Ranging from trips to Mars, a $1 million a night space hotel, to a time capsule to the absurdity of William Shakespeare being nominated for a Porn Screenwriting award, we can promise you a whole range of events!
The New Year has begun and the whole world is eager to know what awaits them. Here we have a collection of events that you can look forward to this year. These range from the amazing to sometimes the bizarre. Ranging from trips to Mars, a $1 million a night space hotel, to a time capsule to the absurdity of William Shakespeare being nominated for a Porn Screenwriting award, we can promise you a whole range of events!
1. A shorter mission to Mars? Work has been progressing on refining the Variable Specific Impulse Magneto plasma Rocket (VASIMR). This revolutionary new rocket often referred to as the Electro-thermal Plasma Thruster or Electro-thermal Magneto plasma Rocket, utilizes radio waves to ionize and heat propellant, which generates plasma that is accelerated using magnetic fields to generate thrust. That means more power than earlier designs. According to NASA the existing propulsion technology is not conducive to making trips to Mars with humans possible. Prolonged travel outside of the Earth’s protective magnetic field would expose astronauts to unacceptable levels of harmful space radiation. The introduction of new technology like VASIMR could facilitate the trip to Mars within 40 days, which would be more acceptable for human travel.
2. The hot new Winter Olympics venue: The 22nd Winter Olympics are scheduled in February 2014. The most remarkable thing about the venue is that it has one of the warmest climates of all the winter Olympic hosting venues. Preparations are about to host the Olympics in full swing. These include construction of new venues, improved infrastructure, including transportation and telecommunications. Some of the events are to be taking place in the resort town of Krasnaya Polyana.
3. Changes in the light scenario: Incandescent light bulbs are going to be phased out soon keeping in mind their low cost-efficiency. Though the cost of incandescent lighting is low, it proves to be costly due to the amount of energy it consumes. Since there are more cost efficient alternatives like CFLs and LED lamps available, many governments have started the process for phasing out the use of these lamps by setting minimum efficacy standards higher than can be achieved by general service lamps. The plan is that these bulbs be substituted by more energy-efficient light bulbs
4. Have your say in the future: The proposed space time capsule – KEO that was launched in 2003. It was supposed to carry messages from the present to people 50000 years from now. The date for inputting your messages has been extended to 2013. You can still have your say. The people organizing this time capsule are appealing to people from every walk of life to have their say for generations to come. This is a way of letting future generations about the happenings in their past. A virtual treasure of trivia to give them a clue about the past. You can send in your message to the project website or even through snail mail. With a capacity to take in 4 page message from every person on the globe, the capsule awaits your input. Once the capsule is launched you can read the messages on the web.
5. Space hotel @ $1 million a night? The Bigelow Next generation space station is currently developing a private orbital space. Having both Sundancer and BA 33o spacecraft modules as well as a central space for docking, propulsion, solar array and attached crew capsules, this project was an effort towards the first orbiting space hotel scheduled for end 2013. The estimated tariff for a night’s stay is $1 million. Fancy moving to space for a brief stay? You can do that now, as long as you can pay the price.
6. Goggles with a twist: Though this is not entirely a new concept the “Project Glass” has grabbed a lot of attention due to Google’s involvement in the project. Moreover the prototype also adds to the buzz around the project as it is sleeker and niftier than previous versions. Resembling a normal pair of glasses, this device, it was announced that it would display information in Smartphone-like format, allow hands-free operation and could interact with the Internet via natural language voice commands . It is also proposed that in the future this device could be integrated into normal eye wear.
7. Change your view of the world: With the development of high definition video streaming – the first of its kind, UrtheCast plans to change the way we view the world. With the help of prominent aerospace partners like RSC Energia, UrtheCast is building, launching, installing, and operating two cameras onboard the International Space Station. In the first half of 2013, video of Earth will begin streaming across the globe. Everyone from web surfers and Smartphone users, to media representatives and agriculturists, will be able to use the UrtheCast platform to see world events happen, almost as soon as they do. Now view the world in high definition right from your desk. The possibilities of using this for many purposes is truly mind boggling!
