I am so very happy to live in the time I'm in now, at this moment ... in time.

I often hear people say that times were better in the past, before everyone got in such a hurry. While this is an interesting perspective, I really don't want to go back to the days of no indoor air conditioning, ice boxes, horse and buggy, or writing with quills. If you want the sensation of those times, there are places you can go to experience it and then return to the modern world. Sure, people weren't as rushed, and that's not good, but also didn't live as long as we do now. Science has advanced to the point where we are thinking very seriously of populating other planets! Incredible.

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The point I hope to make is that we enjoy looking back on days of our youth with eyes colored by nostalgia and happy memory. While I agree that our lives are invariably simpler as children, the times are certainly better today than ever before. The technology available to us is dizzying. I do understand that many places don't have access to these wonders, and for that I'm truly sad. Wouldn't it be grand if everyone had whatever they needed? But, the world doesn't work that way, does it?

Despite our feelings, time marches on and on and on. Unless we stop inventing things, technology will also march forward, as will our desire for more. Isn't it funny how happiness and contentment change when we see new things? However, there are many advances which only came about due to dissatisfaction with the statue quo. Is it bad to improve things? Of course not. That's why I'm very happy to live in the now and not in the then ... in time ... I mean present ... the current ... today.

- M

The worries of "established" science

Modern science is founded on the scientific method, which is basically: come up with a theory, test it, check the data, rework the theory, test, examine data, and repeat until things appear to match. However, the testing and reworking of theories should never simply end (unless there's nothing further to be learned). Life is constantly slapping our perceptions in the face, forcing us to reconsider what we previously agreed was true. Science should reflect this reality.

Why bring up this thorny topic? Well, there's been a growing movement to shut down new theories by claiming the science is "established" and therefore unquestionable. Science should be constantly questioned. Even the theory of gravity has come under attack (not that it changes how it affects our lives, but the underlying reasons for gravity existing and how it actually works). Science is not determined by committee or general agreement. There are numerous examples of single scientists who questioned firmly accepted theories and ended up turning the entire scientific community on their collective ears--Archimedes, Copernicus, Galileo, Faraday, Curie, Newton, Einstein, and on and on.

When we stop questioning theories, we give up our creativity and any motivation to forge better science. Should we have stopped at horse transportation, because cars would never be economical? Should our concept of solar systems have ended with the Earth being the center of everything and the universe revolving around it? Of course not. I say, bring on the crazies! Throw some stones into the waters of science and see if current concepts hold up. We need skeptics to rock the boat. I think we've become complacent in our knowledge, and that diminishes us. Bring in idiotic ideas and see what works--I don't see any other way that I'll get Star Trek phasers and flying cars.

- M

Ode to encyclopedias.

Have encyclopedias gone extinct? What I mean is, do newly graduated high school students even know what they are, or use them at all? With the prevalence of online databases, and knowledge-bases, it seems unlikely any modern students ever use encyclopedias. If so, then that makes me sad. Some of my favorite memories are reading through multiple chapters of encyclopedia information. I love them, and still do ... however, I don't own a set either.

What made these massive tomes so wonderful? They included articles on virtually every subject, with scholarly insight and wonderful detail. I learned about the world, without setting foot outside the library. Wikipedia serves somewhat the same function, albeit to a much greater degree, however it lacks the intimacy of holding a book in your hands and flipping through until something catches your eye. Actually, that's the same reason I miss bookstores--because I can't walk through the aisles and discover new authors.

Finding new information is incredibly easy these days, but you also need to know what you're seeking. Oddly, it's harder to simply peruse and happen upon things that are interesting but unexpected. Sure, there's the "Surprise me" buttons on Google and Wikipedia, but it's not the same. There's no spontaneity to it, just randomness. Still, it's the world we live in now and I doubt it'll change. Perhaps there's still time for me to buy a set of encyclopedias ...

- M

New gadgets are like birthday presents any time of the year!

I'm a computer nerd, so I especially love electronic gadgets. Phones, automatic cat feeders, e-book readers, pencil sharpeners, and basically anything that goes "whizz" and "zoom". The oddity is my phone. I use a computer for messaging and basically everything, so getting a phone for me was never a priority. I'm happy with a flip phone. Well, my wife couldn't stand it and got me an actual smart phone (hardly a fancy one, but suitable).

