Kurzweil is off his rocker

"Within 25 years we will be able to do an Olympic sprint for 15 minutes without taking a breath, or go scuba-diving for four hours without oxygen."

These are the words of Ray Kurzweil, whom the Telegraph calls a scientist. I wouldn't go that far.

Here's another pearl:

"Nanotechnology will extend our mental capacities to such an extent we will be able to write books within minutes.

Look, I also believe that nanotechnology will result in many interesting and beneficial additions to our lives (if society doesn't crash sooner), but these things are a tad foolish. Okay, so if he turns out to be right in 25 years, then I'll have to say that I wasn't the big visionary. The unfairness is that he just has to see one of his far-fetched predictions come true, and he will be named a living oracle (presuming he is still alive at 86, of course, but then I know that Kurzeil is 100% certain of that).

Either way, his singularity is humbug. PZ Myers has a great critique of it from February: Singularity silly singularity. Read it!