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Large language models (LLMs) can make errors called “hallucinations”, including factual inaccuracies and biases. New research shows that LLMs’ internal states hold truthfulness information that can help detect errors. Truthfulness info is concentrated in specific tokens, improving error detection. However, error detectors don’t work across datasets, suggesting truthfulness encoding is complex. Internal representations can also […]
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Timezones are strange and often misunderstood. This article delves into the complexities of timekeeping, debunking common misconceptions. From Asia/Kathmandu’s unique offset from UTC to America/Nuuk’s negative daylight savings time, there are some truly bizarre time zones out there. The International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service even inserts leap seconds to keep our clocks in […]
Researchers at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have developed a nuclear-fusion reactor using off-the-shelf components, including permanent rare-earth magnets, which is a unique approach in the world of stellarators. The new device, called Muse, is the first stellarator built at the lab in 50 years and aims to provide insights into plasma behavior for future […]
All complex multicellular life on Earth is made of eukaryotic cells, which possess self-contained organelles that perform specialized functions. The origin of eukaryotes remains a mystery, but recent discoveries of Asgard archaea provide valuable clues. These deep-sea prokaryotes have eukaryotic-like genes and structures, indicating a potential link to the first eukaryotic ancestor. The process by […]
This guide by Michal Zalewski offers insights into achieving top-notch results with benchtop CNC mills and modern polymers. Zalewski, a computer geek and hobbyist robot builder, emphasizes the accessibility of robotics projects with affordable CNC machines and resin casting. The guide covers essential topics like CAD and CAM, casting resins, gear designs, and CNC machine […]
Semantic Search Library simplifies embedding and vector search for small to medium-sized projects. It utilizes brute-force techniques and SIMD optimizations for speed. Key features include llama.cpp without cgo, BERT model support, precompiled binaries with GPU acceleration, and search index creation. However, it may face efficiency challenges with large datasets and lacks advanced query capabilities. Instructions […]
After much consideration, the author has decided to shut down the botsin.space server after operating since April 2017. The server was created to play around with the fediverse and Mastodon, although it faced unique challenges due to its usage patterns and the need for increased expenses for server maintenance. Despite efforts to keep the server […]
The author discusses discovering a highly cited paper, “On the Universal Relation” by MH Graham, from 1979 in a databases class, which is considered a classic in the field. Despite its significance, the paper was not available online or in local libraries. After tracking down a physical copy from across the country, the author scanned […]
In the realm of Nintendo’s Zelda franchise, time is a crucial gameplay element. In games like Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, and Breath of the Wild, time shapes the player’s experience and connection to the world of Hyrule. The 10,000-year time interval in Breath of the Wild draws inspiration from Japan’s Jōmon period, evident in […]
Basis is a cutting-edge robotics development framework created by Basis Robotics that focuses on testability, usability, and performance. Unlike traditional frameworks like ROS, Basis abstracts publishers and subscribers, simplifying the development process. Its alpha software status indicates that it may not yet be production-ready. Unique features include code generation, plugin-based serialization and transport layers, and […]