KQED Science News Podcast
1) From MIT’s TeachLab: The Homework Machine
The Close All Tabs team is taking the week off, but we wanted to share something else we think you’ll be into: a new mini series from MIT’s TeachLab Podcast. It’s called The Homework Machine, and it d...Show More
2) Teachers Strike Back Against AI Cheating
Cheating in school isn’t new. But with AI making it easier than ever, teachers face a new challenge: where to draw the line and how to make sure students are still learning. In this episode, we’ll tak...Show More
3) Before ChatGPT, There Were 'Shadow Scholars'
Thousands of writers in Kenya make their living ghostwriting academic papers for wealthy Western students. It’s an industry known as “contract cheating” or “essay mills,” and is the subject of a new ...Show More
4) Does Gen Z Have A Staring Problem?
Have you heard of the “Gen Z stare”? It’s the blank look some Gen Zers seem to give instead of the usual greetings or small talk—and it’s the latest skirmish in a years-long generation war between Gen...Show More
5) Is Algospeak Coming for Us?
Social media creators started using words like “unalive” and “seggs” to dodge algorithmic filters that might suppress “inappropriate” content. But these workarounds aren’t staying online. They’re leak...Show More
6) Save or Scroll: ICE + Influencers, Data Hygiene on Grindr, and Labubu Desserts
In another installment of Save or Scroll, Morgan teams up with internet culture writers Daysia Tolentino and Moises Mendez II to dig into the stories they can’t stop thinking about. From people callin...Show More
7) Bonus: A Big Win for the Internet Archive
Who decides what is and isn’t a library? The Internet Archive now has federal depository status, joining a network of over 1,100 libraries that archive government documents and make them accessible to...Show More
8) OGs of Tech: A Latino Engineer in Silicon Valley
In a field obsessed with the future, sometimes it’s worth looking back. OGs of Tech is a new occasional series from Close All Tabs that looks beyond the billionaires to spotlight the often-overlooked ...Show More
9) Teens Under the Influence (of Chatbots)
Young people are increasingly turning to AI “companion chatbots” to meet their emotional needs. But a new study shows that these chatbots, which are designed to mimic real social relationships, can ca...Show More
10) How the Furry Fandom Says Goodbye
Furries are often known for wearing full-body animal suits at conventions — but the characters they inhabit, called “fursonas,” are much more than costumes. They’re deeply personal expressions of iden...Show More