scientific.america.technology
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Streetlights Are Mysteriously Turning Purple. Here's Why
by Karen Kwon on September 27, 2023 at 11:00 am
Newly purple streetlights might seem innocuous, but they could affect driver and pedestrian safety
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Does the First Amendment Confer a 'Right to Compute'? The Future of AI May Depend on It
by John Villasenor on September 26, 2023 at 11:30 am
We need to figure out if there is a constitutional right to compute
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Online Ads Can Infect Your Device with Spyware
by Claire Seungeun Lee, The Conversation US on September 23, 2023 at 12:00 pm
An investigative report reveals that new spyware can slip in unseen through online ads—and there is currently no defense against it
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See How AI Generates Images from Text
by Sophie Bushwick, Matthew Twombly, Amanda Hobbs on September 22, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Generative AI algorithms use probability to create visuals from noise
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AI Tool Pinpoints Genetic Mutations That Cause Disease
by Ewen Callaway, Nature magazine on September 21, 2023 at 8:30 pm
Researchers have adapted the AI network to search for genetic changes linked to ill health
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This Efficiency-Obsessed Psychologist (and Mother of 11) Revolutionized Kitchen Design
by Katie Hafner, Johanna Mayer, The Lost Women of Science Initiative on September 21, 2023 at 5:30 pm
Lillian Gilbreth pioneered time and motion efficiency in workplaces and revolutionized kitchen design
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New Soft Electrode Unfolds inside the Skull
by Simon Makin on September 21, 2023 at 11:30 am
An electrode inspired by soft robotics could provide less invasive brain-machine interfaces
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Satellite Internet Companies Could Help Break Authoritarianism
by Pouria Nazemi on September 18, 2023 at 5:00 pm
In Iran and elsewhere, governments restrict Internet access to restrict freedoms. Companies that launch communications satellites can ensure a free and open […]
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This Insect-Sized Robot Can Carry 22 Times Its Own Weight
by Katharine Sanderson, Nature magazine on September 18, 2023 at 3:00 pm
The four-legged miniature machine is powered by tiny explosions
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Here's How to Actually Keep Kids and Teens Safe Online
by Lauren Leffer on September 18, 2023 at 10:45 am
Controversial policy proposals such as the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) are making headway across the country, but there are other ways to help protect young […]
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Dams Worldwide Are at Risk of Catastrophic Failure
by Lauren Leffer on September 15, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Here’s why disasters like Libya’s dam collapses happen and how to prevent them
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Why Japan Is Building Its Own Version of ChatGPT
by Tim Hornyak, Nature magazine on September 15, 2023 at 2:00 pm
Some Japanese researchers feel that AI systems trained on foreign languages cannot grasp the intricacies of Japanese language and culture
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High-Tech Cars Might Be More Trouble Than They're Worth
by Lauren Leffer on September 14, 2023 at 10:45 am
Drivers may sacrifice safety and privacy in exchange for the advanced tech features in their “smart” cars
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Without Small Data, AI in Health Care Contributes to Disparities
by Fay Cobb Payton on September 12, 2023 at 2:30 pm
Artificial intelligence systems in health care must be trained on the data of lived experience to prevent bias and disparities
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Candy Crush Is Complicated--Even from a Mathematical Point of View
by Manon Bischoff on September 12, 2023 at 10:45 am
Don’t be annoyed if you fail at a certain level of the popular game Candy Crush Saga; computers also have their problems with it
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Scientists Are Beginning to Learn the Language of Bats and Bees Using AI
by Sophie Bushwick, Kelso Harper, Jeffery DelViscio on September 11, 2023 at 2:00 pm
The new field of digital bioacoustics is using machine learning to try decipher animal speak, including honeybee toots and quacks and whoops.
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How Fires, Floods and Hurricanes Create Deadly Pockets of Information Isolation
by Timmy Broderick on September 11, 2023 at 10:45 am
Telecommunications grids are vulnerable to worsening climate disasters—which highlights the importance of one age-old survival system
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'Robo-Taxi Takeover' Hits Speed Bumps
by Lauren Leffer on September 8, 2023 at 11:00 am
Self-driving cars are expanding their ranges in a handful of U.S. cities, but the reality doesn’t yet match the hype
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Algorithms Are Making Important Decisions. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
by Ananya on September 7, 2023 at 11:00 am
Seemingly trivial differences in training data can skew the judgments of AI programs—and that’s not the only problem with automated decision-making
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Why High-Speed Bullet Trains Won't Work in the U.S. Right Now
by Minho Kim, E&E News on September 5, 2023 at 7:00 pm
Amtrak will soon get 28 high-speed rail cars. But they won't operate at high speeds because Amtrak tracks are outdated
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Physicists Explain How Heat Kills Machines and Electronics
by Srinivas Garimella, Matthew T. Hughes, The Conversation US on September 5, 2023 at 11:00 am
Extreme heat can slow and even damage electronics ranging from computers to cars
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What the Luddites Can Teach Us about AI
by Sophie Bushwick, Elah Feder on September 1, 2023 at 12:00 pm
The Luddites did not hate technology—but they did fight the way it was used to exploit humans.
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They Remembered the Lost Women of the Manhattan Project So That None of Us Would Forget
by Katie Hafner, The Lost Women of Science Initiative on August 31, 2023 at 12:00 pm
Physicists Ruth Howes and Caroline Herzenberg’s 10-year research project ensured a place in history for the female scientists, engineers and technicians who […]
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If AI Becomes Conscious, Here's How We Can Tell
by Mariana Lenharo, Nature magazine on August 30, 2023 at 4:00 pm
A checklist derived from six neuroscience-based theories of consciousness could help assess whether an artificial intelligence system achieves this state
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New Air-Conditioning Technology Could Be the Future of Cool
by Lauren Leffer on August 29, 2023 at 10:45 am
Standard AC units cool buildings but contribute to global warming. New technology aims to change that