TechStuff Week in Tech: Musk and Federal Money–A Love Story
5 snips
Feb 14, 2025 
Emanuel Maiberg, a writer for 404 Media, joins the discussion focusing on a thought-provoking study about AI's impact on our critical thinking skills. The conversation tackles the complexities of outsourcing cognitive tasks to technology and how this might affect our mental abilities. Additionally, the podcast dives into the UK government's controversial request for Apple to create a backdoor for iPhones. The hosts also explore Elon Musk's relationship with government funding and its implications for innovation and taxpayer risk.
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Lithium-ion Battery Fires
- Abandoned lithium-ion batteries from LA wildfires pose a unique cleanup challenge.
- Damaged batteries can ignite or explode even weeks after overheating, requiring specialized disposal by the EPA.
UK Demands iPhone Backdoor
- UK security officials secretly demanded a backdoor into Apple users' encrypted iCloud data.
- This order raises privacy concerns as it grants the UK government access to any user's data, regardless of location.
Webb Telescope Images
- The James Webb Space Telescope captured stunning images of a new star forming.
- These images provide insights into the environments where planets are born and offer a glimpse back in time.