Computing2326 articles archived since 1845

Transit of Venus

The Venus transit offers a chance for modern-day stargazers to repeat the experiments conducted by expeditions around the world in the 18th and 19th centuries--with a modern twist

Insides Trading: What Impact Will Facebook Have on Organ Donations?

People are turning to social media to bridge the chasm between those in need of life-saving organs and those who can help. This offers hope but also introduces risks

Recommended: Tubes: A Journey to the Center of the Internet

Books and recommendations from Scientific American

Shooting beyond the Moon: "Part-Time" Scientists Aim to Develop Autonomous Rover to Compete for Lunar X PRIZE

A 100-member team of experts aims to develop quick-response rover technology they hope will alter the way robots explore the moon and beyond

Browser Choice: A Thing of the Past?

Like to pick your browser? Beware, because new mobile devices threaten to stifle the competitive vigor of the market for Web browsers on PCs.

Can Soil Sensors Save Georgia Waterways from Drought?

An innovative effort would embed sensors in agricultural fields in a bid to cut down on irrigation--saving farmers money and preserving water for endangered species

Transit of Venus

The Venus transit offers a chance for modern-day stargazers to repeat the experiments conducted by expeditions around the world in the 18th and 19th centuries--with a modern twist

Readers respond to "A Man-made Contagion" and Other Articles

Letters to the editor from the February 2012 issue of Scientific American

Stuxnet-Like Viruses Remain a Top U.S. Security Risk

Government officials and security researchers say critical systems should never be connected to the Internet, but they frequently are

Traveling Salesman: A Seemingly Unsolvable Problem Offers a Glimpse of the Limits of Computation

Most Users Are App Freeloaders

The vast majority of mobile device users get only free or cheap apps. Larry Greenemeier reports

Verizon to Kill Unlimited Data Plans for Existing Subscribers

Verizon Communications told investors that the company's 3G unlimited data plans will soon go away entirely Verizon Wireless subscribers who have held onto their $30-a-month unlimited data plans will soon be forced to upgrade to a new tiered offering the company plans to launch this summer, according to the Web site Fierce Wireless ...

Down with Double Data Fees!

And other proclamations that should be in a cell phone user's Bill of Rights

Look, Computer, No Hands!

Microsoft hopes its SoundWave will let you interact with your PC using hand gestures in midair rather than on a keyboard. Larry Greenemeier reports

Does Digital Piracy Really Hurt Movies?

Two economists untangle the relation between illegal downloads and ticket sales

Intel Futurist Discusses Data's Secret Life, the Ghost of Computing and How We Should Attack Fear

Science fiction serves as a key inspiration for the man whose job it is envisage Intel's future and, to a large degree, the future of computing itself

Intel Futurist on Why We Should Not Fear the Future

The world's largest computer chipmaker employs a corporate futurist, Brian David Johnson, to guess what gadgetry and computing will look like in 2020 and beyond

The Scientific Flaws of Online Dating Sites

What the "matching algorithms" miss

Camera Megapixels: Why More Isn't Always Better (Smartphones Unlocked)

Samsung Galaxy S III (Credit: CNET) Just days ago, Samsung announced the Samsung Galaxy S III , the global, quad-core, Android Ice Cream Sandwich successor to its best-selling smartphone ever, the Galaxy S II ...

Telltale Hearts: What Autopsies Reveal about This Vital Organ

Despite advances in medical imaging, an autopsy still gives experts the best picture of what ails us