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Sustainability Times
15-07-2025
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'Aliens Could Already Live There': Scientists Uncover Deep-Sea Volcano Secrets That Mirror Europa's Hidden Ocean Environment
IN A NUTSHELL 🌊 Scientists use Earth's hydrothermal vents as a model to study potential life on Jupiter's moon Europa . as a model to study potential life on Jupiter's moon . 🔬 Dr. James Holden leads research at the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a $621,000 NASA grant . . 🚀 The Europa Clipper mission aims to assess the habitability of Europa's subsurface ocean by 2030. aims to assess the habitability of Europa's subsurface ocean by 2030. 🔍 Research on Earth's extreme environments helps predict the nature of microbial life beyond our planet. Earth, our vibrant blue planet, often serves as a natural laboratory for planetary science and space exploration. Here, scientists like Dr. James Holden are on a quest to unveil the mysteries of life beyond our world. Armed with a $621,000 grant from NASA, Holden and his team at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are delving deep beneath our oceans, studying hydrothermal microbes that thrive in extreme environments. Their mission is to understand how life might exist on Europa, one of Jupiter's icy moons. As we explore these deep-sea volcanoes, we inch closer to answering one of humanity's most profound questions: Are we alone in the universe? Hydrothermal Vents The search for extraterrestrial life often conjures images of distant galaxies and advanced civilizations. However, scientists now hypothesize that life within our solar system, particularly on moons like Europa, may be microbial. Beneath Europa's icy crust, a salty ocean interacts with a hot molten core, creating an environment ripe for life. NASA's Europa Clipper mission aims to determine Europa's habitability, a question that Holden and his team are complementing with their research on Earth's hydrothermal vents. These vents, sources of chemical energy and heat, might mirror conditions on Europa, providing the necessary ingredients for life to flourish. Hydrothermal vents on Earth, where life might have originated, offer a glimpse into the potential ecosystems on icy moons. By studying these vents, Holden hopes to predict the nature of Europan life. His extensive research involves deep-sea expeditions, where submarines, both manned and robotic, descend miles below the ocean's surface to collect microbial samples. Through this work, Holden aims to uncover the secrets hidden within our planet's most extreme environments, paving the way for discoveries on icy ocean worlds beyond Earth. 'These Alien Oceans Are the Ultimate Game-Changer': NASA's Habitable Worlds Observatory Poised to Expose Extraterrestrial Seas That Could Redefine All Life Identifying Microbial Life Dr. Holden's work goes beyond studying existing microbes in the ocean's depths. In his lab, he recreates the lightless, oxygen-less conditions of hydrothermal vents to understand the resilience and adaptability of these organisms. The microbes found here derive energy from gases and minerals released from Earth's interior, a process Holden suspects might parallel potential life processes on Europa. While Europan life forms may not be exact replicas of Earth's microbes, they could share similar survival strategies. On Earth, hydrothermal microbes utilize hydrogenases, specialized enzymes, to break down hydrogen for energy. However, on Europa, the chemical interactions might differ, with elements like iron, sulfur, and carbon playing pivotal roles. Through his research, Holden aims to map these chemical processes and understand their contributions to an organism's physiology. As the Europa Clipper approaches its 2030 arrival at the Jupiter system, Holden's work remains crucial in setting the stage for groundbreaking discoveries about life beyond Earth. 'These Hidden Passages Change Everything': Stunned Archaeologists Unveil Secret Corridor Inside Egypt's Great Pyramid of Giza, Shaking History to Its Core Europa Clipper Mission The Europa Clipper spacecraft, a cornerstone of NASA's astrobiology program, is designed to explore the subsurface ocean of Jupiter's moon Europa. Scheduled to reach the Jovian system in 2030, this mission aims to assess the moon's habitability by studying its ice shell, subsurface ocean, and the potential for hydrothermal activity. The data collected could be instrumental in confirming the presence of life-supporting environments beyond Earth. Holden's research complements this mission by providing insights from Earth's own extreme environments. By drawing parallels between our planet's deep-sea vents and Europa's potential hydrothermal sites, his work helps scientists predict the kinds of life forms that might exist on the icy moon. The collaboration between groundbreaking terrestrial research and cutting-edge space missions underscores the interconnected nature of scientific exploration and the pursuit of knowledge about our place in the cosmos. '$100 Million Vanished and Nothing Flew': DARPA's Canceled Liberty Lifter Seaplane Leaves Behind a Trail of Broken Dreams and Game-Changing Tech Earth as a Planetary Analogue Earth is a treasure trove of environments that serve as analogues for other celestial bodies. Scientists identify these 'analogue sites' to study conditions similar to those found on planets and moons across the solar system. From the arid deserts resembling Mars to the icy terrains akin to Europa, Earth offers a diverse range of