A software program is using statistical algorithms to infer grammar from text and generate new and meaningful sentences. Given that scientists are still trying to understand how we learn language, the software’s methods can’t be called human-like. Even so, it could still be an important building block on the way to artificial intelligence. Full story (PDF)
Scientists at University College London are looking beyond the question of how many hurricanes will form during a given season to ask how severe and how damaging the hurricanes that strike the US coast will be. The idea is to help people anticipate hurricane damage and all the effects that follow. In Katrina’s wake, knowing what to expect from a storm season—well in advance of a disaster—is more important than ever before. Full story (PDF)
New research suggests a surprisingly tangible link between art and science: a painter’s every brush stroke and a writer’s every word leave behind a unique creative signature—a computer-readable mathematical fingerprint. Full story (PDF)
Today, scientists can predict the Earth’s climate months ahead of time. A new synergy between two competing analysis methods is helping push forecasts out even further. Full story (PDF)
A study of vortices may lead to ultra-maneuverable craft that can navigate beneath the ice, or even inside the human body. Full story (PDF)