The hottest Research Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Health Politics Topics

Ranking Content On Signals Other Than User Engagement

techandsocialcohesion • 59 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Research
  1. Ranking content by user engagement is good for user retention, but there can be a negative correlation between engagement and content quality.
  2. Optimizing for quality content can lead to better long-term retention for platforms and improve user experience.
  3. Platforms are exploring using non-engagement signals, like surveys and negative feedback controls, to improve content quality and user satisfaction.

Coming soon

Space Ambition • 439 implied HN points • 24 Aug 22
🕹 Technology Research
  1. A group of passionate people is focusing on space technology and its benefits. They want to make space tech easier to understand for everyone.
  2. Their goal is to inspire discussions about space, encourage investments in SpaceTech, and help people find careers in this field.
  3. They plan to share clear insights and updates about SpaceTech to help people stay informed about its developments.

The Vitamins and Minerals 101 Cliff Notes

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 539 implied HN points • 11 Apr 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Research
  1. The Vitamins and Minerals 101 Cliff Notes offer a simple bullet-point summary of insights on nutrients, signs of deficiency or excess, recommended foods, supplements, and balancing strategies.
  2. It is a 28-page PDF based on 20 years of research, providing actionable information for each nutrient.
  3. Masterpass members can access the Cliff Notes, making it a valuable resource for those seeking organized and efficient nutrition information.

Weight Loss Drugs – A Long Line Of Losers Part 1 Fen-Phen and Belviq

Weight and Healthcare • 359 implied HN points • 10 Aug 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Research
  1. Pharmaceutical companies have profited off dangerous weight-loss drugs that harmed people and were eventually pulled from the market.
  2. Short-term data and misleading risk/benefit analyses have led to the approval of weight-loss drugs that caused serious side effects.
  3. Weight-related co-morbid conditions do not always originate from weight, and weight stigma in healthcare can lead to unjust risks for those with higher BMIs.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

The 20 Comet AI Browser Workflows That Will 10x Your Productivity (Copy/Paste Inside)

The Product Channel By Sid Saladi • 20 implied HN points • 16 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Research
  1. Using AI tools can save you a lot of time on research tasks. Instead of spending hours gathering information, the AI can do it for you and help you focus on the important stuff.
  2. Automating tasks like competitive analysis and trend monitoring can improve the quality of your work. You can get real-time data and insights without getting bogged down by manual processes.
  3. It's important to adapt your workflow to new technologies. When you let AI handle the busywork, you can dedicate more time to creative and strategic thinking.

Making Them Laugh, Making Them Think

Everything Is Amazing • 882 implied HN points • 16 Apr 23
🔬 Science Research
  1. Substack has launched a new feature called Notes, resembling Twitter but with a more positive tone.
  2. Legal language is often unnecessarily complex and difficult to read due to factors like jargon and convoluted sentence structures.
  3. The Ig Nobel Prizes celebrate quirky and humorous scientific research, shedding light on interesting discoveries with a touch of lightheartedness.

The Reasoning Race: Can Small Models Reason?

TheSequence • 182 implied HN points • 05 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Research
  1. The Sequence newsletter is evolving to offer more focused content, catering to both AI scientists and engineers. This means you'll get richer discussions on research and practical applications.
  2. There will be new editions each week that cover a variety of topics like education, engineering, interviews, and insights. This change aims to make the content shorter and easier to digest.
  3. The discussions around reasoning in AI are expanding to include smaller models, challenging the idea that only large models are capable of complex reasoning. It's an exciting area of exploration.

(Thinking Like a Plague) 1. Microbe-botherers

Microanimism • 19 implied HN points • 05 Jun 24
🔬 Science Research
  1. Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, where scientists explore what they do and how they function, making microbiologists essentially 'microbe-botherers.'
  2. The term 'microbe' serves as a broad, inclusive label, encompassing various tiny organisms, even if specific scientific terms like 'microbial' are more accurate for certain contexts.
  3. Subscribing to Microanimism gives you access to insightful posts like this one and a 7-day trial to explore the full archives.

