Communications of the ACM
The news archive provides access to past news stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
April 2015
From ACM News
Ethics of Embryo Editing Paper Divides Scientists
In the wake of the first ever report that scientists have edited the genomes of human embryos, experts cannot agree on whether the work was ethical. They also disagree over how close the methods are to being an option for treating…
From ACM TechNews
Ccny Researchers se Novel Polarization to Increase Data Speeds
City College of New York researchers have developed an unconventional method for increasing data transmission speeds.
From ACM TechNews
Tech Giants Help Track Nepal Earthquake Survivors as Communications Are Hit
Global technology companies quickly responded to the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal on Saturday by helping connect survivors to each other and the world.
From ACM TechNews
No Boys Allowed: Tackling the Coding Gender Gap
Girls Who Code aims to close the gender gap in technology and engineering by teaching girls computing skills and encouraging them to pursue jobs in computer science.
From ACM TechNews
Who's Got the pper Hand? Poker Computer Program Pits Man Against Machine
Carnegie Mellon University's Heads-Up, No-Limit Texas Hold ’em poker tournament pits four of the world's best poker players against a CMU-developed program.
From ACM TechNews
Putting a New Spin on Computing Memory
Drexel University researchers are studying a new class of materials in an attempt to make computer memory more stable and more energy-conscious.
From ACM TechNews
Online Discussion Forums Good For Well-Being, Study Shows
New research associates online forums with positive well-being and even increased community engagement offline.
From ACM News
Adios, Silicon: Why Exotic Designs Are the Future For the Chips in Your Gadgets
Most of us assume that smartphones and laptops will keep getting faster and better.
From ACM News
In Nato Cyber Wargame, Berlya Fends Off Arch-Enemy Crimsonia
Somewhere near Iceland, a new NATO member, Berlya is under cyber-attack, most likely launched from its arch-rival Crimsonia, although the Berlyans can’t be completely sure.
From ACM News
Biometrics May Ditch the Password, But Not the Hackers
Passwords get hacked—a lot.
From ACM Opinion
Building an Earth-Size Telescope, 1 Station at a Time
Imagine a trio of aerobatic aircraft. Over the years they've gotten very good at their routine. But they want to add another five or six or seven members.
From ACM TechNews
OS Innovation Boosts Wi-Fi Bandwidth Tenfold
The prototype WiFO technology uses light-emitting diodes to transmit information, increasing the bandwidth of Wi-Fi systems by a factor of 10.
From ACM TechNews
Developing a Robotic Therapist For Children
Carlos III University of Madrid researchers are developing an interactive autonomous social therapist robot.
From ACM TechNews
Cloud Security Reaches Silicon
Researchers are working to implement a way to thwart criminals from inferring computer data based on the pattern in which the machine accesses its memory.
From ACM TechNews
Pentagon Announces New Strategy For Cyberwarfare
U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter has outlined the circumstances under which the U.S. could use cyberweapons against attackers.
From ACM TechNews
Revisiting the STEM Workforce
A new report by the National Science Board examines the U.S. science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workforce.
From ACM News
Jpl Celebrates Hubble's 25th Anniversary
This week marks the 25th anniversary of the launch of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, the world's first space telescope. Hubble images have revealed a vast and colorful cosmos, showcasing, among many wonders, towering pillars…
From ACM Opinion
Should Law Enforcement Have the Ability to Access Encrypted Communications?
People's distress over the privacy of their communications has never been more acute. Whether the fear is over U.S. surveillance or breaches by hackers of unknown origins, many consumers fear that there is no such thing as privacy…
From ACM News
Computers That Know How You Feel Will Soon Be Everywhere
Sometime next summer, you'll be able to watch a horror series that is exactly as scary as you want it to be—no more, no less.
From ACM News
True or False?
A new Google algorithm would influence search results based on the "trustworthiness" of websites.
From ACM News
Statcast Arrives, Offering Way to Quantify Nearly Every Move in Game
Which outfielders take the most efficient routes to a fly ball? Which pitcher's curveball has the highest spin rate? Which batter has the fastest speed to first base?
From ACM TechNews
Electronic Device Performance Enhanced With New Transistor Encasing Method
University of Illinois researchers say they have developed a more effective method for closing gaps in atomically small wires, which could lead to new transistor technology.
From ACM TechNews
Advances in Molecular Electronics: Lights On--Molecule On
A method for switching on the current flow through a single molecule with the help of light could result in being able to store and process information at the molecular level.
From ACM TechNews
Bug Bounties Fail to Find Many Software Flaws, Researchers Say
Researchers say paying rewards to vulnerability researchers to locate flaws in software initially works, but mature software requires a different strategy.
From ACM TechNews
Apple's Swift Makes Quick Strides With Developers
Apple's Swift language has been embraced by developers because of its unique features.
From ACM News
White House and Department of Homeland Security Want a Way Around Encryption
The White House and U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials support arguments by the nation’s law enforcement and intelligence leaders that encryption technology should be restricted or modified to make it easier for the…
From ACM News
Congress Probes Possible Bias Against Women in .s. Science Funding
The U.S. Government Accountability Office has launched an investigation into whether gender bias is influencing the awarding of research grants, which would be illegal under U.S. law.
From ACM News
Concerns of an Artificial Intelligence Pioneer
The computer scientist Stuart Russell wants to ensure that our increasingly intelligent machines remain aligned with human values.
From ACM Careers
How Click Farms Have Inflated Social Media Currency
Every Morning, Kim Casipong strolls past barbed wire, six dogs, and a watchman in order to get to her job in a pink apartment building decorated with ornate stonework in Lapu-Lapu City.
From ACM Careers
Security Professionals Stymied By Outdated Visualization Tools
Earlier this year, the film Blackhat got high marks for realistic scenes in which hackers and information security specialists work at their computers to hunt down perpetrators of a cyberattack.