The massive digital platform market has until recently been dominated by a handful of US-based companies such as Facebook and Google. However, as foreign governments and competing platforms try to erode this domination, platforms are becoming a new sphere of geopolitical maneuvering. The European Union wants to gain more control over international tech companies andachievemore independence in the digital arena. India hasbanned177 Chinese apps on the grounds they are “prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India”....

How ‘gravitational waves’ will change astronomy as we know it Perfect timing — pulsars are like a celestial Ringo Starr Pulsars — cosmic lighthouses that quickly rotate with exact regularity — can send beams of energy hurtling towardEarth. These periodic signals, coming from 45 pulsars, were carefully studied by astronomers using radio telescopes. Timings of some of these signals changed over time — a possible effect of gravitational waves. The source of these gravitational waves is thought to be supermassive black holes at the cores of distant, merged galaxies....

Hearables are wireless smart micro-computers with artificial intelligence that incorporate both speakers and microphones. They fit in the ears and can connect to the internet and to other devices, and are designed to be worn daily. Some technology companies are now marketing these as “the future of hearing enhancement,” and focusing on their capacities to disrupt existing hearing aid markets. But hearables aren’thearing aids, ear plugs, headphones or headsets, although they could acquire the benefits of these devices....

Events over the past few years have revealed severalhuman rights violationsassociated with increasingadvances in artificial intelligence (AI). Algorithms created to regulate speech onlinehave censored speechranging from religious content tosexual diversity. AI systems created to monitor illegal activities have been used totrack and target human rights defenders. And algorithms have discriminated against Black people when they have been used todetect cancersorassess the flight risk of people accused of crimes. The list goes on....

Women make upthe majority of people living with mood disorders in Canada. However, treatments and resources that are adapted to their needs are still lacking. Looking for ways to feel better, many women are turning to social media platforms like Instagram. To make sense of the phenomenon called “Instagram therapy,” I interviewed more than 20 women in 2020 who use Instagram for mental health care. I found that women turn to the image-sharing platform to counter the lack of available resources....