Science News

Mark Hamilton, an MIT Ph.D. student in electrical engineering and computer science and affiliate of MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), wants to use machines to understand how animals communicate. To do that, he set out first to create a system that can learn human language "from scratch."

Mechanical structures often suffer from vibrations that can compromise safety, comfort, and operational longevity. Traditional control methods, while effective, demand substantial energy and complex systems. The quest for efficient and sustainable alternatives has led to the exploration of piezoelectric materials. However, the limitations of current damping techniques necessitate an in-depth examination of novel approaches to achieve superior vibration suppression.

Mechanical engineers at the University of Alberta have teamed up with a renewable energy company to design and test wind turbines based on the wings of the world's heaviest soaring bird: the Andean condor, which is capable of flying up to 240 kilometers in a single day without flapping its wings.

Researchers from North Carolina State University have demonstrated miniature soft hydraulic actuators that can be used to control the deformation and motion of soft robots that are less than a millimeter thick. The researchers have also demonstrated that this technique works with shape memory materials, allowing users to repeatedly lock the soft robots into a desired shape and return to the original shape as needed.

As the international community gathers to discuss Ukraine's post-war recovery, a new analysis led by the University of Oxford demonstrates that green steel should be top of the agenda.

Today's intelligent robots can accurately recognize many objects through vision and touch. Tactile information, obtained through sensors, along with machine learning algorithms, enables robots to identify objects previously handled.

The need to transition away from fossil fuels to more sustainable energy production is critical. That's why a team of Concordia researchers is looking at a potential power source that not only produces no carbon emissions but removes carbon as it works: algae.

Arctic shipping traffic is on the increase. One day, these ships will be autonomous. New technology that can remove rain, snow and fog from the images produced by the ship's cameras and sensors will increase safety in extreme conditions.

Early in May, King Philippe of Belgium was on the edge of the Namib desert to inaugurate a project that aims to help decarbonize European industry, and which might just enable one of Africa's smallest economies to hit the clean-energy big time.

The reliable generation of random numbers has become a central component of information and communications technology. In fact, random number generators, algorithms or devices that can produce random sequences of numbers, are now helping to secure communications between different devices, produce statistical samples, and for various other applications.

An X-ray scanner, some small metal balls, and a newly developed algorithm. That is all you need to make a 3D model that enables you to look inside art objects without dismantling them. Thanks to the research of Francien Bossema (Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica and Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science), museums can now use existing X-ray equipment as CT scanners, without having to buy such a costly and complicated device.

Boosting the performance of solar cells, transistors, LEDs, and batteries will require better electronic materials, made from novel compositions that have yet to be discovered.

Using NASA's first two-way, end-to-end laser relay system, pictures and videos of cherished pets flew through space over laser communications links at a rate of 1.2 gigabits per second—faster than most home internet speeds.

Reading about the latest scientific discovery—such as the unearthing of a fossil representing a new species of tiny dinosaur—can be fascinating. But what if it were possible to do more than just read about it? What if you could go online, download a digital model, and 3D print an exact replica of that fossil within minutes of reading the news?

A team from Graz University of Technology has analyzed the risk and damage potential of hydrogen vehicles in tunnels and derived recommendations. Their conclusion? Any damage would be extensive, but its occurrence is unlikely. They presented the findings at The 12th International Conference on Tunnel Safety and Ventilation (TSV 2024), which was held in Graz from April 16–18.

A touch screen for digital devices that can be deformed through finger pressure, becoming softer or stiffer in direct response to force applied by the user, has been developed by computer scientists at the University of Bath in the UK.

A framework based on advanced AI techniques can solve complex, computationally intensive problems faster and in a more scalable way than state-of-the-art methods, according to a study led by engineers at the University of California San Diego.

An artificial intelligence-powered virtual teammate with a female voice boosts participation and productivity among women on teams dominated by men, according to new Cornell research.

Protect your skin and sanity this summer with the best mosquito repellents of 2024.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said there had been 11 confirmed disasters so far this year with losses exceeding $1 billion, with the total price tag topping $25 billion.