Zombie Ants (Ophiocordyceps camponoti-rufipedis)

Would you believe me if I said there was something out there that is more deadly than rabies. More vicious than rabies, and more chilling than rabies. It is called Ophiocordyceps camponoti-rufipedis, it comes from the fungus family Cordyceps, (which is what I am going to refer it to since its just easier to read) and you will be happy to know that it doesn't affect humans only ants, at least right now, I am not sure if it will jump the species barrier anytime soon.

Your probably wondering what is Cordyceps and why should I care, and a reason I would give is that it is super interesting and cool to read about. Cordyceps is not a disease or virus, unlike rabies it is a fungus, which is really what makes it creepier. What it does is it grows inside the host (an insect) eating on non-vital organs until it grows strong enough to move into the brain. Once inside the brain this freaky fungus sends out signals and forces the ant to move, it basically has full body control over the ant. What it does in control is lead the ant up a plant, kill it by devouring it's brain, and sprouts a mushroom out of the ants head. Eventually this leads to just a mass graveyard of dead ants with mushrooms growing out of their head, creating spores therefore spreading the fungus further.

All of this is really quite interesting and if you want to read more about Cordyceps than do so because it really is a fascinating thing that not many people know about. The creepiest part about this is just that it is something else controlling your body, you are basically dead while this parasite is in full control of your movements.

Space Travel

I don't know if you've noticed, but space travel isn't something that is readily available to the average person, nor is it a fast or efficient way of transportation, but I want to know, when is that going to change, when will I be able to travel to an asteroid at my leisure?

This is a pretty big topic just because of how little we are prepared for space travel. Think about air travel like planes. You need certain permits to fly a private plane, there are restricted areas that are no fly zones, and other similar issues that arise, but at least there are laws. If space travel somehow got to the average middle class person or even just a couple thousand rich guys, it would be chaos. There are little to no laws in space so what happens if one of the space ships go around and break all the satellites and TV for thousands is out. Is it illegal, if so, who's laws are they breaking? American laws, German laws, Turkish laws? Does the UN punish them? It is a very open ended question that doesn't really have an exact answer. So we really aren't ready for the future like this. Maybe there should be no laws in space because there is little to no way of enforcing any laws in space. All of this is just something to think about because a future like this really isn't as far away as it seems.

Star Wars Rumors

I read something a few days ago that was some pretty cool news. A character from the Star Wars prequels may be returning. More specifically from Phantom Menace. Don't get your hopes up, it isn't you or my favorite character Jar Jar Binks, but rather Qui-Gon Jinn. Yes Liam Neeson in a recent interview said he was interested and would definitely replay his role as the Jedi Master. This is fantastic news not only because he is one of the best characters in the Star Wars universe, but it's nice to hear something about the Stars from the Prequels, because I enjoyed a lot of those characters but for the most part I feel that nobody even talks about the prequels. Qui-Gon was what the ideal Jedi should be. He is cool and collected, but isn't afraid to go against the order a little bit, something that we don't see throughout the films after episode I. It was a shame that he got so little screen time and that he died at the end of Phantom Menace (spoiler alert). But that said, he is dead, so how would a new film even be made with the character now.

The Star Wars universe a great way of doing this. He could reappear as a force ghost and help guide the jedi in a future movie. He obviously won't be in the Force Awakens, but there is no reason we have to rule out the next 2. Episode III hinted at this with Yoda telling Obi Wan that his master (Qui Gon Jinn) has learned the way to immortality. And he actually does show up in the animated Clone Wars series. They already have Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Kenny Baker, all these guys from the original trilogy coming back, so why not give some nostalgia to those who grew up with the prequel trilogy...

If there is no way to work Qui Gon into the plot of the main trilogy again, than that is fine. Being a ghost, it wouldn't do the character as much justice anyway. That is why a stand alone, Qui Gon Jinn film would be just as great. It could be like a prequel to the prequels, possibly even feature padawan Obi Wan, and this time, just them without an annoying kid or an even more annoying native of Naboo. It could explain the background of the character and really show him off and flesh him out more. There has been a rumored Boba Fett side movie so I again, don't see the problem with doing one featuring a different, yet just as cool character. Another thing that would be plausible is Christopher Lee could play Dooku alongside Qui Gon Jinn, showing Dooku as a Jedi, which is something we never get so see. As you may know he was a Jedi turned Sith at some point in time between episode I and II. All of this theorizing is getting pretty far fetched but still. I am trying to hit all the possibilities here, whatever they may be. It may seem like I am trying to get Disney to milk the crap out of the franchise, but why would you care? Ever since 2004 we have had hardly anything Star Wars that was actually good, and some would argue even earlier than that. So I say go ahead and milk it because I will enjoy any film they put out. Heck, Marvel launches a superhero movie every year, sometimes more, and pretty much all of them turn out great, Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain America: The Winter Solider both came out in 2014 and both were good films. All this news to me proves that you can't have enough Star Wars. Star Wars has no maximum, no limit, so churn the movies out all you want Disney, I will watch every, single, one.

