The Digital Frontier
Advancements in 20th century medicine reshaped society and made good health an expectation, not an exception. Now, 21st century breakthroughs may end disease, reverse aging, and restore sight and hearing — perhaps sooner than we think.
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How Boom is resurrecting supersonic flight
If Boom gets its way, the future of supersonic passenger travel will be quieter, cleaner, and more affordable than its past.
The West needs more water. This Nobel winner may have the answer.
Paul Migrom has an Emmy, a Nobel, and a successful company. There’s one more big problem on the to-do list.
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The placenta may play a role in the genetic risk of schizophrenia
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have found that genes associated with schizophrenia risk may impact the placenta, not just the brain.
Ketamine is as effective as ECT for depression, study shows
A trial of patients with treatment-resistant depression found ketamine to be at least as effective as electroconvulsive therapy.
AI is changing how Americans find jobs, get promoted, and succeed at work
AI-driven software has the potential to advance quickly and change how companies make strategic decisions about their employees.
Apple Vision Pro wasn’t the only major announcement at WWDC23
On Day 1 of WWDC23, Apple announced three new Macs, several new operating systems, and the world’s most powerful personal computer chip.
Apple announces the Vision Pro XR headset
Apple has unveiled the Vision Pro, a VR/AR headset, at their annual WorldWide Developers Conference.
What is an AI black box? A computer scientist explains
AI black boxes refer to AI systems with internal workings that are invisible to us. What are the implications of working without transparency?
Sound waves can trigger torpor-like state in mice and rats
Ultrasound stimulation triggers a torpor-like state in animals, suggesting a noninvasive way to put people into the state.
New NASA video shows just how big black holes really are
A new NASA animation puts the size of 10 supermassive black holes into perspective by comparing them to our solar system.
Man receives donor lung through tiny 3-inch incision
The first fully robotic lung transplant was completed in Spain by surgeons using a robot and a brand-new access point.
Shape-shifting space robots help firefighters on Earth
The designer of a new type of rover for NASA has found a way to make her space robots useful to firefighters on Earth.
Gain-of-function research is more than just tweaking risky viruses
Gain-of-function experiments in the lab can help researchers get ahead of viruses naturally gaining the ability to infect people in the wild.
Desertification is destroying fertile land. Here’s how we’re fighting it.
Desertification is destroying once-fertile land at an alarming rate, but desert greening techniques are making degraded soil bloom again.
The radical drop in maternal mortality was a public health miracle
In 1758 in Sweden, 1205 mothers died for every 100,000 live births, which was likely representative of the global maternal mortality rate.
Watch this autonomous drone deliver beer and peanuts in a baseball stadium
Guests at the opening of an autonomous systems conference witnessed a drone delivery at Denver’s Coors Field.
Nope, coffee won’t give you extra energy
You might feel like coffee gives you the energy to get through the day – but chances are, you’re not getting as much as you think.
NASA spots an enormous water plume erupting on Saturn’s ocean moon
Using the James Webb Space Telescope, researchers are gaining new insights into Enceladus, which holds a sea beneath its icy surface.
New “tandem” solar cell breaks world record
A new tandem solar cell containing layers of silicon and perovskite has demonstrated an unprecedented efficiency of 33.7%.
Zapping the brain during sleep helps memories form
Brain stimulation during sleep appears to help with memory consolidation, suggesting a new way to treat people with memory disorders.
Ancient technology that was centuries ahead of its time
These forward-thinking inventions are often called “ahead of their time.” They are reflections of the ingenuity of their civilizations.
If we’re going to label AI an “extinction risk,” we need to clarify how it could happen
AI comes with risks that we need to take seriously, but none of the claims that it is going to cause the extinction of humanity explain how.
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