The hottest Science Substack posts right now

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Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 20 Aug 23
🔬 Science Economics Technology Society
  1. Alex Leijonhufvud wrote a classic on the Econ tribe 50 years ago called 'Life Among the Econ,' which is recommended for those interested in economists.
  2. Joshua Gans has written an update called 'Return to the Econ,' exploring the changes in the Econ tribe over the past 50 years due to technology and a shift in societal values.
  3. The 'Return to the Econ' abstract discusses how the Econ tribe's practices and status hierarchy have been influenced by new icons, reflecting changes in societal energy.

Dorian Abbot | The War on Science Interviews | Day 21

Critical Mass • 0 implied HN points • 14 Aug 25
🔬 Science Academia Research Free speech Science Policy Public Discourse
  1. A series of interviews will be released, featuring various authors discussing the problems in science and academia today. These discussions aim to raise awareness and spark conversation.
  2. The authors talk about issues like the impact of cancel culture, distorted views on biology, and how social justice activism is affecting academic scholarship. They believe these are serious threats to science.
  3. The goal is to encourage a movement to restore trust and quality in science education. They want more people to speak out against the current challenges faced in universities.

What is ‘gold standard’ evidence, anyway?

Hypertext • 0 implied HN points • 27 Mar 24
🔬 Science Research Criminal Justice Public Safety
  1. Gold standard evidence in policy often comes from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that help isolate causal effects but are not always practical, especially in criminal justice settings.
  2. Quasi-experimental methods like regression discontinuity designs (RDD) and difference in differences (DID) can also provide high-quality evidence for evaluating causal effects of programs and policies, offering flexibility where RCTs are not feasible.
  3. Recent analysis showed that RDD and DID designs are as reliable as RCTs for inferring causality, indicating that a variety of methods beyond RCTs can be valuable 'gold standard' evidence in policy and criminal justice research.

Supercooperation

Escher Studies • 0 implied HN points • 01 Oct 23
🔬 Science Evolution Game Theory Collaboration Competition
  1. Cooperation can evolve through mechanisms like direct reciprocity, indirect reciprocity, spatial selection, group selection, and kin selection.
  2. Elinor Ostrom's work challenges the tragedy of the commons theory by showing that communities can sustainably manage shared resources through local knowledge and cooperation.
  3. Understanding the biological foundations of collaboration involves concepts like Hamilton's rule, genetic relatedness, and cooperation conditions in evolution.

The precautionary principle

Hypertext • 0 implied HN points • 27 Mar 24
🔬 Science Policy Research Crime Justice Evidence
  1. Policy interventions should focus on 'stabilizers' - social forces that are difficult to change, rather than seeking unclear systemic reforms.
  2. Experiments like RCTs in criminal justice can provide meaningful insights, even if their scope is narrow, and they can be scaled with political will.
  3. Not all policy interventions are suitable for RCTs, but evidence from experiments should be considered as incremental tests for replication and scalability.
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Space

Neosapien’s Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 23 Apr 23
🔬 Science Space
  1. Earth has advanced technology like space elevators and in-skin chips.
  2. The moon has lunar colonies and houses space research.
  3. Mars is a powerful civilization with its own culture and resources for independence.

Magnets

Barn Lab • 0 implied HN points • 12 May 23
🔬 Science Physics Materials Engineering Electricity Magnetism
  1. Magnets have two poles: north and south, which attract or repel each other.
  2. Magnetism in materials comes from aligned electron spins creating a magnetic field.
  3. Electricity flowing through conductive materials generates a magnetic field, essential for building motors and generators.

Diamonds, Quantum and Beyond

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 0 implied HN points • 23 Feb 23
🔬 Science Physics Quantum Materials Technology Research
  1. Diamonds could play a big role in quantum computing, which is very cool because they are not just pretty stones.
  2. Scientists have found that diamonds can hold and preserve quantum states for a while, making them useful for data storage and calculations.
  3. This area of research is still developing, and there’s so much more to discover about how diamonds can be used in technology.

