Computer Science

Our universe seems real. But what if it’s a videogame? Scientists in a variety of fields are taking seriously the possibility that we live in a virtual reality. Maybe the Big Bang was just the moment someone flipped the switch and turned on our universe. Maybe what looks random has already been programmed to happen. If some advanced civilization did design and program our universe, would we ever know? Scientists are looking for glitches in the laws of the universe that may uncover its hidden code.

A featured documentary that explores the rise of a new Internet. Decentralized, encrypted, dangerous and beyond the law. The Deep Web, also called the Deep Net, Invisible Web, or Hidden Web is the part of the World Wide Web not indexed by search engines. The deep web was several orders of magnitude larger than the surface web. The majority of the information is hidden or locked inside databases and is growing exponentially at a rate that cannot be quantified. In 2008, to facilitate users of Tor hidden services in their access and search of a hidden .onion suffix, Aaron Swartz designed Tor2web, a proxy application able to provide access by means of common web browsers. Using this application, deep web links appear as a random string of letters followed by the .onion TLD.

The concept of a digital, decentralized currency is questioning things and the answers being spilled out are deep-seated, long-standing propositions that place a magnifying glass onto the seemingly untouchable financial institutions at the base of modern commerce. What may be uncovered in the philosophical, political, and economic questions could have radical implications for the rest of the 21st century". The documenteray ushers us in, not to explore simply Bitcoin, but to hint at the basis of trade, commerce, and civil society. Director Torsten's story of money is one filled with promise like a sunrise over a landscape of human spirit.

The global cyberwar is heating up and the stakes are no longer limited to the virtual world of computers. Now, thanks in part to secret documents released by Edward Snowden, the true scale of the National Security Agency's scope and power is coming to light. Besides spending billions of dollars to ingest and analyze the worlds' electronic communications, the NSA has set out to dominate a new battlefield—cyberspace. We examine the science and technology behind cyber warfare and asks if we are already in the midst of a deadly new arms race". Already, highly sophisticated, stealthy computer programs such as the notorious Stuxnet worm can take over and even destroy the control systems that regulate everything from food factories to gas pipelines, power plants, and chemical facilities—even our cars. While the destruction of Iranian centrifuges may have delayed Iran’s bomb program and forestalled an Israeli attack, the attack has opened a Pandora's Box, and now America's own critical infrastructure is vulnerable to retaliation and attack. With leading defense experts and investigative journalists who have probed the murky realm of criminal and strategic hacking, NOVA examines the chilling new reality of cyberwar in which no nation or individual is safe from attack.

A compelling (and sometimes humorous) look at the rise and proliferation of this social phenomenon from several varying perspectives and how the lives of those engaged in it are affected. Throughout the course of the film, we examine nearly every aspect of what has become a national and international pastime. A vast range of opinions give their input about this delicate subject and, as such, discussions with notable figures in the entertainment, political and medical fields (among others) are included. The film touches on the many high profile scandals surrounding public officials and the resulting consequences of their actions. In stark contrast, an honest look at the possibility of sexting as a positive development within the framework of healthy relationships is also presented. Sexting exists and is not likely to disappear anytime soon. "ADDICTED TO SEXTING" shows the why, how and what possible purpose it serves.

Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer monetary system in which all transaction records are public. Participants can use its open-source software to transfer virtual currency to one another as easily as they might send an email. Bitcoin opens an uncharted world of new possibilities to explore. We'll follow the stories of entrepreneurs and startups that are helping shape the new financial frontier. We'll look at the competitive mining market and the various subcultures within the Bitcoin community." You'll encounter a variety of characters and opinions as we examine the social and political impact of an open-source digital currency. Will the rise of Bitcoin bring a monetary paradigm shift that will forever change the world? Supposedly invented by a mysterious Japanese man named Satoshi Nakamoto (whose current whereabouts are unknown). Because it is designed to have an absolute ceiling of 21 million Bitcoins in circulation (not anticipated until 2040), and the system has no central depository or administrative authority, it has great appeal to libertarians and others who seek alternatives to a perceived corrupt, manipulative banking infrastructure and excessive government regulations. Its low processing fees compared with those of mainstream credit-card companies also hold considerable allure for merchants.