AJ Dellinger

Scientists have created a new type of robot that is literally alive
By AJ Dellinger
Sitting in a petri dish in the laboratories of Tufts University and the University of Vermont are a new kind of life form — half living cells and half machine. Xenobots are a scientific and technological breakthrough — a living organism that is…
Is there such a thing as too much screen time right now?
By AJ Dellinger
Millions of people around the world are currently stuck inside, sacrificing their normal lives in an effort to lessen the spread of coronavirus. Everything from school to business to entertainment and communication has migrated online, meaning most…
By rolling back fuel efficiency standards, Trump could be dooming the U.S. auto industry
By AJ Dellinger
On Tuesday, the Trump administration announced that it will officially roll back fuel efficiency standards for the automotive industry, securing a major policy victory for the president — and a significant step back for everyone else. Under the new…
There are a lot of similarities between climate change deniers and coronavirus skeptics
By AJ Dellinger
When Donald Trump was first presented with the potential threat of coronavirus, he dismissed it. In an interview on CNBC, he described the outbreak as "one person coming in from China" and said that the situation was "totally under control." Behind…
Coronavirus is creating a staggering amount of medical waste
By AJ Dellinger
Hospitals around the world are doing everything in their power to protect the public against the coronavirus pandemic. You've likely seen the calls for more personal protective equipment to deal with sudden shortages — essentials including masks,…
Low-income families without internet access are now dangerously isolated
By AJ Dellinger
The coronavirus pandemic has many doing their best to replicate much of their normal lives online: working from home instead of going to the office, calling friends and family instead of meeting up, joining video conferences that serve as virtual…
Is it actually possible to break the internet?
By AJ Dellinger
Millions of people around the world are being encouraged to shelter in place and work remotely in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus. And while it's taking people out of the office, kids out of school, and cars off the road (and at least…
Even Snopes is overwhelmed by the staggering amount of coronavirus bullshit
By AJ Dellinger
If you're finding it difficult to parse fact from fiction in the never-ending deluge of coronavirus news and information, you aren't alone. Snopes, arguably the internet's premiere fact-checking organization, is struggling to keep up with the sheer…
Coronavirus is making the skies cleaner — at least temporarily
By AJ Dellinger
For weeks, millions of people around the world have been sheltering in place, working from home rather than commuting, and generally upending their everyday habits as they try to curb the spread of coronavirus. Some of those changes to routine have…
This new Snapchat mental health feature will help young people deal with coronavirus stress
By AJ Dellinger
Back in February, Snapchat announced a new feature called Here For You designed to help people in crisis or struggling with their mental health to get access to safety resources. While the feature was initially intended to slowly roll out over the…
Facebook's decision to use AI to moderate content is a dicey strategy during coronavirus
By AJ Dellinger
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, just about everyone who still has a job is being told to do it from home if possible — resulting in a massive spike in internet usage, specifically for communication applications. That includes the people…
Popcorn Time, the 'Netflix for piracy,' is back just in time
By AJ Dellinger
Popcorn Time — the notorious streaming piracy service that has come and gone over the years — is once again back, and the timing couldn't be better. Millions of people are hunkered down at home and participating in social distancing to curb the…
Is it ethical to use cell phones to track people who have coronavirus?
By AJ Dellinger
In countries like South Korea, extensive testing for coronavirus is only part of the strategy for flattening the curve and limiting the spread of the virus. The government there has also taken extreme measures to try to identify every step that a…
TikTok encouraged throttling content from "ugly" and poor people, according to documents
By AJ Dellinger
TikTok has become a runaway social media hit, racking up more than one billion downloads globally. Even people who don't have the app have likely come across some of the wildly popular videos that are originally published on the platform. But…
Why your internet might get faster because of coronavirus
By AJ Dellinger
As Americans hunker down, trying their best to stay a few feet away from each other in public and dealing with all the issues social distancing brings, they are becoming more reliant than ever on digital connections. Schools are switching to online…
Coronavirus will be devastating for gig workers
By AJ Dellinger
Drivers for ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft are finding themselves in an awkward place as many people upend their routine over fears caused by coronavirus. While many businesses are telling their employees to stay home and work remotely,…
Everyone needs to stop coronavirus panic-shopping
By AJ Dellinger
Fears that the coronavirus might result in extended states of quarantine have prompted Americans to stock their homes with a wide variety of supplies. While it’s never a bad idea to be prepared, the sense of panic has many people purchasing things…
Plastic-eating caterpillars could help us get rid of non-biodegradable waste
By AJ Dellinger
Every year, humans produce more than 300 million tons of plastic waste — the vast majority of which is not properly recycled. Between 4.8 and 12.7 million tons of plastic ends up in the oceans each year, according to research published in the…
Yes, climate change made Australia’s bushfires worse
By AJ Dellinger
It is difficult to attribute any singular weather event to climate change, and the recent, rampant bushfires burning across Australia are no exception. Scientists would not attribute to the event in its entirety to climate change, but it is…
New study finds we already have the tools we need to fight climate change. Here's how to use them
By AJ Dellinger
It may feel like at times we're playing a waiting game in regards to climate change, simply waiting for some new technological advancement to save us at the last minute. There is no time to wait for far-off future solutions to come to fruition — and…