#NPRreads: A Digital Dark Age And A Story That's Part Listicle, Part Longread
Also this week: a look at President Obama's decision to keep more U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Technology
More Fair Use News: Google Books, Again, Prevails Against Authors
Google gets another win in a case by book authors and publishers challenging its digital library. Disputes over "fair use" of copyrighted material are bound to continue as more stuff ends up online.
Google's Book-Scanning Project Is Legal, U.S. Appeals Court Says
A group of authors had sued over Google's effort to compile a digital library, arguing the project was illegal. An appeals court found the program complies with copyright law.
Hunter-Gatherers Don't Get More Sleep Than We Do, Study Finds
A new study shows people living in hunter-gatherer societies don't get any more sleep than people in the more modern world, despite living without TVs, computers, cell phones and other electronic distractions.
Are Smartphone Apps Making It Easier To Racially Profile?
Retailers are using apps to report thefts and suspicious activity. NPR's Kelly McEvers talks to Terrence McCoy of the Washington Post about how that cooperation doesn't necessarily mean safer streets.
Why The Future Of Transportation Depends On Changing Infrastructure
NPR science blogger and astrophysicist Adam Frank argues infrastructure must change in order to develop new, environmentally friendly forms of transportation.
Tech Company Hyperloop Doesn't Pay Its Employees — At Least Not In Cash
We've come to expect a steady stream of flashy new gadgets from the booming tech sector, but another area of innovation in Silicon Valley is how we work, mainly the structure of our offices and companies. Planet Money tells the story of a company that has no employees, doesn't pay any salaries, but has hundreds of extremely talented workers nonetheless.
Self-Driving Cars Hit The Streets, Sort Of
The electric car company Tesla is now becoming the self-driving carmaker. Today it releases software to tens of thousands of Model S owners to automate steering, lane change and parallel parking.
What Do We Know About People Who Don't (And Never Did) Have Cable?
One analyst finds that economics is the key driver behind the growing phenomenon of so-called "cord-nevers," people who never subscribed to cable or satellite TV.
Federal Student Loans Expand To Cover Some Coding Boot Camps
The U.S. Department of Education has unveiled a pilot program to provide loans for some of these alternative higher-ed programs.