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Independent Journal Established in 2012.


“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes.” — Billy Connolly
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Featured

  • AI History
  • Best Of Scotland
  • Spin-the-Globe
AI History

Shakey the Robot (1969): The World’s First Intelligent Mobile Robot

Long before autonomous vehicles and domestic robots became familiar ideas, a machine moved through a room, stopped at obstacles, reconsidered its path, and continued without waiting for a person to tell it what to do. It was called Shakey. Developed at the Stanford Research
AI History

2006 – AI Goes Mainstream: How Google, Facebook, and Amazon Brought AI to Everyday Life

In 2006, something changed in how people used the internet, though it was not announced as a change. Search results began to feel more precise. Social platforms no longer showed information in simple order. Online shops started to anticipate what a customer might want

2002 – Roomba: The First AI-Powered Consumer Robot That Changed Home Automation

In 2002, a small machine began moving across floors without being pushed. It did not follow

ELIZA (1964): The First Chatbot and the Birth of Natural Language Processing

In 1964, computer scientist Joseph Weizenbaum introduced a program called ELIZA. At a time when computers

2012 – AlexNet Wins the ImageNet Competition: The Deep Learning Breakthrough That Sparked the AI Boom

In 2012, an image recognition system reduced its error rate by a margin that did not
Featured·Heritage

United States Removes Tariffs on Scotch Whisky in Move Welcomed by Industry

President Donald Trump has announced the removal of US tariffs on Scotch whisky, a development described by industry leaders as a significant
by David McDonald
1 May 2026
Best Of Scotland

Walk Highlands

Founded by Helen and Paul Webster in 2006, the Walk Highlands website features more than 2,200 awe-inspiring, spectacular walking routes all over
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
30 April 2026
AI History

2026 – The Sonic Intelligence Academy Defines AI Music

Before AI music could be measured, it had to be defined. There is a point, rarely noticed at the time, when a
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
30 April 2026
Environment·Featured

Scotland’s Salmon and Sea Trout Catches Fall to Historic Lows in 2025

Official statistics released this morning record the weakest salmon returns in modern Scottish records, with total catches in 2025 falling to their
by Andrew Robertson
29 April 2026
Best Of Scotland

Buchanan Bespoke Shoemaking

Buchanan Bespoke stands as a paragon of Scottish craftsmanship, rooted deeply in the proud heritage of traditional shoemaking. Their website offers a
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
16 February 2025
Best Of Scotland

Folklore Scotland

Folklore Scotland is an enchanting portal to the mystical and mysterious aspects of Scottish culture, making it a treasure trove for anyone
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
16 February 2025
Best Of Scotland

Edinburgh Research Archive (ERA)

In the digital age, access to scholarly information is crucial for the advancement of knowledge and innovation. The Edinburgh Research Archive (ERA),
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
16 February 2025
Best Of Scotland

Flowers Grown in Scotland

Flowers Grown in Scotland is an exemplary website dedicated to showcasing the richness of Scotland’s floriculture directly from the fields of local
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
16 February 2025
Best Of Scotland

The Scottish Yarn Festival

Exploring the Rich Tapestry of Scottish Culture at the Scottish Yarn Festival In the heart of Perthshire, the Scottish Yarn Festival, previously
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
15 February 2025
Best Of Scotland

Scottish Community Drama Association (SCDA)

If you’re keen on delving into the dynamic world of Scottish theatre or simply looking for a cultural deep dive from the
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
17 January 2025
Best Of Scotland

Project Mapping – Scotland’s Trains

In the fascinating world of rail network mapping, Andrew Smithers’ Project Mapping stands out as a rich repository and a critical platform
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
17 December 2024
AI History

2017 – Transformers and BERT Revolutionize Natural Language Processing (NLP)

In 2017, a short research paper proposed that language might be handled without reading it in order. The claim was not presented
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
31 March 2024
AI History

2018 – AI-Generated Art Sells for $432,500: The Rise of Artificial Intelligence in Creativity

A portrait produced by a machine was sold in New York for $432,500. The sale took place at Christie’s on 25 October
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

2016 – AlphaGo Defeats Go Champion Lee Sedol: The AI That Mastered Strategy

A move was played in Seoul that did not look correct. It came early in the second game. Those watching assumed it
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

2015 – The Founding of OpenAI: A Turning Point in AI Research

In 2015, a new artificial intelligence laboratory was announced with an unusual premise. It would not operate as a conventional company. It
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

2011 – IBM Watson Wins Jeopardy! The AI That Outperformed Human Champions

In February 2011, a machine stood behind a lectern and answered questions framed as clues. It did so quickly, often before its
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

1997 – Deep Blue Defeats Garry Kasparov: The First AI Victory Over a World Chess Champion

In May 1997, a world champion resigned after nineteen moves. The game had not developed in the usual way. The position collapsed
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

1996 – IBM’s Deep Blue vs. Garry Kasparov (Game 1): The Day AI Beat a World Chess Champion

In February 1996, a world champion resigned a game he had expected to control. It lasted thirty seven moves. The opponent was
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

Support Vector Machines (SVMs) – A Breakthrough in Machine Learning (1995)

In 1995, a method appeared that did not attempt to imitate intelligence. It approached the problem from a different direction. Instead of
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

