Why no Flash on iPad or iPhone? (thanks to Tripp Wiggins for the tip) http://ping.fm/dpheG

Feeding the iPad Frenzy

Yudu is quick out of the gate with a white paper comparing all current and soon to be forthcoming major e-readers including the iPad along with some commentary regarding the e-publishing industry. Clearly there is a little cheerleading involved as rapid market adoption of e-readers is certainly favorable for Yudu, but one quote did strike me: “every fifth book now sold in U.S. is now sold as an ebook” according to the U.S. Book Industry Study Group.

Vampires apparently have it right - blood from younger mice reverse signs of aging http://ping.fm/auGaO

The Apple iPad: It's just ahead of its time | Molly Rants - CNET News http://ping.fm/UOQbV

The Apple Tablet Interface Must Be Like This - apple tablet - Gizmodo (a lengthy discertation) http://ping.fm/Lh9IU

With Redesign, Reuters.com Goes After Consumer Audience, interesting approach, they only 3 add positions on most pages http://ping.fm/sEq8s

Could Humans Detonate the Sun?

A Russian scientist has advanced a theory that we could indeed "nova" the sun utilizing thermonuclear weapons (nod to Next Big Future). This would require new technology to enable delivery of the warhead deep into the sun, but given the pace of technological development it's not outside the realm of possibility within 50 years or less.

I'm not competent to judge the soundness of his science, but I am bit skeptical. One reason is that objects of significant size traveling at great speeds and therefore delivering massive amounts of energy impact the sun on a semi-frequent basis and as far as we now haven't produced any catastrophic results.

A decent size asteroid smacking into the sun would likely produce energies orders of magnitude greater than a current day thermonuclear detonation. Additionally, one composed substantially of typical metals such as iron/nickel would likely penetrate a reasonable distance into the sun before dissipating.

10 Sci-Fi Weapons That Actually Exist

Cool story from Wired on advanced weaponry

Nanocapacitors could be the next big step in energy storage - and in explosives

According to Dr. Alfred W. Hubler, Director of the Center for Complex Systems Research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, nanocapacitors i.e. digital batteries could store substantially more energy than chemical systems. Dr. Hubler states "The maximum density of retrievable energy in nano capacitors is comparable with the density of retrievable energy from nuclear reactions."

They could also have potential as explosives "The rapid energy release of nano capacitors discharged by an electrical short makes them potent explosives, potentially exceeding the power of any chemical explosive."

You can read Dr. Hubler's article here and find some interesting conversation on this topic at Next Big Future.

Oregon profs plan giant robotic space cockroach warriors, http://tiny.cc/Nwap0. I love the sarcasm from the Register!