Scientific Discoveries

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'Maybe that is how Transformers started': Readers react to the possibility of AI becoming self-aware
Science News

'Maybe that is how Transformers started': Readers react to the possibility of AI becoming self-aware

While artificial intelligence (AI) systems can now solve challenging math equations and respond in human-like language, the question of AI consciousness has moved from the realm of sci-fi to scientific discussion. The debate has become more mainstream thanks to a recent preprint study that examined "consciousness steering," an AI-tuning technique that affects how an AI model expresses ideas about self-awareness. The researchers suggested that if AI is allowed to claim it is conscious, it's also more likely to state that it believes in ghosts or vampires. Although the study hasn't been peer-reviewed yet, it raises a big question in the world of AI research: Could AI one day develop real consc...

📅 2026-09-11 17:07:09    •    Live Science
Electrical pulses convert PFAS waste into valuable silver fluoride
Science News

Electrical pulses convert PFAS waste into valuable silver fluoride

Fluorinated waste, like that found in firefighting aqueous film-forming foam, can act as a significant environmental pollutant. Recently, James Tour's lab at Rice University developed a method to capture fluoride from these waste streams and recycle it into a useful reagent, silver fluoride, that could be used in other manufacturing processes. This process is published in Nature Chemical Engineering.

📅 2026-09-11 17:00:07    •    Phys.org
Why making friends at university feels harder than it really is
Science News

Why making friends at university feels harder than it really is

The summer before starting university can bring multiple worries for students: worrying about obtaining a place in a desired program, navigating the clearing process to confirm a place, securing housing, sorting out financial aid, preparing for academic study and even finding the right school supplies.

📅 2026-09-11 17:00:05    •    Phys.org
How the body adapts to extreme heat
Science News

How the body adapts to extreme heat

As heatwaves become more frequent and severe, scientists are studying whether heat acclimation can help protect vulnerable populations.

📅 2026-09-11 17:00:00    •    Science News
Libraries are a lifeline, new research finds
Science News

Libraries are a lifeline, new research finds

New research has highlighted the important role public libraries play in supporting communities, helping people build connections, access support and improve their well-being through everyday interactions.

📅 2026-09-11 16:40:07    •    Phys.org
Microscopic fragments of ancient alien tech may litter the moon — and scientists have a plan to find them
Science News

Microscopic fragments of ancient alien tech may litter the moon — and scientists have a plan to find them

Tiny fragments of ancient alien tech may be strewn across the surface of the moon, and it may be relatively easy to find these microscopic relics, scientists propose in a new study.The theoretical study does not claim to have found any evidence of advanced alien civilizations; rather, it offers a new way to search for clues of their existence. Unlike Earth, the moon has no functional atmosphere or magnetic field, so it is completely exposed to the vacuum of space. As a result, it is constantly bombarded by meteorites, as well as hit by a steady stream of microscopic particles from the rest of the solar system and beyond. Because the moon has no water or tectonic movements, this microscopic m...

📅 2026-09-11 15:29:59    •    Live Science