the blog is dead, long live the substack
# tech

the blog is dead, long live the substack

Sometimes the only way forward is to try something new.


why neutron stars may be the coolest objects in the universe
# space

why neutron stars may be the coolest objects in the universe

Neutron stars’ thunder is usually stolen by black holes, but these bizarre objects living on the edge of physics create plenty of fascinating phenomena all on their own.


how social media ruined expertise and how to get it back
# tech

how social media ruined expertise and how to get it back

Thanks to social media, everybody can be a pundit today, and that’s ruining how we build a factual understanding of our world and what’s happening in it.


behold the (terrifyingly badly designed) cyborg of the 1960s
# science

behold the (terrifyingly badly designed) cyborg of the 1960s

Humans have been thinking about modifying themselves to survive the rigors of space flight for a long time now. Thankfully, out ideas for how to do it have vastly improved.


why we may want to settle on the moon and titan before mars
# space

why we may want to settle on the moon and titan before mars

Science fiction taught us that humanity’s next destination in space should be Mars, but science disagrees.

why computers of the future may have to sleep
# tech

why computers of the future may have to sleep

Turns out artificial intelligence needs a nap every once in a while to stay accurate, and that may tell us something fundamental about our own minds.

china is creating the blueprint for totalitarian techno-idiocracy
# tech

china is creating the blueprint for totalitarian techno-idiocracy

China is aiming for AI supremacy to automate and export totalitarianism. This effort is bound to backfire, but not for the reason you may think.

we’ll hit peak humanity soon, and we don’t know what happens next
# science

we’ll hit peak humanity soon, and we don’t know what happens next

It looks like our future is fewer humans, not more. And while that may be good for our long-term survival, it means rethinking our economic and political systems.

yes, the pandemic is making you more irritable
# science

yes, the pandemic is making you more irritable

It’s not just you. We’re all nearing our wits’ end this year, and that’s going to make the pandemic and what comes after it worse.

why space travel makes you more of an environmentalist
# space

why space travel makes you more of an environmentalist

Astronauts get a very rare and unique perspective on our planet, one in which our world isn’t just a steppingstone to the stars, but a fragile home to be protected.

the boomers are not all right: how social media obsessions are destroying families
# oddities

the boomers are not all right: how social media obsessions are destroying families

Older, conservative Americans have become engrossed in conspiracy theories and fear-mongering propaganda. Now, they’re paying the price as their families start to cut ties.

why the first thing you should do with the tiktok app is uninstall it
# tech

why the first thing you should do with the tiktok app is uninstall it

While most apps you use today collect a lot of data, TikTok goes far beyond normal logging and location services, and straight into the realm of spyware.

why we have to abandon the popular “lone genius” narrative of science
# science

why we have to abandon the popular “lone genius” narrative of science

Writers constantly tell us about mavericks whose genius overturned the status quo. Their stories aren’t just wrong, they’re dangerous.

why the earn it act is a backdoor for a digital police state
# tech

why the earn it act is a backdoor for a digital police state

With the EARN IT bill, politicians are unwittingly and stubbornly putting us at greater risk from criminals and terrorists while insisting they’re just trying to protect us.

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