Serving the Technologist for more than a decade. IT news, reviews, and analysis.
176k followers 82 articles/week
What makes baseball’s “magic mud” so special?

Since the 1940s, baseball players have been spreading a special kind of "magic mud" on new baseballs to reduce the slick, glossy shine and give pitchers a firmer grip. Now, scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have identified just what gives that magic mud its special properties, according to a new paper published in the Proceedings of the National...

Thu Nov 7, 2024 19:55
Recap: Our “AI in DC” conference was great—here’s what you missed

Ars Technica descended in force last week upon our nation's capital, setting up shop in the International Spy Museum for a three-panel discussion on artificial intelligence, infrastructure, security, and how compliance with policy changes over the next decade or so might shape the future of business computing in all its forms. Much like our San Jose...

Thu Nov 7, 2024 18:49
Mercedes-Benz previews next CLA, breaks EV distance record in testing

Mercedes-Benz is hard at work putting the finishing touches on the next generation of its sleek CLA sedan. Due to be officially introduced next year, it will feature the latest and greatest in Mercedes' powertrain technology and software, and ahead of that formal reveal, the automaker sent out some images of a camouflaged CLA being driven around its...

Thu Nov 7, 2024 18:49
ChatGPT has a new vanity domain name, and it may have cost $15 million

On Wednesday, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman merely tweeted "chat.com," announcing that the company had acquired the short domain name, which now points to the company's ChatGPT AI assistant when visited in a web browser. As of Thursday morning, "chatgpt.com" still hosts the chatbot, with the new domain serving as a redirect. The new domain name comes with...

Thu Nov 7, 2024 18:49
Airborne microplastics aid in cloud formation

Clouds form when water vapor—an invisible gas in the atmosphere—sticks to tiny floating particles, such as dust, and turns into liquid water droplets or ice crystals. In a newly published study, we show that microplastic particles can have the same effects, producing ice crystals at temperatures 5° to 10° Celsius (9° to 18° Fahrenheit) warmer than...

Thu Nov 7, 2024 17:11
Review: M4 and M4 Pro Mac minis are probably Apple’s best Mac minis ever

The Mac mini will celebrate its 20th birthday in January. And I think the M4 version of the Mac mini is far and away the most appealing one the company has ever made. When it was introduced during the white plastic heyday of peak iPod-era Apple, the Mac mini was pitched as the cheapest way to buy into the Mac ecosystem. It was $499. And despite some...

Thu Nov 7, 2024 17:11

Build your own newsfeed

Ready to give it a go?
Start a 14-day trial, no credit card required.

Create account