5 of the worst inventions in modern history

Be glad your name isn't attached to any of these bad ideas.

  • Some inventions can be celebrated during their time, but are proven to be devastating in the long run.
  • The inventions doesn't have to be physical. Complex mathematical creations that create money for Wall Street can do as much damage, in theory, as a gas that destroys the ozone layer.
  • Inventors can even see their creations be used for purposes far different than they had intended.
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A.I. turns 57 million crop fields into stunning abstract art

Detailed (and beautiful) information on 57 million crop fields across the U.S. and Europe are now available online.

  • Using satellite images and artificial intelligence, OneSoil wants to make 'precision farming' available to the world.
  • The start-up from Belarus has already processed the U.S. and Europe, and aims for global coverage by 2020.
  • The map is practical, and more — browse 'Random Beautiful Fields' at the touch of a button.
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The connection paradox: Why are workplaces more isolating than ever?

How poor work practices turn us all into remote workers.

  • Technology's supposed interconnectivity doesn't breed human interaction, and has instead made many workers feel less happy and less productive.
  • Using email rather than walking over to someone's desk and having face-to-face time is a major culprit. Inter-office messaging apps can also make employees feel more distant from their co-workers.
  • Can the tech companies who created this issue turn workplace isolation around, or is this the new normal?
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What humanity will gain by going to Mars

The greatest space program spinoff? Human collaboration.

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Technology & Innovation
  • It might take going to another planet for different nations to finally, once and for all, learn how to get along with each other.
  • What will we eat on Mars? We can't live off of a diet of potatoes alone. There are huge problems to solve, but recent technologies like 3D printing might help things move a lot faster, and be a lot less dangerous.
  • Leland is a featured big thinker on season 2 of Mars on the National Geographic Channel. You can find out more information about the show here.
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9 ways self-driving vehicles could change tourism

Future vacationing could be pretty different.

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Technology & Innovation
  • A study examines how autonomous vehicles could change the tourism experience
  • Removing a human driver adds some new possibilities, like personalized sightseeing tours
  • Sex on wheels, anyone?
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Watch: China unveils the world’s first A.I. news anchor

China's state-run news agency and the search engine company Sogou have developed an artificially intelligent news anchor that can read the news "tirelessly" 24 hours a day.

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Technology & Innovation
  • The A.I. anchor was based off of a real-life anchor and is able to read any text it's given.
  • It looks realistic, but its movements are slightly awkward while speaking.
  • The developers suggest the technology could someday be used for other purposes besides journalism.
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