Computing
When Will Speech-Recognition Software Finally Be Good Enough?
Think how much time we’d save if voice assistants always understood commands or questions the first time
Stories by Wade Roush
EARTH
Who’s Brave Enough to Invest in Saving the Planet?
A handful of venture capitalists are taking big financial risks in hopes of even bigger rewards
Space & Physics
Life as We Don’t Know It
If we’re going to find extraterrestrials, we need to stop assuming they’ll think like humans
Engineering
Pricey Storm-Surge Barriers May Be Worth It
Failing to protect our coasts from sea-level rise would cost vastly more
Electronics
Augmented Reality Is Getting Real
AR headsets are still bulky and expensive, but smartphone-based apps are filling the gap
Policy
Truly Secure Voting Is on the Way
Unfortunately, it won’t be here by 2020
Environment
Wait, Plastic Can Be Good for the Environment?
It’s usually made from petroleum, which is better in a landfill than in a tank of gasoline
Computing
Goodbye, Phone Calls. Hello, Loneliness
Can you really “reach out and touch someone” via text?
Environment
Aviation Is on a Low-Carbon Flight Path
Buy offsets if you want, but for real hope, look to electric planes
Electronics
Apple’s Amazing New Screen
It will revamp our ideas of what a display can do
Electronics
Despite What You Might Think, Major Technological Changes Are Coming More Slowly Than They Once Did
Major technological shifts are fewer and farther between than they once were
Climate Change
We Should Be More Worried about Climate Change Than We Are about Nuclear Power
Climate change scares me more than the risk of meltdowns
Electronics
Virtual Assistants Are Getting Smarter All the Time. Can We Trust Them with Our Data?
Virtual assistants are getting smarter. Let's think about how that will play out
Behavior
How to Get Away from Facebook’s “Emotion Pump”
Are there better social technologies than Facebook?
Biotech
Machines That Read Your Brain Waves
How to make sure noninvasive neural interfaces stay that way
Computing
Technology Is Upending How Music Is Made
Technology is upending how music gets made
Policy
You Don’t Need Tech Companies to Reboot Your City’s Economy
You don't need programmers or venture capitalists for a thriving local economy
