Quantum effects in biosystems Discover Magazine In Discover (February 2009), Mark Anderson reviews contemporary experiments in biophysics that explore the influence of quantum effects in living systems: "Could quantum mechanisms be driving some of the most elegant and inexplicable processes of life? For years experts doubted it: Quantum phenomena typically reveal themselves only in lab settings, in vacuum chambers chilled to near absolute zero. Biological systems are warm and wet. Most researchers thought the thermal noise of life would drown out any quantum weirdness that might rear its head. Yet new experiments keep finding quan­­tum processes at play in biological systems, says Christopher Altman, alumni researcher from European futurist think tank Starlab. With the advent of powerful new tools like femtosecond (10^-15 second) lasers and nanoscale-precision positioning, life’s quantum dance is finally coming into view."

The Unmanned Air Force USAF In Network World and concurrent Slashdot updates, Lt. Gen. Seip discusses the future of unmanned combat aerial vehicles. "How important have unmanned aircraft become to the US military? Well, how's this: the Air Force says next year it will acquire more unmanned aircraft than manned aircraft. Air Force Lt. Gen. Norman Seip this week said the service is "all in" when it comes to developing unmanned systems and aircraft.' Next year, the Air Force will procure more unmanned aircraft than manned aircraft,' the general said. 'I think that makes a very pointed statement about our commitment to the future of unmanned aircraft, and what it brings to the fight in meeting the requirements of combatant commanders.'"

Convergence⁰⁸  Mountain View  " From 15-16 November 2008 – the world's most dangerous ideas will collide in Mountain View, California. Convergence⁰⁸ examines the world-changing possibilities of nanotechnology and the life-changing promises of biotechnology. It is the premier forum for debate and exploration of cognitive technology ethics – and ground zero of the past and future information technology revolution. Convergence⁰⁸ is an innovative, lively 'unconference' – the first and only unclassified forum dedicated solely to the convergence of NBIC – nano-, bio-, information and cognitive – technology developments." 

As my own UNISCA First Committee chair report to the General Assembly – "Converging Technologies: The Future of the Global Information Society" – focused specifically upon these long-term technological and cultural challenges, which we will have to confront both as a society and as a species – I have high hopes that this meeting will provide a stimulating, and unparalleled, open venue for exploration of novel ideas, discussion of alternative paradigms, and fertile grounds for brainstorming original, innovative solutions. My congratulations to the initiative of the conference organizers. I look forward to reporting back upon conclusion of the conference, as there has been an open conference wiki set up at the conference website to contribute novel ideas to the discussion.

Time in Quantum Mechanics Perimeter Institute The Clock and the Quantum focuses on conceptual and technical issues concerning the role of time in quantum theory – including quantum correlations in time, histories approaches, pre- and post-selected ensembles, time and quantum measurement, and causality under the framework of quantum theory. 

Lee Smolin discusses cosmological inflation, the problem of initial conditions, and the interpretation of the "wavefunction of the universe." Lev Vaidman provides a review of the two state vector formalism, which considers backwards-evolving quantum states. Noriyuki Hatakenaka presents a new scheme for testing macrorealism without statistical treatments by combining Leggett-Garg and Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) inequalities, i.e. a temporal GHZ test using quantum correlations in time. Lucian Ionescu outlines an "upgrade" of the Feynman path integral formalism – where qubits, instead of complex amplitudes – are associated within elementary transitions of a causal network structure.

The conference is first in a series of foundations conferences organized under joint collaboration between the Perimeter Institute and three Australian national universities.

From Qubits to Black Holes Technion | Macquarie University "Asher Peres (1934-2005), was an Israeli scientist who is widely considered to be one of the pioneering founders of quantum information science. A student of Nathan Rosen, (the “R” of EPR), Asher codiscovered quantum teleportation, a time-reversal test for quantum entanglement, and published numerous works on the foundations of quantum science. His research legacy continues through his many research collaborators, students, textbooks and research papers."

The Technion (Israel), and Macquarie University (Australia), will host the inaugural Asher Peres International Physics School 2008, for senior undergraduates and junior postgraduates in a series of lectures ranging from quantum mechanics, theory and experiments, through to quantum gravity. Held over five days, from November 17-22 (2008), in the historic environs at Chowder Bay on Sydney Harbor, the School will feature lectures from leading scientists from around the world, including Sir Peter Knight, Artur Ekert, Christian Kurtsiefer, Chris Fuchs, Bei Lok Hu, Jason Twamley, Daniel Terno, Gavin Brennen, Alexei Gilchrist, James Rabeau, and James Cresser.