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How Big Data Algorithms See ­s—while They Eat ­S ­p
From ACM Opinion

How Big Data Algorithms See ­s—while They Eat ­S ­p

Four years ago I interviewed Sam Yagan, then CEO of OKCupid, about the mathematics underlying his free matchmaking site.

The Adultery Arms Race
From ACM Opinion

The Adultery Arms Race

Jay's wife, Ann, was supposed to be out of town on business.

The August Smart Lock Shows Why You Should Stick With Dumb Keys
From ACM Opinion

The August Smart Lock Shows Why You Should Stick With Dumb Keys

You almost certainly don't need a digital smart lock for your front door.

Why Germans Are Afraid of Google
From ACM Opinion

Why Germans Are Afraid of Google

These days Germany is known for being many things: a leader in clean technology, a manufacturing powerhouse, Europe's foreign policy center.

Find Out What Your Zip Code Predicts You'll Buy
From ACM Opinion

Find Out What Your Zip Code Predicts You'll Buy

Where you live says a lot about you—and nobody knows that better than marketeers. Now, though, you can take a glimpse at what they know, using this searchable map...

The Myth of the Lone Genius
From ACM Opinion

The Myth of the Lone Genius

The computer and the Internet are among the most important inventions of our era, but few people know who created them.

Should We Tailor Difficulty of a School Text to Child's Comfort Level or Make Them Sweat?
From ACM Opinion

Should We Tailor Difficulty of a School Text to Child's Comfort Level or Make Them Sweat?

"A man who traveled from Liberia to visit family members in Texas tested positive for Ebola on Tuesday, marking the outbreak's first diagnosis outside of Africa...

The Planning Machine
From ACM Opinion

The Planning Machine

In June, 1972, Ángel Parra, Chile’s leading folksinger, wrote a song titled "Litany for a Computer and a Baby About to Be Born."

Your Phone Screen Just Won the Nobel Prize in Physics
From ACM Opinion

Your Phone Screen Just Won the Nobel Prize in Physics

You've probably got the fruits of this year’s Nobel laureates' handiwork in your pocket. In fact, if you're reading this on your phone or a relatively recent flat...

Can Virtual Reality Make You a Better Person?
From ACM Opinion

Can Virtual Reality Make You a Better Person?

"This is already so real, I don’t know if I even want to do this anymore," I say out loud.

The Nsa and Me
From ACM Opinion

The Nsa and Me

The tone of the answering machine message was routine, like a reminder for a dental appointment. But there was also an undercurrent of urgency.

We Want Privacy, but Can't Stop Sharing
From ACM Opinion

We Want Privacy, but Can't Stop Sharing

Imagine a world suddenly devoid of doors.

How Humans Could Inhabit the Solar System
From ACM Opinion

How Humans Could Inhabit the Solar System

With our rising planet's population competing for space and resources, some people are convinced we need to look beyond Earth to help ensure humanity's survival...

The Google Formula For Success
From ACM Careers

The Google Formula For Success

Can Google’s winning ways be applied to all kinds of businesses?

Cyborgs: The Truth About Human Augmentation
From ACM Opinion

Cyborgs: The Truth About Human Augmentation

At the height of summer, when London was baking in unseasonable heat, I made an ill-fated trip to the Serpentine lido in central London.

The Toughest Case: What If Osama Bin Laden Had an Iphone?
From ACM Opinion

The Toughest Case: What If Osama Bin Laden Had an Iphone?

In rebuking Apple and Google for their new smartphone encryption polices on Thursday, FBI Director James B. Comey became the latest law enforcement official to...

When Everything Works Like Your Cell Phone
From ACM Opinion

When Everything Works Like Your Cell Phone

Everyone understands what it means to own a plunger.

What the Inside of a Spaceship Might Really Look Like
From ACM Opinion

What the Inside of a Spaceship Might Really Look Like

The starship Enterprise has got to be one of the most beautiful fictional spacecraft ever created.

Why Is Our Sci-Fi So Glum About A.i.?
From ACM Opinion

Why Is Our Sci-Fi So Glum About A.i.?

When I was 12, I invented a superhero named Boy Genius, a guy my age who awakens one morning with access to 100 percent of his brain power.

Visualizing 4-Dimensional Asteroids
From ACM Opinion

Visualizing 4-Dimensional Asteroids

One of the largest treasure troves of astronomical data comes from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), an ongoing scan of the firmament that began 15 years ago...
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