January 1, 2024
4 min read
Letters to the editors for the September 2023 issue of Scientific American
Credit:
Scientific American, September 2023
INTELLIGENCE PROBE
In “An AI Mystery,” George Musser explores the “black box” problem of artificial intelligence—how it reaches conclusions and makes decisions. Elise Corbin sets a question about the inner workings of AI.
In his reply, George Musser clarifies the role of probes, explaining that they are a valuable research tool but do not entirely solve the issue of understanding how AI processes information. Probes reveal only the presence of information, not how it is used to reach a conclusion, making the process of understanding AI an ongoing matter.
BLACK HOLE DONE
“Disappearing Act” by Adam Mann discusses the slow evaporation of black holes and the mysteries surrounding that phenomenon. Glenn P. Davies asks what happens when an evaporating black hole becomes visible due to a decrease in its mass and its gravity no longer strong enough to prevent the escape of electromagnetic radiation.
The editors reply, offering insight into current theories about the evaporation of black holes and what astronomers have observed thus far. Based on these observations, they provide an explanation for what happens when a black hole’s mass decreases to the point where remaining matter might become visible.
VACCINE IMPROVEMENT
Tara Haelle describes the advances in developing safe and protective respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines in “The Long Shot.” A physician and vaccinologist expresses their excitement over the possibility of constructing these innovative vaccines that avoid vaccine-associated enhanced disease. This advancement has been an important step in the fight against RSV, creating new opportunities for protection against this virus.
