The US is deeply concerned Moscow could deploy a nuclear weapon or mock warhead into space this year, but is the threat real or just posturing? Back on Earth, we chat to Trevor Paglen, the artist who studied the top-secret SKYNET program that uses metadata to profile potential ‘terrorists’; and we delve into the story of a Mexican mother who single-handedly took on the deadly Los Zetas gang.
Intelligence agencies are divided about whether Moscow might deploy space nukes or ‘dummy’ warheads in 2024 but the prospect has raised global concerns about the vulnerability of 8,000 satellites that oversee critical systems from military applications to mobile phones. Why would anyone want a space war? Here are three intriguing reasons.
How dangerous is metadata? According to author and artist Trevor Paglen, it can be deadly. In A History of the World in Spy Objects, Paglen and podcast host Alice Loxton shine a light on SKYNET - the network of all-seeing satellites and an ominous AI algorithm that farms metadata and decides who lives and who dies.
Pretty soon, there will be nowhere to hide. Thousands of satellites orbit the Earth twice a day taking digital snapshots for the CIA, militaries, and governments worldwide. They track our every move. They can read your license plate. They may even be able to see through walls. So what exactly are they doing up there? Here are five spooky tasks.
Journalist Azam Ahmed reveals the unbelievable tale of Miriam Rodriguez, a 56-year-old housekeeper and thorn in the side of Mexico’s much-feared gang Los Zetas. In our True Spies podcast, Miriam’s world is turned upside down by news of her daughter’s kidnapping and she embarks on a quest for answers and vengeance. In this grieving mother of three, The Zetas may have met their match.
Is Julian Assange a US enemy, a journalist, or - as The Economist contends - a useful idiot? British judges are mulling over America’s request to extradite Assange to stand trial for espionage but the US case is not a slam dunk. As long as there have been government secrets, there has been heated debate around whistleblowers and national security. SPYSCAPE rounds up 15 notorious cases.
The mob-wife fashion trend is about more than slinky ‘80s slip dresses, FBI wiretaps, and cement shoes. From Russia’s McMafia to New York Goodfellas, mob fashion is about audacious power dressing and living boldly. The aesthetic is swarming social media. NYC’s Ainslie Bowery is even holding a mob wife fashion contest tonight. Can’t make it? Get mobbed up with our top looks for wives and gumars.
At SPY HQ you’ll explore hidden worlds, break codes, run surveillance and spot liars - while a system developed with MI6 experts reveals your personal spy role and profile.
