The Dark Side of Social Media

    Why flash mobs aren't just for dancing anymore.

    Social media is a double-edged sword. It's a great way to stay in touch with friends and family, but it can have dramatic consequences when abused. It's instantaneous communication, but unlike talking on the phone or sending a text, statuses and updates are broadcast to hundreds - if not thousands - of people. With millions of users on Facebook and Twitter, the potential audience is huge. Look at the role social media played during the Arab Spring, when organizers and protesters disseminated information to the rest of the world via Twitter and YouTube. The various platforms of social media didn't cause the Arab Spring, but played a critical role in the communication that aided the revolution.

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    Latest Apps: A Beautiful Mess and Running with Friends

    Top apps of the week for the week of 05/13 - 05/17.

    It's Friday, and that means app review time. Here's a look a which apps are hot, which are not, and which ones just keep nagging at us -- no matter how many Facebook requests we ignore. Here's a look at the chart toppers this week in the world of apps.

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    Exploring the Depths of the "Uncanny Valley"

    Why some animated characters give us the creeps.

    The term "uncanny valley" refers to a hypothesis in the field of robotics and 3D computer animation. The theory states humans have a natural aversion to human replicas when they look and act almost like humans, but not quite. The "valley" refers to the dip in a graph of the comfort level of humans as a function of a robot's human likeness. It's the relationship between eeriness and human likeness of digitally created faces. Remember the characters in The Polar Express, and how they kind of gave you the creeps? That's the uncanny valley theory in action.

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    The Future of Driving

    Robotic cars and glow-in-the-dark roads could be the next big thing.

    Technology has revolutionized the automotive industry. Not only did it vastly change the way cars are manufactured - from being made by hand to being mass produced on assembly lines by robots - but it improved the technology inside vehicles, from sharper stereos to heated seats to better gas mileage, enhancing our overall driving experience. Technological advancements have allowed automakers to make great leaps in performance - the 2013 SRT Viper goes from 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds, topping 206 miles per hour - and now new efforts are being geared towards safety. Cars that automatically brake for you, glow-in-the-dark roads, and car platooning are just some of the latest automotive technologies being developed.

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    Space Junk Surrounds Earth

    Why we need to clean up the skies from debris.

    A virtual trash belt surrounding Earth is on the verge of reaching a tipping point that could result in hazardous consequences, according to a new study released by the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC). The international governmental organization provides a forum for global coordination of issues related to space debris. Space debris - or space junk - refers to the collection of defunct objects in orbit around the Earth. The majority of the debris comes from exploded fragments, defunct satellites, and abandoned rocket stages.

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    Survivalcraft, 8tracks, and Ellen DeGeneres' New App

    Top apps of the week for the week of 05/06-05/10

    So many apps, so little time. Feeling overwhelmed by the seemingly endless selection of apps? Well you're in luck, because another week passing means another review of the top free and paid apps. Plus we throw in some of our own favorites. Check them out below.

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