
Obama Stands Fast on Intelligence Gathering but Promises More Oversight
In his speech on Friday the U.S. president made no apologies for the National Security Agency’s work. The government will, however, stop storing citizen phone records

Obama Stands Fast on Intelligence Gathering but Promises More Oversight
In his speech on Friday the U.S. president made no apologies for the National Security Agency’s work. The government will, however, stop storing citizen phone records

Obama to Speak Out on NSA Surveillance Controversy
The speech should provide some insight into the future of how the U.S. government keeps tabs on friends and foes


"Net Neutrality" Ruling Opens Door for 2-Tiered Internet Market
The ruling in favor of corporate broadband providers may not only up consumer costs but also cripple start-ups, which may stifle the kind of innovative content that has made the Web an essential service

Is the Universe Made of Math? [Excerpt]
In this excerpt from his new book, Our Mathematical Universe, M.I.T. professor Max Tegmark explores the possibility that math does not just describe the universe, but makes the universe

A Short History of Unsavory Tech Snooping
Six egregious instances of technological trust abuse

How "Gangnam Style" Went Viral [Graphic]
Data scientists trace how the most-viewed video in YouTube history spread across the Internet

Best of Next Year: 7 Gadgets to Look Watch for in 2014 [Slide Show]
SA examines emerging technologies that are almost here: Turn an ordinary table into a touch screen, monitor your kids’ whereabouts and place the power of 3-D printing in the palm of your hand—and there’s more. Read on

How Is a Quarterback Like Your Laptop? [Excerpt]
The famous San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh figured out how to make football digital

How Microsoft’s 1 Percenters Balance Basic Research with Short-Term Success
Microsoft Research head Peter Lee talks about keeping his team—about 1 percent of the company’s workforce—focused on the big picture

Memory Trick Increases Password Security
What’s my password again? Image association as a way to memorize dozens of unique security codes

A New Tool to Help Mathematicians Pack
Improvements in how densely spheres and other shapes can be packed together could lead to advances in materials science, deep space communication and theoretical physics.

How Science Goes Viral
More scientists are using social media to measure the impact of their work, but they're still in the process of figuring out what online popularity means for their careers