This episode contains: Steven is by himself this episode, no co-host in sight. Stay tuned to the second half, because we have an interview with MJ Taylor the PhD. Devon should be back next week, and we’ll be sure to grill him on what it’s like becoming a father.
Walking on Sunshine: Wearable actuators in the form of PVC gel and electrodes are here! Wearable devices are being tested to help with people who need such assistance. Artificial muscles in the form of PVC gel with mesh electrodes can be strapped to people who need assistance. We also talk about battery restrictions and how more efficient forms of power will vastly improve this sort of technology.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180110101016.htm
Told Ya So: Guess what? Still no link between violent video games and behavior. New studies have been done to see if violent video games “prime” us for violent behavior. It turns out that they don’t. At all. Steven then talks about how with every video game enhancement out there, a new study has to be done to refute the violence claim. VR is next.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180116131317.htm
More Black Mirror and Ursula K Le Guin: MJ Taylor is back! We talk about more Black Mirror stuff and about Ursula K. Le Guin, who was a pioneer in scifi and has recently passed away. We thought we were clever last week, but after a bit of research, it turns out that there are way more Black Mirror connections between episodes than we thought. MJ Taylor talks to us about the writings of Ursula K Le Guin, specifically “The Left Hand of Darkness”, “The Dispossessed” and “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas”.