landscapes that provide insights into extraterrestrial environments. Holden's work exemplifies this approach, utilizing Earth's hydrothermal vents as a model to understand potential life on Europa. By studying the unique ecosystems at these sites, researchers can make informed predictions about the kinds of life that might exist in similar conditions elsewhere. This method of using Earth as a planetary analogue not only advances our understanding of alien life but also enriches our appreciation of the complex, interwoven systems that sustain life on our own planet. As we deepen our exploration of Earth's oceans and embark on ambitious missions to distant moons, the quest for extraterrestrial life continues to captivate scientists and the public alike. Through the lens of cutting-edge research and space exploration, we are beginning to piece together the puzzle of life beyond Earth. But with so much yet to discover, one question remains: What other secrets does the universe hold, waiting to be uncovered? This article is based on verified sources and supported by editorial technologies. Did you like it? 4.4/5 (25)
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
13 Phrases Selfish People Use To Manipulate You Into Getting What They Want
Navigating relationships is a tricky business, especially when you're up against someone who's mastered the art of manipulation. Selfish people often resort to crafty phrases to get what they want, leaving you feeling exploited or confused. Recognizing these manipulative tactics is a crucial step in protecting your own interests and maintaining healthy boundaries. Here are 13 phrases selfish people commonly use to manipulate others, and how you can spot them. This phrase is a classic guilt trip designed to make you question your affection and loyalty. It's a powerful form of emotional blackmail that manipulative people use to bend your will to theirs. They're leveraging your feelings against you, hoping you'll cave in to prove your love or commitment. According to Dr. Susan Krauss Whitbourne, a professor of psychological and brain sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, guilt trips are a common tactic in manipulative relationships because they exploit emotional vulnerabilities. Remember, love and loyalty are not proven through coercion but through mutual respect and understanding. When someone uses this phrase, they're essentially laying a trap for your emotional integrity. They want you to sacrifice your own needs to satisfy theirs under the guise of love. It's crucial to recognize that love doesn't require you to compromise your values or boundaries. Responding with clarity, such as 'I care about you, but I also need to honor my own values,' can help defuse the manipulation. Stand firm in your convictions, and don't let guilt be the basis of your decisions. This phrase is a tactic to make you doubt your own perceptions and instincts. By labeling you as paranoid, the manipulator shifts focus away from their questionable actions and onto your supposed overreaction. It's a subtle form of gaslighting, where they aim to undermine your confidence in your judgment. Instead of addressing the concerns you've raised, they dismiss them as irrational or exaggerated. This can leave you feeling isolated and unsure of your own thoughts and feelings. Being called paranoid can make you question your sanity, but it's important to trust your intuition. If something feels off, it probably is, and dismissing your concerns only benefits the manipulator. To counter this, calmly express why you feel the way you do and provide concrete examples that can help ground the conversation in reality. Reaffirm your right to express your feelings and insist on a conversation that respects both parties' perspectives. If they continue to dismiss you, it might be a sign to reevaluate the relationship. This phrase is designed to isolate you by suggesting that you're out of sync with the majority. By implying widespread agreement, the manipulator pressures you to conform to what they claim is the collective opinion. It taps into the human desire to belong and the fear of being the odd one out. Dr. Robert Cialdini, an expert in the field of influence and persuasion, highlights how social proof can be a powerful motivator in his book "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion." Manipulative people exploit this principle to create a false consensus. When you hear this, it's essential to pause and question the validity of the claim. Ask for specifics—who exactly agrees, and what did they say? This often reveals the bluff, as manipulators typically lack concrete details to back up their sweeping statements. It's important to trust your own judgment and not be swayed by purported opinions without evidence. Engaging in open dialogue can help you discern genuine consensus from manipulative fabrication. Labeling your reactions as overreactions is a tactic to minimize your feelings and experiences. By doing this, the manipulator deflects responsibility and shifts the blame onto your emotional response. It's an attempt to make you feel that your emotions are irrational or unwarranted. This phrase can make you second-guess your valid feelings, discouraging open and honest communication. Over time, this can lead to emotional suppression as you start doubting your own experiences. When confronted with this phrase, it's important to stay rooted in your reality. Your feelings are valid, and acknowledging them is the first step toward addressing any underlying issues. Communicate how their actions have impacted