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,...
Current in Tech
How ‘algospeak’ aids sensitive social media discussion
With life online increasingly controlled by overzealous censorship policies, users have begun inventing code words to dodge strict moderations on platforms like TikTok. Though you may not be familiar with the phrase ‘algospeak,’ what you’re likely to have come across is the slew of code words Internet users have...
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...
Soil home to more than half of the Earth’s species
According to a new study, 90 per cent of fungi, 85 per cent of plants, over 50 per cent of bacteria, and 59 per cent of life overall dwells in this ecosystem – double what many previously thought. A recent analysis has found that soil – the top layer of...
Biden greenlights $1.2 billion for two carbon-capture tech firms
The Biden administration has announced a tremendous investment into regional hubs that use technology to suck carbon out of the atmosphere and store it. Why are most scientists and environmentalists already calling it a failed plan? Carbon capture, storage, and removal are processes that have been carried out by...
Surgeons perform UK’s first-ever successful womb transplant
Set to make the procedure another option for treating infertility within the next few years, the breakthrough is being hailed as the ‘dawn of a new era’ in reproductive medicine, as well as an incredible advancement in gynaecology. According to Imperial College London, one in 5,000 British women are born...
Google AI is helping to combat flying’s stubborn contrail emissions
The thin white clouds that linger behind planes are called contrails, and they’re a significant contributor to flying emissions. Here’s how Google AI is finally helping to address the problem. The small white clouds left behind by airplanes are called contrails – short for condensation trails – and they’re responsible for a third of all global warming tied to the aviation industry. Forming when planes fly at high altitudes through humid...
PsychoGenics is using AI to rapidly screen for psychotic treatments
PsychoGenics has developed a drug-discovery application powered by AI technology. Its first objective is to find a formula capable of effectively treating schizophrenia. The development of new drugs is an impressive science, but most cases begin with an educated hunch and a lot of guess work. Around only 1 in 1,000 candidates for new treatments ever make it to clinical trials for human testing, and just 1 in 10 of these...
UNESCO calls for a global tech detox in schools
The use of technology in schools has become increasingly prevalent in the past few decades. UNESCO’s new report sheds light on the consequences of this reliance. Over the past few decades, technology has become so pervasive that it’s hard to imagine a world without it. It has allowed interconnectivity throughout the world whilst making day-to-day activities much easier. The rise of digital learning is transforming the way students learn as they...
Bacteria is now being used to create endlessly recyclable plastic
Scientists at Berkeley Lab have developed a new way to engineer bacteria to produce raw materials that can be made into plastic. They’re completely recyclable. We probably don’t need to tell you that plastic is bad for the environment. A major polluter that causes significant headaches around the world, plastics can be found everywhere. From our foods to our seas, it has become a huge pillar of concern in the...
