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An edited collection of advanced computing news from Communications of the ACM, ACM TechNews, other ACM resources, and news sites around the Web.


AIs Invent Weird New Limbs to Beat Virtual Obstacle Courses
From ACM News

AIs Invent Weird New Limbs to Beat Virtual Obstacle Courses

What are the best two legs for running an obstacle course? One leg that crawls at the knee joint, and one massive leg dragged behind for stability like a kangaroo's...

The Ick of AI That Impersonates Humans
From ACM News

The Ick of AI That Impersonates Humans

Philip K. Dick was living a few miles north of San Francisco when he wrote Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which envisioned a world where artificially intelligent...

Painting Cars for Mars
From ACM News

Painting Cars for Mars

When John Campanella's friend wanted his beloved Ferrari painted, he knew exactly who to call.

Turbulence, the Oldest ­nsolved Problem in Physics
From ACM News

Turbulence, the Oldest ­nsolved Problem in Physics

Werner Heisenberg won the 1932 Nobel Prize for helping to found the field of quantum mechanics and developing foundational ideas like the Copenhagen interpretation...

'Quantum Atmospheres' May Reveal Secrets of Matter
From ACM News

'Quantum Atmospheres' May Reveal Secrets of Matter

Over the past several years, some materials have proved to be a playground for physicists.

Scientists Create a 'Social Network of Brains'
From ACM News

Scientists Create a 'Social Network of Brains'

Sending your thoughts directly into someone else's brain may seem like the stuff of science fiction. But this capability could be closer to reality than you think...

Groundbreaking Science Emerges from ­ltra-Close Orbits of Saturn
From ACM News

Groundbreaking Science Emerges from ­ltra-Close Orbits of Saturn

New research emerging from the final orbits of NASA's Cassini spacecraft represents a huge leap forward in our understanding of the Saturn system—especially the...

A Goblin World That Points Toward Hidden Planet Nine in the Solar System
From ACM News

A Goblin World That Points Toward Hidden Planet Nine in the Solar System

Among some astronomers, there is a growing suspicion that our solar system's distant reaches conceal a large, ninth planet that we have not yet seen. New findings...

'Optical Tweezers' and Tools ­sed for Laser Eye Surgery Snag Physics Nobel
From ACM News

'Optical Tweezers' and Tools ­sed for Laser Eye Surgery Snag Physics Nobel

Optical physicists Arthur Ashkin, Gérard Mourou and Donna Strickland have won this year's Nobel Prize in Physics for "groundbreaking inventions in the field of...

New AI Strategy Mimics How Brains Learn to Smell
From ACM News

New AI Strategy Mimics How Brains Learn to Smell

Today's artificial intelligence systems, including the artificial neural networks broadly inspired by the neurons and connections of the nervous system, perform...

What Termites Can Teach ­s
From ACM News

What Termites Can Teach ­s

New termite colonies are founded on windless evenings, at dusk, after the rain. Most termites have neither eyes nor wings, but every mature colony has a caste of...

Hidden Kingdoms of the Ancient Maya Revealed in a 3-D Laser Map
From ACM News

Hidden Kingdoms of the Ancient Maya Revealed in a 3-D Laser Map

Hidden pyramids and massive fortresses in the jungle. Farms and canals scattered across swamplands.

China's Leaders Are Softening Their Stance on AI
From ACM News

China's Leaders Are Softening Their Stance on AI

China might be at loggerheads with the United States over trade, but it is calling for a friendlier approach to the development of artificial intelligence.

60 Years of DARPA's Favorite Toys
From ACM News

60 Years of DARPA's Favorite Toys

This year, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) turned 60. To celebrate, DARPA held a conference in Washington, D.C. One of the highlights...

NASA Is Taking a New Look at Searching for Life Beyond Earth
From ACM News

NASA Is Taking a New Look at Searching for Life Beyond Earth

Since the beginning of civilization, humanity has wondered whether we are alone in the universe.

How Apple Makes the AI Chip Powering the iPhone's Fancy Tricks
From ACM News

How Apple Makes the AI Chip Powering the iPhone's Fancy Tricks

A few years ago—the company won't say exactly when—some engineers at Apple began to think the iPhone's camera could be made smarter using newly powerful machine...

A New Way to Capture the Brain's Electrical Symphony
From ACM News

A New Way to Capture the Brain's Electrical Symphony

Biophysicist Adam Cohen was strolling around San Francisco, California, in 2010, when a telephone call caught him by surprise. "We have a signal," said the caller...

Scientists ­se Light to Control Nanobots
From ACM TechNews

Scientists ­se Light to Control Nanobots

Researchers have discovered a physical phenomenon in how semiconductor nanoparticles interact with light when under the influence of an electric field.

The ­S Push to Boost 'Quantum Computing'
From ACM News

The ­S Push to Boost 'Quantum Computing'

A race by U.S. tech companies to build a new generation of powerful "quantum computers" could get a $1.3 billion boost from Congress, fueled in part by lawmakers' fear...

Dust Storms on Titan Spotted for the First Time
From ACM News

Dust Storms on Titan Spotted for the First Time

Data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft has revealed what appear to be giant dust storms in equatorial regions of Saturn's moon Titan.
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