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So, now I'm tickled with a new gadget to tear apart and put back together, lots of new fizbang stuff to mess with, and essentially a new toy. It's great! What's even better is how I basically can't do any real harm to the device, unless I drop it off a building or run it over with my van. Also, I am now officially part of the 21st century. Yippee!

Of course, without electricity these will all become paperweights. It's easy to take for granted the ability to plug a device into the wall and get power to it. There are plenty of other things we never consider either, but I won't make you feel bad (or me). Suffice it to say that our generation is blessed with incredibly powerful devices of luxury hardly dreamt of in years past. Imagine what H.G. Wells would think of our society? His brain would explode.

- M

Communication changes, are we losing touch?

Cell phones are everywhere these days. According to recent studies, younger people tend to favor texting over actually speaking with one another. It must be true, because I've seen numerous youngsters sitting together, walking side-by-side, and enjoying meals, while spending all their time staring at their phones. I even watched in silent awe as a trio of girls went past, texting each other and laughing. What ever happened to looking someone in the eye and saying what you mean? It's odd to me.

Now, I adore gadgets--despite barely having a cell phone--and am genuinely thrilled to get any new toy, but this communication style flies right over my head. There's so much more to communication than only the words. There's body language, inflection, tone, rhythm, stressed words, pauses, and on and on and on. Those things don't come across well in texting (no, emoji don't count). It's also much harder to be snarky, snide, and sarcastic via text (at least, not unless the person you're texting completely knows how you think).

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It's interesting how in our modern age of instant communication, we are losing touch with each other on a personal level. Neighbors are a treasure going untapped most of the time, and we do so little to change it. Sure, if you text it's less likely you'll get a fist in your mouth, face hurt feelings, or otherwise deal with communication as it happens. We want contact totally under our own control, when we're ready for it, and not when it actually takes place. I think that's sad, despite the incredible technology. It's good to sit down and talk with someone, to really get to know them. Why should we be uncomfortable with such a natural method of expression?

- M

Math and science ... torture or blessing?

Why do we teach math and science? Think about it. What's the purpose of torturing our children with concepts they have such difficulty grasping? Do we like pain?

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I hear a lot of people asking these questions from time to time. They are completely missing the point.

Math and science are two disciplines heavily connected with thinking rationally and logically, where emotion doesn't influence the outcome. 2+2=4 each and every time, no matter how you feel about it. Gravity is a fact of life, so leaping from a building because you truly believe you can fly won't change the truth that you will have a nasty fall. Children need to understand logic and deduction, so we use math and science to train them to analyze the world around them.

Without suitable grounding in math and science, people wander around and expect the world to change to suit their whims. Life doesn't work that way. Logic takes time to learn and understand. Following a path of consequence is nearly impossible without some training (even if only a little). We teach our children to deduce what will happen if they do something bad, but that is also true with any activity in life. Math and science are structured systems, which train minds to consider significant factors, form a theory, then test to see if it's true.

Even if you don't have a career in the sciences, the training you have will give you a definite advantage over anyone without it. Logical, critical, disciplined, thinking is a useful skill for life. So, yes, keep on torturing your kids minds with difficult concepts and help them learn for the betterment of their future living.

- M

ps. Sorry this was late. Apparently I "scheduled" this post to drop in 2027. Oops.

Radio controlled submarines, planes, and drones.

At this point, we all know about drones flying around with tiny cameras, showing views of the world we rarely experience. Radio controlled devices were initially invented in 1894, by a physicist named Oliver Lodge, but didn't really see the light of day until Nikola Tesla crafted a little boat in 1898 that operated by radio control. I first understood the principles when I watched a boy drive his radio controlled submarine in a lake. Fascinating. Magical. Then, my father took my brother and I to watch the local RC club flying their model airplanes. Wow!

While I've never had one, they sure look like fun! Find it here.

Now, there's all kinds and all sizes. Various navies drive enormous boats by remote control, jetliners can fly on autopilot, and we're working on self-driving vehicles. Many space exploration vehicles are guided by remote, though are semi-autonomous as well. There's no end to it.

I'm older, but I still love toys. It's fascinating walking through the toy isles and looking at all the gizmos and whizbangers available. But, then I'm also disappointed that such expensive and highly technological items will leave most kids bored after a short time. I miss the days of simple rocking horses and non-interactive games. What's wrong with supplying your own imagination to power the fun?

- M

Cell phones ... calamity or boon?

