By Khaled Diab The environmental movement has scored remarkable recent successes, but the situation for the climate and nature remains fragile and vulnerable. Overcoming the damaging inertia of business as usual requires the thin green line of activists to be…
Tag: technology
Overcoming the hidden environmental costs of solar energy
By Khaled Diab Our efforts to harness the sun’s energy to power our future may require up to 5% of the territories of some countries, a new simulation finds. This could have significant direct and indirect environmental side effects, including…
The heroes fighting online hate speech
By Christian Nielsen Donald Trump’s latest impeachment throws a spotlight on the politics of grievance, the role of social media and the dangers of hate speech spilling over into real life. Fortunately, the pushback has started. Thursday 18 February 2021…
On the high-tech path to destruction
By Khaled Diab Rather than humans becoming enslaved by robots, machines have become the new slave or serf class, with devastating consequences for society and the environment. We desperately need a more humane and sustainable approach to automation. Monday 23…
Lost in ‘know-ware’ land
By Christian Nielsen It is the cypher of the age, the new C-word that the know-ware machine must not detect lest it conjures up undesirable meanings, and undesirable consequences. Friday 2 October 2020 There are so many powerful things going…
Living robots and the meaning of life
By Khaled Diab The advent of ‘living robots’, or biobots, not only poses grave risks for which we must be prepared but also raises profound questions about the future and what it means to be human. Tuesday 10 March 2020…
The sound of religious discord
We need to reach a future in which the religious freedom of Muslims who wish to hear the call to prayer does not infringe upon the peace of mind of non-Muslims and non-practising Muslims.
The folly of the Arab world’s nuclear enery dream
Investing in nuclear energy makes no economic, geostrategic or environmental sense in the Arab world. Renewables will provide the only sunny future.
Smashing the Arab world’s glass ceiling
Arab women are not waiting for others to empower them, they are doing it for themselves. Over 40 are on the list of the most influential young Arabs.
Living in a selfie-centred world
The selfie fad has reached epidemic proportions, but we don’t live in more narcissistic times. Selfie-absorption is as old as civilisation itself.
