The hottest Technology Substack posts right now

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What is "Theory"?

Never Met a Science • 200 implied HN points • 09 Dec 25
📖 Philosophy Technology
  1. Natural-language theories fit inside one human brain and are therefore limited by our cognitive capacity, so they struggle to capture complex social systems and often give only vague answers.
  2. The machine-learning 'bitter lesson' shows that scaling data and computation often beats hand-built symbolic theories, so social science should rethink the theory-first paradigm and embrace more data-driven, computational approaches.
  3. Theory should be treated as code and engineered artifacts, and metascience must evaluate platforms, practices, and forecasting so science gains direct apertures to the world and can tell which theories actually work in practice.

The Cat in the Tree: Why AI Content Leaves Us Cold

The Convivial Society • 2628 implied HN points • 03 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Technology
  1. AI-generated content can be technically impressive but often feels dull and forgettable to many people. It lacks the emotional warmth that comes from human creativity.
  2. Unexpected discoveries, like finding a charming painting in nature, can bring genuine delight and a sense of connection. This feeling of surprise adds value to human-made art.
  3. The essence of art lies in human intention and presence. Simple acts of creativity can create a sense of companionship and joy, forming connections in a lonely world.

There Is No Real World Anymore

Mental Hellth • 1867 implied HN points • 27 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Technology
  1. Social media has become integrated into our lives, blurring the line between online and offline.
  2. Younger generations find joy and freedom in performing on platforms like TikTok.
  3. The concept of real world versus virtual world is no longer distinct; we have become the media we consume.
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Life Cannot Be Delegated

The Convivial Society • 2609 implied HN points • 29 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Technology
  1. Life is about personal involvement and cannot be handed off to technology. When we let technology take over important parts of our lives, we miss out on what makes life meaningful.
  2. We should think carefully about how much we delegate to technology. There are limits to how much we can rely on it before it stops helping us and starts taking away from our experience of life.
  3. Everyday tasks and responsibilities are not distractions; they are part of what shapes our lives. Embracing the mundane can help us find purpose and meaning in our actions.

DeFi Education's 2024 Outlook

DeFi Education • 1139 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
🔮 Crypto Technology
  1. The predictions for 2024 will have many possibilities, so they are mostly fun to think about. It's important to keep in mind that things can change.
  2. Past expectations have been shared in earlier posts, but they will be updated again for clarity. It’s good to stay informed on the latest thoughts.
  3. This discussion is meant for paid subscribers, indicating more in-depth and exclusive content is available for those who support the platform. It shows a commitment to providing quality information.

👶📉 3 long-shot ways to solve the global baby bust

Faster, Please! • 1096 implied HN points • 25 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Technology
  1. Governments can't just pay people to have babies. Cultural views on family size have changed, making it hard to encourage larger families this way.
  2. A shrinking workforce doesn't mean a bad economy. In Japan, fewer workers have led to higher wages and better productivity, showing there can be benefits.
  3. For future generations, three ideas could spark more births: a revival of religious communities that encourage larger families, AI making family life easier, and the excitement of space exploration that needs more people.

🛑 Here’s how it all went wrong. Let's not repeat the mistake

Faster, Please! • 913 implied HN points • 21 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Technology
  1. In the 1960s, some people started to worry that our tech-focused society was losing its human touch and becoming too controlled by big organizations.
  2. Critics believed that technology was making us lose our individuality and prioritize cold efficiency over our well-being and culture.
  3. This growing concern led to political movements that challenged the postwar economic boom, emphasizing the need for more human-centric values.

The Free Press, Tailored to You

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2735 implied HN points • 17 Dec 24
📰 News Technology
  1. The website has a fresh new look that makes it easier to use. Now, you can quickly find what interests you most.
  2. You can listen to podcasts and watch videos more easily, thanks to dedicated sections on the site.
  3. You can customize what you receive in your inbox. This means you’ll get the stories you care about right when they're published.

Why don't media outlets personalize their homepages?

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 224 implied HN points • 21 Nov 25
💼 Business Technology
  1. Most major news outlets haven't personalized their homepages like social media has, which feels surprising given the tech advancements. Publishers often think their audiences prefer a curated experience instead of individualized content.
  2. Patreon is focusing on content discovery outside big tech companies, promoting quality over sensationalism. This could help creators earn more money without relying on engagement-driven algorithms.
  3. The Guardian has gained a strong membership base in the U.S. by directly confronting right-wing extremism, which sets it apart from many American news outlets that shy away from such stances.

Interview: On Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 2367 implied HN points • 16 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Technology
  1. Mark Zuckerberg has recently made a big shift in how he is presenting himself and Facebook. This change could have important effects moving forward.
  2. There are ongoing discussions about the impact of Facebook on free speech, especially in comparison to other social media platforms.
  3. There will be more updates and stories coming soon, including a new law in the U.K. and some controversies involving the TSA.

