acm-header
Sign In

Communications of the ACM

Recent Articles


bg-corner

These 5 Facts Explain the Rise of the Drone
From ACM Opinion

These 5 Facts Explain the Rise of the Drone

The October 15 release of the so-called Drone Papers, leaked reports that appear to document the U.S. use of drone aircraft for military purposes, has given the...

The Myth of Basic Science
From ACM Opinion

The Myth of Basic Science

Innovation is a mysteriously difficult thing to dictate. Technology seems to change by a sort of inexorable, evolutionary progress, which we probably cannot stop—or...

We Don't Need Humans on Mars
From ACM Opinion

We Don't Need Humans on Mars

The two mobile robots Spirit and Opportunity were launched from Earth in 2003 and arrived on opposite sides of Mars in 2004. A suite of cameras, instruments, and...

Programming in K-12 Science Classrooms
From Communications of the ACM

Programming in K-12 Science Classrooms

Introducing students to visual programming as a pathway to text-based programming.

Fight Isis By Thinking Inside the Bot
From ACM Opinion

Fight Isis By Thinking Inside the Bot

What if we told you that fighting ISIS could be done cheaply, relatively easily, in a manner that would not escalate or put any in harm’s way?

Hackers Make Cars Safer. Don't Ban Them From Tinkering
From ACM Opinion

Hackers Make Cars Safer. Don't Ban Them From Tinkering

Virtually every new car sold today has some sort of network connection.

How the Scariest Video Games ­se Our Own Minds to Terrify ­s
From ACM Opinion

How the Scariest Video Games ­se Our Own Minds to Terrify ­s

I think he’s gone—Oh! He's not gone he’s not gone no no no he’s not gone oh Jesus Christ look at his face

Guys, Lots of Signals from Space Seem Like Aliens
From ACM Opinion

Guys, Lots of Signals from Space Seem Like Aliens

Last week, astronomers—amateur and pro—got excited about some strange results from the Kepler Space Telescope, the NASA observatory tasked with searching for Earth...

Scores of Scores: How Companies Are Reducing Consumers to Single Numbers
From ACM Opinion

Scores of Scores: How Companies Are Reducing Consumers to Single Numbers

In his novel Super Sad True Love Story, Gary Shteyngart imagined ubiquitous poles installed on sidewalks that display people’s credit scores as they walked by.

China's Xiaomi's Is Changing the ­.s. Too
From ACM Opinion

China's Xiaomi's Is Changing the ­.s. Too

Xiaomi is the most important phone manufacturer you've never heard of.

Apple Is Learning an Expensive Lesson About ­niversities
From ACM Opinion

Apple Is Learning an Expensive Lesson About ­niversities

You may have heard that Apple's on the hook for $862 million in potential penalties after a jury ruled that it infringed on a patent owned by the University of...

If You're Not Paranoid, You're Crazy
From ACM Opinion

If You're Not Paranoid, You're Crazy

I knew we'd bought walnuts at the store that week, and I wanted to add some to my oatmeal.

What Celebrities Can Teach Companies About Social Media
From ACM Opinion

What Celebrities Can Teach Companies About Social Media

Let's face it: Corporate America's social presence could use a celebrity makeover.

What Science-Fiction Gadget Would Be Most Valuable in Real Life?
From ACM Opinion

What Science-Fiction Gadget Would Be Most Valuable in Real Life?

Nicole Perlman, screenwriter, Guardians of the Galaxy: As someone who’s both accident-prone and constantly putting her foot in her mouth, my first thought is the...

European Ruling Is Merely a Symbolic Victory For Privacy
From ACM Opinion

European Ruling Is Merely a Symbolic Victory For Privacy

A decision on Tuesday by the European Union’s highest court, striking down an agreement between the E.U. and the United States that allows companies like Facebook...

Why Companies Won't Learn From the T-Mobile/experian Hack
From ACM Opinion

Why Companies Won't Learn From the T-Mobile/experian Hack

Last Thursday, John Legere, the C.E.O. of T-Mobile, joined the ranks of the dozens of chief executives who, in the past few years, have had to inform their customers...

Human Missions to Mars Will Look Completely Different from The Martian
From ACM Opinion

Human Missions to Mars Will Look Completely Different from The Martian

Landing in U.S. theaters last week, Ridley Scott's The Martian is being acclaimed as one of the most realistic portrayals of human space exploration ever filmed...

Convicted By Code
From ACM Opinion

Convicted By Code

Secret code is everywhere—in elevators, airplanes, medical devices.

Tech Companies Can Blame Snowden For Data Privacy Decision
From ACM Opinion

Tech Companies Can Blame Snowden For Data Privacy Decision

A ruling the Europe Union’s highest court yesterday may create enormous headaches for US tech companies like Google and Facebook.

What's in a Boarding Pass Barcode? A Lot
From ACM Opinion

What's in a Boarding Pass Barcode? A Lot

The next time you're thinking of throwing away a used boarding pass with a barcode on it, consider tossing the boarding pass into a document shredder instead.
Sign In for Full Access
» Forgot Password? » Create an ACM Web Account