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Over 50 years ago, the theoretical physicist and mathematician Freeman John Dyson – an expert in astronomy, nuclear engineering, solid-state physics and quantum electrodynamics – theorized that a highly advanced “extraterrestrial civilization would harvest most of its energy from their star, which would both limit the amount of visible light expelled outward and increase the levels of infrared radiation.” It was a fascinating idea but not one that could be put to the test – until now.
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Laws and technologies invading and eroding privacy are widespread and ongoing. Soon, even the sanctity of our private thoughts – and the (highly-compromised) right to make up our own minds – may be quaint artifacts of a bygone era.

As with all other breakthroughs, the convergence of neuroscience and bioengineering brings with it many curses and blessings. And the more advanced the new science becomes, the greater the possibilities for both positive and negative impacts on how humans relate to each other, to animals, to machines, and to the world.
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The US West Coast is suffering a catastrophic drought. The eastern half of the country has just experienced one of the worst winters ever recorded. Now scientists at think they have at least a partial answer that explains both situations: a huge mass of unusually warm water that has formed in the Pacific Ocean off the West Coast. It prevents winter storms from moving south from the arctic as they normally do, and thus there is no rain along the west coast and, most importantly, no snow in the mountains. So, is it permanent or temporary?
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On March 31, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared. Incredibly, over a year later, it has not yet been found. The plane, a Boeing 777 with 239 passengers and crew aboard, was enroute from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it made a sudden turn, flew on for hours, then disappeared. At present, the only search being conducted is taking place in the southern Indian Ocean where officials are confident that the plane will be found. There are 10 possible debris fields remaining to be explored before the Austral winter, which starts in May, will make navigation too hazardous to continue the search.
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