Discussions
IBM Scientists Show Blueprints for Brainlike Computing
IBM researchers unveil TrueNorth, a new computer architecture that imitates how a brain works.
Desperate U.K. Turns to Shale Gas
To meet emissions goals, the U.K. is reluctantly turning to fracking of shale gas.
Can a Scientist be Biased Against Rocks?
The world needs nuclear power to reduce the emissions causing climate change, but that depends partly on finding a place to store decades’ worth of accumulated waste
A Material That Could Make Solar Power “Dirt Cheap”
Researchers discover that a material known for a hundred years could lower the cost of solar power.
When Smartphones Do a Doctor’s Job
A simple, cheap way to measure eyesight may face resistance.
The Measurement That Would Reveal The Universe As A Computer Simulation
If the cosmos is a numerical simulation, there ought to be clues in the spectrum of high energy cosmic rays, say theorists
How Cell Phones Are Transforming Health Care in Africa
Mobile communications can help bridge a huge knowledge gap and reimagine healthcare across Africa.
A Nuclear Reactor Competitive with Natural Gas
General Atomics has applied for DOE funds to commercialize a nuclear reactor that could lower electricity costs by 40 percent.
Report Suggests Nearly Half of U.S. Jobs Are Vulnerable to Computerization
Oxford researchers say that 45 percent of America’s occupations will be automated within the next 20 years.
The Costly Paradox of Health-Care Technology
In every industry but one, technology makes things better and cheaper. Why is it that innovation increases the cost of health care?