3FROM THEEDITORI have to admit, I don’t like Twitter. As someone who
works on a magazine, this feels like a bit of a
confession, since the social media site is abuzz with
journalists and editors keeping their audiences up-to-
date on the stories that matter. I want to like it and I
can see the point, but to me the medium feels broken.
The trouble is that the things that make the site great- brevity, trending hashtags and anonymity – also give rise to its
worst facets. 280 characters means that complex debates become
simplistic; trends mean that everyone has to have an opinion on
everything; and anonymity has a habit of turning people sour.
Ultimately the medium rewards those with the most polarising
views, which usually means any attempt at debate leaves people on
either side staring at a crater where the middle ground used to be.
Of course, there is a good side to Twitter. It can connect strangers
with similar interests and causes, dissolving thousands of miles in
a single click. And it’s massively empowering in the way it helps
those who can’t leave their homes connect with the world at large.
But nevertheless, it’s hard to come away from the site without
feeling angry nowadays. So the real question is – is the anger we
see on Twitter bleeding into the real world? Are we all as angry in
person as we seem to be online? Head to p54 to find out how social
media seems to push our buttons...
Daniel Bennett,EditorWANT MORE? FOLLOW SCIENCEFOCUS ON FACEBOOK TWIT TER PINTEREST INS TAGR AMON THE BBC THIS MONTH...MARKMIODOWNIK
Is biodegradable plastic a
waste of time? Materials
scientist Mark Miodownik,
one of the team behind the
Big Compost Experiment
explains why plastics aren’t
always a bad thing.-> PDR EMILY LEVESQUE
Could the Betelgeuse star
be about to explode? We
asked University of
Washington astronomer
Emily, who studies the
physics of supergiant
stars.->PDR CAMILLA PANG
Scientists are teaching
machines to learn like us.
But what can computers
teach us about ourselves?
Camilla tells us how science
helped her create a guide to
living with autism.->PCON TAC TUS
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Some animals have evolved
to look like fresh faeces. To
find out why, wildlife writer
Ben journeys into the
poo-niverse...->pWhy are
sphynx
cats hairless?
->pDangerous
Visions: Body
Horror
Developed through
the Wellcome Trust
Experimental stories
scheme, this three
part series is part of
BBC Radio 4’s
Dangerous Visions
season, and presents
radio dramas that
discuss dystopian
versions of our future.
Begins 11 March, 14:*Callsfrom landlines will cost up to 9p per minute. Calls from mobile phones will cost between 3p and 55p per minute but are included in free call packages. Lines are open 8am-6pm weekdays and 9am-1pm Saturday for orders only. If calling from overseas,
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CONTRIBUTORSComedy Club
Extra:The
Hitchhiker’s
Guide to the
Galaxyis 42
Celebrate the
phenomena that
redefined the sci fi
genre and is funny
to boot in this
five hour special.
BBC Radio 4 Extra,
8 March, from 8pmReligionin the
Digital Age
Thisfour part series
asks how technology
has changed the
practise of religion.
BBC World Service,
Sundays at 9:30am