Alex Byrne and Moti Gorin | The War on Science Interviews | Day 18

Critical Mass • 0 implied HN points • 11 Aug 25
🔬 Science Academia Research Education Science Policy
  1. A series of 20 interviews with authors from the book 'The War on Science' is being released daily. These interviews cover important topics affecting science and academia today.
  2. The discussions focus on issues like ideological corruption in science, cancel culture, and the impact of social justice activism on scholarship. It's crucial to recognize how these challenges are harming the pursuit of knowledge.
  3. The goal is to spark conversations that will help restore trust and excellence in science at universities. It's important for everyone to get involved and address these internal conflicts within academia.

More Money For Oxford

ASeq Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 05 Nov 24
🔬 Science Biotechnology Research Innovation Funding Education
  1. Oxford Nanopore is receiving increased funding. This suggests that there is a growing confidence in its potential.
  2. More money flowing to Oxford indicates a belief in innovation and growth. It's a positive sign for their future developments.
  3. Investors are likely seeing value in what Oxford Nanopore can offer. This could lead to exciting advancements in their technology.

ONT Not Suing MGI?

ASeq Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 04 Nov 24
🔬 Science Genomics Biotechnology Research Health Ethics
  1. ONT has decided not to sue MGI after all. This means there won't be legal issues between these companies right now.
  2. The decision was reported by GenomeWeb, highlighting a significant change in ONT's approach.
  3. This could impact the business relationship between ONT and BGI, since they are linked in some way.

The Business of De-Extinction: Can it Save Species or Will it Fail?

Adetokunbo Sees • 0 implied HN points • 09 Aug 25
🔬 Science Biodiversity Conservation Genetics Climate Impact Ecology
  1. De-extinction is a hot topic and some companies are getting a lot of money for it, like Colossal Biosciences, which is valued at over ten billion dollars. This shows that there is interest in trying to save endangered species.
  2. Every year, many species are going extinct, with estimates saying between 10,000 and 100,000 species each year. This mass extinction has huge impacts on our economy and environment.
  3. While de-extinction is an exciting idea, stopping climate change and reducing fossil fuel use is a more effective way to save the most species and the planet overall.

How Much Does it Cost to Settle in Space?

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 0 implied HN points • 05 Dec 22
🔬 Science Astronomy Space Exploration Technology Innovation Engineering
  1. We are entering a new era of space exploration, with more opportunities for civilians to visit space. This means that soon, regular people might be able to experience space travel too.
  2. Companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are launching rockets more frequently, making space travel more accessible. This increase in launches suggests that the cost of going to space may decrease over time.
  3. The idea of settling in space is becoming more realistic, but it will still involve significant financial investment. People interested in exploring this frontier should prepare for the expenses that come with it.

Position bias in features

Simplicity is SOTA • 0 implied HN points • 12 Feb 24
🔬 Science Machine Learning Bias Features Ranking Simulation
  1. Position bias can affect the inputs of machine learning models when features reflect prior user behavior, leading to biased estimations of relevance.
  2. Using inverse propensity weighting (IPW) like IPW-CTR can help mitigate position bias in features, but it can result in high variance due to dividing by small numbers.
  3. The choice of weights to measure position bias is crucial, as observed click propensities may overestimate the bias, impacting the performance of features designed to address bias-variance trade-offs.

Electronic Biosciences Magnetic Motion Control

ASeq Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 19 Nov 24
🔬 Science Biosciences Technology Patents Research Innovation
  1. Electronic Biosciences is a company that has been around for a long time, focusing on nanopore technology for detection methods. They're known for getting funding from DARPA since around 2008.
  2. The company is developing new ways to control motion using magnetism, which could be cool in tech applications.
  3. The information about their patents shows they are continuing to innovate and explore different possibilities in the bioscience field.

Dogs Don’t Bark Anymore, They Speak

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 0 implied HN points • 03 May 23
🔬 Science Animal Behavior Communication Artificial Intelligence Research Technology
  1. Animals like dogs, cats, and horses have their own ways of communicating, which we often find hard to understand. New technology is helping us make sense of their sounds and what they mean.
  2. The effort to decode how animals communicate has been going on since the 1950s. Although there hasn't been a big breakthrough yet, a lot of research has contributed to our understanding.
  3. Recently, advancements in technology have sparked new hope in the study of animal communication. This could change how we interact with and understand our pets.

Why are peer reviews private?

