by Chris Hechtl
http://io9.com/genetically-modified-animals-will-save-the-planet-1463801439
http://io9.com/this-tree-is-growing-40-different-kinds-of-fruit-at-onc-1608917128
http://io9.com/nasa-is-considering-a-deep-sleep-option-for-mars-missio-1643352225
http://www.un.org/press/en/2005/ga10333.doc.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transhumanism
http://www.engadget.com/2014/08/25/scientists-grow-whole-organs-inside-animals/
http://io9.com/cellular-toggle-switch-could-herald-an-anti-aging-break-1638079628
AI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_Intelligence_Research_Institute
http://gizmodo.com/ibms-new-brain-like-chip-squeezes-one-million-neurons-o-1617642003
Other:
http://io9.com/lockheed-says-itll-have-a-truck-sized-fusion-reactor-in-1646724586
Books:
Terraforming by Martin Beech
Entering Space by Robert Zubrin
Mining the Sky by John S. Lewis
World Building by Stephen L. Gillett
Making Starships and Stargates by James F. Woodward
Nanotechnology for Dummies
Physics of the Impossible by Michio Kaku
Sneak Peek:
Here is a sneak Peek from Ghosts of the Past, the final book in the Wandering Engineer time period:
“Okay, let's see if this one goes a bit differently,” Sprite said as the bridge crew settled in for what would be their last exercise before they jumped. Admiral Irons nodded. The exercise would also be their first major one since Ensign Williamson's breakdown, sort of another test for the ship's AI and crew.
They were going to simulate a hyper emergence, and a possible engagement afterward. The potential for an ambush had a few of the bridge crew on edge. They liked the idea of combat, but the idea of an ambush brought up some nasty memories. The admiral expected this engagement to go very differently however. In fact, once they saw just what their ship was capable of, what damage it could take and dish out, he expected them to start coming around and be able to handle a bit more. This was then a wake up call he thought.
From what he'd heard and seen Meia and Nobeki had been quietly working with Mia to improve her performance as well as their own. Nobeki would be sitting the sim out, she was going to play in DCC responding to simulated ship damage while the bridge crew worked out some of the kinks once more.
CPO Zen was happy and in his element. The alien sat on his bridge couch and tapped at his controls or waved a hand as he controlled and fine tuned the ship's sensors. Only the AI and the admiral could pronounce the alien's name, his language was in frequencies most species couldn't hear.
Admiral Irons and Sprite had argued about the alien for some time. Sprite had been right but he didn't like admitting it. They had come to a compromise, they had frocked him to a chief petty officer's slot. It was still not enough rank for the position, but it would allow them time to evaluate his performance longer and give him a bit more rank to deal with the new recruits.
From reading his biography the admiral had learned Zen had apparently been another victim of the pirates. He'd been a member of a clan of mechanics and engineers on a world and it had been raided by pirates looking for people like him as well as industrial tools and equipment. When the pirates had realized his clan were nonhuman his family had been slaughtered. Some had scattered, others had buried their dead and then moved to the mountains once the pirates had departed the system.
A few like Zen had left the planet, spoiling to hit back somehow, someway. It was impossible, everyone knew it. He'd dreamed of finding a ship and rebuilding it into some sort of warship. Then he'd gotten word of the Admiral and the battle of Pyrax. He had resolutely set out for Pyrax to join the fight, catching rides on various ships and working for his passage. It had taken time for his lumbering freighter to get to the star system, by that time the admiral had been long gone. Zen had been unphased, he had immediately signed up with the navy. He'd spent some time in the yard as an electronics tech before he'd managed to get a ship slot. He'd bounced around to various ships briefly, even holding a short tour on the ancient Tauren battleship Bismark before he'd gone on leave. He'd cut the leave short when Firefly had returned, and somehow wangled a slot on board. He was damn good at his job the AI reflected, which didn't explain why he hadn't been promoted or even eased into an officer's commission. Apparently he was serious about remaining a techie.
A lot of what was about to happen would be dependent on just how good the T'clock was. The giant mantis insect's abilities with sensors were about to be vital. She was curious to see how quickly he would pick out the enemy ships, and what reaction the crew would have. She had gone to great lengths to make the encounter... interesting and educational.
“Tactical, are you ready?” The admiral asked. Meia nodded. She glanced at her JTO. Mia nodded as well.
“This time I'm going to be in this too,” the admiral said.
“Who is going to run the op force sir?” Lobsterman asked.
“I am,” Sprite said. A few of the crew groaned. “Defender is going to lend me a hand. Right lieutenant?” She asked with a hint of amused malice in her voice.
“Yes he is,” the admiral replied before the security AI could argue. The AI's red eyes flared slightly, most likely in suppressed annoyance before he'd turned and nodded to Sprite.
“Are we ready?” He asked. The bridge crew nodded.
“All right then. Set the time scale to 10 to 1 and let's get started.”
“Simulation alert. This is a simulation alert. Flag bridge has the con,” Lobsterman said formally, transferring command protocols to the skeleton watch in the flag bridge. The second watch wasn't thrilled about doing double duty so the officers knew they had to get the simulation done quickly. That way they could be stood down and return to their rest period.
The main view screen and all of their plots changed abruptly to the simulation. For the moment the time chop was frozen in a pause. That wouldn't last long the admiral knew. He caught Meia cracking her knuckles then rolling her shoulders to get the kinks out. Mia ducked her head but the Asian girl was grinning. She had wisely put her hair up in a pony tail. She even had a sweat band on. Irons hoped the young woman wouldn't need it.
“Hyper emergence in 3... 2... 1! And...we're out!” Lobsterman said.
“Space is clear around us,” Zen reported. “Long range sensors extending their range as local space reasserts itself around us. I have a faint reading on bearing 2.1 by 2 by 4.3...”
“Battle stations,” the admiral said, voice dropping into the cool tones of command.
“You don't know if it is hostile or not sir,” Lobsterman reminded him.
“Humor me,” the admiral said with a bite in his tone. The AI blinked and then nodded. Irons made a note to 'remind' the AI about not questioning an order. But later, he thought as CIC painted the tracks on the ship's main view screen and his small plot screen. Much later, he thought.
You should be able to read the rest in late December 2014 or early January 2015!