News
AI is nearly exclusively designed by men – here's how to fix it
1+ hour, 19+ min ago (504+ words) With the Trump administration's attacks on so-called woke AI it is becoming even harder to make the technology we use fairer and more diverse. Leading voices are speaking out, reports Catherine de Lange By Catherine de Lange From left to…...
What does it mean if the universe has extra dimensions?
5+ hour, 20+ min ago (454+ words) Dimensions beyond the four we're familiar with could solve a host of problems in physics and cosmology. Columnist Leah Crane explores what a higher-dimensional universe might be like " and how we could find out if we live in one Extra…...
The ancient Goths were an ethnically diverse group
2+ hour, 20+ min ago (620+ words) Ancient DNA reveals that the Goths of eastern Europe, some of whom would ultimately sack the city of Rome, may have been a mix of peoples from three continents An artist's impression of how Visigoth warriors may have looked in…...
Why are we so obsessed with protein? A new book looks for answers
4+ day, 20+ hour ago (647+ words) Samantha King and Gavin Weedon's new book Protein digs deep into the nutrient's role in our health. But can it tell you how much you should be eating? Alexandra Thompson explores Protein is important for our health, but how much…...
Why are we so suspicious of do-gooders?
3+ day, 5+ hour ago (633+ words) A growing body of research shows that we tend to discount a person's good deeds if they stand to benefit from them. Columnist David Robson explores where this instinct comes from " and whether we should resist it In an episode…...
Our extinct Australopithecus relatives may have had difficult births
2+ day, 22+ hour ago (355+ words) Simulations of Australopithecus hominins" anatomy suggest that when they gave birth, they may have exerted tremendous pressure on their pelvic floors, putting them at risk of tearing Illustration of a female Australopithecus sediba carrying an infant Childbirth was difficult and…...
Single-celled organism with no brain is capable of Pavlovian learning
3+ day, 20+ min ago (485+ words) A trumpet-shaped, single-celled organism seems able to predict one thing will follow another, hinting that such associative learning emerged long before multicellular nervous systems Stentor coeruleus is a single-celled organism with unexpected abilities A simple unicellular organism with no brain…...
The 3 things you need to know about passwords, from a security expert
2+ day, 23+ hour ago (289+ words) There are a few simple things you can do to make your digital life much more secure, says cybersecurity expert Jake Moore - follow these tips to tighten up your passwords Passwords are both a curse and a blessing Even with…...
The race to solve the biggest problem in quantum computing
3+ day, 7+ hour ago (425+ words) The errors that quantum computers make are holding the technology back. But recent progress in quantum error correction has excited many researchers Quantum computers won't be truly useful until they can correct their mistakesdavide bonaldo / Alamy davide bonaldo / Alamy Quantum…...
Can species evolve fast enough to survive as the planet heats up?
3+ day, 20+ hour ago (818+ words) The story of a wildflower that adapted to a severe drought in California raises hopes that evolution will come to the rescue of species hit by climate change, but there are limits A cracked riverbed along the Sacramento River during…...