Despite the fact that I'm a huge computer nerd, science geek, and overall technology nut, I only recently got a cell phone. An old one that I wouldn't trust to faithfully load web pages. My wife wanted me to have one, so now I do. Being on the outside of the cell phone culture has granted me a fairly uncommon point of view. In my view, it's clear that people put extreme priority on their cell phones--to the point where they are willing to interrupt anything at all (and I mean anything) to check what the just arrived text message says. I've watched people in the midst of a sentence to someone standing directly in front of them, pause and look at the phone before carrying on the sentence. It's astounding. And, let's not get started with cell phones and driving, because it's a pile of torment.

But--and there's always a but, isn't there--cell phones have undeniably improved our world. Information is accessible anywhere, anytime, and thus our world has become interconnected to an extent even science fiction writers never imagined. We can literally chat with someone on the other side of the planet, from our tent in the Sahara, and see them at the same time! Wow. I still shudder with disbelief when I consider how everyone is a simple tap and call away. Incredible.

Wait, there's more! Cell phones are now smart phones. Essentially they are hand held computers, capable of anything a full-sized computer could do only five years ago. I'm still waiting for hologram displays I can use without having special glasses, or usable anywhere keyboards made with laser lights. Our phones are an essential part of our lives, and likely store more of our lives than our own memories. Losing a phone is such a hardship that people hyperventilate at the mere thought. Don't worry, the cloud backs up all your pictures and pretty soon there'll be some sort of neural network with all information ever created online. Information at our fingertips has never been truer.

- M

Socks, and the untold mystery of their disappearances.

If you've ever done laundry, you've probably come across the weird phenomena of vanishing socks. I'm not sure why it's just socks and not underwear or something else disgusting, but I've never known anyone to miss their pants. I've thought about this dilemma for a long time, and I have some ideas.

First, I don't think socks are magically turning into dust in the dryer--despite how wonderful that theory is, there's not enough lint to make up an entire sock. Also, there are no black holes in the laundry room, because of lots of science reasons and the fact the Earth still exists. I doubt there is a sock monster roaming around either, so I would call that idea 50/50.


Sock mystery by Maria van Bruggen

So, what do I think is happening to these socks? Well, my personal theory is there is a previously unknown form of life which exists only within the confines of a dryer, due to the combination of heat and darkness. It's a kind of bacteria, but has great ability to absorb used cotton and footwear. It's droppings are the static electricity that bafflingly coats our clothes so thickly. This makes the loss of socks directly proportional to the level of static in your laundry. The dryer sheets we throw in to battle static actually absorb the bacteria's droppings and so prevents overwhelming sock loss. The bacteria avoid detection because they have a very hard shell which mimics the look and feel of enamel. The only way I know of to get rid of them is to starve them of socks for a month or two.

Happy hunting, and good luck.

- M

Eyeglass cleaners are a sign of an advanced civilization

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I wear eyeglasses, and I frequently need to clean them. There are plenty of methods available: bottom of your shirt, facial tissue, lint-free cleaning clothes, solution-soaked wipes, spray solutions, and the good-ole spit and polish. What matters is that whatever you use, your glasses need to wind up clean. The trouble I've found is that there's usually a sheen of oil on the inside and only a good cleaner will take it away.

 

The wonders of civilization are numerous. We normally point to the major things, like electricity and so on, but I think it's the little conveniences that are the true wonders. I wonder how long we'd live without can openers, or cigarette lighters (mainly for their fire starting ability), and even something as simple as comfortable shoes. Have you ever considered just how much of our daily lives are thanks to cheap plastics? What about drinkable water? And, what about that chair you're sitting on?

 

I'm trying to point out that we take a lot of things for granted. It's easy to think that all these conveniences will always be there, no matter what. But, things aren't like this everywhere. Many places don't even have clean water from a tap, or electricity, or proper sanitation. There are incredible people and organizations who's sole purpose in life is to bring these modern things to the people without them. That's pretty amazing.

 

So, yes, eyeglass cleaner is incredible and I won't take it for granted ... I promise.

 

- M

Holograms, an invention of absolute wonder!

Many years ago, when holograms were first introduced, I distinctly remember going to an art gallery where they sold several framed ones. These were the old holograms (created by lasers and typically green in color) and so it was like a frozen image captured inside a pane of glass. They were incredible. You could turn the glass and see completely new angles, even behind edges. It was magic. I wish I'd bought one or two (they oddly weren't all that expensive). I remember one of the Starship Enterprise was pretty awesome.

