Freeman Dyson remembered by people who knew him: “an unusual visionary”
Colleagues reflect on the life and work of the renowned physicist, who died last week.
On Friday, the World Health Organization made its debut on TikTok in an effort to combat rampant disinformation about the coronavirus....
The news: The WHO launched its TikTok presence with a video on Friday about what coronavirus is, and a follow-up video on Saturday about when and how to wear a mask. By Monday, the account had garnered nearly 162,000 followers and 1.2 million likes.
The WHO doesn’t quite get it: While TikTok is known for its punchy short loop videos featuring pranks, sarcasm, and dancing, the WHO’s launch on the platform was rather stoic. In the first video, Benedetta Allegranzi, the technical lead of infection prevention and control, simply runs through basic facts about the coronavirus. It’s all very “public service announcement” in tone. The second video is plainer still, featuring some elevator music and slides detailing when and how a person should wear a face mask, with a demonstration by April Baller of the WHO Health Emergency Program.
We shouldn't mock. The WHO joining TikTok is important. As we reported last month, misinformation is rampant on social media, with videos of teens faking the coronavirus, snowballing conspiracy theories about the source and spread of the virus, and general racism and xenophobia. That’s made it tough for people to figure out what’s reliable and true. An attempt to reach teens on the dominant video platform makes sense.
What else? Searching for coronavirus-adjacent terms on TikTok leads to a banner page titled “Prevent coronavirus: Learn the facts about coronavirus,” with credible links to more information organized by country.
The 10 Breakthrough Technologies for 2020
Our annual list of technologies that will have a major impact on the world.
01.
We’re not prepared for the end of Moore’s Law
It has fueled prosperity of the last 50 years. But the end is now in sight.
02.
Inside the race to build the best quantum computer on Earth
IBM thinks quantum supremacy is not the milestone we should care about.
03.
If DNA is like software, can we just fix the code?
In a race to cure his daughter, a Google programmer enters the world of hyper-personalized drugs.
04.
An elegy for cash: the technology we might never replace
Cash is gradually dying out. Will we ever have a digital alternative that offers the same mix of convenience and freedom?
05.
How satellite mega-constellations will change the way we use space
And wherever humans go, they’ll be taking satellite constellations with them to moon and Mars.
06.
Five forces that will shape the future
These are the big trends of the coming decades that need to be considered for any new technologies to be successful.
Advertisement