Uncovering the Alt-Right: A History and Analysis
The controversy of the 2016 presidential election has continued to dominate America’s public forum long after the inauguration in January. Among the many interesting byproducts of Trump’s candidacy and surprise victory is the now widely talked about “alternative right,” or “alt-right,” the generally young, meme-loving...
Michio Kaku is at Home in the Future
When Michio Kaku was in fourth grade, he happened upon a riddle. Not one of the monumental queries that would consume his later life. No, this one was simple. Leafing through a pamphlet, a young Kaku saw the question, “What do physicists and baseball players have in common?” Curious, he turned the page to read the answer: “They...
Global Running Day Interview: Crossing the Canyon with Rob Krar
Rob Krar has won some of the most prestigious 100-mile races in the world. He was twice voted Ultra Runner of the Year (2013 & 2014) and holds the Fastest Known Time for both the single and double crossing of the Grand Canyon. Also, he’s got a hell of a beard. The North Face athlete talked with us recently so we could hear what...
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Of Crowdfunded Video Games
Crowdfunding has given us plenty of interesting projects. Everything from the Pebble smartwatch to the popular board game Exploding Kittens originated on crowdfunding websites such as Kickstarter. And then there was the guy that raised $55,000 to make potato salad. What a time to be alive. However, crowdfunding campaigns have also...
Pluto FTW
Have you ever broken up with someone only to later realize they were much cooler than you thought? That’s basically what’s going on with Pluto. To the dismay of everyone who dutifully learned the pneumonic device My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Ninety-Nine Pizzas in elementary school, the “P” i n Pizza, Pluto, was...
Stojo Pocket Cup Review
I’m the kind of person that’s on the go a lot. Not for any particular reason, as I don’t really have anywhere to go most of the time. But that’s not the point. Wherever I go, I also enjoy taking around a nice cup of coffee. Although that’s just because of a severe caffeine addiction and a refusal to maintain a proper...
Improving Smart Home Security
Without even darkening the doorway, someone has burglarized your home. And there were no broken windows, no crowbars, no ski masks or vinyl gloves – just a hacker with a digital key to, say, your fancy new thermostat, toaster, or TV. So-called smart technology might be making individual home appliances more connected, but it’s...
The Problems with Smart Home Security
The Problems with Smart Home Security are complicated. Without even darkening the doorway, someone has burglarized your home. And there were no broken windows, no crowbars, no ski masks or vinyl gloves – just a hacker with a digital key to, say, your fancy new thermostat, toaster, or TV. So-called smart technology might be making...
Interview with Science Writer Leonard David
Innovation & Tech Today: What do we know about Mars so far? LD: Finding out about Mars has really turned out to be, I guess in a way, a “get to know me” planet. It’s on the other end of a lot of rovers, and probes, and fly-bys, and orbiters, and the amount of information we have now is pretty impressive, and even this...
How I Got Duped By A 2015 April Fools' Product
One of my responsibilities with Innovation & Tech Today is to help obtain cool new products to review. And, while I’ve seen a lot of awesome stuff in my hunt for products, I’ve also seen some pretty strange things that people apparently buy. But today, let’s focus on something I saw that seemed too crazy to be true...and...
Our canine companions really understand us
Man's best friend has helped out his human scientists pals yet again -- this time with research that confirms dogs' ability to process speech. The study, which will be released in Science on September 2, shows that dogs can understand both the meaning and tone of the words humans speak. Dr. Attila Andics led the study...
Interview: Bill McKibben on Pipelines and the War for the World
Perhaps one of the most influential thinkers in the sustainability movement, Bill McKibben has a knack for converting ideology into action. After his seminal book The End of Nature was published in 1989 (appearing in 24 languages to date), McKibben became the leading figure for a number of high-profile green missions – with 350.org and...
Is Your Automated Home at Risk Because of Computer Viruses?
The dream of home automation has become reality in the past several years. “Smart” thermostats, security systems, and lighting are just a few of the innovations available today. However, as convenient as all of these products are, they also represent an enormous security risk. Hackers can infiltrate your smart home via the devices...
Video Interview with Hip Hop Superstar Akon
One of the things that sets CES apart from other trade shows (and, man, is there a ruck of them) is its unique celebrity draw. You duck into a restroom for a quick break and, wait a minute: Is that Mark Cuban? Sure enough. During CES, we met a myriad of public personalities with deep connections to the tech business world (we also met...
Highlights from 50 years of CES
Back before 1967, the primary place to exhibit new consumer electronics (like the first handheld calculator) was actually the Chicago Music Show. In 1967, however, things changed, and the very first Consumer Electronics Show was held in New York City as an offshoot of the Chicago Music Show. Despite its infancy, the show attracted...
