Category: Science

The Human Face of Big Data

Big data gets its own book: 

Rick Smolan, the man behind the “Day in the Life” books, dispatches an army of photographers and researchers to capture how data is changing the world. 

During the first day of a baby’s life, the data generated by humanity is 70 times the information contained in the Library of Congress.
(Credit: Catherine Balet; from “The Human Face of Big Data.”)
Russel John has spent almost twenty years helping in the search for life on other planets. He uses his computer to plug himself into a network of enthusiasts that participate in this hunt. Dhaka. Bangladesh. ? Shahidul Alam/Drik/Majority World

Big data, one of tech’s biggest buzz phrases of the moment, is about to get its own book. Fittingly, a really big, 7.5-pound book. Continue reading “The Human Face of Big Data”

1001 Inventions

The Enduring Legacy of Muslim Civilisation

The recent attacks on Buddhist monasteries in Ramu and the earlier torching of Hindu temples in Hathazari leave us devastated. The rage worldwide surrounding the production of the film “Innocence of Muslims” and the indisputable fact that Islamophobia is on the rise is no less a matter of concern. Salma had insisted that I peep into the exhibition ‘1001 Inventions’ while in Washington D.C. for the “All Roads” board meeting at the National Geographic Society. It was sobering to look at the role Islam has played in what was otherwise known as the ‘Dark Ages’. Since youtube is still blocked by our far-from-able gatekeepers, I’ve uploaded the video on vimeo. If only a fraction of our investment in technology, and in particular on war machines, was spent in teaching our children to become better human beings…

“1001 Inventions” The Enduring Legacy of Muslim Civilisation from Shahidul Alam on Vimeo.
Continue reading “1001 Inventions”