HOT SCIENCE ARTICLE | Staying Connected

HOT SCIENCE ARTICLE | Staying Connected 

I would definitely call myself a well-connected person. I am connected to millions of people at any given time and they are connected to me. If you're reading this post, you too are connected, because this post appears online, meaning you have Internet access. Meaning you're plugged in, connected to the entire world. Right now.

Don't believe me? I bet you've already updated your Facebook status since starting to read this post. Am I right? You can't deny that social networking sites and functions, or online commu
nities where anyone with a signal can interact with each other, have truly revolutionized the way we do business, the way we have relationships, and even the way the Internet functions.

We can have an entire conversation without ever meeting, even without ever hearing each other's voices. And not only can we have a speechless conversation here, but we can have it on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, LinkedIn, MySpace, instant messenger, iPhone apps, Droid apps, email, regular chat rooms (those seem so 1999 now don't they?) and so on and so on -- all thanks to social networking sites.

Even your dog can get into the social networking mix and Tweet what he's thinking. Sort of.

In many ways, social networking sites have been a Godsend -- literally: The Pope announced back in January that priests need to use "cutting-edge technologies," like email and blogs, to keep in touch with their communities.

In all seriousness, this technology has helped change and save lives. After the earthquake disaster in Haiti, a group of volunteers developed a citizen-reporting and online mapping platform called Ushahidi. This Web site combines online maps with text messaging capabilities so citizens can gather and distribute information in real time.

Reseachers have used similar sites to plot out archaeology digs, collect scientific data, share new discoveries and work together to prove and test theories.

Now, let's say you're having trouble finding love. There's a social media solution for that. Say you're overseas and can't make it to a loved one's wedding or funeral? There's a social media solution for that, too.

Everyone from refugees in Kenya to CEOs of American businesses have used some sort of social networking tool to reach people and make a difference for others or for themselves. Or both.

These sites are now tools for human empowerment, not just simply an information source. While they should probably come with USE WITH CAUTION labels stamped all over them -- because once the information is out there, it's very hard to take back -- they have done a world of good to bridge the gaps in our social fabric and bring a voice to the silence.