you and why you feel the way you do. By doing so, you reaffirm your right to your emotions and encourage a more respectful conversation. Remember, a healthy relationship allows space for all emotions, not just the convenient ones. This phrase is a hallmark of gaslighting, where the manipulator denies their previous statements to create confusion. It's an attempt to make you question your memory and undermine your confidence in recalling events accurately. When someone repeatedly claims, "I never said that," they aim to exhaust you into submission. Dr. Robin Stern, author of "The Gaslight Effect," explains how gaslighting can erode your trust in your perceptions and lead to self-doubt. Persistent denial of reality is a red flag that your partner is manipulating the truth. If this phrase comes up, it's crucial to maintain your grasp on reality. Documenting conversations can be a practical step in countering this manipulation. Gently remind the person of your recollection and ask them to clarify their stance. This can help bring the conversation back to a factual basis and reduce the manipulator's ability to distort the truth. Trust your memory and don't be swayed into doubting your own senses. This phrase is frequently used to backpedal from an offensive or hurtful comment. It allows the manipulator to dismiss any repercussions under the guise of humor. By claiming they're only joking, they deflect accountability and turn the tables on you for being too sensitive. It's a slippery way to invalidate your feelings while escaping responsibility. While humor can be a healthy part of relationships, it shouldn't be used as a cover for disrespect. When someone uses this line, it's important to address the underlying issue. Explain how their comment made you feel and why it wasn't acceptable. Setting boundaries about what kind of humor is appropriate can help prevent future occurrences. If they continue to use this phrase as a shield, it might be time to question their respect for your feelings. Healthy relationships thrive on open communication, not on hiding behind insincere jokes. Calling you insecure is a manipulative tactic to divert attention from their behavior and place the focus on your supposed shortcomings. It's designed to make you doubt your self-worth and question your reactions. Dr. Jennifer Freed, a family psychologist, notes that labeling someone as insecure can be a way to silence them and avoid addressing the real issues at hand. This phrase is an attempt to pathologize your legitimate concerns, making you feel like the problem lies with you. If you encounter this manipulative phrase, it's crucial to stand your ground. Recognize that questioning certain behaviors or situations doesn't make you insecure; it makes you self-aware. Validate your feelings and express why you're addressing the issue. By doing so, you can shift the conversation back to the actual problem instead of being sidetracked by attacks on your character. Trust in your value and don't allow dismissive remarks to undermine your confidence. This ominous phrase is a direct threat meant to instill fear and uncertainty. It's a way for manipulators to exert control by suggesting dire consequences for not complying with their wishes. The implied punishment is designed to make you second-guess your choices and reconsider your stance. By painting a picture of looming regret, they aim to sway your decision-making process. This tactic exploits the natural human aversion to loss and negative outcomes. When faced with such a phrase, take a moment to assess the situation objectively. Consider whether the threat holds any real weight or is simply an attempt to manipulate your emotions. Engaging in a calm and rational discussion about potential consequences can help you determine the best course of action. Remember, decisions based on fear are rarely in your best interest. Trust your judgment and prioritize your well-being over succumbing to intimidation. The insinuation that you're indebted to someone is a manipulation of the principle of reciprocity. By claiming you owe them, the manipulator seeks to leverage your sense of obligation to their advantage. This phrase is often used to extract favors or compliance by invoking past deeds or sacrifices. However, genuine relationships aren't transactional and shouldn't be governed by a tit-for-tat mentality. The manipulative use of this phrase is meant to make you feel guilty and beholden. In such situations, reflect on whether the supposed debt is legitimate or simply being exaggerated. Healthy relationships are built on mutual respect and voluntary acts of kindness, not on coercion. It's important to communicate your perspective and assert your autonomy. If you feel pressured, it might be time to reconsider the balance of give-and-take in the relationship. Stand firm in your belief that you're not obligated to repay perceived debts under duress. This dramatic declaration is often a form of emotional manipulation designed to create a sense of responsibility for their well-being. By suggesting they can't survive without you, the manipulator places the onus on you to stay, regardless of your own needs or desires. It's a way to guilt-trip you into maintaining a connection that might not be in your best interest. While the sentiment may seem romantic, it can mask an unhealthy dependency. Love thrives on interdependence, not co-dependence. When confronted with this phrase, it's important to assess the dynamics of the relationship. Is it fostering mutual growth and happiness, or is it rooted in one-sided dependence? Encourage