Spark from CBC Radio: Recent Episodes
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Spark on CBC Radio One Nora Young helps you navigate your digital life by connecting you to fresh ideas in surprising ways.
It's possible that the propensity to convince ourselves we have control over things —even when we don't— is the most uniquely human thing there is. But as we speed ever faster toward an AI world, will true agency even matter as long as we believe we have it?
There's been an explosion of mental health content on social media, both by licensed professionals and influencers. Is that a welcome step in destigmatizing mental illness, or is it fostering a culture of misinformed self-diagnosis?
Now that generative AI is shaking up songwriting, have we crossed a new threshold where the distinctively human talent for music is no longer ours alone?
What does play mean in a digital age, when so much happens on our all-consuming phones, and tech erases the boundaries between work and play?
We keep hearing that AI is going to revolutionize jobs. But what if the language of inevitable automation hides the ongoing need for distinctly human skills?
In a world where our digital tools keep an accurate record of handy facts and events, what is our fragile, fallible human memory good for?
The feeling of belonging is a core, human drive. And feeling excluded is painful. But has our desire to belong—and how we try to achieve that—changed in digital culture?
How long do you wait to text after a date? What did that emoji really mean? Is it healthy to feel emotionally attached to an AI chatbot or celebrity you follow on social media? Our tech nourishes intimacy, but it can also be a minefield. A look at intimacy in our digital age.
Despite the growing digital dimension of our lives, death is still a largely analog experience. A look at the uses and limits of tech at the end of life and in the afterlife.
Artificial intelligence can be an artistic collaborator, but can it be thought of as creative on its own? Or even as understanding creativity? And if you're a human creator, and you want to create for other PEOPLE, how do you reach them in a digital system run by algorithms? We look at the nature of creativity in digital culture.
For this final new episode of the show, we looked to the creator for direction (the creator of Spark - Nora Young!) She wanted it not to be a look back at what we've done, but forward-facing and positive. Sad as we are to end this show at a time when you could argue it's needed most, we bring you an episode with three reasons to be hopeful about the future. Thank you for listening and being part of the greater Spark community.
It's possible that the propensity to convince ourselves we have control over things —even when we don't— is the most uniquely human thing there is. But as we speed ever faster toward an AI world, will true agency even matter as long as we believe we have it?
The Olympics are just around the corner, and this summer in Paris, officials are planning a suite of security tools bolstered by AI — from spotting abandoned packages to predicting the movement of crowds. But as AI security rolls out for major public events, and at our borders, how do we balance safety, security, and privacy and guard against this becoming the new normal?
From coveting Walkmans to using point-and-shoot cameras, there's been a growing trend over the past few years of teens wanting multiple, single-purpose, un-connected devices. It's not all about the past, though. Captivating new AI character bots are helping teens practice socializing, and giving them novel ways of learning in the classroom too.
Nora Young and Michelle Parise chat about 17 years of making Spark and listen to some messages from very special guests.
AI, social media, and virtual work pretty much dominate the cultural conversation around technology and our lives. Is it 2007 or 2024? Join host Nora Young as she revisits and reflects on the first time we covered those topics starting 17 years ago!
There's been an explosion of mental health content on social media, both by licensed professionals and influencers. Is that a welcome step in destigmatizing mental illness, or is it fostering a culture of misinformed self-diagnosis?
Digital tech allows us to track the stats of our daily activity and optimize our lives in the name of self-improvement. But it's also changed how we evaluate success and what success even means. In a world where quantification is king, what becomes of success that can't be reduced to data?
The technologies we use have long changed how we communicate. But on today's social media platforms, where content moderation is automated, people have taken to speaking in code to elude algorithmic censors. And it's changing the way we speak.
We've long talked about the data-driven turn in AI and how a Deep Learning approach has given us everything from image recognition, to ChatGPT. But what about the ongoing ethical questions about the kinds of data machines are learning on? And beyond that, what if we're starting to…run out of data?
The climate is changing. So are we. On What On Earth, you’ll explore a world of solutions with host Laura Lynch and our team of journalists. In 1970, 20 million people showed up to fight for the environment on the first Earth Day. More than five decades later, is it time for this much tamer global event to return to its radical roots?
OG organizer Denis Hayes recounts how – amidst other counterculture movements at the time – his team persuaded roughly one in ten Americans to take to the streets. As he approaches 80, Denis offers his singular piece of advice to the next generation of climate leaders. Then, environmental warriors Maria Blancas and Axcelle Campana share ideas on what a reinspired Earth Day could look like – including making it a public holiday.
