Of all the television shows I have watched throughout my life—and there have been many—the one that has had the most impact on me is Star Trek. I have watched nearly every episode of every series (still working on the Original and Animated series) and they have profoundly shaped my view of the world. So starting with today, I’d like to periodically talk about my favorite episodes and what I think makes them special.
One of the really great things about Star Trek is the fact that it is episodic. This allowed creators to dedicate entire episodes to specific issues that may have only gotten a few lines, or subtext in feature films. The last two seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine featured an ongoing plot line of the Dominion War, which allowed the show to tackle themes rarely broached in other Trek series. “In the Pale Moonlight” is one such episode, and is one of my absolute favorites.
It’s no secret that tattoos have become a part of geek culture. It’s gotten to the point that several conventions have had tattoo shops present so that attendees can get inked right on the spot. These tattoos are of course done by your standard human tattoo artist, but in the not too distant future, that may change. Recently, French students jury-rigged their MakerBot 3D printer with a pen and began drawing on people. Not satisfied with just using a pen, they eventually installed a full tattoo machine. While the machine can only do simple designs and there are still a few other technical issues to work out, the machine is off to an impressive start.
I’d like to know if these kinds of modifications void the printer’s warranty.
Long, long ago, in the early days of Around the Web (ok, so it was like a year ago…I’m allowed to be dramatic every now and again) we featured an article that discussed a frozen mammoth with actual flowing blood. Well now Harvard Medical School students are working to bring the mammoth backto life, in part by modifying genes of the Asian elephant to match those of the mammoth. This is not the first time something like this has been attempted. In fact an extinct species was successfully brought back in 2003, though the clone died from a lung defect. The real problem is the lack of funding, which is preventing research from progressing further.
Of course there are still the ethical questions that must be addressed.
Lastly, we have a very interesting interview with Fabian Cousteau, grandson of Jacques Cousteau. Fabian Cousteau is continuing his grandfather’s legacy by taking part in a 31 day mission on the ocean floor. While the interview is a little lengthy, it’s definitely worth a watch. Cousteau discusses the mission, takes some questions from the internet, and then gives the audience a tour of the facility. Underwater, otherwise known as inner space, is one of the last two truly unexplored regions, and it’s easier to access than outer space.
Mission 31
I’m not sure I could live in such a small space for 31 days.
On this episode, Andrew and Tracy share their experience from Phoenix Comicon, as well as a cold (fortunately, this is not shared with you). The staff talk comics, creators, their overall views of the convention as well as some highlights.
Therefore I Geek 