open dialogue about boundaries and individual fulfillment. Emphasize the importance of personal growth alongside shared experiences. A relationship should enhance your life, not become a burden or a responsibility you feel obligated to bear. This phrase is meant to provoke a defensive reaction by lumping you with past grievances. It's a way for the manipulator to deflect current issues by implying a pattern of disappointing behavior. By generalizing your actions, they avoid addressing the specifics of the situation and instead focus on your supposed shortcomings. The goal is to make you feel inadequate and guilty for not meeting their expectations. This tactic often plays on your desire to stand out and not repeat past mistakes. In these situations, it's crucial to focus on the present issue rather than getting drawn into past comparisons. Encourage specific feedback on the current concern rather than broad generalizations. By dissecting the issue at hand, you can have a more productive conversation that addresses both parties' needs. Stand firm in your individuality and resist being painted with a broad brush. Healthy relationships focus on present dynamics, not past baggage. Blaming you for their actions is a classic manipulation tactic to shirk responsibility. By claiming their behavior is a reaction to yours, they attempt to absolve themselves of accountability. This phrase is designed to make you question your actions and assume unwarranted guilt. It's a diversion from their behavior, putting the spotlight on your supposed failings. Such reasoning can erode your confidence and make you feel unjustly responsible for their choices. When faced with this accusation, it's important to separate their actions from your own. Each person is responsible for their behavior and the consequences thereof. Encourage accountability by discussing how both parties can contribute to a healthier dynamic. By focusing on mutual responsibility, you can foster a more balanced and equitable relationship. Don't let misplaced blame cloud your judgment or self-esteem. This phrase is often used to downplay your concerns and make you feel like a burden. By suggesting you're the source of difficulty, the manipulator deflects from their own unwillingness to engage in meaningful resolution. It's a way to pressure you into compliance by insinuating you're complicating matters needlessly. This tactic can make you question the validity of your concerns and discourage open dialogue. However, addressing issues and seeking solutions is a sign of strength, not unnecessary complexity. When you hear this phrase, it's important to reaffirm the legitimacy of your perspective. Acknowledge that resolving conflicts and addressing concerns requires effort from both parties. Emphasize the value of constructive communication and the benefits it brings to the relationship. Stand by your right to express your needs, even if it demands more effort from both sides. Relationships thrive on mutual effort and understanding, not on dismissing valid concerns as mere difficulties.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
UMass student and House intern dies in Washington, DC shooting
A 21-year-old congressional intern was killed Monday night in what police believe was a targeted shooting that claimed an unintended victim in Northwest Washington, D.C. Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, of Granby, Massachusetts, died Tuesday after being shot the night before near the intersection of 7th and M Street. Tarpinian-Jachym, who had been serving as an intern for Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kan.) since June, was a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he was majoring in finance with a minor in political science. MORE: 7 missing after massive explosion and fire at California warehouse filled with fireworks: Officials According to the Metropolitan Police Department, the shooting occurred around 10:28 p.m. Monday when multiple suspects emerged from a vehicle and opened fire on a group of people. Three victims were struck: Tarpinian-Jachym, an adult female, and a 16-year-old male. While the other two victims were conscious when police arrived, Tarpinian-Jachym was found unconscious. All three were transported to local hospitals, where Tarpinian-Jachym succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday. Police said they have recovered the suspect vehicle and indicated that Tarpinian-Jachym was not the intended target of the shooting. Rep. Estes and his wife, Susan, released a statement expressing their condolences to the Tarpinian-Jachym family. "I will remember his kind heart and how he always greeted anyone who entered our office with a cheerful smile," Estes said in a press release. "We are grateful to Eric for his service to Kansas' 4th District and the country." Estes has represented the Kansas 4th Congressional District since 2017 and currently serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, Budget Committee, and Joint Economic Committee, and chairs the Social Security Subcommittee. The Metropolitan Police Department is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Anyone with information is urged to contact police at (202) 727-9099 or text tips to 50411.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
WMass community summits seek to counter Trump attack on diversity, equity, inclusion
