The hottest Science Substack posts right now

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resonantbrain • 0 implied HN points • 25 Aug 22
🔬 Science Neuroscience AI Books
  1. The post is a teaser for a newsletter called Resonant Brain that focuses on neuroscience and AI.
  2. The newsletter will also cover related books on neuroscience and AI.
  3. The author of the newsletter is Sai Gaddam.

Understanding consciousness is more pressing than ever at the dawn of this AI age

resonantbrain • 0 implied HN points • 12 Sep 22
🔬 Science Consciousness Neuroscience Artificial Intelligence Philosophy Machine Learning
  1. Understanding consciousness is crucial, especially with the advancement of AI technology.
  2. Explanations of consciousness have been challenging due to the complexity of asking 'why' we experience instead of 'who' is experiencing.
  3. Consciousness relies on creating and connecting past experiences to interpret the present and prepare for the future, emphasizing the importance of feedback loops in achieving true consciousness.

Where are all the aliens?

The Future of Life • 0 implied HN points • 22 Apr 23
🔬 Science Astrobiology Cosmology Philosophy
  1. The universe needed enough time for complex life to develop. This means many alien civilizations might have formed around the same time.
  2. Expansionary alien civilizations are likely to dominate the universe. These fast-spreading aliens could take over quickly without giving others a chance to notice.
  3. Most alien life forms might actually be simulations. They could be creating these to understand and prepare for meeting other advanced civilizations.

Roche Nanopore: Instrument Cost

ASeq Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 27 Feb 25
🔬 Science Biotechnology Genetics Data Analysis Research Methods Instruments
  1. Roche is working on new nanopore sequencing technology, focusing on how much the instruments will cost to produce. Understanding these costs is important for the technology's success.
  2. The nanopore sequencing process involves collecting a large amount of data quickly, which means the data rates are extremely high. This could lead to challenges in storing and processing such vast amounts of information.
  3. Since the raw data volume is so large, it's unlikely that most users will store it all. Instead, they will probably need to focus on analyzing only the most crucial information collected.

EDX-720

Everyday Thing • 0 implied HN points • 05 Feb 25
🔬 Science Physics Materials Engineering Technology Analysis
  1. The EDX-720 is an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer used to analyze materials by firing X-rays at them.
  2. This kind of instrument has a heavy metal shield because it uses X-rays, making it safe for users.
  3. A lot of pictures of the EDX-720 have been shared, showing its various parts and features.
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When the tide goes out

do clouds feel vertigo? • 0 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
🔬 Science Physics Biology Neuroscience Complex Systems Thermodynamics
  1. We all have internal rhythms that control our daily life, like how we breathe and sleep. These rhythms have critical points where they shift from one state to another.
  2. When something shifts between two states, like being calm and angry, it’s similar to how systems in nature move from order to disorder. This helps us understand how change happens.
  3. Counting breaths can help us manage our emotions better. Instead of saying 'I'll see you later,' we can measure time in breaths for more peace and balance.

Electric Mushrooms and the Circuitry that Loves Them

Cybernetic Forests • 0 implied HN points • 05 Jun 22
🔬 Science Electricity Instruments History Biology
  1. A synthesizer transforms electricity into sound, similar to how a bassoon uses airflow to create music. The path electricity takes in a synthesizer is altered by manipulating the components and circuits.
  2. Electricity is everywhere, and the manipulation of electrical signals is crucial in creating music with synthesizers. Understanding circuits and modules in a synthesizer helps control the direction of electric pulses.
  3. Living things, like mushrooms, emit electrical signals that can be harnessed and interpreted by synthesizers. Electric currents from organisms can be used as control signals, influencing the flow and shape of generated waves.

Balancing the Scales of Justice

The Grey Matter • 0 implied HN points • 18 Nov 23
🔬 Science
  1. The study discusses the importance of considering tradeoffs when incorporating medically irrelevant information in forensic analysis.
  2. Bayesian statistics can help improve decision-making in forensic analysis by considering uncertainties and probabilities.
  3. By integrating background information with medical examiner data through Bayesian reasoning, one can enhance the accuracy of identifying guilt or innocence in forensic cases.

