Chris Addison, Hari Kondabolu, Alice Fraser, and Anuvab Pal discuss AI, mad science, orcas, de-platforming, a drowned phone, turning humid air into power, virgin birth in crocodiles, Nazi symbols, and robots replacing conductors in orchestras.
Cancel culture raises questions about procedural aspects and selective enforcement of consequences.
The development of electricity generation from humid air shows promising potential for renewable energy sources.
Deep dives
Cancel Culture News highlights a chemical weapons expert fired from a conference due to racist and critical tweets
Cancel Culture News focuses on a chemical weapons expert who was fired from a conference after it was discovered that he had posted racist tweets and criticized the British government. This incident raises questions about the procedural aspects of cancel culture and whether it qualifies as a full cancellation. However, there is a need to address the oddity of government officials vetting social media feeds and the selective enforcement of consequences.
A government official in India is suspended after ordering a reservoir to be drained to retrieve a dropped phone
In India, a government official named Rajesh Viswas was suspended after he ordered the draining of a reservoir to retrieve his dropped phone. Rather than accepting it as an unfortunate accident, he chose the option of emptying half a million gallons of water to find his phone, which ultimately had a stillborn baby crocodile in it. This episode highlights the absurdity and desperation of an individual's obsession with retrieving a phone at the expense of valuable resources.
Orcas seek revenge on human yachtsmen, sinking two yachts off the coast of Spain
Gladys, a vengeful orca off the coast of Spain, has been wreaking havoc on yachts, sinking two of them. This retaliatory attack came after she was hit by a yacht and decided to avenge the mistreatment of cetaceans by targeting all yachts. The incident has sparked concerns about the revenge-driven behavior spreading among other orcas. Although this may sound like an amusing premise for a Pixar movie, it raises deeper questions about the treatment of marine life and the potential consequences of their frustration and retaliation.
Scientists develop a way to turn humid air into renewable power
Scientists at the University of Massachusetts have made advancements in generating electricity from humid air. By harnessing the humidity, they were able to create a small device capable of generating an electric current, which shows promising potential for environmentally friendly power generation. While the technology still needs further development and scalability, it offers a glimpse into the possibilities of utilizing renewable energy sources efficiently.
Andy is recovering from the cricket so here are some brand new sections we held back, just in case, featuring Chris Addison, Hari Kondabolu, Alice Fraser and Anuvab Pal. AI, mad science and Orcas all make the cut.