As the field of artificial intelligence (AI) has grown from vague hopes to striking realities, as seen in technologies like ChatGPT, so too have alarms grown clearer. Geoffrey Hinton, the so-called “godfather of AI,” left Google to speak more clearly about the threat posed by the technology, which may one day grow smarter than its creators. He strictly opposes allowing the military to use AI and worries that an artificial hyperintelligence could one day manipulate human beings.How do we conv ...read more

From YouTube to Twitter and TikTok, much of our digital diet is dictated by social media algorithms, sets of rules that determine what content you see. The algorithms learn what makes us tick, then give us more and more (and more) of it.At first glance, this may sound like a convenience.Why wade through an endless morass of Facebook posts when a handy algorithm can simply present the ones it knows you’ll care about? Don’t we all want perfectly curated sequences of hedgehog memes to fall effo ...read more

The camel spider, also recognized as a sun spider and wind scorpion, is one of the most unique arachnids of all time and holds captivating secrets.The spine-chilling legends of the camel spider are so nightmarish that the faint of heart may want to hit the back button and take a coffee break immediately — because we’re about to dive into some of the goriest spider tales you’ve ever heard. Crazy Myths About Camel SpidersThe stories we’re about to share aren’t exactly true, but some of t ...read more

According to AirNow.gov, ground-level ozone and airborne particles (like those generated by wildfires) are the two pollutants that pose the greatest threat to human health in this country. EPA developed the Air Quality Index (AQI) to make information available about the health effects of the five most common air pollutants, and how to avoid their effects.You can help make the data more accurate and granular by sharing your own local observations. We’ve highlighted ways to do that, below. Mos ...read more

The Science Near Me blog is a partnership between Discover magazine and ScienceNearMe.org.On April 20, 2023, SpaceX’s Starship, the most powerful spaceship ever built, lifted off from the company’s Starbase launch facility in Boca Chica, Texas. It was a thrilling demonstration of engineering prowess, and a preview of future missions that could loft humans to the Moon, Mars and beyond.The feat was dimmed by the rocket’s “rapid, unscheduled disassembly” (AKA explosion) shortly after lift ...read more

People often assume that fish don’t feel pain. That’s odd because, like other animals we believe can feel pain — horses, dogs, cats, rats, humans — fish are vertebrates. They have the same senses we have (vision, hearing, etc.) plus some. But they live in a very different environment, and most of us don’t encounter fish often unless they’re on the menu. The world of a fish is so removed from the human world that we have little instinct about what they are or are not feeling.Or, as C ...read more

The art of theatre is probably one of the oldest forms of entertainment there is. Even now, audiences still gather in open-air amphitheaters, black box theaters and (of course) multiplex movie theaters to watch all kinds of stories unfold before their eyes. And sitting in the dark with strangers to experience that would not be possible without the actors who take on various roles to tell the tale.Acting is far more than just pretending to be someone else. Rather, it's a complex process that requ ...read more

This story was originally published in our Jul/Aug 2023 issue as "Young Blood." Click here to subscribe to read more stories like this one.Are you ready for a Super Age-Reducing supplement, a revolutionary, clinically proven, all-natural remedy guaranteed to make you look 20 years younger and 30 pounds lighter — or your money back?We’ve all seen some variation of this message: another hard sell for a product that promises the benefits of youth or exercise (or something else) in a pill.But ...read more

This article was originally published on October 27, 2010.In ancient times, people referred to the ringing in their ears as buzzing, whispering or even singing. Today, we call it tinnitus.  Despite being a common medical disorder, tinnitus continues to challenge medical professionals, affecting 5 to 15 percent of the population and significantly impacting their quality of life. Explore the causes, symptoms and current treatment approaches of tinnitus.  What Is Tinnitus? Tinnitus is a lot mo ...read more

Researchers are considering the recently discovered Iani smithi (Iani), a mid-Cretaceous plant-eating dinosaur, a “last gasp” of a species as the planet’s climate warmed and altered life for its prehistoric inhabitants. According to a recent study from North Carolina State University, I. smithi was an early ornithopod — a species that would eventually lead to duckbill dinosaurs like Parasaurolophus and Edmontosaurus — that lived 99 million years ago. Researchers found the near ...read more