Neural networks are increasingly taking on jobs that used to be the preserve of the human brain. So Erik Bernhardsson decided to see what would happen if he threw 50,000 fonts at a neural network and left it to chew at them. The results, it turns out, are pretty interesting.

To feed the fonts to the AI, he created grids of characters—each character fitting in a 64×64 pixel box—so they could … Read More → "This is what happens when you let a neural network design fonts"

Burt Helm and Max Chafkin studied award-winning articles and found that the following qualities prevail among them:

1. Write no less than 6500 words. 
2. Ditch the present tense. It is finally, mercifully, out of fashion. 
3. In general, avoid anecdotal ledes, nut grafs, kicker quotes and foul language.

It may also be heartening to know that the word “ … Read More → "Award-winning magazine articles tend to have these qualities"

Box Jellyfish kill more people worldwide each year than sharks. That’s why a team of researchers from the University of Hawaii at M?noa are working to develop an effective first aid treatment for the jelly’s deadly toxins — and they’re trying just about everything. From the popular myth of urinating on stings to vinegar/hot water immersions and commercial cures like StingNoMore, no remedy out of bounds. But how do you test … Read More → "Scientists use synthetic skin to test box jelly sting remedies"

Despite spending a few millennia as BFFs, no one is quite sure how the relationship between dogs and humans began. A new project at the University of Oxford hopes to gather a vast database of ancient DNA samples and skeletal remains to find out when dogs exited the packs of prehistoric wolves to try their luck alongside human companions.

According to The New York Times, Dr. Greger Larson, … Read More → "New project looks to find when and how dogs and people became BFFs"

Kranidiotis studied physics at the University of Partas in Greece, but his interest in the interactions between light and sound—also featured in his earlier light installations—has its roots in a course on lasers and optics he took at Essex University in the UK. Combine that with his musical background, and you have the makings of his “Ichographs” series.

Sound and light (color) are both wave-based phenomena and hence have … Read More → "Take an audio tour of classic paintings transformed into soundscapes"

A new fractal analysis of London’s dense network of streets and intersections reveals that a green belt meant to encourage migration to the suburbs had the opposite effect. The city has just became denser. People really seem to love urban living, especially in a thriving city like London. The work could shed light on how modern cities evolve, and help guide future urban growth policies.

< … Read More → "Fractal analysis proves people hate the suburbs"

From filling potholes to repairing busted power lines, maintaining a city’s infrastructure involves some serious man hours. This labor-intensive task has recently become the target of some roboticists and engineers, who have set their sights on automating at least part of the process. Now startup Addibots is looking to get in on the action, wheeling out a roving 3D printing robot it imagines will scoot around town mending dodgy road surfaces.

Dreamt up by … Read More → "Robotic 3D printer on wheels looks to fill the potholes of the future"

The Venus flytrap is perhaps the best known of carnivorous plants — those that get essential nutrients from trapping and consuming insects, particularly when they can’t get enough from the soil. Now a team of German scientists has discovered that the flytrap can actually count, and this ability is the key to knowing the difference between the presence of prey and a false alarm.
via Read More → "The venus flytrap is a mighty hunter because it can count"

Scott Kelly has been on the International Space Station for 300 days now, and is nearing the end of an almost year-long mission. To pass the time, he’s haunted the station’s hallways in a spooky mask, eaten space lettuce, and even grown flowers.

Today, he played a solo round of ping pong with a tiny glob of water.
via Read More → "Astronaut celebrates his 300th straight day in space with some water ping pong"

NUA Robotics has created a robotic suitcase that follows its owner, avoids obstacles on its own, and connects to a smartphone app to give its owner updates along the way. The battery can be recharged by manually pulling the suitcase, and it also features USB ports for charging mobile devices.
via Laughing Squid

< … Read More → "A robotic suitcase that follows its owner, avoids obstacles and pairs with a smartphone app"