Bitcoin is an emerging digital currency that isn’t controlled by any authority such as a central bank.
The world’s first Bitcoin ATM is believed to launch in Canada this week. CBC reports, Mitchell Demeter, co-founder of Vancouver bitcoin trading company Bitcoiniacs and part-owner of Robocoin, has invested in five such machines to be placed across Canada.
Continue reading… “World’s first Bitcoin ATM to launch in Canada”
High-frequency trading.
Futurist Brian David Johnson describes his job as a “futurehunter” and his fascination with both algorithmic trading and high-frequency trading (HFT) in this excerpt from Humanity in the Machine: What Comes after Greed?. Both methods use computer programs to automate and accelerate the execution of certain financial transactions. Yet heavy reliance on such technology in the finance world can be dangerous—the Flash Crash of 2010 cited by Johnson stands out as a prominent example.
Continue reading… “The dangers of stock trading with highly automated systems”
University of Washington researchers.
The first brain-to-brain communication occurred when a rat pressed a lever, anticipating the tasty reward it’d been trained to expect. An implant in the rat’s brain converted its neural activity into an electronic signal and beamed the impulse to the brain of the second rat, which leaped forward and pressed a lever in its own cage . But rat #2 had never been trained to press the lever. Its movement impulse came not from its own brain, but directly from the brain of rat #1 – despite the fact that the two were separated by thousands of miles.
Continue reading… “The future of brain-to-brain communication”
A bicyclist in Pescara, Italy.
Bicycle are outsold new-cars last year in every one of the European countries, except Belgium and Luxembourg. Car sales reached a low point earlier this year. Recent data shows car sales were recovering. The Millennial generation is more interested in bikes than in cars.
Continue reading… “Bike sales have outpaced car sales in almost every European country”
The number of mobile job seekers will climb to 50% by the end of 2015.
Simply Hired reports in a new survey on job search trends that the use of mobile devices for job seeking continues to increase. Simply Hired found that 30% of its job search traffic came from mobile devices. LinkedIn reported a similar trend in the third quarter of 2013, with mobile accounting for 38% of unique visitors.
Continue reading… “Mobile trends in job searching”
Libraries and librarians need to exist and help foster a love of reading and places in which reading can occur.
Neil Gaiman gives The Reading Agency annual lecture on the future of reading and libraries. He explains why using our imaginations, and providing for others to use theirs, is an obligation for all citizens.
Continue reading… “Our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreaming: Neil Gaiman”
Vials of genetically engineered life-forms.
For Jack Newman, a scientist, creating a new life-form has become as simple as typing out a DNA sequence on his laptop. He clicks “send.” And a few yards away in the laboratory, robotic arms mix together some compounds to produce the desired cells.
Continue reading… “Companies rush to build ‘bio-factories’ for a wide range of products”
Wall Steeters are richer and harder to find than your average New Yorker.
The Office of the New York State Comptroller each year does a deep dive into Wall Street employment and compensation. The office has released its report for 2012, and as usual Wall Street salaries trounced the average New Yorker’s.
Continue reading… “Average Wall Streeter makes 5.2 times more than the average New Yorker”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpMTkr_aiYU[/youtube]
The world is a fascinating place up close. Through the lens of a microscope you can find details that you would otherwise never notice. But now you can. There is a simple method for building a digital microscope that uses your smartphone camera, focused by a laser-pointer lens.
Continue reading… “How to turn your smartphone into a digital microscope”
Help Wanted: Cocktail waitresses in Iceland. Must adapt well to extreme temperatures!
Quote of the Day: “I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three.” – Elayne Boosler
Continue reading… “Top 13 Photos of the Week”
The coffee machine knows you probably don’t want whipped cream on your venti non-fat latte.
Starbucks refrigerators and coffeemakers are about to get a whole lot smarter. Starbucks reportedly plans to connect its devices to the Internet of Things within the next year. Fridges will now tell employees when a carton of milk has gone bad, and cloud-based Clover coffeemakers will track what recipes customers prefer, and alert workers to the machine’s performance. The move is an attempt to improve productivity as well as customer service.
Continue reading… “Starbucks connects fridges, coffee machines to the Internet of Things”
Natural Machines is working on a 3D printer that will be able to produce pasta and bread.
Natural Machines is a Barcelona-based startup that is working on a 3D printer that will be able to produce pasta, bread, and other food item that starts out as a dough, paste or stiff liquid. The breakthrough could be the start of a new era for 3D printing and the possible foods it can produce.
Continue reading… “Nutritious 3D printed food is now a reality”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.