Observers and entropy

Space chimp life • 0 implied HN points • 10 May 24
🔬 Science Physics Information Theory Entropy Thermodynamics Cognition
  1. Entropy is a way to measure the uncertainty or disorder in a system. It can be understood through different models, and how we define our system affects how we calculate entropy.
  2. The concept of entropy relates to information as well. It’s about how well we can predict outcomes based on the information or 'alphabet' we use to understand a system.
  3. Both living organisms and neural networks try to minimize surprise and uncertainty by adjusting their internal models. This process helps efficiently process energy and information from their environment.

On the Inherent Subjectivity of Musical and Scientific Instruments

Cybernetic Forests • 0 implied HN points • 19 Jun 22
🔬 Science Music Instruments Communication Research Experimentation
  1. Our perception shapes our understanding, and expanding our tools of perception can lead to new discoveries in areas like science and music.
  2. The use of voltage spikes in mushroom communication can offer insights into creating electronic music using modular synthesizers.
  3. Sound can provide a unique connection to the information and interactions of living organisms, like mushrooms, fostering a deeper understanding of their behaviors.

The Beckoning Holobiont

Cybernetic Forests • 0 implied HN points • 07 Aug 22
🔬 Science Ethics Nature Knowledge Research Environment
  1. Colonialism has often exploited indigenous knowledge and communities through science and exploration.
  2. The concept of 'subtractive science' by Masanobu Fukuoka challenges the traditional interventionist approach of science, advocating for a more hands-off, natural growth process.
  3. The relationship between humans, technology, and nature should be one of collaboration and respect, with an emphasis on understanding the balance of power and hierarchy in these interactions.

Debunking Race “Science”

Space chimp life • 0 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🔬 Science Genetics Psychology Sociology Neuroscience Education
  1. Heritability and genetics are often confused. While some studies suggest certain traits are 50-60% heritable, this doesn't mean they're purely genetic, as environment plays a big role too.
  2. Twin studies, commonly used to support race 'science', have flaws because they often fail to isolate the twins' environments correctly, leading to misleading conclusions about heritability.
  3. Understanding intelligence requires looking at how the brain interacts with the environment, rather than just focusing on race or IQ numbers. The brain learns from experiences, showing its flexibility and adaptability across cultures.

Physics of intention and action

Space chimp life • 0 implied HN points • 26 Apr 23
🔬 Science Physics Biology Energy Information Causality
  1. Thought needs to have some effect on the world to be useful. If it doesn't change anything, we can't test or notice it.
  2. Actions often require more energy than the intention behind them. Like how a tiny joystick can move a heavy crane, we need stored energy to make big movements happen.
  3. The energy involved in our actions connects back through history. Every time we move, we are using energy that has been stored and transformed, showing how life's history influences what we do.

Shiitake Mushroom, How Do You Know?

Cybernetic Forests • 0 implied HN points • 10 Apr 22
🔬 Science Biology Communication Research Music Art
  1. Mushrooms communicate through electrical pulses that resemble human language, showcasing the complexity of nature's communication systems.
  2. The project 'Appetite for Deconstruction' explores using mushrooms to remediate plastic and transform cultural artifacts, highlighting the potential for innovative environmental solutions.
  3. Listening to nature, like mushrooms, can provide insights into different forms of intelligence and communication beyond human understanding, encouraging a deeper appreciation for the natural world.

Lecture 11

Quantum Formalism • 0 implied HN points • 04 Dec 20
🔬 Science Quantum physics
  1. There will be a fireside chat on December 15 with the founder of Quarks Interactive about their new game Quantum Odyssey. You can sign up for the fireside chat and the virtual launch event for the game.
  2. Lecture 11 has been uploaded to Youtube and covers abelian and non-abelian gauge theories in the context of matrix groups U(1) and SU(n).
  3. Bambordé Baldé shared updates on the quantum gaming startup and encouraged participation in upcoming events.

Noncommutative Geometry!

