Tag: light

• See Holograms and Remember your Purpose

  A San Jose company has announced a brand new technology that might finally deliver on the promise of real holograms. Jeff and Anthony define the term and dig into what makes this new tech so exciting. Then, a new study by Florida State University researchers showed a link between an individual’s sense of purpose and their ability to recall vivid details. Anthony and Jeff try to figure out their own purpose and whether it might help them remember where they put their keys. [more]

  October 15, 2021Episodes

• Light in Space and New Laws for Robots

  If you could look at the night sky without stars, galaxies and everything else known to give off visible light, does the universe itself put out a glow? That's a question being addressed by the NOIRLab in Arizona, and the answer may surprise you. It certainly surprises Anthony and Jeff, who try to wrap their brains around new findings about light in the darkness. Then, Isaac Asimov's Three Laws for Robotics have been a part of science fiction and popular culture for decades. But now a new book proposes 4 additional laws to govern the creation of robots and AI. Jeff and Anthony take a look at these new laws to decide if they are a good idea. [more]

  December 4, 2020Episodes

• Artificial Photosynthesis, an Old Dog, and New Picks

  Researchers have developed a standalone device that converts sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into a carbon-neutral fuel, without requiring any additional components or electricity. Anthony and Jeff discuss how this might be an encouraging new way to combat climate change. Then, Jeff tries 2 stories to see which Anthony enjoys more. The first is perfectly preserved evidence of a 14,000 year old canine that had eaten a much larger animal. The second is a new way to clone a key from just the sound of it entering a lock. Which story will Anthony respond to more? [more]

  August 28, 2020Episodes

• Satellite Rodeo

  When Rocket Lab’s Electron reached orbit for the first time on Jan. 21, space-pointed radar noticed a mysterious object in space alongside the three satellites it launched. Rocket Lab has launched the world’s first global strobe light. Called the Humanity Star, it’s a one-meter-tall carbon-fiber geodesic sphere made up of 65 highly-reflective panels. In space, it will spin, reflecting sun’s light back to earth and creating a flashing effect in the sky. The company claims it will be “the brightest object in the night sky,” Jeff and Anthony brainstorm other items enterprising minds might launch into space for all to see. [more]

  January 31, 2018Episodes

• Black Bird Swinging in the Spread of Light

  The mating dance of the male superb bird of paradise is like nothing else on Earth, thanks to their feathers, which absorb 99.95 percent of light. That’s nearly none more black, and virtually identical to what Vantablack, the world’s darkest artificial substance, can absorb. And it’s all thanks to black feathers structured like a forest of chaos. Jeff and Anthony wonder whether or not Anish Kapoor can sue a bird. [more]

  January 22, 2018Episodes