#Natcast, the non-profit organization created to run the U.S. CHIPS Act R&D, has been forced to lay off a majority of its staff after the Commerce Department denied it US$7.4 billion in funds. Without support from Natcast, US chip development may stall out. spectrum.ieee.org/natcast-layo...

For 12 years I've been responsible @spectrum.ieee.org's annual rankings of the Top Programming Languages, but this is both the most interesting and possibly final one we do as the impact of AI is heralding some fundamental changes for programming languages #coding #vibecoding #programming #TPL2025

The way programmers code is undergoing the biggest change since compilers were introduced over sixty years ago.

This year's #MLPerf introduced three new benchmark tests (its largest yet, its smallest yet, and a new voice-to-text model), and #Nvidia's Blackwell Ultra topped the charts on the two largest benchmarks.

Smartphones Can Now See Beyond RGB With Simple Card Trick

This Tech Keeps Chatbots From Leaking Your Data

Prove you’re a human by beating AIs at this quiz, designed to test your general reasoning skills. If an #AI agent can beat the quiz, that might be a sign it’s an #AGI. spectrum.ieee.org/arc-prize-ag...

Security researchers located 37 separate “easy to exploit” vulnerabilities in #NASA’s core Flight System, which would have enabled them to hack into satellites. It’s time for the #space industry to up its #cybersecurity game. spectrum.ieee.org/satellite-ha...

Measuring human intelligence has never been easy or straightforward. Measuring machine intelligence may be even harder.

Data centers may have only used 0.3 percent of the public total water consumption in the U.S. in 2023, but their impact locally is extremely powerful, putting stress on water-stretched regions. Can we redesign data centers to use less water? spectrum.ieee.org/ai-water-usage

Could lunar regolith be the key to sustainable space exploration? Blue Origin's latest innovation suggests it might be.

As more people start using AI #chatbots to navigate the web, the internet will begin advertising more to chatbots, instead of humans. “The #agentic Web is going to change everything,” says Jun Wang, a professor of computer science at @ucl.ac.uk. spectrum.ieee.org/ai-agent-eco...

Light travels faster through air, and now data can too. #Microsoft’s air core fiber optics speed up data transmission, with less energy consumption and fewer distortions. Nested glass tubes guide light can meet the #AI data center's bandwidth challenges.

#Web3 was supposed to be an internet built on blockchain and peer-to-peer networking, avoiding third-party providers. Now it mostly refers to cryptocurrencies and blockchain-based technologies. What happened to the vision of Web3, and what did we get instead? spectrum.ieee.org/web3-hardwar...

Is a billion dollars enough for Figure to make humanoids happen?

#BostonDynamics is working with the Toyota Research Institute to create general-purpose humanoid #robots, using neural networks trained on human demonstrations. We asked Boston Dynamics’ Scott Kuindersma, about how Atlas can learn from human imitation. spectrum.ieee.org/boston-dynam...

Researchers have developed a new swallowable robot capsule that might help us assess gut health. Learn how it samples intestinal fluids without invasive procedures.

Computer #programming is, at its core, creative. If you’ve lost your spark, try checking out one of @dtemkin.bsky.social's 44 esoteric coding languages. It’s about stretching the limits of what a programming language can be, and what a community of programmers can do together. buff.ly/WkIN2C6

What does it truly take to #scale up an idea? How do we comprehend vastness, push boundaries, and solve the problems we've created? Explore it all in IEEE Spectrum's Scale issue: spectrum.ieee.org/special-repo...

Now that everyone is (again) finding out that having 1600 random NPM (indirect) dependencies isn't a great idea, a reminder I wrote about this very problem in @spectrum.ieee.org in 2024: spectrum.ieee.org/lean-softwar...

From consumer flop to scientific tool: How the underlying tech inside RCA's VideoDisc players was transformed into high-end microscopes that revolutionized semiconductor characterization.

Apple's new iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are adopting vapor chamber cooling, a heat dissipation technology already used in some phones from Samsung, Google, and others. https://spectrum.ieee.org/iphone-17-pro-vapor-chamber?share_id=8973364

A new #quantum #sensor can detect tiny vibrations, identifying diseased molecules or chemical contaminants. The sensor used infrared light to measure virtual photons, a consequence of quantum uncertainty. spectrum.ieee.org/molecular-qu...

Can you imagine a night sky without artificial light? Explore the Bortle scale and the quest to reclaim our celestial view.

Researchers in #China have developed algorithms that will let scientists find deep #space probes with meter-level precision, helping Earth communicate with spacecraft millions of kilometers away. spectrum.ieee.org/deep-space-c...

