Light-powered AI: Tokyo researchers cut computation with a new way to train optical hardware
Researchers in Japan have demonstrated a way to run AI on hardware that computes with light instead of electricity, using a simplified training method they say cuts the amount of computation needed. The work, by a team at the University
Swapping dairy for unfortified plant-based alternatives could leave people short on iodine, study finds
Swapping even part of the milk, yogurt and cheese in your diet for unfortified plant-based alternatives could leave you short of key nutrients, especially iodine, according to a U.K. modelling study published in The Lancet Planetary Health. Researchers at the
Ultrasound catches a disappearing English ‘r’ in the act
Linguists have used ultrasound, the same technology used to scan babies in the womb, to watch a centuries-old change in English pronunciation happening inside people’s mouths. Researchers at Lancaster University in England studied speakers from Blackburn, Lancashire, one of the
What makes a ‘beautiful’ classical voice? Judges reward vibrato, resonance and ring, not loudness
What makes judges love a classical singer’s voice? A study from Keio University in Japan suggests it comes down to vibrato, resonance, expressiveness, and a particular “ring” in the voice. Singing louder and hitting every note in tune made less
A mother’s bond with her baby may show up in her brain before birth, study suggests
A mother’s emotional bond with her baby may start showing up in her brain before the baby is born, according to a small study from researchers at Yale University. The researchers recorded resting brain activity in 35 women late in
Canada ranks fifth in Commonwealth for youth AI readiness but trails on AI skills, think tank index finds
Canada ranks fifth out of 56 Commonwealth countries for how well prepared its young people are for artificial intelligence. But it lags on teaching them to actually use it, according to a new index from a privately funded think tank.
Unions welcome Budget 2026 affordability help but slam strike powers and gaps for laid-off workers
The Canadian Labour Congress says Budget 2026 does some of what working people need on the cost of living. But it says the budget falls short on protecting workers from layoffs, debt and technological change, and pushes ahead with a
Frontier AI is speeding up cyberattacks on Canadian banks, federal regulator warns
Canada’s federal banking regulator says the newest artificial intelligence systems are making cyberattacks on financial institutions faster, cheaper and more sophisticated, and that banks and insurers have less time than ever to respond. The Office of the Superintendent of Financial
Transit riders in marginalized Vancouver neighbourhoods face more heat on their trips, thesis finds
Transit riders from marginalized communities in Vancouver face much more heat on their trips than other riders, according to a new master’s thesis from Western University. In a second case study, bus delays in Washington, D.C., added the most heat
Canada’s schools are among the least segregated in the OECD — and its poorest students score higher for it, study finds
Canada’s schools are among the least socially segregated in the developed world, and its poorest students do better because of it. That’s the conclusion of a study comparing Canada with Australia, a country with a very similar economy, population and
