Everyone has a phone in their pocket nowadays, but how often do we really use them for their original purpose—to make a call? Telephone culture is disappearing. What brought us to this moment, and what are its effects?

“No one picks up the phone anymore,” wrote Alex C. Madrigal on The Atlantic. “Telephone culture is gone.”

The change is of course due to more communication choices: Texting with photos, videos, emojis, reaction gifs, links and even voice messages can be a more attractive choice.

Texting is light and fun, not nearly as demanding of your attention as a phone call. It can also be done with some people at the same time. Social media, email and video calls have also eaten away at traditional phone calls.

In recent years, another reason has caused people to ignore phone calls completely: robocalls. Robocalls are automate messages from organizations verifying your phone number or telemarketers trying to sell something. Americans received 22.8 billion robocalls halfway through 2020, equaling an annual rate of 45.6 billion, slightly below 2018 numbers, according to YouMail, a robocall protection service and blocking app.

As telephone culture disappears, what is the loss of a traditional family phone doing to the family unit? Early landline phones join family members together, whereas mobile phones separate them.

“The shared family phone served as an anchor (支柱) for home,” said Luke Fernandez, a Weber State University computer-science professor and co-author of Bored, Lonely, Angry, Stupid: Feelings About Technology, From the Telegraph to Twitter. “With smartphones we have gained mobility and privacy. But the value of the home has been diminished, which has its ability to guide and monitor family behavior and perhaps connect families more closely,” Fernandez said.

Of course, as technology progresses, lives always change for better or for worse. With the loss of telephone culture, families will need to find other ways to unite.

Imagine looking at something and being able to move it just by using your brain!That is exactly what the new technology called BrainGate can do —with the help of a robotic arm,anyway.

BrainGate is the idea of Professor John Donoghue and his team of researchers at the Brown Institute for Brain Science,USA. BrainGate is attached directly to the brain. First of all,gold wires are put into the part of the brain that controls movement. These are then connected to a small computer chip(芯片) . When the person thinks about different movements,this creates electrical signals,which are picked up by the chip. After this,the signals that are created by the brain are sent back to a computer,which changes the signals into movements. Finally,the computer uses the robotic arm to carry out these movements. BrainGate can already be used to write an e-mail or play computer games,just by brain power.

The technology has already cost millions of dollars to develop and when it is available for use,it will probably cost thousands of dollars per person. There are still many challenges ahead for Donoghue and his team. They are currently planning a mini wireless version,which will allow people to be connected to the computer at all times. Donoghue also dreams of using this technology to help disabled people who can't move their arms or legs. He plans to connect BrainGate directly to their own paralysed limbs(瘫痪的胳膊或腿) .This will mean that the person can control their own body again,without relying on a robotic arm.

This research is attracting the military's (军方的) attention as well. However,it is easy to understand why scientists might be concerned about how thought-controlled machines could be used by the military.

Federal regulators Wednesday approved a plan to create a nationwide emergency alert (警报) system using text messages delivered to cell phones.

Text messages have exploded in popularity in recent years, particularly among young people. The wireless industry’s trade association, CTIA, estimates (估计) more than 48 billions text messages are sent each month.

The plan comes from the Warning Alter and Response Network Act, a 2006 federal law that requires improvement to the nation’s emergency alter system. The act tasked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with coming up with new ways to alter the public about emergencies.

“The ability to deliver accurate and timely warning and alters through cell phone and other mobile services is an important next step in our efforts to help ensure that the American public has the information they need to take action to protect themselves and their families before, and during, disasters and other emergencies,” FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said following approval of the plan.

Participation in the alter system by carriers — telecommunication companies — is voluntary, but it has received solid support from the wireless industry.

The program would be optional for cell phone users. They also may not be charged for receiving alters.

There would be three types of messages, according to the rules.

The first would be a national alter from the president, likely involving   a terrorists attack or natural disaster. The second would involve “approaching threats,” which could include natural disasters like hurricanes or storms or even university shootings. The third would be reserved for child abduction (绑架)emergencies, or so-called Amber Alerts.

The service could be in place by 2010.