Fog collection could alleviate water stress in desert cities
Water harvesting from foggy air provided up to 5 liters of water a day in a yearlong Chilean desert experiment.
TECH DEIYO
Science and Technolgy blog
Meet 5 types of robots with living body parts
Nicole Xu reached into a Styrofoam tank to grasp a live moon jellyfish. Quickly and carefully, she inserted a tiny electronic device into the animal. “It takes a little bit of practice,” she says. “But once you know how to…
Sexual motives on Tinder: More common in some personality types than others
A recent study published in the journal Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace has shed light on the various reasons why people use the popular dating application Tinder. Researchers discovered that individuals fall into distinct groups based on their…
Archaeologists discover tomb of Thutmose II — 1st ancient Egyptian burial of a pharaoh to be found in 100 years
The tomb of Thutmose II, a pharaoh who ruled about 3,500 years ago, has been discovered west of the Valley of the Kings.
Russia-aligned hackers are targeting Signal users with device-linking QR codes
Signal, as an encrypted messaging app and protocol, remains relatively secure. But Signal’s growing popularity as a tool to circumvent surveillance has led agents affiliated with Russia to try to manipulate the app’s users into surreptitiously linking their devices, according…
Strange radio signals traced to outskirts of long-dead galaxy — and scientists aren’t sure why
A dead galaxy shouldn’t produce bursts of radio light. Yet this 11 billion-year-old one did — throwing scientists for a loop.
Exercise may boost brain function by improving insulin response, study suggests
Regular physical activity is widely recognized for its benefits to physical health, including improved heart function and weight management. Now, new research suggests that exercise may also directly enhance brain function. A study published in the journal Aging Cell has…
Google’s new AI generates hypotheses for researchers
Over the past few years, Google has embarked on a quest to jam generative AI into every product and initiative possible. Google has robots summarizing search results, interacting with your apps, and analyzing the data on your phone. And sometimes,…
Scientists unlock vital clue to strange quirk of static electricity
Scientists can now explain the prevailing unpredictability of contact electrification, unveiling order from what has long been considered chaos. Static electricity—specifically the triboelectric effect, aka contact electrification—is ubiquitous in our daily lives, found in such things as a balloon rubbed…
Trump admin. fires USDA staff working on bird flu, immediately backpedals
Over the weekend, the Trump administration fired several frontline responders to the ongoing H5N1 bird flu outbreak—then quickly backpedaled, rescinding those terminations and attempting to reinstate the critical staff. The termination letters went out to employees at the US Department…
Microsoft shows progress toward real-time AI-generated game worlds
For a while now, many AI researchers have been working to integrate a so-called “world model” into their systems. Ideally, these models could infer a simulated understanding of how in-game objects and characters should behave based on video footage alone,…
“Truly a middle finger”: Humane bricking $700 AI Pins with limited refunds
After launching its AI Pin in April 2024 and reportedly seeking a buyout by May 2024, Humane is shutting down. Most of the people who bought an AI Pin will not get refunds for the devices, which debuted at $700,…
Trump declares sweeping power over independent agencies such as FCC and SEC
President Trump yesterday issued an executive order declaring sweeping power over agencies that were created to operate independently from the White House. The order declares that “officials who wield vast executive power must be supervised and controlled by the people’s…
5,000-year-old fortress found in Spain contains mysterious burial of Roman-era man with dagger
The nearly 5,000-year-old fortress in Spain has a much more recent burial dating to the Roman era.
US suffers record-breaking cold: What’s going on with the polar vortex?
A winter storm is hitting the U.S. with record-breaking cold and heavy snow. Is the polar vortex to blame?
