science
Can the biggest problems in AI be solved by philosophy?
AI companies are hiring philosophy graduates to help them understand the nature of consciousness, whether it can be replicated and how their systems can be made better and more reliable Source link
Random wobbles in time could finally solve gravity’s greatest mystery
The question of how gravity interacts with the quantum world has long perplexed physicists, but a non-quantum theory of space-time could present an answer Source link
Stunning photos reveal the intricate beauty of fungi
The vibrant colours and delicate details of New Zealand’s fungi and slime moulds are documented in these images, taken from Jay Lichter’s new book The Secret Life of Fungi Source link
The most detailed survey of the universe ever conducted starts now
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile is beginning its extraordinary survey of the southern sky, which will use the largest camera ever built to map the solar system, the galaxy and beyond Source link
Remote-controlled cockroach swarm can now breathe underwater
Tiny 3D-printed diving suits allow cockroaches to walk underwater for up to 3 hours with no ill effects, which could enable a cyborg insect swarm to explore disaster zones and perhaps even Mars Source link
Why I started my sci-fi novel with a world-ending supernova
Claire North, whose space opera Slow Gods is the July read for the New Scientist Book Club, discusses how a population might deal with knowledge that their planet will be destroyed in 100 years Source link
If you aren't terrified by this heatwave, you should be
The extreme heat currently being felt in Europe isn’t the new normal – much worse is to come, and we are doing far too little to adapt, says Michael Le Page Source link
Possible signs of ancient life on Mars are rich in complex carbon
An instrument on the Perseverance rover has identified large, complex carbon compounds alongside unusual patterns on the surface of rocks that resemble traces of microbial activity Source link
Hold the onions – and see if they make you cry
Feedback isn’t sure what to make of a ground-breaking piece of research into the understudied topic of “subjective individual variability in onion tearing and its relationship to chemosensory sensitivity” Source link
Some of the last Neanderthals were surprisingly genetically diverse
Genetic analysis of Neanderthals in north-western Europe reveals that this population was surprisingly genetically diverse, hinting that inbreeding didn’t lead to the species’ demise Source link