Science Saturday: May 24, 2014 Edition

Sodden Question: So what does an old fart like Tarantino know about the movie business these days?

Its Science Saturday, WCF Peeps. Buckle up your warp-drive, and get a grip:

1) In the US, cheap shale gas has been pushing coal out of the electricity market and there are already indications that industries are beginning to prepare for the day when solar and other renewables push shale gas out of the energy market, by shifting into higher value products.

• New solar breakthrough could be the final nail in coal’s coffin

Bad news for the evil Koch brothers, who are expending billions to protect their lo-tech ancient fossil fuel investments.

2) Researchers have worked out how to make matter from pure light and are drawing up plans to demonstrate the feat within the next 12 months.
The theory underpinning the idea was first described 80 years ago by two physicists who later worked on the first atomic bomb. At the time they considered the conversion of light into matter impossible in a laboratory.
But in a report published on Sunday, physicists at Imperial College London claim to have cracked the problem using high-powered lasers and other equipment now available to scientists.
"We have shown in principle how you can make matter from light," said Steven Rose at Imperial. "If you do this experiment, you will be taking light and turning it into matter":

• Matter will be created from light within a year, claim scientists
• Scientists discover how to turn light into matter after 80-year quest

This folks, is somehow something the "most smartest" ancient alchemists would have "killed for," back in the days of 13th Century technology. Technology which may be soon delivered on a silver platter by a downloadable "App," we earnestly hope.

3) The news: In the past few years, we've seen the introduction of a cervical cancer vaccine and a prostate cancer vaccine — but what if a vaccine could actually cure cancer, instead of just preventing it?
According a new, promising study by the Mayo Clinic, that possibility might be more real than you might think. The famous medical research center announced Wednesday that one of its patients is in remission without a trace of cancer left in her body — all after receiving a single, massive dose of the measles vaccine.

• Mayo Clinic Researchers May Have Discovered a Cure for Cancer Hidden in an Unlikely Vaccine

Keep your fingers crossed, folks; and make sure your IRA retirement account will keep feeding your expenses for the next few thousand years, LOL, if this technology "takes hold".

4) This final story would more appropriately appear under the topic heading "Science and Technology,"  we suppose. Nevertheless, we're not "purists," so please view the awesome below-linked story and  embedded video:

• Stanley Kubrick’s VFX Master Would Like to Introduce You to the Technology that Will Revolutionize Cinema

Not everyone in the film industry agrees with the wisdom of these digital technological advances, by the way. For instance, check out Mr. Tarantino's strenuous objection concerning this topic:

• Cannes: Quentin Tarantino On Digital As The Death Of Cinema; A ‘Django’ Miniseries; ‘Hateful Eight’ Prospects & More

So WTF does an old fart like Tarantino know about the movie business these days?

That's it for Science Saturday this week, folks!

Don't forget to to toss in your own 2¢