New Scientist - Technology https://www.newscientist.com/ https://www.newscientist.com/build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png https://www.newscientist.com daily 1 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2482991-quantum-computers-are-on-the-edge-of-revealing-new-particle-physics/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 04 Jun 2025 17:00:03 +0100 Computer simulations of high-energy particles are pushing the boundaries of what we can learn about the interactions that happen inside particle colliders 2482991-quantum-computers-are-on-the-edge-of-revealing-new-particle-physics|2482991 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2482613-can-ai-understand-a-flower-without-being-able-to-touch-or-smell/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 04 Jun 2025 11:00:37 +0100 AI may be limited by a lack of taste, touch and smell which prevents it from fully understanding concepts in the same way as humans - suggesting that more advanced models may need to have a robot body 2482613-can-ai-understand-a-flower-without-being-able-to-touch-or-smell|2482613 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2482453-best-quantum-transistor-yet-could-lead-to-more-accurate-computers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Mon, 02 Jun 2025 19:00:27 +0100 Microwaves can control a single quantum bit more precisely than ever before, creating a device similar to a quantum transistor – and potentially making quantum computers more reliable 2482453-best-quantum-transistor-yet-could-lead-to-more-accurate-computers|2482453 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635450-700-how-the-new-murderbot-tv-series-made-me-a-reluctant-convert/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 28 May 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Murderbot fans will be thrilled to learn that the cyborg security unit that gains free will by hacking its governor module is now the star of a compelling adaptation. Bethan Ackerley has unexpectedly joined their ranks mg26635450-700-how-the-new-murderbot-tv-series-made-me-a-reluctant-convert|2481570 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2482507-any-wall-can-be-turned-into-a-camera-to-see-around-corners/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 30 May 2025 15:00:09 +0100 Researchers have developed algorithms that reconstruct a hidden image from the scrambled light waves that bounce off a wall, making it possible to see things behind a corner 2482507-any-wall-can-be-turned-into-a-camera-to-see-around-corners|2482507 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2482190-should-you-still-learn-a-second-language-if-ai-can-translate-for-you/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 30 May 2025 13:00:51 +0100 Artificial intelligence has removed many of the barriers to understanding a new language, but there are still good reasons to do things the old-fashioned way 2482190-should-you-still-learn-a-second-language-if-ai-can-translate-for-you|2482190 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635450-200-storm-clouds-threaten-a-promised-ai-revolution-in-weather-prediction/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 28 May 2025 19:00:00 +0100 New AI models from tech giants are set to revolutionise weather prediction. But as our climate becomes more extreme, we need to ensure broad public access to their forecasts, says Annalee Newitz mg26635450-200-storm-clouds-threaten-a-promised-ai-revolution-in-weather-prediction|2481565 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2482057-qubit-breakthrough-could-make-it-easier-to-build-quantum-computers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 29 May 2025 11:00:09 +0100 Quantum computers that correct their own errors usually require hundreds of thousands of qubits. Start-up Nord Quantique claims it can dramatically decrease that number – but many challenges remain 2482057-qubit-breakthrough-could-make-it-easier-to-build-quantum-computers|2482057 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635440-600-this-sci-fi-debut-is-a-quietly-brilliant-look-at-a-disturbing-future/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 21 May 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The premise of Grace Chan’s debut novel – that you can choose to upload yourself to a virtual reality – might sound dated, but this is a stunning big‑picture look at what might lie ahead for us, says Emily H. Wilson mg26635440-600-this-sci-fi-debut-is-a-quietly-brilliant-look-at-a-disturbing-future|2480488 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2481710-trumps-golden-dome-defence-project-could-spur-a-space-arms-race/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 23 May 2025 22:00:03 +0100 US President Trump has proposed a Golden Dome defence system that includes missile interceptors in space. But the idea would cost hundreds of billions of dollars – and could accelerate the weaponisation of space 2481710-trumps-golden-dome-defence-project-could-spur-a-space-arms-race|2481710 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2481513-breaking-encryption-with-a-quantum-computer-just-got-20-times-easier/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 23 May 2025 16:13:19 +0100 A quantum computer with a million qubits would be able to crack the vital RSA encryption algorithm, and while such machines don't yet exist, that estimate could still fall further 2481513-breaking-encryption-with-a-quantum-computer-just-got-20-times-easier|2481513 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2481364-ultracold-atoms-have-been-hyperentangled-for-the-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 22 May 2025 20:00:57 +0100 By exerting unprecedented control over extremely cold atoms, researchers have put them in a state with several simultaneously quantum-entangled properties 2481364-ultracold-atoms-have-been-hyperentangled-for-the-first-time|2481364 