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Very often, the most creative things happen in the most implausible places, such as the creation of the first electronic digital computer at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton.

Without question, it’s the desire to “know” that drives scientific inquiry. But as scientists at the forefront of physics or biology will tell you, the more we learn, the more simplistic earlier frameworks seem and the more complex the puzzles become. 

You may be familiar with Moore’s Law.  The phenomenon was first described in a 1965 paper by Gordon Moore of Intel, and it spelled out the notion that computing capacity […]

If artificial intelligence acquires something akin to human consciousness, it would be free to manipulate, seduce, bribe and blackmail. Computer scientists are working on solutions. 

What is the Big Idea? Step into a classroom in North Korea and you will find very little that differs from a classroom in New York City – chalkboard, rows […]

Even economists aren’t satisfied with gross domestic product and incomes anymore.  Now we also want to know how happy people are and how much they feel they can realize their potential. 

A Q&A With Dr. John L. Casti, author, X-Events: The Collapse of Everything Dr. John L. Casti is a complexity scientist. This is one of those job descriptions I would […]

3-D printers will revolutionize manufacturing and cloud-based computing power will solve complex problems. Combined, these technologies will create a future of abundance.

Technological advances on several fronts are quickly bringing down the cost of sequencing a person’s genes. One day, personal genome tests might become as essential as blood tests. 

Researchers have isolated a single phosphorus atom and placed it atop a silicon crystal with more precision than ever before. We are one step closer to achieving a quantum computer.

A new computer simulation out of the Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, suggests that more energy can be taken from a system that is initially put in. 

One of the world’s five most powerful supercomputers has modeled the structure of the known Universe, giving scientists fresh data on mysteries like the distribution of dark matter. 

It used to be that the word “doctor” brought to mind an image of a kindly old man in a small office with a stethoscope, but now it conjures up […]

Dreams of a better Internet have evaporated, says Alexis Madrigal. How did we become contented with the same basic apps, all modified to fit ever-smaller niche groups? 

Very often, the most creative things happen in the most implausible places, such as the creation of the first electronic digital computer at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton. 

Hacking is about having a small group of individuals who are skilled enough to attack much larger prey. Thanks to their attack, future technological innovations flourish—for a time…

Why have humans evolved into an intelligent species? The complexity of our social relationships, which require cooperation, naturally selects for higher cognitive processes. 

Under certain circumstances, giving authorities the password to encrypted computer files is the same as giving testimony against yourself, which is protected by Fifth Amendment.

Across Silicon Valley, companies like Google and Facebook are waking up and realizing that the future of the Internet is no longer taking place on the desktop or laptop – […]

The successful decoding of the human genome was a phenomenal scientific achievement.  For the first time in the world’s history, the entire genetic code of the human species was fully available to […]

One consistent theme I’ve found of investigating outrage is how often those who are outraged demand that legality align itself to their morality. Consider for example New York State’s non-criminal […]

No matter the job, institutions increasingly require applicants to maintain an online presence, whether than means managing content, tweaking a website’s design or writing code in earnest. 

Lucy Prebble, a young but promising English playwright, has drawn on her own youth to say that playing computer games is more social and more thought provoking than reading a book.

Ironically, America as a nation seems to have forgotten exactly what Memorial Day is about. Barbeques, all-day sales, the “official” start of summer—all of these threaten to crowd out the […]

What’s the Big Idea? James Lawrence Powell has three grandchildren, and he is worried about their future. What will their world be like 80 years from now, he asks, if […]

Though Internet freedom is often a nebulous concept, one thing is sure: We want it. Venture capitalist Fred Wilson warns that taking it away will cause a revolt among younger generations. 

Several weeks ago, you may have read Frozen. Canada’s Anti-Spam Reporting Centre: 5 Reasons Why The Fed’s Latest Flight of Fancy is Dead on Arrival by Claudiu Popa on this site.Popa […]

New computer software which analyzes eye movement can identify whether someone is lying or not with 82.5 percent accuracy, say clinical researchers at the University of Buffalo. 

A technology company is working to bring virtual machines to your smartphone. In other words, your phone will simulate the software your company runs, so you can work from anywhere. 

Artificial intelligence engineered by computer scientists at Imperial College London can create entirely new video games practically from scratch. The achievement is a milestone in AI technology.