Subscribe to RSS FeedWolfram Alpha is a ‘computational knowledge engine’ that answers questions, solves equations, and cross-references data types by synthesizing it into different combinations. The goal of WA is to make systematic knowledge immediately computable by drawing on terabytes of curated data.
The service is the brainchild of Stephen Wolfram, who is behind the Mathematica computational software and author of the book A New Kind Of Science. Mathematica includes data is curated by more than 100 Wolfram employees whom over the years have built a large knowledge base.
Now, you can have access to it as well.
People usually approach and compare WA to Google when they first use it. They type in standard queries, such as their own name, and quickly become frustrated when there are no results. However, WA is NOT a search engine. The service is not trying to out-Google Google.
It doesn’t index Web sites, scans keywords in a search query, and return a list documents that may contain an answer like Google does. It isn’t a community-sourced knowledge base, like Wikipedia. It doesn’t parse natural language and then retrieve documents from other data sources, like Powerset.
Instead, WA reads a question in natural language, scans its databases, and provides an answer using facts, figures, models, charts, and illustrations. It actually computes an answer to a question. WA presents all the results in its own interface rather then sending the searcher onto other Web sites.
The service is available for ad hoc, personal, non-commercial use only. For such use anyone is welcome to download results, print copies, and store downloaded content on your computer.
It’s current knowledge base makes WA is a neat niche service/tool/toy for scientists and technologists. At this early point there are going to be questions about how everyday Web users would benefit from using it over other resources. Still, it’s a very interesting concept which needs input and feedback from those playing with it.
Here are a few search examples:
- Ohio State University
- myoglobin
- where is the international space station?
- how far is ann arbor from columbus?
There are all sorts of Easter Eggs as well, such in the response to 88mph and to the question “how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop?”
