Tech
- Tech
Laser-based tech can identify illegal elephant ivory
Most elephant ivory is illegal to sell. Ivory from extinct mammoths isn’t. They look similar, but lasers can tell the difference to help catch poachers.
- Tech
Where are the flying cars?
Flying cars are a common sci-fi trope, and engineers have the technology to make them. So where are they?
- Materials Science
Scientists Say: Superconductor
At cold enough temperatures, these materials can conduct electricity with no resistance.
- Artificial Intelligence
Soccer-playing robots show how nimble AI-powered machines can be
Being controlled by reinforcement learning — a type of AI — helps robots navigate tough terrain. This could bring computer smarts to the real world.
- Tech
Holey basketballs! 3-D printing could be a game-changer
Wilson’s 3-D printed “airless” basketball is nearly silent and will never deflate, but will it prove a slam dunk for players and fans?
By Sarah Wells - Computing
Teen’s battle simulator could help Ukraine’s troops fend off attacks
At the 2024 Regeneron ISEF, Volodymyr Borysenko showcased software he created to help Ukraine defend itself in ground attacks by Russia.
- Artificial Intelligence
Does AI steal art or help create it? It depends on who you ask
With AI image generators on the scene, artists see both power and peril ahead.
- Artificial Intelligence
AI image generators tend to exaggerate stereotypes
The racism, sexism, ableism and other biases common in bot-made images may lead to harm and discrimination in the real world.
- Tech
This computer scientist is making virtual reality safer
Niall Williams creates algorithms that lowers the odds of motion sickness and bumping into obstacles while using virtual reality headsets.
- Physics
Here’s why scientists want a good quantum computer
These machines could tackle big problems in climate, medicine and more. But the tech is still in its infancy — and runs on truly strange physics.
- Planets
The desert planet in ‘Dune’ is pretty realistic, scientists say
Humans could live on the fictional planet Arrakis from Dune. But thankfully giant sandworms probably could not.
- Space
Here’s how to build an internet on Mars
Future Red Planet residents will need to get online to talk to each other and Earth. But that will require a lot of new tech.
By Payal Dhar