Oct 14th, 2008 · In 1950, a mathematician asked, if a computer could think, how could we tell? His answer: it could hold a conversation. In this spirit, the annual Loebner Artificial Intelligence Prize goes to the most human-like computer. This year, to a program called Elbot. When asked, how's it going? Elbot responded: I feel terrible today. This morning I poured milk over my breakfast instead of oil, and it rusted before I could eat it.
Sep 15th, 2008 · The California Supreme Court recently ruled against two doctors who allegedly refused to provide artificial insemination services to lesbians. President Bush has proposed stronger protections for heath care workers who cite religious beliefs as basis for refusing service.
Aug 15th, 2008 · Researchers report they've created an artificial material that bends some wavelengths of light differently. If they're able to expand the work to a wider range of wavelengths, the material could provide an unprecedented level of control over the way light moves, perhaps even making a "cloak of invisibility" possible.
Aug 7th, 2008 · Schools and coaches love artificial turf because it's easy to maintain, and the field stays in great shape all year. But the air around synthetic turf can reach 160 degrees on a 90-degree day. New York City has canceled contracts for turf that contains recycled tires, due to concerns that the rubber adds to the heat-absorbing effect.
Aug 1st, 2008 · Could popping a pill turn you into a long-distance runner? Researchers report that they have identified two signaling pathways that are turned on in response to exercise — and that artificially turning those pathways on in mice produced rodents with much greater endurance.
Jul 18th, 2008 · A military band was about to start a review at Fort Riley, Kan., when three members took a tumble in front of a crowd. A skydiver with tangled lines had landed on top of them. And, in upstate New York, Scott Listemann is looking for his artificial limb after it flew off as he was skydiving.
Jul 12th, 2008 · The world-famous cardiovascular surgeon pioneered the artificial heart and bypass surgery and developed a host of devices to help heart patients. DeBakey died on Friday of natural causes.
Jun 6th, 2008 · Futurist Ray Kurzweil explains the idea of the "singularity" — what happens when technology advances so much that it's impossible to predict what happens next. Will artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and biotechnology be able to completely reshape what it means to be human?