Google gathers geeks for grown-up space camp

GOOGLE AND NASA are hoping to gather together the greatest young minds of the 21st Century at Singularity University, a Californian campus which will address 'humanity's grand challenges' whatever they might be.

Opening in June on the NASA Research Park campus, the Univerity will offer a "nine-week graduate-level interdisciplinary curriculum designed to facilitate understanding, collaboration, and innovation across a broad range of carefully chosen scientific and technological disciplines whose developments are exponentially accelerating."

An impressive array of big-brained boffins are behind the venture including Ray Kurzweil, who once taught a computer how to play the piano, and Peter Diamandis, who spends most of his time shooting bored billionaires into space.

"We are reaching out across the globe to gather the smartest and most passionate future leaders and arm them with the tools and network they need to wrestle with the grand challenges of our day," said Diamandis. "There is no existing program that will offer the breadth and intensity that SU will offer."

"We are now in the steep part of the exponential trajectory of information technologies in a broad variety of fields, including health, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence," wiffled Kurzweil. "It is only these accelerating technologies that have the scale to address the major challenges of humanity ranging from energy and the environment, to disease and poverty," he bullshitted. µ

L'Inq
Singularity University