Margaret Atwood on sex robots, social media and digital reading

Atwood’s stories defy the sci-fi tag; she prefers to call them speculative fiction. “My books build on ideas and concepts that already exist,” she says. Her new novel, The Heart Goes Last, is true to form: tapping into her signature…

Avoiding assault and slavery now we are all cyborgs

It is a bold statement, but Balkan has a point: we already extend our biological capabilities through technology every single day, although this has yet to really impact how we see ourselves in relation to technology. Perhaps that needs to…

Twitter’s new CEO is Jack Dorsey

My first knowledge that I was on the wrong trail came when I heard the yells of the pursuing savages suddenly grow fainter and fainter far off to my left. I had gone but a short distance further when what…

How Much Consciousness Does An Octopus Have?

Animals ranging from parrots to elephants continue to challenge our perception of consciousness, long-held as a uniquely human trait. But the reaches of consciousness don’t stop at animals. The ethics of consciousness, not just in humans but also animals and…

What Is Stressing These People Out?

A five-storey mesh dancer, a giant game of fire Tetris and — if rumours are to be believed — a hacked Boeing 747 are just a few of the oversized artworks on show at Burning Man (August 30 to September 7). Microsoft’s newest wearable is called…