Author archives: Invited Researcher

The dangers of agricultural big data

The dangers of agricultural big data

Computer scienceEconomicsEthicsSociology

By Invited Researcher

Most internet users are by now aware of the vulnerability of their personal data. When the news broke that tech companies misuse and manipulate our personal data, there was a widespread “techlash” against the corporate giants Facebook, Amazon and Google. The explicit motive for data harvesting is the prediction of consumer wants and needs. And […]

Evolution, faster than anybody thought

Evolution, faster than anybody thought

BiologyEvolution

By Invited Researcher

How fast is evolution? In adaptive evolution, natural selection causes genetic changes in traits that favour the survival and reproduction of individual organisms. Although Charles Darwin thought the process occurred over geological timescales, we have seen examples of dramatic adaptive evolution over only a handful of generations. The peppered moth changed colour in response to […]

Deadbots can speak for you after your death

Deadbots can speak for you after your death

Computer scienceEthicsSociology

By Invited Researcher

Machine-learning systems are increasingly worming their way through our everyday lives, challenging our moral and social values and the rules that govern them. These days, virtual assistants threaten the privacy of the home; news recommenders shape the way we understand the world; risk-prediction systems tip social workers on which children to protect from abuse; while […]