Credit: PixabayCan AI accelerate certain aspects of the scientific process? Microsoft seems to believe so.During the company’s Build 2025 conference on Monday, Microsoft introduced Microsoft Discovery, a platform that leverages agentic AI to "revolutionize the [scientific] discovery process," as stated in a press release shared with TechCrunch. Microsoft Discovery is described as "extensible" and...
Credit: PixabayDuring his recent Middle East tour, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a series of new deals with Saudi Arabia, claiming they were worth over US$1 trillion (A$1.5 trillion)—though that figure is likely exaggerated. What is clearer is that many of the agreements focus on developing artificial intelligence (AI).This followed the launch of a...
Credit: Carnegie Mellon University, College of EngineeringStanding under 1.5 inches tall—about the height of a LEGO minifigure—the world's smallest self-contained bipedal robot can start on its own, walk over half a mile per hour, turn, skip, and climb small steps using only its built-in battery, actuator, and control system.Nicknamed "Zippy" by its creators, the...
Credit: DepositphotosAfter discovering the blood vessels responsible for finger wrinkles in water, young readers of The Conversation's Curious Kids series had more questions for scientists:"Do the wrinkles always form the same way?" one reader asked.Curiosity Sparks a Scientific Investigation"I thought, 'I haven't the foggiest clue!'" recalls Guy German, a biomedical engineer from Binghamton University...
A molecule that blocks cell death could mean treatments for Parkinson's and other degenerative diseasesDepositphotosA new study has uncovered a method to prevent cell death, potentially paving the way for treatments that could slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s.Apoptosis, the body’s ancient “cell suicide” mechanism, is controlled by interactions within the...
Credit: PixabayGrowing evidence suggests that a hidden secret beneath Mars' dusty red plains could change our understanding of the planet: a massive reservoir of liquid water, buried deep within its crust.Mars, dotted with remnants of ancient water, has fascinated scientists as they unravel the mystery of what happened when the planet became cold and...
Credit: PixabayA recent study by French AI testing platform Giskard found that asking popular chatbots to give more concise responses "dramatically impacts hallucination rates." The analysis, which included models like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Llama, Grok, and DeepSeek, revealed that brevity requests "specifically degraded factual reliability across most models tested," according to a blog post...
Credit: PixabayThere's a saying that theories are like toothbrushes—everyone has one, but no one wants to use someone else’s. It’s meant as a joke, but when it comes to studying consciousness—the mystery of how we experience anything subjectively—it’s surprisingly accurate.In 2022, British neuroscientist Anil Seth and I compiled a review identifying 22 brain-based theories...
Credit: DepositphotosAI is increasingly becoming a part of our lives, with language learning being the next area of focus.This week, both Google and Duolingo made significant strides in language learning with AI. Google introduced new Gemini-powered AI tools to help users learn foreign languages, called Little Language Lessons.This experimental feature includes three interactive lessons...
Credit: PixabayThe Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) is a key contributor to global sea-level rise. Since 2002, NASA's GRACE and GRACE-FO satellite missions have tracked ice mass changes across the region. While earlier research consistently showed ongoing ice loss—especially in West Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula—glaciers in East Antarctica remained mostly stable. However, a new...
