Teaching AI to communicate sounds like humans do

Inspired by the mechanics of the human vocal tract, a new AI model can produce and understand vocal imitations of everyday sounds. The method could help build new sonic interfaces for entertainment and education.

Alex Shipps | MIT CSAIL • mit
Jan. 9, 2025 ~8 min

How Britain got its first internet connection – by the late pioneer who made it happen

Peter Kirstein had to overcome various hurdles to connect the UK to the internet, including intransigent governments, dismissive industry and the taxman.

Peter T. Kirstein, Professor of Computer Communications Science, UCL • conversation
Jan. 8, 2025 ~24 min


Images that transform through heat

The Thermochromorph printmaking technique developed by CSAIL researchers allows images to transition into each other through changes in temperature.

Adam Conner-Simons | MIT CSAIL • mit
Jan. 8, 2025 ~6 min

How Britain got its first internet connection – by the late pioneer who created the first password on the internet

Peter Kirstein had to overcome various hurdles to connect the UK to the internet, including intransigent governments, dismissive industry and the taxman.

Peter T. Kirstein, Professor of Computer Communications Science, UCL • conversation
Jan. 8, 2025 ~24 min

How hard is it to prevent recurring blackouts in Puerto Rico?

Using the island as a model, researchers demonstrate the “DyMonDS” framework can improve resiliency to extreme weather and ease the integration of new resources.

David Chandler | MIT Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems • mit
Jan. 7, 2025 ~8 min

Microbes can colonize space, produce drugs and create energy − researchers are simulating their inner workings to harness how

Using digital blueprints of the metabolism of microbes, scientists can simulate expensive and time-intensive experiments set in space, power plants and farm fields.

Blaise Manga Enuh, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Microbial Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison • conversation
Jan. 6, 2025 ~8 min

Brain implants, agentic AI and answers on dark matter: what to expect from science in 2025 – podcast

Three Conversation science editors look ahead to what to expect in 2025 on The Conversation Weekly podcast.

Signe Dean, Science + Technology Editor, The Conversation • conversation
Jan. 2, 2025 ~5 min

A new computational model can predict antibody structures more accurately

Using this model, researchers may be able to identify antibody drugs that can target a variety of infectious diseases.

Anne Trafton | MIT News • mit
Jan. 2, 2025 ~8 min


Selling fear: Marketing for cybersecurity products often leaves consumers less secure

Ever feel like throwing up your hands and giving up on taking control of your online security? How technology companies market their cybersecurity products might have something to do with that.

Doug Jacobson, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University • conversation
Jan. 2, 2025 ~8 min

Seven advances in technology that we’re likely to see in 2025

Here are some of the changes in technology we can expect to see in 2025.

Lewis Endlar, Programme Director MSc Project Management and Lecturer in Business, Keele Business School, Keele University • conversation
Jan. 2, 2025 ~9 min

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