Category: Sci/Tech

 

by Drew Jones and Celia Holubar–

The COVID-19 pandemic has required all hands on deck. A large group of technologists and executives have called on top technology companies in an open letter to help in the fight against COVID-19. A part of the letter singled out top companies such as Apple and Google to use their extensive knowledge to create a contact tracing app for the United States, similar to ones that have been used in other countries. 

The idea may have stemmed from a Home Quarantine app created in Poland. The app sends a random alert to your mobile phone and you have 20 minutes to respond with a selfie in your designated quarantine location or the police will pay you a visit and fines will be given. With this, it brings many ethical issues in terms of privacy and security on the internet and it begs the question; How much should we compromise our privacy for the fight against COVID-19?

In this podcast, we discuss the issues of privacy vs. security and some other crazy ways the government could know who is COVID-19 positive without their consent.

https://audiomack.com/embed/song/the-news-feed/scitech-covid-19-pandemic-brings-nations-privacy-into-question?background=1

by Christina Dougherty, Brenda Nguyen—

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Augmented reality is merging its way into everyday technology, providing more accessibility and convenience to users.

Augmented reality is when technology can produce computer-generated images on a user’s view of the real world. Though seemingly advanced, this technology is now available on most smartphones.

The world was introduced to an app in 2016 called “Pokémon Go”, an interactive game that allows players to “catch” the creatures in their area. This app gained great success, and really introduced augmented reality to a wide range of people.

Augmented reality is not only good for entertainment purposes, but for convenience as well. These apps are downloaded with a simple click on your smartphone. Augmented Reality is making its way into medicine as well, changing the way surgeons perform medical procedures.

Join us in this podcast as we discuss how augmented reality became well-known and to where the technology is expanding into our lives now.

by Amber Miller, Stephen Newman, Ryan Dye–

Photo on Foter.com

Space exploration leader SpaceX recently used a rocket to send a supply capsule to the International Space Station…for the second time.

The Block 4 Falcon 9 rocket was first launched into space in April of 2017. After detaching from the cargo it was carrying, it was guided down and landed on an un-manned SpaceX drone ship off the coast of Florida.

The rocket was then recovered, refurbished and sent into space again earlier this week. And just as the first time, it landed bullseye on the ship.

These rockets were only designed to be launched up to two times, but SpaceX will next launch the Block 5 Falcon 9 rocket, which according to Elon Musk can potentially be relaunched up to 100 times.

This breakthrough could dramatically cut the cost of space exploration and could lead to Musk’s ultimate goal of putting one million people on Mars in the next 40-100 years.