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 01 Mar 17
🔬 Science Peer Review Research Publications
  1. The current system of keeping journal article reviews private raises questions about potential benefits of making them public to improve efficiency and encourage more careful submissions.
  2. Authors might take more care in their papers if peer reviews were public, allowing for dialogue and counter arguments.
  3. While there are concerns about anonymity and potential pressure on reviewers, testing out the publication of reviews could help reduce costs and system delays in academic publishing.

Why it sucks to be an alien

It Could Be Different • 0 implied HN points • 16 Jun 23
🔬 Science Aliens Research Civilization Biodiversity Technology
  1. Aliens visiting Earth could be like alien grad students researching and dealing with unexpected challenges caused by humans.
  2. Humans may unknowingly impact alien researchers, like accelerating their technological advancements and environmental destruction.
  3. Alien observer Marvin learns about Earth's complexities, challenges with interacting with humans, and unintended consequences of their presence.

The 24-hour Day That Isn't 24 Hours, Did You Know?

Stemble - for the love of STEM! • 0 implied HN points • 27 Jun 23
🔬 Science Astronomy Physics STEM
  1. Earth's rotation isn't a perfect 24-hour day due to its speed variations caused by gravitational interactions with the Moon and Sun.
  2. The time taken for the Earth to spin once on its axis relative to distant stars is 23h 56m 4.1s, but it needs an extra 3m 55.9s to complete a 24-hour solar day relative to the Sun.
  3. Leap seconds are added to our timekeeping to adjust for Earth's inconsistent rotation speed, managed by the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service.

Sciencing without help from fairies

Meaningness • 0 implied HN points • 19 Sep 20
🔬 Science Philosophy
  1. The post discusses abstract and philosophical concepts related to 'aboutness.'
  2. Part One of 'The Eggplant' aims to pave the way for concrete and practical explanations.
  3. The content may sound complex, but it serves as a foundation for understandable discussions.

Power tools for confusion

Meaningness • 0 implied HN points • 25 Oct 20
🔬 Science Statistics Rationalism Replication Crisis
  1. The post discusses how rationalist misunderstanding of statistics contributed to the replication crisis in some sciences, revealing that much of what was believed to be true was false.
  2. The section focuses on probabilistic rationalism and sheds light on the importance of statistics in research and decision-making processes.
  3. The post is geared towards paid subscribers, providing exclusive content on challenging topics related to confusion and rationalism.

All Aboard The NanoTrain! Chu Chu!

ASeq Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 31 Oct 24
🔬 Science Biotechnology Genetics Sequencing Research Technology
  1. Universal Sequencing Technology is gaining attention again after being quiet for a while. People are curious about their progress and what they are focusing on now.
  2. They seem to have shifted their focus from single molecule sequencing to developing various sample preparation kits. This shows they are adapting to changes in the field.
  3. This update may be particularly interesting for those who follow advancements in sequencing technology and want to know about new tools or methods in the industry.

The New Genetics — Part V: Is the Intestinal Microbiome Part of Our Genome?

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 18 Apr 11
🔬 Science Genetics Microbiome Inheritance Metabolism Health
  1. Intestinal microbes contribute to our phenotype and are inherited from one generation to the next, challenging assumptions about genetic inheritance.
  2. The co-evolution of humans and their gut flora is vital to consider when discussing human evolution.
  3. Fixing metabolic issues may involve normalizing gut flora, highlighting the importance of a comprehensive health approach.

The NextSeq 550 LEDs And More Dye Experiments

ASeq Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 03 Nov 24
🔬 Science Biology Technology Engineering Research Chemistry
  1. The NextSeq 550 uses affordable components like $30 LEDs and image sensors, making it impressive for its cost-effective design.
  2. Experimenting with the LED pinout and driving them at certain voltage and current allowed for practical testing with a spectrometer.
  3. The author shares measurements taken through the NextSeq 550 optical system, indicating a hands-on approach to understanding its functionality.

The Magical Telescope and the Starry Adventure

Once Upon A News • 0 implied HN points • 08 Apr 23
🔬 Science Space Exploration Astronomy Discovery Technology Adventure
  1. A group of wise stargazers dream of discovering the oldest twinkling lights in the sky and need a magical telescope.
  2. The magical telescope, James Webb Space Mirror, could see things invisible to the naked eye and helped find the oldest twinkling lights.
  3. The stargazers find the oldest lights made of hydrogen and helium, and continue their starry adventure to uncover more mysteries of the universe.

