826LA Good Times

Campbell poses with the Back to the Future car.

Sierra interviews science-fiction expert and History Channel producer Colin Campbell about life in a Jetsons-esque “Hover World.”

Will people walk in the future?
Indeed, people will walk in the future. Over time, humans have continued to grow bigger and bigger, and live longer and longer. Part of the reason for that has been improved health, due to increased food production, and the development of modern medicines and surgery. But another part has been an overall increase in the fitness of humans over time. And simple exercises, such as walking, help to keep humans fit. In the future, it seems unlikely that we will devolve into the overweight human-like “slugs” seen in the movie WALL-E. We’ll always need to walk, either for exercise, for fun, or to reach new and exciting frontiers.

How will they get exercise?
To look to the future of exercise, take a look back. Devices invented in the 20th century included those which simulate walking and running (“elliptical” machines), rowing a boat (a rowing machine) and riding a bike (the so-called “stationary bike”). In the future, these devices are likely to continue to improve in two key areas. One: Surroundings. Why not step into a “rowing machine,” which is encased by video screens. On those screens, you’d see a full 3-D image of a lake, or an ocean, all around you. You might even smell the ocean spray, or feel a bit of mist on your face as you row; similar technology already exists in theme park rides, such as “Soarin’ Over California” at Disney’s California Adventure theme park. Two: Mechanics. Instead of pumping your legs on the exercise bike, why not have the machine do the pumping for you? Is that as good a workout as doing the pumping yourself? No, but it likely would get your heart rate up, which doctors say is a key component of any exercise regime. In the future, maybe you’ll have the machine “exercise” your body while you watch videos or check e-mail…

How will they plant gardens?
Talk to any avid gardener, and you’ll know why this will always be a human activity. It’s peaceful and productive! Growing plants played a key role in the establishment of human civilizations, dating back to 7000 B.C. in Egypt and India. Evidence of purely ornamental gardens dates back almost as far. So when it comes to planting gardens, this seems likely to remain on humans’ “to do” list for a very, very long time. As to how: Get dirt. Plant seeds. Just add water and light! Plants predate humans on the planet Earth; they’re very adaptable. Whether in tiny boxes on back porches, luscious green fields behind homes, or even in outer space, plants will grow just about anywhere we give them the key ingredients they need to survive (heat/sunlight, carbon dioxide and water).

How will they play soccer?
Soccer will be outlawed in the year 2089 by an alien known as Grand Docent Zarman, the evil overlord of Earth. Docent Zarman, a reptilian Arthropod from the Crab Nebula, led a race of super-soldiers that took control of the planet in 2074. Zarman never much liked soccer—he reportedly found it to be “boring, low-scoring and what’s the deal with offside,” anyway? And will that guy ever stop crying about, “Oooh, he slid into my shin! Ouch!” Such babies! Thus, the game was banned, and soccer stadiums throughout the world were converted into giant food troughs. The wide green fields proved to be perfect breeding grounds for the megatons worth of worms needed to feed the super-soldier army from the Crab Nebula. If only we had shut down all the soccer stadiums earlier, there would be no food source for these soldiers, and we would have had a fighting chance at retaining our planet… Actually, the rules of soccer have changed a few times over the years, rules concerning how and when the goalkeeper can play the ball, and how many players can substitute during a game. Aside from continued tweaking to the rules, and changes in equipment (the players’ shorts levels go up and down according to fashions of the day; today’s jerseys are made of breathable nylon fabrics that are much lighter than the heavy wool and cotton shirts of the past), soccer in the future will probably look much like it does today. After all, you could take someone from the year 1900 to a baseball game today, and they would still understand most (if not all) of what was going on. (Although they might be frightened by the size of today’s steroid-enhanced players…)

How will they ride bikes?
Bikes over the ages have gotten lighter and lighter. (The first bicycles were made entirely of wood!) Assuming this lighter trend continues, soon, everyone should be able to pedal a 25-gear lightweight graphite-framed bike at speeds approaching 30 miles an hour. Be sure to wear a helmet!

