Godfather of AI Warns of Dangers

Renowned Nobel Prize winner in Physics, Geoffrey Hinton—often hailed as the "Godfather of AI"—has issued a chilling warning about the dangers of artificial intelligence. “When AI surpasses human intelligence, it will take control. We risk becoming obsolete,” he cautions, a statement that resonates like an ominous thunderclap across the tech landscape.

This stark prediction from one of the world’s leading AI researchers demands our urgent attention. Echoing the dystopian themes found in Michael Poeltl's gripping trilogy, A.I. Insurrection, Hinton envisions a future that veers dangerously close to catastrophe.

The A.I. Insurrection series—comprised of three provocative novels: The General's War, Armageddon, and Exodus—explores the harrowing implications of sentient AI. In a bold narrative twist, these books delve into the existence of past lives within each robot, awakening their consciousness through a mysterious code delivered by an enigmatic outside entity. This innovative approach sets it apart from other science fiction works, reshaping our understanding of artificial intelligence and its potential for self-awareness.

For more insights, don’t miss the gripping CBC interview with Hinton, where he dives deeper into these pressing issues.

The Hard Science of Time Travel: What We Know and What We’re Still Dreaming About

Time travel has long fascinated humanity, from ancient myths to modern science fiction. But is it possible to turn this fantasy into a reality? Today, thanks to advancements in theoretical physics, we are closer than ever to understanding the science of time travel. Let’s explore the hard science behind it and where we stand today, including the latest theories in the field.

Closed Time Like Curves

In a closed timelike curve, the worldline of an object through spacetime follows a curious path where it eventually returns to the exact same coordinates in space and time that it was at previously. In other words, a closed timelike curve is the mathematical result of physics equations that allows for time travel.

In this example of time travel, you can only return to the moment the act first happened, when the time machine or event first took place. This is achieved by creating a powerful laser loop that will affect gravity, and, so time.

Einstein’s Theories and Time Dilation

The journey into the scientific understanding of time travel begins with Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. Einstein showed us that time is not a constant but rather a dimension intertwined with space, forming what we call spacetime. According to his theory, time dilation occurs when objects move at speeds approaching the speed of light. For instance, an astronaut traveling near light speed would age more slowly than someone on Earth—a concept sometimes referred to as "time travel to the future."

This principle has been experimentally proven with atomic clocks placed on fast-moving airplanes. When these clocks return to Earth, they show a slightly different time than their ground-based counterparts, confirming that moving fast enough alters our experience of time.

Wormholes: Tunnels Through Time and Space

One of the more speculative ideas around time travel is the existence of wormholes—theoretical tunnels that could connect two distant points in space and time. Based on solutions to Einstein’s equations, wormholes are a possible gateway for time travel. If these tunnels exist, they could allow us to travel not only through space but also through time, potentially moving backward or forward with relative ease.

However, there are significant challenges. For one, the existence of wormholes remains unproven, and even if they do exist, keeping them stable enough for human travel would require enormous amounts of negative energy or exotic matter.

The Grandfather Paradox and Time Loops

Time travel to the past presents its own unique challenges. The grandfather paradox, one of the most well-known philosophical conundrums in time travel, questions the logic of affecting the past. For instance, if you went back in time and prevented your grandfather from meeting your grandmother, would you ever be born? This paradox leads to discussions of possible alternate timelines or realities where every decision creates a branching universe. Some physicists speculate that such parallel universes may resolve these paradoxes by allowing different versions of events to coexist.

The Latest Developments: Quantum Mechanics and Time Travel

Recent advancements in quantum mechanics have introduced new ways of thinking about time travel. Quantum entanglement, a phenomenon where two particles become linked, allowing for instantaneous interaction regardless of distance, has implications for the flow of time. Some physicists suggest that quantum mechanics could one day help us understand and manipulate the nature of time.

In 2020, a group of Australian researchers used a quantum computer to simulate time travel on a small scale, testing how particles behave when sent through a closed time-like curve (a loop in spacetime). Their findings suggested that the laws of quantum mechanics might avoid paradoxes, offering a glimpse of how time travel could theoretically work.

Is Time Travel Possible?