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2481356-special-contact-lenses-let-you-see-infrared-light-even-in-the-dark/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 22 May 2025 17:00:39 +0100 Nanoparticle-infused contact lenses can transform infrared radiation into different colours of visible light, potentially enabling a new form of night vision – no batteries required 2481356-special-contact-lenses-let-you-see-infrared-light-even-in-the-dark|2481356 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2480857-how-the-us-military-wants-to-use-the-worlds-largest-aircraft/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 20 May 2025 23:00:27 +0100 The world’s largest aircraft, called WindRunner, is being designed to carry huge wind turbine blades – but the US military is looking into its own applications for the proposed plane 2480857-how-the-us-military-wants-to-use-the-worlds-largest-aircraft|2480857 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2480579-ai-doesnt-know-no-and-thats-a-huge-problem-for-medical-bots/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Mon, 19 May 2025 22:41:10 +0100 Many AI models fail to recognise negation words such as “no” and “not”, which means they can’t easily distinguish between medical images labelled as showing a disease and images labelled as not showing the disease 2480579-ai-doesnt-know-no-and-thats-a-huge-problem-for-medical-bots|2480579 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2480657-attempt-to-reach-expert-consensus-on-teens-and-phones-ends-in-argument/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Mon, 19 May 2025 17:57:03 +0100 There are a range of competing views on whether smartphones and social media are harmful to adolescents, and an attempt to settle the debate has instead sparked more disagreement 2480657-attempt-to-reach-expert-consensus-on-teens-and-phones-ends-in-argument|2480657 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635440-400-this-new-book-is-a-one-sided-attempt-to-puncture-the-ai-bubble/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Mon, 19 May 2025 17:45:00 +0100 The AI Con by Emily Bender and Alex Hanna wants to expose the hype generated by large artificial intelligence companies, but it is a frustrating read mg26635440-400-this-new-book-is-a-one-sided-attempt-to-puncture-the-ai-bubble|2480486 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2480310-are-entangled-qubits-following-a-quantum-moores-law/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 15 May 2025 20:43:48 +0100 Several recent experiments showcase a sharp increase in the number of quantum bits that can be entangled, echoing Moore’s law for increasing computing power on traditional chips 2480310-are-entangled-qubits-following-a-quantum-moores-law|2480310 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635432-800-when-it-comes-to-crime-you-cant-algorithm-your-way-to-safety/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 14 May 2025 19:00:00 +0100 There are serious issues with new proposals to use artificial intelligence to predict future crimes, says Yu Xiong, chair of the advisory board to the UK's All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Metaverse and Web 3.0 mg26635432-800-when-it-comes-to-crime-you-cant-algorithm-your-way-to-safety|2479782 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2480108-the-titanics-twin-digitally-exploring-the-famous-shipwreck/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 13 May 2025 19:00:23 +0100 The world's most famous shipwreck, the RMS Titanic, sits around 3800 metres below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean and is currently a protected site due to an agreement between the UK and US. Its remote location makes the wreck difficult and expensive to study. Now, a team from deep-sea mapping company Magellan has created … 2480108-the-titanics-twin-digitally-exploring-the-famous-shipwreck|2480108 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2479914-the-fbi-is-getting-new-technology-to-see-through-walls/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 13 May 2025 18:50:49 +0100 A lunchbox-sized radar system could help the FBI detect moving or stationary people by peering through walls via radio waves 2479914-the-fbi-is-getting-new-technology-to-see-through-walls|2479914 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2479545-ai-hallucinations-are-getting-worse-and-theyre-here-to-stay/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 09 May 2025 21:00:13 +0100 An AI leaderboard suggests the newest reasoning models used in chatbots are producing less accurate results because of higher hallucination rates. Experts say the problem is bigger than that 2479545-ai-hallucinations-are-getting-worse-and-theyre-here-to-stay|2479545 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2478357-quantum-computers-could-protect-our-data-from-quantum-computers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 08 Apr 2025 13:20:18 +0100 A powerful enough quantum computer could crack the encryption methods currently used to protect data around the world, but the solution might be a quantum algorithm once thought to be completely useless 2478357-quantum-computers-could-protect-our-data-from-quantum-computers|2478357 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2479302-concerns-raised-over-ai-trained-on-57-million-nhs-medical-records/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 07 May 2025 15:28:38 +0100 The makers of an AI model called Foresight say it could help predict disease or hospitalisation rates, but others have expressed concern about the fact it is trained on millions of health records 2479302-concerns-raised-over-ai-trained-on-57-million-nhs-medical-records|2479302 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2479045-us-government-is-using-ai-for-unprecedented-social-media-surveillance/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Mon, 