Gravity Lens Weblog

Archive Sept 1 - October 15

Saturday, October 13

The headline reads: "Sex and Marriage with Robots by 2050."

The ethics of this are already under discussion.

Characters who have bumped uglies with robots include Gaius Baltar, Mr. Universe, Wanda Maximoff, Tasha Yar, and possibly Captain Kirk.

This might be a good time to revisit Annalee Newitz's The Fembot Mystique.

And here's a creepy NSFW robosex pic.

Friday, October 12

You know it's the future when Australia starts a space program.

SF Signal links to the War of the Worlds cover gallery, a bit more comprehensive than the ones at Eve of the War, but lacking the babes of WotW gallery.

Thursday, October 11

I'm back home now. The last leg of the trip included a visit to the Green Valley Book Fair and Skyline Caverns. Am currently doing laundry and sorting my assorted booty. Will post later.

Wednesday, October 10

Steven Grant discusses the state of comics journalism at Comic Book Resources.

Still cruising the Virginia area. Drove a good chunk of Skyline Drive yesterday, hiked down to Dark Hollow Falls, did the Luray Caverns tour, and hit some local thrift stores.

Tuesday, October 9

Hey look. It's yet another Japanese exoskeleton power suit.

Off to Luray Caverns today. Hoping I don't get lost in the Garden Maze.

Monday, October 8

Howdy from Virginia. Yesterday I drove across the very long and cool Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, visited the Civil Wars ruins of Fort Monroe., and ate at the spectacular Captain George's.

The headline reads: "$75,000 Swami robot can be a friend, cause nightmares."

Don't want to deal with exchanging currency on other planets? Technovelgy gives us the Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination (QUID).

Here's the Wikipedia entry on fictional currencies.

Here's the beautifully designed banknotes of the lost colony of Antarctica.

Here's my Holiday Card story about a cryptonumismatist from a few years back.

Friday, October 5

Pierre writes in to tell me about Frankensteinia, a blog dedicated to all things Frankenstein.

The IgNobel prizes for 2007 were handed out last night.

I'll be on a brief but long-overdue roadtrip starting this weekend. Depending on connectivity I'll try to post on the road.

Wednesday, October 3

Sputnik launched 50 years ago this week. Space.com recalls its legacy.

Via George Dvorsky, the Daily Galaxy gives us this Steven J. Dick piece on why any advanced aliens we encounter will probably be machines.

Grow A Brain links to this page which counts down (or up) to assorted science fiction events in our future.

Monday, October 1

It is October.

The God of the Month is Scathach: The Shadowy One.

The Molecule of the Month is Nitroglycerine.

Recommended Readin': Mark R. Leeper at SF Crowsnest compares humans to the size of the universe, and also ponders the bloom falling from Worldcon's rose.

Wayne Eleazer of The Space Review puts some Space Myths to the test.

David Willey of BBC News reports on the Vatican's astronomy conference.

Tariq Malik at Space.com tells us NASA is searching for new spacesuit tailors.

Friday, September 28

Things Magazine links to the intriguing headline "Luxury Russia-shaped island to appear in Black Sea by 2014."

Thursday, September 27

Geekpress links to this Volokh Conspiracy column about the political nature of Star Trek's Federation. This piece, combined with George Dvorsky's take on the Prime Directive, paint a pretty dystopian picture.

Steven Grant at Comic Book Resources dicusses recent developments concerning barcodes on comics.

Wednesday, September 26

Of all the science fiction technology you've been waiting for, I know the pain box from Dune is on top of your list.

Tuesday, September 25

Reality Carnival links to this list of the 10 Most Bizarre Museums. It's not really work-safe, given as it starts off with the Museum of the Penis.

Because I have the mindset of a ten-year-old, I'll also mention the museum's website has a page of honorary members.

Monday, September 24

Assorted Items: Here's a warm thought, space makes bacteria more dangerous.

Dwayne A. Day of The Space Review looks at Hollywood's adaptations of Heinlein.

John Shirley remembers Soylent Green at Locus.

Michael Cassutt of SciFi Weekly talks about Masters of Science Fiction.

