The Pegasus Controversy: Locking the Stable Door
Debayan Gupta What is Pegasus and why should we care about it? We discuss how military-grade cyberattack tools like Pegasus need to be regulated and why public awareness is critical to preventing such things in the future.
When a Camera Trap Image Connects a Community and Foresters
What can science communication mean in real time field work in an Indian jungle? Dr. Nandini Velho shares unique insights from her work in a national park in North-East India in an hour long talk.
In the Long Run We Will All Still be Paying Our Debt
Tanvi Rupakula reviews the Korean space western movie, Space Sweepers, set in 2092 AD.
Lawyer-Author & Sci-fi Fan Gautam Bhatia Chats with 95 yr old Sci-fi Legend Chandler Davis
Gautam Bhatia A mathematician and a science fiction writer, Davis was notoriously dismissed from the University of Michigan, and jailed, during the McCarthy years. He wrote a range of science fiction stories around nuclear disarmament, sexism in society, labour and capital, and first contact and language. A rare interview.
Building utopia with robot gardeners: Celebrating 35 years of Laputa Castle in the Sky
Rishita Chaudhary Can mankind learn to use technology to respect nature? OpenAxis examines this via Studio Ghibli’s first-ever production.
From Zurich to Wayanad, Can The Data Modelling Highway Restore Farmer Science and Soil?
Cefil Joseph Soans As Restor, a data modelling collaboration with Google goes public this October 2021, Cefil Joseph Soans tracks what this can mean for environmental conservation work on ground.
Modern Science v. Law: Revisiting the case of Kathleen Folbigg, Australia’s Worst Serial Killer
By Debojeet Chakravarty When new evidence surfaces, a case changes. The case of Kathleen Folbigg is a perfect example. However, the idea of justice is put to test when a legal system overlooks medical evidence to avoid the off-chance that it may have to retract from its previous judgment.
The Scramble For Mars: Why Are We So Obsessed With the Red Planet?
Aarohi Sharma Be it the buzz around Elon Musk’s calls to nuke Mars, or the global emotional outpour due to the “death” of robotic rovers on the red planet – why are we so obsessed with Mars, and what does this obsession represent?
Decimating the Ego: Exploring the Discourse Around Dreams, Drugs and the ‘Trip’ to Scientific Discovery
Ashana Mathur The inspiration for scientific discoveries like The Theory of Relativity, the structure of DNA and the discovery of Insulin, literary masterpieces like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Frankenstein, Satisfaction and The Terminator, lies at the intersection of dreams, psychedelic drugs and the unconscious mind. A recent breakthrough, in which scientists were able to…
The Road to Mars – A Tale of Betraying and Befriending Physics
Kartik Tiwari To millions like me, it remains an incredible source of optimism to know that the first human who would walk on Mars is, arguably, studying in some school right now; a hopeful reminder of the fascinating days that we will witness in our lifetime and a humbling inspiration for the work that is…
Socially Content Yet Blissfully Unaware
Maahira Jain and Reya Daya Social media’s pervasiveness has come to define who we are. After hours of scrolling and endless comparison to the people we see online, it is hard to put into focus what is real and what is not. Are you losing your individuality? Is everyone slowly morphing into the most viewed…
“Mark as Read” to “Mark has Read”: Privacy Policies in India
Debayan Gupta One thing is very clear: individual-level policies are insufficient. Most people do not (and cannot be expected to) have a deep understanding of privacy issues – just like we don’t all have a deep understanding of food safety norms. Some kind of aggregated negotiation tactic, then, appears to be the only solution.
Busting Kangana’s Myths: The Science of Mental health
Aradhya Sharma Kanagana’s recent tweets are proof of how little the average Indian understands mental health and its science. Here is a short crash course.
A Vaccine isn’t The End – Distributional Challenges Lie Ahead
Pravish Agnihotri Multiple vaccines for COVID-19 are nearing their release for public usage. But availability is just the beginning. How does the distribution look like in terms of prioritisation and infrastructure? Who gets it first and how will it reach them?
The 5G Conundrum: Can we achieve carbon neutrality?
Nirvik Thapa Global internet usage is responsible for 1.7 million tonnes of annual emissions. The advent of 5G might exacerbate this.
Divorced from Reality: Why are we attracted to the Disinformation Ecosystem?
Purnima Mehrotra No matter how many times scientific evidence refutes these new and old claims/conspiracy theories and fake news, legions of people continue to believe in them. What makes the false information ecosystem so pervasive and appealing?
Humans v. AI: How automated decision making is a game changer for legal liability
Arushi Massey What can the self-driving car crashes teach us about ethics and responsibility in the digital age? Are the trends shifting legal liability away from Big Tech? Can the State regulate? The intersection of law and technology poses new problems for moral philosophy, legal scholars and regulators. Product Liability may hold the answer.
To End or Not to End Privacy
Debayan Gupta Should governments be given a key to encrypted software? Can we manage to keep this key hidden from hackers? Let’s explore the role of encryption in the privacy and security of our digital lives.
Sitting inside the black mirror and peeking at the world beyond
Simantini Ghosh Most of the social media apps are based on the psychology of persuasion and more dangerously, addiction. This type of learned behavior is extremely difficult to extinguish and can lead to extreme polarization amongst other well-being concerns.
National Digital Health Mission & Privacy: Should we be worried?
Aradhya Sharma What could be the security implications of the new National Digital Health Mission? Will security and privacy policies be followed? If not, why should we be worried?
Targeted ads: Is there an ethical, economically-viable alternative?
Samyukta Prabhu Targeted ads follow us around the internet. Can the government use them to control elections? How do they expand Big Tech’s profitability? Is there a way for us to use social media without surveillance?
Here’s the Truth: We Believe Misinformation Because We Want To
Pravish Agnihotri Why does misinformation spread, even in the face of hard evidence? Interactions between our socio-historical context, our psychology, and business models of social media companies might hold the answer.
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