Technology
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‘Robots are far better judges than humans’
Should computers make all our decisions? In a new book published today, three top scientists argue that human beings are useless at making choices. Machines would do a much better job.
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The old man and the tree. A story of spring
Can great art really be created on an iPad? Next week Britain’s greatest living artist will unveil stunning images of nature drawn with an app. But some critics miss the drama of paint.
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How hackers could hold the world to ransom
Is the internet a weapon of mass destruction? The announcement yesterday of a cyber attack on a major American pipeline has highlighted the vulnerability of our super-connected world.
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US investigates mysterious microwave attacks
Is the West under attack from an unknown enemy? Last week, the United States linked two attacks near the White House to an unexplained sickness that experts blame on a Russian secret weapon.
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On the road to greater social inequality
Could self-driving cars be racist? Experts worry that the machines of tomorrow are being inadvertently programmed to reflect human prejudices, and could make existing divisions even worse.
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Criticism as tech giants cash in on pandemic
Is Big Tech profiting from human misery? In the next 36 hours, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter and Amazon results will show surging growth. Fully deserved? Or morally dubious?
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First powered flight EVER on another planet
Do humans have a right to be on Mars? Elon Musk talks about colonising the Red Planet. And most people think there’s nothing wrong with exploration. But some are deeply worried.
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Scientists make first human-monkey embryo
Are scientists opening a Pandora’s box? The latest breakthrough could make it possible to grow human organs inside animals. It will save lives, but the ethical implications are enormous.
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Scientists discover a new force of nature
Is it exciting to realise how little we really know? Yesterday, the news broke that a misbehaving particle might overturn our current understanding of physics, forces and matter itself.
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Alarm over growth of ‘human stock market’
Should selling the power to decide your personal choices be illegal? A new app allows people to pay for the pleasure of ‘controlling’ someone else’s life. Harmless fun? Or a slippery slope?
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New discovery could revolutionise physics
Have scientists glimpsed something completely new in nature? A recent discovery in Switzerland could transform physics and upend everything we think we know about the universe.
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Gaming industry moves to trans inclusivity
Does gaming need to be more inclusive? A new Harry Potter game will allow players to create trans characters. But some say it is just a small step for an industry that needs radical change.
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Bidder pays £50m for unique string of code
Are non-fungible tokens the future of art? The price was a new high for an artwork that exists only digitally, beating records for physical paintings by greats like Turner, Seurat and Goya.
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The rock from the birth of the Solar System
Can we learn all about the universe without leaving Earth? A meteorite that landed in a Gloucestershire driveway on Sunday has been hailed as a once-in-a-lifetime discovery.
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‘I’d like a room with an Earth view, please’
Would you take a holiday in a space hotel? The world’s first orbiting resort is scheduled to open in 2027, but some people feel their money would be better spent nearer to home.