News
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Almost human: Interview with a chatbot
An AI program called Elbot recently convinced several humans that he wasn't a machine – David Robson chats to a winning intelligence
15:32 13 October 2008 -
Invention: Billboards that know you at a touch
Technology that knows your likes at the press of a finger would bring web cookies into the real world and revolutionise advertising, a patent says
12:55 13 October 2008 -
Network attack inspires space junk clean-up
Thinking about space junk in an entirely new way may have given space engineers the crucial insight they need to tackle the problem
10:30 13 October 2008 -
Nano-levers could speed up hunt for superbug drugs
Tiny silicon springboards with a protein coat bend out of shape when exposed to antibiotics with superbug-killing potential
18:00 12 October 2008 -
Avoiding waves that go bump in the flight
A new model that predicts gravitational waves caused by fast moving air could help pilots avoid clear air turbulence
10:47 11 October 2008 -
India plans nuclear shopping spree after US green light
American firms can now sell nuclear reactors and fuel to India – just so long as the ban on bomb testing remains in place
17:00 10 October 2008 -
Digital blueprint for fish created
The computer model was created by tracking all the cells in a zebrafish embryo for the first 24 hours of its existence
10:45 10 October 2008 -
Gecko-grip material aims to be the end of glue
A forest of tangled nanotubes grips slippery surfaces more firmly than some geckos, yet can be unstuck with a quick tug
19:00 09 October 2008 -
First synthetic prion could settle vCJD controversy
The first man-made replicas of the odd proteins may help scientists confirm what really causes the devastating brain disease
18:22 09 October 2008 -
Web searches benefit from some human help
Give search engines a human view of the world and you get a very different set of search results
10:50 09 October 2008 -
Newly discovered fungus strips pollutants from oil
Experiments suggest that the first fungus able to remove sulphur from crude oil is the best microorganism yet found for the job
17:45 08 October 2008 -
'Transparent cockpit' removes car blind spots
Being able to see through the solid parts of a car could reveal hidden hazards – a new video projection system lets you do just that
13:31 08 October 2008 -
Videogame for flies lets them pilot a robot
A fruit fly's movements can be harnessed to steer a robot car – the work may one day produce the "brains" for flying robots
10:24 08 October 2008 -
Hiding magnets in blood brings scans into focus
Researchers have found a way to insert nanoparticles into red blood cells, allowing them to image the body in much greater detail
17:56 07 October 2008 -
Radar helmet could steer rescuers through smoke
Sensors and software able to build up a map of a smoke-filled area could help firefighters navigate around unfamiliar buildings
16:04 07 October 2008 -
Physics Nobel snubs key researcher
Three particle physicists who provided insights into the nature of the universe share this year's Nobel Prize, but a fourth colleague is inexplicably left out
Updated 18:02 08 October 2008 -
Online bank customers create damaging 'silent runs'
The marvels of internet banking can be bad news for troubled banks – access to accounts via the web mean funds can disappear in a flash
12:30 07 October 2008 -
Invention: Aviation special
New Scientist looks at the latest patents that could take the world of aviation and space exploration to new heights
13:29 06 October 2008 -
Mini microscope captures live brain-cell action
A portable microscope mounted on a mouse's head makes it possible to observe cells inside its brain while it goes about its usual business
18:00 05 October 2008 -
Multi-drug 'polypill' finally to tackle heart problems
A long-mooted single, cheap tablet combining a slew of drugs that protect against heart disease and stroke is at last to be tested
10:00 05 October 2008 -
Web content contributors seek attention not altruism
People who contribute content to sites like YouTube and Wikipedia may be in it for personal glory, not the common good
09:29 04 October 2008 -
Steam power takes to the road again
Eighty years after it went out of fashion, steam is back – but this time it's clean and green, says Vivien Marx
18:00 03 October 2008 -
Could brain scans ever be safe evidence?
fMRI is a widely-accepted, useful research tool, but whether it can really predict who is telling the truth is another matter entirely
16:50 03 October 2008 -
High-tech sponge could take hydrogen cars further
The battle to squeeze the most gas safely into hydrogen vehicles continues, but will "nanosponges" or ants' poison win out?
12:39 03 October 2008 -
Laser cracks 'unbreakable' quantum communications
Sending a bright pulse of light lets an eavesdropper hijack quantum equipment so they can intercept secrets without detection
11:55 03 October 2008