Quantum Formalism • 0 implied HN points • 21 Oct 21
🔬 Science Mathematics
  1. There will be a crash course on Noncommutative Geometry and its applications in 2022.
  2. At Zaiku Group, pure mathematics is important, and they support making advanced mathematical topics more accessible.
  3. For those eager to learn now, Alain Connes's book on Noncommutative Geometry is recommended.

Where does the mean squared error come from?

The Palindrome • 0 implied HN points • 21 Dec 23
🔬 Science Statistics Data Machine Learning
  1. Mean squared error is a common loss function for machine learning models due to its mathematical simplicity and alignment with statistical principles.
  2. Absolute value functions are not commonly chosen for loss function in machine learning due to issues with differentiability at zero.
  3. The linear model and mean squared error naturally arise when approaching machine learning with a statistical mindset.

Biotech Needs Its Hydrogen Atom

Niko McCarty • 0 implied HN points • 25 May 24
🔬 Science Biotechnology Physics Molecular Biology Genomics Research Methods
  1. Biotechnology needs a common foundation, much like how hydrogen is essential to physics. This foundation would help scientists work together more effectively and share their findings.
  2. If scientists could collaborate and understand life better, they could design solutions for diseases and other challenges. This could lead to a future where we have more control over creating living organisms for our needs.
  3. Focusing on studying a simple organism like Mycoplasma genitalium could be key to building this foundation. By deeply understanding it, we could create models that help us predict how other cells function.

QF Applied Virtual School Series: Quantum Error Correction & Quantum Machine Learning

Quantum Formalism • 0 implied HN points • 11 Apr 22
🔬 Science Quantum physics Machine Learning
  1. Virtual school series on quantum error correction and quantum machine learning will be hosted after Lie Groups & Representations.
  2. Excitement for the application side of quantum error correction and quantum machine learning is high.
  3. Updates about the virtual schools and live sessions will be shared in the coming weeks.

4. Einstein's Cross

Qissah • 0 implied HN points • 29 Jul 23
🔬 Science Physics Space Theory Light
  1. Despite challenges like heavy rain, life in the city continues as usual.
  2. Gravitational lensing, as predicted by Einstein, explains phenomena like Einstein's Cross.
  3. An intriguing thought: what if all stars we see are repetitive images of one lonely star?

One Year Anniversary!

Quantum Formalism • 0 implied HN points • 20 Sep 21
🔬 Science Mathematics Quantum Computing
  1. It has been a year since the quantumformalism.com community started, aiming to make abstract mathematics accessible to STEM professionals, especially those interested in quantum computing and AI like Geometric Deep Learning.
  2. Acknowledging and thanking Bambordé Baldé for delivering weekly lectures despite a busy schedule is appreciated and encouraged on social media or Discord.
  3. Congratulations to the participants for stepping out of their comfort zones and engaging with abstract mathematical topics through the Quantum Formalism community.

Session 16 on YouTube

Quantum Formalism • 0 implied HN points • 23 Jan 21
🔬 Science Quantum Evolution
  1. The post shares Session 16 on YouTube covering the concept of unitary evolution in quantum.
  2. The session marks the penultimate one of the foundation module, with invites for the final one to follow soon.
  3. The author, Bambordé Baldé, wishes everyone a happy weekend at the end of the post.

Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) 's growing popularity with regulators & industries - A behind the scenes view

Beyond Harm • 0 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🔬 Science Risk Assessment Physics Mathematics Regulation
  1. Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) predicts the 'frequency' of industrial accidents, but this can be misleading as it does not reveal how soon the next accident might occur.
  2. PRA has limitations due to its optimistic bias, which leads to under-predicting accident rates because it ignores important factors like climate change and technology wear-out.
  3. An alternative to PRA would be using Prescriptive Protection Design Requirements, which have been historically successful in ensuring safety without relying on probability mathematics.

Not All Zeros Are Equal

Nano Thoughts • 0 implied HN points • 20 Jan 25
🔬 Science Data Analysis Biology Statistics Research Methods
  1. Not all zeros in data mean the same thing. Sometimes, they can indicate something was never there, or other times, they mean something was just missed.
  2. Zero inflation happens when there's lots of data and many readings come back as zero. This can make it hard to understand what's really going on behind those zeros.
  3. There are different methods to deal with zeros in data, like checking if they are real or just unnoticed signals. Choosing the right method is important to get accurate insights.

