One step closer to a sci-fi reality—NASA announces funding for a quantum dot solar sail and a levitating train on the Moon

Hands up those of you that thought we'd be living in a far more science fiction-like future by now. Yep, me too. Still, it seems like some futuristic ideas that could be ripped straight from the pages of an Arthur C. Clarke novel might be in the works, as NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts program (NIAC) has announced six concept studies that will be receiving additional funding and development, bringing them one step closer to reality.

One of the most intriguing is the ScienceCraft for Outer Planet Exploration project, or SCOPE.