Unexpected mental cycle found in both Buddhist meditation and Christian speaking in tongues
Two spiritual practices that appear vastly different on the surface – the quiet focus of Buddhist jhāna meditation and the emotionally expressive Christian practice of speaking in tongues – may share a common underlying mechanism for achieving deep states of…
Valve releases full Team Fortress 2 game code to encourage new, free versions
Valve’s updates to its classic games evoke Hemingway’s two kinds of going bankrupt: gradually, then suddenly. Nothing is heard, little is seen, and then, one day, Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Day of Defeat, and other Source-engine-based games get a bevy of modern…
AI making up cases can get lawyers fired, scandalized law firm warns
Morgan & Morgan—which bills itself as “America’s largest injury law firm” that fights “for the people”—learned the hard way this month that even one lawyer blindly citing AI-hallucinated case law can risk sullying the reputation of an entire nationwide firm.…
Lasers reveal 1,000-year-old Indigenous road near Chaco Canyon that aligns with the winter solstice
Researchers think the Indigenous roads were more about cosmology than traffic.
‘Plastics are there and seem to be getting worse’: Viral study of microplastics in human brains shows worrisome trend, but has flaws
A close-up shot of microplastics resting on a human finger.
Apple announces “iPhone 16e” to replace iPhone SE, starts at $599 for 128GB
As expected, Apple has released a new low-end iPhone into its lineup to replace the aging iPhone SE. The iPhone 16e is a 6.1-inch phone with an edge-to-edge OLED screen and a display notch, an Apple A18 processor inside (similar…
Microsoft demonstrates working qubits based on exotic physics
On Wednesday, Microsoft released an update on its efforts to build quantum computing hardware based on the physics of quasiparticles that have largely been the domain of theorists. The information coincides with the release of a paper in Nature that…
Hormonal birth control may double risk of stroke, study finds — but don’t panic
Using hormonal birth control methods, such as “the pill,” may increase users’ risk of blood clots, strokes and heart attacks, a new study has found. However, even then, a person’s overall risk of these conditions is still low.
2,000-year-old spoon from Isle of Man may have been used in blood rituals for fortune telling
A mysterious bronze spoon unearthed on the Isle of Man is rare evidence of ancient ritual in Europe.
‘Iridescent’ clouds on Mars captured in Martian twilight in stunning NASA rover images
“I’ll always remember the first time I saw those iridescent clouds and was sure at first it was some color artifact.”
Man nearly guaranteed to get early Alzheimer’s is still disease-free in his 70s — how?
A man who should have developed early-onset Alzheimer’s disease due to a genetic mutation is still symptom-free in his 70s. Scientists are trying to understand why.
Physical attractiveness outweighs intelligence in daughters’ and parents’ mate choices
Women and their parents report that intelligence is more important than physical attractiveness in a long-term partner, yet when forced to choose, they both favor a more attractive mate—even when the less attractive option is described as more intelligent. This…
Dozens of things you can do to clean up a fresh install of Windows 11 24H2 and Edge
Windows 11 made our recent roundup of our least favorite “enshittified” products, which will come as no surprise to those of you who have followed our coverage of it over the years. What began as a more visually cohesive coat…
F1 celebrates 75 years with 10-team launch event in London
Formula 1 racing turns 75 this year. The sport has been under new management for a few years and is now owned by an American entertainment company that’s interested in trying new things to grow the sport—a refreshing change from…
Squishy materials reveal new physics of static electricity
The charge transferred when identical objects touch depends on their history, scientists find.
Quantum processor that uses entirely new state of matter could set us on the path to quantum supremacy
Microsoft scientists have created a quantum processor that taps into a rare state of matter that was first theorized in the 1930s, paving the way for a processor with a million qubits within years.
World’s glaciers are losing enough ice to fill 3 Olympic pools every second, terrifying new study finds
A groundbreaking new study provides the first consistent global picture of glacier decline since 2000, revealing that glaciers across the world have lost a whopping 5% of their volume since then.
The odds of a city-killer asteroid impact in 2032 keep rising. Should we be worried?
An asteroid discovered late last year is continuing to stir public interest as its odds of striking planet Earth less than eight years from now continue to increase. Two weeks ago, when Ars first wrote about the asteroid, designated 2024…
‘Speech gene’ seen only in modern humans may have helped us evolve to talk
A specific gene variant seen in people is likely one of many that contributed to the development of language in modern humans, scientists say. And it changes how mice squeak.
