These international K-pop legends paused their music careers to serve their country.
Tag Archives: Current Events
People Are Increasingly Worried A.I. Will Make Daily Life Worse
Like it or not, artificial intelligence is here to stay–and it is making its way into every part of our lives. With self-driving cars using A.I. to make split-second steering decisions, A.I. helping to sort job and college applications, and companies using A.I, to sway customer behavior, a lot of people are growing fearful of the technology. People used to fear monsters in the darkness, but in modern times, some of our scariest monsters are lines of code in a machine.
These Chemists Cracked the Code to Long-Lasting Roman Concrete
Its formula long forgotten, the mystery of why Roman concrete remained strong over several millennia when more modern versions crumbled much faster has long baffled scientists and engineers. But now the secret of “self-healing” concrete has been rediscovered and it could lead to a construction revolution more than 2,000 years after it was first discovered.
Sinkholes: When the Earth Opens Up
Sometimes disasters strike in the strangest of ways. To get a sense of just how strange, take a look at the odd and impressive photographs that accompany this short article on sinkholes. Who’d have thought such a thing could happen—right outside our front doors?
Harnessing the Military Power of Animal Intelligence
In the 1990s, the U.S. Navy revealed that sea lions and dolphins were being used to find and retrieve valuable equipment from the sea floor. These animals are also being trained to help clear mines and to protect our harbors. Read to learn about the secret uses of marine mammals!
Activists turn backs on US officials as UN-backed human rights review of United States wraps up
Is the U.S. doing enough to protect human rights? Not according to a group of activists who held a silent protest at a recent United Nations hearing. Click here to learn more about the protest.
Hollywood Writers Reached an A.I. Deal That Will Rewrite History
The Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) went on strike for 148 days this summer, demanding that studios put guardrails around AI’s encroachment on their work. The effects of their new contract will echo in industries far beyond Hollywood.
Chandrayaan-3: India makes historic landing near Moon’s south pole
India recently made history by landing the Pragyaan rover on the surface of the moon. Learn more about the scientific and historical significance of this Moon mission.
‘Shrinkflation’ accelerates globally as manufacturers quietly shrink package sizes
It’s the inflation you’re not supposed to see.
From toilet paper to yogurt and coffee to corn chips, manufacturers are quietly shrinking their package sizes without lowering their prices. It’s dubbed “shrinkflation,” and it’s something that is accelerating worldwide.
Activists say the human rights movement is failing
International human rights activists at the 2023 Oslo Freedom Forum expressed concerns about losing ground to dictators and oppressive governments across the world.
How Hair Discrimination Affects Black Women at Work
A recent study showed that in the workplace, Black women’s hairstyles are more likely to be perceived as unprofessional. This article suggests a few ways to address hair bias and discrimination.
Multilingual community steps up to translate for displaced immigrants in Lāhainā
The community of Lāhainā recruits volunteer translators to help immigrants impacted by the wildfires.
How the Costumes of ‘American Born Chinese’ Straddle Fantasy and Reality
The imprint of Greek and Roman mythology is all around us, from the names of our shoes (Nike, the goddess of victory) to the names of the planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, etc). And maybe a certain recent movie series has made you familiar with a little Norse mythology, like Thor and Loki, too. Now a new show is introducing Western audiences to Chinese mythology. Find out how costume designers approached dressing ancient Chinese gods for a modern American audience.
Online social change: Easy to organize, hard to win
Author Zeynep Tufekci looks around the world at how social media can both power freedom movements and weaken them.
Dark patterns, the tricks websites use to make you say yes, explained
With the advent of more “personalized” ad experiences and the increasing value of personal data, companies have dirty tricks up their sleeves to manipulate users.
How Currency Works
Have you ever wondered just what, exactly, money is? We earn it. We spend it. But why do we all agree that one little piece of green paper is only worth a bag of chips and a different piece of green paper is worth a full, fancy dinner? This article takes a look at currency, what it is, how it got started, and what forms it might take in the future.
3,000 migrants begin walk north from south Mexico
In the wake of a tragic fire, migrants rally to end the suffering caused by detention centers.
How Ads (and People) Persuade You
If you can recognize when you’re being persuaded, it’s a lot easier to make sure your opinions are actually your own.
Adventures in 21st Century Copyright — AI-generated comic artwork loses US Copyright protection
It seems artificial intelligence is everywhere these days, and the world of art is no exception. This has led to many questions, such as “can AI-generated art be copyrighted?” Courts have started to weigh-in and so far, the answer seems to be that machine generated art should not get the same protections as human-created images.
What Really Destroyed Tulsa’s Black Wall Street
Read this in-depth article about the Tulsa Massacre.