Patrick Rhodes

I've been somewhat inactive for the past two years whilst I was in school, full-time. Finally, and with a perfect 4.0, I've obtained a Master of Arts in English from Arizona State University!

Back to work!

Beyond what we can see with our eyes, that is, the visual spectrum (and I suppose, for a few, ghosts in the spirit world), humans have been quite adept at creating 'artificial' eyes to help us see further. Depending on the tool used, we can now see infrared waves, ultraviolet waves, radio waves, x-rays, etc. The common denominator here is that all of these waves exist in the electromagnetic spectrum.

Last year, we created a tool which allows us to "see" into the gravitational wave spectrum.

Now, we can "see" black holes or other such phenomena - that is, if they are sufficiently powerful enough to produce gravitational waves potent enough for us to detect them. Step by step, we are slowly able to understand the universe.

Want to learn more? Click here to read my article on this topic, complete with historical context and graphics

Google's AlphaGo AI recently beat the world champion of Go - a feat many didn't think was possible for some number of years. It's possible the pace of AI - at least gaming AI - is picking up. Much like any industry, more developers produce better and more rapid results.

This will become very exciting if this quickening pace carries over to robotics.

Click here to read my primer on AI.

Or not...

Artificial Intelligence has come a long way, but enormous hurdles must be overcome to create 'true' AI. Being a former software engineer, I've tried my hand at creating simple AIs - ones that are no threat to the world, are simpletons, and generally have no desire other than to happily live out their digital lives inside a tiny digital box. However, it's quite difficult to do and once you try it, all of the problems we face in creating digital life comes to the forefront.

Here's another tidbit for you: the very best chess program in the world - you know, the ones that handily beat the world's best chess players - don't actually know how to play a lick of chess.

Want to know why? Click here to read all about it in my latest article, entitled "Artificial Intelligence: Solving the Chinese Room Argument".

We've finally arrived - and left - the Pluto system with the New Horizons mission. The images returned have been spectacular. It's as if we've finally come to introduce ourselves to this elusive Kuiper belt object after staring at it from across the room for nearly a century. Now we know what it looks like up close and Pluto didn't disappoint.

Did you know that travel beyond Jupiter was considered impossible before 1961?

It was during that year that a young grad student named Michael Minovitch discovered 'gravity assist' which lets us use the energy of a planet's gravity to boost the speed of our spacecraft. Planets like Jupiter and Saturn really give us a nice boost of velocity - all for free. That's how we were able to reach Pluto and beyond.

For more details on this trip as well as Pluto and its station in the Kuiper belt, click here.

I often do my work at coworking spaces. While in Memphis, I go to , located in the diverse district. Not only is the space large, but the staff will promote their members, which they did recently with me. It's always nice to be promoted and Cowork Memphis exemplifies this.

On June 7, 2015, Bradley Wiggins will attempt to go farther than anyone else in history in one hour on a bicycle. It's an incredibly difficult task, but if anybody can do it, it's him.

Click here to read my latest article about his attempt and the history behind this brutal event.

Do you like association football (soccer)? The world certainly does. My feature "Swallowing the Bitter Pill: England, the Premier League and the World Cup" made the top 10 most read list for Statistics Views. Many thanks to the readers for making it possible.

Did you watch the 2015 Cricket World Cup? Were you aware that such a thing exists and that it's the third-most watched event in the world (behind the Association Football World Cup and the Summer Olympics)? A lot happened in this year's edition.

Recently, Sessions College conducted an interview with me about some recent artwork of mine that is being displayed. There is some practical advice in there as well as some real-world experience stories.

For those that are interested in a career in graphic design, Sessions College is a good place to go, especially if you require your education to be internet-based. I graduated in December of 2014 and feel that it was a very good experience. Going in, I knew very little about graphic design and coming out, I knew a great deal - with practical experience.

Like any other endeavor, you get out what you put into it. So, if you give Sessions a try, put your heart and soul into it and you'll be rewarded accordingly.