The Boundaries of Artificial Emotional Intelligence If our virtual assistants and emotional laborers are all turning out to be soothing, female-voiced AI, will it close certain gaps for human women? Or will it ratify them?

    The Roots of an Epidemic From apartheid labor policies to everyday sexism, socio-political issues influence the spread of TB disease and the effectiveness of health responses. To tackle the epidemic, we need systemic changes.

    Where We Live and How We Die What a year of death looks like around the world.

    To Board a Cruise Ship–and Never Get Off Meet the retirees who never stop moving.

    Was Gamification a Terrible Lie? Turning work into play was sold as a miracle for increasing productivity–but was that ever really plausible?

    Dreaming Up Inventions for an Afrofuturist World Three magical tools necessary for both liberation and laughter.

    Fowl Plague

    Pandemics have threatened humanity in the past–and avian influenza may well be the next one due.
    Duncan Geere
    Aug 4, 2017

    The Roots of an Epidemic

    From apartheid labor policies to everyday sexism, socio-political issues influence the spread of TB disease and the effectiveness of health responses. To tackle the epidemic, we need systemic changes.
    Paula Akugizibwe
    Apr 11, 2019

    The ID Question

    Who decides who you are? You, or the world around you?
    Anjali Ramachandran
    Nov 22, 2017

    Beats: Space

    Space is where we project our dreams–and our nightmares–of the future.

    Beats: Food

    Food structures our day, and food systems shape our world

    Beats: Disability

    “Disable” is an active verb, and disability describes the social and environmental barriers that prevent access just as much as an individual body’s physical reality.

    Beats: Health

    Access to health care is as much a matter of public policy as it is the size of a person’s pocketbook; within a doctor’s office, many factors affect the quality of treatment.

    The Game Worlds We Make

    Why designing a simple board game with my son rivals anything he’s learning in school.
    Steven Johnson
    Jan 3, 2017 9 min read

    These Indonesian Women Are Part of the Design Team for Their Own Development Tech

    Rather than pushing ideas that look good to Western outsiders, this NGO encourages grassroots innovation.
    Lindsey Kennedy
    Sep 9, 2015 2 min read

    What Happens When There’s Only 88 Psychiatrists in an Entire Country?

    In developing nations like Kenya, where mental health care is practically nonexistent, internet-based organizations save lives.
    Greg Noone
    Jun 15, 2016 6 min read