The Changing World Order
Drones are the new bombs, code the new currency, chips the new oil, and AI the new everything. Technology has reshaped geopolitics forever and a new world order is being carved in silicon
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2.6 billion people don’t use the internet. What’s stopping them?
One-third of the world still isn’t online. Here’s how the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is working to close the digital divide.
The next big tech trend will start out looking like a toy
In “Read, Write, Own: Building The Next Era of the Internet,” investor Chris Dixon explains why the biggest trends often go overlooked.
Constitutional warning shot for social media “deplatforming” laws
Can the government tell private websites what they have to publish?
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This starchy wondercrop could help alleviate food insecurity
Enset, a perennial banana-like fruit cultivated in southwestern Ethiopia, is an underexploited starch crop with significant potential.
Apple Watch now approved to track Parkinson’s symptoms
Apple Watch motion data will now be incorporated into Rune Labs’ StrivePD app, which tracks Parkinson’s symptoms.
Why Africa’s newest super-bridge is in the continent’s weirdest border zone
The Kazungula Bridge has turned a cartographic near-miss into a geopolitical marvel, with a chance to renew Africa’s economy.
Where does the plastic in our oceans come from?
Which countries and rivers emit the most plastic to the ocean? What does this mean for solutions to tackle plastic pollution?
We need to know about progress if we’re concerned about the world’s large problems
Our World in Data explains their mission to publish the “research and data to make progress against the world’s largest problems.”
Virginia launches world’s biggest 3D-printed housing project
Construction company Alquist 3D plans to build 200 3D-printed houses over the next 5 years through Project Virginia.
Digital technology can cut global emissions by 15%. Here’s how.
The grand challenge for humanity is to ensure that groundbreaking technologies have a clear purpose for our planet.
Longtermism’s perspective on humanity’s past, present, and future
If we manage to avoid a large catastrophe, we can see ourselves as living at the early beginnings of human history.
Walmart drone delivery now covers 4 million households
The Walmart drone delivery program is expanding from one state to six, bringing the service to as many as 4 million households.
What the world will look like in the year 250,002,018
On Pangaea Proxima, the supercontinent of the future, Cape Town and Mexico City are just a day’s drive apart.
A more efficient way of urban mining gold
Researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology say they have developed the world’s most efficient way of urban mining gold
Bluetooth hack breaks into cars and smart locks
Researchers in the UK have identified a vulnerability in Bluetooth-based locks, including Kwikset smart locks and Teslas.
From robotic dogs to magnetic slime: 6 ways robots are helping humans
Robots are helping humans in a growing number of places – from archaeological sites to disaster zones to sewers.
Nonprofit drugmaker Civica Rx is taking aim at the high insulin price
People living with insulin-dependent diabetes have been waiting a long time for it to be more affordable. Could things change?
Google Maps’ “Immersive View” shows cities in a whole new way
Combining satellite and Street View images, Google Maps’ “immersive view” will let you explore select neighborhoods soon.
The world’s first airport for flying cars and drones has just landed
The UK’s development of an urban airport for flying cars and drones could inspire other nations to follow suit.
Should we build high-speed public WiFi into street lights?
Better public WiFi networks could be created by broadcasting signals over the 60 GHz frequency band from transmitters attached to light poles.
Google Career Certificate programs are now free for US businesses
Google has announced a new Career Certificate program and a plan to give any US business $100,000 in free tech training.
Drones and driverless cars could help with Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis
We need a universal code of conduct for deploying autonomous vehicles and drones in humanitarian settings.
Surprise in death data: Malaria has a U-shaped death curve
Better death records can reveal surprises about common killers like malaria — and help save lives.
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