Politics

The Internet’s Biggest Enemies

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) released its annual “Enemies of the Internet” index this week—a ranking first launched in 2006 intended to track countries that repress online speech, intimidate and arrest bloggers, and conduct surveillance of their citizens.Some countries have been mainstays on the annual index, while others have been able to work their way off…

7 Utopias that Changed the Future

Though “Utopia” means “nowhere,” many real-life societies have been strongly influenced by various concepts of a perfect realm where humans live in harmony with each other. Here are some of the most influential Utopian visions — and how they changed our distinctly non-Utopian world. Sculpture by Cornelia Konrads 1. Heaven Many religions across the world,…

Surveillance must become “too expensive” before we have privacy

NSA whistleblower Ed Snowden gave his longest speech since his revelations last year, in a conversation at the South by Soutwest Interactive conference in Austin today. One of his key refrains was that citizens need encryption technology to make it too expensive to do bulk spying. Above, you can see the full speech that Snowden…

Here’s what American 8th graders think about high tech spying

News channel C-SPAN just announced the winners in its StudentCam competition, where people in grades 6-8 produced short news segments that answered the question, “What’s the most important issue the U.S. Congress should consider in 2014?” Their answer? Government spying. The winning documentary (above) and the second place winner (below) were both about NSA spying…

This lecture is the one primer you need on NSA surveillance technology

We know that the NSA has been monitoring millions of calls made in the United States. But what are they doing with that data? And how do they analyze it? Find out everything you need to know in this incredible lecture from Princeton computer science professor and government technology adviser Ed Felten. Note: Lecture starts…

Watch the subversive version of spy tech conference RSA

Right now, downtown San Francisco is teeming with people attending RSA, the world’s biggest conference devoted to “cybersecurity.” But up the street, there’s another tech conference. It’s full of computer security analysts who want to stop the surveillance state. It’s called Trustycon, and you can watch it here, live. Trustycon isn’t the only protest that…

The Mobile App Driving Venezuela’s Anti-Government Protests

Zello is a walkie-talkie app made by a small company based in Austin, Texas—but if you’ve heard of it, it’s probably because you’ve been following the news in Venezuela or Ukraine. Some of its biggest users are protesters taking to the streets. The app’s creators hadn’t planned on getting involved in political revolutions, so you…

North Korea seen from space reveals a country living in the dark

Astronauts aboard the ISS recently captured a rather revealing night image of East Asia. Though the dark patch at center looks like water, it’s actually North Korea — a country of 25 million people sandwiched between China and South Korea. This picture pretty much says it all, the stark legacy of the Kim Dynasty. According…

The dystopia of 1984 is no longer relevant

In our era of ubiquitous surveillance and data-gathering online, pundits often use the scifi icon Big Brother to explain what’s happening. But journalist and academic Zeynep Tufekci, who participated in Turkey’s recent protests, says we need a new dystopian story to explain our lives. Illustration by Steve Squall Tufekci writes about how social media is…

Darren Aronofsky wins battle with studio over cuts to Noah

For the past few months, we’ve been unsure which version of Darren Aronofsky’s Noah would be hitting theaters — there were tons of reports that Christian audiences reacted badly in screenings. Paramount had reportedly cut as many as six different versions of the film. But now, it appears Aronofsky has won. https://gizmodo.com/are-we-all-wrong-about-vin-diesels-role-in-guardians-o-1450447491 In an article…

Women aren’t just destroying science fiction, but other genres too

Looks like someone touched a nerve. The Lightspeed Magazine kickstarter to raise money to publish a special “Women Destroy Science Fiction” issue of all-women contributors has massively exceeded its goals. So now they’re doing “Women Destroy Fantasy” and “Women Destroy Horror” issues too. Top image: Scott Grimando. With around 30 hours remaining, the Kickstarter has…

China’s New Research Station and the Quiet Rush to Claim Antarctica

In 2048, a very important international event will occur: The Antarctic Treaty, which stops countries from mining the continent’s abundant resources, will come up for review. China—along with the US, the UK, and other countries—intends to be ready. This weekend, Chinaunveiled its fourth polar research station: Taishan, a 3,000-square-foot lab that can house up to…

What science fiction story should be required reading for politicians?

Some of the greatest science fiction stories have a political bent to them, exploring our concerns about the present by spinning them out into the future. What tales do you wish politicians in your country and others had to read in order to lead? Include a book cover or other image to represent your suggestion.…

Watch Bill Nye “debate” the Creation Museum live, right here!

At 7:00 pm EST, the fabled debate between Bill “The Science Guy” Nye and creationist Ken Ham will go down at the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. Seeing as neither of them believe in each other’s view in the slightest, this should be insane — and you can watch the madness as it unfolds live,…

Air Force Is Sending Brand New Cargo Planes Straight to the Boneyard

The C-27J Spartan is a hell of a plane. Famous for its ability to take off from unfinished runways, it’s a staple used by militaries around the world, including the United States. At least it was until recently. The Air Force is sending its latest batch of beautiful, brand new C-27Js straight to the boneyard…

“Were the first black to seek office 30 years from now, his chances still would be minimal,” said Troy Scroggins, compliance manager in the Houston district office of the Equal Opportunity Commission in 1983. Scroggins was speaking about Jesse Jackson entering the race to be the Democratic nominee for President. “I don’t think the political…

Did China’s one-child policy actually reduce population growth?

China made huge headlines late last month when it decided to ease its famous “one-child policy” after more than three decades. The policy, requring most couples to have only one child, stands as one of the most famous social experiments of the past century. But how successful was it? Top image: Adrian Zwegers/Flickr. A lot…

Now World Leaders Are Giving Speeches Via Hologram

When Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan couldn’t make it to the city of Izmir last Sunday to give a speech, he wasn’t too bothered—because he decided he’d give it by hologram instead. In front of a crowd of thousands, a 10-foot hologram of Erdoğan appeared to talk about upcoming municipal elections and corruption. While…

High-Level Independent Review: NSA Phone Spying Is Illegal, Should End

An independent review, by a board made up of senior ex-government members, has concluded that the National Security Agency’s long-running program to collect phone records is illegal and should stop. The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) has written a report—whose contents was shared with Obama ahead of his speech last week—which states that…

When should scientists talk politics, and when should they shut up?

Scientists who study the environment often find themselves stuck. They see problems with how humans are affecting the planet, and they want to advocate for changing the way we are doing things. At the same time, they aren’t political experts. How can they offer informed opinions, without falling prey to propagandizing? Carnegie Institution global ecologist…