ASCI Metaverse Meetings

8.29.10 This month we’ll discuss angry robots: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100809094527.htm

Whiskey to gasoline: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/scottish_scientists_raise_their_UVlyGvaAGvjNqOvx11kIMK

And if we can get to it, the fate of the universe: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11030889

8.29.10 transcript with Mrags Writer, pale Infinity, Flashing Merlin, Gilles Kuhn, Ataraxia Azemus, and Vesna Vendetta

Flashing Merlin: The idea is to make robots seem more human... but should we even try for anger in robots?
Mrags Writer: well in most SciFi the creator doesn't make out to well when the robot gets angry
Flashing Merlin: Agreed Mrags. I'd rather they work on say, a sense of humor, but do we want robots playing jokes on us?

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9.26.10 We'll discuss Hawking on Godless creation: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11172158

We’ll ask whether science needs to consult the public before coming to conclusions: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11292286

We’ll try to get to the implications of recent observations that solar flares alter the rate of radioactive decay, once thought to be constant: http://news.stanford.edu/news/2010/august/sun-082310.html

And if we have time, we’ll discuss Beer bugs in space: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11039206

9.26.10 transcript with pale Infinity, fama Poleni, Xhyra Graf, Flashing Merlin, Tonymontana Skodlow, and Vesna Vendetta


Flashing Merlin: Ok, my interpretation is that men and gods co-evolved, Xhyra says many explanations are possible, fama says god created the universe
Xhyra Graf: if were we to meet an alien that had different 'scientific' rules in explanation of the universe, we would still be describing the same universe.
Flashing Merlin: Agreed Xhyra! I'm not an alien and I have different science rules than Hawking... I'm a fan of Steady State Theory rather than the Big Bang.

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10.31.10 All are welcome, in costume or not. In honor of Halloween we’ll start by discussing, “Raising the Dead: by Means of Art and Science.” (http://www.atoa.org/Fall2010/October.htm#10/28 )

We’ll also discuss the role of art & science in determining morality, as we consider the Witches’ Rede, “If it harms none, do what ye will,” and how that relates to primate morals (http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/morals-without-god/ )

Finally we’ll try to get to some winners of this year’s Ig Nobel Prize (http://improbable.com/ig/ ), specifically a team of Chinese researchers led by Min Tan of Guangdong Entomological Institute who won a biology IgNobel for scientifically documenting the sex lives of bats, and the pioneering work of Richard Stephens and colleagues of Britain's Keele University for confirming that swearing oaths when you stub your toe relieves pain. (http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre68t6j4-us-ignobels/ )

10.31.10 transcript with Creativity Farshore, Ginna Decosta, Kavi Aldrin, spirit Radikal, Mrags Writer, pale Infinity, Flashing Merlin, Abhijeet Binstok, Isabelle, Valery Avedon


Flashing Merlin: Can't you think of a few good people to raise from the dead who might help the world now?
Creativity Farshore: How do we know who are the best? By reputation - often developed by good PR or by bad history books?
Flashing Merlin: Excellent point. Ghandi might be helpful, but he probably wouldn't want to come back - that escaping the wheel of reincarnation thing.

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11.28.10 We'll discuss some of the recent announcements in astronomy, including the discovery of gamma ray bubbles in the center of our galaxy (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/10/science/space/10galaxy.html?ref=science ), and the most massive neutron star found so far (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11639458 ).

We'll move on to announcements in quantum mechanics including a mini "Big Bang" at the Large Hadron Collider (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11711228 ), and the first anti-matter trap (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11773791).

If we have time, we'll discuss robot soccer (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11618151 ), and robot actors (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11732995 ).

11.28.10 transcript, with pale Infinity, Athos Cyberstar, Flashing Merlin, Vesna Vendetta, Born Salubrius

Athos Cyberstar: I don't use Photoshop except when I have an unfinished oil painting and I am not sure of where to take it. I take a digital photo of it and load it into Photoshop and try different solutions which i then print out and use as a guide. Photoshop is only another tool in the studio.
Flashing Merlin: There's a useful idea !

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12.26.10 We'll have fun with: PacMan seen on Saturn moon Mimas http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8594101.stm

We'll try to imagine a diamond planet http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11942451

We'll contemplate an arsenic based life form discovered by NASA research: http://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/astrobiology_toxic_chemical.html

If we have time, we'll look at an artist having a third eye implanted: http://www.3rdi.me

12.26.10 transcript with: Foramsam Popstar, Creativity Farshore, pale Infinity, Vesna Vendetta, Caro Oceanlane, BarbieDoll Somerset, Torulf Dexler, Koon Zoon, Tananda Oberlander, spirit Radikal, Flashing Merlin

Flashing Merlin: Foramsam is a biologist, perhaps he has thoughts about the arsenic based life form?
Foramsam Popstar: Unlikely
Flashing Merlin: unlikely the discovery was real?
Foramsam Popstar: Yes .... most likely another NASA astro"biology" premature publicity mistake. But that's just my humble opinion ...
Creativity Farshore: What else could it be?
Foramsam Popstar: A bunch of bacteria that took up arsenic without it replacing phosphate in DNA
Creativity Farshore: It's possible that the arsenic is doing most of the thinking, anyway

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