technology

For decades, therapy has been synonymous with the classic image of a client lying on a couch while a therapist scribbles notes. Fast forward to today, and this image is rapidly changing. Imagine instead opening an app and confiding in an AI chatbot—a scenario that’s becoming increasingly common as artificial…

In today’s interconnected world, the internet has brought many benefits, but it has also given rise to a disturbing phenomenon: cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is a pervasive form of harassment that occurs online through digital platforms such as social media, messaging apps, and email. It involves the use of technology to target…

When it comes to our cell phones, nothing else in our life gets as much attention. If we lose it, let it die, or can’t answer it, the stress starts to build up rapidly. Getting by without a cell phone really isn’t possible anymore—which means other areas of your life…

Q: I’ve been on Bumble and Hinge for a few months now, and I’ve matched with several people that I liked. We always talk for a while, and it seems like things are going well, until out of nowhere, they stop responding. I’m usually too embarrassed to shoot them another…

It seems like nearly everyone with a smartphone has at least one social app that they dedicate a little time to. Around 72% of us pick up our phones and tap on those familiar icons daily, but the effects of using social media don’t affect everyone with the same intensity….

You start feeling tired during the day, so you order a wearable device that tracks your sleep. The data indicates that you’re not spending long enough in your REM cycle, so you begin researching natural sleep aids. You discover an online community of amateur biologists who not only recommend avoiding…

Your shoulders are hunched and your breathing is shallow, thumb propelling you through a dismal newsfeed with expert strokes. Each headline spells disaster for another city, species, or group of people, and we sink a little deeper into the tarpit known as doomscrolling. It’s a familiar scene: Whatever you name…

You may not remember when The Human Genome Project completed its 13-year massive undertaking in 2003. The researchers involved with the project finished mapping the entire human genome sequence, which represents the full 20,000-25,000 genes that we carry in our DNA. Every trait that can be physically expressed is contained…

Buena Vista is as nice a neighborhood as you could imagine: Proper houses trimmed in white, all lined up in neat rows. It’s a labyrinth of new pavement and landscaping, baking underneath the Texas sun. Somewhere, the sounds of a lawnmower swirl together with a dog barking and a child’s…

I used to think that adults who play video games regularly were people who couldn’t face reality; man-child troglodytes who retreat into their sweaty lair in order to avoid the sun and going on dates. I’d long shoved video games into a corner of my head, adding to a mental…

A new Australian study indicates that adolescents can benefit from daily screen time, but only in limited doses: under 75 minutes for girls and under 105 minutes for boys. The researcher attributes the gender divide to a lower “active contribution” from girls during media use. Boys tend to play more…

For the seventh time this morning, I ogle at my wrist, shuffling through the features on my smartwatch until I can see my heart rate. It’s bumping along at a cool 102 bpm. I’m sweating slightly, nervously tapping my foot against the carpet. Whether it’s from this third cup of…