| [Humor] Roomba Violates All Three Laws Of RoomboticsThe first law states that the device "must not suck up jewelry or other valuables, or through inaction, allow valuables to be sucked up." The second law prescribes that Roomba "must obey vacuuming orders given to it by humans except when such orders would conflict with the first law." The third and final law authorizes a Roomba to "protect its own ability to suction dust and debris as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second law." |
| Brain Reorganizes to Make Room for MathIt takes years for children to master the ins and outs of arithmetic. New research indicates that this learning process triggers a large-scale reorganization of brain processes involved in understanding written symbols for various quantities. |
| Can Humans Live to 1,000?Cambridge University geneticist Aubrey de Grey has famously stated, “The first person to live to be 1,000 years old is certainly alive today …whether they realize it or not, barring accidents and suicide, most people now 40 years or younger can expect to live for centuries.” |
| Evolving the Mona LisaHere's an interesting example of genetic programming: use a program that slightly alters colored polygons, compares the results to a target, and selects variants that most resemble the Mona Lisa. |
| Memories may be stored on your DNAREMEMBER your first kiss? Experiments in mice suggest that patterns of chemical "caps" on our DNA may be responsible for preserving such memories. |
| Brain-Computer Interfaces Becoming Reality (60 minutes video)My jaw hit the floor tonight watching a 60 Minutes segment on the emerging neuroscience of brain-only computer interfaces. In the clip (included in full below), see how a completely paralyzed man, who could otherwise only communicate by moving his eyes, uses his mind to type out thoughts on a computer screen. |
| The Rise of the MachinesIt was easy enough for us humans to understand a stick or a dollar bill when it was backed by something tangible somewhere, but only computers can understand and derive a correlation structure from observed collateralized debt obligation tranche spreads. Which leads us to the next question: Just how much of the world’s financial stability now lies in the “hands” of computerized trading algorithms? |
| 'Intelligent' computers put to the testThe six computer programs taking part in the test are called Alice, Brother Jerome, Elbot, Eugene Goostman, Jabberwacky and Ultra Hal. Their designers will be competing for an 18-carat gold medal and $100,000 offered by the Loebner Prize in Artificial Intelligence. |
| Element Bars: Built-To-Order Nutrition Bars That Don’t Taste Like ChalkTo build a bar, users are first asked to pick a base texture, with options including “Oaty”, “Crispy”, and “Datey”. From there, they gradually add fruits, nuts, sweets, and finally a choice of “Boosts” - the powdered supplements that contain large portions of protein, fiber, or antioxidants. |
| Brain Cells Observed Summoning a MemoryScientists have for the first time recorded individual brain cells in the act of summoning a spontaneous memory, revealing not only where a remembered experience is registered but also, in part, how the brain is able to recreate it. |
|
|