The Second AI Winter (1987): How Hype and Overpromising Led to AI’s Decline

By the late 1980s, artificial intelligence had already made a promise it could not keep. The promise had been made in offices
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

The Backpropagation Algorithm (1986): The Breakthrough That Revived Neural Networks

In 1986, a method for correcting mistakes began to matter more than the mistakes themselves. The paper was technical. It did not
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

The Rise of Expert Systems (1980): AI’s First Practical Success

By 1980, artificial intelligence had already disappointed its backers more than once. Funding had been reduced. Expectations had been revised. The grand
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

Lighthill Report and the Second AI Winter (1973): When AI Research Came to a Standstill

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has seen both periods of rapid progress and frustrating setbacks. One of the biggest blows to AI research came
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

The Birth of PROLOG (1972): The Programming Language That Shaped AI

In 1972, a rather different idea of computing emerged from Europe. It did not concern speed, or hardware, or even efficiency in
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

The First AI Winter (1966): When Hype Collapsed and AI Research Stalled

There was a moment, not long after the birth of artificial intelligence, when it seemed the age of thinking machines had already
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

The Perceptron Algorithm (1958): Frank Rosenblatt’s Breakthrough in Machine Learning

There was a point, in the late 1950s, when the idea of a machine learning from experience began to move from speculation
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

The 1956 Dartmouth AI Conference: The Birth of Artificial Intelligence as a Field of Study

There was no single machine, no sudden invention, no decisive breakthrough. Instead, there was a gathering. A small group, a summer, and
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

The Birth of Artificial Intelligence: When John McCarthy Coined the Term (1955)

There was a point, before the systems, before the industry, before the scale, when the problem was not how to build artificial
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

The First AI Programs (1951): The Birth of Machine Intelligence in Games

Artificial intelligence is now a dominant force in strategy games, from machines that can outplay world champions at chess to AI driven
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

Alan Turing’s “Computing Machinery and Intelligence” (1950): The Birth of Machine Intelligence

In 1950, British mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing published a paper that did not simply advance a field, it quietly unsettled
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

The Birth of Artificial Neural Networks: McCulloch & Pitts’ 1943 Breakthrough

Artificial intelligence and deep learning now sit at the centre of modern technological life, shaping everything from facial recognition and language translation
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

Nikola Tesla’s Radio-Controlled Boat (1898): The Birth of Autonomous Machines

In the closing years of the nineteenth century, before the language of artificial intelligence had even been formed, there was a moment
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine: The First Concept of a Programmable Computer (1837)

Long before the age of silicon, before circuitry and code, there was an attempt to build a machine that could follow instructions.
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

Blaise Pascal’s Mechanical Calculator: The Birth of Computational Devices (1642)

Long before modern computers, artificial intelligence, and digital processors, the idea that a machine might assist human thought began with a far
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

Al-Jazari: The Ingenious Engineer Who Pioneered Robotics (1206)

When people speak of robotics and automation, they tend to picture modern factories, artificial intelligence, and highly advanced humanoid machines. It feels
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
5 March 2024
AI History

Ancient Visions of Artificial Intelligence

When artificial intelligence is discussed, the instinct is to look forward. To imagine machines yet to be built, systems yet to be
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
4 March 2024
AI History

A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence

The history of artificial intelligence did not begin with computers, nor even with mathematics. It emerged from a far older human impulse:
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
1 March 2024
Best Of Scotland

Scotland’s Lost Country Houses

Have you ever taken a drive through the Scottish countryside and come upon a dilapidated structure and wondered what led to its
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
26 April 2021
Best Of Scotland

Women in Scottish History

Women in Scottish History, or WISH, is a project funded and developed by the University of Guelph, and it’s a fascinating effort
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
19 April 2021
Best Of Scotland

Scots Words and Place-Names

Do you know the difference between a skellie and a skerrie or a smiddie and a souter? Or that wast is west
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
19 April 2021
Best Of Scotland

Aberdeen Gardening

I am simply delighted to have stumbled upon a website that not only offers detailed information about all of the beautiful plants
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
19 April 2021
Best Of Scotland

Mountain Bothies Association

Bothies are a great way for groups of 5 or less to seek shelter from the elements while visiting remote areas and
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
19 April 2021
Best Of Scotland

Caledonian Maps

Tucked away in the Highlands, just off the A96 and a few miles in from the Moray Firth, you’ll find Caledonian Maps
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
10 August 2017
Best Of Scotland

Ancient Scotland

Martin McCarthy has been taking photographs of Scotland’s landscape since 1993 and selflessly documenting Scotland’s ancient sites online since 1995. Based out
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
18 August 2016
Best Of Scotland

Scottish Brick History

The Roman occupation of Scotland in first century AD brought brick-making skills to the Scots. Before the industrial revolution all bricks in
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
12 August 2016
Best Of Scotland

Highlands Astronomical Society

The Highlands Astronomical Society (HAS) began like most astronomy clubs do, with a small group of passionate star-gazers meeting up to observe
by Modern Scot Editorial Team
8 August 2016

We are an independent Scottish journal established in 2012. Focused on the considered life of Scotland, we offer a quiet alternative to speculation and noise. Modern Scot is edited by an independent Scottish journalist based in the Highlands.

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