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 Sponsor an Honest Search This Honest Search sponsored by The Ambient Electronic Music of Michael Penner. The Science Behind the Fiction Nanotechnology  Microscopic robots that draw their power from the kinetic energy of molecules bouncing off of them is but one aspect of Nanotechnoloy. While some of the science behind this phenomenon is still shrouded in mystery, the commercial potential of the infinitesimal is coming sharply into focus. Familiar materials -- from gold to carbon soot -- display startling and useful new properties. Some transmit light or electricity. Others become harder than diamonds or turn into potent chemical catalysts. What's more, researchers find that a tiny dose of nanoparticles can transform the chemistry and nature of far bigger things, creating everything from fortified fenders to superefficient fuel cells. Engineers working at the nano scale have a brand-new tool kit that's full of wonder and brimming with potential riches. Fusion  The image shown here is an artistic rendering of a tokamak, a donut-shaped magnetic vacuum chamber in which wispy vapors of fusion fuel are electrified and heated to hundreds of millions of degrees - hotter than the center of the sun! The magnetic fields are configured to trap the superheated fusion fuel in the center of the loop, so that it can't touch the walls and cool off. At the high temperatures and pressures in the center, megawatts of fusion power can be produced. While not currently economically viable, magnetic confinement fusion shows promise as a future energy source.Sky Car Transportation 
You've always known it was just a matter of time before the world demanded some kind of flying machine which would replace the automobile. Of course, this machine would have to be capable of VTOL, be easy to maintain, cost effective and reliable. Well, we at Moller International believe we have come up with the solution. That solution is the volantor named M400 Skycar. Orbital Transportation - Lockheed Martin's VentureStar 
Althougth the wingless wonder may not look like any "conventional" spacecraft, Vice President Al Gore called it a "high-tech marvel." The vehicle will undergo a series of testing phases including the construction of the half-scale prototype which has already been completed. The second test phase involves suborbital test flights beginning in March 1999. In the year 2000, the full-scale operational vehicle will be constructed if it is economically feasible. Finally, the shuttle will transport satellites and then eventually humans, allowing for the phase out of the current shuttle which was unveiled in 1972.Sub-Orbital Transportation - Burt Rutan's SpaceShip One 
On October 4, 2004, SpaceShipOne rocketed into history, becoming the first private manned spacecraft to exceed an altitude of 328,000 feet twice within the span of a 14 day period, thus claiming the ten million dollar Ansari X-Prize.Wearable Weaponry  Information technology is playing an increasingly important role in the battlefield, and the best equipped forces of the not-too-distant duture will be carrying an array of wearable IT to assist them in their tasks.Laser Cannon 
October 29, 2003 - The Nautilus uses a high power radar to track and lock onto the incoming projectile. Then a Mid-Infrared Advanced Chemical Laser (MIRACL), which looks like a large spotlight, shoots out an intense beam that destroys the rocket. The White Sands test marked the first time that a rocket has been destroyed in flight by a laser beam. The laser has also proved its ability to shoot down artillery shells. Israeli security officials said that the potential to use this technology in the war against terrorism was a major factor in convincing Congress to renew support for the project.Advanced Gun Technology 
The Maariv Daily reported that a U.S.-Israeli company has developed a gun that can fire at right angles. According to the report, the pistol, produced by the Florida-based Corner Shot Holdings, is being tested by the Israeli military and has already been bought by a number of special forces around the world. Pictures of the weapon show a gun composed of two parts -- the front, that can swivel from side to side, containing a pistol with a color camera mounted on top, and the back section which consists of the stock, trigger and a monitor. The unique weapon allows the soldier to remain behind cover, with only the barrel of the rifle exposed in the direction of the hostile fire, even at a sharp angle. Molecular Computing  February 01, 2005 (IDG News Service) -- Researchers at Hewlett-Packard Co. have created a molecular-scale device that they say could one day replace the transistors used in today's computer chips. In a paper to be published today in the Journal of Applied Physics, the three researchers from HP's Quantum Science Research Group describe how they created a tiny device that can perform one of the essential logic functions in computing devices just nanometers across. 28 November 2005- US chemists have discovered how to control the on/off behaviour of a type of molecular switch, heralding a further step towards molecular computing. Paul Weiss of Pennsylvania State University and colleagues studied the switching behaviour of the molecule oligo(phenylene ethynylene) (OPE). Weiss found that OPE can adopt one of two states one vertical, one at an angle when it is attached to a self-assembled monolayer. The molecule can only conduct electricity efficiently when vertical, noted Weiss, but it switches between the two states at random. Pilotless Jets  Washington (AFP) Nov 26, 2001 - The US has further stepped up its use of UAVs for surveillance with the deployment of its latest pilotless spy plane, the Global Hawk, a state of the art spy plane built by Northrop Grumman, which the Pentagon says will sharpen its eyes and ears over Afghanistan. The high-flying unmanned reconnaissance aircraft that is still under development is controlled from the ground and can operate at altitudes above 60,000 feet (18,200 meters). It can stay aloft for more than 30 hours, according to the air force. Artificial Intelligence January 2003 - A revolutionary new artificial intelligence technology has been invented by an independent scientist. The technology suggested by the Swiss researcher can be implemented on conventional digital-computing architectures and provides them with the ability to acquire and later apply new knowledge in a way quite similar to human learning. The world of digital-computing may just be about to enter a new era. A revolutionary new artificial intelligence technology has been invented by an independent scientist. The technology represents the first ever successful attempt at developing an artificial system capable of human-like learning and problem-solving capabilities. The technology suggested by the Swiss researcher can be implemented on conventional digital-computing architectures and provides them with the ability to acquire and later apply new knowledge in a way quite similar to human learning. Virtual Reality 
More than $4 million in equipment upgrades will shine 100 million pixels on Iowa State Universitys six-sided virtual reality room. Thats twice the number of pixels lighting up any virtual reality room in the world and 16 times the pixels now projected on Iowa States C6, a 10-foot by 10-foot virtual reality room that surrounds users with computer-generated 3-D images. That means the C6 will produce virtual reality at the worlds highest resolution.Iowa States C6 opened in June 2000 as the countrys first six-sided virtual reality room designed to immerse users in images and sound. The graphics and projection technology that made such immersion possible hasnt been updated since the C6 opened.Virtual Keyboard 
This one you can buy today. About the size of a small cellular phone, (90 x 34 x 24 mm), the VKB enables users to type texts or e-mails as easily as with a ordinary keyboard. Imagine how easy it would be, if you had a proper mobile phone keyboard that fits in your pocket.
Story Science Stranger Than Fiction
Did you know there actually is a Laser Cannon that is being used for missile defense? Have you heard about the first civilian spaceplane that is already booking passengers? The world is changing at an astonishing pace, and every item you find on this page is real or is being worked toward by a private or government agency somewhere on earth. The only way an item appears on this page is if it has been used in some fashion within a story offered through Novaminds.net. Authors can get some great ideas by looking at the items on this page, and readers a glimpse into the exciting webspace of Novaminds.net. 
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