05 May 2025 23:00:11 +0100 Under the Trump administration, multiple US government agencies are using AI and other tools to broadly track the social media of tourists and immigrants – and potentially to watch US citizens as well 2479045-us-government-is-using-ai-for-unprecedented-social-media-surveillance|2479045 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2478864-quantum-computers-dont-always-need-more-qubits-just-add-chaos/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Mon, 05 May 2025 11:00:16 +0100 To create useful randomness in a quantum computer, you could add more quantum bits, but using quantum chaos does the trick too 2478864-quantum-computers-dont-always-need-more-qubits-just-add-chaos|2478864 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2478756-the-clocks-that-helped-define-time-from-londons-royal-observatory/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 01 May 2025 18:08:11 +0100 From sundials to atomic clocks, our understanding of time has become a lot more accurate as technological developments allowed us to measure it more precisely. Much more than helping us arrive on time, clocks permit us to discern our location. Longitude, for example, is determined by measuring the difference in time from a set position, … 2478756-the-clocks-that-helped-define-time-from-londons-royal-observatory|2478756 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2478289-hijacked-cicadas-play-music-like-a-cyborg-loudspeaker/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 01 May 2025 17:00:35 +0100 Cicadas can be turned into living speakers and made to play music such as Pachelbel’s Canon 2478289-hijacked-cicadas-play-music-like-a-cyborg-loudspeaker|2478289 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2478521-meta-amazon-and-google-accused-of-distorting-key-ai-rankings/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 01 May 2025 16:52:26 +0100 A test of AI model performance across the industry is being gamed by technology giants, making objective scientific comparison impossible, researchers have claimed 2478521-meta-amazon-and-google-accused-of-distorting-key-ai-rankings|2478521 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2478122-housework-robots-are-a-step-closer-as-they-learn-to-work-in-any-home/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 01 May 2025 09:00:10 +0100 Robots often struggle to carry out tasks in places where they haven’t been trained, but a new AI model helps them clean up a mess or make a bed in unfamiliar settings 2478122-housework-robots-are-a-step-closer-as-they-learn-to-work-in-any-home|2478122 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2478450-deepfake-makers-can-now-evade-an-unusual-detection-method/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 30 Apr 2025 06:15:18 +0100 AI-powered deepfake videos with altered facial expressions can display realistic heartbeats through skin colour changes, which may hinder one deepfake detection method 2478450-deepfake-makers-can-now-evade-an-unusual-detection-method|2478450 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2478336-reddit-users-were-subjected-to-ai-powered-experiment-without-consent/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 29 Apr 2025 17:00:58 +0100 Users of the r/ChangeMyView subreddit have expressed outrage at the revelation that researchers at the University of Zurich were secretly using the site for an AI-powered experiment in persuasion 2478336-reddit-users-were-subjected-to-ai-powered-experiment-without-consent|2478336 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2478180-is-keir-starmer-being-advised-by-ai-the-uk-government-wont-tell-us/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Mon, 28 Apr 2025 12:32:41 +0100 The UK government's Redbox AI chatbot is being used by thousands of civil servants, but a lack of transparency about exactly how they are using it has experts concerned 2478180-is-keir-starmer-being-advised-by-ai-the-uk-government-wont-tell-us|2478180 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2477956-us-government-defunds-research-on-misinformation/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 25 Apr 2025 21:29:37 +0100 The US National Science Foundation cancelled funding for research on misinformation, disinformation and AI-generated deepfakes, even as misleading information runs rampant on social media 2477956-us-government-defunds-research-on-misinformation|2477956 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2477243-chatbots-can-hide-secret-messages-in-seemingly-normal-conversations/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 25 Apr 2025 17:00:18 +0100 Text-generating AIs such as ChatGPT can be used to hide encrypted messages inside fake conversations, which could help people living under oppressive regimes communicate secretly 2477243-chatbots-can-hide-secret-messages-in-seemingly-normal-conversations|2477243 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2476237-hackers-could-vandalise-quantum-computers-without-people-noticing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 25 Apr 2025 14:00:34 +0100 Hackers may be able to garble the output of programs running on quantum computers, leaving other people with unknowingly incorrect results - but thankfully, there is a fix 2476237-hackers-could-vandalise-quantum-computers-without-people-noticing|2476237 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2477409-we-can-build-quantum-computers-using-the-rules-of-special-relativity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 22 Apr 2025 21:00:32 +0100 Machine learning helped show how harnessing the weird effects of Einstein’s special relativity could enable a new kind of quantum computer – and it could also lead to new insights into the quantum realm 2477409-we-can-build-quantum-computers-using-the-rules-of-special-relativity|2477409 