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Biden to nominate tech antitrust pioneer Lina Khan for FTC commissioner

President Joe Biden has announced his intent to nominate Lina Khan, a legal scholar and leading voice in the growing tech antitrust movement, to serve as a commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission. The pick signals that the Biden administration is preparing to take on some of the tech industry’s most powerful and influential companies…. Read more

Grassroots online efforts are forming a new queer network of care

Almost exactly one year ago, Theo Hendrie thought he might have to drop out of school. His partner had lost his job, and they were struggling to pay bills and make ends meet. He worried that X Marks The Spot, his newly released anthology, might be the only creative project that he’d ever be able… Read more

FedEx will spend $2 billion to become carbon neutral by 2040

FedEx will spend $2 billion in “initial investments” to become carbon neutral by 2040, the company announced today. The move comes as many of the world’s biggest automakers are also pledging to phase out carbon-emitting vehicles within the next several decades. FedEx claims it is the largest cargo airline in the world, with more than… Read more

Long COVID patients say they feel better after getting vaccinated

Someone gets their COVID-19 vaccine at a site in Los Angeles specifically for teachers. The shots might help people with chronic symptoms Daniel Griffin wasn’t sure what to expect when his patients with chronic COVID-19 symptoms started getting vaccinated. There was some concern that the shots might make things worse by triggering the immune system. Luckily,… Read more

Scientists want to know if vaccinated people can still become COVID-19 long-haulers

Data from multiple COVID-19 vaccines makes it clear that the shots protect against the most severe outcomes of the disease: hospitalization and death. But it’s still unclear how well the vaccines will reduce the risk of chronic, long-term symptoms, which a small but significant number of COVID-19 patients experience. “It’s an incredibly important question that… Read more

Citizen Score: China's social credit system no longer on target

China’s social credit system, which was officially announced seven years ago, including a citizen rating in the form of a “Citizen Score”, has been delayed. According to the plan of the central government in Beijing, the “Schufa on anabolic steroids”, which in the West is an essential piece of the puzzle in the Chinese surveillance… Read more

Finally, a doorbell for the pandemic era

Alarm.com has announced a new device for anyone worried about visitors catching COVID-19 from, of all things, their doorbell. Rather than using a button, the Touchless Video Doorbell is designed to chime when its camera detects visitors standing on your doormat. Alarm.com claims this is the “first commercially available video doorbell that rings without requiring… Read more

Updated analysis shows Pfizer vaccine is 95 percent effective

Pfizer and BioNTech said on Wednesday that an updated analysis of the phase 3 clinical trial for their COVID-19 vaccine shows that it is 95 percent effective. They plan to file for authorization with the Food and Drug Administration “within days.” In a press release, the companies said that there were 170 cases of COVID-19… Read more

The highlights at Netflix, Disney + and Amazon Prime Video in November 2020

American Horror Story: 1984 is the 9th season of the horror series that is well worth seeing. In the eponymous year, the protagonist Brooke and her friends from the gym make their way to Camp Redwood, where they want to try their hand at being a supervisor. On the way to the remote holiday camp,… Read more

The X-Files of Astronomy: KIC 8462852 – by large and small divers

Thanks to ever better technology, innovative approaches and international cooperation, astronomy is flourishing. But while many observations help to refine or sort out theories, there are always discoveries that just don’t seem to fit. Mysterious signals, alleged violations of the laws of nature and – as yet – phenomena that cannot be explained. The public… Read more