Social media and biometric software could make future undercover policing impossible
Social media can be problematic for professionals who don’t want their bosses to see unflattering college party photos. But it’s even worse for people whose livelihood literally depends on anonymity, like undercover cops. What happens if the gang you’ve infiltrated finds your grinning mug in Facebook photos from the police union annual picnic? We’ve seen…
Welcome to Farmland World, a livestock Disneyland where robo-cows roam
One of the runners-up for the recent Animal Architecture Awards is also one of my favorites from the competition: “Farmland World” by Allison Newmeyer and Stewart Hicks of the Chicago-based Design With Company. The project is an ironic investigation of how humans relate to farm animals-more specifically, how the ongoing spatial separation between humans and…
Arrr! “Pirate Cultural Adviser” wanted for Euro navies
Think you know a lot about Somali pirates? Familiar with the ins and outs of the shifting pirate finance markets? Then send a résumé and cover letter on over to the European Union’s anti-piracy task force. They’re in the market for an expert on pirate culture. EU Navfor, the European Union’s naval coalition off the…
How to Make a Giant Chain Gun Even Deadlier: Give It a Laser Cannon!
BAE System’s Mk 38 chain gun was already a formidable opponent: a 250millimeter cannon capable of putting 180 rounds per minute into the air from the deck of a naval ship, strongly urging those without clearance to keep a safe distance (of about 2,000 yards). But in a tip of the hat toward what the…