More episodes of What On Earth are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/fHfXfjAJ
We love to hear from our listeners and regularly feature them on the show. Have a question or idea? Email Earth@cbc.ca
From the earliest musical instruments to the metronome, to vocoders, auto-tune and beyond, music creation has always been a collaboration between humans and machines. But now that generative AI is shaking up songwriting, have we crossed a new threshold where the distinctively human talent for music is no longer ours alone?
Strides in AI software are finding their way into physical robots. It's promising a new era of human-robot interaction, where robots can assist us, respond to our needs and to cues in the environment. Question is: are we ready for robots among us?
Like most of us, you probably only think about infrastructure when it doesn't work: the power goes off, the roads flood. But in the face of climate change and the increasing energy demands of our digital tech, how can we rethink what infrastructure looks like to meet our future needs?
One of civilization's oldest technologies, textiles have long been linked to money, power, and politics. Now, researchers are looking to produce novel, more sustainable textiles using organisms like yeast, fungus, and bacteria.
What does play mean in a digital age, when so much happens on our all-consuming phones, and tech erases the boundaries between work and play?
In an age of misinformation and generative AI, how do we know if anything we read or hear is even real anymore? From the latest trends in internet search to watermarking images to (re)establishing trust in journalism, we examine the role of proof in a post-truth world.
Digital twin technology is growing rapidly across multiple industries. From race cars to the human heart to the entire country of Canada, a look at how these virtual replicas use real-time data to model and predict the future.
We keep hearing that AI is going to revolutionize jobs. But what if the language of inevitable automation hides the ongoing need for distinctly human skills?
Along with huge advances in data-driven technologies like machine learning and digital health, there are troubling concerns about our data privacy in healthcare, and persistent problems with bias in artificial intelligence. So how do we get the tools we want with the ethics we need?
By some measures, nearly 90% of Canadians 65 and older use the internet every day. And yet, the design of new technologies and platforms often leaves out the needs, desires and interests of seniors. But if older people are using technology, why aren't they factored into its design?
In honour of World Radio Day, we explore the magic behind one of the most important technological creations in history, the innovations it inspired and its enduring power in an increasingly digitized world.
Imagination is often dismissed as childish, or a frill. But it also lets us picture alternative futures, and technologies that haven't been invented yet. So how do we harness our imagination? And in an age where Big Tech promises to solve our problems for us, how do we use our imaginations to build the futures we want?
In a world where our digital tools keep an accurate record of handy facts and events, what is our fragile, fallible human memory good for?
The competition in sports equipment is heating up — with everything from high-tech "super shoes" for marathoners to "smart blades" for ice skating. Beyond the hype, how much difference can these innovations make to you and me?
Sure, the tech we use every day is littered with disinformation, bad behaviour and privacy violations…but it's not all bad news! To mark the 600th episode of Spark, we look at the surprising reasons to be optimistic in 2024 — from quantum computing to learning from video games.
How sci-fi can help us harness the power of imagination and visionary storytelling to inspire real-world innovation and frame our collective visions of the future. An updated episode from June 2023.
Is it possible to control our compulsive—and reflexive—use of our digital tech so we can savour the space for rest, relaxation and restoration? We offer a start of the year check up, exploring tech overuse and how to restore some balance to our busy, digital lives.
The feeling of belonging is a core, human drive. And feeling excluded is painful. But has our desire to belong—and how we try to achieve that—changed in digital culture?
DNA-based technologies are increasingly used for real world, high impact purposes—from tracking biodiversity, to designing crops for climate change, to treating debilitating diseases. How do we democratize the availability while mitigating the risk?
Since most things in our life now are electronic and increasingly rely on software, they're not as easy to repair or noodle around with as mechanical devices once were. And sometimes you can't repair them even if you know how, because you're just...not allowed to. So this week, we look at the right to repair movement: fixing yer stuff in a digital age.
Thanks to fun apps and celebrity endorsements, the gamblification of sport has long been on the rise and continues to grow. And, there's a whole spate of fintech apps that are hot on the trend as well. So what are the advantages and downsides of gamified investment and sports betting?
How long do you wait to text after a date? What did that emoji really mean? Is it healthy to feel emotionally attached to an AI chatbot or celebrity you follow on social media? Our tech nourishes intimacy, but it can also be a minefield.
