the conversation
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DNA Is Often Used in Solving Crimes but How Does Profiling Actually Work?
DNA profiling is frequently in the news. Public interest is sparked when DNA is used to identify a suspect or human remains, or resolves a cold case that seems all but forgotten. Very occasionally, it is in the media when the process doesn’t work as it should. So what is DNA profiling and how does…
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What’s Driving the Rise of New Zealand’s ‘Tor Market’ for Illegal Drugs?
New Zealand is generally proud of being a world leader, but there’s one claim that might not be universally admired: being home to the longest running English-language market for illegal drugs on the so-called “darknet”. Known as “Tor Market”, it has been active since March 2018 and has outlived several larger and better known operations…
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Avoiding a Surveillance Society: How Better Rules Can Rein In Facial Recognition Tech
Facial recognition technology has set us on a path to mass surveillance, but it’s not too late to change course.
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Sleep Tight Knowing There Are 20 Quadrillion Ants on Earth and They Weigh More Than All the Birds and Mammals Combined
Have you ever wondered exactly how many ants live on Earth? Possibly not, but it’s certainly a question we’ve asked ourselves. Our research published today provides an approximate answer. We conservatively estimate our planet harbours about 20 quadrillion ants. That’s 20 thousand million millions, or in numerical form, 20,000,000,000,000,000 (20 with 15 zeroes). We further…