other-news

The hidden bias pushing women out of computer science

At the dawn of computing, women were the early adopters of computational technology, working with punch cards in what was then considered secretarial work. As computer science evolved into a prestigious field focused on algorithms and theory, women became—and remained—underrepresented. Today, only 23% of bachelor's and doctoral degrees in computer science are awarded to women, and just 18% of full professors are women—fewer than in the 1980s.

18/06/2025 13:35

Gaming fans bring electric energy to Rotterdam as TwitchCon arrives

A few metro stops from Rotterdam's Ahoy Arena, chatter is already flowing among gaming fans—TwitchCon passes swinging from their necks, animal ears perched on their heads.

01/06/2025 21:52

This redundant aviation safety net helps keep planes safe when controllers lose contact

It was alarming news when air traffic controllers directing planes coming and going around one of the nation's busiest airports repeatedly lost their radar and radio communications, but pilots, independent air safety experts and the Federal Aviation Administration say other redundant systems kept planes from colliding.

23/05/2025 11:26

Trump official to unveil ambitious US air traffic control upgrade

Faced with fresh flight safety problems at a major US airport, the Trump administration is set Thursday to unveil a modernized air traffic control system.

08/05/2025 11:19

How the US can mine its own critical minerals, without digging new holes

Every time you use your phone, open your computer or listen to your favorite music on AirPods, you are relying on critical minerals.

06/05/2025 20:40

Making AI more accessible in soccer

Technology is improving soccer—from helping referees make more accurate decisions to developing better on-field tactics. ETH Zurich and FIFA are exploring how AI can make these advancements more accessible to competitions worldwide.

18/03/2025 19:21

Aviation safety isn't just about pilot skill—it also comes down to corporate decision-making

Air travel is statistically one of the safest modes of transportation. But a series of recent airline accidents has rattled the industry and the public—leading to a surge in Google searches for "is flying safe" in recent weeks.

12/03/2025 19:50

A 3D tree reconstruction algorithm contributes to a new era of urban planning

Trees compete for space as they grow. A tree with branches close to a wall will develop differently from one growing on open ground.

03/03/2025 22:30

UAE sends AI-equipped drones to spot Ramadan moon

The United Arab Emirates is flying AI-equipped drones to help spot the crescent moon marking the start of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, official media said on Friday.

28/02/2025 18:40

A midair collision in Arizona prompts questions about air traffic control towers

Tens of thousands of planes take off, land and perform touch-and-goes at the Marana Regional Airport in southern Arizona every year. Without an air traffic control tower, it's a calculated dance that requires communication by pilots.

25/02/2025 11:14

AI opens 'endless' doors for fashion models, closes others

London-based model Alexsandrah Gondora understands the power of being in "two places at the same time" thanks to an AI replica of herself: "She's doing the hard work so I don't have to!"

23/02/2025 16:12

Physicist explains what may have caused Delta Flight 4819 to flip over

It was a dramatic and unusual sight: a Delta Air Lines passenger jet crash-landed on Monday at Toronto Pearson International Airport, skidding into flames on the runway before flipping upside down.

20/02/2025 17:02

Digital detox: young adults flock to London 'offline' nights

Lois Shafier dropped her mobile phone into a deposit box, happy in the knowledge that for the next two hours she would be completely offline. No pings, beeps or distractions.

19/02/2025 08:54

US Coast Guard releases recording that appears to be audio of Titanic submersible implosion

A recording released by the federal government appears to include audio of the implosion of the experimental submersible that went missing on its way to the wreck of the Titanic.

12/02/2025 21:58

'Shouldn't have happened:' DC air collision stuns experts

The midair collision between an American Airlines jet and a US Army Blackhawk helicopter in Washington has puzzled experts, given the perfect flying conditions and strict controls in one of the world's busiest air corridors.

31/01/2025 10:18

Q&A: Law expert discusses how AI could be governed by an 'equity by design' framework

Approaches to regulating artificial intelligence (AI), from creation to deployment and use in practice, vary internationally. Daryl Lim, Penn State Dickinson Law associate dean for research and innovation, H. Laddie Montague Jr. Chair in Law and Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) co-hire, has proposed an "equity by design" framework to better govern the technology and protect marginalized communities from potential harm in an article published on Jan. 27 in the Duke Technology Law Review.