Galactic Government

Say 300 years have passed. You are dead. I am dead. But our great great great great grandchildren wouldn't be (give or take 1-2 great's). In this alternate reality, we have encountered aliens and years have passed and we have representatives in some space government. Our representatives would then be representing all of mankind. Is it even possible? Perhaps we have colonized planets too, its too many people to represent. Lets take a page from Star Wars, as usual. The Republic has a Galactic Senate. The future could have a Federation of Planets where each planet has representatives. But even then, humans are all so different, nothing can be done ever that would satisfy EVERY person in the world. An alien race could all be nearly identical in personality and beliefs but humans are not that similar. So maybe just find a planet that has similar views as you do and that's the best way to go about this. Another point to bring up is how would the human race fit into this government. What would we contribute. We could be unwelcomed. Treated as the scum of the universe because we are flawed compared to these super aliens with their fancy senate. Or we could join it and realize it's corrupted, by an old, powerful ruler who won't give up his spot in office. (hint hint wink wink).

What history tells me is that this probably won't be the case, at first. Think of how Americans treated natives of America, how English treated natives of India. If karma is real you would think the aliens would come in and just take over our government and do what we did hundreds of years ago. Treat us as lesser beings. Not as mindless animals or anything, just pathetic things that don't deserve to rule ourselves, and who knows, maybe they are right. I think it would be pretty funny if an alien armada came in, took over all government on the planet, and then things were better than they had ever been. Economic growth, industrial growth, all under some galactic alien control. Nobody could even really get mad. Since we are viewed as a species it would be true, full blown equality, so there is a positive. It could be just like Communism, without a greedy ruler doing Communism wrong like every time here on Earth...

The Next Step in Evolution

All animals evolve to adapt to their environment. To get the berries off the tallest of trees the giraffe with the longest neck becomes the norm. Because it's fur fit in with the environment more the brown mouse survives and reproduces while the bright white one is eaten. Evolution is quite simple and basically just common sense, the organism best fit to survive in it's environment, does. But what if and animal was to adapt the environment to IT.

Man gets cold so as well as growing hair, he builds a shelter. His prey is stronger or faster than him so he builds weapons to take it down with better efficiency. Because of all the modifications man does to the environment we have halted evolution for our species. Other than getting slightly taller, man has not physically changed in a long time. We have gotten smarter yes, but have we gotten weaker? Is all of our technology and modern inventions helped man or hindered him? In a hand to hand fight between a man and a bear, man cannot win. But our superior intelligence gives us an edge and allows us not to get into that hand to hand situation.

So if we are not evolving, how does man reach the next step, how do we as a species grow and progress. To this question the answer is technology. If our skin isn't going to become rhino skin tough in time, how do we become a more formidable foe to a possible alien encounter? Well we replace it of course. Unless we discover an extremely light yet durable metallic material, we cannot wear super suit-like things because its A. not permanent, and B. too heavy. Soldiers are already getting over encumbered with the supplies they carry today so cross off a sweet robo suit. Instead a more permanent and probably less popular solution is to replace our limbs and extremities with robotic ones. They would be much more durable and strong than what we have now. To make it look natural we could put a thin 'skin' layer over the wiring and machinery. Think, far far into the future, a place where the only organic or "human" part of a human, is the brain. Eyes replaced by zoom-able, night vision, less fragile eyes. Our ears replaced with hyper sensitive, adjustable ears. Don't like your voice? Replaced by an organic, flawlessly sounding voice box. Want the body of a body builder, replace yours with it. Want everything to taste like chocolate, replace your taste buds and have a tongue that sends signals to your brain that makes you taste chocolate. A creepy yet interesting thought is it not? It would really show what our society thinks is 'ideal' for a person to be. Anyone and everyone could be what we strive to be or look like today. Sounds like a much duller world. Very generic. Everyone would be beautiful which would make beauty nonexistent. Everyone would just be, normal. Every few years we would replace our old parts with new ones and nobody would be able to tell your actual age. This whole thing sounds like an odd, late night science fiction horror flick. And maybe sense humans are all so diverse and everyone's perception of perfection is something a little different, this future will never exist. So looking forward, as the human race advances as a species, hopefully while becoming more unified and tougher, we also become more diverse and intriguing.