Can AI reveal hidden patterns in Earth's data? AlphaEarth's embeddings offer a new lens for scientists to explore global changes.

How much carbon would we need to capture if we want to limit global warming to 2°C? And what technologies could we use? These charts explain.

Several companies are pouring millions of dollars into creating #humanoid #robots for the home. But do consumers want humanoid robots in their houses, or will they want more "robotic-looking" assistants? spectrum.ieee.org/home-humanoi...

Plasma thrusters might hold the secret to deorbiting space debris—learn how a new magnetic field design is changing the game.

With the Trump administration cutting support for #EVs, it may seem like difficult times are ahead. But companies are still poised to open 16,700 new public chargers this year. Rachel Moses from Electrify America explains how. spectrum.ieee.org/public-ev-ch...

Upgradable laptop GPUs are here, but why did it take so long? https://spectrum.ieee.org/upgrade-laptop-gpu-framework-nvidia?share_id=8969104

Is #AI hype finally dying off? With the uninspiring launch of #GPT-5 and the underwhelming results of several AI benchmarking groups, some experts think it may be AI’s time in the trough of disillusionment, where a technology fails to meet inflated expectations. spectrum.ieee.org/gpt-5-trough...

The Newest Humanoid Robot Is a Warm, Soft Companion

When restoring #vintage electronics, it’s important to start them up gently. Too much power too fast could be deadly. That’s why David Schneider built a dim bulb tester, a machine that acts as a current limiter when rewiring old electronics.https://spectrum.ieee.org/vintage-electronics-dim-bulb

Esoteric languages challenge coders to think way outside the box. In a conversation with @spectrum.ieee.org, author and artist Daniel Temkin dives into the coding exercise/art form. Look for his new book, "Forty-Four Esolangs: The Art of Esoteric Code," later this month:

The obstacles to scaling up humanoids that nobody is talking about.

#Cuba's national #power grid collapsed again today--the fourth time in less than a year--causing a nationwide blackout. Why does this keep happening? Cuban economist Ricardo Torres explains: spectrum.ieee.org/cuba-energy-...

Natcast to Lay Off Majority of Its Staff

The first #karaoke machine was made over 50 years ago by Japanese engineer Shigeichi Negishi, who didn’t want to sing out of tune. Now, karaoke machines are an #IEEE Milestone and are seen all over the world. spectrum.ieee.org/karaoke-mach...

Satellite software used by NASA and other space agencies had vulnerabilities that could've been exploited. Learn how hackers revealed these risks.

MLPerf Introduces Largest and Smallest LLM Benchmarks

In Newton County, Georgia, proposed data centers have requested more water per day than the entire county uses. Officials face tough choices: reject new projects, require alternative water-efficient cooling systems, invest in infrastructure upgrades, or risk imposing water rationing on residents.

Ever seen a wind turbine blade rolling down the freeway and think: There's got to be a better way to transport these things? Colorado startup Radia says it has the answer: Fly them to wind farms. To do that, the company is building an aircraft the size of a football field.

The future of wireless communication is in outer space, where drones, satellites, and airships will help provide #6G connections all over the world. spectrum.ieee.org/6g-wireless

Earlier this year, I "met" an incredible scientific payload that was built just down the road from me in Te Awa Kairangi (Lower Hutt) in Aotearoa (#nz). I wrote about it for @spectrum.ieee.org. It FINALLY has a launch date - Sept 15, ~10am NZT 👩‍🔬🧪⚛️

Today's Internet is built on advertising and SEO that's geared toward human users. That's about to change. https://spectrum.ieee.org/ai-agent-economy?share_id=8962373

Rune Elmqvist was a Swedish doctor and engineer who we can thank for inventing both inkjet #printers and implantable #pacemakers. He saw medical problems and engineered mechanical solutions for them. spectrum.ieee.org/rune-elmqvist

The September issue of IEEE Spectrum includes: 🌍 Africa's broadband revolution 🔌 Expanding power in sub-Saharan Africa 🖥️ Access to hardware could transform education 🔋 The unlikely revival of #NuclearBatteries @spectrum.ieee.org https://loom.ly/fnnMvnw#NuclearBatteries

From #Ethereum's initial vision to today's #cryptocurrency-driven ecosystem, #Web3's journey is a story of technological evolution. Hardware security modules are the unsung heroes here, preventing unauthorized access and ensuring integrity of digital transactions.

Can E Ink displays match LCD refresh rates? Modos' innovative approach might surprise you.