What is ‘techno-optimism’? 2 technology scholars explain the ideology that says technology is the answer to every problem

Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen is one of this concept’s biggest enthusiasts.

Jean Hardy, Assistant Professor of Media & Information, Michigan State University • conversation
today • ~6 min

Turmoil at OpenAI shows we must address whether AI developers can regulate themselves

The OpenAI sacking affair highlights ongoing debates over the safety and misuse of AI.

Yali Du, Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence, King's College London • conversation
Dec. 1, 2023 • ~6 min

AI makes Silicon Valley’s philosophy of ‘move fast and break things’ untenable

AI is one of many reasons the tech company mantra should be reconsidered, says an expert.

Constance De Saint Laurent, Assistant Professor of Sociotechnical Systems, Department of Psychology, National University of Ireland Maynooth • conversation
Nov. 21, 2023 • ~6 min

Perovskite: new type of solar technology paves the way for abundant, cheap and printable cells

A new generation of flexible solar cells has been pioneered using a material known as perovskite,

David Beynon, Senior Research Officer at the SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre, Swansea University • conversation
May 2, 2023 • ~6 min

3D-printing the brain's blood vessels with silicone could improve and personalize neurosurgery – new technique shows how

Organ models that more accurately capture finer details could reduce surgical error and lead to personalized implants.

Thomas Angelini, Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida • conversation
March 24, 2023 • ~7 min

What is a semiconductor? An electrical engineer explains how these critical electronic components work and how they are made

Semiconductor chips are electronic devices that store and process information. Today they can contain billions of microscopic switches on a chip smaller than a fingernail.

Trevor Thornton, Professor of Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University • conversation
Aug. 10, 2022 • ~8 min

Wristband tracks firefighters’ chemical exposure

Cheap silicone wristbands can track firefighters' exposure to cancer-causing chemicals, such as PFAS, phthalates, and flame retardants.

Tim Lucas-Duke • futurity
May 25, 2022 • ~5 min

Tech on a plate

Larissa Zimberoff, author of “Technically Food,” examined new ways of producing what we eat and drink in a discussion sponsored by the Food Literacy Project at Harvard.

Colleen Walsh • harvard
Feb. 25, 2022 • ~4 min

How tech billionaires' visions of human nature shape our world

What world will tech billionaires move us towards if they believe that humans are fundamentally dangerous?

Simon McCarthy-Jones, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Trinity College Dublin • conversation
Sept. 11, 2020 • ~8 min

Machine learning pushes quantum computing forward

Hunting for quantum bits with machine learning could be a crucial step forward in making quantum computers a reality.

U. Melbourne • futurity
March 18, 2020 • ~9 min

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