Technology Smart cables help bridges bounce back after quakes They are one of the defining images of earthquakes the world over, from Kobe in Japan to Oakland, California: bridges whose sections have slipped from their supports, crashing to earth like discarded playing cards. How much better if they could be held in place by cables that stretch during the quake and then pull them … 51¶¯Âþ
Perspectives: Why humanity needs a God of creativity WITH economic and communications globalisation, some form of a global civilisation is beginning to emerge, perhaps homogeneous, perhaps forever diverse. We all face the challenges of global warming. We face peak oil, that year after which we shall never recover so much oil again – with unknown economic consequences, including hunger and resource wars. And … Opinion
Physics Do we need to change the definition of science? WHAT is the difference between astronomy and astrology? That's easy: astronomy is the scientific study of celestial objects, while astrology is a load of hokum. Anyone with the most basic understanding of science knows why. Astronomy passes the acid test of real science: its claims are always capable of being debunked – in other words, … Features
Technology Review: The Future of the Internet: And how to stop it by Jonathan Zittrain IT WASN'T a telegram that informed me about Jonathan Zittrain's new book, but an email. A century-and-a-half of engineering ingenuity has brought us from Morse telegraphy to the content-stuffed global network available via a broadband socket near you. But is this express train of ingenuity about to fly off the tracks? Zittrain thinks so. He's … Books & Arts
Feedback Killing Hitler FOLLOWING our recent excursion into the theme of time travel (5 April) , a colleague has alerted us to a witty science fiction story on the topic. "Wikihistory" by Desmond Warzel appears in the online magazine Abyss and Apex . It consists of quotes from the members' forum of the International Association of … Regulars