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There has just been an unfortunate accident in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN

- Unfortunate that is for the protons that just had a head on collision.

Yes folks, the LHC has just had its first collision - and even though it was just a small one (in relative terms) of 900 billion electron volts they expect to have one at 1.2 trillion electron volts (TeV) early next year and then build up to some very decent collisions of 7 TeV after that.

What might we discover from the LHC?

Anything from our whole theory of physics is fundamentally wrong - and we need to go back to the drawing board.   - Or - Confirmation of new particles such as the Higgs Boson, how mass and gravity work, how to control it, other dimensions and even the currently science fiction inspired anti-gravity or the thrill of intergalactic travel. While that last one might be a long way off, however it goes, the collisions are going to be exciting!

Click through to some Odd Beat news about the LHC and it's history of accidents

100 years of amazing movie visual special effects from early silent black & white through to sci-fi, fantasy and the latest greats.

Click through to watch the clip!

The Australian Government seems hell bent on following other countries down the big-brother internet censorship route.

The Getup! Action for Australia group have put together an Ad that will hopefully be shown on all Qantas plane flights in the country during the week that parliament resumes.

That will expose all the politicians to it as they are flying back to Canberra.

Neat idea.

Getup! Action for Australia are looking for sponsors so they can ensure that the ad will screen. A worthwhile cause.

And it's bloody funny too!

Apart from the fact that internet censorship won't work and just piss people off, (that's my science-fiction angle if you are wondering - this rubbish will only work in a sci-fi world),  ...I for one do not welcome our Australian government internet censorship overloads.

Click through to watch the ad and find a link to their webpage

With the new Sci-Fi movies like Gamer, Sleepdealer and Surrogates, the concept of Virtual Reality has changed

When I was young, virtual reality had started to become popular. I even had a VR Headset for my Amiga3000 computer back in 1991

Sci-Fi movies like 'Tron' in 1982 depicted one of the first virtual worlds that I remember, and there have been many more since then. 'The Lawnmower Man' showed how a VR Headset and a scientist (Pierce Brosnan) could turn a simple mentally challenged man (Jeff Fahey) into a super powered villain.

'Avalon', another lesser known but excellent Sci-Fi movie revolved around people escaping from the real world to play a vrtual military RPG (role player game) for money, but often being left in a catatonic state from playing too much. Then there is The 'Matrix' (Only the first one, there is no trilogy!)

In all, people were living in the real world, while escaping to a virtual world.

... and how this has changed.

Click through to find out just how much...

Earth is constantly leaking our 'electromagnetic radiation' signals into space - Which Aliens are listening? What are they watching?

The opening scene of the Sci-Fi movie "Contact" written by Carl Sagan, staring Jodie Foster illustrates how the radio signals and noise from our planet leak into space.  The further out you travel, the older the signal is, the further you go back in time.

So if our Alien neighbours have a SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) program, and are looking in our direction, watching our TV shows, what are they watching? What is their opinion of us?

Click through to find out!

There are many science fiction shows that feature a teleport or transporter device of some description.

Basically a device to disassemble an object or person and then reassemble them at some great distance away.

Click through to see some sci-fi examples, and a interesting video...

Have you have ever wondered if the science fiction stories of nanotechnology turning the world into a mass of “grey-goo” will ever come to pass?

Unfortunately the answer is yes.

Especially with this excellent artistic training cartoon on how to achieve just that sci-fi dystopian end.

If you have been laughed at by your peers, picked on at school, and humiliated in front of the opposite sex, then this how to be amazing video is just for you.

So nerd up, get out your notepad, sharpen that HB pencil, click through to the cartoon and start taking notes.

NASA is looking to name Node 3 of the International Space Station, and is looking for you to help.

With less than a month to go, it looks like Joss Whedon's Sci-Fi TV series Firefly is a sure bet, with the sexy sculptured ship from the show "Serenity" a sure thing with 86% of the vote.

For your reference, here are the two craft for comparison:

If you would like to stake your claim in prosperity, click through to the voting link and have your say!

Sure you are familiar with the artistic science fiction depictions of shape shifting robots, and machines that manufacture what ever you desire at the push of a button.

Programmable matter will allow you to mould and change an object on demand.

I would love to get my hands on this technology - literally. It would be amazing fun from an artist and sculptors point of view. It takes 3D printing technology to a whole new level.

This CNN report shows a step in the right direction by Intel. Either that or Intel wanted to show off their new video rendering hardware.

Click through for a cool video and more information.

Sci-Fi epic Watchmen, based on Hugo award winning art filled graphic novel of the same name is out next week.

Now find out about the science and physics of Dr. Manhattan.  Meet James Kakalios professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota who was a physics consultant on Sci-Fi flick Watchmen. I always geek out on science fiction to science fact stories.   Get your inner geek on and watch the interview! 

A new form of carbon ribbon is paving the way to bring the artists science fiction idea of a space elevator from the realms of sci-fi to sci-fact.

Arthur C. Clarke, in his 1978 novel, Fountains of Paradise, depicted engineers constructing a space elevator on top of a mountain peak in the mythical island of Taprobane. (closely based on Sri Lanka, the country where Clarke resided). The builders used advanced materials such as the carbon nanofibers now in laboratory study.

NASA holds competitions similar to the x-prize to inspire people to come up with materials that can make a space elevator possible. The team behind the new ribbon material developed it for one of NASA's competitions.

According to...

Heading off to Mars has always been the next human endeavour into space

When the novelty of throwing robots at mars wears out, we will have to start throwing live people at it. Thanks to some British scientists, the humans we send might have a better chance of arriving - and alive too! The idea is to use a portable "mini-magnetosphere" which should protect a spacecraft from harmful solar storms and cosmic rays in much the same way the Earth's magnetosphere naturally protects the planet.

It may look all innocent now, but this little logic circuit is made from organic molecules that lined themselves up to form 300 transistors, without the need for machine production. This kind of "chip in a test tube" approach to creating semiconductors, demonstrated as effective for the first time by Philips Research, could cause a big leap towards cheaper, more flexible electronics. And some feally cool science fiction to science fact technology!

"Plastic Electronics" means the circuitry itself is plastic rather than silicon, and can be used to create things that require flexibility.

So it’s bendy, and assembles its...

Why Science Fiction Art and Sculpture?

You know I never thought of Sci-Fi as some weird thing for geeks.  I have heard people say that they “Hate Sci-Fi because it’s all make believe rubbish”. Interesting thought... and a very limiting belief. I see Science Fiction as Science Possibility. I hope that shows through in my Art, Drawings and Sculpture.  Especially the stories behind the works. Every artwork that I create, has been carefully thought out with the frame-work of  "If this was real, what would it be like, how would it function, and what would it have to have..." Science Fiction Art has always fascinated me. To me it really shows the future...  Keep in mind the fact that around 200 years ago we were all still dicking around in sailing ships.  Now we have been to the moon, are planning manned trips to Mars...

With time travel, change is everywhere... Anywhen is possible.

I travel to other times and places Stars are born, planets form, grow, and in what seems like the blink of an eye, life may take pride of place clinging to their surface.  Some life learns to spread its wings and even reach out for the stars. Even these civilisations come and go.  Every civilisation has its time to shine. Its Art and culture. Its moment of glory. These moments are never lost however, and exist in time. Time is a complex tapestry, of every choice that could, would, and will be, every possibility exists. Remember that choice you made this morning just after you woke up?  Yes, that one. What if you chose the other option?  What would be different now?