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The latest artificial intelligence systems start from zero knowledge of a game and grow to world-beating in a matter of hours. But researchers are struggling to apply these systems beyond the arcade.

The theoretical physicist Joe Polchinski, who died February 2, left a tremendous professional and personal legacy, says a friend and collaborator.

A new study challenges one of the most celebrated and controversial ideas in network science.

New algorithms show how swarms of very simple robots can be made to work together as a group.

Two methods of measuring the neutron's longevity give different answers, creating uncertainty in cosmological models. But no one has a clue what the problem is.

Modelers find evidence that a combination of competition, predation and evolution will push ecosystems toward species diversity anywhere in the universe.

When faced with a difficult decision, should you go with your gut or carefully calculate the attendant risks?

The mathematician Gil Kalai believes that quantum computers can't possibly work, even in principle.

Stimulating part of the cortex as needed during learning tasks improves later recall. The finding reveals more about the brain's memory network and points toward possible therapies.