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2477352-jets-wrapped-in-shark-skin-material-could-fly-further-on-less-fuel/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 22 Apr 2025 18:00:04 +0100 An aerodynamic material that mimics shark skin helps planes fly with less drag – and it can be added to existing aircraft like a decal 2477352-jets-wrapped-in-shark-skin-material-could-fly-further-on-less-fuel|2477352 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2477506-quantum-batteries-could-make-quantum-computers-more-efficient/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 22 Apr 2025 17:00:52 +0100 Powering quantum computers with quantum batteries would reduce the energy needed for cooling and enable machines to pack in more qubits 2477506-quantum-batteries-could-make-quantum-computers-more-efficient|2477506 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2477082-quantum-gps-can-help-planes-navigate-when-regular-gps-is-jammed/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 18 Apr 2025 17:00:43 +0100 A quantum sensor using Earth's magnetic fields outperformed standard GPS backups in test flights. This technology could help commercial aircraft stay on course amid a rise in GPS jamming and spoofing attacks 2477082-quantum-gps-can-help-planes-navigate-when-regular-gps-is-jammed|2477082 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2474988-slices-of-wood-can-filter-bacteria-and-microplastics-from-water/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 18 Apr 2025 09:00:59 +0100 Water filters made from untreated wood can remove more than 99 per cent of particles, taking out many harmful bacteria and microplastics 2474988-slices-of-wood-can-filter-bacteria-and-microplastics-from-water|2474988 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2476515-a-classic-hacking-technique-works-on-some-quantum-computers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 17 Apr 2025 14:00:52 +0100 Two independent research teams have developed methods for hacking noisy quantum computers based on a row-hammer attack, a type of interference used to infiltrate traditional computers 2476515-a-classic-hacking-technique-works-on-some-quantum-computers|2476515 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635390-700-inside-the-outlandish-futuristic-dreams-of-the-tech-bros/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 16 Apr 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Exposing the origins of the improbable – and at times scary – plans of tech billionaires makes Adam Becker's More Everything Forever a disturbing but important book mg26635390-700-inside-the-outlandish-futuristic-dreams-of-the-tech-bros|2476251 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2476556-people-are-really-bad-at-spotting-ai-generated-deepfake-voices/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 15 Apr 2025 15:00:00 +0100 Tests show that when people hear recordings of real voices and AI-created ones, they mostly fail to spot the fakes – raising concerns about scams involving counterfeit voices 2476556-people-are-really-bad-at-spotting-ai-generated-deepfake-voices|2476556 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2476220-us-military-launches-initiative-to-find-the-best-quantum-computer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 11 Apr 2025 23:00:26 +0100 The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) wants to know which of the quantum computers now in development have the best chance of being game-changing technologies 2476220-us-military-launches-initiative-to-find-the-best-quantum-computer|2476220 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2474758-ai-powered-chilli-spray-could-deter-bears-without-injuring-them/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 10 Apr 2025 15:00:54 +0100 A machine controlled by AI that sprays bears with the chilli pepper chemical capsaicin could reduce dangerous confrontations with people 2474758-ai-powered-chilli-spray-could-deter-bears-without-injuring-them|2474758 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2475528-could-brain-computer-interface-let-us-inhabit-robot-avatars-on-mars/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 09 Apr 2025 19:00:00 +0100 In the latest instalment of our Future Chronicles column, which explores an imagined history of inventions yet to come, Rowan Hooper reveals how brain-computer interface let us travel to Mars via robot avatars in the late 2020s 2475528-could-brain-computer-interface-let-us-inhabit-robot-avatars-on-mars|2475528 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2475880-why-quantum-computers-may-continue-to-fail-a-key-test/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 10 Apr 2025 01:35:25 +0100 There have been several claims of quantum computers performing at a level impossible to match with a classical computer – most of which have been refuted. Could there be a mathematical reason why this keeps happening? 2475880-why-quantum-computers-may-continue-to-fail-a-key-test|2475880 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2475302-light-based-computers-are-getting-close-to-a-commercial-launch/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 09 Apr 2025 17:00:28 +0100 Computers that use photons rather than electrons to manipulate data promise greater speed and energy efficiency, and the technology is developing rapidly 2475302-light-based-computers-are-getting-close-to-a-commercial-launch|2475302 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2474987-smell-seeking-drone-uses-moth-antenna-to-follow-a-scent/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 08 Apr 2025 14:00:32 +0100 A moth antenna can be integrated into the electronics of a drone to create a smell-seeking bio-hybrid – but it only detects the smell of a female moth 2474987-smell-seeking-drone-uses-moth-antenna-to-follow-a-scent|2474987 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2475276-doge-ditching-tape-storage-could-put-data-at-risk-say-experts/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Mon, 