Latest Stories
-
New fighter plane heralds era of robot wars
Should robots be used in war? The US Air Force wants to stage a battle between a robot fighter plane and a piloted one. But many warn that any use of AI in war could lead to disaster.
-
The great hydrogen revolution gathers pace
Are we on the cusp of a hydrogen revolution? A new material, similar to a bath sponge, could be the key to making the most abundant element in the world the green fuel of the future.
-
The Machine rules – you have been warned
Will we value human contact more after the lockdown? A 111-year-old story by EM Forster is proving extraordinarily prophetic about social isolation and our relationship with technology.
-
Very smart – and a tool of domestic abuse
Could smart homes increase domestic abuse? As our houses get ever more full of technology to make life more convenient, the possibility of using it for abusive purposes is increasing.
-
Coronavirus witch-hunt sets Europe ablaze
Is witch-burning back? Fear of the coronavirus has stoked the flames of the anti-5G movement, drawing parallels with the mass hysteria and witch-hunts of the 16th and 17th centuries.
-
Please settle down – all five million of you
Should every country have an Open School – a free online resource? The lockdown has inspired some brilliant experiments in teaching. Many hope that it will change education for ever.
-
Hello – this is your long-forgotten friend
Is it time to return to the old-fashioned phone call? People trying to keep cheerful during the lockdown are rediscovering the joy of hours spent on the line to friends and relations.
-
Let’s meet up tomorrow – your place and mine
Is online socialising as good as meeting in person? The current lockdown has given rise to virtual parties, choirs, and reading groups – and they could become a permanent part of our lives.
-
Exposed: how toxic air reduces intelligence
How can we solve the air pollution crisis? Humans are losing almost three years of life on average because of outdoor air pollution – as well as huge reductions in cognitive ability.
-
Nasa’s daring mission to find life on Mars
Can we finally unlock the mystery of Mars? A new mission to the Red Planet will explicitly search for signs of life. If there ARE little green men up there, we will soon find them.
-
Artificial morality: how to raise good robots
Do robots need morals? A leading law-maker has said that artificial intelligence must meet ethical standards. But even leading researchers do not fully understand the machines they build.
-
Trains ‘to replace planes’ within 20 years
Are they the future of travel? Britain, yesterday, announced its new railway. Meanwhile, engineers are designing “space travel on Earth” to replace planes with clean, super-fast trains.,
-
Spacecraft to seek the secrets of the Sun
Will the source of life on Earth also be its end? This weekend, a new space probe will blast off towards the Sun to investigate one of the biggest threats to our planet – the solar wind.
-
Security fears haunt decision on 5G deal
Should Britain be doing business with Huawei? Many believe that the Chinese telecom giant cannot be trusted to upgrade the UK’s internet system. Now, a government decision is imminent.
-
Site of nuclear meltdown to become green hub
Is disaster the only way to bring about lasting and positive change? A decade after a nuclear catastrophe in Fukushima, plans are afoot to transform the area into a renewable energy hub.