Scientific American | Technology

"Should we let ChatGPT talk to aliens?"

Views expressed in this science and technology update are those of the reporters and correspondents.  Accessed on 23 July 2024, 2115 UTC.

Content and Source:  https://www.scientificamerican.com.

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Russ Roberts (https://hawaiisciencejournal.blogspot.com).

 

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July 23—This week, astronauts in zero gravity can boil water using this new device, SpaceX’s plans to use a souped-up cargo capsule to deorbit the ISS, and the case for calling BS when ChatGPT generates nonsense. All that and more this week! --Ben Guarino, Associate Editor, Technology

Top Stories

Artificial Intelligence Will Let Humanity Talk to Alien Civilizations Large language models may enable real-time communication with extraterrestrial civilizations despite the vast distances between stars. We need to start thinking about what to tell them about us Franck Marchis, expert writer; Ignacio G. López-Francos , expert writer

Worldwide Tech Outage Started with Defective Crowdstrike Update to Microsoft Windows An issue with a commonly used security software called Crowdstrike shuttered large technology systems around the globe, including airlines, transit systems and stock exchanges Alan Woodward; The Conversation US

How SpaceX Will Turn a Workhorse Vehicle into a Hulking Destroyer of Space Stations SpaceX will supercharge its Dragon capsule to send the International Space Station to a watery retirement Meghan Bartels

What to Know about Project 2025’s Dangers to Science Project 2025 would jeopardize federal scientists’ independence and undermine their influence Ben Guarino; Andrea Thompson; Tanya Lewis; Lauren J. Young

Boiling Macaroni in Space? You’ll Need a Weirdly Shaped Pot Astronauts still survive on freeze-dried meals. Could better food, aided by cooking gadgets designed to be used in microgravity, help them to thrive? Andrew Chapman

ChatGPT Isn’t ‘Hallucinating’—It’s Bullshitting! It’s important that we use accurate terminology when discussing how AI chatbots make up information Joe Slater, expert writer; James Humphries, expert writer; Michael Townsen Hicks, expert writer

Blasting Virtual Aliens Could Help Dyslexic Kids Parse Words Children at risk of dyslexia who played Space Invaders Extreme 2 showed improvement at a word-identification task Riis Williams, intern writer

Massive CrowdStrike Tech Outage Highlights Global Vulnerabilities Companies and governments alike need to step up cybersecurity practices in the wake of massive technology failures associated with a CrowdStrike update Richard Forno; The Conversation US

Paris Olympics Will Be a Training Ground for AI-Powered Mass Surveillance In the run-up to the Paris 2024 Olympics, the French government has authorized wide-reaching use of AI software in security surveillance feeds Anne Toomey McKenna; The Conversation US

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Scientific American | Technology

"Tech:  Keeping AI out of weapons systems."

Views expressed in this science and technology update are those of the reporters and correspondents.  Accessed on 09 July 2024, 1954 UTC.

Content and Source:  https://www.scientificamerican.com/technology.

Please check link or scroll down to read your selections.

Thanks for joining us today.

Russ Roberts (https://hawaiisciencejournal.blogspot.com).

 

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July 9—This week, drones are reshaping search and rescue missions, a low-tech way to help frogs fend off fungal disease, and how “digital twins” refine swimming techniques for Olympic athletes. Enjoy! --Ben Guarino, Associate Editor, Technology

Top Stories

The Head of NASA Science Spent a Whole Weekend Building a LEGO Rocket Scientific American sat down with Nicola Fox, head of NASA science, to talk about her LEGO-building hobby, the agency’s massive Space Launch System rocket and the NASA science she’s most excited about Meghan Bartels

‘Digital Twins’ Give Olympic Swimmers a Boost In the Paris 2024 summer Olympics, swimmers will be guided by their digital twin. Here’s how they work to help the fastest swimmers break records Katherine Douglass, partner content; Augustus Lamb, expert writer; Jerry Lu, expert writer; Ken Ono, expert writer; William Tenpas, expert writer; The Mathematical Intelligencer

Drones Are Doing the Dirty, Dangerous Work of Search and Rescue As drones get less expensive and computer vision systems improve, rescuers are getting help from artificial eyes in the sky Sarah Scoles

We Cannot Cede Control of Weapons to Artificial Intelligence I watched United Nations delegates debate AI-based weapons that can fire without human initiation. Humans cannot be taken out of that decision-making Kate Graham-Shaw

‘Frog Saunas’ Could Protect Species from Devastating Fungal Disease A low-tech immune boost may help some species of frogs survive a brutal fungal disease that’s already ended 90 species Meghan Bartels

From Diagnosing Brain Disorders to Cognitive Enhancement, 100 Years of EEG Have Transformed Neuroscience The EEG has shaped researchers’ understanding of cognition for everything from perception to memory Erika Nyhus ; The Conversation US

A Combination COVID and Flu Vaccine Is Coming Soon The first large trial of a COVID and flu vaccine combo suggests it boosts immune protection even more than single-target shots Freda Kreier; Nature magazine

New Supreme Court Decisions Jeopardize Efforts to Curb Pollution and Climate Change Four recent Supreme Court decisions will together make it much harder for the federal government to take action on climate change Akielly Hu; Grist

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Scientific American | Technology

"For autistic people, AI companions offer promise and risk." 

Views expressed are those of the reporters and correspondents.  This post contains sensitive material which may make you feel uncomfortable.  Accessed on 11 June 2024, 2152 UTC.

Content and Source:  scientificamerican.com/technology.

Please scroll down to read your selections.  Thanks for joining us today.

Russ Roberts (https://hawaiisciencejournal.blogspot.com).

June 11—This week, the environmental costs of Google’s AI search feature, how astronomy’s early adoption of digital imagery is connected to smartphone cameras, and what it’s like to live with the Neuralink implant, according to the first person to receive one. Enjoy! --Ben Guarino, Associate Editor, Technology

Top Stories

For Autistic People, AI Companions Offer Promise and Risks AI apps can help autistic people practice social skills. But algorithms are no substitute for human relationships, experts say Webb Wright

What Do Google’s AI Answers Cost the Environment? Google is bringing AI answers to a billion people this year, but generative AI requires much more energy than traditional keyword searches Allison Parshall

AI Will Become Mathematicians’ ‘Co-Pilot’ Fields Medalist Terence Tao explains how proof checkers and AI programs are dramatically changing mathematics Christoph Drösser

Climate Misinformation Is Rampant. AI May Be Able to Stop It Researchers want to create an AI system that can quickly detect and debunk false or misleading claims about climate change Francisco "A.J." Camacho; Scott Waldman; E&E News

What It’s like to Live with a Brain Chip, according to Neuralink’s First User Thirty-year-old Noland Arbaugh says the Neuralink chip has let him “reconnect with the world” Lauren Leffer

Smartphone Cameras Owe Their Power to Astronomy The next time you snap a selfie, consider thanking an astronomer for your phone’s camera Phil Plait

Teens Are Spreading Deepfake Nudes of One Another. It’s No Joke Teens are sending deepfake nude images of classmates to each other, disrupting lives. Schools, technology developers and parents need to act now Riana Pfefferkorn

Carbon Removal Is Catching On, but It Needs to Go Faster World leaders must make plans to remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, a new report says Chelsea Harvey; E&E News

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