07 Apr 2025 18:49:22 +0100 President Trump's DOGE team, headed by Elon Musk, claims to have saved $1 million by ditching 70-year-old tape data storage. But experts say the move will likely end up costing more in the long term and could put data at risk 2475276-doge-ditching-tape-storage-could-put-data-at-risk-say-experts|2475276 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2474732-bacteria-inspired-robot-uses-12-spinning-flagella-to-roam-underwater/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Mon, 07 Apr 2025 17:35:58 +0100 An underwater drone with long, spinning arms like the flagella of bacteria could survey the seas without endangering marine life, its creators claim 2474732-bacteria-inspired-robot-uses-12-spinning-flagella-to-roam-underwater|2474732 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635372-500-the-epic-quest-to-redefine-the-second-using-the-worlds-best-clocks/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 02 Apr 2025 17:00:00 +0100 A more precise definition of the second is crucial to all sorts of physical measurements – but to get there, scientists have to pack up their extraordinarily fragile optical clocks and take them on tour mg26635372-500-the-epic-quest-to-redefine-the-second-using-the-worlds-best-clocks|2474372 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2475215-ai-data-scrapers-are-an-existential-threat-to-wikipedia/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 04 Apr 2025 22:00:23 +0100 As AI developers harvest Wikipedia content to train their models, the resulting surge in automated traffic is driving up costs for the non-profit that runs the popular crowdsourced encyclopaedia 2475215-ai-data-scrapers-are-an-existential-threat-to-wikipedia|2475215 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2475189-ruth-belville-how-the-greenwich-time-lady-kept-london-ticking/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 04 Apr 2025 16:24:53 +0100 In order to keep time accurately, we have always had to set our clocks by the ticks of a better one. Until the 1950s, the best were those set by astronomers based on the position of the sun in the sky. Back then, the most reliable clock was the one at the Royal Observatory in … 2475189-ruth-belville-how-the-greenwich-time-lady-kept-london-ticking|2475189 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26535370-100-why-pilots-are-worried-about-plans-to-replace-co-pilots-with-ai/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 02 Apr 2025 19:00:00 +0100 A cost-cutting initiative in the world of passenger aviation could see flight-deck staff reduced to just a captain, with their co-pilot replaced by AI. It may save money, but it's a risk too far, argues Paul Marks mg26535370-100-why-pilots-are-worried-about-plans-to-replace-co-pilots-with-ai|2474265 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2474455-us-bridges-are-at-risk-of-catastrophic-ship-collisions-every-few-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Mon, 31 Mar 2025 23:00:04 +0100 After a container ship struck and destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, researchers began calculating the risks of similar catastrophic incidents for other US bridges – and they’re surprisingly high 2474455-us-bridges-are-at-risk-of-catastrophic-ship-collisions-every-few-years|2474455 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2474017-distracted-by-your-phone-putting-it-out-of-reach-may-not-help/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 28 Mar 2025 05:00:45 +0000 When researchers asked people to work on a computer with their phones 1.5 metres away, the amount of time they spent on their phone went down – but they just scrolled social media on their laptop instead 2474017-distracted-by-your-phone-putting-it-out-of-reach-may-not-help|2474017 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2473327-quantum-computers-are-on-track-to-solve-knotty-mathematical-problems/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 27 Mar 2025 11:30:00 +0000 A quantum algorithm for solving mathematical problems related to knots could give us the first example of a quantum computer tackling a genuinely useful problem that would otherwise be impossible for a classical computer 2473327-quantum-computers-are-on-track-to-solve-knotty-mathematical-problems|2473327 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2473993-what-is-vibe-coding-should-you-be-doing-it-and-does-it-matter/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 27 Mar 2025 10:55:41 +0000 The rise of large language models like ChatGPT that can churn out computer code has led to a new term - vibe coding - for people who create software by asking AI to do it for them 2473993-what-is-vibe-coding-should-you-be-doing-it-and-does-it-matter|2473993 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2473622-leading-ai-models-fail-new-test-of-artificial-general-intelligence/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 25 Mar 2025 15:02:40 +0000 A new test of AI capabilities consists of puzzles that humans are able to solve without too much trouble, but which all leading AI models struggle with. To improve and pass the test, AI companies will need to balance problem-solving abilities with cost. 2473622-leading-ai-models-fail-new-test-of-artificial-general-intelligence|2473622 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2473425-ex-uk-cyber-chief-says-asking-apple-to-break-encryption-was-naive/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 25 Mar 2025 11:55:36 +0000 Ciaran Martin, the former head of cyber security at GCHQ, says the UK government was "naive" to expect a request for Apple to weaken its encryption services to remain secret. He thinks governments must come to terms with the fact that uncrackable encryption is here to stay. 2473425-ex-uk-cyber-chief-says-asking-apple-to-break-encryption-was-naive|2473425 