Techno
issue 010
‘Any sufficiently advanced technology is equivalent to magic.’ ~ Sir Arthur C. Clarke
Editorial
My two best friends live over 3000 miles from me and yet I have technology to thank for feeling closer to them than that distance could ever make possible. The wonder of a well-timed voice note updating each other on our lives; gossip and love transmitted on little waves of magic that I really don’t understand at all.
Science and technology are my career bread and butter; I work at a university, translating their research news into compelling stories for the rest of the world to understand. I mumble about robots in my sleep. Not that long ago, the things I read on a daily basis would have been science fiction fodder. We can credit Star Trek with the invention of the flip phone, Bluetooth headsets and even GPS, but I’m rather more excited for the advent of the lightsaber, to be honest.
Tech has revolutionised our lives. The very thought of being separated from my iPhone gives me palpitations and how many times have I thanked a dishwasher for nonchalantly handling the chore I hate the most? There is no part of daily life untouched by technology and it is hailed as the solution to all the world’s ills: science will save us from global warming, keep us safe from harm and connect us in ways we can’t even consider right now. It’s all very exciting.
But with everything, there’s a dark side, and let’s not shy away from that. Here, you can find all the great and the terrible to the gamification popping up everywhere, uncover the industry keeping scientific research from the masses, and decide for yourselves whether we ought to fear a robot uprising.
To our contributors, thank you. To our readers, enjoy. ■
JADE STERLING
features
IT’S A GAME CHANGER
Psychology impacts everything we do; which means gamification can be applied to almost every aspect of life.
A black hole illuminated
The global effort to capture the most elusive culprit.
Sustainability in research: the case for open access
by Jade Sterling
Private industry has come to dominate the institutions of science and research—and there are growing calls for open access to information.
AI, Captain!
World domination: is an AI takeover imminent?
‘Artificial intelligence will either be the best or the worst thing ever to happen humanity.’
Artificial discrimination
While the lack of women and black people in the scientific workforce is a crisis on its own, this lack of diversity in artificial intelligence is contributing to the software itself reinforcing inequality in the way AI is used.
A step closer to genome editing with AI
DNA editing at the cellular level is a reality, but before it can be explored in the prevention and treatment of human diseases, there are some serious risks to overcome.
Want to write for us?
If you’ve got a story, we want to hear it!
Seeing the need for braille
Is braille a dying language because of accessibility features on technology?
Finding some boredom in everyday technology
By Gemma Mills
With so much to do on this small square I hold before me, it seems as though people of the technology age are never ‘bored.’ But is this a good thing?
Is Wikipedia humanity's greatest achievement?
Vandalism should have won over the wish to have a public, well-cited crowdsourced knowledge base. And yet…
hold the phone
If the thought of not posting a daily insta story gives you anxiety or if a new email notification simply can’t go unseen, it may be time for a digital detox.
coming soon
Issue 011 - Vogue
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