Fantasist's Scroll

No, I am not making this up!

According to this article on The New Scientist, researchers have done work with human echolocation. And, I don’t mean standard sonar, either. Personal echolocation. What’s freaky is that it works better than they expected! Regular humans were able to track down a virtual “insect” in a virtual reality setting using modified bat echolocation signals. So far, that’s about all researcher Dean Waters has been able to accomplish, but he’s hoping that the military and other businesses will get interested. In the meantime, though, he’s happy enough getting a better idea of what it’s like to hear like a bat.

Well, not really, but it’s an eye-grabber, isn’t it?

According to this article on the BBC, there’s actually less than a 1% chance that an asteroid will hit us in the year 2014. Well, they’re monitoring it anyway.
Still, the article has some interesting info on what they track, and why, and how they classify threats from space rocks. Really, it’s a good article.

Go Read It!

Food science takes on a whole new meaning for the military.

According to this article on Wired News, the US military is trying to make better meals our service people. They’re working especially hard on the field rations known as “MREs”, or Meals Ready to Eat. Terrible things, for the most part. Nasty freeze-dried food that a soldier reconstituites in the field. Just the scent of some of these makes guys gag. So, that’s what they’re working on improving. Here’s hoping! (And, they still beat the nasty porridge that the Legions got. Blech!)

This is just crazy!

But, I love it! The TerraWind is billed as “the world’s first luxury Amphibious Motor coach / Yacht” on their website. You just have to see this to believe it. It looks like a regular motor coach, but then, it just drives out into the water and is a freakin’ boat!!
Man, when I’m rich, I gotta’ get me one of these!!

Well, I actually finished this book sometime ago, but just got to writing the review.

Hey, it’s been a busy month! In any case, Aliens and Linguists: Language Study and Science Fiction by Walter Earl Meyers is a really good book and worth hunting up in the used book market. Published in 1980, it’s a little out of date and very out of print, but still a good look at some of the way linguistics has been used, and abused, in science-fiction. Of course, there is also the prerequisite discussion of the most famous conlanger of all, J.R.R. Tolkien. But, mostly this book focuses on science-fiction.
A fair part of the book is spent criticizing the lack of good language use in science-fiction. Highlights include aliens that all speak our language. Or find it ridiculously easy to learn. But, also, the lack of language variation is hammered home as well as other similar errors. Another area of criticism is the lack of up-to-date use of theories and linguistic science in current, at the time, science-fiction. Linguistics, as well as the other so called “soft-sciences” were just getting their hooks into science-fiction at the time.
But, Meyers finds plenty to be happy about, as well. Sure, most writers took the Worf-Saphir theory way too far, but at least they were aware enough of it to use it. There are other good examples of linguistics in science-fiction as well.
Most interesting to me, was Meyers discussion of how aliens might approach language. First, there is every reason to believe that they will have language. It takes a lot of communication to get off a planet! Second, Meyers indicates that, while that language may be wildly different from our own, there’s a good possibility that we can learn it, eventually. Meyers also explores alternate methods of using language, including how telepathy might work from a linguistic point of view.

In all, it was a great read. Especially if you want to write fiction about a “realistic” created world. Language is a part of every culture that we know of, so it must be part of a created culture, as well. A completely enjoyable book and a fascinating subject.

Well, the exoskeletons are new, but they’re for the elderly.

No, really, according to this article at Yahoo!News, a Japanese inventor, and college professor, has invented an exoskeleton designed to assist the elderly get around. Taking care of the elderly is something very important to a lot of cultures, though not so much to American culture for some reason, and the Japanese are especially sensitive to their elderly’s needs. This invention might help them out. And, again, it’s a fun story!

A tutorial for Tolkien’s Elvish.

At least, how to write in Tengwar. It’s pretty cool, even though it is pretty technical. Still, if you’re a Tolkien conlang freak, it’s well worth the effort. And, I have to admit, this tutorial makes it pretty easy for the Nu-B, too.
Enjoy!

Hmm, seems like they’re early…

Well, not really, but this is a fun companion to the story from yesterday. According to this article on Radio Free Europe, the Japanese have already sent a robot “ambasador” on a diplomatic mission. And, how fitting that they sent it to the Czech Republic, the homeland of Karel Capek who invented the word “robot”. Anyway, a fun story!