The great hack: A famous fraudster explains the Equifax data breach

Hackers look for open doors. If your personal data isn't protected, it's that much easier to compromise your identity.

  • Legendary con-man-turned-FBI-consultant Frank W. Abagnale breaks down the 2017 Equifax data breach.
  • Hackers were able to access the personal data of millions of Americans through faulty software — and they might wait years before using the stolen social security numbers and dates of birth.
  • Abagnale blames Equifax for this oversight. If a company is entrusted with an individual's personal data they need to do a better job of protecting it. "Hackers don't cause breaches, people do," he says.
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If reality is a data structure, can the simulation theory hold up?

Exploring the idea that objects we perceive in everyday life do not reflect objective reality.

  • Professor of cognitive science Donald Hoffman presents his theory that the world we perceive is a virtual reality. Hoffman has tested this theory by running successful computer simulations that suggest there is no objective reality.
  • When it comes to Nick Bostrom's simulation theory, Hoffman agrees with parts and disagrees with others. Hoffman argues that, while space time and physical objects do not correspond with objective reality, conscious experiences like the smell of garlic and the feel of velvet cannot be produced by the simulation.
  • "You can't start with unconscious ingredients and boot up consciousness," Hoffman says.
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Will coding become a basic life skill? Yes and no, say experts

Almost all experts agree that coding will become nearly as ubiquitous as literacy in the future. But the nature of coding in the future may be very different.

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  • Coding is increasingly being taught in high schools, and it's become a desirable skill even outside of the tech industry.
  • Experts argue that coding is becoming the new literacy; a skill so fundamental that everyone should possess it to some degree.
  • However, the nature of coding in the future is likely to be wildly different than it is today.
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MIT robot solves Rubik's Cube in world record time: 0.38 seconds

This MIT robot solves it faster than any human ever could. It's a world record.

  • A robot developed by MIT students Ben Katz and Jared Di Carlo has set the world record for solving the Rubik's Cube.
  • The fastest human record is held by Australian Feliks Zemdegs, who solved it in 4.22 seconds in 2018.
  • The original-size Rubik's Cube (3x3x3) has 43 quintillion possible combinations – and one solution.
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Just one thing before you quit your job and become a coder...

IT has been one of the fastest growing and most lucrative industries for a long time. But is that going to be true in the future?

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  • Considering the high wages and high demand, it's very tempting to learn to code and join the IT industry.
  • While official projections say that this industry will stay strong and lucrative for a long time, some experts disagree.
  • Individuals such Mark Cuban and Andrew Yang believe that automation is going to come for the IT industry too and that the valuable skill set of the future might not be what you'd expect.
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