Tag: Computers
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‘I must check everything, I must be updated’
How serious is social media addiction? With reports of teens dangerously hooked on sites like Instagram and Snapchat, researchers are racing to discover how addictive social media really is.
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‘Disinformation, manipulation and propaganda’
Is Facebook evil? Today the world’s largest social media company stands accused of undermining democracy, spreading fake news, inciting hatred, and violating the privacy of millions.
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Uber self-driving car kills US pedestrian
Would you use a self-driving car? The first fatality involving a pedestrian and an autonomous car has put Uber in the firing line. Some call the crash a “wake-up call” for the whole industry.
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‘Blackout threat’ sparks fears of cyber attack
Is the Russia debate becoming hysterical? As tensions with the UK escalate, water, power and finance companies have been warned of cyber attacks from the newly re-elected President Putin…
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The true courage of science’s brightest star
What can we learn from Stephen Hawking? Superstar physicist, renowned writer and inspiring teacher — Hawking achieved all this despite huge adversity. Some see a life lesson for us all.
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Flying cars lift off in fight for the future
Would you rather zoom through a vacuum at the speed of sound or soar through the air in your own car? The world’s most powerful entrepreneurs are battling to invent the future of transport.
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Amazon promises to fix Alexa’s ‘creepy’ laugh
Would you want Alexa in your home? The AI assistant can answer questions, play music and switch off your lights. But recently it has begun “randomly” laughing at users for no reason…
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Anti-gun activists take aim at Amazon
Is Amazon evil? A huge backlash has hit the business for supporting the National Rifle Association. But some say Amazon represents far deeper dangers which put our very democracy at risk.
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Shakespeare exposed by plagiarism detector
Is the world's greatest writer a cheat? Software normally used to outwit exam fraud has disclosed an obscure manuscript that was the source of many of the Bard's most famous lines.
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How an army of bots buys influence on Twitter
Are social media bots putting democracy at risk? The New York Times has discovered a “follower factory” which sells fake...
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Welcome to the future: air taxis and robodogs
Are we getting tired of tech? Countless weird and wonderful new gadgets are being launched this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Here are five ways your life could change…
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Meet the world’s largest known prime number
How important are prime numbers? The largest known prime number has just been discovered by an engineer from Tennessee. It is 23 million characters long and is known simply as M77232917.
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How Frankenstein could save the modern world
What can Frankenstein teach modern scientists? For 200 years, the tale has gripped readers. As humans gain greater powers to control life, many...
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Facebook admits social media is bad for you
Is the answer to social media’s problems… more social media? Facebook has admitted that “passively” using its website may not be good for you. Its answer? Just use it a little differently.
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2017 in review: the year the robots got smart
Should we be excited or afraid of advances in AI and robotics? This year, systems gained the ability to teach themselves skills and anticipate the future — one robot even gained citizenship.