Quantum computing is the next revolution Theoretical physics professor Michio Kaku outlines the evolution of computers from analog to digital and introduces quantum computers as the next frontier. ▸ 11 min — with Michio Kaku
Starts With A Bang Quantum supremacy explained Can quantum computers do things that standard, classical computers can't? No. But if they can calculate faster, that's quantum supremacy.
Starts With A Bang The truth about wormholes and quantum computers The science fiction dream of a traversable wormhole is no closer to reality, despite a quantum computer's suggestive simulation.
13.8 Is quantum computing hype or almost here? Nature may not allow us full access to the weirdness of quantum mechanics.
The Present Even in the age of AI, some problems are just too difficult for computers Computers are growing more powerful and more capable, but everything has limits
The Well AI is smart — but can it think? How World War II codebreaker Alan Turing invented modern AI. ▸ 6 min — with Michael Wooldridge
Why geniuses hunt demons for sport Jimena Canales shares the “demons” that shaped computer science. ▸ 6 min — with Jimena Canales
Health How “centaur AI” will radically reshape the future of healthcare The future of healthcare may bring powerful collaborations between AI and medical professionals.
The Future How did we miss the “botnet” blindspot? Ask the legends of Hollywood sci-fi Science fiction movies capture a classic human flaw: getting the future mostly wrong.
Thinking 3 advances in philosophy that made science better Philosophy is often seen as little more than armchair speculation. This is a shame, as philosophy often has helped science reach new heights.
Hard Science Google’s quantum computer suggests that wormholes are real Perhaps wormholes will no longer be relegated to the realm of science fiction.
Thinking Why the simulation hypothesis is pseudoscience The simulation hypothesis is fun to talk about, but believing it requires an act of faith.
The Future Making computer chips act more like brain cells Flexible organic circuits might someday hook right into your head.
Health Reading the mind with machines Brain-computer interfaces could enable people with locked-in syndrome and other conditions to "speak."
Are conscious machines possible? A University of Oxford professor explains how conscious machines are possible. ▸ 8 min — with Michael Wooldridge
Hard Science Why black holes unlock the quantum majesty of the Universe That scary swirling void from which nothing can escape is our perfect universal translation tool.
The Future Where next for crypto and the evolution of blockchains? It will be immensely difficult for the Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains to protect their competitive edge if they do not pursue a radical change.
High Culture If Hans Niemann cheated Magnus Carlsen at chess, this is how we would know Elon Musk suggested remote-controlled, vibrating anal beads. Thankfully, there are more mundane explanations.
The Future ChatGPT is not “true AI.” A computer scientist explains why Large language models are an impressive advance in AI, but we are far away from achieving human-level capabilities.
The Future The brief history of artificial intelligence: The world has changed fast – what might be next? Despite their brief history, computers and AI have fundamentally changed what we see, what we know, and what we do.
Hard Science Did your computer crash? It might have been a cosmic ray If your computer crashes, it might be due to a star that exploded somewhere in the Universe millions of years ago.
Ask a physicist: Do humans have souls? Do humans have souls, or are we just particles? Physicist Sabine Hossenfelder explains. ▸ 5 min — with Sabine Hossenfelder
Starts With A Bang Will Musk’s Starlink satellites lead to Kessler syndrome? Space weather poses a tremendous threat to all satellites, knocking all computer systems offline. Is that a recipe for Kessler syndrome?
13.8 What kind of intelligence is artificial intelligence? The initial goal of AI was to create machines that think like humans. But that is not what happened at all.
Neuropsych The man who tried to redeem the world with logic Walter Pitts rose from the streets to MIT, but couldn’t escape himself.
The Past What made Ada Lovelace so brilliant Ada Lovelace’s skills with language, music, and needlepoint all contributed to her pioneering work in computing.
The Present Generative AI: The technology of the year for 2022 Even lifelong technologists and AI researchers like myself were genuinely surprised by the speed and impact of generative AI.
Neuropsych Brain implant translates neural activity into letters, letting a paralyzed man “speak” Giving speech to the speechless.
Thinking Algocracy would replace politicians with algorithms. Should we try it? Surely they can't be worse...can they?
High Culture Have chess computers destroyed the game? What was once an art form has been drained of color and personality by ruthless algorithms. Can we make chess human again?