Bizarre inventions

Jon Bentley considers what the once-mocked square steering wheel can teach us about technological innovation

On 1 September 1939, Post Office engineer Tommy Flowers found himself in Berlin to take part in a European conference about telephone systems. Germany invaded Poland the same day. Flowers and a fellow

STUART RUSSELL RECEIVES FOUR OR five emails a day from people who seem to be in the grips of psychosis, convinced their AI chatbot of choice is suddenly conscious. “It’s appointing them as its emissar

Your interesting feature about the role of medieval warhorses in shaping British history (August) reminded me of a subsequent occasion in which horsepower became a critical factor. In April 1660, with

The greatest trick Google ever played was convincing the world it’s a technology company, rather than an advertising giant. And its second greatest trick was introducing adverts so gradually in every

THE HOWL OF a British V12, the growl of an American V8. Even up here the dominant soundtracks that accompany the Le Mans 24 Hours are all too distinct as miniature Aston Martin Valkyries and Cadillac