Craig Gidney's computer science blog

Researchers have found the first new type of magnet in nearly a century. Now, these strange "altermagnets" could help us build an entirely new type of computer

Robots grow bigger, faster, and more capable by absorbing and integrating material in their environment.

The LHCb experiment has observed a new difference between matter and antimatter in particles called baryons

Hundreds of physicists (and a few journalists) journeyed to Helgoland, the birthplace of quantum mechanics, and grappled with what they have and haven’t learned about reality.

A ground-breaking new study funded by ProVeg International has found that the healthiest and least hazardous food for dogs…

Alternative pet foods may offer benefits concerning environmental sustainability and the welfare of animals processed into pet foods. However, some worry these may compromise the welfare of pets. We asked 2,639 dog guardians about one dog living with them, for at least one year. Among 2,596 involved in pet diet decision-making, pet health was a key factor when choosing diets. 2,536 provided information relating to a single dog, fed a conventional meat (1,370 = 54%), raw meat (830 = 33%) or vegan (336 = 13%) diet for at least one year. We examined seven general indicators of ill health: unusual numbers of veterinary visits, medication use, progression onto a therapeutic diet after initial maintenance on a vegan or meat-based diet, guardian opinion and predicted veterinary opinion of health status, percentage of unwell dogs and number of health disorders per unwell dog. Dogs fed conventional diets appeared to fare worse than those fed either of the other two diets. Dogs fed raw meat appeared to fare marginally better than those fed vegan diets. However, there were statistically significant differences in average ages. Dogs fed raw meat were younger, which has been demonstrated to be associated with improved health outcomes. Additionally, non-health related factors may have improved apparent outcomes for dogs fed raw meat, for three of seven general health indicators. We also considered the prevalence of 22 specific health disorders, based on predicted veterinary assessments. Percentages of dogs in each dietary group considered to have suffered from health disorders were 49% (conventional meat), 43% (raw meat) and 36% (vegan). Significant evidence indicates that raw meat diets are often associated with dietary hazards, including nutritional deficiencies and imbalances, and pathogens. Accordingly, the pooled evidence to date indicates that the healthiest and least hazardous dietary choices for dogs, are nutritionally sound vegan diets.

Long-term exposure accelerates the development of Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease with dementia in people who are predisposed to the conditions.

For a while now I’ve been speculating about what would happen when AI agents started being able to write papers indistinguishable in quality from those that have been typical of the sad state…

A new randomized control trial tested personalized vitamin D supplementation based on blood test results.

This study explores the neural and behavioral consequences of LLM-assisted essay writing. Participants were divided into three groups: LLM, Search Engine, and …

Ever wonder why nothing can break the cosmic speed limit? 🚀Most people think it's just "Einstein's rule" — but the real answer is WAY weirder. The speed of ...

The western flank of the Hoover Dam holds a celestial map that marks the time of the dam’s creation based on the 25,772-year axial precession of the earth.

Creating Friendly AI: The Analysis and Design of Benevolent Goal Architectures (CFAI) is a book-length document written by Eliezer Yudkowsky in 2001. CFAI is about the design features and cognitive architecture of friendly goal systems, rather than the intelligence architecture or goal content. It also analyzes the ways in which AI and human psychology are likely to differ, and the ways in which those differences are subject to design decisions. The following paragraphs briefly summarize the content of the document. Challenges FAI refers to “benevolent” AI systems, that have advanced at least to the point of making real-world plans in pursuit of goals. In this context, some challenges arise. At the beginning of the design process, a first challenge can be envisioning perfection, which in terms of FAI means a set of “perfectly friendly” external behaviors. However, the main challenge is not getting an AI to exhibit some specific set of behaviors, but solving the problem of the Friendship structure, i.e. the task of building a Friendly AI that wants to learn Friendliness. Concerning “conservative” assumptions on FAI, they differ, and in some cases they are even opposed to those made by futurism. In fact, in creating FAI we should aim not “just to solve the problem, but to oversolve it”. Furthermore, an extremely powerful AI produced by an ultrarapid takeoff is not only a “conservative” assumption, but the most likely scenario. As the tendency of abusing of power is an evolved human tendency that need not necessarily exist among minds-in-general, a FAI could be built that lacks what Yudkowsky calls an "observer-centered goal system". Therefore, as the accumulation of power is not problematic, the Sysop scenario, a superintelligence that would act as the underlying operating system for all the matter in human space, is a possible, Friendly, extreme solution to Singularity. It also emphasizes the role of individual volition; "volition-based Friendliness" is the assu

Il nodo centrale è che gli studi controllati randomizzati sull'osteopatia sono ancora insufficienti. Tuttavia ci sono ricerche che mettono in luce alcuni benefici e secondo i fisiatri l'osteopata è una figura importante

grazie a Salvo Di Grazia - MedBunker (blog) Esistono una serie di pratiche che si basano sulla manipolazione di ossa, tessuti ed articolazioni per la cura di molte malattie. Manipolare le ossa (non come un massaggio superficiale ma in maniera più profonda ed attiva) è un rimedio che esiste dalla notte dei tempi. In tutti

Ci avevano detto che il motore a combustione era morto. Ci avevano detto che il 2035 sarebbe stata la fine. Sbagliavano.Oggi analizziamo tecnicamente la clam...

Our landmark agreements with Vistra, TerraPower, and Oklo will expand the operation of three nuclear power plants, boost the development of nuclear technology, and foster job growth in American communities.

Tam Fortis Solutions today announced its mission to develop the world's smallest portable nuclear reactors, delivering safe, clean energy from 15 W to 40 kW ...

The real killers aren’t dramatic—they’re the tiny, invisible, “normal” things you repeat without noticing. And Harvard researchers say they’re quietly shortening your life.

Research into how a father’s choices — such as diet, exercise, stress, nicotine use — may transfer traits to his children has become impossible to ignore.

Sistema ottico portatile, per usare qualsiasi smartphone o tablet come un potente microscopio. Permette di vedere dettagli di cellule o anche batteri.

neurobiologo statunitense

Scientific Reports - Reconciling the contrasting narratives on the environmental impact of large language models

Scientists at the University of Nottingham have developed a new protein-based gel that can restore tooth enamel by mimicking the body’s natural growth processes. A newly developed material has been used to create a gel capable of repairing and rebuilding tooth enamel, offering a potential breakth