TL;DR summary of stories on the internet
A group of humans is aiming to recite the 41-million-digit Mersenne prime M136279841 before a larger prime is discovered. To help, claim a chunk of the prime, record yourself saying it (120bpm recommended), and upload the video to YouTube. Faces are optional, creativity encouraged. Mistakes are fine, just correct them. The project is led by […]
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Scientists have developed a new type of insulin that can automatically adjust its activity based on blood glucose levels in animals. This “smart” insulin effectively lowers high blood sugar while preventing it from dropping too low. This discovery could revolutionize diabetes treatment. Surprisingly, stem cells reversed a woman’s diabetes in a world-first, while different weight-loss […]
Liyam Chitayat explores the contentious idea of mitochondria being living entities in his opinion essay. Despite early ridicule, American biologist Lynn Margulis argued that mitochondria are products of an ancient endosymbiosis event, challenging traditional views of organelles. Mitochondria exhibit characteristics of life, from energy production to information processing, and evolutionary adaptation. The potential niche of […]
Delta is a highly customizable tool that enhances the layout and styling of diffs in Git. Features include language syntax highlighting, word-level diff highlighting, side-by-side view, line numbering, improved merge conflict and git blame display, syntax highlighting for grep output, support for Git’s –color-moved feature, and more. Delta also allows for styling elements such as […]
The tech world is currently experiencing a familiar cycle of disruption, reminiscent of the shifts seen in 2004. Back then, complaints about Hotmail, Yahoo, Mapquest, AOL, and Internet Explorer were common. Today, Google search is declining, Twitter is losing users, and the term “enshittification” warns of worsening online experiences. Despite the malaise among big tech […]
In the pursuit of understanding artificial neural networks, this paper delves into the complex concept of superposition, where models store additional features beyond their dimensions by tolerating interference. Using toy models, the authors discovered that superposition allows for compression while requiring nonlinear filtering. They explore how superposition leads to phase changes, complex geometric structures, and […]
The author explores a technique from a Defensive Security course that hides processes from the Linux process list using the bind mount operation. They experiment with a post-exploitation framework called Sliver, showcasing its capabilities and discussing how it can be used to interact with compromised systems. By mounting a directory over the /proc directory associated […]
The author discusses the recent LivePortrait deepfake model, highlighting its potential applications in social media and video compression. The model utilizes 2D avatar/portrait animation to animate still images with minimal data transmission requirements. Despite the impressive compression efficiency, there are concerns about the potential for misuse, as the model could generate inaccurate or distorted reconstructions. […]
This content explores the prevalence of nepotism and inherited human capital in academia from 1088 to 1800. It highlights how nepotism allowed less qualified individuals to secure academic positions based on familial ties, impacting knowledge formation. The study reveals that nepotism declined during periods of rapid scientific advancement and discusses the importance of disentangling nepotism […]
Dr. Wan’s study, “Gravity’s Eastern Voyage,” delves into the introduction and evolution of Newtonian mechanics in imperial China from 1727 to 1912. Highlighting the cultural adaptation of Newton’s ideas, the paper explores the dissemination of scientific concepts through missionary publications, translations, and integration into the Chinese national curriculum. By examining how Newtonian mechanics influenced intellectual […]