Predicting the future is still more art than science, but science is making inroads. The concept of a critical threshold, beyond which a system’s characteristics change significantly (and possibly irreversibly) is both applicable across physical and social phenomena, and approachable through mathematics.

SizeEasy is a site with a simple mission, to help people compare the size of two items. That’s a step closer to bricks and mortar online.

Clay Shirky takes apart Larry Sanger’s Citizendium (like Wikipedia, only the kids have to answer to the parents) with typically insightful and incisive analysis. Particularly cogent but easily overlooked — expertise is a social phenomenon, and cannot simply be assumed.

Computer scientists at the University of Arkansas are creating accurate 3D models of cities by combining data from satellites, aircraft, city records and street-level photography. With an accurate 3D model, they can visualize the impact of future growth.

Well-designed sailboats and well-designed alternative energy living spaces share a kind of minimalist but fussily technical aesthetic that I appreciate. The Transatlantic21 is a solar-powered catamaran under construction that combines the best of both worlds.