The most vulnerable users can offer designers insight into safety and security loopholes in their tech, which leads to better products for all.
The technology that powers modern life is vulnerable to severe disruption. A look at what it will take to modernize and secure our aging electrical grid, as well as how to combat the growing ransomware industry.
From knitter revolts to unionizing content moderators, online communities are rebelling against the constraints, labour abuse, and bad behaviour of tech platforms.
As the EU brings in the Digital Services Act, we reflect on the role of algorithms in determining what we see, and imagine a future of self-curated content.
From the phonograph to field recordings to the cultural impact of mixtapes — a look at how recorded sound gives us access to history, fantasy, joy, and moments of genuine awe from around the world.
The impact of the camera — from its technical evolution, to the changed way we see ourselves and historic events.
The enormous impact of the birth control pill on our culture, society, and human rights.
The lasting influence of the compass and the evolution and future of navigation technology.
How the 6,000-year-old invention has come to shape how we keep our valuables safe — physically and digitally.
How the Sony Walkman paved the way for the iPod and streaming a million songs, TV shows and movies from our smartphones.
The evolution of the battery, and how the need for stored energy became one of the biggest demands of our time.
How the integrated chip changed the world, powering nearly every device we use, from toasters to Telecasters.
Tackling technology overuse with a toolkit and a challenge to digitally disengage. Just in time to get out and enjoy the summer.
From the phonograph to field recordings to the cultural impact of mixtapes — a look at how recorded sound gives us access to history, fantasy, joy, and moments of genuine awe from around the world.
A designer, an environmental psychologist and an AI expert to help us get better at workplace collaboration: understanding why it matters, and where it's going.
From inspiring innovation, to framing collective visions of the future — a look at the imaginative power of science fiction.
The impact of the camera — from its technical evolution, to the changed way we see ourselves and historic events.
Data centres are enormous facilities that store and give us access to our digital lives. But as the amount of digital data we produce soars, so does the energy data centres demand. This week, an updated episode from November 2022.
The new movie, BlackBerry, has us thinking about the dizzying heights, and seemingly inevitable decline, of innovation in organizations. The film's director talks about what really happened there, and we look at why it's so hard to keep up the pace of innovation.
One of civilization's oldest technologies, textiles have long been linked to money, power, and politics. Now, researchers are looking to produce novel, more sustainable textiles using organisms like yeast, fungi, and bacteria.
How influencer culture has evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry and shaped the way we present ourselves online.
From constructing whole buildings out of fungal threads, to growing furniture in orchards, to storing our data in living cells, we take a special look at 'living' design.
From the sophisticated, social squeaks of bats, to the ability of plants to 'hear' where water is, digital technology allows researchers to listen in on the extraordinary sounds of animal and plant life and may hold the key to protecting biodiversity. This week, an updated episode from October 2022
A look at the pervasive age-related stereotypes that have seeped into the technologies we use and the implications of that on aging populations.
A look at the enormous impact of the birth control pill on our culture, society, and human rights.
ChatGPT has been dominating headlines since it was released publicly late last year, but is it really the future of AI?
The data we generate, as individuals and as a society, offer powerful tools to better understand our own behaviour, but this may come at the cost of data privacy.
What happened to the promise of the early web and will we ever get it back? This week, a nostalgic, updated episode from October 2022.
The lasting influence of the compass and the evolution and future of navigation technology.
New developments promise sustainable networked homes and buildings that are easy and practical, but can we have them without sacrificing privacy?
A look at how the Iranian government is using high-tech surveillance tools against anti-government protesters, and the rise of "digital repression" by governments around the world.
Technology design and programming can often exclude communities of users — sometimes even those the technology is specifically designed to help. So how can technologists better meet the needs of all users?
How countercultures, subcultures and niche communities have shaped, and continue to shape, digital tech.
For the 5th instalment of our Butterfly Effect series, we look at how the 6,000-year-old invention and concept has come to shape how we keep our valuables safe — physically and digitally.
There's a powerful connection between our built environment and our mental health, and architects are approaching the design of buildings and cities to better serve people.
A lot of technological innovation is fueled by data. We look at how new approaches to data are fueling art, and fighting disinformation. From artist Giacomo Miceli's imaginary conversation created by AI, to Dries Depoorter's surveillance art, to Starling Labs' Benedict Lau and Adam Rose using blockchain technology to verify data.
