Welcome to this week’s Reading List, a collection of the most interesting science and technology stories on the Internet. This week, we’ll stroll through the cemeteries of the future, take a pivotal road trip with Dwight D. Eisenhower, and dive into the dying oceans of 2100.
- The funeral industry is adapting as more people choose cremation or or old-fashioned, eco-friendly burials. [Hopes and Fears]
- In the post-carrier-subsidy world, smartphones are distressingly expensive, so a $50 smartphone sounds pretty appealing — and for people in many parts of the world, access to affordable smartphones could be a life-changing development. The economics of producing this hypothetical handset aren’t so simple, though. [Engadget]
- You’ve probably seen that documentary about how terrible sugar is, but sugar isn’t nearly as bad for you as watching pseudoscience documentaries. [Slate]
- AT&T isn’t the only company to share information with the NSA, but the phone company has a unique and crucial relationship with the agency, according to a review of leaked documents. [ProPublica]
- By 2100, our oceans could be 5 feet deeper and several degrees warmer. They’ll also be dotted with hypoxic dead zones, too acidic to support most marine life, and populated by more garbage than fish. Unless, of course, we do something about it. [Motherboard]
- In 1919, Dwight D. Eisenhower took the worst road trip ever. The experience planted the idea for today’s Interstate high system in his mind. [AtlasObscura]
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Top image: Sian Harrison via Wikimedia Commons