Pocket watch gears hologram

Then, credit cards started putting holograms on their silly plastic and some of the specialness disappeared. Well, maybe not. The holograms we see now are very cheaply created. The early ones were carefully sculpted works of art. Sure, they weren't complex (I remember one was just an apple), but they were just like peeking through a green-colored window and seeing something barely on the other side. I remember a video game (one of those big cabinet consoles you found in video game arcades--which were common back then) that used a spinning mirror to make your game character appear on a table in front of you. It was pretty cool, like the "Dragon's Lair" arcade game, but you could stick your hand through the image.

 

I've often wondered why the concept never moved beyond the initial stages. There are lots of concepts for how to make it work--such as smoke or water droplets and special lenses. I suppose the new "interactive virtual environments" (Pokemon GO) have taken the place of holograms. Yet, I suspect there's a huge market for 3-Dimensional photographs. I'd love to put up a pictures of mountains, where I can walk up to them and move side-to-side and see new angles. Science fiction stories have guessed at technologies like that, so why haven't we created it yet? Come on, inventors! I want a wall in my basement that shows me the now vanished ebony beaches of Hawaii!

 

- M

Travelling would be so much better with teleporters...

Do you enjoy travelling? Or, do you enjoy being in other places? For me, it's the second part. If I could teleport to where I want to go, then I'd travel a lot. But, ugh, the regular travel time is so painful to me. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being with my family and especially with my wife. We can talk for hours and not notice. But, if you're stuck in a car, not able to move around or go to the bathroom, it gets tiring really fast. I'm probably in the minority on this. Driving is considered very relaxing, many people love it (including my youngest), and there are many industries built around it.

 

Still, wouldn't it be neat to just press a button and poof you're there? Take breakfast in Paris, lunch in Vancouver, and supper in Hawaii. Rather hard currently. And, eating is just a simple thing to imagine. Teleportation would make space travel easy, and same for underwater explorations. Heh, I could even teleport my car keys to my hand--where'd I leave those again?

 

 

Before you call me crazy, just think about the insane technology we carry around with us every day. Twenty years ago, cell phones of today would have been unthinkable. I still can't believe the new watches that are very nearly the Tricorders of Star Trek fame. And how about something simple like transition lenses for sunglasses? I bet if you take those simple glasses back a hundred years you'd make a zillion dollars (well, or be set on fire at the stake--people are goofy about stuff they don't understand).

 

So, get going on that teleporter will ya?

 

- M

Hidden knowledge, trivia, and all sorts of goofy things to know

Cats racing ...

My mind is a fount of mildly useful information, or so I'm told. Actually, it's more like I've filled my brain to the brim with lots of little tidbits I found interesting and for some reason have retained it all. One fun trick is recognizing a movie, and giving the title, with barely a second or two of watching it (even movies I've never watched, but only know about). Sure, some of that falls into the category of Parlor Tricks, but it's still fun. I'll never forget when my youngest daughter tried to stymie me by playing a few seconds of the title intro to "Star Trek: First Contact." (okay, I'll give it away, I recognized the actress name and the music and the style of the credits and the way the camera moved... like I said, a trick).

Truth is, I don't find this knowledge helpful for the most part, it's just fun to know. I still read constantly in a huge variety of fields. Thirst for knowledge doesn't ever go away, especially when you keep feeding the hunger. But, just because you know it sadly doesn't mean you'll remember it accurately when you need it--yup, I stink at Jeopardy, or anytime there's a time limit.

I tell my kids to keep learning, all the time. The day you stop learning is the day you let your intelligence drift away on summer breezes. Of course, I'm a writer and a nerd so, yeah, of course I'd say that. But, there's nothing quite like rattling off a little gem of information at the perfect time and drinking in the looks of awe around you!

- M

Ants, and their incredibly curious lives

There was an old computer game called "Sim Ants." And, just like you'd expect, it's about ants. More specifically, it's about a single colony of ants and their anthill. Your goal is to take over the back yard and invade the house, and kick out the humans. I wasn't very good at it, since I spent most of my time toying around with digging the anthill and fiddling around with all the different bits. It was a huge hit as a game, and you probably can still get it at one of those abandonware web sites. The curious thing is how so many people wanted to watch and play with ants, even as adults!

I've seen some really amazing artwork made by simply pouring molten metal into anthills. The results are impressive and make fine sculptures. I'd love to have one, though I can't imagine where I'd put it since it's essentially a crazy art deco thing. But, I love how anthills remain a marvel no matter how old we get. We write stories about ants, watch in rapt attention as children, and point to them as lessons in determination.

