Computers at Carnegie Mellon University are running a program that analyses images in a bid to learn common sense A computer program is trying to learn common sense by analysing images 24 hours a day. The aim is to see if computers can learn, in the same way a human would, what links images, to help them better understand the visual world. The Never Ending Image Learner (NEIL) program is being run

Some men with very low sperm counts can father a child through fertility techniques Scientists have developed a non-invasive test that can predict whether men with zero sperm counts are capable of fathering children through IVF. Current methods rely on surgery to find out if a man has viable sperm that can be retrieved for fertility treatment. The research, in Science Translational Medicine, exter

For many people, the main concern in a yoga class is whether they are breathing correctly or their legs are aligned. But for others, there are lingering doubts about whether they should be there at all, or whether they are betraying their religion. Farida Hamza, a Muslim woman living in the US (pictured above), had been doing yoga for two or three years when she decided she wanted to teach it. "Wh

The Mal'ta boy was buried with a variety of artefacts, including a Venus figurine Scientists have mapped the genome of a four-year-old boy who died in south-central Siberia 24,000 years ago. It is the oldest modern human genome sequenced to date, researchers report in the journal Nature, external. The results provide a window into the origins of Native Americans, whose ancestors crossed from Siber

People who regularly eat nuts appear to live longer, according to the largest study of its kind. The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggested the greatest benefit was in those munching on a daily portion. The US team said nut eaters were likely to also have healthy lifestyles, but the nuts themselves were also contributing to their longer lifespan. The British Heart Fo

A single tumour can be made up of many separate cancers needing different treatments, say researchers. A team at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, have developed a new technique for measuring the diversity within a cancer. They showed "extraordinary" differences between cancerous cells and say new targeted drugs may fail as they may be unable to kill all the mutated tissue. Experts said th

Depression can make us physically older by speeding up the ageing process in our cells, according to a study. Lab tests showed cells looked biologically older in people who were severely depressed or who had been in the past. These visible differences in a measure of cell ageing called telomere length couldn't be explained by other factors, such as whether a person smoked. The findings, in more th

The state of emergency allowed the authorities to make arrests without warrants Egypt's government says it is lifting the country's three-month state of emergency and night-time curfew. The move comes two days earlier than expected, after a court ruling. An aide to the prime minister said the measures had ended at 14:00 GMT, but the government later said it was still waiting for the text of the ru

Rupert Wingfield-Hayes reports from the airport at Tacloban: ''A scene of complete devastation'' Around 10,000 people may have died in just one area of the Philippines hit by Typhoon Haiyan, according to officials. One of the worst storms on record, it destroyed homes, schools and an airport in the eastern city of Tacloban. Neighbouring Samar island was also badly affected, with reports of 300 peo

A US company that has developed an "electronic backpack" that fits onto a cockroach allowing its movements to be controlled by a mobile phone app has defended itself against cruelty claims. The Backyard Brains company says that the device is intended to get children to be interested in neuroscience. A spokeswoman told the BBC that the device - being formally launched on Saturday - was not a gimmic

US food safety officials have taken steps to ban the use of trans fats, saying they are a threat to health. Trans fats, also known as partially hydrogenated oils, are no longer "generally recognised as safe", said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The regulator said a ban could prevent 7,000 deaths and 20,000 heart attacks in the US each year. The FDA is opening a 60-day consultation period

Hans Rosling: How much do you know about the world? The world may have many problems, from climate change to armed conflict, natural disasters, poverty and the oppression of women and minorities - but where does population growth fit into this catalogue of woes? With the population of the world at seven billion and rising, many fear a shortage of resources as well as a shortage of space. Swedish p

The BBC's Yolande Knell: "The scientists themselves are extremely cautious about their findings" The late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat may have been poisoned with radioactive polonium, says a Swiss forensic report obtained by al-Jazeera. Arafat's official medical records say he died in 2004 from a stroke resulting from a blood disorder. But his body was exhumed last year amid continuing claims

An early indication of autism can be identified in babies under six months old, a study suggests. US researchers, writing in Nature, analysed how infants looked at faces from birth to the age of three. They found children later diagnosed with autism initially developed normally but showed diminished eye contact - a hallmark of autism - between two and six months of age. A UK expert said the findin

President Park: "Dialogue is important but we must stick to our principles." South Korea's president has highlighted a deep rift with Japan, as the region struggles to rein in North Korea's growing nuclear capability. President Park Geun-hye told the BBC she saw no point in a summit with the Japanese leader unless the country apologised for war-time "wrongdoings". Concern over regional security ha

For a character living in two dimensions, grasping the idea of life in 3D can be tough - especially if the character in question is Homer Simpson. But one Halloween episode of The Simpsons forces him to confront the concept, and gives viewers a mathematical workout too. Eighteen years ago, the writers of The Simpsons celebrated Halloween with one of their traditional Treehouse of Horror, external

Parents are risking their babies' health because of a surge in the popularity of swaddling, according to an orthopaedic surgeon. The technique involves binding the arms and legs with blankets and is used to help calm a baby and prevent crying. But Prof Nicholas Clarke, of Southampton University Hospital, said swaddling was damaging developing hips. The Royal College of Midwives and other experts a

McDonald's has said it is to stop serving Heinz ketchup in its stores after 40 years. The world's biggest fast-food chain said it would drop the ketchup after Bernardo Hees, the former head of rival Burger King, took over as Heinz's chief executive. "We have decided to transition our business to other suppliers over time," McDonald's said. In February, Heinz was purchased in a $28bn (£17.3bn) take

Augusto Odone refused to accept medical opinion that his son Lorenzo would die in childhood Augusto Odone, who rejected medical opinion and created an oil to save the life of his son Lorenzo has died. The former World Bank economist died in Italy aged 80, said his family. Augusto Odone taught himself enough science to invent a treatment for his six-year-old son after he was diagnosed with a neurol