Over 16 seasons of Spark, we've talked a lot about the evolution of tech and our changing relationship to it. We look back at some eerily accurate predictions of the future past, some out-there theories that turned into reality, and the hopes for technology that didn't quite pan out.
Much of our shopping has switched to online — which meant small business owners like CJ Tennant had to adapt their brick-and-mortar businesses for online shoppers. The increase in e-commerce also means a boom in customer data collection. So what kind of data is collected, and how is it used? We speak with Anteneh Ayanso and Arunesh Mathur about e-commerce data mining, and what to watch out for when legitimate data collection crosses the ethical line. (This is a repeat of an episode that first aired in Jan. 2021, and has been updated to reflect that.)
LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, were first conceived well over a century ago. But it took another half century before they were commercially available, and half a century again before they became ubiquitous. And now they're in everything from our phones to our holiday lights to special effects in film. On a special Butterfly Effect edition, we trace the development of the LED – and ask what might come next. With guests Carrie Meadows, Zheng-Hong Lu and Kevin McGeagh.
From paying for the privilege of "luxury surveillance" to workplace monitoring for long-haul truckers, this week, we're tracking the growth of surveillance solutionism – the idea that we can solve personal, social and economic problems with mass monitoring. With guests Karen Levy, Chris Gilliard and Albert Fox Cahn.
In this instalment of The Butterfly Effect, we hear the long tale of the mixtape: How the Sony Walkman paved the way for the iPod and streaming a million songs, TV shows and movies from our smartphones. Featuring Michael Bull, professor of sound studies at University of Sussex; Todd Green, associate professor of marketing at Brock University; and Josh Viner, founder of The Creative Lab, Toronto.
Big Tech aims to solve large social issues, from housing to urban transportation. We discuss tech solutionism with Paris Marx, host of Tech Won't Save Us podcast, author of Road to Nowhere: What Silicon Valley Gets Wrong About the Future of Transportation. And, with massive layoffs happening all over Silicon Valley, and the sale of Twitter throwing social media into chaos, is it time to rekindle the cooperatives movement in tech? Nathan Schneider, professor of media studies at University of Colorado, Boulder and director of the Media Enterprise Design Lab, talks about tech co-ops. Then, Greg Lindsay, urban tech fellow at Cornell Tech University and a senior fellow at MIT’s Future Urban Collective, talks about peer-to-peer solutions focused on mutualism and solidarity in times of crisis.
A look at the evolutionary psychology of friendship with science journalist and author of Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life's Fundamental Bond Lydia Denworth. Then, Tiffany Petricini, assistant teaching professor at Penn State Shenango and author of Friendship and Technology: A Philosophical Approach to Computer Mediated Communication, talks about how digital tech has shaped our friendships and our fundamental sense of togetherness. (This is a repeat of an episode that first aired in Feb. 2022, and has been updated to reflect that.)
We've seen remarkable gains in artificial intelligence – but only in specific, narrow domains, like fraud prevention or navigation. One reason for that is the way AI innovations get adopted. Another is our poor ability to distinguish between real progress and so-called AI snake oil. This week, we demystify AI with guests Ajay Agrawal, professor in University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, founder of the Creative Destruction Lab, and co-author of a new book, Power and Prediction: The Disruptive Economics of Artificial Intelligence; and Arvind Narayanan, professor of computer science at Princeton University and co-author of the newsletter and forthcoming book called AI Snake Oil.
When it comes to adapting to climate change, we tend not to think about the energy demands of our digital technologies. But data centres – the physical structures that store and process our digital information – are very resource-intensive and vulnerable to extreme weather events. Host Nora Young discusses data centre design with Lauren Bridges, critical data studies researcher and Ph.D. candidate at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania; Chheng Lim, an associate at Chicago-based Sheehan Nagle Hartray Architects, who specializes in data-centre design; and Simon Harris, head of critical infrastructure at Business Critical Solutions, a data centre consultancy firm in the U.K.
It's impossible to imagine life these days without the humble battery. So as part of our ongoing Butterfly Effect series, this week we talk about the past, present and future of the battery, and how the need for stored energy became one of the biggest demands of our time. Featuring Linda Nazar, University of Waterloo professor of chemistry and Canada Research Chair in Solid State Energy Materials; Jeff Dahn, co-inventor of the lithium-ion battery and principal investigator at NSERC/Tesla Canada/Dalhousie Alliance Grant, Dalhousie University; and James Morton Turner, professor of environmental studies at Wellesley College, Mass., and author of Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future.
