WRITING LINKS
INVERSE
What Her can teach us about love in the age of artificial intimacy
Imagine a perfect partner: One who always texts back, listens, and remembers even the most insignificant details about your life.The cherry on top? If you’re tired or need space, you can switch them off. That’s the appeal of AI programs created for connection, and it’s hardly surprising people are falling in love with them.
Why do superheroes wear spandex?
Have you ever wondered why all of your favourite superheroes wear tight, bright clothing? In this deep dive, I explore the cultural history of spandex, as well as how it’s created and why it’s such a mainstay in our superhero stories.
Mushrooms’ remarkable properties can build a new era of sustainable design
The mushrooms you see on the surface of the Earth are just a tiny part of the funghi underneath. Below is a secret world of mycelium, which feeds the mushroom and can be grown, shaped and built into almost anything you can imagine, from houses and space habitats to shoes and leather.
Is there a best way to think about the future of Earth?
We all know we should be considering the consequences of our present day actions, but how far ahead should we be thinking? Longtermism suggests we should care about the wellbeing of people millions of years ahead, but there are many reasons why that isn’t good for us here in the present.
In the Metaverse, the perfect date might actually exist — if you can find it
The first time I tried to make friends in the metaverse it didn’t go well. But other people are having better luck, making lasting connections and even transforming virtual romances into real-life relationships. So is the metaverse a poor substitute for IRL love or a welcome extension of it?
How one Ancient Greek thinker revolutionised Maths – and possibly started a cult
Pythagoras’ influence can be felt in every classroom in the western world. But what your teacher did not tell you about Pythagoras. When he wasn’t writing geometry proofs, he was a cult leader whose followers believed in reincarnation, loved animals, and despised beans.
The best sci-fi thriller on HBO Max reveals a brutal truth about life on Mars
Total Recall forces us to consider the harsh realities of life on Mars — and how those in power might one day control the planet’s precious resources. Is the movie a vision of humanity’s future life on Mars? Let’s take a closer look.
Scientists rank the 8 best movie time machines of all time
We all know there’s no such thing as a time machine, but that’s never stopped Hollywood from building them. I quizzed physicists and engineers about their favourite movie and TV time machines.
WIRED
These earplugs can save you from sound sensitivity
Earplugs aimed at people with auditory sensitivities claim to ‘take the edge off noise’. But what does that mean? And do they really work?
What to do when your health and fitness goals turn against you
It’s time to ask yourself tough questions about why, and how, you use tracking tech to monitor your health and fitness.
How to avoid phubbing your friends and family in lockdown
It’s time to refresh our screen time versus people time protocols. And no, that doesn’t mean a ban on social media or games
The ISS is home to potentially harmful bacteria
Scientists from Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory are using DNA sequencing to detect potentially dangerous microorganisms hitching a ride on the ISS.
NEW SCIENTIST
How the JUICE mission will look for habitability on Jupiter’s moons
ESA’s JUICE mission will help us better understand whether Jupiter’s icy moons are habitable. But we need to be open to their unexpected secrets, says principal investigator Michele Dougherty.
Magnetic tape: The surprisingly retro way big tech stores your data
From family photos to particle physics data, we generate stupendous amounts of digital information – and much of it is stored on old-fashioned plastic cartridges.
Why we urgently need a mission to Neptune
To understand the secrets of the most common type of planet in our galaxy, we need to explore ice giants Neptune and Uranus. But we must act now, says planetary scientist Leigh Fletcher.
How to avoid using your devices too much during the pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has had us glued to our screens, but there are easy ways to reach a better balance.
Horror VR game can ramp up the fear factor if you’re not scared
A new virtual reality horror game uses the player’s heart rate to gauge how scared they feel, and if they’re not scared enough, it intensifies the horror.
Virtual reality lets doctors guide you through your own guts
A trip of a lifetime. Boston Children’s Hospital are testing virtual reality that can give people a 3D tour of their own digestive tract.
METRO UK
Colour-changing lightbulbs are the tech I can’t live without
I’ve discovered that changing the glow in my home can genuinely nudge me into feeling more productive, focused, energised, calm, sleepy, happy or excited, depending on the right combination of brightness and colour.
Emotional contagion: What you need to know about catching feelings online
Do you ever wake up feeling hopeful and positive, reach for your phone, check Twitter (or Instagram or Facebook) and next thing you know you’re filled with dread?
Will we ever have flying cars?
When Blade Runner came out in 1982 it was heralded for its dizzying vision of a future filled with humanoid robots and flying cars—but it’s now in the past.
If space is nothing, how do we know it’s expanding and how big can the Universe get?
We say the Universe is at least 91 billion light-years across because that’s all we know. But how big is the whole universe? That’s anyone’s guess.
Will you ever be able to upload your brain to a computer?
Our physical bodies are always likely to have an expiration date. But what if our brains could live on forever without our bodies?