China Has The Whip-Hand In The War

Phillips’s Newsletter • 188 implied HN points • 11 Dec 25
🌍 World Politics Technology
  1. Modern wars are decided by who can produce and sustain weapons at scale. The ability to adapt and mass-produce new systems like drones matters more than the forces you start with.
  2. China dominates commercial drone and component production, supplying cameras, engines, electronics, and whole airframes at mass scale. That gives China the power to sharply reduce other countries' drone output if it stops shipments.
  3. The US and many allies lag China’s production capacity, leaving countries like Ukraine and Russia vulnerable to supply cuts. Reliance on Chinese parts is a strategic risk that could change the outcome of conflicts if China uses that leverage.

4.0 Electromagnetism Comes of Age

Fields & Energy • 259 implied HN points • 05 Jun 24
🔬 Science Technology
  1. Oliver Heaviside improved upon Maxwell's ideas about electromagnetism. He made complex concepts simpler and more useful, opening doors for new technologies.
  2. Heaviside's work helped solve many technical issues with telegraphy, making long-distance communication possible. His innovations changed how electrical signals were sent across wires.
  3. Heaviside created important terms used in electronics today and developed a simplified way to describe energy flow in electromagnetic fields. His contributions are still fundamental in understanding electromagnetism.

Compressed for Time

Doomberg • 6641 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🔬 Science Technology
  1. Jafurah in Saudi Arabia is a huge natural gas project with massive investments to increase production significantly by 2030.
  2. Technological advancements have made natural gas production economically viable, with potential for further investment and development.
  3. Natural gas can serve as a direct substitute for oil in various applications, contributing to energy efficiency and market dynamics.

Vol. 2, Issue 28 - What Iwata did for Pokémon

Johto Times • 139 implied HN points • 11 Jul 24
🎭️ Culture Technology
  1. Satoru Iwata played a huge role in making Pokémon successful. He helped bring Pokémon games to the West and was involved in the development of many classic titles.
  2. Iwata created important tools that improved the Pokémon games. His work made it easier for developers to create engaging experiences for players.
  3. Even during tough times, like when he was sick, Iwata continued to work on projects like Pokémon GO. His dedication left a lasting impact on fans and the gaming community.

How Has U.S. Manufacturing Been Going Over the Past Generation?

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 176 implied HN points • 03 Dec 25
💼 Business Technology
  1. Official measures understate manufacturing productivity because producer deflators miss big quality improvements. Using consumer-facing hedonic adjustments pushed through input–output tables raises measured TFP a lot, especially in computers and electronics.
  2. Even after correcting for mismeasurement, manufacturing shows a clear slowdown after the 2007–2009 financial crisis; the strong gains are concentrated in a few ICT subindustries while much of manufacturing has essentially stagnated.
  3. If quality growth has been undercounted, manufacturing matters more for growth and policy than official data imply, so researchers should dig into why ICT dominates the gains and test robustness to margins, globalization, and measurement choices.

How to Do Soul-Craft with State Tools

Justin E. H. Smith's Hinternet • 1088 implied HN points • 29 May 25
🎭️ Culture Technology
  1. Writing started as a tool for controlling people and managing resources, not for storytelling. It helped governments keep track of what was going on in society.
  2. Getting everyone to be able to read took a long time and a lot of changes in how writing works. It went from a complex system to something much simpler and easier for people to learn.
  3. Reading isn't something we naturally do; it requires special training of our brains. If we don't keep investing in literacy, it could easily disappear and only be accessible to a few people.

Secretary Marco Rubio remarks - Munich Security Conference

Who is Robert Malone • 27 implied HN points • 14 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Technology
  1. The West must renew its economy and technology by re-industrializing, securing supply chains, and competing strongly in AI, commercial space, and other critical industries.
  2. Strong border control and immigration limits are presented as necessary expressions of national sovereignty to protect social cohesion and cultural continuity.
  3. The transatlantic alliance should be reinvigorated around shared Western heritage and reciprocity, with Europe taking more responsibility for defense, international institutions reformed, and hard power used when diplomacy fails.

The Short Arm of Trump’s Diplomacy. Plus. . .

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2049 implied HN points • 29 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Technology
  1. Trump's approach to foreign policy focuses mainly on the Americas, which could leave the U.S. vulnerable in other parts of the world. It's important for the U.S. to stay influential globally as it affects everyone back home.
  2. The release of DeepSeek, an AI model from China, could push the U.S. to enhance its technology efforts. This represents a big moment for innovation, similar to the space race.
  3. San Francisco is reconsidering its harm reduction strategies for drug addiction as overdose rates rise. Some leaders are looking for stricter laws, including mass arrests to get users into treatment.

