CAJ:The Lifeboat Space Mission

The project of a space habitat as a backup plan for human civilization is still at a very early stage. This, however does not mean that there is not much done in this field at the moment. On the contrary as the Lifeboat Foundation is currently working on rendering space flights beyond the atmosphere cheaper and come up with non-rocket methods for reaching the orbit. The most prominent name within the Lifeboat Space habitat mission is ‘Ark1’.

‘Ark 1’ is a self-sustaining space habitat, which should be made capable of ensuring the survival of humanity in the event Earth becomes uninhabitable. The artificial ecosystem should also include plants and animals and will resort to resources from the moon and asteroids since acess to the Earth, which will not be existent by this moment in time will no longer be an option. The living quarters of Ark I will be a set of two spinning wheels accumulating gravity. As an energy source, nuclear fission reactors and solar panels will power the habitat. Ark I will be a test in terms of a self-efficient environment as well as new ways of managing and obtaining resources and finally for astronautic hygiene and space medicine.

The flow of resources will be especially challenging when it comes to creating a space habitat. At the moment various technologies are being pursued to reuse and recycle resources in space. Reuse of water is already achieved aboard the ISS. The most promising model of a perpetuous artificial ecosystem is ‘closing the loop’ to minimize the need for new resources. Generating a flow of resources, which does not rely on the blue planet is crucial when it comes to providing a self-efficient space colony.

An equally important matter regards sustainable health care in space. As experience has shown  radiation, gravity and sanitation prove to be the most difficult problems to be tackled in space. Reating and preventing health problems in space is essential. In absence of the Earth magnetic field, which works as a natural protection against radiation, solutions to protect against dangerous radiation, including the sun rays have to be found

CAJ:The '21st century Planck Club'

 

In comparison to former centuries, the 21st saw very few inventions, less brilliant scientists and moderate technological advancements. The reason for this is that endowments nowadays are assigned through a system that does only support ideas, a committee of agencies consider reasonable and particularly interesting. Radical inventions and innovative plans usually have no positive reputation among these committees and are therefore denied any funding. The lifeboat foundation tries to counteract to these sad developments in order to promote possible successors of Watson, Planck and Einstein, whose contributions to the economic growth of the last centuries was remarkable and of unmeasurable value.

The program is called ‘Scientific Freedom Shield’ and supports promising researchers and scientists by providing them necessary help. The foundation refers to this elite as the ‘21^st century Planck Club’ and sees them as an answer to very questionable tendencies in current research that seems to ‘work’ with companies that are so-called ‘patent trolls’. They gather scientists, researchers, medical specialists, and investors, who theoretically invent technologies that will not exist for several years. Then they patent these ideas for future patent infringement litigation. This is unethical and stunts the innovation of the human race. It is time to give way to new brilliant inventions, as it is vital to come up with new discoveries in order to keep track with the world’s development and effectively be prepared to safeguard humanity. Impeding scientific freedom is poison for human development and will ultimately be decisive when it comes to guarantee our future existence.

 

CAJ:Should we consider singularity as friend or foe?

As I have already established in my CAJ that one of the core tasks of the lifeboat foundation is the protection against the growing power of technology. An important term in this context is singularity, or more precisely technological singularity. These expressions describe the hypothetical moment when artificial intelligence will have exceeded the capacity of the human brain. I do not refer to this point as hypothetical because it could potentially happen one day in future. No, in fact the arrival of such a moment is an absolute certainty. Greater than human intelligence is estimated to set in within the next three decades. So the reason for calling it arbitrary therefore is that the exact moment will not be reasonably measurable. Nonetheless it will have massive impact on our lives.

The relationship between computers and human intelligence can be compared to the relationship between humans and lower animals. The encompassing power of technology will leave us without any hope of control. Social, economic and ethic patterns will change inevitably as the influence of humans will reach a historic point of no return to the throne of power. Scenarios as to what such a reality, dominated by technological singularity will look like are very vague and almost impossible to make out. This makes it hard for the lifeboat foundation to provide methodology to protect humanity. Still, it is an important step to create awareness and consider it worth to actively come to terms with the phenomenon of singularity.

The most scaring aspect of artificial intelligence is the hypothesis of an ever improving cycle. More specifically we are talking about the ‘intelligence explosion’ caused by clever technology that creates even cleverer technology. Just consider the evolution of the human being from ‘homo’ sapiens until the average human of the 21^st century.

