Technology

Since it was built by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service in 1998, 90,000 emergency responders have come to "Disaster City" to climb over mangled steel and through derailed chemical trains.

In 'Disaster City,' Learning To Use Robots To Face Ebola

12:05pm November 29, 2014

by Lauren Silverman

A Texas training site prepares first responders to deal with emergencies like earthquakes and bombings. The facility is now turning to outbreaks like Ebola, and smart machines may play a key role.

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Those Phone-Obsessed Teenagers Aren't As Lonely As You Think

4:58pm November 26, 2014

by Maanvi Singh

Teenagers may not need as much face-to-face interaction as earlier generations to feel connected. And that may explain why a study finds they're not feeling as lonely, either.

Creator Jonas Lind-Bendixen says he thought of the idea for Sitpack when he was waiting at a concert.

Weekly Innovation: A Seat That Fits In Your Pocket

2:55pm November 26, 2014

by Samantha Raphelson

The Sitpack is a compact seat shaped like a monopod that fits in your pocket when folded up. Creator Jonas Lind-Bendixen says the product could be used during travel or while waiting at a concert.

'New York Times' Hires Former NPR Executive To Lead Digital Push

12:39pm November 25, 2014

by David Folkenflik

Kinsey Wilson was NPR's chief content officer when he was forced out last month by the network's new CEO, Jarl Mohn.

Half The Battle Over Net Neutrality Is Defining What It Means

10:15am November 25, 2014

by Joel Rose

President Obama's call for stronger net neutrality rules touched off a round of heated debate. Broadband companies and their allies say the plan is tantamount to "regulating the Internet" and would hurt innovation. But net neutrality advocates say otherwise.

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Leading retailers are tight-lipped about what they're doing to protect customers from credit card breaches.

As Hackers Hit Customers, Retailers Keep Quiet About Security

10:15am November 25, 2014

by Aarti Shahani

Leading companies are keeping tight-lipped about what they're doing to protect customers from similar attacks that have hit Target, Home Depot and other major retailers.

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Facebook may not create stories, but it's the largest distributor of news stories for many news organizations.

Silicon Valley's Power Over The Free Press: Why It Matters

5:26pm November 24, 2014

by Elise Hu

A big shift has occurred over the past few years: Tech companies now control how you get news and what news you get. Should journalism companies be building and deploying more technology?

Books
Arts

How A Feud Between Two Russian Companies Fueled A 'Spam Nation'

3:58pm November 24, 2014

Brian Krebs' new book tells the story of how two companies groomed spammers, and then destroyed each other. In the process, Krebs got access to documents that illuminated how cybercriminals operate.

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This Nov. 19 screenshot shows the cover photo of an unofficial Marine group on Facebook called Just the Tip, of the Spear. The group and those like it have been accused of promoting sexism and of acting as a forum for hate speech.

National

Marine Corps Finds It Tough To Shut Down Sexist Facebook Groups

3:58pm November 24, 2014

by James Clark

Female Marines are being humiliated and generally degraded by their peers on Facebook. The groups' pages are frequently shut down, but return within days due to a dedicated following.

Action On Immigration Meets Silence, Skepticism In Silicon Valley

1:02pm November 24, 2014

by Aarti Shahani

As an organized sector, the tech industry did not applaud President Obama's executive action on immigration; and the future of the joint campaign for a comprehensive bill is unclear.

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