The Onion Router or “Tor” Network is a free web browser that allows for seemingly anonymous communication across the web. It does this by directing one’s traffic through numerous relays (nodes) all over the world, making it difficult to pinpoint the original user. Originally developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and DARPA to protect U.S. intelligence communications, the Tor browser allows access to the “deep web” which often serves as a black market for all sorts of illegal activity, such as drug trafficking, arms dealing and child pornography.

Perhaps ironically, The Tor Project continues to receive the majority of its funding from the U.S. government and other large federal agencies, such as the National Science Foundation. This begs the question of Tor’s real purpose. Is it truly an avenue for “aiding democracy in authoritarian states” or is it just another form of government surveillance?

The answer to this question may lie in the network itself. To understand The Onion Router on a deeper level, we can begin by viewing real time maps of the Tor Networkand eventually mapping the exit nodes.

In the TED Talk “Why We Collaborate” Guy Raz talks to a series of people who have given TED Talks on the mysteries behind mass collaboration. Guest, Jimmy Wales, one of the creators of Wikipedia talks about how Wikipedia has become one of the most popular sites getting about 19 billions page views a month but could not have been what it is today without the help and collaboration of 80,000 volunteers all around the world. Wikipedia has created an atmosphere that allows people who are not in the same city let alone the same state maybe even country to work towards a common goal, spreading knowledge of music, history, math by way of Wikipedia. In addition to Wikipedia, Guy Raz brings Erik Michaels-Ober to talk about the app “Adopt a Hydrant” which is an app that worked with google maps and you could see where every hydrant was in Boston and then you could volunteer to adopt it and dig it out when the snow falls. You would think that no one would do such a thing but in fact thousands of people signed up to adopt a hydrant and together dug out thousands of hydrants in Boston thus bettering the city of Boston during snowfall.

You can listen to the whole TED Talk at http://www.npr.org/2013/07/13/197986218/why-we-collaborate

Multitaskers receive a lot of praise for being able to do many things at once, but a study conducted at Stanford University shows that multitaskers are significantly more prone to distractions, making it difficult for them to accomplish tasks in a timely manner. Moreover, there is a lingering effect to multitasking in which individuals can’t shut off their multitasking tendencies when not multitasking.

In reality, only a very small number of the population can efficiently multitask. These “supertaskers” represent less than 3% of the population according to a study done at the University of Utah.

Are you are multitasker? Take the following test to find out how you measure up against both low and high multitaskers.
Take the test here: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/06/07/technology/20100607-task-switching-demo.html?_r=0

Read more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/technology/07brain.html

“A new web and mobile platform plans to simplify our online lives by providing users access to all of their accounts in one place. Squidlle will integrate dozens of social networks and sites for music, video, images, design and blogging and create one combined feed for all of them. The product-whose odd name we assume was created with an algorithmic name generator-just launched on Indiegogo.”

This new app could provide interesting research opportunities for looking at the networks of Social Network Sites. Think of each SNS as a node and the connections (direct or indirect links) as edges.

“Users will be able to browse updates from various accounts on one combined feed, post and message across all of their accounts at once and even use multiple accounts from the same service (like personal and professional Twitter handles). They’ll also be able to hide specific content, save posts or links as “read later,” create lists, save drafts and customize notifications.”

Read more at http://observer.com/2015/03/new-app-will-integrate-37-social-networks-and-music-sites-into-one-simple-feed/#ixzz3VtK3VTQO

A game called VAX! about human networks and immunology developed by Ellsworth Campbell and Isaac Bromley from Penn State University demonstrates how herd immunization can prevent epidemics. The visualization helps show how contagions can spread quickly across the human network. Concepts such as why immunization for healthy, low-risk individuals is important, why herd immunity works, and how epidemics spread are explained interactively through the game.

Play the game, read the FAQ, and learn more: VAX!