The Future And You--July 3, 2013

James Maxey (author), Jim Craig (planetarium director), Ben Davis (nuclear physicist) and myself are today's speakers.

Topic: "The Year in Science" (Part 1).

Subtopics: The good and bad of 3D printers. Such as the 3D printing of food for human consumption, of a mouse kidney for transplant, of replacement parts for US army weapons, of artificial limbs for amputees, and of impossible to find parts for antique cars. But also the unemployment which will likely be a byproduct of 3D printers.  Also discussed: the discovery of a transitional ancestor of turtles with only half-developed shells; and the universe taken as whole might not be elegant after all since the Higgs boson has turned out to be too light to bring balance to the universe. Dr. Adrian Bowyer's self-replicating rep-rap machine is also described. 

Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the July 3, 2013 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 31 minutes] This is the first half of a panel discussion recorded before a live audience at the SF&F convention ConCarolinas in Charlotte NC on June 1, 2013.