Following programs to close farms in the Netherlands, a follow-up program aims to build a model for future smart cities. This proposes new high-tech infrastructure, but the benefits come with costs to privacy and some freedoms. Are the benefits of the programs worth the cost?
And in other news, a concept called EctoLife proposes new “artificial womb facilities.” This includes rows of vats that would grow human babies. This idea is marketed to families that want children but are unable to conceive, yet raises serious questions about the nature of human life and family. Would this technology benefit people who want to form families, or would it instead undermine the value of human life?…