Machine learning

New research suggests physicists, computers and brains employ the same procedure to tease out important features from among other irrelevant bits of data.

The nature of computing has changed dramatically over the last decade, and more innovation is needed to weather the gathering data storm.

Machine learning techniques are helping scientists pinpoint the mutations that allow bird and pig viruses to infect humans.

Studies show that computer models called "neural networks" behave strikingly similar to actual brains when performing certain tasks, suggesting the two may learn in the same way.