Climate Change
Twitter Bots Are a Major Source of Climate Disinformation
Such accounts can distort online conversations and potentially diminish support for climate policies
Computing2327 articles archived since 1845
Technology
Towering Sequoias Are Even Bigger Than Thought, Laser Scans Suggest
Laser light reveals the structure of the planet’s tallest trees
Computing
New App Tracks Black Rhinos through Their Footprints
Indigenous trackers inspire a safer way to help rhinoceroses
Computing
How to Make Artificial Intelligence More Democratic
A new type of learning model uses far less data than conventional AIs, allowing researchers with limited resources to contribute
Computing
Giant U.S. Computer Security Breach Exploited Very Common Software
A cybersecurity expert explains how hackers used SolarWinds to steal information from government and industry organizations
Engineering
2020’s Top 10 Tech Innovations
Scientific American and the World Economic Forum sifted through more than 75 nominations for the most innovative and potentially game-changing technologies in 2020. The final top 10 span the fields of medicine, engineering, environmental sciences and chemistry. And to win the nod, the technologies must have the potential to spur progress in societies and economies by outperforming established ways of doing things...
Computing
Artificial Intelligence Is Now Shockingly Good at Sounding Human
Synthetic voices have become ubiquitous. They feed us directions in the morning, shepherd us through phone calls by day and broadcast the news on smart speakers at night. And as the technology used to make them improves, these voices are becoming more and more human-sounding...
Computing
Lack of Sleep Could Be a Problem for AIs
Some types of artificial intelligence could start to hallucinate if they don’t get enough rest, just as humans do
Computing
Will Artificial Intelligence Ever Live Up to Its Hype?
Replication problems plague the field of AI, and the goal of general intelligence remains as elusive as ever
Engineering
This Robot Can Rap—Really
Deep-learning robot Shimon writes and rhymes in real time
Computing
DeepMind’s AI Makes Gigantic Leap in Solving Protein Structures
Google’s deep-learning program for determining the 3-D shapes of proteins stands to transform biology, scientists say
Computing
Misinformation Has Created a New World Disorder
Our willingness to share content without thinking is exploited to spread disinformation
Computing
Quantum Sensors Could Let Autonomous Cars ‘See’ around Corners
High-precision metrology based on the peculiarities of the subatomic world
Computing
Spatial Computing Could Be the Next Big Thing
Beyond virtual and augmented reality
Computing
Virtual Patients Could Revolutionize Medicine
Replacing humans with digital simulations could make clinical trials faster and safer
Computing
Facial-Recognition Technology Needs More Regulation
Algorithms that can recognize people are too often biased or inaccurate—and they can easily invade our privacy
Computing
How to Preserve the Privacy of Your Genomic Data
A technology called “fully homomorphic encryption” is so secure that even future quantum computers won’t be able to crack it
Computing
An Expert on Voting Machines Explains How They Work
Election officials also rely on high-speed scanners, envelope openers and good old-fashioned paper
Computing
Social Media Restrictions Cannot Keep Up with Hidden Codes and Symbols
Much like spoken language, Internet memes take on shifting political meanings according to context
Computing
A Sustainable Alternative to Blanket Lockdowns
Instead of shutting down whole cities, we can use big data to take a more targeted approach
