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Fibre-optic broadband Internet access has come to East Africa by way of an undersea cable. We explore “Connected Africa,” and hear a number of viewpoints. Also, the Iraqi parliament mulls a measure that might restrict what citizens can and can’t see online. We have an interview with Stephen Dukker of NComputing, a company that wants to turn your PC into, well, 10 or 12 PCs. And we end with some software designed to detect early signs of autism in the speech patterns of children.
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Meet Winston, the 11 month old carrier pigeon who is faster than broadband Internet in South Africa. At least, that’s what one company in South Africa set out to prove. You can hear more about that in this week’s podcast. You can also take a ride on the Battambang Bamboo Railway in Cambodia, and follow along with Briton Andy Pag as he tries to circumnavigate the globe in a tricked out bio-truck. We ask you: where else can you find this kind of podcast? Wow.
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On this week’s podcast, we’re off to Linz, Austria to hear about some of the exhibits at annual Ars Electronica Festival. One you can see here at left: that’s right, turn your own urine into fertilizer. If you like that one, wait until you hear the other story from Linz…Also, we hear about the 3D re-creation of pre-war Nagasaki, Japan. And we end with a brief history of GPS drawing, brought to you by listener Brett Stalbaum.
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Any podcast that has artificial trees (pictured) in it has to be good right? We hope so. We’ve also got some other great stories. We hear from one history teacher who is exploring new ways to integrate technology into the classroom. We also talk about how your cell phone is linked to violence in Congo, and we hear from Wikipedia’s Jimmy Wales about some new editing guidelines. All that, plus an update on those Brits and their marvelous steam-powered car.
Today is the “unofficial” end of summer in the U.S. and we want you to share your summer photos. We’ve already collected over 200 entries, but we would love to share your photos too! So send them soon and don’t forget to share the stories behind them. (photo: Lot Valley, France sent in by listener Elizabeth Huntzinger)
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You want zombies? Well, we’ve got them this week. Some researchers at the University of Ottawa are using a (theoretical, mind you) zombie attack to study disease vectors. Also, botnets, the Russia and Georgia cyber-spat, and a steam powered car. Plus, a deliciously free concoction of flamenco, hip-hop and creative commons.
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On this week’s show, castle builders in France use medieval technologies and techniques to build a castle…from scratch. Also, we have an interview with Bertrand Piccard, who wants to one day fly a solar-powered plane, non-stop, around the world. And we end with one podcast listener’s amazing art project. He and his buddies use GPS and their bikes to make geo-spatial art!
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This week’s podcast features a geek’s audio tribute to John Hughes, the late director of “Weird Science.” Also, we talk about a project to make thousand mile sand dunes with the help of bacteria. And we hear about the solar suitcase, a toolbox designed to greatly improve maternal care in the developing world.
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Former president Bill Clinton’s surprise visit to North Korea appears to have won the release of two American journalists. North Korea’s news agency says Laura Ling and Euna Lee have been pardoned. They were arrested last March and convicted of violating North Korea’s border. Clinton arrived in a private plane in Pyongyang today to try to win their release. He was greeted warmly and had a meeting with North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-Il. The announcement of a special pardon from Kim himself came several hours later. >>> Click here for the latest from the BBC.
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Mangroves were once widespread throughout the world’s warm coastal areas. The maze of tangled trees along the shore are a crucial ecosystem and a buffer against erosion But over the past few decades, mangroves have been disappearing around the globe. Now there’s growing recognition of their importance, and renewed efforts to restore and preserve them. Reporter Ari Daniel Shapiro visited one such project in Indonesia. >>>Click here to see more of Ari’s photos.Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Once again, the technology podcast delves into the strange story of Gary McKinnon, the Briton accused by the US government of committing “the biggest military hack of all time.” McKinnon admits hacking (quite easily) into critical US systems in the weeks following 9/11, but that his intent was never malicious. Today, a British High Court ruling brought his extradition to the United States to stand trial one step closer.
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Finally, Technology Podcast 251 is ready for your earbuds. We have a great line-up. First, we hear about the “beatniks and little old ladies” who, quite literally, wove together the Apollo 11 computer systems 40 years ago. We’ll also take an in-depth look at the undersea fiber-optic cables that went live in East Africa, and how it might affect Internet access on the continent. And we’ll end with bamboo bicycles from Zambia.
Albinos lack pigmentation in their skin and their hair. It is for this reason alone that albinos have been the victims of mutilations and ritual crimes, especially in Africa. Human rights advocates have documented the slaughter of more than 40 albinos in Tanzania, Burundi, and Kenya. Phillip Martin reports on global efforts to show albinos in a more favorable light. (Photo by Rick Guidotti of Positive Exposure.)
Cartoonists find poignancy in the timing of the 40th anniversary of the Moon landing and the death of veteran newsman Walter Cronkite. President Obama goes in for some image polishing, North Korea’s Kim Jong-Il and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have a long-distance war of words, and rumors of doping haunt the Tour de France.
