“The Gold Rush Among the Stars: Trillionaires and Asteroid Mining” by Vinayak Kalra
“Bound by Irrationality: Pride & Prejudice” by Anagha Gopinath
“The $120K Banana: Defining Value in the Art World” by Alizeh Razvi
“When Technology Expires” by Isha Trivedi
It's inevitable that as time passes, products cease functioning; design is not stagnant and technology is ever-improving. But the desire to sell more often leads companies to create products that stop working well before their time, and it's putting a strain on the planet as well as the consumer's wallet.
Read MoreThe world of contemporary art is mysterious and at times economically inexplicable. As a result, public perception towards the art world is often plagued with assumptions of contemporary art being over-priced and even over-valued in itself. This begs the question, is this really so far from the truth?
Read MoreGiven the convoluted nature of the politics of pandemics, it is important to understand the elements that enable successful government responses in the early, middle, and late stages of the crisis. By understanding the elements that help in times of pandemic, governments can learn from COVID-19 to better prepare for inevitable future public health crises.
Read MoreWith the advent of smart devices infiltrating the home and our increasing dependency of using technology within our day to day lives, the opportunity for data collection has grown exponentially over the past decade. The nascent exploration into privacy concerns have only started to become at the forefront of discussion where, in recent years, issues have become popularized by news outlets and media. In a 2013 speech by US Federal Trade Commissioner Julie Brill, she points to the potentially insidious intentions of firms “without our knowledge or consent [to] amass large amounts of private information about people to use for purposes we don’t expect or understand.” These concerns, however, have become a lot more alarming amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read MoreThe movie theatre industry is responsible for entertaining mass audiences; however due to its outdated method of delivery in a digital age dominated by accessibility and convenience, it has experienced a drastic drop in consumer demand. The film industry is now facing an unprecedented risk in producing and investing in theatrically distributed movies. These financial risks have reshaped the content produced for mass audiences away from original storylines and towards clichéd and overdone blockbusters, while streaming services have risen as the pinnacle for original, accessible, and influential entertainment. Therefore, the shift out of the stagnant movie theatre industry and into the at-home entertainment industry is signalling a new era of movie entertainment in the digital age along with the decline of a once dominant industry.
Read MoreThe threat of climate change is not as instinctively terrifying as a global war or stock market crash, but the stakes are just as dire. While its consequences may seem far off, the 2 degree Celsius increase in global temperatures that scientists warn against will ravage regions which are currently on the brink; Pakistan, India, and the Middle Eastern Gulf already suffer deadly heat waves that can exceed 49 degrees Celsius, but if global warming continues on its current trajectory, then by 2070 those regions will be on the verge of being uninhabitable. Coupled with growing problems like food insecurity, a worsened climate will culminate in famine, mass migration, and potentially war, all of which destabilize the world. Global warming isn’t simply an inconvenience or a risk to economic growth, it is a national security crisis which will affect everyone.
Read More“Fast fashion” is a term used by fashion retailers to describe the inexpensive designs that move quickly from the catwalk to stores. It’s defining feature is that it does not have a certain look; it simply feeds of existing trends. This results in fashion retailers introducing hundreds of new products on a weekly basis. It has grown into an addiction for consumers and is slowly consuming our minds. But at what cost?
Read More18 billion dollars of Apple's revenue from China are at stake each time it has to choose between its ideals and the chance to enjoy the big bucks. When the Taiwanese flag emoji, HKmap, and Quartz disappeared from China’s keyboards and app stores, people started asking questions. Can a company stay in business if it does not adhere to the wishes of powerful foreign governments, and instead chooses to stick to its mission statement?
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