Follow-Ups

Updates to earlier postings:

Ray Guns

DefenseTech has a report that Xtreme Alternative Defense Systems (XADS) is developing a long range version of the Taser. Tasers work by shooting two darts trailing hair-thin wires into the target, then electrically jamming the target's nervous system. XADS' new Close Quarters Shock Rifle (CQSR) is the same thing, without the wires. Reminds of an old quote from Einstein. The CQSR uses a plasma stream, to replace the darts and wires. Only effective out to ~3 meters right now, but bigger, more powerful versions are sure to follow. Seems to work kind of like a zat'ni'katel. To quote from the Gizmodo article: Who would think you could do all that with a cardboard tube and some camouflage duct tape?

Stand By For Blast Off.

The launch of the world's first manned, operational, private space craft, SpaceShipOne, mentioned here earlier, is now scheduled for 0630 June 21, 2004 from the Mojave Spaceport. Presumably, this is Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), but I can't find anyone being that specific. More coverage at BoingBoing.

Two To Beam Up

First successful quantum cryptography, now actual teleportation. The BBC and the International Herald Tribune are reporting that independent teams in the US and Austria have successfully teleported atoms. Previously, this had only been done with photons. Don't expect a Star Trek style transporter any time soon, but this offers huge potential for information transfers.