In our continuing efforts to bring you interesting sites out there on the internets, check out Miniature-Earth.com. The site is a good example of how one can use Flash animation (and maybe soon Silverlight? ) to take an otherwise dull set of statistics and turn them into a powerful and evocative message.

Check it out, and then say a little prayer of thanksgiving for all you have.

So I read in the paper earlier this week about the research being undertaken into subatomic physics currently at CERN in Geneva. Scientists are building a giant particle accelerator, which will be used to recreate the early moments of the universe, and with which they hope to prove the existence of the Higgs boson, also known as the “God particle”, the vital link to completing the Standard Model of all matter. After geeking out on the awesome technology being built here, it got me to thinking about the links between science and religion – and how, despite what the vocal minority might try to have us believe, the two are not incompatible.

The problem as I see it is that people seem to get stuck up on is that they see science as explaining away the need for God – because why does God need to exist if we understand how everything works? The reality that we need to face, in my humble opinion, is that even if we feel we’ve explained “everything”, we need to realise that we’ve only explained our perception of the problem – and the reality can be vastly different to what we see. Remember, a little over 100 years ago, if you had told someone that you could get from Auckland to London in under 24 hours, travelling in a giant metal bird, they would have had you committed to the asylum! The claim that science and religion are incompatible are similarly just as bogus. Science doesn’t disprove God, it merely illustrates the beauty of His creation. God truly is in the Details!

Who says Microsoft doesn’t do innovation and promote “cool” technologies?

Okay, you can all put your hands down now, because last week Microsoft showcased their new Surface technology. And I have to say, judging by the demo videos and the thousands of news stories covering the tech, it looks pretty sweet.

I have been interested in this kind of alternative user interface technology for a quite a while now. I still think that the user interface is a big barrier in technology – one which restricts us from really using this stuff to its full potential. When you think about the goals and opportunities we have in spreading the Gospel using technology, you really don’t want barriers.

So, kudos to Microsoft for getting into the technology and I look forward to seeing it in a cafe near me “soon”.