Technology

Jeremy Gray
Two people in military uniforms kneel with hands behind their backs in a dimly lit room. The image is split; the left half is natural, while the right half is a high-contrast, abstract black-and-white version of the same scene.

Three Ways to Spot a Fake, AI-Generated ‘Photo’

Fake, AI-generated photos can range from mostly harmless to disruptive to outright dangerous. It is not an overreaction to say that fake photos have real-world consequences that can even be deadly. Digital forensics expert Professor Hany Farid recently explains how to spot fake AI photos in what he describes as the fight for truth.

Jaron Schneider
A young boy with blue eyes sits under a blanket, illuminated by the light from a smartphone or tablet he is holding, staring intently at the screen in a dark environment.

Scientists Call for Ban on Social Media and Smartphones Before Age 13

A global, wide-reaching study has revealed that receiving a smartphone, and then using it to access social media, before the age of 13 is directly associated with poor mental health outcomes in young adulthood, specifically among young women. The results are so alarming that the researchers are calling for a global ban on them before a person reaches the age of 13.

Jeremy Gray
A man with short gray hair and glasses, wearing a black shirt, is smiling in front of a large black Apple logo on a white background.

Apple’s CEO Tim Cook to Take Over Company’s Design Team This Year

Apple has announced a major corporate shakeup, with chief operating officer (COO) Jeff Williams leaving his post later this month. Once Williams fully retires late this year, Apple's chief executive officer (CEO), Tim Cook, will take over Apple's design team, a significant shift for the Cupertino-based tech company.

Matt Williams
A camera screen displays a focused image of two patterned pillows on a blue-striped couch, with green focus brackets over the pillows and camera settings shown at the bottom.

The Anatomy of Autofocus: How Cameras and Lenses Achieve Perfect Focus

Autofocus (AF) is one of the most significant advancements in the history of photography. From the first autofocus camera -- the Konica C35 AF in 1977 -- to the first true autofocus ILC, the Minolta Maxxum 7000. Although manual focus still has its devotees -- especially in genres that reward deliberation, such as macro, landscape, or vintage shooting -- autofocus has become the default expectation for most modern photographers.

Matt Williams
Thin, branching white filaments spread across a dark background, resembling fungal hyphae or root structures, with a few bright, out-of-focus circular spots in the corners.

Lens Fungus: What It Is and How to Deal With It

Pick up a dusty old lens from a flea market, an estate sale, or even your own forgotten storage bin, and you might notice something strange glinting beneath the surface of the front element: delicate white threads, odd patterns like spiderwebs or frost creeping across the inside of the glass. That eerie substance is lens fungus -- an unwelcome guest in the world of photography that quietly invades optical systems, thrives in darkness and moisture, and, if left untreated, can cause permanent and costly damage to your equipment.

Stephen Obermeier
A group of people dance energetically under bright, warm yellow-orange lights, creating a blurred, dynamic effect that emphasizes movement and excitement.

I Accidentally Made an AI Music Video

When the Midjourney newsletter hit my inbox late at night, one line stood out: "Video is now live for everyone." That was enough. Sleep had to wait.