Hohle Fels water bird: The oldest depiction of a bird in the world
This tiny bird sculpture was created 40,000 years ago by early humans in Europe who carved the key animals in their lives.
Category: Science
AI is great at predicting text. How well can it guide robots?
It seems like artificial intelligence is everywhere in our virtual lives. It’s in our search results and our phones. But what happens when AI moves out of the chat and into the real world? NPR science editor and correspondent Geoff Brumfiel took a trip to the Intelligence through Robotic Interaction at Scale Lab at Stanford University to see how scientists are using AI to power robots and the large hurdles that exist for them to perform even simple tasks. Read Geoff’s full story . Interested in more AI stories? Email us your ideas at shortwave@npr.org .
AI models will lie to you to achieve their goals — and it doesn’t take much
Researchers discover that the most advanced AI models may lie to their users when under pressure.
How much of your brain do you need to survive?
Case reports of people with atypical brains reveal the human brain’s staggering ability to adapt to damage.
Human sacrifices found in a Bronze Age tomb in Turkey were mostly teenage girls
Archaeologists are unsure why unrelated teenagers were buried in an elaborate Bronze Age tomb but think their age may be a clue.
Why does nearly all life breathe oxygen?
Nitrogen comprises around 78% of Earth’s atmosphere, so why do most lifeforms breathe oxygen?
4 snow leopards spotted together on remote Pakistan mountain in rare footage
After spotting pawprints for two weeks, a gamekeeper and photographer in Pakistan caught a rare glimpse of a family of four snow leopards.
How to watch tomorrow’s solar eclipse from anywhere on Earth
A rare sunrise solar eclipse will be visible from 13 U.S. states tomorrow (March 29), as well as locations in Canada and Europe. Here’s how to watch for free online, no matter where you are.
Kachemak Bay’s Stony Waters
The OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 captured an image of Kachemak Bay’s turbid, cloudy waters on September 20, 2024.
Multiple species of ticks in the US can transmit red meat allergy, CDC reports reveal
A single bite from one of several tick species can trigger a months-long meat allergy.
James Webb telescope could find signs of life on alien ‘hycean’ ocean worlds
If such worlds exist, they could be among the most common life-bearing planets in the galaxy.
The history of cat domestication
Discover the history of our feline friends, and learn about the debate over whether cats are really “domesticated” at all.
Black holes may obey the laws of physics after all, new theory suggests
“The singularity is the most mysterious and problematic part of a black hole. It’s where our concepts of space and time literally no longer make sense.”
Watch eerie video of humanoid robot ‘army’ marching naturally, thanks to a major AI upgrade
Figure 02’s human-like gait is the product of the company’s simulated reinforcement learning system, and is just the beginning of its plans to make its robots perform physical tasks more naturally.