How instant photography and polaroids work

The first instant photography camera, as we know it today was invented and released in 1947 by Edwin Herbert Land, the head of the Polaroid company. Apart from the fact, that initially polaroids used black and white films, the technology remained largely the same. Understanding the basics of photographic films is essential when it comes to comprehending instant photography. Color films consist of three layers. While the top layer is sensitive to blue light, the middle one is sensitive to green light and the bottom layer is sensitive to red light. When the film is exposed to light, a chemical reaction sets in, which causes the grains to form metallic silver on the sensible parts of each layer. The pattern, which becomes visible, is a chemical record of the light. In order to get a picture, the film needs to be developed. Therefore, dye couplers attach to the non-exposed areas. The color types include combined colors such as cyan, magenta and yellow. Just as it happens with slide films, the instant camera combines the colors and arranges them on the plastic sheet. As the polaroid camera has a built-in developing system, it provides all necessary chemicals for the developing process.

CAJ: Abstract & Zombie abstract

Abstract

While dangers of nuclear wars and the survival of the human race do concern us, we tend to consider natural hazards such as comets, asteroids, volcanoes, earthquakes as unavoidable. We can be certain, though  that eventually  a global catastrophy will occur. For the first time in human history there are sufficient technical skills to begin protecting the Earth from some natural hazards. The journal is intended to illustrate how the Lifeboat Foundation tries to develop efficient defense systems to prepare for such calamities, but also how it bridges the dilemma created by intrusive surveillance technologies needed to safeguard people’s security. It tries to create awareness that many details of an individual’s private life are actually irrelevant for security purposes and that there are limits to intrusive surveillance.  The Lifeboat Foundation may be hailed in future generations as a pioneer of peace and safety  with the courage to think forward when it comes to the prevention of death and destruction.

Zombie abstract

Zombies have always been fascinating and threatening to people at the same time. The paper provides possible origins for the term ‘zombie’ and a comparison of different types of zombies in the first part. The Basic model presents the relationship and characteristics of the three types 'susceptible', 'zombies' and 'removed'. In the paper the author uses equations to back up his theories concerning the probability and intensity of zombie caused outbreak of diseases. He finally suggests quarantine and treatment theories for cases in which zombie invasion has reached uncontrollable dimensions. As a conclusion a method to eradicate zombies is presented.

CAJ: About the ATSDR and tackling contamination issues

 

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) was founded in 1983. It was coined at a time when the Times Beach in Missouri was evacuated due to dioxin contamination and the necessity of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was discerned. CDC drew the attention to identified health concerns and paved the way for ATSDR. Today it is one of 11 federal agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services. The headquarter of the agency which employs 300 individuals is situated in Atlanta. ATSDR also cooperates with universities and other departments to achieve their goals.

It is estimated that one quarter of diseases worldwide are caused by environmental factors. Chemical exposures are among the most dangerous influences. Not only may they lead to lead poisoning and asthma, but also cancer and developmental disabilities. The ATSDR plays an important role when it comes to safeguarding communities from chemical exposures. The registry’s main aims include identifying potential exposures, evaluating associated health effects and trying to minimize them. ATSDR scientists are able to model areas to see whether they have been determined at some point in the past, and if so to what extend people living there are exposed to chemicals. This method is referred to as ‘bio monitoring’. Another task the scientists fulfill is to assess emerging contaminants such as perfluoro chemicals. The ATSDR is also responsible to initiate proceedings regarding the evacuation of communities and the decision about the return into the determined area.

ATSDR educates doctors, other health care professionals, and communities about the health effects of hazardous substances and how to lessen their exposure to hazardous substances. It therefore provides educational programs that teach children and parents ways to reduce lead exposure. Moreover, ATSDR conducts and funds studies on hazardous substances and has already published documents referred to as  “toxicological profiles” on many of the hazardous substances most commonly found at Superfund sites.

 

 

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/docs/APHA-ATSDR_book.pdf

  

How to kill 'Adolf Hitler'

There are several reasons why Adolf Hitler, known as the ‘Führer’ to many has become the epitome of evil. For all those, who have always dreamed of getting the chance to change history and kill the ‘Führer’ here is how you should go about his assassination.

Materials:

-      time machine

-      nurse costume
   lethal injection (with aconitum appellus, a poisonous extract that cannot be proved afterwards)

-     small towel with Gaboxadol sleeping aid

Steps:

1.    Get into a time machine in order to travel back in time to April 20^th 1889 when Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau and has not yet committed atrocities of any kind.

2.   Go to the hospital of the city disguised as a nurse and make sure you have your lethal injection with you. (make sure it is well-hidden under your nurse costume)

3.   Find ‘baby-Hitler’ in one of the beds in the hospital of Braunau. Carefully choose the right moment between his birth and the time he will be given back to his mother.

4.   Act calm and watch out for other nurses and avoid eye contact with them unless you want to be discovered as intruder.

5.  If you find Hitler have your small towel soaked with the sleeping aid ready. Press it firmly on the baby’s mouth and nose.

6.   When he is asleep it is time to perform the lethal injection into one of his shoulders.

7.      Make sure you get away from the hospital as fast and as inconspicuously as possible.

8.    Go to your time machine and travel back to our time