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U=(N/T)M*G

U=(N/T)M*G: Ballistic

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Oh, have I got something cool today! For many a year, since graphite took over as the lead in our pencils, we authors have unknowing been using a piece of what’s becoming a revolutionary material in the world. It’s Vegeta-level awesome, in my humble opinion. And oh, the things we can do with it! I’m talking about the superhero brother to friendly neighborhood graphite. Graphene. No, seriously, the stuff graphene can do reads like some sorcerer thought this up and made it. Graphene temporary tattoos are being tested for medical monitoring. Scientists are feeding it to spiders, which in turn … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: Chips

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As a humanist with an eye to the awesome possibilities of the future, as well as an author who loves to write science fiction, I’m of the personal opinion that all scientific discoveries or advancements are good things. It’s the way those advancements and discoveries are used that makes science bad. We have plenty of examples throughout history of how this works. Never is this more of a possibility than the current times in the world. We have started to microchip humans. Now, I know what some will say, groan in exasperation really. “But T.A., we already have numerous stories … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: Golem

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Chinese scientists broke the boundaries of human technology yet again in early July. With precision, determination and science prowess that just boggles the mind, these scientists managed to send a photon from Earth to an orbiting satellite, using quantum teleportation. Six times. It’s a feat scientists the world over have been aiming for a long time time now. A quantum scientist friend of mine is absolutely green with envy. I applaud this monumental discovery and look forward to more. Quantum teleportation, for those who have no idea what it is, is a process by which quantum information can be transmitted … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: Print

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In this day and age, a whole, huge deal is made about cloning. Dolly the Sheep, lab rats, stems cells. The list goes on. And humanity is eagerly waiting for custom, lab grown organs that are tailored with our own genes and available to the mainstream. The reality is, and what an awesome reality, we’re probably going to get better mechanical models way before we achieve cloned organic replacements. Enter, 3D printing. Stories abound of the astounding way 3D printing is starting to revolutionize prosthetics. Robert Downey Jr, himself, went and delivered a newly printed Iron Man gauntlet prosthetic to … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: RA

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That picture, the one of the cat lounging on a desk, set as the featured picture? That’s the God!Cat Ra, who shares my home. And I say shares because it’s common knowledge that no one really owns a cat, unlike dogs. Although I don’t think I really own the God!Dog Anubis, who also shares my home. But this furry paperweight inspired me to figure out why humans originally came to associate, and worship, and then keep cats. Now back when we migrated from place to place with wooden spears and baskets looking for food along migration paths, dogs were our … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: Compress

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In the grand scheme of world building, nothing is more difficult than details. How does that console work, what is that weapon made of, why does magic work that way? All the little bits an author needs to know, even if the reader doesn’t. Times like these, however, far removed from Heinlein’s guesses at what technology would even look like far in the future, we sci-fi authors kind of have a leg up from authors of old. Our tech and science jump exponentially every couple of years and new stuff is discovered almost daily. Take the newly made compressed glassy … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: Boundless

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Today, I feel a little like the Ancient One explaining spellwork to Doctor Strange. I love that scene. It’s the essence of today’s post, one that sprang from a very interesting article that I never expected to see. I’m, of course, talking about mind over matter. Anyone who has ever encountered quantum theory in their work knows, at least tangentially, about the Bell Test. It’s used to measure quantum particles and see if the measurement of one particle coincides with the other particle. Einstein called it the spooky theory. Recently, theoretical physicist Lucien Hardy came up with the idea to … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: Overload

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To quote one of the science articles I found on this week’s topic: “Biology is really one big horror story.” And some of the links you find herein are pretty damn creepy, too. From the voodoo Queens of New Orleans to the always classic Night of the Living Dead, zombies are a science fiction and horror staple. And I know what you’re going to say. “Tabitha, what do zombies have to do with science? Because that’s crazy talk.” That is sorta true, after a fashion. It depends on what part of science one looks at. Shambling, rotting, undead husks of … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: 410

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Full disclosure: I’m a city girl. I’ve spent most of my life it cities, clocking the majority of it in San Diego. And even though I’m stuck in this one-horse town pretending to be a metropolis, that’s Tucson by the way, I still keep up with what’s going on in the big roiling cauldrons of humanity. It’s no secret that our world is in trouble because of CO2 overload caused by a huge amount of human activity. In fact, we just hit 410 ppm of CO2 in the atmosphere. But it’s the reaction that got me thinking. An offhand comment … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: Edit

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From the mythical Kraken to the potential future Squibben, octopodes have terrified a lot of humanity for as long as we have known of the existence of these curious creatures. And wild. Did I mention these cephalopods are wild? Because they’re basically the closest we currently have to aliens on this planet. From a human point of view, these creatures may seem to be just another lower lifeform that shares our planet, on the same level as cats, dogs, crows and dolphins. Smart, but not as smart as us. Recently, however, we may have discovered something a little different. As … Read more