# tech
In a legal and technical first, a robot lawyer is about to help a human defendant. Is it a good idea? And what happens next?
# science
Despite what cranks, frauds, and their fans will tell you, scientists do listen to amateurs with good ideas, as two recent news stories demonstrate.
# science
Suburbs have long been the subject of consternation and ire from activists and urban planners, and research seems to agree with their critiques.
# science
After decades of promises, fusion research finally yielded the breakthrough we've all been waiting to see. Sort of. And there's a lot of work still to do.
# space
Imagine stars millions of times larger than the Sun powered by black holes. It sounds too bizarre to be true, but scientists think they may be responsible for today's universe.
# space
Imagine being able to sleep for months, if not years, waking up orbiting another world. But is this just wishful thinking, or can humans really learn to hibernate?
# oddities
Ancient Apocalypse is not a bold new exploration of human history. It's a cheap, lazy rehash of myths and cliches debunked a century ago.
# space
It turns out there is life after stellar death. Say hello to zombie worlds, undead planets orbiting the most extreme objects in the universe.
# tech
Generative AI is meant to help writers, artists, and coders. But it may be stealing from them first, creating a legal and ethical nightmare.
# science
Controversial new research offers us a chance to create tools to fight pandemics before they start. But can it really live up to its hype? And is it safe?
# oddities
Wealthy investors and tycoons are joining the ranks of doomsday preppers, planning elaborate post-apocalypse compounds and bunkers, or dystopian power grabs.
# tech
Bitcoin's rival wants to eliminate its vast contributions of energy waste and global warming. Will the original crypto coin follow suit?
# astrobiology
A new discovery of organic molecules in Martian sediment doesn't prove there was life on the red planet. But it does help build the case for it.
# tech
Governments are no longer just interested in controlling social media narratives with bots and premium content. They're now reaching for new laws.
# astrobiology
An astronomer who keeps making wild claims about alien technology in our solar system now claims there are parts of an alien spaceship in the Pacific Ocean.
