Ghost in the Machine (Documentary)

 

Ghost in the Machine (2026) , by PBS and Independent Lens, takes a hard look at artificial intelligence. The documentary looks at what the term means, how it originates, and where it may be leading.

The documentary suggests that AI developed from the Eugenics movement in the late 19th century. The founder, Francis Galton, and his protégé, Karl Pearson, were each obsessed with measuring intelligence. 

Charles Spearman, an eugenicist, tried to justify that some races are less intelligent. His theories led to race sterilization laws in Indiana and California at the turn of the century.

The documentary takes a hard look at the Silicon Valley, especially the role of William Shockley, a eugenicist, in building it.  

Ai hype is leading more companies to create what they call AGI (artificial general intelligence) and ASI (artificial superintelligence). More and more people, such as tech workers in 3rd world countries, are being used to train AI models. 

Construction of Ai data centers are causing havoc in communities. Worse, some want federal lands opened up for data centers.  

More dangerous still is possible use of Ai by the military.  

 If nothing else changes the public's mind about the dangers of Ai, this documentary will. 

Life That Glows

 David Attenborough's Life That Glows (2016)

Life that Glows is a thoroughly enjoyable documentary that illuminates one of nature's most fascinating mysteries.  Attenborough explains to audiences that bioluminescence evolved independently over fifty times. Scientists still debate the purpose of bioluminescence. 

Dinoflagellates, ostracods, brittle stars, emit light to protect themselves. Their light is, as Attenborough puts it, a kind of burglar alarm. Creatures can also use bioluminescence to attract mates, such as fireflies and ostracods. 

Creatures can also use light to prey on others. Luminous larvae in termite mounds in Brazil or in caves in Tasmania use light to attract prey. 

For other species, the reason the animal glows has yet to be determined. For instance, the exact reason a particular type of earthworm in France is unknown. 

Most living lights can be found in the ocean's twilight zone. Vampire squid, viper fish, and dragonfish are a few examples of the myriad life forms found in the mesopelagic zone.     

 David Attenborough's Living Light proves the world, especially the oceans, is full of luminous life forms whose secrets we are just beginning to understand. He explains, too, the technical difficulties of finding and recording their light frequencies.  

Filling in the Blanks

Almost every family has them--dark secrets that no one talks about because they might alter the family status quo. Novelists often base novel on the dramatic uncovering of a family's secrets to great success. The novels below all feature a "secret" while also exploring social issues e.g., racial identity, the pressures of parental expectations, psychological manipulation, and generational trauma. 

Brit Bennet. Vanishing Half. 

Celeste Ng. Everything I Never Told You. 

Lisa Jewel. The Family Upstairs.

Kim Edwards. Memory Keeper's Daughter. 

Min Jin Lee. Pachinko.

Non-fictional memoirs that hinge on dark secrets are equally mesmerizing.  

Dorothy Allred Solomon. Daughter of the Saints. 

Anna LeBaron. Polygamist's Daughter. 

Dani Shapiro's gripping memoir, Inheritance, details the repercussions of taking a simple DNA test. 

Anyone interested in family secrets should watch John Baime's notable documentary, Filling in the Blanks.

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