ISSUE 1.15

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Enhance Your Humanity

Defeating death, gene splicing potentials, organic data storage, techno temples, and more.

[theoutline.com]

The Case for Defeating Death

A fascinating read on current and past attempts to solve the whole dying-and-aging issue.

[theatlantic.com]

This Speck of DNA Contains a Movie, a Computer Virus, and an Amazon Gift Card

Apparently you can pack massive amounts of data into DNA, using special sequencing and redundant data techniques. It's pretty interesting that organic storage approaches are inherently imperfect but are still good-enough-functional, like most of our technology.

[motherboard.vice.com]

A Groundbreaking Report on Gene Editing Says We Shouldn't Create Enhanced Humans

OK, it's a little clickbait-y but the idea is that we don't know anything much about gene editing and we should wait before trying to turn ourselves into superheroes. Whatever! (But seriously, the scientists are probably right.)

[electronicbeats.net]

It's Happened: A Japanese Priest Has Built a Real Techno Temple

OK, holy shit. Watch the video. Leave it on for a bit. It's awesome (in a repetitive way). If technobuddhism becomes an actual religion, I think I might just convert 100% wholeheartedly. (I'm already fairly into Buddhism as a general concept, and of course, techno.)

[technologyreview.com]

Machine-Learning Algorithm Predicts Laboratory Earthquakes

Neato! I like to imagine a future where we have so much historical data on our planet that we can predict all sorts of events as they're about to happen by using machine learning. Imagine even machine learning across planets! Of course, that relies on a predictable, repeating data set, which global warming and meteors unfortunately are not.

[motherboard.vice.com]

Internet of Things Teddy Bear Leaked 2 Million Parent and Kids Message Recordings

Another episode in disturbing children's toys being used to transmit family recordings due to shitty, insecure systems. (And naturally, it was ransomed.)

[virtualrealitypop.com]

Here’s What It’s Going to Take For Augmented Reality to Take Over The World

Neat look at technical, UX, and cultural requirements for augmented reality to actually happen as a big deal.

[slate.com]

What Kind of Baby Do You Want?

Would you gene-tweak your baby? I mean... really, who wouldn't? Blah blah, ethics, I know.