30/01/2025 22:40

Student creates online hub for wildfire relief with interactive map

Johan Michalove is nearly 3,000 miles from the Los Angeles wildfires, but that didn't stop him from pitching in.

29/01/2025 23:22

Fire-hardened house offers lessons on rebuilding Los Angeles

The house that Michael Kovac built is the only one on his street still standing after a huge fire raced through his Los Angeles neighborhood.

29/01/2025 11:31

Why are lone homes left standing after the fires? It's not entirely luck

Emails and videos of burned buildings in Los Angeles next to those left standing have been flying back and forth among architects, builders and fire safety specialists around the world.

20/01/2025 12:22

New Brazil law restricts use of smartphones in elementary and high schools

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Monday signed a bill restricting the use of smartphones at school, following a global trend for such limitations.

14/01/2025 12:52

Best of Last Year: The top Tech Xplore articles of 2024

It was an interesting year for technology research as a team of human behaviorists at Aalto University, working with psychologist colleagues at the University of Helsinki Department of Psychology, found earlier this fall that a person's intelligence limits their computer proficiency more than previously thought—they came to this conclusion by testing volunteers on their perception, thinking and remembering skills and also their ability to do common computer related tasks.

09/12/2024 14:30

Trust is not the answer: Rethinking human-machine interaction for ethical engineering

In his article, "Trust is Not a Virtue: Why We Should Not Trust," Matthew L. Bolton, an associate professor of systems and information engineering at the University of Virginia, critically challenges the emphasis on fostering trust in human-machine interactions. He focuses particularly on systems using AI, machine learning and automation.

17/10/2024 17:43

Can we find hidden graves of murder victims with soil imaging? New Australian study gives it a try

To avoid being caught, murderers often attempt to hide bodies using various methods. This can include shallow or deep burials, submersion in water, encasing in concrete or even disposing of remains in rubbish bins and suitcases.

25/09/2024 19:34

FAA investigating after Delta passengers report bleeding ears and noses

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after a Delta Air Lines flight leaving Salt Lake City last weekend developed cabin pressure issues and left some passengers with bleeding eardrums, headaches and bloody noses.

18/09/2024 23:45

Medieval theology has an old take on a new problem: AI responsibility

A self-driving taxi has no passengers, so it parks itself in a lot to reduce congestion and air pollution. After being hailed, the taxi heads out to pick up its passenger—and tragically strikes a pedestrian in a crosswalk on its way.

10/09/2024 23:01

New shirt offers better protection for wildland firefighters

A new protective shirt geared to the needs of wildland firefighters has been developed by University of Alberta researchers. The prototype garment offers more protection than the current version commonly worn by workers who fight wildfires, says Elena Kosareva, who designed the shirt to earn a Ph.D. in textile and apparel science from the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences.

05/09/2024 20:45

AI can dramatically reduce time it takes to make VAR offside calls in Premier League football matches

The start of the new English Premier League (EPL) football season is seeing further changes to the way VAR (the video assistant referee) is operated. VAR was introduced to the EPL in 2019 in an attempt to reduce the number of incorrect refereeing decisions, including offsides—but its use is still much criticized.

02/09/2024 19:31

How drone attacks are changing the rules and the costs of the Ukraine war

Ukraine has unveiled a new long-range weapon, a mix of drone and missile technology that Kyiv believes will significantly boost its ability to combat Russian military attacks.

29/08/2024 19:15

Real-time crime centers are transforming policing—criminologist explains how advanced surveillance systems work

In 2021, a driver in Albuquerque, New Mexico, ran a red light, striking and killing a 7-year-old and injuring his father. The suspect fled the scene and eventually escaped to Mexico. Using camera footage and cellphone data, the Albuquerque Police Department's real-time crime center played a crucial role in identifying, apprehending and charging the person at fault. The driver was ultimately sentenced to 27 years in prison, providing a measure of justice to the grieving family.

15/08/2024 18:32

Older Americans prepare themselves for a world altered by artificial intelligence

The students—most with gray hair, some with canes, all at least in their 60s—couldn't believe what they were hearing.

13/08/2024 10:50