The current discussion of peak oil is creating a lot of doom-and-gloom scenarios about life after our energy supply runs dry. It makes one wonder, is our future going to be less like Star Trek and more like Mad Max?
Updated Feb. 7, 2012
September 30, 2010. A wayward lunch bag shuts down the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
I stay up late at night to watch androgynous Korean boys battle each other in space, and it costs me $9.99 a month.
Have we passed the tipping point where we are too reliant on technology? Should we fear a disappearance of our traditional ways — particularly our traditional ways of writing, reading and communicating?
People concerned that they can’t stop checking their Facebook, text messages, email and Twitter over and over again can take heart that they’re not alone.
Will the world end in 2012? Not according to Colin Goldblatt, an assistant professor in UVic’s School of Earth and Ocean Sciences. However, an apocalypse will eventually hap- pen. People just have to be a bit more patient . . . to the tune of 500 million years.
All of our modern technological devices, including smart phones and laptops, give us many conveniences that only existed in the realm of science fiction not that long ago. And there are always newer devices with amazing features to make our lives even better.
For those wondering what to put under the tree for the budding young scientist they know, there are many great toys and kits available.
It can sometimes be frustrating to set up a home entertainment centre, computer or satellite dish. Projects like these involve numerous electronic components that need to work properly and be set up correctly, or else the whole system will not work.
Watching stuff blow up on stage can be the highlight of an Iron Maiden concert or an evening of lowbrow entertainment on the Discovery Channel. But it can also be a good way to contribute to a worthwhile cause and learn about interesting scientific concepts. In any case, explosion fans of all ages would be satisfied after seeing That Chemistry Show, a fundraising event for the United Way of Greater Victoria.
This week I’d like to talk about a classic video game that I feel did not get anywhere near the recognition it deserved — which was especially strange in that it was a Mario game, made by Nintendo.
While some may equate a discussion about biology with a dull lecture, it can actually be quite fun and interesting. Especially if it’s held in a pub.
Is it possible to grow a new set of breasts from our own fat? Can we engineer entire organs and transplant them into animals? Are scientists attempting to renew and rewire neurons by injecting stem cells into damaged spinal cords?
I’d like to complete my trilogy in the saga of failed home video game systems with the story of the Sega Saturn.
My last column featured a failed video-game system called the TurboGrafx-16. Now I’d like to talk about another spectacular failure in the world of video games, but this time in the world of handheld gaming — Atari’s Lynx.
“Your brain works 100 per cent. You’re completely coherent. You just can’t move,” says UVic student Ashkaughn Forghani.
Forghani is referring to the disease known as Locked-in Syndrome (LIS), which, like Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS), effectively separates the brain from the body.
This week I’d like to take a look at a home video game console you probably have never heard of — the TurboGrafx-16.
Have you ever thought about what might lie in other galaxies? Kim Venn, an Associate Professor in UVic’s Physics and Astronomy Department has, and she’s using stars as tools to try and solve some of these big mysteries.
Beyond the challenges disabled individuals face in dealing with everyday tasks, like cooking, cleaning, transportation and computer use, there are also the challenges of more meaningful activities like playing sports, or creating works of art.
It’s been about half a year since rapper 50 Cent announced he would be introducing a new wireless headphone to compete with Dr. Dre’s popular, overpriced Beats By Dre audio line. The product was a partnership between the music icon and the company Sleek Audio. Soon after the announcement, news broke that the two parties were parting ways, leaving the product’s future in question. On Saturday, headphone-aficionados rejoiced as 50 announced that the project was still in fruition, under the new name SYNC by 50.