Her Springfield church is being rebuilt after arson and the man who set it on fire, in a racist tirade, is in custody accused of committing a hate crime. But for Rev. Terrlyn Curry Avery, the story isn't over. 'As a pastor whose church was burned down, if we don't look at the rhetoric that caused such racism and hatred we won't get anywhere,' said Curry Avery, pastor of MLK Community Presbyterian Church and interim executive director of the Healing Racism Institute. On June 24, the institute will hold a two-hour community dialogue at the University of Massachusetts Henry M. Thomas III campus in Springfield. The agenda: discuss how to fight and heal from racism, especially in the current political environment. The event is open to the public. Avery is hoping to attract as many people as possible and asks anyone who plans to attend to register at This is the second summit on racism held in Western Massachusetts this month, close to the Juneteenth holiday. The 'Equity in the 413' summit on June 12 at Westfield State University was organized by a dozen partners including the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. The forums come as the administration of President Donald Trump is pushing back on civil rights and efforts to expand diversity, equity and inclusion and on progress made following the Black Lives Matter movement that started in 2020. 'It is not our intent to ask about the five months,' Curry Avery said, referring to Trump's time in office since January. 'It is to ask the community, 'What do you see as the most urgent needs that need to be addressed?'' 'The next step is taking a look at the data and asking what the community needs and how we can restructure and expand our programming to provide it,' she said. Curry Avery believes more and more people are aware of racism's impacts on education, health care, housing and employment. Poverty is especially prevalent when talking about systematic racism. While she doesn't want the conversation to turn into a 'gripe session,' she said it will be important to discuss what is happening in the current climate and how to protect gains the Black Lives Matter and civil rights movements have made to move diversity, equity and inclusion forward. The Trump administration is trying to erase the history of people of color, Curry Avery said. Policy changes and budget cuts are impacting people across the country including those in the LGBTQ+ community, the elderly, women and the poor – everyone but wealthy white men, the minister said. All agencies and people have to be concerned about federal grant cuts because they are wide-ranging. They will hollow out support and eliminate research. 'That is part of the challenge of continuing the work,' Curry Avery said. Donors will have to step in and pick up from where the government is dropping support. 'Money does talk,' she said. 'It is absolutely a real challenge and being proactive rather than reactive is going to make a difference.' At the Equity in the 413 Summit, 40 workshops allowed people to share best practices to create workplaces and other environments that are equitable and inclusive, said Briana Wales-Thaxton, vice president of people and culture for the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, one of the organizers. Both Wales-Thaxton and Curry Avery said it is important for people to know why work to reverse racism and promote equity is vital. 'It can be really hard to define your 'why' and how does this help my business and community,' Wales-Thaxton said. She said participants showed interest in continuing work to advance diversity, equity and inclusion, despite the federal backlash. In the workshops, people tried to learn from each other and find the best ways to make their businesses equitable and inclusive, Wales-Thaxton said. 'I think people are not discouraged, but certainly disheartened by the pushback,' she said. 'Advancing racial equity and culture is really important to people of Western Mass.' Read the original article on MassLive.
Japan Today
20-06-2025
- Japan Today
AI ‘reanimations': Making facsimiles of the dead raises ethical quandaries
By Nir Eisikovits and Daniel J Feldman Christopher Pelkey was shot and killed in a road range incident in 2021. On May 8, at the sentencing hearing for his killer, an AI video reconstruction of Pelkey delivered a victim impact statement. The trial judge reported being deeply moved by this performance and issued the maximum sentence for manslaughter. As part of the ceremonies to mark Israel's 77th year of independence on April 30, 2025, officials had planned to host a concert featuring four iconic Israeli singers. All four had died years earlier. The plan was to conjure them using AI-generated sound and video. The dead performers were supposed to sing alongside Yardena Arazi, a famous and still very much alive artist. In the end Arazi pulled out, citing the political atmosphere, and the event didn't happen. In April, the BBC created a deep-fake version of the famous mystery writer Agatha Christie to teach a 'maestro course on writing.' Fake Agatha would instruct aspiring murder mystery authors and 'inspire' their 'writing journey.' The use of artificial intelligence to 'reanimate' the dead for a variety of purposes is quickly gaining traction. Over the past few years, we've been studying the moral implications of AI at the Center for Applied Ethics at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and we find these AI reanimations to be morally problematic. Before we address the moral challenges the technology raises, it's important to distinguish AI reanimations, or deepfakes, from so-called griefbots. Griefbots are chatbots trained on large swaths of data the dead leave behind – social media posts, texts, emails, videos. These chatbots