Archive for the ‘The future’ Category

  • Video surveillance: Who is watching you?
    Video surveillance: Who is watching you?

    London pioneered video surveillance in public, but it’s catching on fast. Many major cities have systems, and more are coming. What do these cameras learn? How do they interact with other sources of data? In this culture of disclosure should we even worry about privacy?


    Thursday, March 11th, 2010
  • Fertilizing the ocean
    Fertilizing the ocean

    As Earth warms, should we try huge geoengineering projects to cool the climate? Would adding iron to fertilize ocean plants withdraw enough carbon dioxide to slow warming — or backfire?


    Thursday, August 6th, 2009
  • Running short of copper, phosphorus, rare elements

    Without phosphorus fertilizer, millions would starve. A shortage of copper — and electricity — could short-circuit our economy. Without many obscure elements, we would not have LCDs and cell phones. Should we act to prevent future shortages?


    Thursday, September 11th, 2008
  • Space Travel: Humans vs. Robots

    Bush proposes mission to moon and Mars, but how great are the scientific payoffs of this expensive, risky adventure? Would it be smarter – and cheaper – to send robots?


    Friday, January 30th, 2004
  • Homestake Goldmine: Science Lab?

    An international team of scientists selected the Homestake goldmine to be the world’s deepest underground lab, but the project may sink.


    Thursday, July 10th, 2003
  • Zoonotic Disease — Bugs Jump to People

    Monkeypox, AIDS, SARS: Are more diseases jumping from animals to people, or is it just our imagination?


    Thursday, July 3rd, 2003
  • Particles Get Entangled: Weird Quantum Interaction

    Austrian researchers show quantum entanglement across the Danube River, providing new promise in cryptography and computing. At the smallest scale, you can throw out the usual rules of engagement. What’s up with spooky action at a distance?


    Thursday, June 26th, 2003
  • Skyscrapers: Engineering Challenge

    As New York City decides about the World Trade Center site, we discuss the significance of a city skyline.


    Thursday, January 30th, 2003
  • Photovoltaic Advance

    New photovoltaic (PV) cells combine polymer and inorganic semiconductors — could be cheaper to manufacture.


    Thursday, March 28th, 2002
  • Surveillance Today: Sleuth’s High-Tech Tricks

    Forget Big Brother, your neighbor could be watching you! Newest tricks of the spy game.


    Thursday, January 22nd, 1998


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