Technological advancement usually trends toward increasing what we can do and where we can go. But we might benefit even more when we develop technology that shows us what not to do and where not to go—as we see from a brilliant 1950s invention that still saves lives to this day.
The weapons of science fiction are becoming reality! It has been more than 40 years since the United States first used a laser to shoot down a simple drone aircraft in 1973, but laser weaponry is finally coming to the fore as a major technology on today’s modern battlefields.
Western Europe is suffering through its third heat wave in six weeks (CNBC, July 30, 2026), and more than 375,000 people in France and Spain have been forced to flee their homes, due to the spread of intense wildfires (The Guardian, July 28, 2026
Recent studies are showing that a positive outlook, or optimism, actually improves heart health (The Washington Post, May 14, 2026). Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign reviewed 18 randomized, controlled studies. These trials looked at the impact of optimism training on cardiovascular health.