"The capacity of our digital storage devices has skyrocketed in recent years. But there’s one storage medium that still kicks the crap out of our state-of-the-art solid state, and humans didn’t invent it. It’s called DNA.

A team of scientists is trying to figure out whether the double-helix molecules that encode every plant, animal and microbe on planet Earth can be used to..."

Read more @ Gizmodo

Our advances in technology have allowed us to dream about a fusion plant.  Can this be another "power" industry that our students will help develop?
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"It’s an old joke that many fusion scientists have grown tired of hearing: Practical nuclear fusion power plants are just 30 years away — and always will be.

But now, finally, the joke may no longer be true: Advances in magnet technology have enabled researchers at MIT to propose a new design for a practical compact tokamak fusion reactor — and it’s one that might be realized in as little as a decade, they say. The era of practical fusion power, which could offer a nearly inexhaustible energy resource, may be coming..."

Read more @ MIT News

Although this is years away for public schools (due to cost), we can't wait to introduce and share this type of technology with our students.

Love the quote from this video:

"Anytime you change the way that you see things, it changes the way that you understand them.  As soon as you can change someone's understanding, then they can change the way that they see the world."

Of course, there is the "budget" way of doing this as well:

Imagine a world when we will no longer worry about blood supply - especially in emergency transfusions and/during catastrophic events.  
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"The first attempt at giving human volunteers “synthetic blood” made in a laboratory for the first time will take place within the next two years, the NHS has announced.

A long-awaited clinical trial of artificial red blood cells will occur before 2017, NHS scientists said. The blood is made from stem cells extracted from either the umbilical cord blood of newborn babies or the blood of adult donors.

The trial, thought to be a world first, will involve small transfusions of a few teaspoons of synthetic blood to test for..."

Read more @ The Independent

Here's an interesting paradigm shift of our future of driverless vehicles.  Imagine your ride being subsidized by your activities.  The Wienermobile was way ahead of it's time.  How different will our kindergarten students experience the world in this mobile economy and what type of skill sets will they need to support, operate, maintain, and sustain this economy? 
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"Self-driving cars are just beginning to creep onto our highways. But in the future, autonomous vehicles may dominate the roads, freeing up their human passengers to engage in all sorts of other activities. For instance, you might want to spend your morning commute pouring through your emails whilst a barista prepares your pumpkin spice latte. Wait, what?!

The notion that “driving” may be a very different experience in the..."

Read more @ Gizmodo

"OneWeb has closed a $500 million funding round to build a satellite system that it says will provide affordable broadband services across the globe.The company has attracted investment from Airbus, Bharti Enterprises, Qualcomm, Coca-Cola, Virgin Group and others. It will use the funds to develop key technologies required to enable internet access for undeveloped locations.

The announcement comes just days after..."

Read more @ TNW

Many of our students will be involved in further unlocking the potential of the Internet of Things (IoT) providing opportunities and advantages for themselves and for others. 
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"The Internet of Things--sensors and actuators connected by networks to computing systems—has received enormous attention over the past five years. A new McKinsey Global Institute report, The Internet of Things: Mapping the value beyond the hype, attempts to determine exactly how IoT technology can create real economic value. Our central finding is that..."

Read More @ McKinsey & Company
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This is an amazing footage of Swiss Air Force F-5 jet in 360° view in YouTube.  More and more videos in this format will be shared on YouTube so be on the lookout.  Also, please make sure that your browser is compatible with the 360° YouTube viewer (Chrome usually works great).