Tech news stories

Ancient scrolls are being ‘read’ by machine learning—with human knowledge to detect language and make sense of them
15th March 2024 phys.org | Ancient, Humans, Tech

A groundbreaking announcement for the recovery of lost ancient literature was recently made. Using a non-invasive method that harnesses machine learning, an international trio of scholars retrieved 15 columns of ancient Greek text from within a carbonized papyrus from Herculaneum, a seaside Roman town eight kilometers southeast of Naples, Italy.

Antarctica mysteries to be mapped by robot plane
4th February 2024 | bbc.co.uk | Animal Life, Earth, Humans, Tech

The autonomous plane will map areas of the continent that have been out of bounds to researchers.

 

Astronomers spotted something perplexing near the beginning of time
18th January 2024 | vox.com | Ancient, Space, Tech, Weird

Monsters lurk in the background of James Webb Space Telescope images. Scientists are scrambling to make sense of them.

Reading genetic information of ancient Teotihuacans
11th January 2024 phys.org | Ancient, Humans, Tech

Scientists have determined the entire mitochondrial DNA sequences of these ancient Teotihuacans, revealing their genetic diversity. Additionally, this study demonstrates the dependence of Teotihuacans on maize as their primary food source. See the study here.

New analysis unlocks the hidden meaning of 15,000-year-old rock art in Arnhem Land
9th January 2024 phys.org | Ancient, Humans, Tech

Rock art is one of the most intriguing records of the human past—it directly represents how our ancestors viewed their world…New research published in Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences uses an innovative approach to understand rock art in Arnhem Land in a fundamentally different way.

Is oxygen the cosmic key to alien technology?
5th January 2024 | eurekalert.org | Humans, Space, Tech, Weird

In a new study published in Nature Astronomy, University of Rochester astrophysicist Adam Frank explores the links between atmospheric oxygen and detecting extraterrestrial technology on distant planets.

Nasa mission lines up to ‘touch the Sun’
3rd January 2024 | bbc.co.uk | Humans, Space, Tech

A year from now, on 24 December, Nasa’s Parker Solar Probe will race past the Sun at the astonishing speed of 195 km/s, or 435,000 mph. No human-made object will have moved so fast nor, indeed, got so close to our star – just 6.1 million km, or 3.8 million miles from the Sun’s “surface”.

New ‘Mind-Reading’ AI Translates Thoughts Directly From Brainwaves – Without Implants
26th December 2023 | sciencealert.com | Humans, Tech, Weird

A world-first, non-invasive AI system can turn silent thoughts into text while only requiring users to wear a snug-fitting cap.

New nuclear deflection simulations advance planetary defense against asteroid threats
20th December 2023 phys.org | Humans, Space, Tech

The research, published in the Planetary Science Journal, introduces a novel approach to simulating the from a nuclear device on an asteroid’s surface.

Scientists find ultra-rare collection of molecules in 2 ancient galaxies from the early universe
20th December 2023 | livescience.com | Ancient, Space, Tech

Scientists find ultra-rare collection of molecules in 2 ancient galaxies from the early universe. The findings were published on December 14th in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

Recent fossil dating techniques change our ideas of the human evolution timeline
19th December 2023 | sciencedirect.com | Ancient, Humans, Tech

The application of modern methods of dating fossil human remains has catalysed major revisions in our understanding of human evolution. A new review… shows how the reanalysis of fossils discovered across the world brings into question our current ideas of human evolution, some of which may be incorrect.

Phantom touch: Virtual reality can induce a mysterious tactile illusion, scientists find
13th December 2023 | psypost.org | Humans, Tech, Weird

In a new study published in Scientific Reports, researchers have uncovered a phenomenon known as the “phantom touch illusion,” where individuals experience tactile sensations without actual physical contact in a virtual reality (VR) setting. This intriguing discovery raises questions about how the brain processes sensory information.

In a 1st, scientists combine AI with a ‘minibrain’ to make hybrid computer
13th December 2023 | livescience.com | Humans, Tech, Weird

Researchers plugged a “brain organoid” into an artificial intelligence system, using the neural tissue to help complete computational tasks. The experiment could mark a step toward “biocomputers.” The study was published Monday (Dec. 11) in the journal Nature Electronics.

Dishing the dirt on human evolution: Why scientific techniques matter in archaeology
4th December 2023 phys.org | Ancient, Humans, Tech

In a scientific commentary published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution… a group of archaeological scientists strongly advocate for the use of modern scientific techniques to support claims such as those made about Homo naledi.

The alien hunter: has Harvard’s Avi Loeb found proof of extraterrestrial life?
29th November 2023 | theguardian.com | Humans, Space, Tech, Weird

The astrophysicist and professor likes to ruffle feathers – and says his critics are merely jealous. He discusses UFOs, interstellar objects and the risks of his all-consuming search.

A rare, extremely energetic cosmic ray has mysterious origins
24th November 2023 | sciencenews.org | Space, Tech, Weird

In 1991, physicists spotted a particle from space that crashed into Earth with so much energy that it warranted an “OMG!”A new particle of comparable energy has been found, researchers report in the Nov. 24 Science…And mysteriously, scientists are unable to pinpoint any cosmic source for the particle.

News stories covering technology, and the latest inventions and medical advancements.