list down all genetic differences between the two species.

It is now possible now to trace the genetic steps that helped the wooly mammoth evolve from the ancestor of the Asian elephant. This can also help us modify elephants in such a way that they can thrive in the cold wastes of Siberia.

Sounds impossible?

Well, scientists are already working towards this goal in a research lab in Boston Massachusetts.

Actually work on the Wooly Mammoth Genome has been going on for quite some time. The first complete se was published way back in 2008. However, there were way too many errors in it and was insufficient to tell us how elephants and mammoths differ genetically.

Next, scientists started working on the individual genes of mammoths to understand how they helped create those characteristics that helped these animals survive in the ice age cold.

The Artic Pachyderm

In the forefront of this field have been evolutionary geneticists from the University of Chicago led by Vincent Lynch. They managed to completely sequence the genomes of two wooly mammoths and three Asian elephants. (A miracle considering that the mammoths were 20,000 and 60,000 years dead!) And what did they find – close to 1.4 million DNA letters which differ in the mammoths from the elephants. This resulted in a significant change in 1.600 protein coding genes.

The next step was to compare the proteins with what they did in other organisms. This helped the researchers to identify and isolate those particular genes that are used for storing and metabolizing fat, developing skin and hair and other characteristics that can be crucial to surviving ice age cold.

Some of the genes, for example, dealt with the resetting the circadian clock – to help cope with long dark winters and 24×7 daylight in summers. Other arctic animals like the reindeers already have the same genetic make up.

Mammoths also have special genes that help produce fat cells and are used in insulin signaling. Among humans, these same genes are linked to diabetes.

Some of these genes seem to be useful in helping the mammoth to sense heat, a critical ability in the arctic cold.

Resurrecting The Mammoth

Lynch and his team managed to recreate the heat sensing genes as it would have existed in the mammoths. These genes help produce a protein called TRPV3 and helps in the growth of hair and skin. When inserted into the human genome it was seen that the gene makes the organism less responsive to heat or rather more resistant to cold compared to the corresponding genes as present in modern day elephants.

This fits perfectly with a previous research where it was found that this version of the TRPV3 protein gave mice wavier and longer hair as well as made them more cold-friendly.

So what is team planning next? According to Lynch, the aim is to insert these genes into elephant cells and then examine the changes.

A Mammoth Step Ahead

In the Harvard Medical School, geneticist George Church is working on the same challenge with the help of a revolutionary technology called CRISPR/Cas9. This allows the scientists to easily edit genes.

The result – he and his team have managed to create elephant cells with 14 mammoth genes that specific to helping cold tolerance.

According to Church, this is just preparation for the time when they will be able to edit the complete mammoth genome and even resurrect the wooly giant. The other (and much easier) option would be to modify the Asian elephant with mammoth genes so that it can thrive in Siberia. In fact, Pleistocene Park, a 16 sq km reserve in northern Siberia is already being proposed as a home for arctic elephants.

But just because scientists could be able to do it does not necessarily mean that they are going to do it. Beth Shapiro, another evolutionary geneticist has written a book called “How to Clone a Mammoth” in which she lists down the many blocks to the actual genetic resurrection of the mammoth. This includes ethical considerations to the fact that science of Elephant reproductive biology is still at its nascent stage,

The Post Human Evolution

Glimpse Team on May 15, 2015

[intro]Biohacking is the art of engaging biology with hacker ethic or it is the creation of strategies that exploit the system thinking, biology, science, self-experimentation and technology to let your body, mind and life optimization. Biohacking covers a wide range of practices as well as movements ranging from grinders designing and installing DIY body-enhancement including magnetic implants to DIY biologists performing at-home gene sequencing.[/intro]

Biohacking arose in a growing fashion of non-institutional science and technology development. Many biohackers or biohacking activists identify with the transhumanism, techno-progressivism and biopunk.

Biohacking can also mean, managing a person’s own biology using a mixture of electronic, nutritional and medical techniques. This may incorporate using nootropics or/and cybernetic tools for biometric data recording.

Biohackers majorly identify with biopunk and transhumanist ideologists. Transhumanism is the credence that is possible and desirable to basically alter the human condition by using technology as to initiate a superior post-human being.

Biopunk is an intellectual and techno-progressive cultural movement which supports an open access to genetic data and promotes the liberatory potential of ideal democratic technological environment. Just like other punk movements, biopunk promotes the DIY ethics.

Cyborg theory and cyborgs strongly influence transhumanism and techno-progressivism and are therefore strongly influences the biohacking movement. Some biohackers including Kevin Warwick, the professor of cybernetics from Britain, and Grinders actively design as well as implement technologies which are directly integrated into the organic body. Examples include Warwick’s ’project cyborg’’ or DIY magnetic fingertip implants.