Data in, garbage out

Hypertext • 0 implied HN points • 27 Mar 24
🔬 Science Data Analysis Social Science Interventions Quantitative Methods
  1. Statistics can only tell us so much, so we should approach data with humility about both the power of social programs and hard data to test them.
  2. Rigorous measurement often doesn't definitively show whether interventions work, leading to ongoing debates and conflicting results in various fields.
  3. While randomized controlled trials have their value in measuring specified outcomes, they can miss unexpected effects and subtle interactions, highlighting the importance of qualitative methods and personal observations.

A world of ice and fire

Extrasolar Times • 0 implied HN points • 19 Jun 23
🔬 Science Exoplanets
  1. TOI-1416 b is a super-hot planet with a molten interior and potential water in the mantle.
  2. The planet was confirmed and measured using radial velocity observations from telescopes around the world.
  3. Future observations aim to determine the exact composition of TOI-1416 b through atmospheric studies.

How to apply Boosting when the Data Labels are Noisy and Uncertain

Machine Learning Diaries • 0 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🔬 Science Machine Learning Model Evaluation
  1. Boosting algorithms can struggle when dealing with noisy and uncertain data labels.
  2. Weakly supervised learning (WSL) is gaining attention as a way to handle noisy and weak data labels more effectively than fully-supervised methods.
  3. The LocalBoost approach aims to address challenges by iteratively and adaptively enhancing boosting in a weakly supervised setting.

We are ~100 watt biological machines

The Iteration Loop • 0 implied HN points • 05 Mar 24
🔬 Science Energy Population Automation Robots Human biology
  1. Fertility rates are dropping globally, with India being the only top 20 GDP country above 2.05 and potentially falling below 2 as wealth increases.
  2. Energy consumption is crucial for quality of life and sustainability. Clean, portable energy sources are needed for a better future.
  3. Humans consume around 100 watts of energy daily, with comparisons to common energy uses like electricity, gasoline, and jet fuel. Understanding energy consumption per capita highlights the disparity in energy usage between countries like the United States and Somalia.

Quacking the Code: Bridging the Animal-Human Divide

Nano Thoughts • 0 implied HN points • 04 Apr 24
🔬 Science Biology Genetics AI Drug Development Pharmacology
  1. Transfer learning allows computers to use knowledge from one area to help in another. This approach helps in drug development by applying what we've learned from studying animals to predict how those drugs might affect humans.
  2. Gene reactomes help us compare how genes respond to drugs across different species. This means we can identify which genes may act similarly in humans and animals, leading to safer drug development.
  3. The Universal Gene Embedding framework acts like a translator for genetic information. It allows scientists to understand gene functions across species, making it easier to predict how drugs will work in humans based on animal studies.

isotope

the rohn report • 0 implied HN points • 22 Aug 20
🔬 Science Chemistry Biology History Evolution
  1. Isotopes are atoms with different numbers of neutrons, which can affect their stability and behavior.
  2. Different isotopes have varying half-lives and can be used for dating materials, such as carbon-14 for archaeological purposes.
  3. Studying isotopes like uranium has practical applications and helps in understanding Earth's history and the origins of life.

Institutional economics through the lens of scale-free regulative development, morphogenesis, and cognitive science

Engineering Ideas • 0 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🔬 Science Biology Economics Development Policy AI
  1. Socioeconomies are non-ergodic systems with hysteresis, and history matters in understanding their structures.
  2. The complexity of socioeconomic structures goes beyond individual behavior and requires a non-reductionist approach.
  3. Policies and regulations in economies are more effective when supported by networks of checks and balances among various organizations.

Cholesterol's Molecular Formula

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 09 Nov 08
🔬 Science Chemistry
  1. A molecular formula shows which atoms and how many of them are in a molecule, with letters representing elements and numbers indicating quantities.
  2. Atomic symbols are abbreviations for specific types of atoms, like C for carbon and H for hydrogen.
  3. Molecular formulas can provide additional information, like functional groups, to give insights into a molecule's structure and properties.