Futurismic Fiction will begin its fourth reading period one week from today on March 8, 2006. This will be another indefinite reading period; we’re basically going to leave the web-form open and accept submissions until we buy out this year’s fiction budget.

Speaking of our budget, it has increased! We have doubled our payment to a flat fee of $200.00 per story. So, with that extra added incentive, you should go read this and this and start getting those stories ready. We look forward to seeing your stuff!

I’m a few days late posting a link to this year’s final ballot for the Nebulas, but I’m really feeling the need to get behind Geoff Ryman’s Air, which honestly may be one of the best science fiction novels I’ve ever read. Not to be missed!

You know all that culture we humans have that separates us from the animals? Well, apparently it’s just not that big a deal, as, according to a recent report, all it takes for apes to develop a culture of their own is a consistent source of food and a stable social group. How depressing.

Researchers have discovered a new method of forming complex networks of nanotubes, which causes large interconnected hexagonal networks of the tubes to form on the surface of a layered crystal in under a second.

Bio-med engineers at Yale have created an implantable system that can form and stabilise a network of blood vessels. This could potentially revolutionise tissue and nerve reconstruction surgery, which is dependent on effective oxygen delivery through fine cappillaries for success.