Biohackers apply what is known as ’hacker ethic’’ to biology- they strongly believe in shared democratic access to data and technology and in manipulating the biological systems to improve the human life quality. Biohacking includes a wide spectrum of physiological innovations, from genetic manipulation to magnetic implants. Biohackers work in all kinds of settings, from personal kitchens to rent-able labs.

Nootropics also referred to as memory enhancers, smart drugs, intelligence enhancers, cognitive enhancers, and neuro enhancers, are drugs, nutraceuticals, supplements, and functional foods that ostensibly improve the mental functions including memory, cognition, motivation, attention, intelligence, and concentration. The word nootropic was created by Dr. Corneliu E. Giurgea- a Romanian derived from the Greek words Vuoc nous (mind). Nootropics are believed to operate by changing the brain’s availability for supply of neurochemicals (enzymes, neurotransmitter, and hormones), by improving the oxygen supplied in the brain, or by stimulating nerve growth.

Biohackers that look for techniques to improve the human body with the help of technology, devices, and implants are known as “body hackers’’ or “grinders’’. For instance, with a scalpel and some tools, body hackers can create the “ability’’ to detect electromagnetic fields by putting small magnets near sensitive nerves in the fingertips.

Kevin Warwick, a Cybernetics professor at the University of Reading was among the pioneers of these implants in humans. Unlike grinders operating in garages, Warwick has the superfluity of working in the college setting with medical team and anesthesia, even though his work still carries all the dangers linked to investing into unchartered medical territory. In 2002, Kevin implanted cybernetic sensors in his arm, enabling him control a separate robot hand from a given distance. Kevin’s wife had the implant done, and currently the two can share the sensation including the grasp of a hand, from across the boarders. These hackers are like zealots who implant anything they can get into their skin. However, biohackers, expressly grinders, see themselves as a boost to the future. Even though his work has a medical element, Kevin embraces the philosophy of the hacker, and has started a study about magnetic implants in an attempt to create a baseline of understanding for the future studies.

Recently, biohacking has started to emerge from its concealed subculture. Today, fanatics in synthetic biology and biotechnology can find much different recourse on the web, from forums to discuss and share information, to groups such as DIYbio, communities’ network for DIY biologists. Some organizations have introduced cheap DIY genomics kits, letting fanatics to sequence genes at home. Others, such as Genspace in Brooklyn, offer aspiring biohackers with access to the most modern lab and a community of hackers at affordable monthly fees.

Part of biohacking’s glamor is the lack of a tiered structure or government watchdog. There is no FDA equivalent to monitor and regulates the work of body hackers, biohackers, or grinders. Continentally, these hackers appear like enthusiast who implants whatever they get into their skin.

The Replacement Species

Glimpse Team on May 14, 2015

In The Future We May All Be Replaced by Engineered Humans

In recent years, there have been calls for an interdisciplinary approach to the understanding and evaluation of opportunities for enhancing humans. Technological advancements are being used to make the enhancement of the human species possible. They include present technologies such as information technology, biotechnology, artificial intelligence and nanotechnology and genetic engineering which includes genomics and genetic coding.

Enhancement options that are being discussed include extension of the human life-span, eliminating unnecessary suffering, disease eradication as well as enhancement of the physical, emotional, and intellectual capabilities of humans. Other possible themes include space colonization and creation of super-intelligent machines. The scope is not just limited to medicine and gadgets. It also encompasses social, economic and institutional designs as well as psychological skills and techniques and cultural development.

The Replacement Species Theory

Under this theory, human nature is perceived as a work in progress. Through responsible use of science and technology, it will be possible to achieve the post-human evolutionary state. Such beings will have greater capabilities. In contrast to most ethical outlooks which have a reactionary attitude towards new technologies, champions of this theory are guided by the vision to take an active approach to the technology policies. They want humans to be granted an opportunity to live healthier and longer lives. It will enable them to refine their emotional experiences and increase their subjective sense of well-being. This will enable them to achieve greater control over their lives.

Exploring the Post-human Era

As for now, it might be hard get an intuitive understanding of what it will be like to be in the post-human era. This is because our experiences, activities, feelings and thoughts only constitute a tiny percentage of what is possible. We can only imagine of beings that have reached a greater level of maturity and personal development with full psychic and bodily vigor. However with such advancements, it will be possible to create smarter beings with extraordinary powers of imagination.

Concerning values, it is important to note that our values are mainly defined by our current dispositions. According to the dispositional theory of values described by David Lewis, something is of value to you only if you want it and are well acquainted with it. This happens when you are thinking about and deliberating on it. Basing on this theory, it is possible that there are values which we may not appreciate now as we do not have the right faculties to comprehend them. However, once we achieve the post-human state, we will be acquainted and appreciate them fully.

