Despite midterms historically having mediocre turnouts, the number of votes cast by young voters in the 2022 midterm elections was the second highest in 30 years. As technology becomes more deeply woven throughout our culture, politicians are discovering that social media provides a genuine way to connect with new voters.
View More The Political Power of Gen-Z and Social Media
Advanced technologies such as MRI scans and quantum computing are at risk of losing one of their most important elements: liquid helium. The unique properties of helium lend it to a wide array of scientific uses, but these properties also make helium difficult to capture and reuse. The ongoing shortage of helium has prompted researchers to find ways to recycle or replace helium to conserve this dwindling resource.
View More Running Low on Gas: Technologies Affected by the Helium Shortage
An FDA Anesthesiology and Respiratory Therapy Devices advisory panel met this week to discuss racial and skin-pigmentation bias in pulse oximeter devices. This comes in the wake of research demonstrating that inaccurate blood oxygen readings may have contributed to the greater number of Covid-19 deaths in minority patients compared to white patients.
View More FDA Advisory Panel Asks for Improvements in Pulse Oximeters
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to an energy crisis in much of the world. As a result, Western leaders are pushing for increased interest and investment in renewable energy. This introduces an ethical dilemma of the impacts of war on technological progress, and what it says about humanity that such motivations are required for change to be made.
View More War and Progress: The Invasion of Ukraine and Its Impact on Renewable Energy
Recent layoffs in the tech industry have many employees wondering if their jobs are in danger. Despite these concerns, job resignations are still trending. With company culture a top employee priority, the tech industry may need to make efforts to meet employee expectations.
View More Quitting Trends Persist Despite Tech Industry Layoffs
A recent shortage in Adderall comes after a large spike in demand for the prescription drug, with many prescriptions being issued from telehealth startups earlier this year. These platforms that emerged during the pandemic have raised concerns regarding the overprescription of controlled substances. However, the high amount of prescriptions coming from these newer companies follows a longstanding trend of potential ADHD overdiagnosis and overtreatment in the US.
View More How Telehealth Contributed to the Adderall Shortage and Reignited Concerns
The recent release of Blizzard Entertainment’s “Overwatch 2” has sparked many conversations in the gaming community centered around the ethics behind free-to-play video games and the duty that developers have to their consumers. As the game industry continues to shift away from a traditional one-time purchase model, developers must continue to consider what they can do to keep games as fair as possible for all players.
View More Why Ethical Free-to-Play Game Design Matters
Hurricane Ian has already devastated Cuba and Florida, and will soon reach the coastline of North and South Carolina. The storm intensified rapidly in a very short period of time and has been fueled by rising ocean temperatures due to climate change. This increased storm intensity has been predicted for years, and the U.S.’s preparation efforts and response to climate change will impact millions of lives.
View More How Climate Change Intensified Hurricane Ian
Iranian protests have made headlines – and social media feeds – around the world. As the internet becomes an increasingly important ally in the global fight for human rights, tech firms in the United States are seeking to expand internet access to Iranians.
View More Mass Protests in Iran Garner U.S. Tech Support
From art competitions to online horror stories, AI art has seen a massive spread online. These internet-based machine-learning models raise questions about misinformation, originality, and bias. While most results from AI-generated images have been developed as jokes, the internet may soon need to contend with these models as they become more realistic.
View More The Rise and Conflict of AI-Generated Images