Grey goo Grey goo (also spelled gray goo) is a hypothetical end-of-the-world scenario involving molecular nanotechnology in which out-of-control self-replicating robots consume all matter on Earth while building more of themselves,[1][2] a scenario that has been called ecophagy ("eating the environment").[3] The original idea assumed machines were designed to have this capability, while popularizations have assumed that machines might somehow gain this capability by accident. Definition[edit] The term was first used by molecular nanotechnology pioneer Eric Drexler in his book Engines of Creation (1986). Imagine such a replicator floating in a bottle of chemicals, making copies of itself…the first replicator assembles a copy in one thousand seconds, the two replicators then build two more in the next thousand seconds, the four build another four, and the eight build another eight. Drexler describes gray goo in Chapter 11 of Engines Of Creation: Risks and precautions[edit] Ethics and chaos[edit]
Google Over 20 new books to be published leading to the release of Star Wars VII With 282 days to go until the release of STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS, the marketing blitz is about to begin for the long anticipated sequel trilogy to George Lucas' iconic films. With one trailer revealed and another likely attached to AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS has several other forms of media ready to be unleashed on the rabid fanbase that collects everything from magazines and comics to toys and novels. In the months leading the the film's release, several publishers will band together for a series called JOURNEY TO THE FORCE AWAKENS. Entertainment Weekly shared some details on a few of the books which include retellings of the original films through the eyes of supporting characters. The Force Awakens is an extraordinarily, heavily guarded storyline.
Unobtainium In engineering, fiction, and thought experiments, unobtainium is any fictional, extremely rare, costly, or impossible material, or (less commonly) device needed to fulfill a given design for a given application. The properties of any particular unobtainium depend on the intended use. For example, a pulley made of unobtainium might be massless and frictionless; however, if used in a nuclear rocket, unobtainium would be light, strong at high temperatures, and resistant to radiation damage. The word unobtainium is derived from unobtainable + -ium (the suffix for a number of elements). Engineering origin Since the late 1950s,[a][1] aerospace engineers have used the term "unobtainium" when referring to unusual or costly materials, or when theoretically considering a material perfect for their needs in all respects, except that it does not exist. Contemporary popularization There have been repeated attempts to attribute the name to a real material. Science fiction In real life Similar terms Notes
Money laundering Placing 'dirty' money in a service company, where it is layered with legitimate income, and then integrated into the flow of money is a common form of money laundering Money laundering is the process whereby the proceeds of crime are transformed into ostensibly legitimate money or other assets.[1] However in a number of legal and regulatory system the term money laundering has become conflated with other forms of financial crime, and sometimes used more generally to include misuse of the financial system, including terrorism financing, tax evasion and evading of international sanctions. Most anti-money laundering laws openly conflate money laundering (which is concerned with source of funds) with terrorism financing (which is concerned with destination of funds) when regulating the financial system.[2] Money obtained from certain crimes, such as extortion, insider trading, prostitution, drug trafficking, illegal gambling or tax evasion is "dirty". Methods[edit] Enforcement[edit]
Communication In the realm of biology in general, communication often occurs through visual, auditory, or biochemical means. Human communication is unique for its extensive use of language. Non-human communication is studied in the field of biosemiotics. Nonverbal communication[edit] Verbal communication[edit] Effective verbal or spoken communication is dependent on a number of factors and cannot be fully isolated from other important interpersonal skills such as non-verbal communication, listening skills and clarification. Written communication and its historical development[edit] Over time the forms of and ideas about communication have evolved through the continuing progression of technology. The progression of written communication can be divided into three "information communication revolutions":[3] Communication is thus a process by which meaning is assigned and conveyed in an attempt to create shared understanding. Business communication[edit] Effective communication[edit] Physical barriers.
Gaia hypothesis The study of planetary habitability is partly based upon extrapolation from knowledge of the Earth's conditions, as the Earth is the only planet currently known to harbour life The Gaia hypothesis, also known as Gaia theory or Gaia principle, proposes that organisms interact with their inorganic surroundings on Earth to form a self-regulating, complex system that contributes to maintaining the conditions for life on the planet. Topics of interest include how the biosphere and the evolution of life forms affect the stability of global temperature, ocean salinity, oxygen in the atmosphere and other environmental variables that affect the habitability of Earth. Introduction[edit] Less accepted versions of the hypothesis claim that changes in the biosphere are brought about through the coordination of living organisms and maintain those conditions through homeostasis. Details[edit] Regulation of the salinity in the oceans[edit] Regulation of oxygen in the atmosphere[edit] Processing of CO2[edit]
OpenWay Group OpenWay is an international group of companies with over 10 years experience in developing and implementing innovative software solutions for the financial transaction processing and payment card business. Many of the world's leading banks and processing companies are use our WAY4 software. Our clients expect and receive high-speed flexible software. They appreciate our ability to understand their real business needs, implement the best solutions, and provide timely, competent customer support. Our team is always on the lookout for talented professionals to join us as we build client relationships, develop new products and expand into new markets. We create enterprise systems. Solid customers Challenging tasks Top-notch tools Modern platforms Competent colleagues High levels of responsibility We believe that people work most effectively when their job is interesting and intellectually stimulating We encourage self-starters and good organisers Business analysis and consulting System implementation
Interpersonal ties In social network analysis and mathematical sociology, interpersonal ties are defined as information-carrying connections between people. Interpersonal ties, generally, come in three varieties: strong, weak or absent. Weak social ties, it is argued, are responsible for the majority of the embeddedness and structure of social networks in society as well as the transmission of information through these networks. Specifically, more novel information flows to individuals through weak rather than strong ties. Because our close friends tend to move in the same circles that we do, the information they receive overlaps considerably with what we already know. Included in the definition of absent ties, according to the American sociologist Mark Granovetter, are those relationships (or ties) without substantial significance, such as "nodding" relationships between people living on the same street, or the "tie", for example, to a frequent vendor one would buy from. History[edit] Research data[edit]
The Uplift War: Amazon.ca: David Brin