This Week in the Future, May 14-18, 2012

This Week in the Future, May 14-18, 2012 Baarbarian

A lot of people didn't agree with us that multitouch is magic. But we think those people are all doing it wrong, because this is literally what happens to us when we swipe. Our hands become instantly magnetic and we gain the power of telekinesis.

Want to win this ghostly Baarbarian illustration on a T-shirt? It's easy! The rules: Follow us on Twitter (we're @PopSci) and retweet our This Week in the Future tweet. One of those lucky retweeters will be chosen to receive a custom T-shirt with this week's Baarbarian illustration on it, thus making the winner the envy of their friends, coworkers and everyone else with eyes. (Those who would rather not leave things to chance and just pony up some cash for the t-shirt can do that here.) The stories pictured herein:

• Video: MIT's Latest User Interface Employs Gravity-Defying, Levitating Metal Orbs
• Electrical Engineer Can Feel Magnetic Fields Through Magnets Implanted in His Fingertips
• Living in the Future: Multitouch, or How I Learned to Love the Mac

And don't forget to check out our other favorite stories of the week:

• Book Review: Why You Are the Future of Video Games
• The Most Amazing Science Images of the Week, May 14-18, 2012
• The Dawn of the Commercial Space Age is (Probably) Happening This Weekend
• Archive Gallery: Beauty Secrets of Popular Science
• PopSci Q&A: NASA Just Gave You A Telescope. What Will You Look At First?
• FDA Panel Endorses an Over-the-Counter HIV Test that Diagnoses in Just 20 Minutes
• Gray Matter: In Which I Play With White Phosphorus
• Test Drive: The 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG
• FYI: My Dog Is A Very Good Listener, But How Much Can He Understand?
• Engineer Details Plans to Build a Real, Burj-Dubai-Sized Starship Enterprise in 20 Years
• Electrical Engineer Can Feel Magnetic Fields Through Magnets Implanted in His Fingertips