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Saturday 28 January 2017

What's The Worst That Could Happen?

It's Saturday, which means it's time to consider some worst case scenarios.
Digg Editions
Morning · Sat, Jan 28
VOCATIV + DIGG
What's The Worst That Could Happen? A Note From Today's Guest Editor
digg.com
It's Saturday, which means it's time to consider some worst case scenarios.
END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT
OUT OF THIS WORLD
The Asteroid Hunters
popularmechanics.com
A civilization-destroying asteroid probably won't kill you or your grandkids, but there's a growing group in the scientific community that wants to make sure humanity doesn't meet the same fate as dinosaurs.
WE DON'T WANT TO GET BEYOND HYPOTHESES
The Different Ways The Universe Might End Are Fascinating And Horrifying
digg.com
The power of science has allowed humans to do everything from study distant galaxies to take high-res photos of Pluto. But one thing science has struggled with has been understanding the limits of our universe, and particularly how it will end (or not end).
CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF HELLFIRE
The Rapture Index: One Man's 28-Year Quest To Forecast The Apocalypse
vocativ.com
Is the end nigh? Gauging apocalyptic omens in the news, Born-Again Christian Todd Strandberg is determined to find out with his "Dow Jones" of doomsday activity.
FROM THE DIGG STORE
The Best Valentine's Day Gifts For Any Stage Of A Relationship
digg.com
Oof, Valentine's Day. Whether you're happily committed or just trying to avoid the "what are we?" convo, these are the best gifts for any stage of a relationship.
SOMEONE CALL TECH SUPPORT
WHEN TECH FAILS US
How Computers Are Setting Us Up For Disaster
theguardian.com
If an AI is driving our car, we might forget out how drive. As we turn over the wheel to machines in more spheres of life, our human skills could degrade with devastating consequences.
KISS YOUR NETFLIX GOODBYE
The US Without Net Neutrality: How An Internet Nightmare Unfolds
vocativ.com
It's six months into the great Comcast-Verizon War of 2018.
ATTACK READY
THE HACKER WILL SEE YOU NOW
It's Way Too Easy To Hack A Hospital
bloomberg.com
Firewalls and medical devices are extremely vulnerable, and everyone's pointing fingers
CLICK OR WE'LL SHOOT
Hacker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: The Future Is Cyberwar
vocativ.com
What war looks like when malware is the weapon.
SOME ANGRY TRUMP TWEETS, PROBABLY
What Would Happen In The Minutes And Hours After North Korea Nuked The United States?
vice.com
Not that they would (or could, right now), but it's good to game these things out.
VIDEO OF THE DAY
HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY
What Would Happen If An Atomic Bomb Was Dropped Near You?
digg.com
Unsurprisingly, it would be really, really bad.
Hopefully the rest of your weekend plays out as the best case scenario.

Friday 27 January 2017

A Clicking Time Bomb

With the Internet of Things, we're building a world-size robot that senses, thinks, and acts. How are we going to control it?
Digg Editions
Morning · Fri, Jan 27
IT'S ALL CONNECTED
WHAT WE LEARNED THIS WEEK
Bad Wi-Fi Will Die, And Other Facts
digg.com
​Welcome to What We Learned This Week, a digest of the most curiously important facts from the past few days. This week: Wi-Fi is going to suck a lot less now, the super-rich are preparing for the apocalypse and a good way to make coffee.
THE FOUR BOTNETS OF THE APOCALYPSE
Click Here To Kill Everyone
nymag.com
With the Internet of Things, we're building a world-size robot that senses, thinks, and acts. How are we going to control it?
A NOT-SO-SUBTLE BUTTERFLY EFFECT
How A Deadly Heat Wave Led To Disastrous Floods 2,000 Miles Away
fivethirtyeight.com
A heatwave that struck Russia in 2010 managed to set off a chain of events that would ultimately lead to deadly floods in the Himalayas.
SPORTS WE DIGG | SPONSORED
Get 40% Off Some Excellent Workout Shorts
hylete.com
HYLETE's signature workout shorts come in four different lengths, and have a near weightless feel while still maintaining their strength and durability. Use the promo code DIGG and get 40% off your entire order!
ALL NINE LIVES
NO ONE COULD HEAR IT MEOW
The Secret History Of The First Cat In Space
gizmodo.com
After lagging behind its Soviet and American competitors, France was eager to stake its claim in the space race — with cats, for some reason.
YOU LITERALLY MAKE YOUR OWN LUCK
To Be Lucky, Believe That You Are
nautil.us
It turns out that believing you are lucky is a kind of magical thinking that can lead to a virtuous cycle of thought and action
THE BEST POST-DRINKING DRINK
Letter Of Recommendation: Pedialyte
nytimes.com
Packed with an incredible amount of sodium and potassium, Pedialyte is the perfect drink for toddlers with diarrhea and adults with a hangover.
ALWAYS PERKIN'
E-40's Eternal Comeback
thefader.com
E-40 has been selling water to the sea since before you were born. It hasn't always been easy.
VIDEO OF THE DAY
SOME SAY HE'S STILL FLOPPING
Basketball Player Sets A New, Embarrassing Low For Flopping
digg.com
Oregon junior Dillon Brooks is an All American talent. That talent doesn't appear to extend to flopping, because this is just shameful.
IN THE NEWS
An Updating Roundup Of Today's Trump News
Two Infants Treated with Universal Immune Cells Have Their Cancer Vanish
Steve Bannon Says Media Is 'The Opposition Party,' Should 'Keep Its Mouth Shut'
Mike Pence Set To Speak At March For Life In DC
FROM THE DIGG STORE
Stuff You've Wanted To Buy But Can Now Justify Getting For The Super Bowl
digg.com
If you're hosting a Super Bowl party, you now have a great excuse to buy a lot of great new stuff for your home.
Do: Enjoy your Friday; Don't: Commandeer a botnet and cripple the internet.

