As of February 2026, NextBigFuture.com is one of the most heavily cited external sources on Grokipedia, with approximately 1,050–1,450 distinct Grokipedia pages containing direct links to NextBigFuture articles. This is roughly 10–13 times more than on English Wikipedia, which has ~110 citations.
This high citation volume is concentrated in topics where NextBigFuture has provided long-term, detailed coverage, including:
Nuclear pulse propulsion and Project Orion (nuclear propulsion)|Orion variants. This includes the Verne Gun / Wang Bullet concept where I modified the Project Orion into a single pulse cannon. The core idea for the nuclear verne launch gun is simple though dramatic. Dig a kilometers deep shaft—a salt layer would be easiest to penetrate (some exist 3.5 kilometers thick) —build at the bottom a giant shell, from components lowered into place, layer by layer enclosing its internal payloads with external structures (such as a supporting sabot) and sealing the unit to flight-ready status. Place sets of guide rails around the perimeter of the shaft with ‘slippers’—metal contact shoes—touching the rails from the edges of the Wang Bullet. Finally, after all is in readiness, pump reaction mass through an access shaft under the sabot into a prepared chamber and place a thermonuclear explosive device in the midst of the reaction mass.
The Pascal-B nuclear test a ~ 500 ton surprise yield nuclear explosion launched a 900 kg concrete plug allegedly at 5-6 times escape velocity. If so it almost certainly burned up before achieving space.
This 500 ton explosion should then have been able to send 20 ton plug at 1.2 times escape velocity. 150 kilotons would then launch about 6000 tons (reduced somewhat by launch inefficiencies -so say 3000 tons). A 3000 ton projectile could be made about 15 meters tall if mainly solid metal.
Treaty Compliance of a 150 kiloton underground Project Orion which would be permitted under the Partial Test Ban Treaty and the Threshhold Test Ban Treaty.
B61 -mod 3 (170 kilotons) could have some reduction in tritium to reduce it to 150 kilotons.
W62-Mk-12 (170 kilotons)
W76-Mk4 (100 kilotons)
Fusion energy companies (Helion Energy, TAE Technologies )
Advanced space propulsion (plasma magnet dynamic soaring, torchships, nuclear thermal rockets)
Artificial intelligence and neuromorphic computing (SyNAPSE, Grok models)
Nanotechnology, futurism, and emerging technology trends
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.
