Technology
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‘Mother of all crashes’ as Bitcoin slumps
Are cryptocurrencies evil? Many think digital currency is doomed after China clamped down on Bitcoin yesterday – but others still believe they can revolutionise the global economy.
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Bullets fly. Blood is sucked. Oh what fun!
Does doing bad things in a video game make you a bad person? Today, the internet is abuzz at the close of the year’s biggest gaming convention. But isn’t all that killing bad for the soul?
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Pentagon confirms new UFO footage is real
Is belief in UFOs religious? Today the world is reeling from a new video of an object flying like no human craft. But some think our UFO obsession is just a new answer to an ancient problem.
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Miracle or menace? The rise of the brain chip
Could neural implants change your identity? Yesterday, an entrepreneur invested millions in the technology. But scientists and philosophers are anxious about potential consequences.
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American sailors saw UFOs ‘every day’
Should we take UFOs more seriously? Today the world is abuzz as US military figures reveal that UFO sightings are happening on a daily basis. But should we be more worried about them?
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‘Robots are far better judges than humans’
Should computers make all our decisions? In a new book published today, three top scientists argue that human beings are useless at making choices. Machines would do a much better job.
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The old man and the tree. A story of spring
Can great art really be created on an iPad? Next week Britain’s greatest living artist will unveil stunning images of nature drawn with an app. But some critics miss the drama of paint.
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How hackers could hold the world to ransom
Is the internet a weapon of mass destruction? The announcement yesterday of a cyber attack on a major American pipeline has highlighted the vulnerability of our super-connected world.
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US investigates mysterious microwave attacks
Is the West under attack from an unknown enemy? Last week, the United States linked two attacks near the White House to an unexplained sickness that experts blame on a Russian secret weapon.
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On the road to greater social inequality
Could self-driving cars be racist? Experts worry that the machines of tomorrow are being inadvertently programmed to reflect human prejudices, and could make existing divisions even worse.
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Criticism as tech giants cash in on pandemic
Is Big Tech profiting from human misery? In the next 36 hours, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter and Amazon results will show surging growth. Fully deserved? Or morally dubious?
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First powered flight EVER on another planet
Do humans have a right to be on Mars? Elon Musk talks about colonising the Red Planet. And most people think there’s nothing wrong with exploration. But some are deeply worried.
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Scientists make first human-monkey embryo
Are scientists opening a Pandora’s box? The latest breakthrough could make it possible to grow human organs inside animals. It will save lives, but the ethical implications are enormous.
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Scientists discover a new force of nature
Is it exciting to realise how little we really know? Yesterday, the news broke that a misbehaving particle might overturn our current understanding of physics, forces and matter itself.
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Alarm over growth of ‘human stock market’
Should selling the power to decide your personal choices be illegal? A new app allows people to pay for the pleasure of ‘controlling’ someone else’s life. Harmless fun? Or a slippery slope?