How to Identify Almost Anyone in a Consumer Gene Database
New techniques that dig more deeply into genetic databases may soon make the anonymity of their customers’ DNA impossible to safeguard
Computing1735 articles archived since 1845
Can a Mood-Predicting Smartphone App Work?
Evidence behind a digital tech intervention remains scant
5G Devices Are about to Change Your Life
It will make 4G phones seem positively quaint
Clicks, Lies and Videotape
Artificial intelligence is making it possible for anyone to manipulate audio and video. The biggest threat is that we stop trusting anything at all
Will L.A.'s Anti-Terrorist Subway Scanners Be Adopted Everywhere?
Terahertz millimeter-wave technology will screen passengers for bombs and suicide vests from 10 meters distance as they rush to make the next train
Algorithms for Quantum Computers
Developers are perfecting programs meant to run on quantum computers
AI That Can Argue and Instruct
New algorithms will enable personal devices to learn any topic well enough to debate it
Augmented Reality Everywhere
Coming soon: the world overlaid with data
Are Digital Devices Altering Our Brains?
Some say our gadgets and computers can help improve intelligence. Others say they make us stupid and violent. Which is it?
Artificial Intelligence Nails Predictions of Earthquake Aftershocks
A neural-network analysis outperforms the method scientists typically use to work out where these tremors will strike
Only 150 of Your Facebook Contacts Are Real Friends
Even with social media, we max out at 150 real relationships
Artificial Intelligence Will Serve Humans, Not Enslave Them
AI will serve our species, not control it
How to Make a Robot Use Theory of Mind
Researchers give AI the ability to simulate the anticipated needs and actions of others
Are Blockchains the Answer for Secure Elections? Probably Not
As midterm political campaigns shift into full gear, start-ups are pushing for blockchain-based voting
Computer Programmers Get New Tech Ethics Code
The guidelines come from the Association for Computing Machinery
Computerized Chemical Toxicity Prediction Beats Animal Testing
Researchers programmed a computer to compare structures and toxic effects of different chemicals, making it possible to then predict the toxicity of new chemicals based on their structural similarity to known ones.
IKEA-Building Robot Conquers Touchy-Feely Challenge
The Swedish company’s furniture has become something of a benchmark for robotics engineers
Google's Duplex AI Scares Some People, but I Can't Wait for It to Become a Thing
Google's new assistant sounds almost scarily human
How Cryptojacking Can Corrupt the Internet of Things
IoT devices often have weak security, making them prime targets for criminals looking to score digital cash
Science Career Ads Are Disproportionately Seen by Men
Marketing algorithms prevent many women from seeing the advertising, even though it’s illegal to target jobs to one gender