The Downside to the Theory

The replacement species theory does not necessarily entail technological optimism. Although future technological capabilities have great potential for beneficial deployment, they could be misused to cause much harm. For instance, it might lead to the erosion of unquantifiable assets such as ecological diversity and meaningful human relationships.

The Question of Morality in the Human Germ-Line Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering involves editing the DNA structure of an organism to achieve the desired results. It can be used to correct the genes that cause genetic diseases and pass the genetic fixes to the future generations. It also involves installing genes that offer better development, lifelong protection against infections as well as those that reduce the effects of aging. If used in humans, this will result in the development of superior beings.

The morality of genetic engineering has been debated extensively. Most of those who are opposed to genetic enhancement believe that it is morally wrong to use science to manipulate the human nature. Most are concerned about the psychological effects of germ-line engineering. Selecting genes to create the so-called designer babies will corrupt the parents, who will view their own children as mere products. It is believed that people will begin to evaluate their offspring according to quality control standards. This will undermine the ethical ideals of accepting children regardless of their traits and abilities, all in quest for perfection. In fact this can only worsen social prejudice against the disabled.

The Aspect of Equality

The issue of social equality has been a point of focus for most opponents of genetic coding to produce powerful humans. It is feared that the development might widen the gap between the haves and have-nots. In today’s society, children from wealthier backgrounds enjoy many privileges such as access to better social amenities. The inequality might worsen due to genetic intervention as such technologies can only be afforded by individuals from rich backgrounds. The genetically privileged individuals might become healthier, ageless, super-geniuses with flawless beauty. The non-privileged on the other hand might remain as ordinary people that are deprived and unable to compete with genetically enhanced individuals. The process of might also include some irreversible changes which if negative might spell disaster to the human race.

All in all, it is hard to deny that genetic engineering can help to eliminate unnecessary human suffering. Benefits include eliminating genetic diseases and enhancing the immune system leading to longer, healthier and happier lives. The developments should be regulated to adopt positive modifications and avoid those that might be harmful.

Surgery in The Future

Glimpse Team on May 12, 2015

[intro]All these changes can be attributed to the technical advancements which help surgeons to accomplish complex operations safely using fewer incisions. The advancements being experienced in the industry are great news, particularly to those patients facing surgery. This is because the operations are bound to become less invasive, less painful, safer and less expensive. Moreover, patients will experience fewer post-operation complications.[/intro]

The future of surgery will entail:

Minimally Invasive Surgery

Surgical techniques are evolving rapidly. Due to this, futuristic surgery will involve minimal invasive procedures resulting in faster recovery with minimal post-operative pain and reduced scarring. This will revolutionize surgical care and treatment. It is bound to reduce the need for pain medication, shorten hospital stays, improve cosmetic results and reduce trauma to patients.

Single-incision Laparoscopic Surgery

Laparoscopy surgery is a medical procedure that requires a surgeon to access the patient’s abdominal cavity. To visualize the cavity, the surgeon can use a laparoscope. He/she can perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures thereafter. Single-incision laparoscopy surgery is the next phase in minimally invasive surgery. The traditional laparoscopy is characterized by multiple entry-points, where 4-5 half-inch to one-inch incisions are made around the surgical area. However, the single-incision laparoscopy surgery procedure requires a single 1.5-2.5 inch incision in the patient’s belly bottom. Miniature surgical tools with a small camera are inserted through the incision during the operation.

Currently the procedure is mainly used for gynecological and gallbladder removal. It is the final frontier in laparoscopic surgery, after which we will expect a natural orifice surgery which will not involve any external incision. Single-incision Laparoscopic Surgery is currently available in more advanced community hospitals. It is however a specialty procedure which requires advanced training.

Robotic Surgery

To perform a successful surgical operation using fewer and smaller incisions, the surgical tools used must be tiny and more advanced. That is where robotic surgery comes in. It is a computer-assisted surgical procedure which enables the surgeon to carry out a surgical operation using robotic instruments. The equipment uses a surgical robotic arm which can go beyond the limits of a human hand. It is also possible to amplify video images in the 3D format and perform more precise movements.

Robotics will be very instrumental in helping surgeons to perform intricate and more complex surgeries within a short time. It will also be less painful with minimal scarring. Currently, robotic surgery is mainly performed by cardiothoracic surgeons, urologists and gynecological surgeons. Once it is fully adopted as a surgical procedure, it will encompass other aspects such as:

Telesurgery and telementoring: This will facilitate surgical performance and assistance from remote locations.
Telepresence: This will enable clinicians and surgeons to interact with their patients from remote locations. While having the patients’ record library, they will be able to make informed decisions just as if they were in the patient’s room.
Remote ICU Monitoring: This will enable the clinician to monitor the patient’s waveforms and records using a wireless device such as a handheld PDA.
Haptic Feedback: The development will help to restore some sense of touch to a surgeon which is either lacking or diminished in the Minimally Invasive Surgery.