Thursday 26 January 2017

Can You Ear Me Now?

This is What Would Happen If, a close examination of mundane hypothetical situations. Each week, we look at something that you could do but probably never would, and take it to its logical endpoint. This week: What would happen if you never took out your earbuds?
Digg Editions
Morning · Thu, Jan 26
SUBOPTIMAL OUTCOMES
THEY WOULD RUB YOU THE WRONG WAY
What Would Happen If You Never Took Your Earbuds Out?
digg.com
This is What Would Happen If, a close examination of mundane hypothetical situations. Each week, we look at something that you could do but probably never would, and take it to its logical endpoint. This week: What would happen if you never took out your earbuds?
STILL AN ENIGMA
Will We Ever Decipher The Indus Symbols?
theverge.com
After a century of failing to crack an ancient language, linguists are turning to machines.
THE SYSTEM IS JUST BROKEN
Paying Doctors Bonuses For Better Health Outcomes Makes Sense In Theory. But It Doesn't Work.
vox.com
The best evidence reveals that giving doctors extra cash to do what they are trained to do can backfire in ways that harm patients' health.
BACKPACKS WE DIGG | SPONSORED
The Most Versatile Bag Ever?
hylete.com
This 6-in-1 backpack is nuts. HYLETE's backpack converts into a daypack or messenger bag​ with laptop sleeve​, small duffel and extended duffel-- all of which are carry-on friendly. Use the promocode DIGG and they'll take 40% off your entire order!
MEOW IS THE TIME
KIBBLES AND BYTES
The Long, Neglected History Of Cats.com
tedium.co
The domain is currently sitting at $125,000 on the auction site Flippa, and will sell to the highest bidder in the next five days. Which means Cats.com could finally outgrow it's lame past.
EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED
The End Of Terrible Wi-Fi Is Near
bloomberg.com
Everybody hates Wi-Fi. The boxes are ugly, and it never seems to work when you need it. But just when you thought wireless internet was unfixable, the most boring and hated appliance in your house may be on the verge of actually, um, working.
A RAY OF SUNSHINE
WATCH: A Very Important Video Of A Corgi Standing In The Wind Wearing A Propeller Hat
digg.com
Sometimes, it's the simple things in life.
TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT
GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME?
What Comes After Moore's Law?
theguardian.com
For decades, computers have gotten smaller and more powerful, enabling huge scientific progress. But this can't go on for ever. What happens when they stop shrinking?
BUT BIG, ROUND NUMBERS ARE NICE THOUGH
A Visual Guide To Why The Dow Hitting 20,000 Is Meaningless
qz.com
you've probably heard that the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit 20,000 yesterday for the first time in its 121-year history. You may have also heard that it really doesn't matter. Here's why.
VIDEO OF THE DAY
WHAT BLACK MAGIC IS THIS
How In The Heck Does This Straight-Pole-Through-A-Curved-Hole Illusion Work?
digg.com
We wish we could claim that the mechanics at play here were immediately obvious to us... but, really, we needed this step-by-step breakdown.
IN THE NEWS
An Updating Roundup Of Today's Trump News
Watch ABC's Full Donald Trump Interview
Flint Water Lead Levels Fall Below Federal Limits In New Study
Shia LaBeouf Pushes Pro-Hitler Troll, Gets Arrested On His Art Project Livestream
The Dow making it to 20,000 may not mean much, but this week making it to Thursday means a lot (to us, at least).