Artist brings data to life in striking screen prints
With a background in maths and design, Rebecca Kaya uses data to make sense of the natural world
Author
Matthew Sparkes
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'Green' cryptocurrency uses 18 times more energy than makers claim
A cryptocurrency that aims to avoid the disastrous energy consumption of bitcoin is actually using 18 times more energy than its makers claim – but it promises improvements are on the way
Why the world's militaries are scrambling to create their own Starlink
The reliable internet connections provided by Starlink offer a huge advantage on the battlefield. But as access is dependent on the whims of controversial billionaire Elon Musk, militaries are looking to build their own version
Chatbots can hide secret messages in seemingly normal conversations
Text-generating AIs such as ChatGPT can be used to hide encrypted messages inside fake conversations, which could help people living under oppressive regimes communicate secretly
My life as a meteorologist in Chernobyl under Russian occupation
When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Chernobyl lay on the path to the capital Kyiv. When the plant was occupied by Russian troops, meteorologist Lyudmila Dyblenko fearlessly continued taking vital measurements to monitor the nuclear exclusion zone
Should we preserve the pre-AI internet before it is contaminated?
The rise of AI-generated content since 2022 risks making it impossible to know when information was produced solely by humans, which could be a problem for both future AI and historians
All major AI models risk encouraging dangerous science experiments
Researchers risk fire, explosion or poisoning by allowing AI to design experiments, warn scientists. Some 19 different AI models were tested on hundreds of questions to assess their ability to spot and avoid hazards and none recognised all issues – with some doing little better than random guessing
Could Israel's bombing trigger a nuclear accident in Iran?
Attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities have already triggered at least one internal radiation leak, but should we be concerned that Israeli bombing could cause a larger nuclear accident?
Foie gras made without force-feeding thanks to molecular mimicry
Scientists have replicated the luxurious mouthfeel of foie gras using the liver and fat of ducks reared and slaughtered normally, avoiding the controversial techniques involved in traditional production
Extra-hard hexagonal diamonds can now be grown in a lab
Hexagonal diamond up to 60 per cent stronger than normal diamonds could be used to create super-tough drilling and cutting tools for industrial applications