Innovation & Tech Today Scavenger Hunt (Sponsored by Autoliv)
Innovation & Tech Today has been attending CES for several years now, and in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the show, Innovation & Tech Today is hosting our 1st Annual Scavenger Hunt with over $2,500 in prizes! If you're at #CES2017, you don't want to miss out on this fun way to see some of the best that CES has to...
Exciting Expectations For #CES2017
There’s plenty of enthusiasm for this year’s CES, and for good reason. With the conference celebrating its 50th year, we get to look back at how much technology has changed in half a century as well as appreciate the nostalgia of past events. However, it’s also a time to look forward at what the future of tech has in store for us....
Journalist's Survival Guide To CES
CES 2017 is officially getting ready to kick off, and there will be no shortage of news, interviews, and interesting new technology to report on. However, this isn’t an event for an unprepared journalist. You need to be ready for anything, you’ve got to plan accordingly, and you’ll need some comfy shoes. That last one will make...
Here's What's Changed Since the Early Days of CES
The Consumer Electronics Show is approaching its 50th anniversary, and, to celebrate, we're showcasing how this spectacular event has revolutionized the tech world over the years in the gallery below. Time for a CES nostalgia binge! Make sure to keep up with I&T Today as we update you on all of the latest tech to be released...
Automated Restaurants: The Weird Future Of Smart Food Service
Fast food has long retained its name for a reason - it’s pretty much the quickest way you can get a meal. Even if McDonald’s all day breakfast threw a bit of a monkey wrench in that. (Was it worth it, McMuffin addicts?) However, companies are now looking to cut out a little extra time as well as eliminate the need for human...
The Problem With Facebook Live Audio
Ever determined to be more than just a place to scroll past baby photos, Facebook is continuing to expand itself with Facebook Live Audio, part of their new Live 360 platform. The service, which features live streaming similar to Facebook Live but purely focusing on audio, looks to be the future (as well as competition) of podcasting and...
Oscar Nominated Director Morten Tydlum Talks Sci-Fi and Passengers
I sat down with Academy Award nominated director Morten Tydlum for a wide ranging interview about his new film Passengers. We discussed the chemistry between stars Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence, CGI vs. practical effects, and the Sci-fi films and writers who have influenced him the most. Passengers is currently in wide release...
Exclusive Interview with Jon Spaihts, the Writer of Prometheus and Passengers
I sat down with Jon Spaihts, the writer of hit films Prometheus, the Marvel movie Dr. Strange, and his new sci-fi epic Passengers, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt. He told me about the struggle of getting the film made, the challenge of writing movies that are part of a larger cinematic universe and the sci-fi writers...
Dan Carlin Talks Hardcore History
The podcast has forever disrupted traditional radio and how people get information in general. Perusing iTunes leads one to the conclusion that there is a podcast for every conceivable genre, interest, or hobby. From knitting to the Austrian School Of Economics, you can find a podcast to explore any subject you’re interested in, and...
3 Trends To Watch For In VR Gaming
The arrival of virtual reality headsets in 2016 has defined much of the year in gaming. Toward the beginning of the year we previewed the rise of these powerful and fascinating new tools for entertainment, warning you all that the headsets were coming. Now, several months later, they're here in all their glory. From Google...
Is Smart Tech Making Us Dumb?
Is smart tech making us dumb? Many seem to think so; yet, whenever this view is expressed publicly, smart tech critics tend to sound like Luddites, anti-millennials, or the “get off my lawn” variety of grandparent. Chances are you’ve probably heard someone recently grumble about “people and their phones these days…” They...
Feathered dinosaur tail discovered in amber
If you're like me, you like your dinosaurs with scales (à la like in Jurassic Park). Despite their portrayal in popular culture, though, I'm sure most of us have heard that, in all likelihood, at least some dinosaurs had feathers; a theory that also follows the long-standing hypothesis that they're ancient ancestors to modern...
The Rise And Fall Of Pokémon Go
July of 2016 already seems like ages ago. The sun was shining, the Chicago Cubs had an empty trophy case, and everyone was walking around looking at their phones. OK, everyone still does that, just not to catch Pokémon anymore. The ultra popular app Pokémon Go had swept the nation, and absolutely everybody was into it. Everyone from...
Social Media Brownie Points
We need to have a conversation about the endless political/social commentary petitions that fill our social media feeds. Enough is enough. We get it. You care deeply about , but the problem is that subjecting the rest of us to your thoughts about said issue is becoming rather tedious. Climate Change. Obama. Trump. Gun Control. Racism. We...
Confronting the Expanding Virtual Caliphate
ISIS is using social media and the Internet to garner unprecedented numbers of Western-based supporters. The alarming trend has everyone from the White House to private non-profit groups across the country scrambling for ways to counter the terror group’s messaging. Terror attacks in Nice, Orlando, San Diego, Paris, and Brussels are...
