AI behaves more like a brain than a database – cognitive science’s role in its origin story helps explain why

Science & Discovery

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The Conversation • Michael Hout, Associate Dean of Research and Professor of Psychology, New Mexico State University • October 7, 2026

People often imagine AI systems like databases that retrieve stored facts to answer questions. However, cognitive science reveals that modern artificial intelligence behaves more like a human brain because its origins lie in the study of the mind rather than pure computer logic. The term "artificial intelligence" was coined in 1956 at a Dartmouth College workshop, where researchers believed machines could be made intelligent by following strict rules.

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Your cells keep a record of every workout you’ve ever done – and those gains persist even after a break from exercise

Science & Discovery

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The Conversation • Diego Hernandez-Saavedra, Assistant Professor of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign • October 7, 2026

Research indicates that muscle and liver cells store memories of past workouts, meaning fitness gains may persist even after a break from exercise. For decades, the "use it or lose it" rule suggested that benefits like improved oxygen uptake and insulin sensitivity fade within weeks of stopping training. However, scientists have found that retrained individuals often get fit faster than those who never trained before, suggesting their cells retain a record of previous sessions.

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OpenAI announces 722 mathematical discoveries in one go

Science & Discovery

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New Scientist • Matthew Sparkes • October 7, 2026

OpenAI has released 722 mathematical papers proving and disproving various problems, a volume academics describe as both impressive and baffling. While AI models struggled with basic math exams in 2019, OpenAI recently solved complex fluid dynamics equations. The company did not name the specific model used, referring to it only as an "internal frontier model." Francis Johnson from University College London worked on one of these problems for 25 years and produced two books before giving up. He noted he was surprised by the AI’s speed but not its ability, finding the analysis sophisticated and clear.

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OpenAI has dumped 722 maths papers – now it must clean up the mess

Science & Discovery

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New Scientist • Jacob Aron • October 7, 2026

OpenAI recently released 722 mathematics papers on GitHub, addressing over 4,000 open problems using an internal model. Each result reportedly required the equivalent of three hours of "ChatGPT Pro thinking compute," though OpenAI has not provided a true cost figure for these outputs. While one specific problem previously solved by the company took around 88 hours and cost approximately $15 million, the average effort here is likely lower. The release aims to test the limits of AI models rather than create a dedicated mathematics machine, as part of a broader goal toward artificial general intelligence.

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Many drugs have mirror chemical structures, one helpful and the other harmful – a Nobel-winning discovery allows chemists to make either on demand

Science & Discovery

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The Conversation • Sajish Mathew, Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland Eastern Shore • October 7, 2026

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to researchers who developed asymmetric organic synthesis. This process allows chemists to create only one specific version of a molecule that has mirror-image chemical structures. These versions are called isomers and have the same atoms but different three-dimensional arrangements. The discovery helps pharmaceutical developers produce beneficial forms of drugs while avoiding harmful ones.

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IEEE Report Predicts Tech That Will Transform Lives

Science & Discovery

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IEEE Spectrum • Liz Wegerer • October 7, 2026

According to the IEEE 2030 Technology Megatrends Report, genetic engineering and gene therapy will be used frequently by 2028 to treat various diseases. This prediction relies on advances in artificial intelligence (AI), which is described as general-purpose infrastructure deeply connected to energy and physical systems. The report was developed by 166 experts from 38 countries who identified 30 breakthrough technologies across five megatrends: AI, energy, health, space, and physical AI.

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Changing Your Career Isn’t Easy

Science & Discovery

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IEEE Spectrum • Brian Jenney • October 7, 2026

Erik Vrielink, who changed careers to become a software engineer at age 30, expected the process to be difficult but did not anticipate the lack of support from others. He notes that people often project their own fears onto those changing careers, leading to discouragement rather than enthusiasm. The current job market for entry-level software developers has seen employment fall nearly 20 percent since late 2022, according to Stanford’s 2026 AI Index. While some social media content suggests moving into trades like plumbing or goat herding, Vrielink warns that there is no easy path in any field.

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IceCube is built on decades of research into tiny ‘ghost particles’ – but it was the first to find neutrinos coming from deep space

Science & Discovery

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The Conversation • Doug Cowen, Professor of Physics and Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Penn State • October 8, 2026

Visible matter in the universe consists of 12 fundamental particles, with neutrinos being the lightest and most abundant yet least visible. These "little neutral ones" pass through Earth constantly, leaving no trace due to their low energy. Physicists study them because they can penetrate almost anything, making them ideal for understanding how particles interact and why the universe is made mostly of matter rather than equal parts matter and antimatter. Detecting them requires specialized materials at industrial scales, a challenge addressed by the IceCube Neutrino Observatory located at the South Pole.

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The most interesting mathematical discoveries in OpenAI’s 722 new papers

Science & Discovery

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New Scientist • Leah Crane • October 8, 2026

On October 7, OpenAI released 722 mathematical papers generated by an AI model covering topics from major mysteries to minor curiosities. Many of these documents are hundreds of pages long and contain complex computations that have not yet been formalized into steps verifiable by a computer. Consequently, there is little assurance regarding their accuracy, though three papers have already been retracted. Despite this uncertainty, preliminary reviews suggest some results could be significant.

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I’m a physicist who worked on the Nobel-winning neutrino search – here’s how a cubic kilometer of Antarctic ice became a telescope for ghost particles from space

Science & Discovery

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The Conversation • Tyce DeYoung, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University • October 6, 2026

Francis Halzen received the 2026 Nobel Prize in physics for leading the project that built the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole. This international team has operated the detector since 2005, using a cubic kilometer of Antarctic ice to catch high-energy neutrinos from space. These ghost particles rarely interact with matter, so scientists rely on the rare moments when they smash into protons or neutrons in the ice to create visible showers that reveal the neutrino’s direction and energy.

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