What we’re reading this week – Aug. 31, 2018

An Ink Factory illustration demonstrating the dawn and doom aspects of technology.

Leading up to the fifth Dawn or Doom conference, the Dawn or Doom crew of writers, marketers and interns will be sharing some of their favorite dawn or doom-esque stories that both inspire and scare us. To better understand the nuanced landscape of technology, we’re reading about all the ways artificial intelligence, algorithms, drones, cyber security and the internet are shaping our lives. Read along with us!

First, the tech stories that have us wiping away tears from laughter, joy or both.

Twitter catapulted a Texan into the hearts of Australians

“‘There’s been a love felt through the internet that I’ll never forget,’ Mr. Dutton, who now calls himself the ‘People’s Prime Minister of Australia.’”

How Google Earth led a team of scientists to discover an untouched mountaintop rainforest

“The story of the Mount Lico expedition began six years ago when Bayliss, a conservation scientist and butterfly expert, happened to spy a small forest atop a mountain using Google Earth.”

Now, the tech stories that make us wonder if we should be suspicious of our microwave.

Franken-algorithms: the deadly consequences of unpredictable code

“In some ways we’ve lost agency. When programs pass into code and code passes into algorithms and then algorithms start to create new algorithms, it gets farther and farther from human agency. Software is released into a code universe which no one can fully understand.”

How Misinfodemics Spread Disease

“Researchers are finding more and more that online misinformation fuels the spread of diseases such as tooth decay, Ebola, and measles.”