The ‘Realiser’ from MCP is, essentially, a 3D printer/prototyper for metals. The von Neumann era approaches!

It really seems to be little Enceladus’ week in the spotlight. Not only has it been found to have water in its make-up, but it is also the source of Saturn’s E-ring.

There’s an interesting article about a man using Google Earth to locate previously undiscovered impact craters. By making this kind of information available to everybody, Google has not only given an asset to the amateur scientists out there, but has also created an unique kind of collaborative research tool that will be beneficial to all science.

The rural peasantry, historically the source of China’s revolutionary fervor, is getting restive again. According to Time, China’s policy of allowing local governments to manage their own affairs has delivered economic growth, but at the expense of equity. Farmers, who are bearing the lion’s share of the costs of growth, are unhappy that they’re not also earning the rewards.

I’ve just added digg and reddit to my newsreader. I know I’m damaging my street cred by admitting I’m as late as this to the party, but I claim crusty old-fart-ness all the same: I was on K5 when you could still refer to Slashdot as, “the other site.”