GeologyApril 14, 2025
Why Are Rare Earth Metals So Precious?
China is blocking exports of these vital minerals. What makes them so special?
Technology
OpinionApril 14, 2025
Replacing Federal Workers with Chatbots Would Be a Dystopian Nightmare
The Trump administration sees an AI-driven federal workforce as more efficient. Instead, with chatbots unable to carry out critical tasks, it would be a diabolical mess
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RoboticsApril 12, 2025
This Robot Copies Life—By Decomposing
A new soft robotic arm and its controller break down naturally
Cross CurrentsApril 11, 2025
Dear Breakthrough Prize Billionaires: Fund the Science You’re Watching Trump Destroy
The billionaires behind Facebook and Google can do more than hand out glitzy awards for science. They should fund the research the Trump administration has canned
Artificial IntelligenceApril 10, 2025
Data Centers Will Use Twice as Much Energy by 2030—Driven by AI
Data centers accounted for about 1.5 percent of global electricity consumption in 2024, an amount expected to double by 2030 because of AI use
Artificial IntelligenceApril 9, 2025
Where AI Is Now: Smaller, Better, Cheaper Models
A state of the AI industry report shows that 2024 was a breakthrough year for small, sleek models to rival the behemoths
DefenseApril 9, 2025
Trump’s Cornell Funding Freeze Could Make U.S. Troops Less Safe
Cornell is being slammed with stop-work orders that will seriously impact department of defense research linked to the Air Force and military safety, sources tell Scientific American
Artificial IntelligenceApril 4, 2025
This AI Speedrunner Taught Itself to Play Minecraft
The Dreamer AI system of Google's DeepMind reached the milestone of mastering Minecraft by ‘imagining’ the future impact of possible decisions
SportsApril 2, 2025
Why the New ‘Torpedo Bat’ Is Hitting It out of the Park
After a stellar Yankees win on Saturday, torpedo bats are in the spotlight. Is there science behind these baseball bats?
TechnologyMarch 28, 2025
There’s Nothing Small about this Nanoscale Research
We’re taking you inside MIT.nano, a clean laboratory facility that is critical to nanoscale research, from microelectronics to medical nanotechnology.
The Science of ParentingMarch 24, 2025
Setting Parental Controls Is Not As Complicated As You Think
Programming devices with parental controls may seem daunting, but they can help parents ensure what their kids find on TV and the Internet is age-appropriate
OpinionMarch 20, 2025
We’re Not Going to Mars Anytime Soon—Despite What Musk Says
Elon Musk and Donald Trump have announced ambitious plans to send a mission to Mars in 2026 and 2028. It’s not going to happen