Computer scientist Melanie Mitchell discusses why artificial intelligence doesn’t “think” or “reason” like humans, and how we can create better methods for measuring machine cognition.
Quanta Magazine | Science and Math News
DVDP for Quanta Magazine
Latest Articles
‘Stunning’ Percolation Proof Solves Decades-Old Puzzle About Phase Transitions
―
Mathematicians found that a broad class of networks will abruptly shift behavior past a critical point.
Does Computer Science Need Computers?
The theoretical side of the field doesn’t require computing machines. But many questions would never have been posed without them.
In Hilbert Space, All Things Are Quantumly Possible
To explore quantum phenomena, we must leave the familiar world and enter the abstract realm of Hilbert space.
A New Framework for How the Brain Compresses Our Noisy World
An updated view of categorization reflects the modern understanding that the nervous system is more of a prediction engine than a filing cabinet.
‘Huge Breakthrough’ in the Math of Imbalance
For the first time in 30 years, computer scientists have found a better way to allocate objects evenly between two groups.
Theory of Fluids Enters the 21st Century
From the 1800s to the early 2000s, physicists used the same theory to understand the behavior of fluids. Now, using a modern insight, they have redefined fluids from the bottom up.
Why Aging May Be a Program, Not a Breakdown
By deciphering the molecular signatures of millions of mouse cells, Junyue Cao has found that aging is not haphazard wear and tear but rather a “remodeling of the cell society.”
Graduate Student Proves a Quantum Uncertainty Principle for Fractals
The math, which combines chaos, quantum theory, and infinitely complex fractal structures, has been called a “foundational result.”
Featured Videos
See all videosThe 17-Year-Old Student Who Solved a Major Math Mystery
Emily Buder/Quanta Magazine
Special Features
Recommended Features
Multimedia
How Can Infinity Come in Many Sizes?
Intuition breaks down once we’re dealing with the endless. To begin with: Some infinities are bigger than others.
About Quanta Magazine
Illuminating basic science and math research through public service journalism.
More about usQuanta Magazine is committed to in-depth, accurate journalism that serves the public interest. Each article braids the complexities of science with the malleable art of storytelling and is meticulously reported, edited and fact-checked. Launched and funded by the Simons Foundation, Quanta is editorially independent — our articles do not reflect or represent the views of the foundation.
