Breakdown: SciFi’s Influence on Psyop War
Annalee Newitz argues that the current intense cultural conflicts can be better understood as psychological warfare, which has been a permanent facet of American military doctrine since World War II and has deep roots in the 19th and 18th centuries, as seen in the work and research of science journalist and speculative novelist Paul Linebarger, who wrote the classic Cold War handbook “Psychological Warfare” and also created far-future science fiction under the pen name Cordwainer Smith, and Salon interviewed Newitz about their new book “Stories Are Weapons: Psychological Warfare and the American Mind.”
Can’t Stop the Signal: Malcolm Reynolds’ Firefly Prequel
Boom! Studios’ Firefly: Malcolm Reynolds: Year One #1 promises to finally reveal the definitive origin story of Captain Mal Reynolds, adding depth to both the beloved protagonist and the world of Firefly, and tapping into untold story potential that fans have craved for decades.
Jonathan Majors Isn’t Going Away Yet
Jonathan Majors will star in the revenge thriller Merciless, directed by Martin Villeneuve, which follows a CIA interrogator who must go to dark lengths to defeat a malevolent force that has overtaken the woman he loves, and will be produced by Christopher Tuffin, who aims to showcase his new disruptive media venture that stands against public opinion and selective prosecution, and the film will mark Majors’ return to acting after his conviction and participation in an intervention program following a domestic violence incident that led to his removal from the MCU and shelving of Magazine Dreams.
Another Solar Power Startup Chasing Perovskites
Startup Swift Solar has received a large amount of funding to develop a new type of light-absorbing material called perovskites, which have the potential to greatly improve upon the current dominant solar technology of crystalline silicon and increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of solar panels, but there are still challenges and uncertainties to overcome before perovskites can become a widely adopted alternative.
Bryce Dallas Howard Wants to be Scifi’s Next Big Director
Bryce Dallas Howard, known for her work on the Star Wars franchise, has expressed interest in directing Star Trek and has praised Terry Matalas’ work on Star Trek: Picard, with her next directorial project being an episode of the upcoming Star Wars: Skeleton Crew series, following in the footsteps of her father Ron Howard.
Getting Bugs Out of (and Into) Rural Solar
With the mounting evidence of the benefits of agrivoltaic solar arrays for crop yields, pollinator habitats, and conservation, New York State is investing $5 million in a program to promote the use of farmland for both renewable energy generation and farming, setting an example for other states in their rural solar development and challenging the argument that farmland should be solely reserved for traditional agriculture.
‘All Your Data into MIT’s DNA Cup’ Sounds Weird
MIT researchers have developed a polymer that can preserve and protect DNA at room temperature, making it a potential solution for storing massive amounts of information and even the entire human genome.
Jurassic Park: Blockbuster Scifi, Science Fail
Jurassic Park, released in 1993 and based on the book by Michael Crichton, used practical effects and CGI to bring dinosaurs back to life on the big screen, but with recent advancements in paleontology, it has been discovered that many of the film’s depictions of dinosaurs, particularly the theropods, are inaccurate and more akin to fictional monsters. This leads to the question of whether a remake or sequel with more scientifically accurate depictions of dinosaurs would be a good idea, or if Hollywood should continue promoting an exaggerated and monstrous depiction of these once majestic creatures.
AI Projects Go Bust for Business Baddies
Businesses are becoming more hesitant to invest in AI due to concerns about cost, data security, and accuracy, as shown by a study conducted by Lucidworks, which surveyed 1,000 companies with active AI initiatives and found that only 63% of companies plan to increase spending on AI in the next twelve months, a decline from 93% in 2023, with factors such as lack of financial benefits, difficulty in moving past pilot testing, and growing concerns about costs, security, and accuracy contributing to this trend.
Satellite Schemes Doom Ozone Hole Recovery
Satellites falling into Earth’s atmosphere and burning up leave behind aluminum oxide particles that have increased 8-fold since 2016 and will continue to accumulate as more low-Earth-orbit satellites are launched, posing a threat to the protective ozone layer and potentially undoing the success of the 1987 Montreal Protocol, with the potential for 912 metric tons of aluminum and 360 metric tons of aluminum oxides to be released into the atmosphere per year once currently planned satellite constellations are complete.