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2473450-smartphones-may-be-beneficial-to-children-if-they-avoid-social-media/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 25 Mar 2025 10:00:51 +0000 In the ongoing debate over the benefits and harms of smartphone use in children, initial data from a US survey suggests the devices can actually improve well-being and social connections, but social media use may be more harmful 2473450-smartphones-may-be-beneficial-to-children-if-they-avoid-social-media|2473450 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26535350-500-brilliant-sci-fi-novel-shows-robots-coming-to-grips-with-emancipation/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 19 Mar 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Abigail is created to replace her owner's dead wife, just as robots are set to gain rights. Emily H. Wilson explores Lucy Lapinska's Some Body Like Me, the latest addition to "robo-rights" literature mg26535350-500-brilliant-sci-fi-novel-shows-robots-coming-to-grips-with-emancipation|2472344 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2472659-ai-can-forecast-the-weather-in-seconds-without-needing-supercomputers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 20 Mar 2025 16:00:38 +0000 While earlier weather-forecasting AIs have replaced some tasks done by traditional models, new research uses machine learning to replace the entire process, making it much faster 2472659-ai-can-forecast-the-weather-in-seconds-without-needing-supercomputers|2472659 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2473000-microsofts-quantum-computer-hit-with-criticism-at-key-physics-meeting/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 19 Mar 2025 17:37:15 +0000 After weeks of criticism, Microsoft promised to show new data about its Majorana 1 quantum computer at the biggest meeting of the world's physicists. Researchers in the room tell New Scientist they were not impressed with what they saw. 2473000-microsofts-quantum-computer-hit-with-criticism-at-key-physics-meeting|2473000 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2472766-quantum-satellite-sets-globe-spanning-distance-record/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 19 Mar 2025 16:00:19 +0000 A record-setting test of quantum communication used a microsatellite to connect ground stations in China and South Africa, bringing a global quantum internet closer to reality 2472766-quantum-satellite-sets-globe-spanning-distance-record|2472766 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2472602-will-we-soon-be-able-to-charge-electric-cars-in-minutes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 18 Mar 2025 17:00:50 +0000 Speedy new chargers from Chinese automaker BYD take just 5 minutes to restore 400 kilometres of an electric car’s range, but will they be widely used? 2472602-will-we-soon-be-able-to-charge-electric-cars-in-minutes|2472602 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2472378-should-governments-really-be-using-ai-to-remake-the-state/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 14 Mar 2025 13:15:31 +0000 New Scientist's revelation that a UK minister is asking ChatGPT for advice raises the question of what role these new AI tools should play in government – and whether we should really think of them as intelligent 2472378-should-governments-really-be-using-ai-to-remake-the-state|2472378 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2472068-revealed-how-the-uk-tech-secretary-uses-chatgpt-for-policy-advice/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 13 Mar 2025 12:04:17 +0000 New Scientist has used freedom of information laws to obtain the ChatGPT records of Peter Kyle, the UK's technology secretary, in what is believed to be a world-first use of such legislation 2472068-revealed-how-the-uk-tech-secretary-uses-chatgpt-for-policy-advice|2472068 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2471759-ai-scientists-are-sceptical-that-modern-models-will-lead-to-agi/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 14 Mar 2025 11:00:31 +0000 In a survey of AI researchers, most say current AI models are unlikely to lead to artificial general intelligence with human-level capabilities, even as companies invest billions of dollars in this goal 2471759-ai-scientists-are-sceptical-that-modern-models-will-lead-to-agi|2471759 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26535342-200-content-moderation-offers-little-actual-safety-on-big-social-media/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 12 Mar 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Whether social media sites police their platforms using humans or algorithms, content moderation isn't keeping users safe, says Jess Brough mg26535342-200-content-moderation-offers-little-actual-safety-on-big-social-media|2471411 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2471543-the-first-operating-system-for-quantum-networks-has-been-built/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 12 Mar 2025 16:00:30 +0000 As a step towards a useful and ultra-secure quantum internet, researchers have created an operating system that coordinates connected quantum computers, no matter what hardware they use 2471543-the-first-operating-system-for-quantum-networks-has-been-built|2471543 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2471426-doubts-cast-over-d-waves-claim-of-quantum-computer-supremacy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 12 Mar 2025 15:14:39 +0000 D-Wave's claim that its quantum computers can solve problems that would take hundreds of years on classical machines have been undermined by two separate research groups showing that even an ordinary laptop can perform similar calculations 2471426-doubts-cast-over-d-waves-claim-of-quantum-computer-supremacy|2471426 