NEWS 2 USE: Story Ideas Galore Edition

Future Buzz

In a blog post titled "Must-know terms for the 21st Century intellectual," transhumanist George P. Dvorsky lists phrases and concepts that he expects will be on the cutting edge of our future.

Neat, neat stuff. Neurodiversity, the noosphere, information theoretic death -- it's a whole list of story concepts!

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Another Good Reason Not to Trust the Government

The Washington Post visits with people who believe they are Targeted Individuals -- in mind control experiments run by the government and military.

This fascinating story of the marginalized has the same enticement as do alien abductees. Are they involved in a world weirder than then one you and I inhabit day to day? I suspect there's a coherent phenomenon going on in cases like this. Whether it's aliens, the government or something else entirely -- I just don't buy they are mentally ill. But then again, I like to think the world is weirder than it seems to be.

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Perfect Story Prop, Thanks to Science

Researchers now believe that black diamonds -- a very rare and porous form of the gemstone -- originated in outer space. They say: "The new IR measurements are consistent with the formation of carbonado [black] diamonds in an interstellar environment."

Science is so obliging, coming up with these lovely details for our speculative romances. Thank a scientist today.