Is AI too left-brained to ensure global survival?
I’m thinking that you think you have a brain. Nope. Actually, you have two. We all have two brains. As in two hemispheres, the left and the right. They both do very different things, although there is some overlap. The left hemisphere does logic, process, rules and analysis. The right does envisioning, emotion, empathy and social […]
Could hackers launch a global nuclear war?
I guess you are all aware of the US decision to withdraw from the Intermediate Range Nuclear Weapons Treaty (INF)? In defense of the decision its clear that the Russians have flouted it for many years. So, does this make nuclear war more likely, or less? Well, Putin just threatened the US with its new hypersonic weapons if […]
Two wheels good, four wheels bad (as long as they’re octonionic)
It seems that Americans, especially millennials don’t want to drive any more or own cars. Part of the problem is that the average commuter spends three times as much time in their annual commuting that they do on vacation. Hmmm but how about those Teslas? But I get it. Muscle cars are out; electric vehicles are in. […]
Ban tourism to slow down climate change?
You’ve no doubt heard that Venice is flooding due to climate change. Now we know that it’s also being flooded by tourists. As a result, the locals are leaving as the tourists ruin the city with too many people. A similar thing is happening in other tourist cities of the world. Santorini, the Forbidden City, Florence and […]
The imminent Great Global Final Biological Collapse; can reverse gene drives prevent it?
That sounds like an overly alarmist headline, right? So get this: “Hyper alarming’ study shows massive insect loss”. Apparently over the past 20 years insect populations have declined on average 50% and in some cases even higher. We’re all seeing it. Have you noticed that these days the number of love bugs plastered over your […]
Are viruses the biological equivalent of dark matter?
Did you get the flu? I was so lucky, I got it twice! So lots of stuff about influenza in the news. Other than that, how could you ever get excited about it? Influenza is a virus. Everyone knows that too. Nothing exciting there either, right? But what if there were many more of the […]
Is love a physical force-field?
Did you hear about the recent wedding of two people in their nineties (She’s 98. He’s 94. They Met at the Gym). Tells us that you can have love even when it might be thought you were past it. Put it in the sweet news column. It used to be thought that love was a […]
Can we calm the global mood with sound?
Recently I posted on the huge impact noise pollution is having on human moods globally, including making us all incredibly crabby. (“Does noise cause global dysfunction in human mood?”). Coincidentally (?) the Washington Post followed my article with its own about noise pollution, even in the national parks (“Human noise pollution is everywhere, even in […]
Do trees have brains?
I’m sure you noticed (or maybe not) a little news item that deforestation in Brazil increased 30% in the last 12 months? So what? Does anyone care? Why should we anyway? There’s inconsequential reasons like forests create rain (through the action of emitting terpenes, inter alia) and stabilize terra firma. I have a more selfish reason; when […]
Are birds aesthetes?
Yep, it’s true. Some species of birds can actually distinguish between Monet, Picasso and other painters. They can even distinguish between art styles painted by unknowns. Can your dog do that? Maybe that performance beats 90% or more of humans given the same task? So if you want to get the skinny, and confirm that […]