Accurate Use of Technology in Diagnosing Diseased Tissues

Historically, surgeons exclusively relied on their surgical expertise and eyes to identify diseased tissues that may need to be removed. However, with the new fluorescent imaging technology, diagnosing a diseased tissue is going to be much easier. For instance, it can show the surgeon how much of a patient’s kidney is cancerous enabling him/her to remove that part of the organ or tissue that is infected.

During the procedure, a special dye is injected into the patient’s bloodstream. The dye is able to highlight the cancerous sections of a tissue. The surgeon then uses a special type of night-vision googles to locate highlighted tumors. He or she can easily remove them and preserve those parts of the tissue that are still healthy. Currently fluorescent imaging is mainly used by radiologists in identifying intestinal bleeding points and lymph nodes in cases of breast cancer.

The future of surgery is quite bright. Precisely, by the year 2035 we should expect virtual or remote surgeons who use high tech equipment to perform more advanced and efficient surgical operations.

Uncovering The Myth Of Exploding Head Syndrome

Glimpse Team on May 10, 2015

[intro]Coming under the category of parasomnia, Exploding Head Syndrome is a rare and exclusive condition that involves a series of events that occurs just preceding the onset of sleep. The condition is primarily manifested as a loud boom, not very different from a very loud explosion in your head.[/intro]

What Is Exploding Head Syndrome?

The onset of the event has been manifested in different ways from person to person. However, the common phenomenon observed is that of an extremely loud noise. The sound can be similar to a gun going off near your ear or a bomb explosion occurring right in your vicinity. There have also been sounds of loud cymbals and other undecipherable sounds.

Though there is no actual physical injury associated with this event, what makes this event even more distinct from other mental shock that occurs as a consequence can last for an extended period of time, sometimes lasting more than months and even years. Immediately after an event of Exploding Head Syndrome, there have been reports of victims experiencing visions of bright flashes of light. There have also been reports of bouts of shortness of breath. These are basically signs of elevated heart rate and the symptoms dissipate within a short span of time.

What Causes Exploding Head Syndrome

Exploding Head Syndrome has been mostly associated with extremely high levels of stress and fatigue. It has been observed that people over the age of fifty are most prone to this condition. There has not been a comprehensive study about this phenomenon since the events have not been appropriately documented by the victims. Due to this, the root cause of Exploding Head Syndrome has not been identified.

Another reason why the condition has not received any significant exposure is that the condition does not actually pose any major physical threat. In a lot of cases, it doesn’t even affect the sleep of an individual and hence medical attention is not sought following these events. They are perceived to be a one-off event and not taken lightly by the people around the victim. However, not it is deemed necessary to consult a physician to ascertain the symptoms are indeed indicative of this phenomenon and to rule out other physical or mental conditions.

Due to the lack of investigation into this condition, not many medications or treatment modules have been devised to treat this condition; however, in certain cases clomipramine, which is a known tricyclic antidepressant, has been used in treatment of this condition.

Sharing Helps

In recent times, quite a large number of people have been sharing their own experiences associated with Exploding Head Syndrome on public forums online. With more and more data coming in, health care professionals have been working on identifying a pattern and thereby identify the root cause of the condition, which will consequently help them to produce a formal therapeutic strategy.

Underlying Factors

Most incidents have been linked to lack of sleep in the victims and hence poor sleeping habits have been noted to put people at higher risk of developing the condition. In some cases, the episodes have been reported to occur in combination with “sleep paralysis” which can be a terrifying experience for the victim. One of the victims reported to have experienced sleep paralysis as condition similar to an experience of drowning. The victim remembers trying to kick in desperation to reach the surface, but failing to do so in end. In the case of Exploding Head Syndrome, the victim compares the event to somebody suddenly hiking up the volume to the maximum level on a radio on which static is playing. It would even leave the ears of the victim ringing for several hours after.

How To Deal with Exploding Head Syndrome

Health professionals who have been researching on the condition over the past couple of years have advised potential victims to take things easy and get involved in activities that can help the mind to calm down. Practicing proper sleep discipline can also go a long way when it comes to keeping such events at bay. Although the condition is not physically threatening and incapable of causing long term damage, victims of Exploding Head Syndrome are known to experience elevated stress levels, which could end up interfering with their normal life activities and deteriorating the quality of life.

From the perspective of somebody suffering from Exploding Head Syndrome, the most important aspect to be keeping in mind is that you are not alone in your experience and sharing your experiences can help make life normal.