Technology

#RaceOnTech: Sharing The Experiences Of Diverse Innovators

10:01am July 17, 2015

by Davar Ardalan

Who are some of the diverse voices emerging in tech and science? This summer, All Tech Considered will lead a storytelling project to engage with innovators who are making an impact.

Mamie Parker, a fish and wildlife biologist with a doctorate in ecology, remembers a janitor at work once telling her: "No African-American woman has been in here except to clean this office."

From Fishing With Mom To Becoming A Top Fisheries Official

9:47am July 17, 2015

by Michel Martin

For NPR's series #RaceOnTech, we are meeting the diverse men and women who work in America's tech and science fields, like Mamie Parker, a fish and wildlife biologist who's a pioneer in her field.

Queue Listen Now

3 Emerging Themes From #RaceOnTech

9:45am July 17, 2015

by Davar Ardalan

This week, our #RaceOnTech discussion has turned up some common themes regarding diversity in the science and technology fields: the role of identity, the wealth gap and the importance of mentors.

Pew: 'Smartphone-Dependents' Often Have No Backup Plan For Web Access

3:32pm July 16, 2015

by Emma Bowman

People who rely most on their smartphones to get online often deal more frequently with service interruptions because of financial hardship and data limits.

Students learning to code at General Assembly in New York City.

New Student Loans For A New For-Profit Education Sector

2:53pm July 16, 2015

by Anya Kamenetz

Financing options are multiplying for "coder boot camps" — small, immersive schools that turn out software developers in weeks rather than years.

Science

Now You See It, Some Day You Won't: Scientists Get Closer To Invisibility

11:21pm July 15, 2015

by Barry Gordemer

Using lenses and meta-materials, science is finding new ways to bend or reroute light. Like Harry Potter's cloak or H.G. Wells' chemical concoction, it could make an object impossible to see.

Queue Listen Now

Neil Portnow (left), president and CEO of The Recording Academy, talks with Lee Thomas Miller, head of the Nashville Songwriters Association International, at a music licensing hearing in 2014.

Music & Culture

Songwriters And Streaming Services Battle Over Decades-Old Decree

12:51pm July 15, 2015

by Joel Rose

The Department of Justice is exploring big changes to the music publishing business for the first time since World War II.

Queue Listen Now

The Darkode malware forum was replaced by an image announcing its seizure by authorities Wednesday.

Malware And Hacking Forum Darkode Is Shut Down; Dozens Arrested

11:36am July 15, 2015

by Bill Chappell

Those indicted include an accused administrator who created a large network of hacked computers that stole private data "on approximately 200,000,000 occasions."

Screen shot of a Yik Yak exchange where one person expresses thoughts about possibly hurting him/herself, and others respond.

Education

On College Campuses, Suicide Intervention Via Anonymous App

12:54pm July 14, 2015

by Aarti Shahani

Yik Yak, which allows users to post anonymously, is infamous for bullying and sexist posts. But it has also become a space for college students to post suicidal thoughts and get reassuring responses.

Queue Listen Now

Nintendo CEO Iwata: 'In My Heart I Am A Gamer'

11:42am July 14, 2015

by Laura Sydell

Satoru Iwata, who helped Nintendo innovate and launch its revolutionary Wii game console, has died. His business card summed him up this way: "I run a game company, in my heart I am a gamer."

Queue Listen Now