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Latest News News Archive Refine your search:
subjectComputers And Society
authorNew Scientist
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An edited collection of advanced computing news from Communications of the ACM, ACM TechNews, other ACM resources, and news sites around the Web.


Hackers Reverse-Engineer Nsa's Leaked Bugging Devices
From ACM TechNews

Hackers Reverse-Engineer Nsa's Leaked Bugging Devices

Security researchers have reverse-engineered some of the wireless spying devices used by the U.S. National Security Agency.

Pluto-Bound Craft Seeks Manhattan-Sized Lump of Ice
From ACM News

Pluto-Bound Craft Seeks Manhattan-Sized Lump of Ice

Desirable destinations at the fringes of the solar system can be hard to find.

Sex Harassment App Helps Women Map Abuse
From ACM TechNews

Sex Harassment App Helps Women Map Abuse

A team of researchers has created a smartphone app designed to combat sexual harassment. 

Quantum Positioning System Steps In When Gps Fails
From ACM News

Quantum Positioning System Steps In When Gps Fails

In 2016 a British submarine will slip its moorings and set sail under the guidance of the quantum world.

Sentient Robots? Not Possible If You Do the Maths
From ACM News

Sentient Robots? Not Possible If You Do the Maths

So long, robot pals—and robot overlords.

Cyborg Angst: 5 Ways Computers Will Perplex ­S in 2039
From ACM News

Cyborg Angst: 5 Ways Computers Will Perplex ­S in 2039

Brain chips mean we are struggling to distinguish our own thoughts from ideas implanted by advertisers.

Watson in Your Pocket: Supercomputer Gets Own Apps
From ACM News

Watson in Your Pocket: Supercomputer Gets Own Apps

If you could quiz Watson, IBM's all-knowing supercomputer, from an app on your phone, what would you ask it?

When the Internet Dies, Meet the Meshnet That Survives
From ACM TechNews

When the Internet Dies, Meet the Meshnet That Survives

A nonprofit recently staged a small-scale drill mimicking the outages that affected New York after Superstorm Sandy hit in 2012. 

Virtual Earth Plays Out Fate of Life on the Planet
From ACM News

Virtual Earth Plays Out Fate of Life on the Planet

We can simulate the climate and we can even simulate babies. Now, we can simulate life on Earth, too—the vast and complex interactions of the living organisms on...

Wikipedia Searches and Sick Tweets Predict Flu Cases
From ACM TechNews

Wikipedia Searches and Sick Tweets Predict Flu Cases

A new algorithm mines data from Wikipedia to track flu cases across the United States. 

Criminal Gang Connections Mapped via Phone Metadata
From ACM TechNews

Criminal Gang Connections Mapped via Phone Metadata

Software has been used to tap metadata from phones to map links between a criminal network in Sicily. 

Atomic Time Lord to Battle Sneaky High-Speed Trades
From ACM News

Atomic Time Lord to Battle Sneaky High-Speed Trades

Welcome to the room where time lives. I am standing in a space bristling with atomic clocks at the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington, U.K., which generates...

Dna Nanobots Deliver Drugs in Living Cockroaches
From ACM TechNews

Dna Nanobots Deliver Drugs in Living Cockroaches

Researchers have introduced  DNA nanobots that can dispense drugs into living cockroaches. 

Space Diaries Reveal 6 Things on an Astronaut's Mind
From ACM News

Space Diaries Reveal 6 Things on an Astronaut's Mind

While you are in space, could you keep a diary?

Hot on the Trail of Consciousness in Brain and Machine
From ACM News

Hot on the Trail of Consciousness in Brain and Machine

"Nowhere in science have so many devoted so much to create so little consensus," writes physicist, author, and TV presenter Michio Kaku of consciousness research...

Perjurers and Fake Reviews Train Software to Spot Lies
From ACM News

Perjurers and Fake Reviews Train Software to Spot Lies

Lawyers and judges use skill and instinct to sense who might be lying in court.

Phone's Wi-Fi Hotspot Acts as Sos Beacon in Disasters
From ACM TechNews

Phone's Wi-Fi Hotspot Acts as Sos Beacon in Disasters

A new app turns a smartphone into a wireless SOS beacon that could help rescuers find people who have been trapped in collapsed buildings. 

Humanity's Forgotten Return to Africa Revealed in Dna
From ACM News

Humanity's Forgotten Return to Africa Revealed in Dna

Call it humanity's unexpected U-turn.

Moth Drone Stays Rock Steady in Gale-Force Winds
From ACM News

Moth Drone Stays Rock Steady in Gale-Force Winds

They might not seem at all stable as they batter into light bulbs but moths have inspired an autopilot for drones.

Lifelogging: What It's Like to Record Your Whole Life
From ACM Opinion

Lifelogging: What It's Like to Record Your Whole Life

Gordon Bell, one of the first people to chronicle his existence digitally, explains how it has changed his life and the potential pitfalls.
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