In our most recent discussion with Ray, he discusses the ability of natural language machines, such as IBM's Jeopardy!-slaying computer named Watson, to overleap our own cognitive abilities. The result, he says, will be a computerized personal assistant to help us throughout the day.

Deflategate. A-Rod. Drama erupts anytime the American public suspects our star athletes of cheating. But is the drama just an extension of the sport?

An autonomous 18-wheeler has been given a license to drive the long stretches of open road that crisscross Nevada.

With three spatial dimensions, the possibilities are tremendous. But only one answer fits what we see. “Never erase your past. It shapes who you are today and will help you […]

The second most-watched TED Talk of all time has been debunked.

When British archaeologist Leonard Woolley discovered in December 1927 the tomb of Puabi, the queen/priestess of the Sumerian city of Ur during the First Dynasty of Ur more than 4,000 years ago, the story rivaled that of Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt just five years earlier. “Magnificent with jewels,” as Woolley described it, Puabi’s tomb contained the bodies of dozens of attendants killed to accompany her in the afterlife — the ideal material for a headline-grabbing PR campaign that momentarily shouldered Tut out of the spotlight. A new exhibit at New York’s The Institute for the Study of the Ancient World titled From Ancient to Modern: Archaeology and Aesthetics puts Puabi back in the spotlight to examine how archaeology and aesthetics intersected, transforming ancient art into modern and making modern art strive to be ancient.

Dr. Julie Holland relays the dangers related to overprescribed medications. She suggests several alternatives to relying on antidepressants.

It's not just about the frequency of sex, according to researchers, but creating an environment where intimacy can organically grow.

School districts are learning that you can't just throw technology into the classroom without a plan. It's like throwing money at a problem instead of thinking up solutions.

Tavis Smiley, author of "My Journey With Maya," recalls many of the topics he and author Maya Angelou debated -- notably the use of the N-word -- during their long friendship.

If you wondered why Missy Elliot performed at this year's Super Bowl halftime show, it may be because the NFL knew something about the musical tastes of its fan base, average age 44.

Despite popular views, evolution entails inheriting more than genes. And it isn’t all ruthless competition. Nor is it all random mutations. "Niche Construction" adds a third inheritance mechanism to the complicated mix. 

Ideas about religion can be so powerful that people can’t endorse them without giving up a part of their identity. It’s the same thing with diets.

These cosmic monsters make the LHC look like child’s play, and yet even they have their limits. “Energy is liberated matter, matter is energy waiting to happen.” -Bill Bryson You […]

A new smartphone app gives a clever nod to Noam Chomsky while giving players just enough inspiration to create some pretty funny sentences.

Today is our National Day of Prayer, emphasis on "our" and "National," meaning freedom is the prevailing principle through which to approach our discussions (and Internet comments).

Brian Mullaney, founder of organizations that provide free surgeries for millions of children worldwide, says we need to be solving the "little" problems first.

Dr. Guido Zuccon knows we all Google our medical questions, but how accurate are these search engine diagnosis?

Some people get anxious when they're without their smartphones, but others may become phobic. Researchers are working on a way to measure this new, modern malady. 

Remember when you only went to Amazon to buy books? Or when Netflix only let you watch other companies' shows? Or when Reddit was just a place to see what was trending online? The sky's the limit now for these and other brands evolving into media companies.