What do you think of when it comes to extra terrestrial life? Most popular sci-fi books and TV shows suggest humanoid beings could live on other planets. But when astronomers are searching for extra-terrestrial life, it is usually in the form of emissions from bacteria or other tiny organisms. A new research paper in the […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Indicators of alien life may have been found – astrophysicist explains what the new research means
Erotica, gore and racism: how America’s war on ‘ideological bias’ is letting AI off the leash
Badly behaved artificial intelligence (AI) systems have a long history in science fiction. Way back in 1961, in the famous Astro Boy comics by Osamu Tezuka, a clone of a popular robot magician was reprogrammed into a super-powered thief. In the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, the shipboard computer HAL 9000 turns out to be more sinister […] … learn more→
Here’s how researchers are helping AIs get their facts straight
AI has made it easier than ever to find information: Ask ChatGPT almost anything, and the system swiftly delivers an answer. But the large language models that power popular tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude were not designed to be accurate or factual. They regularly “hallucinate” and offer up falsehoods as if they were hard facts. […] … learn more→
The cultural underbelly
I bought my first new car at 50 – a Tesla. Now, four years later, I’ve bought a second electric vehicle, a ridiculously yellow EX30 Volvo with a dual motor. Some might question buying new cars in quick succession, but I see it as helping to kickstart the second-hand electric vehicle market. After years of […] … learn more→
Work or play? The rise of online ‘kidfluencers’ is raising complex legal and ethical questions
Videos of children opening boxes of toys and playing with them have become a feature of online marketing – making stars out of children as young as two. Twelve-year-old influencer Ryan Kaji, for example, earns US$30 million a year on YouTube leading one of the most popular children’s channels. His empire was built on toy unboxing. […] … learn more→
Switching off from work can be difficult but taking a proper break is good for your health
It’s never been easier to stay connected to work. Even when we’re on leave, our phones and laptops keep us tethered. Many of us promise ourselves we won’t check emails during our break. But we do. Being away from the workplace, and even in a new location, is often not enough to detach psychologically. We might […] … learn more→
China restricted young people from video games. But kids are evading the bans and getting into trouble
In late November, Australia’s federal parliament passed landmark legislation banning under-16s from accessing social media. Details remain vague: we don’t have a complete list of which platforms will fall under the legislation, or how the ban will look in practice. However, the government has signalled that trials of age assurance technologies will be central to its enforcement […] … learn more→
The supermaterials that will transform our lives in 2025
Silicon anode batteries made from nanomaterials; recyclable carbon nanotubes; living tissues and organs created in laboratories… The impact of supermaterials on our lives has already begun. Health is the area where the evolution of materials science and engineering is most impactful. Will it be possible to create new artificial organs? Will implants be possible that, […] … learn more→
Young people were becoming more anxious long before social media – here’s the evidence
Thanks to bestselling authors like Jonathan Haidt and Jean Twenge, the public has become increasingly aware of the rapid rise in mental health issues among younger people in many western countries. Their warnings about the destructive impact of social media have had an effect, reflected not least in a wave of schools across Europe banning smartphones. […] … learn more→
Why power transforms us
Confucius said: “If you want to know a person, give him power.” American President Abraham Lincoln also said something similar many years later: “Most of us can bear adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” Does power really change us? And if it does, in what sense, for better […] … learn more→