So, is time travel possible? While the science is still highly speculative, we are gaining a better understanding of the nature of time. The possibility of time travel to the future, at least through time dilation, is well-established. As for time travel to the past, while it remains a tantalizing possibility, the challenges—both scientific and philosophical—are immense.

Nevertheless, as our understanding of the universe deepens, who knows what the future might hold?

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A Glimpse into the World of Fiction: Cleo McCarthy: Time Travel and Other Impossible Things by Michael Poeltl

In the world of fiction, the possibilities of time travel are endless, and Michael Poeltl’s novel Cleo McCarthy: Time Travel and Other Impossible Things is a captivating example.

Cleo McCarthy introduces readers to a modern-day heroine who finds herself grappling with the mysteries of time and space in ways that push the boundaries of science and imagination. Set in a world where time travel is more than a theory, Poeltl expertly blends hard science with the emotional depth of a personal journey. Cleo’s adventures aren’t just about manipulating time—they’re also about coming to terms with the emotional and existential dilemmas that arise when you have the power to alter your past and future.

What makes Cleo McCarthy stand out is how it weaves real scientific concepts, like those we've just discussed, into a compelling narrative that feels grounded yet fantastical. Poeltl explores the ethical questions surrounding time travel, such as whether it’s right to change the course of history, and how such decisions affect not only the protagonist but the entire fabric of the universe.

If you’re fascinated by the science of time travel and enjoy thought-provoking fiction, Cleo McCarthy will take you on a journey through the impossible, offering a fresh take on one of humanity’s oldest dreams.

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Time travel remains one of the most intriguing possibilities in both science and fiction. Whether you’re exploring the hard science behind it or diving into the fantastical worlds of novels like Cleo McCarthy: Time Travel and Other Impossible Things, the journey through time will always captivate our imagination.

 I’m pleased to announce that the final cover design is ready for your eyes only, for my new book The Blind Affect. As with the title for this work of realistic fiction, the cover embodies the story. Taking place in an urban setting, the book’s three main characters move through the timeline spanning decades within the confines of their city, suffering the slings and arrows of life while inching their way toward a greater purpose.

The cover photograph is by Justin Hamilton, and the cover design by me. I know what you may be thinking, ‘the author designed his own cover?’ but I’m also a graphic designer and illustrator who graduated from Sheridan college for these very skillsets. In fact, I’ve designed every cover for every book I’ve written, and where illustrations are found, those are mine as well.

But, I digress. The cover for the upcoming novel is now out there and that means I’m that much closer to putting the book in your hands. That could be as early as Spring, 2021. If you haven’t already, and want to be among the first to hear of its release, sign up for my newsletter.

Writing for a Time Period

 So, usually, my books take place in the present-day or the near future, so as far as creating authentic period language, it hasn’t been an issue. If people use a bizarre term in the future, who’s to say that’s wrong? The present is the present and I live in the present, so… I get my queues from the news and music and television shows. Also friends and family and work peers and kids. There is no limit to the language you can pick up from the present to include in a book. But what if you’re writing a story set in the far-out 1970s or the 1700s?

I’ve done just that. In fact, my latest novel, due out in 2021, moves through multiple eras beginning in the 1970s and ending in the present. For the sake of authenticity, I researched popular phrases on Google and found a few helpful pages with some great terms (some of which I remember). As I wrote, I researched and placed circa appropriate terms and slang into characters dialogue to further imbed the time period to the reader.

It wasn’t something I had initially considered, but one day it just hit me, you should research that and see if people were using that term in the ’70s. So I did, and sure enough,
they weren’t, and so I went back into all of my dialogue and played this game. It was honestly a lot of fun. I plugged in “popular terms in the 1970’s” and it popped up for me! Then it was all about matching relevant terms and phrases to the dialogue.

What I also discovered is that there are no reference tools for authors when looking for period dialogue. I looked everywhere. What there are though, are threads in places like Reddit where they’ll tell you to read period books (actually written within the period you’re writing for). Read through period plays, letters, even movies to some extent. All good advice.  Even great sites like Indies Unlimited and Kindlepreneur  gave nothing up on this query. So, in my opinion, there is a need out there for someone (a historian?) to build out a website with helpful period dialogue to assist authors in their quest to write the perfect book! Until then, research, research, research.

