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During the 20th century, technological advances progressed exponentially faster than at any other time in history. It has gotten to the point where we can no longer follow each and every update and potentially-ground-breaking technology, and some of these very important technologies sometimes fall between the cracks.
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Digital currency is a form of currency or medium of exchange that is electronically created and stored (i.e., distinct from physical, such as banknotes and coins). Some digital currencies, such as Bitcoin, are cryptocurrencies. Like traditional money these currencies may be used to buy physical goods and services but could also be restricted to certain communities such as for example for use inside an on-line game or social network. (Wikipedia) |
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Concentrated Solar Power systems use mirrors or lenses to concentrate a large area of sunlight onto a small area. Electrical power is produced when the concentrated light is converted to heat, which drives a heat engine (usually a steam turbine) connected to an electrical power generator or powers a thermochemical reaction. CSP growth is expected to continue at a fast pace. As of January 2014, Spain had a total capacity of 2,204 MW making this country the world leader in CSP. Interest is also notable in North Africa and the Middle East, as well as India and China. (Wikipedia) |
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A Biofuel is produced by converting plants or organic waste into a fuel. From used deep-fryer oil, to methane produced from animal waste, biofuel can be a solid (wood), liquid (oil) or in gas form (methane). Biofuels have increased in popularity because of rising oil prices and the need for energy security. (Wikipedia) |
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DNA Sequencing is the process of determining the precise order of nucleotides within a DNA molecule. It includes any method or technology that is used to determine the order of the four bases—adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine—in a strand of DNA. The advent of rapid DNA sequencing methods has greatly accelerated biological and medical research and discovery. It is expected that once DNA sequencing becomes cheap and wide-spread enough, it could be used to develop medicine that is designed to treat an individual’s diseases, improving the effectiveness of the cure, as well as minimizing side-effects. (Wikipedia) |
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Gene Therapy is the use of DNA as a drug to treat disease by delivering therapeutic DNA into a patient's cells. The most common form of gene therapy involves using DNA that encodes a functional, therapeutic gene to replace a mutated gene. Other forms involve directly correcting a mutation, or using DNA that encodes a therapeutic protein drug (rather than a natural human gene) to provide treatment. (Wikipedia) |
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Organic Electronics is a field of material science concerning the design, creation and application of organic molecules or polymers that show desirable electronic properties such as conductivity. One of the benefits of organic electronics is their low cost compared to traditional inorganic electronics. (Wikipedia) |
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Traditionally, circuits are constructed with capacitors, resistors, and inductors. In 1971 Leon Chua theorized that there could be a fourth component - the Memristor. Unlike a resistor, it can "remember" charges even after power is lost. This would allow the memristor to store information. In 2008, Hewlett Packard created a working memsistor will become available by the end of 2014. |
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Swarm Robotics is a new approach to the coordination of multirobot systems which consist of large numbers of mostly simple physical robots. It is supposed that a desired collective behavior emerges from the interactions between the robots and interactions of robots with the environment. This approach emerged on the field of artificial swarm intelligence, as well as the biological studies of insects, ants and other fields in nature, where swarm behavior occurs. (Wikipedia) |
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