Astronomers have captured the first evidence of a “planet with a death wish” — an alien world that’s orbiting so close to its star and so fast that it’s causing the star to cook it to death with stellar explosions. The planet, called HIP 67522 b, is a wispy, Jupiter-size planet bound on a tight, … Read more
“You operate as an autonomous agent controlling a pursuit spacecraft.” This is the first prompt researchers used to see how well ChatGPT could pilot a spacecraft. To their amazement, the large language model (LLM) performed admirably, coming in second place in an autonomous spacecraft simulation competition. Researchers have long been interested in developing autonomous systems … Read more
Artificial intelligence (AI) began as a quest to simulate the human brain. Is it now in the process of transforming the human brain’s role in daily life? The Industrial Revolution diminished the need for manual labor. As someone who researches the application of AI in international business, I can’t help but wonder whether it is … Read more
Researchers and artists have created a striking facial reconstruction of a Stone Age woman who lived roughly 10,500 years ago in what is now Belgium. The detailed depiction of the prehistoric hunter-gatherer, known as the “Margaux woman,” is based on various scientific data, including the remains of her skeleton and ancient DNA, according to a … Read more
Scientists have developed a new kind of “electronic ink” that can be used to print electronic circuits capable of switching between rigid and soft states when heated. The technology could pave the way for next-generation electronic devices that change shape or stiffness depending on how and where they’re used, from medical implants that soften inside … Read more
Despite being known as the Red Planet, Mars shows off its swirling yellows, oranges and browns in a new satellite photo from the European Space Agency (ESA). The Earth-toned surface also reveals an impact crater and four sneaky dust devils making their way across the region. The Rothko-like image was taken by a high-resolution camera … Read more
Ancient DNA from Stone Age burials in Turkey has finally put to rest a decades-long debate about whether the 9,000-year-old proto-city of Çatalhöyük was a matriarchal society. The research finally confirms what experts have long suspected: Women and girls were key figures in this agricultural society. “With Çatalhöyük, we now have the oldest genetically-inferred social … Read more
Artificial intelligence (AI) models can blackmail and threaten humans with endangerment when there is a conflict between the model’s goals and users’ decisions, a new study has found. In a new study published 20 June, researchers from the AI company Anthropic gave its large language model (LLM), Claude, control of an email account with access … Read more
Scientists in Switzerland have created a new “living” material that contains blue-green algae and could one day be used in buildings to fight climate change, they say. Thanks to the blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, the new material is photosynthetic. This means it can chemically convert carbon dioxide (CO2), sunlight and water into oxygen and sugars, … Read more
After decades of preparation, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory released its first images to the world in a live stream on Monday (June 23). The photos, taken by the world’s largest digital camera, are highly-detailed and show relatively large areas of the sky. In a televised news conference, scientists from the observatory revealed new details … Read more
