The Waze vs. Google Maps debate has raged for years. Here's my verdict after testing both. [...]

Perplexity called Amazon's actions 'a threat to all internet users.' [...]

A new AI-powered atlas called NextBrain allows researchers to visualize the human brain in unprecedented detail, down to hundreds of tiny subregions previously invisible on MRI scans. Built from 10,000 microscopic slices of post-mortem brains and aligned with AI, the atlas precisely maps 333 brain regions in 3D. [...]

A large-scale study tested whether AI personas can detect when humans are lying—and found that while AI can sometimes spot deception, it’s still far from trustworthy. Across 12 experiments involving 19,000 AI participants, the systems performed inconsistently, showing a strong bias toward identifying lies rather than truths. [...]

USC researchers built artificial neurons that replicate real brain processes using ion-based diffusive memristors. These devices emulate how neurons use chemicals to transmit and process signals, offering massive energy and size advantages. The technology may enable brain-like, hardware-based learning systems. It could transform AI into something closer to natural intelligence. [...]

Electrically controlled silicon photonic devices use carbon nanotube heaters to modulate and filter terahertz waves on chip with stable performance, enabling compact tunable components for high frequency applications. [...]

A robot searching for workers trapped in a partially collapsed mine shaft must rapidly generate a map of the scene and identify its location within that scene as it navigates the treacherous terrain.Researchers have recently started building powerful machine-learning models to perform this complex task using only images from the [...]

A team of researchers has demonstrated a plasma lens capable of focusing attosecond pulses. This breakthrough substantially increases the attosecond power available for experiments, opening up new opportunities for studying ultrafast electron dynamics. [...]

A new copper-magnesium-iron catalyst transforms CO2 into CO at low temperatures with record-breaking efficiency and stability. The discovery paves the way for affordable, scalable production of carbon-neutral synthetic fuels. [...]

Although Black Friday is still a few weeks away, you can find great PlayStation deals now. I've collected some of the best. [...]

Black Friday is just a few weeks away, but you can get a jump on your holiday shopping list with great deals on gaming desktop PCs, laptops, SSDs, and more. [...]

For the first time, scientists have mapped the genetic architecture of the brain’s communication bridge—the corpus callosum—using AI and MRI data from over 50,000 people. The study uncovered dozens of genes that shape this vital structure’s size and thickness, many active during prenatal development when the brain’s wiring is established. [...]

Single-contact LEDs driven with alternating current mean brighter, sharper smart glasses. [...]

A new electrochemical method turns carbon dioxide and alcohols into valuable chemicals on both sides of a single cell, using a sulfur-modified catalyst that improves efficiency and selectivity. [...]

Scientists at TU Wien found that electrons need specific “doorway states” to escape solids, not just energy. The insight explains long-standing anomalies in experiments and unlocks new ways to engineer layered materials. [...]

Astronomers are rethinking one of cosmology’s biggest mysteries: dark energy. New findings show that evolving dark energy models, tied to ultra-light axion particles, may better fit the universe’s expansion history than Einstein’s constant model. The results suggest dark energy’s density could be slowly declining, altering the fate of the cosmos [...]

With the rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence, teachers and school leaders are looking for answers to complicated questions about successfully integrating technology into lessons, while also ensuring students actually learn what they’re trying to teach. Justin Reich, an associate professor in MIT’s Comparative Media Studies/Writing program, hopes a new guidebook published [...]

A recent study from Oregon State University estimated that more than 3,500 animal species are at risk of extinction because of factors including habitat alterations, natural resources being overexploited, and climate change.To better understand these changes and protect vulnerable wildlife, conservationists like MIT PhD student and Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence [...]

Astronomers observed a massive, multi-temperature plasma eruption from a young Sun-like star, revealing how early solar explosions could shape planets. These fierce events may have influenced the atmosphere and life-forming chemistry of the early Earth. [...]

More screen time among children and teens is linked to higher risks of heart and metabolic problems, particularly when combined with insufficient sleep. Danish researchers discovered a measurable rise in cardiometabolic risk scores and a metabolic “fingerprint” in frequent screen users. Experts say better sleep and balanced daily routines can [...]

Are you feeling it? I hear it’s close: two years, five years—maybe next year! And I hear it’s going to change everything: it will cure disease, save the planet, and usher in an age of abundance. It will solve our biggest problems in ways we cannot yet imagine. It will redefine [...]

Four years is a lifetime when it comes to artificial intelligence. Since the first edition of this study was published in 2021, AI’s capabilities have been advancing at speed, and the advances have not slowed since generative AI’s breakthrough. For example, multimodality— the ability to process information not only as [...]

Separating AI reality from hyped-up fiction isn’t always easy. That’s why we’ve created the AI Hype Index—a simple, at-a-glance summary of everything you need to know about the state of the industry. Just about all businesses these days seem to be pivoting to AI, even when they don’t seem to know [...]

A new study reveals that when interacting with AI tools like ChatGPT, everyone—regardless of skill level—overestimates their performance. Researchers found that the usual Dunning-Kruger Effect disappears, and instead, AI-literate users show even greater overconfidence in their abilities. [...]

Researchers at Tsinghua University developed the Optical Feature Extraction Engine (OFE2), an optical engine that processes data at 12.5 GHz using light rather than electricity. Its integrated diffraction and data preparation modules enable unprecedented speed and efficiency for AI tasks. Demonstrations in imaging and trading showed improved accuracy, lower latency, [...]

How can you use science to build a better gingerbread house?That was something Miranda Schwacke spent a lot of time thinking about. The MIT graduate student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (DMSE) is part of Kitchen Matters, a group of grad students who use food and kitchen tools [...]

A wireless eye implant developed at Stanford Medicine has restored reading ability to people with advanced macular degeneration. The PRIMA chip works with smart glasses to replace lost photoreceptors using infrared light. Most trial participants regained functional vision, reading books and recognizing signs. Researchers are now developing higher-resolution versions that [...]