And, if you haven't heard, mathematical proof of paralell universes is being reported.

Thursday, September 20

Steven Grant of Comic Book Resources dissects the reasons why The Highwaymen, one of my favorite new comics, was canceled after a few issues.

Kurt Amacker of Mania looks at the pitfalls of comic book continuity.

TJ Dietsch and Rickey Purdin of Wizard debate whether superheroes should get married.

Wednesday, September 19

Proving that life imitates horror movies, Futurismic links to this story of a meteor crash in Peru that is laying low local villagers with a mysterious illness.

Watch for updates on killer bulldozers, giant spiders, and vegetation consuming famous horror writers soon.

Tuesday, September 18

A moment of silence, please, for Ms. Brett Somers.

Yesterday Scotland honored Scotty.

Wil McCarthy at SciFi Weekly looks at at one of favorite recent shows, Jekyll, and discusses the scientific plausibility of such an extreme split personality.

Monday, September 17

Space Stuff: Taylor Dinerman of The Space Review reminds us that the International Space Station is nearing completion.

Charles Q. Choi of Space.com looks at the enduring mysteries of the moon.

Vikki Meadows discribes the search for the light of alien life at Astrobiology.

Stephen Battersby of New Scientist Space tells us the universe might be folded.

Thursday, September 13

It was eight years ago today that the moon was torn out of Earth orbit. We soon learned of the threat of dominating women in red cat suits.

Tuesday, September 11

Space Stuff: Ben Crystall at New Scientist Space looks at the need for an antimatter drive.

Frank Sietzen, Jr. of The Space Review diagnoses NASA's current space vision.

Charles Q. Choi of Space.com lists the solved and unsolved mysteries of the Hubble.

CIO gives us the Seven Wonders of the IT World.

I really like this CGI animation of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater.

Monday, September 10

The orbital death ray is here.

Astrobiology reminds us that this fall the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft turn 30, albeit with no sign of encountering intelligence or being responded to.

Extra points to anyone who finds an online video of the "Send More Chuck Berry" SNL skit.

Friday, September 7

A moment of silence, please, for Ms. Madeleine L'Engle.

WETA's page for its beautiful Victorian ray guns features, among its treasures, a bestiary of the wildlife of Venus.

Thursday, September 6

Steven Grant of Comic Book Resources looks at the ethics of recent goings-on in the worlds of SF and comics.

Wednesday, September 5

Mike Snead at The Space Review reflects on becoming a spacefaring America.

Leonard David at Space.com tells us of plans for Spaceport America, while Peter B. de Selding reports on China's measures to reduce space junk.

Centauri Dreams updates us on recent progress on solar sails.

Colony Worlds informs us of plans for the internet on the moon.

Popular Science has a neat slideshow of physics errors in movies.

The Walking with Dinosaurs: Live! tour is in North America.

Tuesday, September 4

Retrocrush gives us its list of the coolest superhero costumes.

McSweeney's tells us how steroids are ruining the comics page.

Something Awful lists the things that scientists know with 100% certainty.

Great Tom A. Peter piece at the Christian Science Monitor about how fan conventions have grown beyond science fiction.

Monday, September 3

Recommended Readin': Geoff Willmetts at SF Crowsnest discusses putting science back in science fiction, as well as the relationship between the Doctor & the Master on Dr. Who.

The Speculist links to Kaj Sotala's essay on less-discussed benefits of Transhumanism.

Robert Sawyer says science fiction is having a profound effect in China.

Iain Jackson at Strange Horizons looks at religion in comics, which is as good a reason as any to revisit Adherents.com's index of the religious affiliations of comic book characters.

2009's Worldcon will be in Montreal.

Saturday, September 1

It is September.

The God of the Month is Anubis, Guardian of the Dead.

The Molecule of the Month is Propanethial S-oxide, the molecule that makes you cry when peeling onions.

New Scientist explains to us why superheroes always win.

SF Signal and Locus remind us that the Hugo Awards have been announced.

Neil Gaiman predicted that the Doctor Who episode The Girl in the Fireplace would win dramatic short form.