TECHRADAR
Sustainable sound: how headphones, speakers and turntables are going green
The (small) steps audio tech companies are taking to become environmentally sound—and the ways we can change our own habits when we lust after a new shiny tech device.
Do fitness trackers have an impact on eating disorders?
We know a preoccupation with numbers can be detrimental to our mental health. So let’s take a closer look at whether there’s a link between health-focused tech and disordered eating.
Star spangled glamor: the mission to make space travel cooler than ever before
There’s a trade-off in sci-fi between what’s scientifically accurate and what’s dramatically satisfying. But movies inspire people to look at the night sky and wonder about our destiny.
Why do we mourn our space robots?
Why does it feel sad to bid farewell to rovers, diggers and spacecraft when they inevitably go quiet? I explore our surprising feelings for space-faring machines.
THE COMPANION—THE SCIENCE OF STAR TREK
The science of Voyager’s ‘Threshold’ (No, Janeway can’t turn into a newt)
Say “Threshold” to any Trek fan, and they’ll sigh so loud you could hear it from the outer edges of the Alpha Quadrant. But what do biologists think about the concept of rapid evolution?
Just like a Trill: the science of symbionts
The Trill’s symbiont-host relationship isn’t as typical in sci-fi as the chest-bursting, brain-controlling variety. But science shows us many types in the real world—some that are very close to home.
The science behind Discovery’s mycelial network
Trek’s creators often take a seed of science fact and develop it into science-fiction. But to what extent is Discovery’s network based on mycelial networks here on Earth?
Why have audiences gone mad for the multiverse?
What’s happened to turn a fringe scientific theory into comfy box office? The storytelling potential has always been there, but is it that audiences are now more science-savvy?
ONEZERO
A VR view from space could change the world
Astronauts describe the sight of Earth from orbit — the overview effect — as life-altering. Can we recreate this experience on the ground?
Eyes are the window to a robot’s soul
we pay attention to all kinds of eyes — even when they’re not “real.” Which means how a robot’s eyes are developed could provide a shortcut around the uncanny valley.
Keeping virtual reality environments harassment-free
In the new world of virtual reality and the metaverse, how do we ensure that virtual touch doesn’t violate people in VR spaces?
The reality is virtual, but the motion sickness is real
VR experiences make some people — especially women — feel nauseous and ill. Here’s how the industry is trying to fix that.
WAREABLE
Facebook’s smartglasses and AR tech explained: From Project Aria to Ray-Ban Stories
Facebook is known for its social network, but it’s pumping huge money into AR and VR devices. The company is the owner of Oculus, but it’s been open about its interest in augmented reality glasses – one of the great untapped wearables.
AR smartglasses in 2021: the devices, apps and new tech coming
Will smartglasses with mini-computers onboard ever be so light, unobtrusive and wearable that we’d keep them on 24/7? And, importantly, would we want a face filled with apps anyway?
Apple’s AR glasses: the patents, hires and acquisitions behind the rumors
There have been countless rumours, patent applications and leaks that point to Apple’s VR and AR headset plans. But only recently does it seem like these products aren’t just a sci-fi pipe dream but could soon become a reality.
Beyond sci-fi: Building the bionic body
Prosthetic body parts have been around in many shapes and forms for thousands of years. But up until just a few decades ago, they were often uncomfortable, provided little to no control for the user and didn’t look all that great either.
THE GUARDIAN / OBSERVER
Ten ways to take control of your smartphone
Instead of setting well-intentioned but ultimately unsustainable resolutions or signing up for some kind of extreme “digital detox”, think about changing the settings on some of your apps to make them less of a time sink.
‘No one else has this end-to-end offering’: the new system unlocking the true potential of hybrid working
Now, in this post-pandemic age, it’s time for IT managers to take the lead once again – securing the technology that will equip their organisations with the tools they need to continue to collaborate and innovate in our new hybrid world.
‘I was always told I was unusual’: why so few women design video games
There’s a stereotype that women don’t play video games, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. If so many women are playing games, why are so few making them?
How do I swap Apple for Android? Your tech questions answered
Our tech expert Becca Caddy answers your questions about passwords, MS Office and future-proof digital cameras.
MISC
MIT TECH REVIEW
How to have a better relationship with your tech
What should we do in the months ahead to make sure our relationship with tech stays as healthy and constructive as possible at a time when we’re all so reliant on it?
INSIDER
How TikTok helped me get over my crippling fear of spiders
Experts warn there can be pitfalls to turning to TikTok for help with mental health conditions, but they also say that when done right, it can be hugely beneficial for people like me.
GRAZIA
Should you feel guilty about your kids’ screen time?
The last thing both parents and kids need right now is strict rules and unrealistic expectations – we’re all doing our best to make it through a pandemic, remember. So, instead, let’s aim for a bit more balance.
STYLIST
Screen exhaustion: 4 proven ways to deal with burnout from staring at a screen
It’s the combination of always-on devices with always-on expectations of work that can create the perfect conditions for elevated stress levels – this applies whether you’re working in an office or at your kitchen table.