George Dvorsky

ATLAS, The Pentagon’s Humanoid Robot, Just Got A Major Upgrade

Tremble at the sight of the new and improved ATLAS. Redesigned for DARPA by Boston Dynamics, this robot is now stronger, more energy efficient, more dextrous, and quieter than its clunky predecessor. And best of all, it no longer requires a safety tether. It’s called ATLAS Unplugged, and it’s the new standard that’ll be used…

No, This Artificially Intelligent Super Mario Is Not Self-Aware

German researchers have created a version of Nintendo’s Super Mario Advance in which the videogame hero can learn and venture through the game according to his “feelings.” It’s an exciting advance, but the claim that Super Mario is now “self-aware” is grossly overstated. There’s definitely some cringe-worthy reporting going on about this University of Tubingen…

This Video Of Starling Murmurations Is Straight-Up Spectacular

Fewer things are more mesmerizing than watching massive flocks of starlings go into murmuration mode — a defensive measure designed to ward of predators. A recent video shot in Utrecht, The Netherlands is a perfect case in point. Called “Wonders in the Sky,” the video was shot by Alpaca Media. You can find out more…

A Huge Batch Of Unseen WWII Photos Have Been Discovered And Restored

Photographer Levi Bettweiser from the Rescued Film Project has discovered and processed 31 rolls of film captured by an unknown American solider during the Second World War. All photos: Levi Bettweiser/Rescued Film Project. They appear here with his permission. As reported in PetaPixel, Bettweiser found the rolls of film late last year at an auction…

The First Demonstration Of Self-Propelled Nanobots In A Living Animal

Researchers from the University of California have developed acid-fueled micro-machines capable of traveling and delivering cargo directly inside a living creature. It’s a breakthrough that’s expected to significantly advance the field of medical nano-robotics. Scientists have developed drug-delivering micro-machines before, but these systems were only tested under in vitro conditions (i.e., cell cultures outside the…

A “Bullet” Galaxy Is Piercing Through Other Galaxies At Ludicrous Speed

European astronomers using using the XMM-Newton X-ray space telescope have captured a glimpse of an unprecedented rogue galaxy that’s smashing through other galaxies at a rate of 814 miles (1,310 km) per second. Top image: A cool and compact galaxy can be seen piercing through a cluster of galaxies known as Abell 4067. (ESA/XMM-Newton/G. Chon)…

New Horizons’ Historic Pluto Encounter Has Officially Begun

We are 179 days away from New Horizon’s closest approach to Pluto, but that doesn’t mean the NASA spacecraft will be twiddling its robotic thumbs until then. As of today, it’s starting to record precious data about this mysterious dwarf planet and its surroundings. Top image: A computer generated map of Pluto based on Hubble…

How A Daily 20-Minute Walk Could Save Your Life

We know that exercise is important to our health, but a recent study of 334,161 European men and women shows that as little as 20 minutes of brisk walking a day could prevent us from dying prematurely. What this new Cambridge University study is essentially saying is that inactivity is bad. Real bad. And that…

10 Territorial Disputes That Mean Your Maps Are Already Wrong

As it stands, there are well over 150 territorial disputes around the globe, some more urgent than others. Here are 10 you need to know about — and that could redefine the world map. Top photo: Russian T-90 tanks on parade in Red Square on May 9, 2014 in celebration of WWII Victory Day. (ID1974/Shutterstock)…

Record-Breaking Sperm Storage In Sharks Explains This “Virgin Birth”

Back in 2012, a baby brownbanded bamboo shark was born in tank even though the mother hadn’t been exposed to a male for 45 months. Scientists have now figured out how this so-called “virgin birth” was possible. To photo: Pup of Chiloscyllium punctatum born at the Steinhart Aquarium of the California Academy of Sciences. Photograph…

Prominent Scientists Sign Letter of Warning About AI Risks 

Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, and many other prominent figures have signed an open letter pushing for responsible AI oversight in order to mitigate risks and ensure the “societal benefit” of the technology. The open letter was put together by the Future of Life Institute, a group mobilized by Skype co-founder Jaan Tallinn, MIT’s Max Tegmark,…

Two Weeks Into 2015 And CO2 Levels Are Already Scary

Measurements made by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography reveal that average CO2 levels in the first few days of 2015 are already above 400 parts per million. Experts say this could lead to a series of consecutive months above this worrying threshold. As reported by Andrea Thompson in Climate Central, daily averages since New Years…

$1 Million Prize for Scientists Who Can Cure Human Aging 

Silicon Valley investor Joon Yun is offering a cool million dollars in cash prizes to anyone who can “hack the code of life” in an effort to increase human lifespan. It’s the latest in a growing trend of well-funded efforts to cure aging. It’s called the Palo Alto Longevity Prize, and it was launched back…

8 Logical Fallacies That Fuel Anti-Science Sentiments

We need science more than ever, yet many people find it hard to get accurate information about the scientific method and its achievements. Making things more difficult, their misconceptions about science are often driven by logical fallacies, or errors in deductive reasoning. Here are eight of the most common anti-science fallacies. Illustration by Tara Jacoby…

Removal Of Nature Words From Children’s Dictionary Sparks Outrage

Dozens of prominent writers, including Margaret Atwood and Michael Morpurgo, have expressed “profound alarm” in light of the Oxford University Press’s decision to drop a number of words associated with nature and the countryside from its children’s dictionary. Since 2007, the Oxford University Press has removed the names of at least 30 species of important…

The Human Brain Is Lopsided Compared To Other Primates

Researchers have identified a small groove that runs deeper along the right side of the human brain than the left. Because other primates lack this feature, it’s conceivable that its function is what sets us apart. The groove within the STS resides immediately below the red band seen in this digital image. (Turken et al.)…

This Interactive Map Could Help Astronomers Solve A 92-Year-Old Mystery

Since 1922, astronomers have been baffled as to the precise origin and composition of the diffuse interstellar bands seen through the Milky Way’s stellar medium. This new interactive map doesn’t solve the mystery, but it shows us exactly where these enigmatic molecules reside. Image: Lan, Zasowski & Menard In the 1920s, Berkeley graduate student Mary…

A Cybernetic Implant That Allows Paralyzed Rats To Walk Again

Researchers from EPFL have restored the walking ability of paralyzed rats by implanting soft and flexible neural implants directly onto their spinal cord. The incredible new technique, which doesn’t cause inflammation or damage, uses both chemical and electrical stimulation. It’s hoped that this technology, called e-Dura, could be eventually be extended to humans, but the…

The Remains Of Britain’s Missing Lander May Have Been Spotted On Mars

Rumors are swirling that the British Beagle 2 lander — missing since Christmas Day in 2003 — has been spotted on the surface of the Red Planet by NASA’s Reconnaissance Orbiter. Speculation is rampant after the UK Space Agency and the University of Leicester announced a press conference for this coming January 16th to announce…

Paleontologists have discovered Scotland’s first known icthyosaur, a large marine reptile that swam in the seas around Skye some 170 million years ago. Called Dearcmhara shawcrossi (pronounced jark vara ), it’s one of only a few species to be given a Gaelic name. The creature was about 13 feet long and hunted fish and smaller…