http://discovermagazine.com Science, Technology, and The Future http://discovermagazine.com/2008/feb/rearranging-stars-to-communicate-with-aliens http://discovermagazine.com/2008/feb/rearranging-stars-to-communicate-with-aliens We could leave durable messages to intelligent aliens by guiding stars into certain configurations. One possible configuration: a “hyper-super-duper double-star system”—a pair of a pair of a pair of binary stars, 16 total. Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2008/feb/rearranging-stars-to-communicate-with-aliens/key_image Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:00:00 +0000 Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/dec/long-live-closed-source-software http://discovermagazine.com/2007/dec/long-live-closed-source-software There's a reason the iPhone doesn't come with Linux: closed development systems allow for more powerful creations. Similarly, biological cells have have walls to protect their genetic codes. Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2007/dec/long-live-closed-source-software/key_image Tue, 11 Dec 2007 12:00:00 +0000 Tue, 11 Dec 2007 12:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/oct/space-faring-fungus-hats-and-synthetic-biology http://discovermagazine.com/2007/oct/space-faring-fungus-hats-and-synthetic-biology If the science moves like Moore's law, get ready for bio-freakiness. Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2007/oct/space-faring-fungus-hats-and-synthetic-biology/key_image Mon, 22 Oct 2007 06:00:00 +0000 Mon, 22 Oct 2007 06:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/nov/are-we-trapped-in-god.s-video-game http://discovermagazine.com/2007/nov/are-we-trapped-in-god.s-video-game Probably not. And no, he's not looking at your underwear. Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2007/nov/are-we-trapped-in-god.s-video-game/key_image Mon, 15 Oct 2007 10:00:00 +0000 Mon, 15 Oct 2007 10:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/sep/jarons-world-peace-through-god http://discovermagazine.com/2007/sep/jarons-world-peace-through-god religion can either incite or reduce violence, depending on some details that we can influence. Here's how I think that can work: Democratic capitalism avoids violence by supporting so many overlapping clan hierarchies that clannishness becomes confused. Why not defuse religious violence the way that democratic capitalism defuses clan violence? Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2007/sep/jarons-world-peace-through-god/key_image Mon, 13 Aug 2007 21:00:00 +0000 Mon, 13 Aug 2007 21:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/aug/jarons-world-can-computers-recognize-faces http://discovermagazine.com/2007/aug/jarons-world-can-computers-recognize-faces In at least one way, the smartest machines can't match a baby. Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2007/aug/jarons-world-can-computers-recognize-faces/key_image Mon, 06 Aug 2007 19:00:00 +0000 Mon, 06 Aug 2007 19:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jul/jaron2019s-world http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jul/jaron2019s-world Most software stinks. It should learn from robots and bacteria. Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jul/jaron2019s-world/key_image Wed, 27 Jun 2007 19:00:00 +0000 Wed, 27 Jun 2007 19:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/may/jaron2019s-world http://discovermagazine.com/2007/may/jaron2019s-world The virtual games of today, like Second Life and the Nintendo Wii, will pave the way for virtual worlds where you can turn into DNA, play a piano, or merge with your computer. The "octopus butler robot" is what will bring VR way past what you saw in Minority Report. Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2007/may/jaron2019s-world/key_image Fri, 11 May 2007 19:00:00 +0000 Fri, 11 May 2007 19:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/apr/jarons-world-shapes-in-other-dimensions http://discovermagazine.com/2007/apr/jarons-world-shapes-in-other-dimensions Meet a 'regular' shape that lives in 4-D. Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2007/apr/jarons-world-shapes-in-other-dimensions/key_image Thu, 05 Apr 2007 17:15:00 +0000 Thu, 05 Apr 2007 17:15:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/mar/jarons-world-internet-and-the-war-on-drugs http://discovermagazine.com/2007/mar/jarons-world-internet-and-the-war-on-drugs Does anonymity breed nastiness in the online world? Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2007/mar/jarons-world-internet-and-the-war-on-drugs/key_image Wed, 14 Mar 2007 11:00:00 +0000 Wed, 14 Mar 2007 11:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/feb/jarons-world-metaphors-vocabulary http://discovermagazine.com/2007/feb/jarons-world-metaphors-vocabulary A new theory may illuminate the nature of meaning. Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2007/feb/jarons-world-metaphors-vocabulary/key_image Mon, 26 Feb 2007 15:00:00 +0000 Mon, 26 Feb 2007 15:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jan/jarons-morphing-human-expressions-internet http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jan/jarons-morphing-human-expressions-internet Describing ideas so subtle they are literally beyond words. Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jan/jarons-morphing-human-expressions-internet/key_image Wed, 10 Jan 2007 06:40:00 +0000 Wed, 10 Jan 2007 06:40:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/dec/jarons-world-human-evolution http://discovermagazine.com/2006/dec/jarons-world-human-evolution Birth reveals the transitional nature of the design. Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2006/dec/jarons-world-human-evolution/key_image Tue, 12 Dec 2006 18:55:00 +0000 Tue, 12 Dec 2006 18:55:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/nov/jarons-world-digital-maoism http://discovermagazine.com/2006/nov/jarons-world-digital-maoism Is the connected generation too easily abandoning the individual for the wisdom of the crowd? Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2006/nov/jarons-world-digital-maoism/key_image Tue, 21 Nov 2006 08:50:00 +0000 Tue, 21 Nov 2006 08:50:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/oct/jarons-world-raft-future http://discovermagazine.com/2006/oct/jarons-world-raft-future Does time come together like an island of boats floating on the open seas? Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2006/oct/jarons-world-raft-future/key_image Thu, 28 Sep 2006 10:25:00 +0000 Thu, 28 Sep 2006 10:25:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/sep/murderofmystery http://discovermagazine.com/2006/sep/murderofmystery How Silicon Valley joined the superstitious fringe as the enemy of open inquiry. Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2006/sep/murderofmystery/key_image Fri, 01 Sep 2006 11:36:01 -0500 Fri, 01 Sep 2006 11:36:01 -0500 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/aug/jaronevol http://discovermagazine.com/2006/aug/jaronevol Is language descended from musical mating calls? Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2006/aug/jaronevol/key_image Tue, 01 Aug 2006 11:06:35 -0500 Tue, 01 Aug 2006 11:06:35 -0500 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/jul/jaron http://discovermagazine.com/2006/jul/jaron Why your next telephone may come mounted on a neck. Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2006/jul/jaron/key_image Sun, 30 Jul 2006 14:36:56 -0500 Sun, 30 Jul 2006 14:36:56 -0500 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/jun/jaron http://discovermagazine.com/2006/jun/jaron Can a random collection of data be conscious? Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2006/jun/jaron/key_image Sun, 25 Jun 2006 16:04:49 -0500 Sun, 25 Jun 2006 16:04:49 -0500 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/may/jarons-world http://discovermagazine.com/2006/may/jarons-world Did odors give rise to the first words? Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2006/may/jarons-world/key_image Sat, 27 May 2006 14:55:12 -0500 Sat, 27 May 2006 14:55:12 -0500 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/apr/cephalopod-morphing http://discovermagazine.com/2006/apr/cephalopod-morphing What cephalopods can teach us about language Jaron Lanier http://discovermagazine.com/2006/apr/cephalopod-morphing/key_image Sun, 02 Apr 2006 15:25:00 -0500 Sun, 02 Apr 2006 15:25:00 -0500 Print Article