8. Nuclear or biological warfare to happen soon? In an eye opener of a report, the possibility of an attack using biological or nuclear weapons in 2013, was revealed. Pakistan was pinpointed as the most likely source of the attack which was to target the US. Immediate and preemptive action called for from the world community to circumvent such an occurrence. The report also emphasized the likelihood of biological warfare over a nuclear attack. The poor security of dangerous biological and nuclear material around the globe makes it more vulnerable to theft and pilferage. This increased the possibility of misuse or sale to parties who could use if for nefarious purposes.
9. Asteroid to hit communications satellite: A newly discovered asteroid called 2012 DA14 will pass so close to Earth in February that it is likely to hit a communications satellite. Though scientists say the possibility is unlikely they cannot completely rule it out. Right now only a vague blob, it is estimated that the space rock just 150 feet (45 meters) wide. According to current calculations some disruption in orbiting satellites on February 15, 2013 is possible, though no immediate danger is predicted
10. An academy that will train you in Survival: Bear Grylls has started a survival academy. Offering 5 day course with only 10 participants, it is to take place in a truly wild area. The course would include crossing rivers, rappelling and climbing, starting fire in difficult conditions, creating emergency shelters, move across dangerous terrains in darkness, hunting, trapping and survival level knife skills. Here is your chance to hone your survival skills and make it in the wild world on your own.
11. Damage by Lifetime space storm: NASA is predicting a lifetime space storm caused by a solar flare from the sun in 2013. This could cause worldwide devastation and billions of dollars in damage. It is believed that Earth will be hit with unprecedented levels of magnetic energy from solar flares after the Sun wakes “from a deep slumber” sometime around 2013. According to new warning this super storm would hit like lightning and could cause huge damage to health and emergency services unless preparations are made to deal with such an occurrence. Due to man’s increased reliance on devices which are affected by magnetic energy, the storm could wreak havoc and create huge expense
12. Recycle Calendars: We have heard of recycling old clothes, paper and even household items. But here is a new one – Calendars! If you are the thrifty kind who hoards stuff, you are in luck. You can re-use calendars from these years: 2002, 1991, 1985, 1974, 1963, 1957, 1946, 1935, 1929, and 1918. Isn’t that amazing? Dig deep into your closet and bring out the old and use it again.
13. Art and Science meet and work together: In 2013 the Hornsleth Deep Storage Project will lower a vast iron sculpture into the Marianas Trench full of human blood, hair samples, and animal DNA, to be used to bring people and endangered species back to life in the future. This first of a series of sculpts will be stored into the Marianas Trench, right to the bottom 11,000 meters down. 30 locations around the world have attracted 5,000 willing donors or investors, if you like. All are rewarded with certificates proving they believed this might be a second chance. This is a unique occurrence where art and science have joined hands for safeguarding the future.
14. New Camouflage uniforms for the US army: Camouflage uniforms that do not hide but make you stand out? Well you can bid them goodbye this year. The problematic design, called the Universal Camouflage Pattern (or UCP), was released in 2004 as a one-print-fits-all solution for military deployments around the world, and based on the dream of a single outfit that could be worn in every terrain. But reality proved that they were not very effective in camouflage. Now change is round the corner. The US army personnel can look for camouflage that really works.
15. William Shakespeare, a porn screen writer? : In a weird twist William Shakespeare has been nominated as a screenwriter for AVN awards (the Oscar’s of porn.) The AVN Awards are movie awards sponsored and presented by the American adult video industry trade magazine AVN (Adult Video News) to honor superb performances and contributions to the myriad facets of the creation and distribution of American pornographic movies. The adult movie adaptation of Romeo and Juliet has been nominated for the best screenplay this year.
