Henrietta Lacks – The unsung hero of the medical world
The cells of Henrietta Lacks have been instrumental in advancing the bioscience field, saving countless lives, but their use was tainted with injustice. Her story is a reminder of the importance of informed consent in medical research. In 1951, a young mother walked into Johns Hopkins Hospital – one of...
Current in Tech
How are noise cameras tackling sound pollution?
The technology, which is paired with a sound meter to detect noise of at least 85 decibels from a source of 50ft or more away, has recently been installed across several cities in the US to help police identify vehicles that have been illegally modified to be louder. While having...
Broken achievements & trophies should not still be a thing
For the ‘completionists’ among us gamers, there’s nothing more frustrating than fulfilling the requirements for a trophy or achievement and seeing it remain locked. Though rarely talked about, this is a significant point of tension between consumers and studios. Picture this, you’ve just completed an entire playthrough of a game...
How artificial intelligence can make our world better
The rapid improvement of AI systems has sent a rush of panic through society for a variety of different reasons. Given all this bad PR, perhaps it’s time to instead look at the wonderful things this technology has to offer us. Ask the internet about the evils and dangers of...
New study reveals the extent of teenage smartphone use
A recent report from Common Sense Media has found that, on average, half of 11 to 17-year-olds get at least 237 notifications a day, raising concerns that this is affecting the cognitive ability, attention span, and memory of their still-developing brains. It’s no secret that young people are addicted to...
Gene therapy successfully curbs alcoholism in study
Gene therapy has shown promising results in treating a variety of diseases from cancer to HIV. Now, the same technology is being investigated as a potential treatment for alcohol addiction. Gene therapy has changed the medical field in countless ways, transforming how patients are diagnosed and treated for a wide...
Could a NYT lawsuit threaten the future of generative AI?
The New York Times recently updated its terms of service to prohibit AI companies from scraping its articles and images. OpenAI, meanwhile, has allegedly continued to exploit the newspaper’s content igniting reports of a potentially industry-altering lawsuit. The grossly unregulated world of AI could soon be shaken up drastically, if reports are to be believed. Just weeks after the New York Times made the bold decision to preclude AI companies...
UK grooming cases reach record highs amid online safety law delay
Amid the butting of heads between UK ministers and tech firms over end-to-end encryption, instances of child grooming have reached record highs in 2023. The ongoing impasse over end-to-end encryption is having severe consequences in the UK. In order to appease app users, an increasing number of tech firms are offering encrypted messaging services, which means that only the sender and recipient can view any exchange of content. Not even the...
Xbox introduces strict ‘strike’ system to prevent online abuse
Microsoft’s latest effort to curtail online abuse on Xbox will involve a new ‘strike’ system which may see offending players suspended for up to a year. The tired misconception that the gaming community is toxic has largely been dispelled, but there’s always room for improvement. The latest in a slew of efforts to curb harassment, bullying, and hate speech has seen Microsoft introduce a new ‘strike’ system for Xbox, which...
Young people are using TikTok to organise flashmob looting
Last week, chaos erupted on one of central London’s most popular shopping streets. Large groups of young people gathered together to loot shops in an event organised and promoted in viral videos on TikTok. While viral social media content has frequently resulted in positive collective action amongst the public, it can also be used to incite social disorder, violence, and crime. That truth became evident in central London last week...
