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As Machines Get Smarter, Evidence They Learn Like Us
Studies show that computer models called "neural networks" behave strikingly similar to actual brains when performing certain tasks, suggesting the two may learn in the same way.
In the Hunt for Dark Matter, Promises to Keep?
Whispers of the elusive particles are becoming stronger with a series of signals that appear to be zeroing in on a leading contender.
The Surprising Origins of Life’s Complexity
Scientists are exploring how organisms can evolve elaborate structures without Darwinian selection.
Mathematicians Shed Light on Minimalist Conjecture
Two young mathematicians are illuminating a frontier in the study of rational solutions to polynomial equations: the cubics.
Signs of a Stranger, Deeper Side to Nature’s Building Blocks
New findings suggest that beneath the surface of quantum theory lies a vibrant string theory world where some matter corresponds to black holes in higher dimensions.
In Lopsided Map of the Cosmos, a Glimmer of Its Origins
Theoretical cosmologists are piecing together a cosmic origin story from a surprising anomaly in the recently released Planck satellite image.
Tiny Genomes May Offer Clues to First Plants and Animals
Symbiotic bacteria that dwell within insect cells are intricately intertwined with their hosts, prompting scientists to question when these bacteria stop being bona fide organisms and become part of the cell.
A New Approach to Building the Tree of Life
More genetic data is available than ever before to help build evolutionary trees, but scientists are finding that different genes even in the same organism can tell conflicting stories.
Is Nature Unnatural?
Decades of confounding experiments have physicists considering a startling possibility: The universe might not make sense.