A gel ant farm, nifty isn't it?

It's funny how such a simple little creature figures so strongly in our lives. I'll bet we all watched anthills as children, and probably around the same time we were fascinated with picking up rocks and shoving them in our pockets. Simple, entertaining, incredibly industrious, and full of hidden secrets that we can't see because ants burrow out of sight. That's why those special ant farms are so fun, since you get to see the tunnels and how the colony goes about it's business. Ants even have a trash pit (or, at least some do, I'm no expert) and some actively cultivate gardens. Pretty impressive for a little creature you may not even notice you stepped on.

- M

Cyborgs, Robots, & Automatons

Science fiction loves the idea of machines, since the genre is focused on technology for the most part. It's only natural that machines become human-like. Robots are easy, since they are machines typically imbued with some sort of artificial intelligence and so can do awful or great things with equal dispatch. Cyborgs are a bit different, since they are part machine and part human (think Robocop). White Automatons are made in the image of humans, and can be robot, cyborg, or remote controlled shells. Whatever they are, these robotic creations are loads of fun, because the author can easily play with the dangers of technologies as well as the human interactions it creates.

I think we all have a fear of new technologies, even if that fear is briefly instantaneous or long lasting. Mary Shelley wrote the famous "Frankenstein" in part as an exploration of the boundaries of science while also warning of our ethical challenges when doing so. That fear, however small, is at the center of many science fiction stories. It's where the conflict begins, and the story branches out from it. You hear the "extrapolation" tossed around when people discuss science fiction, and what it basically means is the author has guessed at future technologies by examining the current ones. By doing that, the audience is kept close to the story and doesn't have to believe too much goofy nonsense (such as Star Trek's infamous "technobabble.")

My own love of robots comes right from Star Wars. Yup, I adore R2D2 and C3PO. I think they are the best robots ever depicted, and I'm sure it's probably because they were my first love. It's also because they have easily defined characterizations. One is loyal and heroic to a fault, the other is a cowardly talker who nevertheless is faithful and loyal. And then there are the robots from the Terminator movies--terrifying machines of focused destruction.

I have watched the real life progress of robots, and it's both amusing and discouraging to witness. On one hand science has created impressive helpers (such as the machines that build cars) and have fallen short in making human-replicas. My opinion is we should try to replicate us, but make them as determined by their function. Science Fiction won't stop toying with robotics though, since it's so much fun (my first book was Science Fiction as well).

- M

Robots. Those goofy, charming, scary, and downright perplexing machines.

I love robots. Big, small, huge and fighting, or tiny and sneaky. I've always loved robots. The recent Transformers series of movies have highlighted robots in a big way, and I think it's all great. Also, Pacific Rim showed us huge robots fighting giant monsters! With the Avengers and now Avengers 2 we have Iron Man and an evil robot (Ultron). I'm smiling ear to ear about it all. I can't wait to see miniaturized robots flying around--perhaps a remake of Fantastic Voyage.

Iron Man, the villain Ultron, and Captain America

Today's robots mostly build stuff--assembly line robots, or automated cutters, or 3D printers--and they destroy things--demolition, military robots--and they explore distant worlds. Of course there are also medical robots, but they are mostly directed tools used by human operators. I think we are quickly arriving at the point where robots will do quite a lot in regular life. I doubt we'll ever have fully autonomous robots (able to think and learn for their own), mainly because life is simply too complex for a programmed mind to handle. Now, if we could create artificial intelligence on the scale of what we see in movies it would be possible, but I have my doubts. Anyway, scientists will continue pushing toward that point until time comes to an end.

What makes robots fun is how they can be human and yet not. As an example, think about Data from the Star Trek series. It's a common story tradition--using something not quite human to express human concerns, issues, and troubles--and robots are perfect for the job. The great thing is we aren't even all that worried when a robot is destroyed, because we can rebuild them! Great stuff. One of my favorite movies is The Iron Giant, which lets that happen in fact. It is my wish that robots see a long life of use in reality and stories.

- M

Hovercraft ... the most brilliant machines in all of time and history!

