Feb 09 Stone Age discovery in Kenya fuels mystery of who made the earliest tools By Maddie Burakoff, Associated Press In the past, scientists assumed that our direct ancestors were the only toolmakers. But two big fossil teeth found along with the tools at the Kenyan site belong to an extinct human cousin known as Paranthropus. Continue reading
Feb 08 Watch 7:37 Bird expert and poet Drew Lanham on how he’s inspired by the natural world By Jeffrey Brown, Anne Azzi Davenport Drew Lanham refers to himself as a ‘rare bird.’ The ornithologist, naturalist and writer says he believes conservation efforts must be a blending of rigorous science and evocative art. Lanham is among the new class of MacArthur Fellows, an honor… Continue watching
Feb 07 New study finds 15 million people live under the threat of glacial floods By Seth Borenstein, Associated Press A new study finds that as glaciers melt and pour massive amounts of water into nearby lakes, some 15 million people across the globe are living in the danger zone of a sudden and deadly outburst flood. Continue reading
Feb 07 Google looks to challenge ChatGPT and Microsoft with own ‘Bard’ By Michael Liedtke, Associated Press Google is girding for a battle of wits in the field of artificial intelligence with "Bard." That's the name the company's given to its conversational service that's apparently aimed at countering the popularity of the ChatGPT tool backed by Microsoft. Continue reading
Feb 06 What to know about the massive earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria By Maddie Burakoff, Associated Press A major 7.8 magnitude earthquake centered in Turkey has caused widespread damage across the region. Scientists say Monday's epicenter was in southern Turkey, near the northern border of Syria. Thousands were killed in both countries. Continue reading
Feb 05 Analysis: ChatGPT is great at what it’s designed to do. You’re just using it wrong By Jonathan May, The Conversation ChatGPT doesn’t try to write sentences that are true. But it does try to write sentences that are plausible. Continue reading
Feb 04 Watch 6:07 Security expert warns of AI tools’ potential threat to democracy By William Brangham, Sarah Clune Hartman Artificial intelligence has the potential to dramatically alter how we gather information, communicate and work. Experts are also raising questions about how it will affect governance and what it will mean for the future of our democracy. Bruce Schneier, a… Continue watching
Feb 03 Watch 5:31 Western states that rely on Colorado River fail to reach agreement on cutting consumption By William Brangham, Dorothy Hastings This was an important week in the battle out west over water use. Seven states along the Colorado River basin were supposed to reach a collective agreement on how to use less water from an ever-shrinking river, but they failed… Continue watching
Feb 03 Astronomers discover 12 new moons around Jupiter, jumping total to 92 By Marcia Dunn, Associated Press Astronomers have discovered 12 new moons around Jupiter, putting the total count at a record-breaking 92. That's more than any other planet in our solar system. Saturn, the one-time leader, comes in a close second with 83 confirmed moons. Continue reading
Feb 03 U.S. may lift protections for Yellowstone, Glacier grizzly bears By Matthew Brown, Associated Press U.S. wildlife officials have taken the first step to lift federal protections for grizzly bears in the northern Rocky Mountains, which would open the door to future hunting in several states. Continue reading