mimic how the departed used to communicate and are meant to make life easier for surviving relations. The deepfakes we are discussing here have other aims; they are meant to promote legal, political and educational causes. Moral quandaries The first moral quandary the technology raises has to do with consent: Would the deceased have agreed to do what their likeness is doing? Would the dead Israeli singers have wanted to sing at an Independence ceremony organized by the nation's current government? Would Pelkey, the road-rage victim, be comfortable with the script his family wrote for his avatar to recite? What would Christie think about her AI double teaching that class? The answers to these questions can only be deduced circumstantially – from examining the kinds of things the dead did and the views they expressed when alive. And one could ask if the answers even matter. If those in charge of the estates agree to the reanimations, isn't the question settled? After all, such trustees are the legal representatives of the departed. But putting aside the question of consent, a more fundamental question remains. What do these reanimations do to the legacy and reputation of the dead? Doesn't their reputation depend, to some extent, on the scarcity of appearance, on the fact that the dead can't show up anymore? Dying can have a salutary effect on the reputation of prominent people; it was good for John F. Kennedy, and it was good for Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. The fifth-century BC Athenian leader Pericles understood this well. In his famous Funeral Oration, delivered at the end of the first year of the Peloponnesian War, he asserts that a noble death can elevate one's reputation and wash away their petty misdeeds. That is because the dead are beyond reach and their mystique grows postmortem. 'Even extreme virtue will scarcely win you a reputation equal to' that of the dead, he insists. Do AI reanimations devalue the currency of the dead by forcing them to keep popping up? Do they cheapen and destabilize their reputation by having them comment on events that happened long after their demise? In addition, these AI representations can be a powerful tool to influence audiences for political or legal purposes. Bringing back a popular dead singer to legitimize a political event and reanimating a dead victim to offer testimony are acts intended to sway an audience's judgment. It's one thing to channel a Churchill or a Roosevelt during a political speech by quoting them or even trying to sound like them. It's another thing to have 'them' speak alongside you. The potential of harnessing nostalgia is supercharged by this technology. Imagine, for example, what the Soviets, who literally worshipped Lenin's dead body, would have done with a deep fake of their old icon. Good intentions You could argue that because these reanimations are uniquely engaging, they can be used for virtuous purposes. Consider a reanimated Martin Luther King Jr., speaking to our currently polarized and divided nation, urging moderation and unity. Wouldn't that be grand? Or what about a reanimated Mordechai Anielewicz, the commander of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, speaking at the trial of a Holocaust denier like David Irving? But do we know what MLK would have thought about our current political divisions? Do we know what Anielewicz would have thought about restrictions on pernicious speech? Does bravely campaigning for civil rights mean we should call upon the digital ghost of King to comment on the impact of populism? Does fearlessly fighting the Nazis mean we should dredge up the AI shadow of an old hero to comment on free speech in the digital age? Even if the political projects these AI avatars served were consistent with the deceased's views, the problem of manipulation – of using the psychological power of deepfakes to appeal to emotions – remains. But what about enlisting AI Agatha Christie to teach a writing class? Deep fakes may indeed have salutary uses in educational settings. The likeness of Christie could make students more enthusiastic about writing. Fake Aristotle could improve the chances that students engage with his austere Nicomachean Ethics. AI Einstein could help those who want to study physics get their heads around general relativity. But producing these fakes comes with a great deal of responsibility. After all, given how engaging they can be, it's possible that the interactions with these representations will be all that students pay attention to, rather than serving as a gateway to exploring the subject further. Living on in the living In a poem written in memory of W.B. Yeats, W.H. Auden tells us that, after the poet's death, Yeats 'became his admirers.' His memory was now 'scattered among a hundred cities,' and his work subject to endless interpretation: 'the words of a dead man are modified in the guts of the living.' The dead live on in the many ways we reinterpret their words and works. Auden did that to Yeats, and we're doing it to Auden right here. That's how people stay in touch with those who are gone. In the end, we believe that using technological prowess to concretely bring them back disrespects them and, perhaps more importantly, is an act of disrespect to ourselves – to our capacity to abstract, think and imagine. Nir Eisikovits is Professor of Philosophy and Director, Applied Ethics Center, UMass Boston. Daniel J Feldman is Senior Research Fellow, Applied Ethics Center, UMass Boston. The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. External Link © The Conversation
