In The News

Beware, The Robots Are Coming

Kevin Rafferty January 30, 2014
Researchers and corporations are captivated by robots – and their ability to work with precision around the clock without rest or complaint. Development of these work machines is in full throttle, and robots could soon replace accountants, real estate agents, retail clerks, technical writers, telemarketers, drivers, domestic workers, elder caregivers and more, reports Kevin Rafferty, professor...

“Snowden Effect” Threatens US Tech Industry's Global Ambitions

Gerry Smith January 28, 2014
Claims by a former US National Security Agency contract worker that multinational companies like Google, Facebook and Microsoft cooperate in handing over user data has reduced global trust in the US tech industry. Equally alarming are Edward Snowden’s claims that the US engages in industrial espionage. “The impact of the Snowden leaks could threaten the future architecture of the modern Internet...

If You See Something, Say Something

Michael E. Mann January 21, 2014
Climate scientists are in 97 percent agreement that rapid climate change is underway and immediate response could stem the effects of warming temperatures and rising seas. The media often suggest the issue remains under debate. “If one is looking for real differences among mainstream scientists, they can be found on two fronts: the precise implications of those higher temperatures, and which...

Sharing NHS Data Saves Lives

Jeremy Farrar January 15, 2014
Governments increasingly promote digital health records to ensure better tracking of individual patients and public health trends. A dilemma has emerged about who controls such data: Some argue that healthcare funded by taxpayers should be subject to review; others focus on patient privacy. Writing for the Telegraph, physician Jeremy Farrar explains how children are rarely used in randomized...

Orb-Shaped Solar Power Device Works on the Cloudiest Days

Tuan C. Nguyen January 13, 2014
The sun delivers enough energy in one hour to power all human lives for a year, explains Tuan C. Nguyen for Smithsonian Magazine. But collecting, containing and distributing that energy remains a costly challenge. Also, solar-panel production on its own carries a heavy carbon footprint. So far, research focus has been on crystals and other magnifying devices that concentrate sunlight. A German...

US Cold Snap Fuels Climate Debate

Jeff Tollefson January 10, 2014
A sudden drop in temperatures across the United States has ignited debate about the influence of climate change and polar melt over the stability of one of the world’s two jet streams. “The polar jet stream is a natural product of Earth’s rotation and climate system, created as warm air from the south merges with cold Arctic air,” writes Jeff Tollefson for Nature. “Most of the time it is fairly...

How We Decide Which Species to Save

Christine Dell'Amore December 31, 2013
Researchers have had some success in protecting some species once on the brink of extinction like condors, gray wolves, pandas or elephant seals. “But with dozens of new species going extinct every day – scientists say that more than 20,000 plants and animals are on the brink of disappearing forever – deciding which species to save is a tricky question,” writes Christine Dell'Amore for...