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2471461-microsoft-under-fire-for-claiming-it-has-a-new-quantum-computer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Mon, 10 Mar 2025 12:52:31 +0000 Researchers have criticised Microsoft's new Majorana 1 quantum computer, saying the company has made claims about the way it works that aren't fully backed up by scientific evidence 2471461-microsoft-under-fire-for-claiming-it-has-a-new-quantum-computer|2471461 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2471527-largest-all-electric-flying-machine-begins-sea-trials/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Mon, 10 Mar 2025 21:00:15 +0000 A 12-passenger “seaglider” that is part boat and part aircraft harnesses cold war-era technology to fly just above the waves using only electric power 2471527-largest-all-electric-flying-machine-begins-sea-trials|2471527 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26535330-100-the-critical-computer-systems-still-relying-on-decades-old-code/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 05 Mar 2025 16:00:00 +0000 Software used by banks and the space industry may still rely on archaic code. We went in search of the oldest code in use and asked, what happens when it glitches? mg26535330-100-the-critical-computer-systems-still-relying-on-decades-old-code|2470201 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2471010-how-the-edsac-computer-changed-science-in-the-1940s-and-50s/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 07 Mar 2025 13:00:18 +0000 The Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator (EDSAC), developed at the University of Cambridge, is one of the world's earliest general-purpose computers. Volunteers at the National Museum of Computing in Bletchley Park, UK, have been constructing a working replica of an EDSAC machine. Once complete, it will be able to run EDSAC software that was published … 2471010-how-the-edsac-computer-changed-science-in-the-1940s-and-50s|2471010 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2471052-experts-say-us-flights-are-safe-now-but-flag-warning-signs-to-look-for/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 06 Mar 2025 21:02:32 +0000 Flying commercially in the US remains low risk despite a recent mid-air collision, near misses and job cuts at the Federal Aviation Administration. But aviation safety experts and former FAA employees identify warning signs that would stop them from flying in the future 2471052-experts-say-us-flights-are-safe-now-but-flag-warning-signs-to-look-for|2471052 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2470607-how-moores-law-led-us-to-a-flawed-vision-of-the-future/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 05 Mar 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Back in the 1960s, it seemed like better communications could solve all our problems. Don’t blame the technology for the failure of that dream, says Annalee Newitz 2470607-how-moores-law-led-us-to-a-flawed-vision-of-the-future|2470607 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2470120-lasers-can-help-detect-radioactive-materials-from-afar/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 06 Mar 2025 13:00:54 +0000 In a record-breaking test, researchers remotely detected radioactive material by shooting it with infrared laser pulses and analysing how the light scattered 2470120-lasers-can-help-detect-radioactive-materials-from-afar|2470120 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2470828-andrew-barto-and-richard-sutton-win-turing-award-for-ai-training-trick/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 05 Mar 2025 10:00:42 +0000 The Turing award, often considered the Nobel prize of computing, has gone to two computer scientists for their work on reinforcement learning, a key technique in training artificial intelligence models 2470828-andrew-barto-and-richard-sutton-win-turing-award-for-ai-training-trick|2470828 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2470902-doge-eliminated-the-us-governments-tech-experts-what-has-been-lost/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 04 Mar 2025 22:30:37 +0000 The Trump administration’s latest move to improve government efficiency has purged tech consultants that worked to improve government efficiency 2470902-doge-eliminated-the-us-governments-tech-experts-what-has-been-lost|2470902 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2470554-cryptography-trick-could-make-ai-algorithms-more-efficient/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 04 Mar 2025 10:00:01 +0000 Encryption would normally be expected to slow down computation, but applying the tools of cryptography to "trick" an algorithm can actually make it work faster 2470554-cryptography-trick-could-make-ai-algorithms-more-efficient|2470554 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2470489-us-military-wants-to-grow-giant-biological-structures-in-space/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Mon, 03 Mar 2025 21:29:56 +0000 DARPA scientists are exploring ways to grow massive biological objects, such as telescope antennas or huge nets to snag debris, in space 2470489-us-military-wants-to-grow-giant-biological-structures-in-space|2470489 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2470348-electronic-tongue-could-let-you-taste-cake-in-virtual-reality/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 28 Feb 2025 19:00:23 +0000 Virtual reality could get more realistic thanks to scientists inventing an artificial tongue that can taste flavours, such as sourness and umami 2470348-electronic-tongue-could-let-you-taste-cake-in-virtual-reality|2470348 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2470327-is-openai-hitting-a-wall-with-huge-and-expensive-gpt-4-5-model/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 28 Feb 2025 18:00:40 +0000 Some researchers think OpenAI's giant and expensive latest model is a sign that tech companies cannot keep making progress by continually scaling up 