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Tech

Robots making robots, with some help

A new type of robotic system that designs and produces robotic offspring may represent a first step toward self-replicating "artificial life."

Computing

Going to digital extremes

A researcher designs the ultimate laptop, stretching the laws of physics to their limits to achieve blazing computation rates.

Earth

Bt corn pollen can hurt monarchs

A second test of a strain of corn genetically engineered to make its own insecticide finds potential for harm to monarch butterfly caterpillars.

Ecosystems

Virtual skylarks suffer weed shortfall

A new mathematical model raises the concern that switching to transgenic herbicide-tolerant crops could deprive birds of weed seeds.