Fields once green and lush, pockmarked and rife with forgotten land mines. Two cities, hundreds of thousands of lives, gone in an instant. Shrapnel in trees, poisoned air, scorched earth. These are the devastating effects of war. Like carbon emissions, oil spills, and deforestation, most of the environmental disasters we face today are man-made. War […]
War! What is it good for? Destroying the environment Read More »
“I’m the creeper; catch me if you can!” This simple — albeit slightly disturbing — message was the only output of what is considered to be the world’s first computer virus. Created by Bob Thomas at BBN Technologies in 1971, the “Creeper” program was an experiment to test if it was possible for a computer
Computer Viruses: Can our technology social distance? Read More »
In 1952, famous science fiction writer Ray Bradbury published a short story titled, “A Sound of Thunder.” Set in the year 2055, time travel has become a real (and profitable) technology, and a group of affluent hunters goes back in time on a guided safari to kill a Tyrannosaurus rex. Although the safari company has
The Literal Butterfly Effect Read More »
Love holds many definitions. In the Google Dictionary, it’s described as “an intense feeling of deep affection,” and similar, often more complex definitions can be found in philosophy, poetry, art, literature, and film. It means different things to different people and refers to not only romantic attachments but also familial, platonic, or sexual connections. While
Love, actually: The neurochemistry of falling in love Read More »
In 1895, Swedish scientist and industrialist Alfred Nobel drafted a will stating that most of his fortune be reserved as prizes “to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind.” Presented within the categories of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, Peace, and Economics, the Nobel Prizes have come
I have a joke about the Nobel Prize, but only white men will get it Read More »