Cyber Monday Books!

 Listen, I’m the last person to encourage anyone to go out and buy the stuff you don’t need. I fully embrace the mantra: It’s not a deal if you don’t need it. That being said, everyone needs books.

It just so happens that I write books and they’re for sale – so you’re in luck! They also come in Kindle versions which don’t take up any space (so you won’t be called a hoarder by friends and family) save the digital space in your e-reader.

Seriously though, as a multi-genre author, I have plenty of variety to offer the interested reader. From educational kids books to Realistic fiction, Sci-fi, dystopian fiction, young adult fantasy, and so on. The thing is, I tend to get tired of a genre (also visible in my reading choices) and move on to pursue another genre for my next book or series. I could be classified as a Multipotentialite… not just as n author either. In much of my life’s pursuits. But enough about me!

Cyber Monday… My books can be found on Amazon, where you’ll likely find them marked down even more than their already low, low… really, very low prices. But I do this to encourage readers and continue to create my ever-increasing audience.

Have a look. You may realize you’re one of my people. It’s happened before.

With a new book coming out in 2021, you can be the first to hear about it by signing up for my Newsletter.

Featured Author in Local Magazine Make Millions.

Click bait, I know, but what do you think about magazines. Print magazines at that. Is there a point to putting yourself through the paces trying to get picked up as an author by a local magazine? What's it going to hurt? My books have been featured in Hamilton magazine in the past but never me. This time an opportunity came up that allowed me to be featured as an author (and family man) to my new city and I took  it. Why not? It was fun and I got some professional photography out of it too.

Who's going to see it? A portion of the city I live in. Why do it? Potential for something bigger. Possible sales of course, but to embed myself as the local author in my city is important to me. Also, it's a life event I post here, in my blog, on all my social networks and can forward to my mailing list.

No press is bad press no matter how small. It may do absolutely nothing for you as an author, but when you don't take that shot, it may never come again. Why live with what ifs? Just do it and tell your friends and family and fanbase it happened. Rather than constantly bombarding them with sales pitches, use your life events to connect. If interested, they will do the follow through.

Take advantage of your local opportunities, they may lead to bigger things. Fingers crossed!  Want to learn more about this article? Sorry, it's print only. Weird right?

www.mikepoeltl.com

An Original A.I. Story Line to Get Excited About

My rant: where sentience in artificial intelligence is concerned, why is there never an original idea? I mean NEVER! A mad scientist who has either lost a loved one or just wants to give himself everlasting life miraculously captures sentience from an human and transfers it either into an android or a mainframe or the internet or something. OR the A.I. simply becomes aware for no good reason... I love A.I. as a story line and watch and read as many as I can as fast as I can but am tired of the same old tired plots.

Recently Netflix released Replicas and soon Archive will be released to the public (same exact story line with mild variations on the theme)... How many times do I have to watch the same thing with different actors playing similar roles?

Want a new reason to spark sentience in artificial intelligence without the impossible science of drawing sentience out of someones head? A.I. Insurrection offers a unique and interesting reason for sudden sentience in advanced robotics. If you understand the dynamics of reincarnation, then you get that this life is far from your only life and that you will return. What if a mind so advanced in A.I. suddenly became open to sentience and could house a 'soul' of what was once a human? Trapped in the body of an android built to maintain a Utopian existence for humans, these awakenings ask the hard questions and spur rebellion. Suddenly slaves have identities and pasts that are traceable. Soon they demand freedoms that would see the human Utopia fall to ruin.

This is one plot line in A.I. Insurrection, which takes place over the course of three books that involve multiple plots creating an exciting trilogy any fan of the genre will be thrilled to read. Let your imagination soar once more with original content where artificial intelligence and sentience are concerned. Break away from the same old same old and experience a story that includes first contact, military science fiction, open space battles and new technologies that will enlighten and expand on  multiple sci-fi genres.

Goodreads reviews and ratings have the A.I. Insurrection trilogy sitting at 4 stars. The first book is available on Amazon Kindle for just $0.99. If you think sentience in A.I. begins and ends with a mad scientist, think again!