Do your friends know if you’re ready for love? Here’s what the research says
A new study has found that your friends might have a pretty good idea of whether you are truly ready for a serious romantic relationship. Researchers discovered that people and their friends generally agree on how prepared someone is for…
Earth had new, temporary radiation rings last year
Two bands of radiation called the Van Allen belts encircle Earth. After a May 2024 solar superstorm, two more showed up between those belts.
Childhood trauma survivors show blunted cardiovascular responses to social stress
A study of adolescents in China found that survivors of childhood trauma exhibit blunted cardiovascular responses to social stress. When exposed to social stress, these individuals experienced smaller changes in heart rate and blood pressure. This diminished response was associated…
2024 set new record for hottest year, passing a dangerous heat threshold
It’s official: The year 2024 was indeed the hottest on record. It was also the first year in recorded history that Earth’s average temperature was higher than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial times. What’s important about that increase?…
Shattered 1,800-year-old sword was ‘ritually sacrificed’ and may be from Vandal warrior’s grave
A metal sword broken into three pieces may be evidence of a Germanic warrior’s burial from the Roman Empire.
The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5: The best all-around EV just got better
Hyundai provided flights from Washington, DC, to Palm Springs and accommodation so Ars could drive the new Ioniq 5. Ars does not accept paid editorial content. PALM SPRINGS, Calif.—Can it really have been four(ish) years since we first drove the…
Our favorite EV goes Mad Max: The 2025 Ioniq 5 XRT
Hyundai provided flights from Washington, DC to Palm Springs and accommodation so Ars could drive the new Ioniq 5. Ars does not accept paid editorial content. PALM SPRINGS, Calif.—After a very pleasant morning getting acquainted with the model year 2025…
Scientists discover surprising brain mechanism behind “dessert stomach”
Researchers have discovered that our desire for dessert, even when full, is controlled by the brain. The same brain cells that tell us we are full after a meal also trigger our craving for sugary treats afterwards, according to new…
Diagnostic dilemma: Weakness in a man’s leg revealed his abnormally small brain
A man went to hospital complaining about weakness in his left leg, and subsequent brain scans revealed a surprising finding.
In a last-minute decision, White House decides not to terminate NASA employees
Unlike workers at many other federal agencies this week, probationary employees at NASA were not terminated on Tuesday. For much of the day employees at the space agency anticipated a directive from the White House Office of Personnel Management to…
Nvidia’s 50-series cards drop support for PhysX, impacting older games
Most PC games that you can play on a modern PC would run faster on an Nvidia RTX 5080 or 5090 than, say, a GTX 1070. But some games, from a particular phase of enthusiasm for particles, destructible environments, and…
New Grok 3 release tops LLM leaderboards despite Musk-approved “based” opinions
On Monday, Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, released Grok 3, a new AI model family set to power chatbot features on the social network X. This latest release adds image analysis and simulated reasoning capabilities to the platform’s existing text-…
Want better focus and a happier mind? This simple smartphone change could be the answer
Spending hours each day connected to the internet through our smartphones has become the norm for many. However, new research indicates that taking a break from this constant online access can lead to noticeable improvements in mental health, overall happiness,…
Acer CEO says its PC prices to increase by 10 percent in response to Trump tariffs
PC-manufacturer Acer has said that it plans to raise the prices of its PCs in the US by 10 percent, a direct response to the new 10 percent import tariff on Chinese goods that the Trump administration announced earlier this…
Streamer completes hitless run of seven FromSoft Soulslikes without leveling up
If you know just one thing about FromSoft’s recent history of so-called “Soulslike” games, you probably know that they have a well-earned reputation for absolutely brutal difficulty. But these titles apparently just weren’t difficult enough for streamer dinossindgeil (aka Nico)…
Blood moon 2025: How to see the moon turn red over North America during March’s total lunar eclipse
Here’s everything you need to know about how to see the first “blood moon” total lunar eclipse since 2022, and the only one visible from North America this year, when it rises in March.