Recursive Language Models ("RLMs")

Why Now • 7 implied HN points • 09 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Research
  1. Models suffer from "context rot" on very long inputs: attention gets diluted, positional signals degrade, and small mistakes compound over long sequences.
  2. Recursive Language Models (RLMs) handle long context by having a root model peek, create targeted context slices, spawn sub-models to summarize or process each chunk, and then combine results, so each model sees much less context.
  3. RLMs have shown strong empirical gains and cost savings on long-context benchmarks, and they could enable scalable codebase reasoning, long-running assistants, and other tasks that need effectively unlimited context.

Understanding Weight Stigma in Healthcare Practice

Weight and Healthcare • 279 implied HN points • 19 Oct 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Research
  1. Weight stigma in healthcare is pervasive and harmful, affecting fat individuals at every level and it is rooted in racism and anti-Blackness.
  2. Different forms of weight stigma and bias exist, including intrinsic and structural biases, and these can lead to inequalities in healthcare access and treatment.
  3. Healthcare practitioners often display high levels of bias, which can harm higher-weight patients, and lack of accommodation for fat patients is a common issue that impacts their access to healthcare.

Edge 369: LLM Reasoning with Chain-Of-Code

TheSequence • 476 implied HN points • 13 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Research
  1. LLMs can potentially use code generation to tackle complex tasks by breaking them down into manageable steps.
  2. Understanding the concept of Chain-of-Code (CoC) is crucial for LLM reasoning.
  3. The Embedchain RAG framework is an important tool introduced in this post for enhancing LLM reasoning processes.

Academic Apocalypse?

Unsafe Science • 146 implied HN points • 10 Feb 25
🔬 Science Research
  1. The NIH is cutting grant overhead from 50% or more down to 15%, which could deeply impact research funding. This change has caused a lot of concern among scientists about how it might hurt innovation in the U.S.
  2. Many academics fear that these cuts to indirect costs are a threat to vital research programs. Since a lot of university funding relies on these indirect costs, losing them could lead to fewer jobs and less support for important studies.
  3. Despite the worries, there is a possibility that reducing indirect costs could free up more money for actual research projects. This change could lead to a rethinking of spending priorities, focusing more on direct scientific work.

Edwin Cohn and the Harvard Blood Factory

Asimov Press • 174 implied HN points • 05 Jan 25
🔬 Science Research
  1. Edwin Cohn greatly advanced medical treatments during World War II by developing blood products that helped save soldiers' lives. His team created more stable albumin solutions that could be used in emergencies, proving crucial for treating wounded soldiers.
  2. Cohn transformed his lab from a focus on theoretical experiments to practical applications during the war. He implemented pilot plants that increased efficiency, allowing for the quick transition from lab findings to actual medical products.
  3. Cohn's approach shows the importance of combining solid funding, teamwork, and a clear vision to tackle big scientific problems. His success reflects how having the right infrastructure and support can allow researchers to make impactful discoveries.

Learn to Read Science Part 1: The CATIE Trial

The Frontier Psychiatrists • 58 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🔬 Science Research
  1. The CATIE Trial is a significant research study comparing new antipsychotic medicines with older ones in real-world settings and published in high-impact medical journals.
  2. Medical journals like the New England Journal of Medicine have high impact factors, which are determined by the number of times articles are cited.
  3. Effectiveness research involves large sample sizes, and the methods section of a research paper provides essential details about the study design and participants.

Overcoming challenges in Martian and Earth agriculture: a path to sustainable food production

Space Ambition • 219 implied HN points • 24 Mar 23
🔬 Science Research
  1. Growing food on Mars will be challenging. Scientists need to consider energy needs, special farming techniques, and the importance of making the environment attractive for all settlers.
  2. For a permanent Mars colony, it’s better to produce most food on-site rather than bringing it from Earth. This means finding ways to efficiently grow food using available Martian resources.
  3. Advancements in technology, like genetic engineering and farm automation, are crucial. These innovations can help make food production sustainable both on Mars and here on Earth.

