Air pollution linked to rise in antibiotic resistance that imperils human health

Air pollution is helping to drive a rise in antibiotic resistance that poses a significant threat to human health worldwide, a global study suggests. The analysis, using data from more than 100 countries spanning nearly two decades, indicates that increased air pollution is linked with rising antibiotic resistance across every country and continent. It also… Read More Air pollution linked to rise in antibiotic resistance that imperils human health

Climate Change: the New Mideast Extremism / Severe Consequences of new Oil, Gas and Coal Production

The deadly effects of ideological extremism in the Middle East for the past few decades have caused governments and journalists to focus on it. The Arabic word is al-taṭarruf. I was interested, however, to see the word put to a different purpose in a Sky News Arabia article , where it is used to refer to extremely high… Read More Climate Change: the New Mideast Extremism / Severe Consequences of new Oil, Gas and Coal Production

Christopher Nolan: strong parallels between Oppenheimer and scientists worried about AI

The Oppenheimer director, Christopher Nolan, has highlighted the difficulties of applying nuclear weapons-style regulation to artificial intelligence, as he warned that the United Nations had become a “very diminished” force. Nolan told the Guardian J Robert Oppenheimer’s call for international control of nuclear weapons had “sort of come true”, but there had nonetheless been extensive proliferation of… Read More Christopher Nolan: strong parallels between Oppenheimer and scientists worried about AI

Behind ‘Oppenheimer,’ a Prizewinning Biography 25 Years in the Making

Martin Sherwin struck the deal and dived into the research. But it was only when Kai Bird joined as a collaborator that American Prometheus came to be. By Andy Kifer Martin Sherwin was hardly your classic blocked writer. Outgoing, funny, and athletic, he is described by those who knew him as the opposite of neurotic. EDDIE… Read More Behind ‘Oppenheimer,’ a Prizewinning Biography 25 Years in the Making

Digital authoritarianism: How technology was seized by autocrats

*Originally published on November 12, 2020. This is Part 4 of the six-part 2020 Massey Lecture series Reset: Reclaiming the Internet for Civil Society. Find the rest of the series here. The internet was supposed to be our salvation. While historically power has remained in the tight grasp of a select few, the initial vision of the internet… Read More Digital authoritarianism: How technology was seized by autocrats

The Dark Side of AI: Manipulating Reality / Ensuring Re-sponsible Use Of AI

Streamed live on 5 Jul 2023 #artificialintelligence#chatgpt#darksideofaiDive into the world of artificial intelligence and discover the good, the bad, and the ugly. Explore the disturbing trend of deepfakes, where AI is used to manipulate vide-os & pictures, blurring the line between fact and fiction. What is deepfake technology and how is it evolving, how can… Read More The Dark Side of AI: Manipulating Reality / Ensuring Re-sponsible Use Of AI

Recycled plastic can be more toxic and is no fix for pollution, Greenpeace warns

Recycling plastic can make it more toxic and should not be considered a solution to the pollution crisis, Greenpeace has warned before the latest round of negotiations for an international plastics treaty. “Plastics are inherently incompatible with a circular economy,” the global environmental network said in a report that brings together research showing recycled plastics are more… Read More Recycled plastic can be more toxic and is no fix for pollution, Greenpeace warns

Jimena Canales: This Philosopher Helped Ensure There Was No Nobel for Relativity

First posted June 06, 2016 Henri Bergson’s debate with Albert Einstein reached and swayed the 1921 Nobel committee. NB – it is remarkable that the Roman Catholic Church banned three of Bergsons books in June 1914; and the Nazi’s banned Einstein after Hitler’s rise to power in 1933 – DS This Philosopher Helped Ensure There Was No Nobel for… Read More Jimena Canales: This Philosopher Helped Ensure There Was No Nobel for Relativity