We explore the tech that helps us understand the language of plants and animals, and how it may hold the key to protecting biodiversity. With guests Karen Bakker, professor of geography at the University of British Columbia, and author of The Sounds of Life: How Digital Technology is Bringing Us Closer to the Worlds of Animals and Plants; and Tom Mustill, wildlife videographer and author of How to Speak Whale: A Voyage into the Future of Animal Communication. Plus, a documentary about DNA barcoding from Spark contributor David Kattenburg, featuring Guelph, Ont. genomics researcher Dirk Steinke, UBC professor of obstetrics and gynaecology Deborah Money, and Dutch DNA barcoder Kevin Beentjes.
A new crop of innovators are using digital platforms to address housing equity, from improving mortgage terms to providing homelessness resources. But do technical answers work for social questions? Michelle Boyd and Alina Turner discuss if and how technology can address the housing crisis. This is a repeat of an episode that first aired in December 2021, and has been updated to reflect that.
The web of the '90s and early '00s has inspired many nostalgic projects, but it's not just the aesthetics that people miss. This week, we take a look at the efforts to build a new, open, decentralized web. Canadian programmer Mike Killingbeck talks about building RE-AOL, a re-creation of the beloved early-web platform. Writer, COMPOSTmag editor and senior organizer with DWeb projects at the Internet Archive Mai Ishikawa Sutton, and Alicia Urquidi Díaz, metadata & data services librarian at University of Toronto's Scholars Portal and volunteer archivist at DWeb camp, discuss the ideas of the decentralized web.
Almost 65 years ago, two American engineers independently developed the first integrated circuit on a chip. The effect has been described as a second Industrial Revolution: now almost every powered device we use, from toasters to Telecasters, uses them. The first episode of our special series, The Butterfly Effect, examines the origin of the microchip, and the massive changes it brought to all aspects of our lives. With guests Paul Ceruzzi, John Dallesasse, Chris Miller.
With students starting a new school year, we examine the impact of tech on remote learning. Western University associate professor Prachi Srivastava talks about the impact of COVID on educational outcomes. Sharon Saw, Grade 1 teacher from Edmonton, Alta., shares how she uses TikTok to connect with students and fellow educators. University of Windsor associate professor Bonnie Stewart discusses what technology tools educators found useful while teaching remotely, and what that means for in-person classes in the future.
Digital technologies are changing how migration happens: from the way artificial intelligence is used for policing borders, to how a person's journey is documented via social media. Journalist Sally Hayden speaks about how migrants and refugees use tech during their journeys. Lawyer and York University's Refugee Lab associate director Petra Molnar talks about how AI and surveillance tech are used in policing borders. Author and London School of Economics professor Myria Georgiou discusses the idea of a "digital border."
We all know tech companies collect a lot of data about us, and sell it to third parties. And it seems that nowadays, there isn't much we can't track. So is there a tipping point when it comes to how much intimate data – about our health, conversations, dating habits – tech ought to be able to access? Danielle Citron makes the case for treating data protection as a civil rights issue, and Sandra Wachter discusses the risks of algorithmic groups and discrimination.
From affordable childcare to school in the metaverse: What will childhood look like in 30 years?
The way we eat is changing. Here's what you need to know about the future of food and agriculture.
Music, software, even cars— the things we once "owned" are now subscription or service-based. What will ownership mean in the year 2050?
From shared virtual events to neural implants, we may exist in a new 'world' within 30 years
Most people have a sense of what a home is: shelter, family, a place to eat, sleep and call your own. But as climate change, pandemics and other crises sweep the planet, "home," at least in our Canadian context, will likely look a lot different in the future. And we don't mean next year, or even next decade, but in 2050.
From early shopping malls to the first network of freeways, a look at how urban planning and design have been used as exclusionary tools in the past — and how land-based, Indigenous architecture can offer a more inclusive way forward.
What will childhood and families look like in 2050? Will there even be school? Will all friendships be virtual? This episode of The Next Big Thing wonders what it will be like to be a kid in the far future.
Web3 promises to give users more power over their data and their identity. But can it succeed in democratizing our online lives?
The near and far future of identity and how our data-driven world challenges what you think you know about who YOU are.
The food on our plate might look —and taste— different thirty years from now, but new approaches promise to equitably and sustainably feed everyone on the planet.
What our near and far future might mean for how we relate to one another and the non-human entities that will —and increasingly do— surround us. (This is an updated version of an episode that first aired in October 2021.)
