Debating Science & Tech

Will high disease projections come true for COVID-19?

With a 3.4% mortality, in a country of around 330 million people–if things don’t change, and the model is correct–a lot of people will die. What factors could affect this prediction?

Should Facebook encrypt its messages?

A reduced capacity for surveillance could enable the worst kind of online human activity.

Are self-driving cars worth the risk?

Should we have a zero-tolerance policy on technology that can result in devastating miscalculations?

Laura and Tim debate: Should researchers be allowed to develop enhanced viruses?

If some new virus jumps from bird (or pig or whatever) to people, our public health system should be able to control it. But what if it’s genetically engineered to overcome those efforts?

Is it time to reconsider nuclear power?

What’s the best source of low carbon energy?

Should hidden cameras be allowed in rentals?

There are benefits to hidden surveillance yet we pay a cost in a loss of privacy. Let’s take a look at the Airbnb debate.

Lion Air and Ethiopian Air crashes: an early look at possible mechanical or pilot error

The preliminary investigation of Lion Air flight 610 indicates that prior to the crash a system called Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System or MCAS had engaged, possibly without the pilots’ knowledge. The flight pattern of the Ethiopian Air crash is similar to that of the Lion Air crash.

Can we ever convince 100% of the population that it’s safe to vaccinate?

Historian Greg Eghigian from Penn State University draws a parallel between the people that believed in UFOs during the Cold War and modern anti-vaxxers and climate change deniers.

CRISPR babies: should we allow genetic modification of children?

Should changes to human DNA–cutting and slicing out bad genes in order to create “designer” babies– be allowed?

Are we willing to make the changes necessary to reverse global warming?

Climate change is not a scientific debate, it is a political and economic debate, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Should social media platforms be responsible for their content?

If a chemical company pollutes a waterway it’s responsible. How about online sights? Should online platforms be liable for their content?

Is using science the best way to persuade people?

After piles of scientific evidence that indicates there is no connection between autism and vaccinations, why do some people remain unconvinced?

Are we ready for an Indonesian-size earthquake? Because, it’s coming to the U.S.

Buildings constructed with steel prior to 1994 still have deficient welds that will give way under stress–unless they’ve been retrofitted. At least 39 structures in downtown San Francisco have not been updated.

E-scooter: love it or leave it

Will AI help or hurt us?

Artificial intelligence probably represents the most significant change in human history. Let’s talk about some of the big concerns and enormous capabilities.

Should Facebook censor?

Facebook is like a public space–but it’s not.

Doxxing: use or lose it in the war against hate?

Should doxxing be used to expose hate-filled extremists? Or is it just another form of bullying?

Is it time to put restrictions on social media?

I don’t think the question is about whether or not the Mueller investigation should continue. Seems to me, the question is whether or not we should regulate social media in order to prevent Russian interference.

Electric versus gas: which cars make more sense?

Whether you see the change from gas to battery as a strategy for better climate health or you’re drooling over the super-sleek Tesla, electric cars are profoundly changing the auto landscape.

Guns: control the weapon or the hands that use it?

The U.S. is not the most violent country in the world–by a long margin–but U.S. homicide statistics lead the pack when compared to similarly wealthy countries. Should we do something about it?