It’s no secret that algorithms run the world, powering everything from Google’s search results to Uber’s car-pool capabilities. But farther under the hood are a more fundamental set of algorithms that underpin computing: if Google PageRank is the engine, these algorithms are the parts it’s built from.
In the middle of a pandemic, it’s not surprising that there have been increasing calls to explore the possibility of conducting elections online. A growing number of tech start-ups have even advocated for using blockchain technology, which they say would boost voter turn-out and improve public trust.
In a new paper, a team led by MIT computer scientists trained a neural network to learn NASCAR-style driving maneuvers purely from looking at a sequence of images taken from a two-person racing game. The network begins without knowing anything about cars, roads, or driving - and yet ultimately becomes able to do complex moves like overtaking an opponent on a turn and even forcing other cars off the road.
One paradox about antibiotics is that, broadly speaking, the more we use them, the less they continue to work. The Darwinian process of bacteria growing resistant to antibiotics means that, when the drugs don't work, we can no longer treat infections, leading to groups like the World Health Organization warning about our ability to control major public health threats.