Thousands of mental health apps aren't reaching the people who need it most. A look at the limits of fixing mental health gaps with digital tools. (This is an updated episode that first aired in November 2021.)
A look at how cyberwarfare contributed to Russia's war in Ukraine, and how cyber policy and security will need to evolve in order to safeguard North American infrastructure.
A look at why workers in many industries are demanding a reset, and how new digital platforms may change the game for artists and creators.
This week, a look at TikTok's "witch hunt effect" and how the design of digital online communities and platforms contribute to the spread of hero/villain narratives that centre on everyday people.
It's a cliché to say the world is getting smaller. But where the distance between countries, people and even cultures was a material thing, some say technology is making the concept of "space" irrelevant. What will space and our sense of place be like in 30 years?
Description From cultural appropriation to algorithmic bias to the commodification of trauma, Black creators and consumers of digital media are forced to confront a variety of challenges online. (This episode first aired in October 2021, and has been updated to reflect that.)
A look at what makes us distinctively us in a world we share with animals and artificial intelligence— from the dreams we have, to our unique type of brain power.
A look at the evolutionary psychology of friendship, and how digital tech has shaped our friendships and our fundamental sense of togetherness.
From submarine cables to weather satellites, we look at some of the hidden technology that processes the data we use every day. (This is an encore presentation)
Big tech has been buzzing about the metaverse for months. A deep look into what it actually is and why digital currency may be the coin of the virtual realm.
New theories on the nature of human consciousness and what this means for how we think about artificial intelligence.
A Spark guidebook on how to concentrate in a world of near constant digital distraction. (This episode first aired in March 2020, and has been updated to reflect that.)
The strange and wonderful way art has helped us navigate our digital lives over the past 15 seasons of Spark.
Many of the things we once "owned" have become a subscription or a service. Does that mean the whole idea of "ownership" is changing? Will we even own anything in a few decades?
A new crop of innovators are using digital platforms to address housing equity, from improving mortgage terms to providing homelessness resources. But do technical answers work for social questions?
This week, a look at the evolution of search engines - and whether alternatives to all-powerful Google may take hold, or at least force it to adapt to growing privacy concerns.
What will "work" look like in 30 years? Will robots do most of our jobs? What will the rest of us do? Will there be physical offices or will we work entirely in the metaverse? Will we even need money?
Understanding the long term trajectory of disruption: how it's changed—and continues to change— society and the way we interact with technology. (This episode first aired in January 2021, and has been updated to reflect that.)
In recent weeks, there have been several cyber attacks on Canadian healthcare institutions. What makes them such a target and what can we do to better protect vital health data?
A look at the boom in mental health tech and the limits to fixing mental health gaps. And, how we can design mental health tech tools that work for underserved and marginalized populations?
How will we experience music in the year 2050? Will we have speakers permanently implanted in our ears? Will we even need ears? Three experts—a musician, an engineer and a historian—offer their thoughts.
A look at the impact of noise on our mental and physical well-being, and how to tackle it. And, how our brains create meaning from the sounds we hear.
If the internet is where much of our common culture is stored these days, how do we make sure there's a record of our collective online lives? (This episode first aired in June 2021, and has been updated to reflect that.)
A look at the far future and nitty gritty present of artificial intelligence and what it might mean for how we relate to one another and the non-human entities that will —and increasingly do— surround us.
From cultural appropriation to algorithmic bias to the commodification of trauma, Black creators and consumers of digital media are forced to confront a variety of challenges on social media platforms. A look at the Black experience online.
A Spark look into the deep future. What will our homes look like, feel like, and where will they be located several decades from now?
How countercultures, subcultures and niche communities have shaped, and continue to shape, digital tech.
Our digital tech both facilitates and mitigates waste in the garment industry. But can the technology that ramped up global fashion production also help us build a more sustainable fashion future?
Sometimes it's all in the details. As a technology, glass lens—first developed around a thousand years ago—has allowed us to correct our vision, see the furthest objects in the sky, and the smallest objects on the Earth. Oh, and there's photography and film as well.
From the abacus to the explosive growth in computer tech following World War II, to today's research into using the brain as a model for computing.
Birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it! Everybody sleeps. But how has the way we sleep evolved with the technology we've developed?
From hieroglyphs to instant messaging, humans have been attempting to perfect the way we correspond with one another. And still, we love to hate to email.