The pandemic has contributed to chronic loneliness. Digital tools like video chat and social media help connect people who live or quarantine far apart. But when those friends or family members are not readily available, artificial intelligence can step in.
Love in the time of algorithms: would you let artificial intelligence choose your partner? Shutterstock David Tuffley, Griffith University It could be argued artificial intelligence (AI) is already the indispensable tool of the 21st century. From helping doctors diagnose and treat patients to rapidly advancing new drug discoveries, it’s our trusted partner in so many …
THE 2020 FUTURE OF LIFE AWARD is bestowed upon William Foege (left) & Viktor Zhdanov (right) for their critical contribution to eradicating smallpox. (Press Release, Future of Life Institute, December 10, 2020) Providing valuable lessons for today’s pandemic, Foege and Zhdanov honored for eradication of a much deadlier virus Imagine how you’d …
Cover: Physiognomies of Russian criminals from The Delinquent Woman (1893) by Cesare Lombroso. Courtesy the Wellcome Collection ‘Phrenology’ has an old-fashioned ring to it. It sounds like it belongs in a history book, filed somewhere between bloodletting and velocipedes. We’d like to think that judging people’s worth based on the size and shape of their …
In a battle of AI versus AI, researchers are preparing for the coming wave of deepfake propaganda AI-powered detectors are the best tools for spotting AI-generated fake videos. The Washington Post via Getty Images John Sohrawardi, Rochester Institute of Technology and Matthew Wright, Rochester Institute of Technology An investigative journalist receives a video from an …
Cover: Something about our current moment seems to have put a particular strain on our personal relationships. Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images Why friendships are falling apart over politics Something about our current moment seems to have put a particular strain on our personal relationships. Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images Melanie Green, University at Buffalo …
Arms races happen when two sides of a conflict escalate in a series of ever-changing moves intended to outwit the opponent. In biology, a classic example comes from cheetahs and gazelles. Over time, these species have evolved for speed, each responding to the other’s adaptations. A host of weirder examples come from the biology of …
Private browsing: What it does – and doesn’t do – to shield you from prying eyes on the web The major browsers have privacy modes, but don’t confuse privacy for anonymity. Oleg Mishutin/iStock via Getty Images Lorrie Cranor, Carnegie Mellon University and Hana Habib, Carnegie Mellon University Leer en español Many people look for more …
Cover: Let’s not get ahead of ourselves… Peter Dazeley/The Image Bank via Getty Images Dating over Zoom? Don’t be surprised if those online sparks fizzle in person Let’s not get ahead of ourselves… Peter Dazeley/The Image Bank via Getty Images Sheril Kirshenbaum, Michigan State University For those dipping their toes into the dating pool during …