National Geographic | THE COMPASS

National Geographic

THE COMPASS

This week, we explore the world of technology. Learn why you might find AI creepy, discover the new technology that could help cool people down without using electricity, and find out if it's possible to delay death with tech. Plus, top stories you may have missed.

The head of a partially assembled robot; its face appearing eerily life-like.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MAX AGUILERA-HELLWEG, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

The uncanny valley, explained: Why you might find AI creepy

Even if we can’t “see them”, programs like ChatGPT's ability to emote like a human gives some people an eerie feeling. Scientists have a few theories on why this phenomenon happens.

THE UNCANNY VALLEY PHENOMENON

An infrared map image showing a cool blue panel and the yellow and orange hot sidewalks with a red and orange medium hot building in the background.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JYOTIRMOY MANDAL

This new technology could help cool people down—without electricity

As climate change brings more extreme heat, air conditioning use is going to skyrocket, baking the planet even more. What if there were a way to cool without making warming worse?

A BETTER WAY TO COOL

GOOD READS

1.

Feeling nostalgic? Your brain is hardwired to crave it.

2.

Why do colleges have legacy admissions? It started as a way to keep out Jews.

3.

Barbie’s signature pink may be Earth’s oldest color. Here’s how it took over the world.

4.

What you need to know about copperhead snake bites

Queen Elizabeth II seen on a television screen as she concludes her annual Christmas Day broadcast on December 25, 1957.

PHOTOGRAPH BY PA IMAGES/GETTY

How Queen Elizabeth embraced new technologies during her reign

Television, space exploration, and even Zoom—the British monarch was an eager advocate for these advancements and more over her 70-year rule.

A STAUNCH SUPPORTER OF SCIENCE AND TECH

AI MAY SOON BE ABLE TO PASS THE FAMED TEST USED TO HELP DISTINGUISH COMPUTERS FROM HUMANS. THE TEST IS NAMED AFTER WHICH OF THESE MATHEMATICIANS?

A. BENOIT MANDELBROT
B. ALAN TURING
C. BERTRAND RUSSELL

CLICK TO SEE IF YOU'RE RIGHT!

Illustration of torso with heart, arteries and veins illustrated.

ILLUSTRATION VIA PIXOLOGICSTUDIO, SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Can we delay death with tech? These advances hold promise.

3D-printed organs. Handheld ultrasounds. Nanobots that crawl your blood vessels to destroy plaque. This is the not-so-distant future of medicine.

NEW TECH TO HELP US LIVE LONGER

A view of Mulafossur Waterfall along the cliffs of the Faroe Islands.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARTIN EDSTROM, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

AI can help you plan your next trip—if you know how to ask.

Experts weigh in on the best ways to use tools like ChatGPT for travel—and how to avoid being duped by AI “hallucinations.”

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Heat waves worldwide are becoming more frequent and are lasting longer, yet many people brush off the dangers. Here’s how extreme heat affects us—and can kill you. +

HEAT STROKE IS REAL

Archaeologists found evidence of human-shark interaction for more than 3,500 years in Peru, including ceremonial shark burials. Why did these shark hunters bury their dead with extra limbs? +

SACRAFICES TO THE SHARKS

2023 may be the worst tick season ever. Here’s how to protect yourself. Here are some tips to keep them away, what to do if you find a tick on you, how to identify a tick bite, and more. +

PROTECT YOURSELF

WHAT WILL WE EXPLORE NEXT?

Be sure to check your inbox next week to find out.

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