Why politics needs hope (but no longer inspires it) – Titus Stahl | Aeon Ideas
The rhetoric of hope was everywhere in politics yet now it’s rarely seen or heard. That’s why we need it more than ever
If we are what we do, how can we stay human in an era of automation? | Aeon Videos
As automation sweeps across the world, we face challenging questions about how we work – and how we play. On the one hand, we are designing ourselves out of ever more jobs, leaving us disengaged. On the other hand, games and countless internet-enabled game-like activities are powerfully addictive. Is designing work to be more like play the answer or is there something fundamental about human abilities that we’re overlooking in how we deploy technology in our lives? In this Aeon interview, the UK writer Tom Chatfield discusses what it means to be our best selves in a time of automation.
Loretta Tofani writes about the challenges of independent reporting
Pulitzer Prize-winner describes ‘hurdles’ faced in securing funding and editorial support.
What can Schrödinger’s cat say about 3D printers on Mars? – Michael Lachmann & Sara Walker | Aeon Essays
A cat is alive, a sofa is not: that much we know. But a sofa is also part of life. Information theory tells us why
When the powerful buy into the media, can the media still scrutinise the powerful?
The mining industry is used to having its voice heard in Australian public debates, so it should come as no surprise that mining billionaires such as Gina Rinehart and Clive Palmer would consider buying…
The Dark Knight: Anatomy of a Flawed Action Scene
There are many ways to make a movie, says film critic Jim Emerson, and many ways to make a mess.
Court decision on police GPS spying lacks clarity, experts say
DNY59/istockphoto.com A critical Supreme Court ruling at the intersection of modern technology and privacy leaves open whether police can still track the car or cell phone of a suspect without…
Romantic period News, Research and Analysis - The Conversation
Browse Romantic period news, research and analysis from The Conversation
Google Maps the Oceans, Mars and Time
Given that water covers roughly 70% of our planet, it makes sense that Google Earth should take the oceans into account.
Let’s Break Down Some Numbers in Illinois’ New Gambling Expansion Bill — ProPublica
Big numbers reflect big legislation — one that got pushed through at the last minute, with little debate or analysis.
There is no such thing as a ‘good’ or a ‘bad’ microbe – Ed Yong | Aeon Essays
First we learned to fear germs, then we learned to love our microbiome. But both sides get the biology basically wrong
Dirty, sexy Monáe
Janelle Monáe (above), an American singer, songwriter and rapper, calls her records “emotion pictures”. Her first two releases, “The ArchAndroid” (2010) and “The Electric Lady” (2013), were elaborate concept albums, rich with funk and soul. Though nimble and playful, they revealed little of Monáe herself who often seemed to disappear into a robotic persona.
American Girl’s 2019 “Girl of the Year” has a screen-time problem
She struggles, like many of us, to find a balance between the digital and real worlds.
South Asian honour culture hounds India and Pakistan’s LGBTQ community
Support for anti-gay violence is surprisingly high.
Cat fight
In this episode of Reveal, we take a look at two cats whose fates diverged – one, an invasive predator, is encouraged to thrive and hunt; the other, a native wildcat, is being hunted and trapped.
Zinke’s unscientific reign over 500 million acres of public land
Here are six ways that Ryan Zinke rejected or impeded science during his nearly two years as the interior secretary.
Physical Future of the American People
“The America of the future, as the America of the present, must be a nation where riches and culture are restricted to the few, — to a body, however, the personnel of which is constantly changing.”
PMQs review: Jeremy Corbyn gets the better of Theresa May on NHS funding
As long as the Prime Minister refuses to provide more money, the Tories' health problems will endure.
The Seven Most Vitriolic Passages in DOJ’s Response to Apple
Prosecutors demanding that Apple write software to defeat its own security filed a legal brief full of venom, smears, and innuendo.
DNC Votes to Keep Superdelegates, But Sets Some Conditions
Bernie Sanders delegates tried and failed to eliminate superdelegates, but the Democratic Party establishment will consider binding most of them to the results of their state primaries.
The US Has Reluctantly Started Bombing Iraq Again
US jets bombed two Islamic State targets near Erbil — a first effort to stop what President Obama called the "genocide" of Iraqi minorities.
The CTO of this Chennai startup is proof that the passion to code matters more than an IIT degree
Meet Shan Krishnaswamy of Freshworks.
Vice editorial wackiness zoink!
Original reporting and documentaries on everything that matters in the world.
Something is rotten in Denmark’s pig industry
Every day 35,000 live pigs roll over Denmark’s border into Germany on heavily-loaded trucks, heading for countries across Europe. More than two thirds of them are likely carrying infectious Livestock Associated MRSA bacteria. Once they arrive at their destinations they … Continued
