Technology

Calm, chaos, and the technological singularity

Psychology, Technology / /

At the crossroads of order and chaos, humanity has consistently sought paths leading to discovery and invention, creating equilibrium amidst perpetual disorder. Calm, in this context, embodies the rules governing human civilization—a structured order that harmonizes existence and guides our collective journey toward desired outcomes. Take Mesopotamia for instance, the earliest urban and literate civilization […]

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Artificial intelligence in the world of modern science

Technology / /

Previously unimaginable galaxies billions of miles away are now at our fingertips thanks to modeling powered by artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence (AI) is the ability of a machine to learn from experience and carry out functions similar to the human mind. AI works by recognizing patterns from large data sets and making decisions similar to

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Infinitely larger: How Edwin Hubble proved our galaxy is not alone

Physics, Space, Technology / /

When most people hear the name Hubble, they likely think of the groundbreaking telescope that captured unique planets, blazing stars, and clusters of light in its stunning photographs. It is less likely, however, that they think of the famous telescope’s namesake — Edwin Hubble, the astronomer who discovered the expanding universe.  Until the 1920s, astronomers

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The dog days of AI: Unraveling the secrets of canine scent

Biology, Technology / /

A simple dog walk is an odyssey of olfactory exploration. As they venture outdoors, dogs eagerly dart around to investigate various scents — poop, carcasses, and fire hydrants are like neon beacons to them. While humans have a decent sense of smell, dogs reign supreme in the olfactory realm. This difference is rooted in biology.

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Strength from unlikely places: How glass and DNA form a material stronger than steel

Biology, Technology / /

DNA: the fundamental building block of all life. Nearly every student learns about the master of genetic information as early as elementary school. DNA is the carrier of this important code within all living organisms. However, it isn’t just what DNA encodes for that is important, but also its very design. The structure of DNA

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Hello computer: Brain powered biocomputers  

Technology / /

With the staggering advances of AI and brain-computer ventures like Neuralink, an “organo-technological” cyborg-like future seems to be on the not-so-distant horizon. However, some researchers are pioneering the reverse: brain powered computers. The burgeoning field of organoid intelligence posits future computer systems to run on networks of human brain cells. Organoids are stem-cell derived 3D

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Making AI more “human”: A conversation with Northeastern AI professor Lawson Wong

Technology, World / /

What is “intelligence”? Large language models like ChatGPT have showcased an impressive ability to generate human-like responses that appear highly intelligent. The current trend in AI development seems to revolve around creating increasingly larger models, with billions upon billions of parameters, as a path toward achieving general-purpose AI. However, Yann Lecun, chief AI scientist at

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Defeating paralysis: revolutionary brain implant allows woman to speak after 18 years 

Biology, Health, Technology / /

In 2004, a sudden brainstem stroke left the then 30-year-old Ann Johnson completely paralyzed. It took years of physical therapy for her to regain enough muscle control to express emotion on her face and breathe independently, but the muscles controlling her speech remained stagnant. Her daughter, 13 months old at the time of the stroke,

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