Weekly Dose of Optimism #145

Not Boring by Packy McCormick • 84 implied HN points • 23 May 25
🕹 Technology Research
  1. OpenAI is teaming up with Jony Ive's design company to create AI-powered consumer devices. This partnership is generating excitement about upcoming innovative products.
  2. Google is heavily investing in AI, launching new tools that enhance their search and other services. They are a major player in the tech landscape, and their resources support widespread adoption of AI.
  3. Recent research suggests that creatine might provide benefits for people with Alzheimer's, showing it could improve cognitive function and brain energy levels. This is promising news for further studies in neurodegenerative diseases.

Reader Question - What's the Difference Between Weight-Neutral Health and Weight-Inclusive Health

Weight and Healthcare • 319 implied HN points • 27 Aug 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Research
  1. Weight-neutral health focuses on providing the same interventions to people of all sizes without using weight loss as a healthcare strategy.
  2. Weight-inclusive health aims to create interventions and practices that are developed for bodies of all sizes, including research, tools, equipment, and best practices.
  3. Inclusive care is essential not only for fat individuals but also for marginalized groups like people of color, trans and nonbinary individuals, cis women, and others.

Tenure Is a Total Scam

Bet On It • 644 implied HN points • 05 Sep 23
🚌 Education Research
  1. Getting tenure involves a complex process of academic achievements and connections.
  2. Tenured professors have minimal job responsibilities and are difficult to fire.
  3. The tenure system in academia may be sustained by perverse incentives and weak selection pressure.

November/December 2023 safety news: Weak-to-strong generalization, Superhuman concepts, Google-proof benchmark

AI safety takes • 78 implied HN points • 27 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Research
  1. Superhuman AI can use concepts beyond human knowledge, and we need to understand these concepts to supervise AI effectively.
  2. Transformers can generalize tasks differently based on the complexity and structure of the task, showing varying capabilities in different scenarios.
  3. Implementing preprocessing defenses like random input perturbations can be effective against jailbreaking attacks on large language models.

​​Global Space and Technology Convention: highlights by Space Ambition

Space Ambition • 219 implied HN points • 17 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Research
  1. The conference highlighted the growing trend of international collaboration in space, with countries teaming up to share knowledge and resources. This is a positive change, as seen in recent agreements between countries like Israel and the UAE.
  2. New research on human reproduction in space was announced, focusing on how traits like low gravity can impact pregnancy. This could be crucial for future space missions and understanding human health in space.
  3. Educational programs are being introduced to inspire the next generation of space engineers, like the STEM 2.0 program and space internships. These initiatives aim to spark interest in careers related to space technology.

Striking the Right Balance: Anthropomorphism in AI Assistants

UX Psychology • 119 implied HN points • 04 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Research
  1. Incorporating anthropomorphic design elements can improve user experience and satisfaction with AI systems. Humanlike voices and natural conversational abilities in chatbots lead to more positive user perceptions and emotional connections.
  2. Not all humanlike cues in AI elicit positive reactions - some may cause unease or revulsion. Factors like the uncanny valley effect and privacy risks need to be considered when designing anthropomorphic AI.
  3. Emotional and auditory anthropomorphic cues like humor and natural-sounding voices can increase user satisfaction and strengthen connections. These cues are more impactful for entertainment purposes than utilitarian tasks with AI assistants.

From Clinic to Genome and Back Again: Cowden Syndrome and PTEN

Holodoxa • 119 implied HN points • 17 Aug 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Research
  1. Cowden Syndrome, first described in 1963, was named after the patient Rachel Cowden and later found to be associated with the PTEN gene.
  2. The PTEN gene was identified as a tumor suppressor gene responsible for Cowden Syndrome, leading to advancements in genetic diagnosis and personalized medical care.
  3. Cowden Syndrome shows clinical and genetic heterogeneity, with other genes like PIK3CA and AKT1 also implicated, leading to the classification of PTEN Hamartoma Tumor Syndrome for better diagnosis.

Inside Job: Secret Histories in the National Museum

Asimov Press • 186 implied HN points • 08 Dec 24
🔬 Science Research
  1. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History holds millions of specimens, including a secret history of bioweapons experiments conducted by the U.S. military.
  2. Many animal specimens collected during military conflicts reveal connections between warfare and biological research programs, showing how these historical events influenced scientific endeavors.
  3. The presence of everyday specimens in the museum, like insects and rodents, can unveil hidden stories about government actions and ecological research, suggesting that even small details can have significant implications.

