Free Republic

 A good man's book, pithy and realistic look at miliatry life overlaid by a slight sci-fi overview with intriguing technical implications.  amazon.com/Trial-Ice-Star-Too-Book-ebook/dp/B00GGP8H12  Trial by Ice (A Star Too Far Book 1)  [Kindle Edition] Casey Calouette  $2.99 Military use of nanites and drones is woven into a tale that is only peripherally science-fiction, more properly military fiction by someone who has been there and seen that. The anti-personnel drones are much less extreme than those in Philip K. Dick's 1953 Second Variety, free on Kindle, the original book rather faithfully portrayed in the 1995 film Screamers, the full version of which is available on...

Seth Shostak, a top astronomer at SETI has recently suggested that instead of trying to listen for standard transmissions from advanced alien biological lifeforms like ourselves, we should probably be listening for AI transmissions. This is based on our own experience, we as humans developed radio transmissions only a short while ago, considering the length of time our civilization has been advancing. And if we're any indication of the general route technologically capable life evolves, the galaxy is probably full of sentient AI collectives, not biological lifeforms. In an interview with the BBC, Dr Shostak said:"If you look at the...

Grazing the Nanograss - Adaptable substance may cool computers and put a zoom lens in your cell phone. Future Watch by Gary H. Anthes OCTOBER 11, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - A drop of water glides across the flat surface like quicksilver, moving effortlessly from place to place as the surface is tilted. It's hard to believe that the little bead is water, for it doesn't wet the surface as it races around, seemingly without friction. The little drop in this impromptu laboratory demonstration isn't on an ordinary surface. It's riding on "nanograss," a bed of upright silicon posts a thousand times...