2470327-is-openai-hitting-a-wall-with-huge-and-expensive-gpt-4-5-model|2470327 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2469663-shock-discovery-tears-up-the-rules-of-time-and-space-inside-a-computer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 28 Feb 2025 15:41:26 +0000 Time and memory space are the two main constraints on what we can compute, and understanding their relationship is a key part of computational complexity research 2469663-shock-discovery-tears-up-the-rules-of-time-and-space-inside-a-computer|2469663 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26535320-100-why-humanoid-robots-are-missing-the-point/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 26 Feb 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Why pour so much technological effort into developing a human-shaped robot when it could be any shape at all, asks Leah Crane mg26535320-100-why-humanoid-robots-are-missing-the-point|2469479 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2470007-thread-based-computer-could-be-knitted-into-clothes-to-monitor-health/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 26 Feb 2025 16:00:52 +0000 Wearable technology could go beyond smartwatches to items of clothing that monitor large parts of your body 2470007-thread-based-computer-could-be-knitted-into-clothes-to-monitor-health|2470007 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26535310-600-robot-iris-turns-out-to-be-a-straw-man-in-horror-comedy-companion/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 19 Feb 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Starring Jack Quaid and Sophie Thatcher, this film sets out to deconstruct men's objectification of women, and asks good questions about why we want robots at all. Shame about the logical hole at its centre mg26535310-600-robot-iris-turns-out-to-be-a-straw-man-in-horror-comedy-companion|2468483 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2469449-ai-can-decode-digital-data-stored-in-dna-in-minutes-instead-of-days/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:25 +0000 A new AI-based method can accurately recover digital data from DNA strands nearly 90 times faster than older techniques, raising the possibility of practical DNA storage for computing 2469449-ai-can-decode-digital-data-stored-in-dna-in-minutes-instead-of-days|2469449 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2468021-ai-trained-on-novels-tracks-how-racist-and-sexist-biases-have-evolved/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:00:35 +0000 Questioning a chatbot that has been trained on bestselling books from a particular decade can give researchers a measure of the social biases of that era 2468021-ai-trained-on-novels-tracks-how-racist-and-sexist-biases-have-evolved|2468021 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26535313-200-why-im-deeply-sceptical-about-comparisons-between-humans-and-machines/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 19 Feb 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Humans learn very differently to machines, thanks to our biased, malleable memory – and that's a good thing, says Charan Ranganath, director of the Dynamic Memory Lab at the University of California, Davis mg26535313-200-why-im-deeply-sceptical-about-comparisons-between-humans-and-machines|2468669 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2469180-microsoft-wants-to-use-generative-ai-tool-to-help-make-video-games/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 19 Feb 2025 16:00:50 +0000 Using AI to produce footage of video games with a consistent world and rules could prove useful to game designers 2469180-microsoft-wants-to-use-generative-ai-tool-to-help-make-video-games|2469180 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2469079-microsoft-has-a-new-quantum-computer-but-does-it-actually-work/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 19 Feb 2025 16:00:11 +0000 Researchers at Microsoft say they have created so-called topological qubits, which would be exceptionally resistant to errors, but their claim has been met with scepticism 2469079-microsoft-has-a-new-quantum-computer-but-does-it-actually-work|2469079 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2469072-can-googles-new-research-assistant-ai-give-scientists-superpowers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 19 Feb 2025 14:00:03 +0000 Researchers who have been given access to Google's new AI "co-scientist" tool are enthusiastic about its potential, but it isn't yet clear whether it can make truly novel discoveries 2469072-can-googles-new-research-assistant-ai-give-scientists-superpowers|2469072 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2469086-electrodes-made-from-bread-could-replace-metal-conductors/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:01:19 +0000 Wholemeal bread can be shaped into carbon electrodes that could replace traditional metal conductors in electrical devices 2469086-electrodes-made-from-bread-could-replace-metal-conductors|2469086 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2468628-why-ai-resorts-to-stereotypes-when-it-is-role-playing-humans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:00:04 +0000 The often stereotyped and offensive responses from AI chatbots role-playing as humans can be explained by flaws in how large language models attempt to portray demographic identities 2468628-why-ai-resorts-to-stereotypes-when-it-is-role-playing-humans|2468628 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2468412-how-the-drone-battles-of-ukraine-are-shaping-the-future-of-war/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=technology Tue, 18 Feb 2025 12:00:21 +0000 As the Russia-Ukraine war reaches its third anniversary, militaries around the world are watching the evolution of drone warfare and planning for future conflicts 2468412-how-the-drone-battles-of-ukraine-are-shaping-the-future-of-war|2468412