Neuralink has put its first chip in a human brain. What could possibly go wrong?
The technology to link human brains with computers is developing quickly – but the path ahead is full of challenges. …
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Life / Culture
Nine was slammed for ‘AI editing’ a Victorian MP’s dress. How can news media use AI responsibly?
Generative AI is everywhere, including licensed software tools that news media use for their work. Everyone needs to learn more about these features, their risks and benefits. …
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Virtual reality grooming is an increasing danger. How can parents keep children safe?
Online dangers lurk in virtual worlds for children. As more preschoolers immerse themselves in virtual reality, we must manage the risks and keep them safe. …
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Parking apps are sweeping Australia’s cities. Here’s what you may not know about them
Paying for your parking via an app promises ease and efficiency. But we are entering a bargain with unclear terms around data privacy and public revenue. …
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Editing memories, spying on our bodies, normalising weird goggles: Apple’s new Vision Pro has big ambitions
Apple’s plan for ‘spatial computing’ may redefine personal computing – and also facilitate trouble new kinds of surveillance. …
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Banksias are iconic Australian plants, but their ancestors actually came from North Africa
Today, these plants are iconic to the Australian bush. But banksias and their many relatives originated in far-away shores 130 million years ago. …
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The first flowers evolved before bees – so how did they become so dazzling?
Flowers tend to stand out against a natural background. A new study shows this contrast evolved in a key relationship with their most famous pollinators – bees. …
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The Doomsday Clock is still at 90 seconds to midnight. But what does that mean?
The Doomsday Clock is not a precise risk assessment, it’s a flawed but powerful metaphor for the catastrophic risk humanity faces …
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Australia may spend hundreds of millions of dollars on quantum computing research. Are we chasing a mirage?
Quantum computers are proving extremely difficult to build, and there is no guarantee they will live up to their designers’ hopes. …
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Using photos to create 3D models is helping us understand – and protect – complex marine environments
Photogrammetry, a technique where 3D information is extracted from photographs, is reducing the guesswork in counting – and understanding – the world below the ocean surface. …
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