Communications of the ACM
The news archive provides access to past news stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
September 2020
From ACM TechNews
Hackers Infiltrated Many Washington State Agencies
At least 13 of Washington State's departments and commissions reportedly have been hit by a sophisticated malware attack.
From ACM TechNews
Parents Think Computer Science Education Is Important
A study by Google and Gallup found two-thirds of parents and guardians of U.S. students in grades seven through 12 consider computer science important or very important for their children to learn.
From ACM TechNews
3D Biometric Authentication Based on Finger Veins Almost Impossible to Fool
Researchers have developed a three-dimensional biometric authentication methodology based on the veins in one's fingers.
From ACM TechNews
Half of Young Women Will Leave Their Tech Job by Age 35, Study Finds
A study found that half of young women who enter the tech workforce exit it by age 35.
From ACM TechNews
Drone Carries Human Kidney Over Las Vegas Desert
Researchers last week announced successful test flights of drones carrying a human organ and tissue in Las Vegas.
From ACM TechNews
Amsterdam, Helsinki Launch Algorithm Registries to Bring Transparency to Public AI Deployments
The cities of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and Helsinki, Finland, have launched beta versions of artificial intelligence registries.
From ACM News
AI 'Resurrects' 54 Roman Emperors, in Stunningly Lifelike Images
An artist used machine learning to create the photorealistic portraits.
From ACM News
Your Favorite AI Language Tool is Toxic
A new research paper by the Allen Institute for AI says pretrained language models "are prone to generating racist, sexist, or otherwise toxic language, which hinders their safe deployment."
From ACM TechNews
AI Camera Can Tell What Surfaces Feel Like with Just a Glance
Rutgers University researchers have trained a camera-linked artificial intelligence to read the tactile properties of an object when presented with a photograph or s series of images of it.
From ACM TechNews
These 'Smart' Home Devices Could Be the Biggest Security Threat to Your Entire Company
Experts warn that smart Internet of Things devices could threaten entire businesses, with a Palo Alto Networks survey finding more devices connecting to business networks over the last year.
From ACM TechNews
3D Printing Inside the Body Could Patch Stomach Ulcers
Researchers at Tsinghua University in China developed a micro robot that could take advantage of three-dimensional printing technology to lay down new tissues directly inside the human body.
From ACM News
Hot Qubits and Goldilocks Ions
Eyeing the latest solutions in quantum computing.
From ACM News
In Isolating Times, Can Robo-Pets Provide Comfort?
As seniors find themselves cut off from loved ones during the pandemic, some are turning to automated animals for company.
From ACM News
DOJ Unveils Trump Administration’s Legislation to Reform Tech’s Legal Liability Shield
The Department of Justice proposed new legislation last week to reform a key legal liability shield for the tech industry known as Section 230.
From ACM News
Algorithm Spots COVID-19 Cases from Eye Images: Preprint
A small study shows artificial intelligence can pick out individuals with coronavirus infections, but ophthalmologists and AI experts say the approach is far from proven to be capable of distinguishing infections with SARS-CoV…
From ACM News
These Weird, Unsettling Photos Show That AI is Getting Smarter
Models are learning how to generate images from captions, a sign that they're getting better at understanding our world.
From ACM TechNews
Error Discovered on Georgia Touchscreens in U.S. Senate Race
Georgia election officials say they found a programming error on the state's voting touchscreens that caused a column of candidates in the U.S. Senate special election to vanish when flipping back and forth between screens.
From ACM TechNews
Robots Target Coronavirus with Ultraviolet Light at London Train Station
Robots have been deployed at the St. Pancras International train station in London to kill the coronavirus with ultraviolet (UV) light.
From ACM TechNews
This Is How Much Top Hackers Are Earning From Bug Bounties
More than $44.75 million in bounties was awarded to hackers worldwide over the past year, up 86% year-on-year, according to HackerOne.
From ACM TechNews
Trump Administration Signs AI R&D Agreement With the U.K.
The Trump administration announced a research and development agreement on artificial intelligence with the U.K., designed to advance cooperation on development and priorities for AI planning and programming.
From ACM TechNews
Method Auto-Generates Databases for Materials Science
Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Cambridge have developed a method that builds automatic databases using natural language processing and high-performance computing.
From ACM News
Durable, Dense, and Efficient: The Promise of DNA Data Storage
Is DNA the future of data storage?
From ACM TechNews
5G Wireless May Lead to Inaccurate Weather Forecasts
Upcoming 5G wireless networks that expedite cellphone service may lead to inaccurate weather forecasts.
From ACM TechNews
Hacker Accessed Network of U.S. Agency, Downloaded Data
The U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency says an unnamed federal agency has been the victim of a cyberattack in which a hacker accessed its network.
From ACM TechNews
High-Tech Tools Shine a Light on Sustainable Farming
New technologies aim to make it easier to determine whether companies are honoring their commitments regarding responsible land use, emissions reductions, and human rights.
From ACM TechNews
Robot Beats Humans at Curling, Thanks to Deep Learning
Researchers developed a deep learning algorithm that enabled a curling robot to beat human players.
From ACM News
To Fight Apple and Google, Smaller App Rivals Organize a Coalition
Spotify, Match Group, Epic Games and others have created a nonprofit alliance that they hope will amplify a protest against the power of the giants.
From ACM TechNews
People's Notions About AI Are Terrible, an MIT Study Asks Whether They Can Be Helped
Researchers surveyed several hundred people to determine whether they view artificial intelligence as an agent or a tool.
From ACM TechNews
Drone Funding Highlights Sector's Momentum
Drone startups increasingly are being targeted by venture investors, due to expected growth in the sector amid technological advancements and federal approvals.
From ACM TechNews
Windows Exploit Lets You Instantly Become Admin. Have You Patched?
Zerologon lets anyone with a network toehold obtain the domain-controller password.