ZDNet is running the first of three parts of an article discussing Artificial Intelligence. Part 1 focuses on the historical origins of machine intelligence and neural networks.

NASA’s recently-cancelled ‘Dawn’ mission has been reinstated, to the joy of the scientists working on it. The mission will involve an ion-engined probe approaching and then orbiting two of the largest asteroids in the Belt, Ceres and Vesta.

I want a Picoflyer remote controlled helicopter, and then I want a cat to torment with it. Here’s Popular Science’s explanation of how it works.

The Literature Map is an interesting concept that needs a better implementation. Enter the name of an author to see a cluster of related authors with your selected author in the center. The farther a related author is from the center, the less in common the author has with your choice. Implementation problems include no indication of what the cardinal position of related authors mean, plus some bizarre floating effect that just makes it hard to read.