Communications of the ACM
The news archive provides access to past news stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
July 2022
From ACM TechNews
DeepMind Research Cracks Structure of Almost Every Known Protein
Scientists at DeepMind used its AlphaFold algorithm to predict the 3D shape of almost every known protein.
From ACM TechNews
Chips and Science Act Goes to Biden for Approval
Both chambers of the U.S. Congress this week passed the Chips and Science Act, earmarking $280 billion to strengthen U.S. innovation and technology hubs, including support for basic research and bolstering semiconductor chip …
From ACM TechNews
Fiber-Optic Cables Could Be Used for Spying
Device can eavesdrop on people up to 1 km away using existing fiber-optic cables.
From ACM TechNews
More Accurate Wildfire Monitoring Using Social Media
Wildfire prediction model uses social media and geophysical satellite data for more accurate real-time forecasting and monitoring.
From ACM TechNews
Network Visualization Tool Maps Information Spread
Indiana University Bloomington has launched an updated version of the Network Tool, a visualization tool that shows journalists, scientists, and the public how information propagates.
From ACM TechNews
AI Scours Brain Data to Spot Mental Illness Patterns
Georgia State University researchers constructed a computer program that can sift through massive volumes of brain imaging data and identify new patterns associated with mental illness.
From ACM TechNews
A Secret Language of Cells? Cell Computations Uncovered
Scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and EPFL's Blue Brain Project have published a theory describing a secret cell language for sharing information about the outside world.
From ACM TechNews
Quantum Algorithm Simulates Evolving State of Quantum Particles
Algorithm enables a new way to study properties of materials resulting from strong electron-electron interactions.
From ACM TechNews
AI Designs Proteins With Potential for Medicines, Vaccines
University of Washington researchers developed an AI software that can design structures for proteins that do not exist, including compounds that might find use in cancer treatments and vaccines.
From ACM TechNews
Quantum Researchers Advance Error Handling
A team led by researchers at the Flatiron Institute discovered a new phase of matter that has the potential to act as long-term quantum information storage.
From ACM TechNews
Using Wearable Tech to Detect COVID-19 before Onset of Symptoms
Opens the door to using commercially available health monitors to detect other infectious diseases.
From ACM TechNews
Experts Uncover 'CosmicStrand' UEFI Firmware Rootkit Used by Chinese Hackers
Rootkit hides in firmware images of Gigabyte or ASUS motherboards, all related to designs using the H81 chipset.
From ACM News
New Attack Can Unmask Anonymous Users on Any Major Browser
Researchers have found a way to use the web's basic functions to identify who visits a site—without the user detecting the hack.
From ACM News
Defending the Enterprise
Using chaos testing to stabilize cybersecurity.
From ACM TechNews
World Cup to Use Drones to Help Protect Stadiums
This year's World Cup soccer tournament in Qatar will employ autonomous radar-guided interceptor drones for stadium security.
From ACM TechNews
Agricultural Engineers Design Early Step for Robotic, Green-Fruit Thinning
Agricultural engineers created a prototype end-effector that can remove unwanted apples from trees as a first step toward robotic, green-fruit thinning.
From ACM TechNews
HIV Combination Therapies Could Prevent Viral Escape, Rebound
Researchers designed a novel therapy for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that could prevent the virus from escaping treatment.
From ACM News
In Memoriam: Alexander Fraser
The projects he worked on or oversaw had a huge impact, either directly or indirectly.
From ACM News
Big Tech Builds AI with Bad Data, So Scientists Sought Better Data
BigScience is a global effort to build a more transparent, accountable AI, with less of the bias that infects so many Big Tech initiatives.
From ACM TechNews
Deep Learning Method Worth Its Salt
A multi-institutional team of researchers led by the University of Cincinnati's Yu Shi has developed a technique for modeling the thermodynamic properties of molten salts via deep learning artificial intelligence.
From ACM TechNews
Scientists Expand Entomological Research Using Genome Editing Algorithm
A team of scientists from Japan's Hiroshima University, the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, and the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences has developed an algorithm that uses genome editing to broaden …
From ACM TechNews
Nanomagnets Can Choose a Wine, Could Quench AI's Thirst for Energy
Scientists at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology, the University of Maryland, and Western Digital Technologies programmed a neural network from magnetic tunnel junctions and trained it to taste wines virtually…
From ACM TechNews
U.K. Project Will Create 165-Mile Drone Superhighway
The U.K. government has approved plans for Skyway, a 165-mile drone superhighway that will connect towns across England and be used to survey infrastructure such as roads and ports.
From ACM TechNews
'Earable' Uses Sonar to Reconstruct Facial Expressions
Cornell University researchers have developed a wearable earphone device that can reconstruct the wearer's face using sonar.
From ACM TechNews
Robot Dog Learns to Walk in One Hour
Researchers taught a four-legged, dog-sized robot to walk in one hour with the help of a Bayesian optimization algorithm.
From ACM TechNews
Data Scientists Identify Lakes, Reservoirs Around the World
Data scientists led an interdisciplinary team that developed a first-of-its kind comprehensive global dataset of the Earth's lakes and reservoirs.
From ACM TechNews
BCI Startup Implants First Device in U.S. Patient
A brain-computer interface startup has implanted a wire-electrode combination in the brain of a U.S. patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
From ACM News
Inside China's Scramble to Overcome Microchip Crunch
With global supplies tight, brokers are playing an outsize role in securing key components.
From ACM News
What to Do Now About Tomorrow's Code-Cracking Computers
A future-proof way to encrypt sensitive data is now available. Put it to use.
From ACM News
Chip Investment Decisions Await Congressional Action on $52 Billion Funding Bill
Political wrangling slows progress on what began as bipartisan effort to restore America's semiconductor production prowess.