Welcome to the February issue of The Highlight
Humanoid robots — actually useful ones, the kind you might encounter in day-to-day life — have long been the territory of science fiction, not reality. But their sci-fi ubiquity makes them an understandably tantalizing prospect, and “embodied AI” — AI given a physical system — is already making a difference in the world. Could this finally be their moment? In this month’s Highlight cover story, Adam Clark Estes explains what he learned watching a robot make lemonade, and what it tells us about the future of humanoid robots. Also in this issue: A jobless boom. The ethics of small pet ownership. And remembering the man who killed smallpox.
There’s a silver lining to our health care cost crisis
By Dylan Scott
We’re in an economic boom. Where are the jobs?
By Heather Long
Coming February 3
The forgotten hero who helped eradicate one of humanity’s oldest killers
By Bryan Walsh
Coming February 3
Who on Earth still doesn’t have electricity?
By Umair Irfan
Coming February 4
The robots we deserve
By Adam Clark Estes
Coming February 5
The case against owning small pets
By Kenny Torrella
Coming February 6