humanity

The evolution of humanity, from one advancement to the next.

Zero Tolerance
‘So this is how it ends,’ he thought as two large soldiers lifted him from behind and pushed him against the door of the transport ship. ‘How did it come to this? And so quickly?’
By DS Peters9 years ago in Futurism
Robert Helms 'Guinea Pig Zero'
Our country’s pharmaceutical industry demands rigorous testing of potential drug agents, human trials that sometimes drag on for weeks or months. Test subjects must often monotonously return to get blood drawn, abstain from normal activity, or keep meticulous notes about their side effects. But, at the end of the trial, it’s a quick couple thousand dollars in your pocket. This is precisely the kind of work that draws those on the margins of society, those who are willing to dose themselves with the latest psychiatric concoction and live in a confined clinic for a few weeks. And we need them—these guinea pigs. Without reliable test subjects, America doesn’t get its drugs.
By Kelly Bourdet9 years ago in Futurism
The Space Museum Lover's Bucket List
One of the best things about going to a space museum is sharing the experience with astrophile friends and family who are as ready to nerd out as you are. If space shuttles, planetariums, lunar rocks, and astronaut suits get you all kinds of excited, then prepare to blast off to geek paradise with this list of the best space museums in the whole world.
By Sarah Quinn9 years ago in Futurism
Slaves
Golden-eyed Kantros relaxed in the warm summer sun, a cool breeze keeping it from being unbearably hot outside. She enjoyed the fair seasons on her world; a place made for her and those of her kind.
By Steve Benton9 years ago in Futurism
Most Sadistic Cults of the 20th Century
"Don't drink the Kool-Aid" doesn't sound like such an important warning, but if the People's Temple followers in Jonestown would've been given this advice, over 900 lives would have been saved. Until September 11th, the largest loss of American civilian life occurred when cult members of the People's Temple ingested fruit punch that was laced with cyanide in a mass suicide. Cults are both fascinating and terrifying. Their mystery draws the attention of the public, but the often brutal and radical ways of cults instill fear. Some of the deadliest cults since the 1950's may not be the most well known, but their attacks were brutal, and their unconventional views attracted individuals to support their dangerous causes. As a result, when the 10:00 news asks, "Do you know where your children are?" you better hope they're not joining a cult with a 16-year-old who claims to be a 500-year-old vampire. Individuals of all ages join cults for many reasons; whether it is for friendship or identity, or as a result of pressure, people are constantly joining ranks among the masses to be part of a movement that they believe in. Since the 1930's, cults have been a primary subject in sociological study. Cults are made up of people from all walks of life, and are formed all over the world. The reasons why vary—from the belief that they themselves are vampires, to the idea that children born after 1981 must be terminated because they are evil.
By George Gott9 years ago in Futurism
New Rose Hotel Bar
Hanging around in here seven hours now. New Rose Hotel Bar. Saturday night, and as always I drew every eye in the place the second I appeared. I paused and lounged against the door frame for maximum effect: Ten-gallon hat with twin rotating satellite dishes, gleaming mirrorshades, neon shirt at maximum power, its humming gas-filled glass tubes filling the bar with flickering light, flashing "CYBERSTUD!" in pin-wheeling letters of orange, purple, brown, setting off the latest Parisian fashion, recycled crushed-velvet Elvis jeans stuffed into cowboy boots of solid chrome.
By Jeffrey A. Corkern9 years ago in Futurism
Lucid Dreaming Is the Best Way to Probe the Unconscious Mind
I used to think I would stumble upon my lifelong interest through serendipity someday. I was waiting for the elusive AHA moment, and never thought to solicit my brain for the information. But now that I’ve asked and received an answer, I’m not sure what to do.
By Brian Stanton10 years ago in Futurism
How Technology Makes Us Vulnerable
There are a whole bunch of modern conspiracy theories; some, more prominent than others—such as government spy programs and social media mind control. Whilst there isn’t really any definite proof, or proof that "we believe," for many of these, some theories are backed up by concrete proof.
By Word10 years ago in Futurism
Creepy Mind-Blowing Theories About the Universe
As children we are constantly questioning everything. Like 'how does that work' or 'where do babies come from?' The questions were endless and since then we’ve been ingrained to ask questions. As we get older, queries become more complex. For most people, one question stands out the most - the meaning of life. This question is more nebulous than just what is the meaning. Before we can even crack the surface of that question we need to answer a vast subset of inquiries first, like: is our reality even real? Why we are here? Are we alone in the universe? How did the universe begin? The answers to these questions, so far, are for the most part theories, but some can be explained by hypothesis and observations. There is much compelling evidence for each idea, but you certainly shouldn’t, for the sake of your sanity, take these theories as gospel. The following is an examination of the most mind-blowing theories about the universe that will make you question your entire existence.
By George Gott10 years ago in Futurism
Who Will Survive the Next Biotic Crisis?
While the next biotic event is probably not in the near future, fossil records clearly testify that extinction is an unavoidable fate for all species. The real question remains: what is left in the wake of mankind? Our lineage is more likely to be altered through evolution than entirely snuffed out.
By Brian Switek10 years ago in Futurism
Unasked Questions Concerning Artificial Intelligence
With more and more of our attention being drawn towards discussions on the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), everyone is knocking on the doors of our pre-eminent physicists and tech experts (techsperts), and the internet is being scoured for quotes to support one camp or the other. When asked about AI, Elon Musk said that he thinks we “should be very careful… If I were to guess at what our biggest existential threat is, it’s probably that.” Bill Gates and Stephen Hawking agree with Musk, while Neil deGrasse Tyson expresses equal concern, but adds that “as long as we don’t program emotions into robots, there’s no reason to fear them taking over the world.”
By DS Peters10 years ago in Futurism
Why 3D Printing Will Change the World
1984, Orwell’s prophetic year of Big Brother, saw the release of the Mac which broke the idea that centralized control could ever be what it was before. That year also saw the first workable prototype for a 3D printer. Built by Charles Hull, the technology was then known as stereolithography. We know it as 3D printing, and that’s a term that covers a variety of different processes which may revolutionize all stages of the global manufacturing and distributing process. In that very science fictional year, Hull set off a revolution that is only now seeing fruition. 3D printing continues to threaten the social and economic structures which preceded it. When we speak about 3D printing, we’re speaking of a general technique of printing successive layers to form a three dimensional object at the end. From powder to paper to human tissue, these thin membranes are laid down like the construction of a plaster mask. From that simple concept, the 3D printer offers the reverse of Ford’s mass production revolution. Printing one item is now as cost effective in some cases as manufacturing a thousand items in the traditional way.
By Chris Lites10 years ago in Futurism