Computer science

If language is what makes us human, what does it mean now that large language models have gained “metalinguistic” abilities?

Recent findings reveal that even simple pricing algorithms can make things more expensive.

The leading approach to the simplex method, a widely used technique for balancing complex logistical constraints, can’t get any better.

The V-JEPA system uses ordinary videos to understand the physics of the real world.

Naomi Saphra thinks that most research into language models focuses too much on the finished product. She’s mining the history of their training for insights into why these systems work the way they do.

Climate science is the most significant scientific collaboration in history. This series from Quanta Magazine guides you through basic climate science — from quantum effects to ancient hothouses, from the math of tipping points to the audacity of climate models.

Building an accurate model of Earth’s climate requires a lot of data. Photography reveals the extreme efforts scientists have undertaken to measure gases, glaciers, clouds and more.

In cellular automata, simple rules create elaborate structures. Now researchers can start with the structures and reverse-engineer the rules.

You’re carrying around in your head a model of how the world works. Will AI systems need to do the same?