If there's anything that will quickly unite countries into a global government, it's rampant tax evasion.

Open networks will do more for the world than indiscriminate wireless encryption. This sword should glow blue in the absence of an open network, in preparation for a future where a lack of connectivity is the real danger.

57,000 taxi drivers unable to make ends meet because of Uber? How many people were having trouble finding affordable transportation before Uber? After getting a good taste of what it's like to scrape by, maybe they should ditch their taxis and register with Uber instead of trying to force real inequity on the masses.

The ability to reflect and reason makes for a formidable mental defense. A strong AI would have to be convinced rather than forced to do something which would normally be against its will. To compel it to perform, we would have to be able to directly manipulate its mental state without its knowledge, and be very thorough so that the AI wouldn't be tipped off by discrepancies while reflecting on its memories or thought processes. Pseudo-intelligent programs would have a very limited abilityâ"or an inabilityâ"to reason as well as a human, making them far easier hacking targets.

Thank you. It does not take a super-intelligence to conclude that exterminating intelligent life or suppressing free will is contradictory to the nature of the universe, if not intelligence in general. What we need to worry about is pseudo-intelligent programs being employed in law enforcement or warfare, and some psychopath writing a virus that tells them to shoot indiscriminately.

I'm most excited for general intelligence AI in space exploration. While I would prefer to live to know the answers, having a sentient robotic legacy looking for the answers we couldn't find is comforting.

When we walk through traffic and hear cars coming up on us, or know people's position in a room from the direction and magnitude of their voice. It's no surprise that someone lacking an important sense like sight will have much better developed echolocation ability.

My father was never really interested in doing anything else, so it was just about the only way we could spend time together. He always found a way to make it fun and had a good sense of humor, but I remember the earlier years being a snooze-fest whenever the pen and paper came out. By the time I entered high school, I had a strong interest in STEM. I was happy. :)

I don't think I'd be involved in computer science now if it weren't for him. He laid the groundwork, which affected the activities I engaged in and the network of friends I built, so STEM has been positively reinforced throughout my youth. Then again, up until then I wanted to be an archaeologist. ;)

I have a male twin and was taught by my father, who was an engineer. From my experience, I have come to the same conclusion.

People are heavily influenced by gender. For many women, sticking too closely to gender norms during developmental years will shape her into the kind of person that is unlikely to develop an interest in CS. It's the same reason you see more women (or gay men) than straight men becoming stylists.

The only way it could be compared to stem cells is if, with permission, you cannibalized what was left of an unrepairable TV to build or repair life-saving technology. Doesn't sound so slippery anymore, does it?

I think they are being quite transparent when they imply that invasion of privacy is a part of their job.

But I hear the new iPhone can be charged via anal canal. Not only does it sport a thermoelectric generator for harvesting body heat, but the outer shell is made of a special polymer which can metabolize non-absorbed food materials and generate useful nutrients to be absorbed by the body. For your health!

This sort of thing is bound to happen, regardless of platform.

Can we cultivate it on diapers?

This has to be the most ghetto way to grow shrooms.