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You might think that democracies work best when people care and know about the key issues. But a new study argues that for a democracy to function at all, you need lots of ignorant people blindly siding with the majority. More »
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One of the most important principles of radiation safety is that X-ray machines should only be used when there's a clear medical benefit. But now backscatter X-ray machines are found throughout America's airports. How did we get here? More »
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Every year, Foreign Policy magazine and the Fund for Peace do a survey of "failed states," nations whose citizens they judge to be in the most dire circumstances in the world — largely because of government mismanagement and outright abuse. More »
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The World Health Organization calculated deaths and disabilities caused by noise pollution. Turns out the numbers are second only to air pollution. Find out how noise kills. More »
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With the threat of today's protests looming in Egypt, on Thursday Egyptian authorities cut the nation off the internet. No online communication could pass in or out of the country. We investigated whether a similar lockdown could happen in America. More »
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Everyone knows that the government is hiding the existence of genetically enhanced lifeforms. But the webcomic Skin Horse reveals the government agency you never suspected: Black Ops Social Services – complete with transgenic and undead social workers. More »
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The Cato Institute, a Libertarian think-tank, has created a detailed map of "botched" paramilitary raids by government entities from 1985-2008. No matter your political leanings, it makes for an intriguing (albeit totally depressing) read. [The Cato Institute via Fast Company] More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5546659&view=rss&microfeed=true Internet, your narcissism has been validated. The Library of Congress will archive all public tweets for historical purposes. Somewhere in the unfathomable future, a historian really, really cares that you had a Reuben for lunch today. [Physorg] More »
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Countless science fiction stories have asked the same question: What will America turn into next? The answers fall into three major categories, some more plausible than others. Take our poll to choose your favorite option. More »
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As any viewer of Fringe or The X-Files will tell you, the governments of the world know more about UFOs and alien life than they’re letting on. The party line may be that UFO sightings are mere misunderstandings and close encounters a fantasy, but not every government official agrees. We’ve rifled through tons of declassified government documents and turned up papers that prove the truth about UFOs is still out there. More »
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In one of those odd linguistic moments for which intelligence agencies are famous, the US Department of Homeland Security has confirmed today that laptops entering the country can be "detained" just like people can. Unlike people however, laptops (and any other device containing data) can be detained for any reason at all, for any length of time. Plus, DHS can share laptop data with government and private entities if they wish. More »
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The long-awaited X-Files sequel (as yet unnamed) will be in theaters this summer, and even though it'll have been six years since X-Files fans have seen anything new, there's already a lot of excitement buzzing around this movie. Will they find the truth? Will they make a believer out of skeptics? Will they finally just shed their clothes and do it so all the "Shippers" (fans who think that Mulder and Scully should be in a relationship) can finally get their deepest desires? We don't know yet, but we have put together an exhaustive list of what we do know about the show below . . . where your questions will never be answered unless you want to believe. More »
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There's a small group of science fiction authors who call themselves SIGMA and offer the U.S. government advice on futuristic scenarios. Many of them are invited to conferences and events where they dispense wisdom to security types, and just recently one of them — Larry "Ringworld" Niven — offered the Department of Homeland Security some of the creepiest advice we've ever heard about how to handle problems with overcrowding in hospitals. More »
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The U.S. military is working on a series of miniature spyplanes that will perch on power lines and suck down juice when their batteries get low. Just be prepared when the sentient battlecruisers start rolling down your streets at night and sipping from your gas tanks while you sleep. More »
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