It's a little known but often dangerous problem: each year, 3,500 people in the U.S. -- mostly young children -- swallow button batteries. Normally, these batteries pass through the body without incident. But if they come into prolonged contact with esophagus or stomach tissue, the results can be harmful: the batteries can cause an electric current that produces hydroxide, which burns through body tissue. A postdoctoral student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Shuhei Miyashita brought up this hazard to Daniela Rus, the professor who leads the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. A simple experiment proved how hazardous the little batteries can be.

Last week, a research team showed off a new project that aims to teach a Google AI system to be more conversational by learning from thousands of romance and fantasy novels. A fine sample to replicate from, you say? Wait until you read the AI's results. Quartz found the paper which details the AI's response when presented with two sentences, and asked to create additional sentences to link the two sentiments, i.e. "I'm fine" to "But you need to talk to me now." Our biggest ever edition of TNW Conference is fast approaching!

Gel1…..I've been here 6 months, mostly watching and learning. Lots of smart people on the site and I've learned a lot from Phil and many others. I have to thank Phil and the many contruibutors for a 80% profit for 2009. I have learned a lot and am still learning ( even occasionally about political issues - ha!) Peace of mind / I have a portfolio mainly consisting of long term long calls, short term short calls and puts, and long term BCS. Three years, ago when I started my journey on this board I would be freaking out panicking as to what to do, as many of the short calls are ITM, Three years later (today) I look at the screen and serenely process the information. Three years ago, I inevitably made the wrong decisions which cost me a lot of money. Three years on I calmly roll the positions to whatever makes sense. I guess they call that the power of education. Phil, i wanted to thank you again for helping me protect future stock allocations at work - finally, i feel like i am owning my own destiny with stocks vs. letting the market dictate what you get – thanks again. Phil/BCS - Didn't realise they traded here.

Scientists have created the world's tiniest practical engines, and these light-powered machines could one day power microscopic robots small enough to enter living cells, the researchers say. Delicious produce, fresh from farmer robot. At least, that's what Japan hopes. Although Google is selling Boston Dynamics to distance itself from "terrifying" humanoid robots, there's still plenty of robot projects underway. Don't lift with your legs or your back.

With all this talk about chatbots from Facebook and Microsoft, teaching artificial intelligence to be smarter has become a central topic of the tech world. But what about what AI can teach us? Ashok Goel, a computer science professor at Georgia Tech, put that question to the test when he added "Jill Watson" – and chatbot powered by IBM's Watson technology– to his list of of teaching assistants for an online course. The chatbot was so good at answering questions that students did not notice their TA was made of silicon until after they'd turned in their finals. Our biggest ever edition of TNW Conference is fast approaching!

Google does not have regulatory approval for its NHS healthcare deal. Two weeks ago, New Scientist revealed that Google's artificial intelligence company DeepMind has access to the personal medical information of millions of UK patients through a data-sharing agreement with the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. A New Scientist investigation has found that the project is being carried out without the ethical and regulatory approval that experts say are required. Google and the Royal Free both claim to be acting in compliance with the rules as they interpret them. A collaboration between DeepMind and the NHS has the potential to do great things.

Space travel brings with it a list of potential dangers, but astronaut Tim Peake added one more on Thursday: paint chips. Often asked if @Space_Station is hit by space debris. Yes – this chip is in a Cupola window https://t.co/iH87Dt80yV The International Space Station (ISS) was struck sometime last month by a flake of paint or small metal fragment that caused a chip in the windows of the Cupola, "the best room with a view anywhere," the European Space Agency (ESA) said in a press release. Besides its official duty as the control room for the ISS's robotic arms, the Cupola room also serves as an observation area for astronauts on board to get a good view of Earth and approaching spacecraft.

With all this talk about chatbots from Facebook and Microsoft, teaching artificial intelligence to be smarter has become a central topic of the tech world. But what about what AI can teach us? Ashok Goel, a computer science professor at Georgia Tech, put that question to the test when he added "Jill Watson" – and chatbot powered by IBM's Watson technology– to his list of of teaching assistants for an online course. The chatbot was so good at answering questions that students did not notice their TA was made of silicon until after they'd turned in their finals. Some of the biggest names in tech are coming to TNW Conference in Amsterdam this May.

The boom in AI promises to enrich our lives. AI assistants keep our schedules in order; robot "crew" members help us on cruises; and "swarm AI" even offers the chance for us to win big in the gambling world. But there's a dark side of the coin as well: AI that can cause great harm. While much thought has been devoted to the dangers of AI, and centers like the Future of Life Institute in Cambridge, Ma., and the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University are focusing resources on how to support the creation of'safe' AI, few have attempted to intentionally create malevolent AI. Go with TechRepublic's Steve Ranger on an inside look at the gold-plated gadget market that's received a big boost from Apple.

Dung beetles record a mental image of the positions of the Sun, the Moon and the stars and use the snapshot to navigate, according to researchers. Scientists in Sweden found that the beetles capture the picture of the sky while dancing on a ball of manure. As they roll away with their malodorous prize, the beetles compare the stored image with their current location. The beetles' navigational skills could aid the development of driverless vehicles, the researchers suggest. Previous studies have shown that dung beetles have an amazing ability to navigate by the light of the Milky Way.