Nightfall

A new Halo series has been showing once a week for a few weeks and I think I have the feel for what it is by now, and at this moment in time, my thoughts are, meh. I don't want to call it bad, because I've keep watching it once a week, but I am not going to call it good because I don't really care for it at the same time. Lets go through what Nightfall is doing right.

Nightfall is about Halo, which is about science fiction, boom, its already in the green. It has a pretty good plot. It also has decent characters, and the whole thing takes place on a Halo ring. Now we can get into what I dislike about it. At times the CGI is terrible. In the first episode there is and elite that just looks off and out of place, and every time I saw it, I wanted it to go away. I also don't care for the small, 15 minute chunks that it comes out in. Most likely I am going to watch the entire thing just at once in about a month because every time something ACTUALLY is about to happen, it ends, and then the same exact thing happens next week.

I don't want you to think that it is something a Halo fan wouldn't enjoy, but honestly if I weren't a fan of the series, I would not watch it; although how could you if you weren't a fan, you need the game to watch it... Well maybe you know someone who is a fan, nevertheless it isn't going to rope you into Halo like Forward Unto Dawn. THAT series was infinitely better than this, and that reason is why I'm most disappointed. Forward Unto Dawn was so great that my family who are not fans of the series, enjoyed and appreciated, but this isn't that. I cannot put a finger on what sets me off about it, it must be a combination of little things but when you go in with so much hype for something and it is, lackluster. So watch it if you are a Halo fan, but if you haven't seen Forward Unto Dawn, I can guarantee you will enjoy that better. Maybe it is the 15 minute bursts that ruin it. Maybe, watching the entire thing, start to finish, will shine some light on it. Another possibility is I am judging it to early. It's like I am sitting down and watching the first 30-35 minutes of a movie and then getting up, leaving, and declaring it lacking. If you have been keeping up with it maybe you already know the answer, or you are like me and have waited. I may come back to this subject at a later date, if my opinion differs then.

Virtual and Social Gaming

A virtual reality has really come close to becoming, reality. Virtual reality is basically what the title says, a virtual reality. It mimics real life but in something like a videogame or movie, anything virtual. Devices like the Oculus Rift which augment your vision so when you look around in real life, you look around in the game. Its just a helmet with a screen in it that displays the game, alone I dont see much of a future for the Oculus Rift because it doesn't quite blow television away, alone at least. But think of the possibilities if we combine that with a 360 degree treadmill. I'm honestly not quite sure what the actual name is for these devices but they are a treadmill you can run in any direction. Not much work has been done in this area, and it is really quite obvious. If you find pictures of it online it looks like a baby chair and I'm sure would feel equally ridiculous to use as is appears. So as long as nobody ever sees you using this it is the coolest thing ever...

I hope in my lifetime technology can reach the peak of virtual reality. I want to be able to go home from work and get immersed in a game literally. I could get sucked into the game and run around inside of another, more interesting, more engaging world. Not to mentions the benefits of this compared to modern day gaming. If the treadmill does end up being used, imagine the health benefits. Gaming sessions can last hours at a time and if your running around for hours it would make the ideal "gamer" much more fit, while at the same time making running and working out that much more interesting. Multiple studies have shown that videogames along with relieving stress, also help brain function and activity. Combine that with now physical fitness and gaming would be quite the recreational activity. That is probably the outcome I look forward to the most about this. Gaming has such a negative connotation with most people. When you say I'm a gamer to someone, the general population begins to think, "lazy", "stupid", "slacker", or/and "obnoxious". Although those stereotypes are true for some of the more, vocal gamers, it isn't true for all. My group of friends and I are all gamers and we are straight A kids with jobs, and although sometimes we wish games could be a priority it never is over our work. Gaming is growing and with that the stereotype will decrease, and if gamers become the majority, they also become the smartest and most fit aswell. I'm just waiting for the day when I can 'step out of the shadows' if you will and not hide behind my other interests in hope that people don't think negatively about my true pass-time. A time where all of us can come out of the dark and talk publically about the new Halo game or the unreal trailer for The Division or that incredibly card draw in Hearthstone, that will be the day...