How will they build their hover world?
Building a hover-world will require, at minimum, two things: a level of engineering expertise that we just currently don’t have… and a fundamental change in our understanding of the laws of physics. The reason things don’t hover now is, simply, gravity. The gravitational force of the Earth pulls things “down,” toward the center of the Earth. (Fortunately, the ground gets in the way, so we stay on the surface!) Everything—including people—has a similar gravitational force; it’s just that the Earth is so much bigger than you, you can’t get away from the influence of its gravitational field. Astronauts orbiting the Earth—in what we commonly call “Zero Gravity”—are actually still feeling a micro-gravity effect. But their velocity—their speed—is so great, they are, in essence, “falling” around the Earth continuously. Eventually, satellites, space stations and spaceships all will be pulled back down to Earth—unless they reach “escape velocity.” That’s the speed at which an object is able to escape the gravitational pull of Earth. So if you want something to “hover,” it needs to find an equilibrium—to simplify, the object will be pulled toward Earth with “X” amount of energy—so it needs to expend “X” amount of energy to get away, and “hover” in place. As it turns out, the amount of energy (manifested, say, as speed being generated by a rocket) that an object needs to escape from earth is about 25,000 miles per hour! That’s a lot of energy! So, if you could throw a baseball that fast, it would leave Earth, and continue out in to the solar system. But any slower—and it’ll eventually come back down to the surface. You see the problem with building a “hovering city,” which, it should be pointed out, is a lot heavier than a baseball! That’s not to say it’s impossible. After all, we sent men to the moon, we use incredible scanning devices to obtain precise images of the insides of human bodies, and we invented Velcro—all things that would seem like science-fiction to the people of the 18th and 19th centuries. The only limits on the world of tomorrow are those we ourselves impose. Our imagination will shape the future; our determination will make that world come to life.

Daniel H. Wilson

Daniel H. Wilson, the author of How to Survive a Robot Uprising and How to Build a Robot Army, took some time to answer the many questions the Good Times journalists had about robots.

In what year will robots be able to talk and look like humans?
That’s a tough one to predict. Robots that look just like people are called “androids.” There are androids right now that can imitate human beings very closely, but it’s almost impossible to get everything right. In fact, scientists have discovered that robots who look almost but not quite human fall into something called “The Uncanny Valley.” It turns out, people are very good at spotting little details about each other. So, if there is a robot that looks perfectly human-like, except it doesn’t breathe, or it doesn’t blink often enough, or its skin temperature is a little bit cool— well, then humans will notice and get really, really freaked out. Because of the Uncanny Valley, some scientists argue that we shouldn’t even try to make androids. With that kind of a challenge, it will be a long time before androids are indistinguishable from human beings.

Why don’t we have robots do chores?
Machines already do our chores! Dishwashers and washing machines and dryers speed up a lot of household chores. But the main reason that we don’t have servant robots that can take out the trash and clean our rooms and walk the dog is that the environments we live in, our houses, are really complicated! There’s stuff everywhere that makes doing the chores really difficult. For example, the Roomba robot can vacuum your room, but only if you make sure there are no shoelaces for it to run over and get choked on. It can vacuum, but it can’t spot shoelaces and avoid them. This is why there are lots of machines that depend on us to make the problem simpler. This is called creating a structured environment.

When will we have robots that can cook?
Just like doing chores, cooking is a complicated task. The robot has to have arms and hands so that it can grip knives, pick up pots and pans, and turn knobs on the stove. Then, the robot has to have eyes so that it can see where things are at. The robot has to be very smart so that it can identify objects like carrots and spoons, figure out how to pick them up, and be sure of where they’re at. These three steps are sensing (with cameras), thinking (with a computer), and then acting (by using hands). Sense-think-act. Oh, and maybe the hardest problem—because it might be very strong, the robot has to be careful not to accidentally knock anybody out of a window!

When will we have robots that can do our homework?
Do you really want a robot to do your homework? People (kids and adults, too!) have to do homework in order to learn new things. We have to study and solve problems in order to make ourselves smarter and to cram information into our brains. Unlike us, robots can just scan new information and store it in a database. If a robot has information in a database, it doesn’t help you become smarter. Instead, scientists are working on robotic “helpers” that can make people smarter. For example, a prototype device called prosthetic memory works by recording everything that happens to you during the day, and then helping to memorize the names of people, when and where things happened, and all kinds of other stuff so that you can remember it later!

Why do we make robots?
Usually, we build robots to do jobs that are dull, dirty or dangerous. First, jobs that are dull make human beings bored, and then we get so bored that we mess up the job. That’s why robots work in factories to do repetitive tasks putting together toasters. Second, it’s hard to get people to do jobs that are dirty because nobody wants to go to filthy places. That’s why sewer-cleaning robots are in demand! And third, jobs that are dangerous could hurt or kill people, and so we need to send in tough robots that could end up damaged or destroyed. That’s why when we need to clean up toxic waste or get rid of land mines, robots are the ones to call.

