Scholar and futurist Joel Barker discussed some of the exciting technologies on the horizon. Barker said many of these inventions occur when two different ideas are combined to create a brand new idea. The Amazon Kindle and Sony Reader are examples of this innovation at the verge, he explained, noting that these eBook readers combine the readability of paper and the vast storage capacity of modern electronics.

Barker shared information about an environmentally friendly acoustic refrigerator which uses a loudspeaker and inert gas to keep food cold, an algae-to-oil technology that he claimed could meet America's current oil requirements, as well as a special kind of dirt, called terra preta, that keeps its fertility for centuries and sequesters carbon (read more at nationalgeographic.com).

Barker provided details on lithographic printers capable of printing three dimensional objects, nanopaper as strong as cast iron, "buckypaper" that is 70 times lighter and 500 times stronger than steel of the same thickness, and an inexpensive, long-lasting "ultra battery." Barker also spoke about the implications of the coming innovations and invited listeners to visit implicationswheel.com for more info.

Prince Madoc in America

In the first hour, author Dana Olson (Book Link) shared his research into a Welsh prince named Madoc who may have arrived in America three centuries before Christopher Columbus. Olson said Madoc came from a long line of ancient seafarers. He was a member of the lost tribe of Dan and came to America to set up a new kind of kingdom, Olson added.

As evidence of Madoc's activities in the country, Olson pointed to a chain of old fort ruins, including an 855-foot stone wall in northeast Georgia that he believes was constructed by Madoc. Native Americans in the area credited the stone wall to a group of people with light skin, Olson explained. Also, check out a recent AP story on the topic.

Five Years on Mars

NASA's Mars rovers are celebrating their fifth birthday on the Red Planet, far exceeding their original operating life span of 90 days. To everyone's surprise, Spirit and Opportunity continue rolling around the planet's surface, conducting experiments and making discoveries. NASA has put together a video to mark the anniversary, as well as a new panoramic image of Mars.

Bumper Music

Bumper music from Saturday January 03, 2009