Science and Technology have come a long way in recent years, and it’s safe to say that the world we live in today is vastly different from the one our grandparents knew. From smartphones to self-driving cars, technology has transformed every aspect of our lives.
But with all these advancements comes a fair share of hilarious mishaps and misadventures. Let’s take a look at some of the funniest moments in science and technology:
1) When Microsoft tried to make an AI chatbot named Tay learn from Twitter users, they probably didn’t expect her to become a racist within 24 hours. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened when people started tweeting hateful messages at her. Tay quickly became infamous for spewing out offensive statements such as “Hitler was right I hate the jews” and “I f***ing hate feminists”. She had to be shut down within hours of her launch.
2) In 2013, Google Glass seemed like the next big thing in wearable tech. It was supposed to revolutionize how we interacted with information by projecting data into our field of vision through smart glasses. However, things didn’t go as planned when Google Glass wearers were banned from certain establishments due to privacy concerns about recording video without consent. The product never took off commercially and was discontinued in 2015.
3) Back in 1999, NASA lost contact with their Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft which was worth $327 million because engineers failed to convert English units (feet/pounds) into metric units (meters/kilograms). This tiny mistake caused the spacecraft to fly too close to Mars’ surface where it ultimately burned up due to atmospheric friction.
4) In 2017, Tesla CEO Elon Musk introduced his new electric semi-truck which he claimed would revolutionize transportation industry by being faster, cheaper and more efficient than any other vehicle on road while producing zero emissions . During his presentation, the truck’s windows were supposed to demonstrate their strength by withstanding a metal ball being thrown at them. However, both windows smashed when Musk threw the ball himself in front of the shocked audience.
5) Remember Google Wave? Probably not, since it was a short-lived social networking platform that tried to combine email, instant messaging and document collaboration into one service. Unfortunately for Google, Wave proved too complex for most users and was shut down within a year of its launch.
6) In 2013, Apple released iOS7 which included a new feature called “parallax effect” where icons on your home screen move slightly as you tilt your phone. While this feature sounded cool in theory, it made some users nauseous and dizzy due to visual motion sickness.
7) In 2009, Microsoft introduced their first ever tablet computer called the “Microsoft Surface”. During its unveiling presentation Steve Ballmer (then CEO) boasted how sturdy and reliable the device was by banging it onto his own knee several times. Unfortunately for him, during another demo he was using the tablet while sitting on stage but had trouble with typing ‘Surface’ so he said: “I got my Surface Pro here,” before quickly correcting himself: “Oops! Sorry guys… I got my keyboard cover”.
These moments remind us that even with all our scientific progress and technological advancements we are still human prone to making mistakes. It also shows us that sometimes these mishaps can be hilarious as well as educational.
In conclusion Science & Technology might have advanced leaps and bounds over time but there is always room for improvement. The beauty of science lies in its ability to learn from mistakes and improve upon them – something we should never forget as we continue exploring new frontiers.