TL;DR summary of stories on the internet
Quetta is a browser that prioritizes user privacy and simplicity. With advanced privacy features like tracker blocking and data encryption, your online activities are kept confidential. Even if someone gets hold of your phone, they won’t be able to access your data. Quetta also offers a powerful ad blocker, ensuring a clutter-free browsing experience. The […]
Read more »
In a guest letter, Stephen Smith, the Executive Director of the Center for Building in North America, discusses the potential for building code reform to unlock housing construction in the United States. Specifically, Smith argues for the legalization of single-stair multifamily buildings, a common practice in Europe and Asia. He highlights the historical origins of […]
Ello, a social network launched in 2014, aimed to provide an alternative to ad-driven platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The founders declared that users were not products to be bought and sold. However, in 2023, Ello suddenly shut down, leaving nine years of user content inaccessible. This closure was predicted by some who believed that […]
Scientists studying the German Bight in the North Sea have discovered that the mysterious “pockmarks” on the ocean floor were not caused by methane gas as previously thought, but rather by porpoises and eels. The shallow pits that emerge and disappear every few months are believed to be formed as porpoises hunt for sand eels […]
A new study suggests that sensory issues associated with autism may be caused by fluctuating neuronal noise in the brain. This study found that variability in the activity of individual neurons in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome, a leading cause of autism, mapped to fluctuations in the levels of noise in the brain. […]
In this blog post from GOV.UK, the author explains the process of migrating their PostgreSQL database with minimal downtime. They discuss the importance of minimizing downtime as GOV.UK Notify sends millions of important notifications each day that require accessing the database. The author mentions using AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) to transfer data from the […]
Researchers have used the protein-structure-prediction tool AlphaFold to identify hundreds of thousands of potential psychedelic molecules that could be used in the development of new antidepressants. AlphaFold’s predictions, which are easily accessible, have been shown to be just as useful as experimentally derived protein structures for drug discovery. Some scientists have expressed skepticism about the […]
I received the sad news that Dave Mills, an important figure in the early days of the Internet, has passed away. He was known for his contributions to the Network Time Protocol, the Fuzzball routers of the early NSFNET, and his leadership in the INARG taskforce. Mills also made notable work at COMSAT Labs and […]
This is a non-exhaustive list of various ways websites can shut down and user content can be permanently deleted. The author emphasizes the importance of proactive backups to keep data safe. They mention that sometimes websites can suddenly become profitable, but this is not something to count on. The author categorizes different situations that can […]
The Canton of Zurich held a press conference to reveal the discovery of a well-preserved medieval gauntlet from the 14th century. The gauntlet was found during excavations near Kyburg Castle in Switzerland. The castle, known as Chuigeburch during medieval times, is a significant medieval complex with various structures. Excavations near the castle also uncovered a […]