US government tests new vapour-sniffing drug detector at the border
Drugs and explosive chemicals are difficult to detect, but a device more sensitive than a dog’s nose can pick up their traces in seconds
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Jeremy Hsu
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AI hallucinations are getting worse – and they're here to stay
An AI leaderboard suggests the newest reasoning models used in chatbots are producing less accurate results because of higher hallucination rates. Experts say the problem is bigger than that
Tiny rewards can protect the grid from a surge in electric vehicles
As the number of electric vehicles increases, their increased demand could strain the grid – but small financial incentives convinced drivers to ease that demand by charging during off-peak hours
Will we soon be able to charge electric cars in minutes?
Speedy new chargers from Chinese automaker BYD take just 5 minutes to restore 400 kilometres of an electric car’s range, but will they be widely used?
How government use of AI could hurt democracy
Countries are eager to use AI to automate some government processes, but this risks eroding citizens’ trust and feelings of democratic control – because AI mistakes can ruin their lives
Largest all-electric flying machine begins sea trials
A 12-passenger “seaglider” that is part boat and part aircraft harnesses Cold War-era technology to fly just above the waves using only electric power
DOGE eliminated the US government’s tech experts – what has been lost?
The Trump administration’s latest move to improve government efficiency has purged tech consultants that worked to improve government efficiency
How to spot the 2025 Lyrids and Eta Aquarids meteor showers
The Lyrids and Eta Aquarids meteor showers can both be seen starting in late April, with viewing opportunities in both the northern and southern hemispheres
Incredible close-up images of insects scoop photo contest honours
A “smiling” damselfly and shimmering beetle captivated judges in the Royal Entomological Society’s 2024 Photography Competition
AI data scrapers are an existential threat to Wikipedia
As AI developers harvest Wikipedia content to train their models, the resulting surge in automated traffic is driving up costs for the non-profit that runs the popular crowdsourced encyclopaedia