Deep Space Travel

Travelling in the depths of space will literally give a whole new meaning to dancing with the stars. In Technology’s Promise, William Halal and others postulate that it may indeed be possible that we will see deep space exploration near the middle of the 21^st century. One can only hope these days, but with the recent gutting of the U.S. space programs out of fear and mismanagement of the federal government, the possibility of even getting to Mars by then seems doubtful. The short shortsightedness and selfishness of those we have put into high office has done almost irreparable harm to once lofty aspirations.

Much work and research will be required to realize the means to propel mankind where no one has gone before. People here on Earth will have to settle down and get along much better in order for such an expensive enterprise can even begin to prosper. It appears that we are in the midst of a bust or boom phase of human development. At the moment, uncertainty is in the driver’s seat with confidence riding in the back of the bus, heading for a canyon cliff. It is time to toss the old baggage (i.e. Legislators and the like) off the bus so that it can make the leap across to the other side with some leadership that has integrity, fortitude and foresight.

Mind Mapping Online Tools

CS855 Mind Map

A nice, useful Web 2.0 tool to support Socio-Technical Innovation in the 21st century is Mind42.com. This tool provides a platform for illustrating an idea and all the factors that one can think of that might go into the innovative development of the idea into reality.

Futurist Isaac Asimov

Did Isaac Asimov foresee the advent of Google, Wikipedia and the like?

Isaac Asimov

“Once we have computer outlets in every home, each of them hooked up to enormous libraries where anyone can ask any question and be given answers, be given reference materials, be something you’re interested in knowing, from an early age, however silly it might seem to someone else… that’s what YOU are interested in, and you can ask, and you can find out, and you can do it in your own home, at your own speed, in your own direction, in your own time… Then, everyone would enjoy learning. Nowadays, what people call learning is forced on you, and everyone is forced to learn the same thing on the same day at the same speed in class, and everyone is different.” ~ Isaac Asimov
 http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2011/01/28/isaac-asimov-creativity-education-science/

Having a firm grasp of the technological aspects afforded to the world by the proliferation of personal computers, Isaac Asimov certainly envisioned the educational advantages that were about to be realized. He would no doubt approve of the direction computer technology has taken us for the most part.

He also understood the potential for abuses of any technology, especially one that could reach into every household in the world. As one of the most productive authors of our time, he spanned the realms of impossibilities as well as practicalities. It seems as though all things are quite possible in his mind, where the depth of his vision could only be described as boundless.

Animoto Show for Innovation

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.