Of Locusts and Doe-Birds: The Extinction of the Eskimo Curlew

Bird History • 0 implied HN points • 06 Aug 23
🔬 Science Ornithology Conservation
  1. The Eskimo Curlew faced extinction due to industrial-scale hunting and habitat destruction in the late 19th century, despite efforts for protection coming too late.
  2. Eskimo Curlews were marathon migrants, making a challenging journey from the Arctic to South America and back, facing significant hunting pressure along the way.
  3. The disappearance of the Rocky Mountain locust and destruction of the prairie grasslands contributed to the rapid decline and extinction of the Eskimo Curlew population.

Sunday Curiosity Links

Grist Potentia • 0 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🔬 Science History Neuroscience Architecture
  1. Thomas Edison, born in 1847, was an American inventor known for significant contributions in electric power, communication, sound recording, and motion pictures.
  2. The way the brain responds to reward is connected to a person's socioeconomic background.
  3. Emilio Ambasz's architecture combines poetry and greenery, showing a unique intertwining of art and nature.

Cleaning Up Hydrogen

Solar Powered Data • 0 implied HN points • 12 Sep 23
🔬 Science Carbon Emissions Renewable Energy Energy transition
  1. The average American needs to reduce their carbon contribution to avoid a 2 degree Celsius temperature increase by 2050. Personal actions like going solar and electrifying everything help, but difficult-to-electrify industries may rely on hydrogen for decarbonization.
  2. Traditional hydrogen production is not clean, emitting large amounts of CO2. New methods like 'blue' and 'green' hydrogen offer cleaner alternatives to help meet net zero goals.
  3. The cost of clean hydrogen production is decreasing, with major investments from companies driving a shift towards blue and green hydrogen. Despite challenges like varying emissions from different production methods, green hydrogen from renewable sources is seen as a key in reducing carbon emissions.

A machine learning model with no input variables

just learning data science • 0 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🔬 Science Data science Machine Learning Wikipedia Models
  1. Wikipedia may not be the best place for beginners to learn Data Science and Machine Learning due to the unordered topics and high entry level.
  2. The concept of Likelihood function on Wikipedia made it difficult initially due to the absence of input variables, which is a crucial aspect to understand.
  3. Models in machine learning can vary from deterministic with input variables to non-deterministic like a coin flip, showing the wide range of possibilities for machine learning models.

Projecting Solar Production with Weather Data

Solar Powered Data • 0 implied HN points • 09 Jul 23
🔬 Science Solar energy Energy Production Forecasting Data Analysis
  1. The correlation between weather data like solar radiation and solar energy with solar production is high, indicating a predictive relationship.
  2. By using historical and forecasted weather data, it's possible to project solar energy production up to two weeks in advance, offering insights for planning.
  3. Accuracy of solar energy predictions from sources like Visual Crossing is crucial for reliable projected energy production outcomes.

Thử nghiệm MathJax

Thái | Hacker | Kỹ sư tin tặc • 0 implied HN points • 26 Sep 13
🔬 Science Mathematics Physics
  1. The author discovered MathJax as a way to write mathematical formulas on the web, finding it visually appealing on Chrome in Linux.
  2. MathJax seemed to not work on Chrome in Android, prompting the author to wonder about its functionality on other platforms and browsers.
  3. The post includes mathematical formulas like Cauchy-Schwarz inequality, Fermat's little theorem, and Euler's beautiful identity, showcasing the use and testing of MathJax for such expressions.

Khoa học

Thái | Hacker | Kỹ sư tin tặc • 0 implied HN points • 10 Dec 13
🔬 Science Methodology Beliefs Empiricism
  1. Science relies on experimentation and observation to explain phenomena, and repetition is key.
  2. There are phenomena that science has not yet explained, showing the limits of human knowledge.
  3. It's important to differentiate between beliefs based on observable facts and those based on speculation, like the sixth sense, and to value scientific methods for their proven success in understanding and improving the world.