Myths About the Failure Rate of Dieting

Weight and Healthcare • 439 implied HN points • 16 Apr 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Research
  1. Research shows that the majority of people regain weight after intentional weight loss, often gaining back more than they lost.
  2. The failure rate of intentional weight loss applies to all methods, not just 'fad' diets, with statistics dating back to the 1950s showing low success rates.
  3. The idea that weight loss fails because people don't do it correctly is a misconception; with around 95% of individuals regaining lost weight, the approach itself may be flawed.

Links for 2023-02-15

Axis of Ordinary • 117 implied HN points • 15 Feb 23
🔬 Science Research
  1. Google released MetNet-2, a deep learning model that predicts rain better than current weather models.
  2. There is a need for drugs that strengthen identity rather than dissolve it like psychedelics.
  3. Automatic differentiation in MIT's ADEV brings AI benefits to a broader class of problems.

Scientific Honesty

The Heart Attack Diet • 79 implied HN points • 21 Dec 23
🔬 Science Research
  1. Scientific honesty requires complete transparency and openness in reporting findings, including potential flaws and conflicting data.
  2. Soft sciences are facing a replication crisis, prompting a reevaluation of their methods and credibility.
  3. Striving for scientific integrity involves challenging one's own beliefs and being open to critique and correction.

Introducing the ScholarAI plugin for ChatGPT: Instant access to peer-reviewed articles with citations

Culture and Growth • 117 implied HN points • 12 May 23
🕹 Technology Research
  1. ChatGPT may provide plausible answers, but they sometimes lack factual foundation from verified sources.
  2. ScholarAI plugin integrates peer-reviewed articles to provide accurate information and citations within ChatGPT.
  3. Users can access a wide range of academic articles and directly follow hyperlinks to the source material through ScholarAI.

Seasons change, and so did I

WORLD GONE WRONG • 117 implied HN points • 17 Jun 23
🌍 World Politics Research
  1. Joined the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism as a Senior Research Fellow
  2. Challenges with maintaining INTELWIRE Daily Brief due to changes in Twitter API and website issues
  3. Downgraded presence on Twitter and active on other platforms like Mastodon and Bluesky

Substantive Sustainability Gets More Clicks

computers suck • 117 implied HN points • 12 Apr 23
💼 Business Research
  1. Substantive sustainability work leads to higher click-through rates in online ads compared to greenwashing
  2. Using science-based language in ads, such as carbon emissions reduction stats, is more effective than vague greenwashing claims
  3. Consumers aged 25-54 show significantly higher engagement with ads featuring substantive sustainability messaging

WELCOME!

Silicon Reckoner • 117 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23
🔬 Science Research
  1. There has been a surge in newsletter subscriptions after being mentioned in a New York Times article.
  2. There are concerns about the relationship between AI, mathematics, and industries like tech and defense.
  3. Articles in the newsletter cover topics such as the conflict between mathematics and computing, the goals of mathematics, and AI's impact on mathematical reasoning.

The AI research job market shit show (and my experience)

Democratizing Automation • 577 implied HN points • 11 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Research
  1. Finding a fulfilling job in AI research is challenging despite numerous opportunities available.
  2. Investment in GenAI is causing significant upheaval in the job market, leading to scarcity of skilled individuals.
  3. Many AI companies prioritize hiring researchers to drive the transition from concept to product, resulting in high compensation and competition for talent.

Does cursive writing offer educational benefits over printing?

The Science of Learning • 119 implied HN points • 21 Aug 23
🚌 Education Research
  1. Handwriting, whether cursive or printing, is better than typing for young kids. It helps them with spelling, letter recognition, and memory.
  2. There is no solid proof that cursive writing is better for cognitive skills than printing. Both styles seem to be pretty equal in benefits.
  3. The claims about cursive writing being more helpful for critical thinking or expression are not supported by research. It's important for kids to practice any handwriting to become fluent.