HEADLINES ARCHIVE
ESA Looking at Ocean Plastic Pollution from Space
To better assess the severity of ocean plastic pollution, the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking a big-picture look at the issue…from space.
Researcher Creates High-tech, Interactive Map Showing How the Irish Potato Famine Impacted Ireland
The Great Irish Famine is getting the high-tech treatment thanks to a Queen’s University Belfast researcher who has developed an interactive map of Ireland that details the devastation of the event on specific regions of the island.
Walmart May 'Employ' Robo Bees to Pollinate Crops
Robot bees may soon be employed by Walmart, according to patents recently filed by the retail giant.
Amazon Purchases Could Soon Be Dropping from the Sky
The sky will soon be raining online purchases if Amazon has its way. The online retail giant is considering a delivery scheme where drones would drop off delivery packages from as high as 25 feet above instead of flying down and dropping packages at ground level.
Researchers Determine Differences Between "Male" and "Female" Smiles
The differences between how men and women smile are so vast that artificial intelligence (AI) is able to automatically assign gender based on those differences alone, so says research from the University of Bradford.
Scientists Develop Online Test To Predict Skin Cancer Risks
An online test that can predict the likelihood of developing skin cancer has been developed by scientists in Australia.
Microsoft Uses AI to Match Human Performance in Translating News from Chinese to English
Microsoft researchers announced that they have developed the first machine translation system that can translate news articles from Chinese to English as accurately as a human translator.
AI Program Names Boston the New Amazon HQ2
Which U.S. city will win the big prize in the Amazon HQ2 competition? Wells Fargo bank’s artificial intelligence system says Boston will be the winner.
NASA Spurs Tech Research and Development with Small Business Awards
Projects awarded include an active flow control system, neuromorphic computer chips, a radioisotope power conversion system and a pulsed plasma spacecraft thruster.
Researchers Hack Off-the-Shelf Devices to Show Vulnerabilities
In a demonstration of how vulnerable everyday, off-the-shelf smart devices are, cyber researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) disassembled devices such as baby monitors and home security cameras to reveal the security issues underlying the devices.
Norway Using Underwater Drones to Help Clean Its Fjords
On the surface, the Oslo Fjord in Norway seems beautiful and picturesque, yet look below the surface and you’ll see that the water is teeming with garbage thanks to a government -- one of the few in the world -- that allows for the offshore dumping of waste into its fjords.
Software Designed to Prevent Both Food Waste and Hunger
Hoping to both reduce the amount of food that goes wasted each year in the United States and to combat the issue of hunger, a computer science expert and systems analyst from Iowa State University’s Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology has developed software that could help.
'Creepy' Laughter Coming from Alexa
Imagine being in the midst of a conversation with a friend or on the verge of falling asleep when suddenly laughter emerges, unprompted, from your voice-activated assistant. This has been the reality for a number of Amazon Echo and Echo Dot users who have been detailing their experiences all over the internet in recent weeks.
A Smartphone Case That Can Check Blood Pressure is in Development
Checking your blood pressure in the future could be as simple as touching a smartphone case, according to developers who have been working on such a device.
How Your Smartphone Adds to Global Carbon Emissions
Data centers and smartphones will be the most damaging information and communications technologies to the environment in terms of global carbon footprint by 2040.
Tech Companies Join Forces to Combat Wildlife Trafficking
Hoping to “collectively reduce wildlife trafficking across platforms by 80 percent by 2020,” 21 tech companies have joined forces to create The Global Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online.
Google Maps Street View Adds 11 Disney Parks
Want a Disney vacation without the cost or the long lines, all from the comfort of your own home? Google Maps Street View makes this vision a (virtual) reality with the recent addition of 11 Disney parks.
Driving While Talking on Cell Phone Still Hazardous
While it is no secret that driving while talking on the phone is a distraction that can lead to accidents and other driving mishaps, researchers analyzing recent studies on the topic believe that the updated data provides even more compelling evidence of the dangers, and thus a platform, for governments looking to enact legislation to restrict drivers’ cell phone use.
Former Google Exec Warns that Murderous Robots Are Only a Decade or Two Away
As artificial intelligence continues to rapidly develop, many experts have expressed concern over the inevitable creation of murderous robots, with one former Google exec predicting that reality is only a decade or so off.
Porsche Mulls Plan to Develop Flying Passenger Vehicle
While it is expected that operation of the flying cars will mostly be automated, reports are that Porsche will still allow passengers some control over the flying vehicles, even for those passengers without pilot licenses.