Read the latest articles from Futurism (Page 959)

By using 3D-laser scanning technology, there may still be hope for the full recovery and rebuild of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.
3D Printing

Fortunately, There Are Incredible 3D Scans of Notre Dame

The good news: we have a highly-detailed digital template for how to rebuild.

By Natalie Coleman

It's finally official: Samsung is delaying the sale of its folding smartphone, the $2,000 Galaxy Fold.
Robots and Machines

Samsung Admits Its Folding Smartphone “Needs Further Improvements”

You won't be able to get your hands on a Galaxy Fold for a while.

By Victor Tangermann

Japanese ecommerce firm DeNA has equipped taxis with a facial recognition system that selects ads based on passenger gender and age.
Facial recognition

Japanese Taxis Are Using Facial Recognition to Target Ads to Riders

Cameras in the back seat guess your age and gender — and then use them to serve you with advertisements.

By Dan Robitzski

Three scientists in Texas have been fired over allegations they'd been stealing research for China, a move some are calling racially motivated.
Science & Energy

Research Institute Fires Scientists for Selling Secrets to China

When does international collaboration become foreign espionage?

By Kristin Houser

In the wake of a deadly terrorist attack, the government of Sri Lanka bans social media platforms, leaving some unable to communicate with their loved ones.
Future Society

Sri Lanka Temporarily Bans Social Media Following Terror Attacks

The government hopes to stem the spread of fake news about the bombings.

By Kristin Houser

A recent report shows that amateur Russian hackers infiltrated the finance offices of several U.S. embassies around the world.
Science & Energy

Rogue Russian Hackers Are Attacking US Embassies

This is probably the work of amateurs.

By Dan Robitzski

Physicists developed a device that allows heat to flow from cold to hot objects, apparently contrary to the second law of thermodynamics.
Science & Energy

Scientists: New Device Appears to Defy the Laws of Thermodynamics

It sounds suspiciously like a perpetual motion machine, but things are more complicated than that.

By Jacob Banas

Update: Vid Appears to Show SpaceX Capsule Exploding During Test
SpaceX

Update: Vid Appears to Show SpaceX Capsule Exploding During Test

SpaceX won't say whether the video is real.

By Victor Tangermann

According to consumer tech website Sam Mobile, the sale of the Samsung Galaxy Fold has been delayed in China — the world's largest market for smartphones.
Robots and Machines

Samsung is Delaying the Galaxy Fold’s Launch After Broken Screens

Samsung has yet to comment on the delay, which could be a turning point against much-hyped folding phones.

By Victor Tangermann

NASA approved the preliminary designs of a spacecraft expected to visit the asteroid Psyche in 2022. When it gets there, NASA won't know what to expect.
NASA

NASA Is Gearing up to Visit a Shattered, Volcanic Asteroid

NASA is getting ready to visit a leftover fragment from the core of a destroyed planet.

By Dan Robitzski

A new biomaterial exhibits metabolism-like behaviors. It appears in some ways to act like a living thing, blurring the line between biology and machinery.
Biology

Scientists Create Material With “Artificial Metabolism”

It isn't quite alive, but it isn't quite not-alive either.

By Dan Robitzski

Researchers from the University of Cambridge have discovered genetic variants that protect people from obesity and its symptoms.
Health & Medicine

Scientists Find Genetic Variants That Prevent Obesity, Diabetes

"This study drives home the fact that genetics plays a major role in why some people are obese."

By Kristin Houser

IBM is halting development and sales of its Watson AI designed to find promising new medications, according to a new STAT story.
Artificial Intelligence

IBM Pulls the Plug on Drug-Discovering Watson AI

It's starting to look like IBM's high hopes for Watson Health were misplaced.

By Kristin Houser

The Federal Trade Commission is reportedly considering holding Mark Zuckerberg directly responsible for Facebook's privacy scandals.
Future Society

The Government Wants to Make an Example out of Mark Zuckerberg

Federal regulators are meeting behind closed doors to discuss how to handle Zuck.

By Dan Robitzski

China has announced what local media is calling the "world's first armed amphibious drone boat."
Military

China’s Military Built an Autonomous Amphibious Landing Vehicle

This weird autonomous vehicle is designed for combat missions on land and sea.

By Victor Tangermann

Boston Dynamics has debuted the version of its SpotMini robot dog that it plans to actually sell to consumers — but it has yet to announce a price tag.
Boston Dynamics

Boston Dynamics Unveils SpotMini You’ll Actually Be Able to Buy

What the company hasn't unveiled: a price.

By Kristin Houser

The governor of Puerto Rico just signed a bill that will quickly move the island away from non-renewable energy sources within the next few decades.
Climate Change

Puerto Rico Will Stop Burning Coal Next Year

The goal is switch to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050.

By Dan Robitzski

A neural network is grinding out the blast beats, super-distorted guitars and bellowing vocals of death metal — and livestreaming it.
Artificial Intelligence

Listen to Brutal Death Metal Made by a Neural Network

This is the finest death metal that AI can dream up.

By Jon Christian

The European Space Agency just greenlit a UK aerospace manufacturer's tests of a novel air-breathing rocket engine that sucks up atmospheric oxygen.
Off-World

Amazing New Rocket Engine Sucks up Atmospheric Oxygen for Fuel

The same payload could be delivered to orbit at half the vehicle mass of current launchers.

By Victor Tangermann

Nick Bostrom, author of "The Simulation Argument," says humanity needs to embrace mass surveillance to avoid the destruction of civilization.
Future Society

Professor: Total Surveillance Is the Only Way to Save Humanity

The author of "The Simulation Argument" says one bad technology could destroy humanity — and the only way to prevent it is an AI overlord.

By Kristin Houser