The Sword and Laser discussion

You might have seen the host on the Dailyshow yesterday. This season they're answering 6 big questions. The first is, 'Can we make it to Mars?' The second will be, 'Can we live forever?' I set up the recording remotely with my cable app.

I was so disappointed by the show and Dr. Tyson (spelling?). I appreciate that he brings things down to a level that mere mortals can understand them, but I feel like it's been so watered down, he (and the show in general) misses the real issues. At least, that's what I've felt from what I saw on the "Mars" episode. Full disclaimer, I'm a rocket scientist with a degree in physics. I have high expectations. They weren't met.

It seems really interesting to me so far. I didn't know any of this stuff. :) Maybe you'd like Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars books. I hear he went overboard on the research.

1st episode is online: http://video.pbs.org/video/1752557302

They don't have a cosmic ray shield yet? Wtf?

Watching Nova - Making Stuff: Smaller, with David Prager. About nanotechnology. Cool. Gold is actually red on the nano level.

I also have it recording and hope to catch that first episode this weekend. This should be the best T.V. I've seen in awhile.

Tamahome wrote: "Watching Nova - Making Stuff: Smaller, with David Prager. About nanotechnology. Cool. Gold is actually red on the nano level."

I think you mean David Pogue. It was a good episode, I thought.

I just learned what carbon nano-tubes are (Nova - Making Stuff: Stronger). I've heard it referred to in sf novels but never really learned what it was (and super strong glass, ceramic, silk, etc...)

Apparently gecko feet are great at the 'spiderman effect' of climbing walls, and it works simply through tiny hairs and molecular attraction (Nova - making things smarter). I want some. They have robots that can climb walls.