Sport hovercraft

One idea I fell in love with as a child was the hovercraft. At it's most basic, it's a fan (pointed down) with heavy curtains all around it. What happens is the fan blows air down, billowing out the curtains, the curtains hold in a cushion of air, and the whole contraption lifts off the surface so it can move. Properly built, a hovercraft is useful on any kind of surface--sand, water, dirt, logs, sludge. The drawbacks are that it's stunningly loud and tends to spray stuff everywhere as little bits slip out from under the curtain skirts and blow about. However, this hasn't stopped the world's navies from creating monstrous versions that are so large it's amazing they even work at all.


Russian hovercraft during military exercise (555 ton ship!).
But, notice the massive amount of water spray.

What is so fun about these machines is how they are such simple ideas. And, they are absolutely awesome to watch as they transition from land to water and across bogs and onto the interstate. One Jackie Chan movie even featured one. They're fantastic!

Yes, I'm being dramatic, but there are ideas totally worth being excited about. In that thought, I'd love to ride a rocket into space, float in zero-gravity, go in a submarine in Hawaii, and skydive. Ok, so those aren't technology, but I'd still enjoy all of them--yes, my mind does tend to wander. Still, maybe someone's feeling generous? ... hint, hint, nudge, nudge ...

- M

Spots on the Sun.

Sunspot AR 2192, about the size of Jupiter

Sunspots are true marvels of our universe. They are somewhat understood, but there is so much more to discover about the why and how of their formation. My question is why they are needed? What processes are turning on the creation of these vast structures? I've been dazzled by these things since I learned of them as a child.

 

I suppose it's comforting to me to know there is still a lot that isn't understood. I like that. Discovery is part of the human condition, and I love hearing about some new tidbit scientists are only now understanding. I doubt we'll ever understand it all, although we won't stop trying. It's great fun to come across something nobody else knows.

 

There are hidden things in our universe, waiting for us to notice them. Dark matter, dark energy, and a whole host of strangely defined thingamajigs. We have ideas they are there, but finding them is a challenge. I look forward to the new discoveries. I'm eager to learn more, and find out more about the universe we all inhabit. The unknown isn't a scary place... it's an adventure.

 

- M

Weird animals, strange creatures, and untold amusement

There are critters in this world that are so weird it's hard to believe they even exist. Take the woodpecker for instance--why is there a bird that bangs its head into trees in search of grubs? Or how about the platypus? Here's a mammal that lays eggs (mammals normally have live births), has a bill and lives mainly underwater (but, it can't keep its eyes open so it hunts blind), and it has poison toes (normally only seen in reptiles). It's like this creature's sole reason for existing is to toss expectation to the wind and buck the system.

A baby platypus

Mythology contains all sorts of strange creatures as well, and many are somewhat based on reality. I still feel that dragons have some kind of basis, otherwise why are they found in myths all over the world? Also, what about sea serpents? Certainly something brought about the stories. Experts have theories of course, and so do I, but stuff like this doesn't ever seem to be solved. That's fine with me, because, as a writer, I love coming up with reasons and letting my imagination run wild.

Sure, I'm easily amused, but taking the time to learn about these animals expands the world you live within. I thinks it's important to discover such things for yourself, and continue learning. Open your mind to new experiences, new information, and new joys. It's well worth the time and effort, and you'll learn more than you can imagine right now!

- M

Fun with Zero Gravity

I'll bet most everyone has thought about what zero gravity is like, what it would feel like, and if you'd enjoy it. You can get a taste of zero gravity by being underwater--in fact, astronauts train underwater in full space suits because it is so very similar. But, the aspect of being completely weightless is still a really foreign concept. I won't get into the idea that zero gravity is really just an illusion, since you are really falling rather than weightless. But, the point is how it feels and what it can do.

Sometime watch how a flame behaves in space. Or, water droplets. Or smoke. It's amazing to witness, and challenges our understanding of how things respond. People have been sending all sorts of things into space to see what happens, what survives, and what doesn't. Even so, my guess is people love to play in zero gravity. There's even special planes that make it possible for us ground bound slobs to experience small pieces of zero gravity for the price of a few years salary.

There are already small things manufactured in space, and I expect that at some point there will be many things created especially in space. Mirrors and micro-beads are two that I know of. As the process improves there will be breakthroughs making everything easier, and those advances will follow through into terrestrial manufacturing. It's an exciting time to be alive.

Come to think of it, skydiving is another simulation of zero gravity. I've seen vertical wind tunnels, where you basically are pushed up by a giant fan and can fall as long as you can drift. Looks like an incredible amount of fun! I'd love to do it sometime.

- M