The Present
All Stories
No more Medvedev, Tchaikovsky, or Dostoevsky: the pros and cons of cancelling Russian culture
Some question the ethics of sanctions aimed at cancelling Russian art and culture and punishing ordinary citizens.
How the image of a victimized Russia got into the country’s psyche
Is there victory in defeat?
Highway fatality signs may cause more car crashes
Morbid fatality statistics on digital highway signs seem to distract drivers, thus increasing the number of car crashes.
How Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter became another partisan issue in our culture war
Elon Musk's successful bid to take over Twitter has fragmented the internet along predictably partisan lines. But only time will tell whether this is a good or bad thing.
Want to get rich? Major in economics
Majoring in economics can boost a graduate's early-career income by several thousand dollars, at least for those who live in California.
An optimized solution for face recognition
“We didn’t build anything face-ish into our network [but] managed to segregate themselves without being given a face-specific nudge.”
Synthetic media: How AI-generated characters spread disinformation
AI-generated photos, also known as synthetic media, are being used to create fake experts and journalists to spread disinformation.
An old satellite was hacked to broadcast signals across North America
"Dead" satellites aren't just space junk. They are also targets for hackers to hijack and use to broadcast misinformation.
Why a nuclear power plant would survive a 9/11-style airplane attack
U.S. nuclear power plants are built to survive external attacks. Even missiles or a commercial aircraft strike would not cause a meltdown or radiation leak.
The problem with social media is not content but its distortion of reality
Social media distorts the reality of the public sphere.
Behind the crypto hype is an ideology of social change
On forums, “true bitcoiners” didn’t talk about technology or crypto. Instead, they talked about trust and corruption.
What is the Japanese blood type theory of personality?
In some Asian countries, what's in your blood may influence your social status.
Javelin missiles: Thank DARPA for Ukraine’s success against Russian tanks
Javelin missiles have been an effective force multiplier, the latter-day equivalent of the sling that David used against Goliath.
How pulling out of Russia’s internet could further isolate its citizens
Russia has spent years exploring the viability of building a self-contained internet. It could soon become reality.
Elon Musk’s Starlink in Ukraine helps destroy Russian tanks
Spotty connectivity isn’t going to jeopardize Ukraine’s drone attacks.
Memes as propaganda: 22 devious techniques used to weaponize social media
Memes communicate complex ideas quickly and efficiently, but that’s precisely what makes them so dangerous.
How the practice of “racecraft” produces the illusion of race
Like witchcraft, "racecraft" refers to a kind of magical thinking — one that treats race as if it were scientifically meaningful.
The stigma over being a stay-at-home dad holds everyone back
Too many people still view stay-at-home dads as feckless deadbeats, but their acceptance is an important step toward gender equality.
Why 2005 was a major turning point in the 21st century
Recent geopolitical turning points, like Brexit and the 2016 U.S. presidential election, were chapters in a story that extends decades back in world history.
Russia’s cyberattacks foreshadow the future of war
Russia's cyberattacks against Ukraine have been prolific and ongoing for several years. The future of war may begin in cyberspace.
Why Chernobyl radiation is not a cause for concern
The rhetorical fallout is greater than the radioactive fallout.
7 ways to avoid becoming a misinformation superspreader
When actual people correct misinformation online, it can be as effective, if not more so, as when a social media company labels something as questionable.
Want to delete your social media, but can’t bring yourself to do it? Here are some ways to take that step
Step one, start with a trial separation.
Anti-aging isn’t a scam, but immortality almost certainly is
Altos Labs, a new biotech firm with $3 billion in funding, has announced plans to combat aging. But what does that mean for human life span, exactly?
Flat-Earthers: How YouTube algorithms and media mistrust revived a centuries-old conspiracy theory
In "Off the Edge", journalist Kelly Weill dives down the strange rabbit hole of the flat-Earther community.
History is a story: here’s how Putin rearranged the plot
In theory, history is the sum of everything that ever happened; in practice, it’s a story we tell ourselves to make sense of and justify our actions in the present.
To my unknown family in Ukraine
Russia has long sought to erase the mere idea of Ukraine. But people like my grandmother, born in Druzhkivka, will not let Russia win.
Kazakhstan’s internet shutdown is the latest episode in an ominous trend: digital authoritarianism
As the demonstrations grew, so did the internet service disruptions.
“Hey, Alexa! Are you trustworthy?”
The more social behaviors a voice-user interface exhibits, the more likely people are to trust it, engage with it, and consider it to be competent.