Communications of the ACM
The news archive provides access to past news stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
May 2016
From ACM News
Europa's Ocean May Have An Earthlike Chemical Balance
A new NASA study modeling conditions in the ocean of Jupiter's moon Europa suggests that the necessary balance of chemical energy for life could exist there, even if the moon lacks volcanic hydrothermal activity.
From ACM News
You Can Hear the Future Calling
Hearables are not your father’s earphones, limited to taking calls and listening to music.
From ACM News
What the New Science of Touch Says About Ourselves
On a bitter, soul-shivering, damp, biting gray February day in Cleveland—that is to say, on a February day in Cleveland—a handless man is handling a nonexistent ball.
From ACM News
New Study Maps Rate of New Orleans Sinking
New Orleans and surrounding areas continue to sink at highly variable rates due to a combination of natural geologic and human-induced processes, finds a new NASA/university study using NASA airborne radar.
From ACM News
America Is 'Dropping Cyberbombs'—But How Do They Work?
Recently, United States Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work publicly confirmed that the Pentagon’s Cyber Command was "dropping cyberbombs," taking its ongoing battle against the Islamic State group into the online world.
From ACM TechNews
We Know Where You Live
Researchers have demonstrated that snoopers armed with little sophisticated technology can expose the home and workplace addresses of Twitter users.
From ACM TechNews
Robots Learn How to Make Friends and Influence People
Stanford University researchers have developed a computer-vision algorithm that predicts the movement of people in a busy space.
From ACM TechNews
You Start 'doing' Diversity By sing the Data
The key to instilling true workplace diversity within an organization is data, according to Intel CEO Brian Krzanich.
From ACM TechNews
Study of 2 Could Help Music Fans Find What They're Looking For
Online music providers could use music fans' emotions to inform searches, recommendations, and playlists.
From ACM TechNews
More Than 30 States Offer Online Voting, but Experts Warn It Isn't Secure
More than 30 states will be hosting online voting systems by the time of the U.S. presidential election in November, but experts warn such systems are still insecure.
From ACM News
A Mathematical Proof Takes 200 Terabytes To State
The latest example of proof by computer enters a new realm: a proof 200 terabytes in size.
From ACM TechNews
Technique Makes Holograms Highly Efficient, Secure
Harvard University researchers have programmed polarization into compact holograms.
From ACM News
Nsa Can Legally Access Metadata of 25,000 Callers Based on a Single Suspect's Phone
Despite changes to the law, the U.S. National Security Agency can still request metadata from tens of thousands of private phones if they are indirectly connected to the phone number of a suspected terrorist, according to a new…
From ACM News
7 Cities Head For Smart City Transportation Challenge Finals
The cities continue to compete for as much as $50 million to improve safety, enhance mobility, boost economies, and address climate change.
From ACM News
Scientists Hold Secret Meeting to Consider Creating a Synthetic Human Genome
Scientists are now contemplating the creation of a synthetic human genome, meaning they would use chemicals to manufacture all the DNA contained in human chromosomes.
From ACM News
Second Cycle of Martian Seasons Completing For Curiosity Rover
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover completed its second Martian year since landing inside Gale Crater nearly four Earth years ago, which means it has recorded environmental patterns through two full cycles of Martian seasons.
From ACM TechNews
How to Make Passwords That Cannot Be Compromised By Torture or Coercion
Researchers have hypothesized a method to measure an individual's stress levels and determine whether they are being coerced into revealing a password.
From ACM TechNews
Phones at the Dinner Table: -M Study Explores Attitudes
A new study investigates how people use mobile phones at the dinner table and their attitudes toward other people doing so.
From ACM TechNews
'cardboardizer' Allows sers to Create Robotic Models in Minutes
The CardBoardiZer system developed at Purdue University allows even beginning designers to transform static three-dimensional objects into moving robotic versions.
From ACM News
Genome Reveals Why Giraffes Have Long Necks
Call it a tall task: researchers have decoded the genomes of the giraffe and its closest relative, the okapi.
From ACM News
When Websites Won't Take No for an Answer
Harry Brignull, a user-experience consultant in Britain who helps websites and apps develop consumer-friendly features, has a professional bone to pick with sites that seem to maneuver people into signing up for services they…
From ACM News
A Few Controversial Numbers May Be Illegal to Share
Jon Johansen's program worked. The Norwegian teenager watched as it downloaded 200 megabytes of a recently released movie, The Matrix, from a DVD onto his computer.
From ACM Careers
Cybersecurity Sleuths Learn to Think Like Hackers
About 35 high-school students sit at neatly arranged rows of tables in the university's gym. Another 115 college-level contestants surround the high schoolers.
From ACM TechNews
4 Big Plans to Fix Internet Security
Inadequate security is endemic to the Internet, and solving this problem will require effective trust and security mechanisms.
From ACM TechNews
Moore's Law Is Dead. Now What?
The looming obsolescence of Moore's Law is forcing scientists to look for other ways to improve computer performance and innovation.
From ACM TechNews
System Harnesses Thousands of Network Cameras For Public Safety
Purdue University researchers have developed a prototype system that can tap into thousands of cameras located in numerous venues.
From ACM TechNews
How Toy Street Lamps Are Shedding New Light on Quantum Computing
The bulbs from toy street lamps, among other things, are helping to reveal new insights into quantum computing.
From ACM TechNews
Your Smartphone and Tablet May Be Making You Adhd-Like
Smartphones and other digital technology may be inducing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder-like symptoms, according to a new study.
From ACM TechNews
New Electrical Energy Transmission System Makes Distance Wireless Charging a Reality
It may soon be possible to charge mobile devices without even taking them out of one's pocket.
From ACM News
How to Hack the Hackers: The Human Side of Cyber Crime
Say what you will about cybercriminals, says Angela Sasse, "their victims rave about the customer service".