Category Physics

Will artificial intelligence ever be able to reason, learn, and solve problems at levels comparable to humans? Experts at the University of California San Diego believe the answer is yes—and that such artificial general intelligence has already arrived. This debate is tackled by four faculty members spanning humanities, social sciences, and data science in a recently published Comment invited by Nature.

Computer scientist Alan Turing first posed this question in his landmark 1950 paper, though he didn’t use the term artificial general intelligence (AGI). His “imitation game,” now known as the Turing Test, asked whether a machine could pass as human in text-based conversation with humans. Seventy-five years later, that future is here.

Over the p...

A research team led by Professor Junsuk Rho a...

For the first time, physicists in China have virtually eliminated the friction felt between two surfaces at scales visible to the naked eye. In demonstrating “structural superlubricity,” the team, led by Quanshui Zheng at Tsinghua University, have resolved a long-standing debate surrounding the possibility of the effect. Published in Physical Review Letters, the result could potentially lead to promising new advances in engineering.

What structural superlubricity promises
When two objects slide over each other, any roughness on their surfaces will almost inevitably resist the motion, creating the force of friction...

Additive manufacturing has revolutionized manufacturing by enabling customized, cost-effective products with minimal waste. However, with the majority of 3D printers operating on open-loop systems, they are notoriously prone to failure...