How long can robots live?
With proper maintenance, a robot could live forever. As each piece wears out, you just replace it with a new piece. That’s one advantage that robots have over human beings.

What does a robot run on?
Most robots run on electrical power that is stored in a battery. However, many military robots run on engines just like in a motorcycle or even a car. Those robots can’t go inside a house because of all the exhaust. Creating new power sources is a big area of study. There is one prototype robot that even runs on biological matter—it gets its power from eating living organisms! Better keep an eye on that one…

Alex likes the football field at John Marshall High School.

Q & A with Andy Moran, Varsity Football Coach

By Alex

I predicted that I would go to John Marshall High School and would join the football team. The reason why I think John Marshall High School football rocks is because I like their football field, which is big. I talked to Andy Moran, the coach of the varsity football team. I asked him some questions about what to do to get into the football team.

1. What do you need to do to get into the football team?
The first thing you need is to have and maintain a 2.0 grade point average. This is the minimum grade requirement; we want players that strive for higher grades than that.

2. How do you make the team win the championship?
Winning a championship requires more than anything I do. It takes dedication from every member of the team, and it requires everyone to work together for a common goal.

3. Who started the football team?
I don’t know who started the team at Marshall. Football has been a part of the school since it opened in 1931.

4. How and why did you become a coach?
I became a coach by going to college and volunteering my time as an assistant coach once I graduated. I became a coach because I really enjoyed football, and coaches always played a big part in my life, and I wanted to be like them.

5. Did you ever play football?
I did play football. I played in high school and college. I even got to tryout for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

6. How good do my grades have to be to be on the team?
Grades are important. You must have a 2.0 or C average, but the best teams I’ve had always have had great grades as a team.

I’m an NFL fan, and the biggest day is going to happen this Sunday. The Super Bowl is about to happen, so I asked ABC 7 Sports Anchor Rob Fukuzaki about the Saints and the Colts. Let’s see what he says.

1. Rob, do you think the Saints will win the Super Bowl?
Hi Jason. Glad to help you out with your article. Personally, it is refreshing to see the Saints make the Super Bowl for the first time in their 43-year history. They have for the most part been the laughingstock of the NFL, at times referred to as the “Aints” while their fans often would wear paper bags over their heads during games because the team was so embarrassing to watch. But now that they have overcome their painful past, I believe they have a good shot at winning. The odds are against them because they face Peyton Manning and his incredible offense. But the Saints have an explosive offense themselves, so if their defense can contain the Colts from putting too many points on the board early, the Saints have a good shot at pulling this off. At least if they keep it close until the fourth quarter, they will give themselves a chance.

2. How do you think (Saints quarterback) Drew Brees will do?
I do believe Drew Brees will have a good game. He wasn’t himself in the NFC championship game against the Vikings where he was 17 of 31 for just 197 yards, but did throw three touchdowns. Those numbers don’t seem that bad – but for Brees who has been so efficient and explosive this season, it was a down game for him. But the main thing is he got through it and is still playing. If he can return to his form of the regular season where he put up incredible numbers – 34 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions and 4,388 yards – he will shine on super Sunday. He has so many weapons on offense that he should be able to sprinkle out a balanced attack that could keep the Colts guessing on defense.

3. How do you think (Colts quarterback) Peyton Manning will do?
Whenever you talk about a four-time league MVP in Peyton Manning and the best quarterback of our era, you can only expect that he will have a big game as he seeks his second Super Bowl title. He was second in the league during the regular season in passing yards with 4,500, and threw one less touchdown than Brees – 33 – but did throw five more interceptions, with 16. It always comes down to the offensive line, which has always been one of the best in the NFL. If they can protect Manning and give him the time he needs, he will have his way and will pick apart the Saints secondary. He was sacked only 10 times all season, which is hard to comprehend, so if he has the protection, he’ll be the Super Bowl MVP.

4. What do you think the score will be?
I am a little partial to the great story of the Saints making it for the first time ever and doing so just a few years after the city was devastated by Katrina. They are the sentimental pick because of their past and the city’s rebuilding. In my mind, if they can keep it close, they have a shot to win. I think they will keep it close, but in the end, the Colts will win 34-31. If that score comes to fruition, make sure you tell all your friends where you heard it! But really, if that is the score, it’s going to be one exciting Super Bowl! Good luck to you ! Enjoy the game and best to you in your future.

- Jason Lee