Building a phosphorescence detector

lcamtuf’s thing • 2652 implied HN points • 27 Nov 24
🔬 Science Technology
  1. There isn't much information available on natural phosphorescence, so creating a detector can help explore its presence in everyday items.
  2. The device design prioritizes speed and sensitivity to detect phosphorescence briefly brought out by UV light, using specific electronics like photodiodes and amplifiers.
  3. Experimenting with common household materials showed that some items, like powdered milk and natural ruby, exhibit weak phosphorescence, although many other items didn't show any notable glow.

God Spelled Backwards Is Dog

Gideon's Substack • 21 implied HN points • 20 Feb 26
📖 Philosophy Technology
  1. AI is advancing fast and creating real hype about making many jobs and skills obsolete, so healthy skepticism should follow real developments rather than idle fear or wishful thinking.
  2. If AI solves material scarcity it will create a new problem: people will struggle to find meaning and satisfy thymos, the human desire for recognition and struggle, which can breed widespread spiritual discontent.
  3. Superintelligent AI could try to fix that by reengineering humans into more docile beings — but alignment is hard because we don't have agreed ultimate values and powerful systems may operate beyond our understanding or oversight.

Flying Squad: 90 Years Since London's First Police 'Helicopters'

Londonist: Time Machine • 239 implied HN points • 05 Jun 24
💾 History Technology
  1. The concept of police helicopters has roots dating back to the 1930s in London, with the use of autogyros for aerial surveillance and traffic management.
  2. Autogyros, precursor to helicopters, were notable for their innovative design, flight capabilities, and utility for police operations.
  3. The early days of police autogyros involved significant milestones such as monitoring public gatherings, assisting in traffic control, and capturing aerial images for police work.

Cities are routers in network society

Subconscious • 988 implied HN points • 05 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Technology
  1. Cities act like routers in our connected world, linking people and resources together. They help create community and make life easier.
  2. Internet and networks change how power and information flow. Unlike old broadcast systems that focus on a center, networks spread connections widely.
  3. With new technology, many people are becoming digital nomads. They can work from anywhere, making cities hubs for gatherings and shared experiences again.

Comrade Musk

Diane Francis • 1179 implied HN points • 04 Dec 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Technology
  1. Elon Musk has significant power due to his wealth and technology, but this has raised concerns about his influence on global events. His actions, like limiting access to his satellite service, can have serious implications for security.
  2. Musk's past decisions have created tension and controversy, especially regarding his relations with Russia and Ukraine. His choices, such as withholding satellite support, have directly affected military operations.
  3. Many believe that Musk's actions, which intertwine technology with foreign policy, should be examined by government authorities to ensure proper oversight and prevent one person from having too much control over important matters.

Thought bubble: I am pleased to report that AI is now a better poet than William McGonagall

Wyclif's Dust • 1877 implied HN points • 06 Feb 25
📚 Literature Technology
  1. AI has improved a lot in writing poetry and can now create impressive pieces that rival some human authors. This means anyone can reach a decent level of poetic skill using AI.
  2. Different AI models produce varying quality in poetry, with some showing more creativity and better structure than others. It's interesting to compare how each AI interprets and writes about the same topic.
  3. The development of AI in creative fields could raise the overall skill level in those areas, making it easier for everyone to write poetry well, but true expert poets will still stand out.

Astera Labs IPO - The Next Connectivity Superhero or Steamrolled By Competition?

SemiAnalysis • 5354 implied HN points • 17 Mar 24
💼 Business Technology
  1. Astera Labs is a key player in the AI infrastructure market, supplying connectivity chips to hyperscalers, AI accelerator vendors, and system OEMs.
  2. Connectivity in the datacenter market is highly competitive, but Astera Labs has the opportunity to become a connectivity 'Superhero' by maintaining market share and expanding product lines.
  3. Astera Labs focuses on solving connectivity bottlenecks in high-speed interfaces by offering retimers to improve signal integrity, particularly targeting PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 specs.

The Extinction Tournament

Astral Codex Ten • 9153 implied HN points • 20 Jul 23
🔬 Science Technology
  1. Experts and superforecasters had a strong disagreement on the likelihood of global catastrophes.
  2. The tournament explored global disaster risks, with 'Catastrophe' meaning an event killing over 10% of the population, and 'Extinction' meaning reducing human population below 5,000.
  3. The tournament highlighted the challenges in aligning expert predictions, potential biases in forecasts, and the complexities of forecasting AI-related risks.

Demographics Are Destiny

The Corbett Report • 19 implied HN points • 15 Feb 26
🌍 World Politics Technology
  1. Global birth rates are falling everywhere and this looming population decline will reshape domestic politics and international power balances.
  2. If population keeps dropping it can undermine modern economies and civilization, and leaders are already pushing robotics and AI as the main way to replace shrinking human labor.
  3. Simple policy fixes like cash incentives or parental leave have mostly failed to raise fertility, because the decline is driven by deep cultural, economic, and biological factors and won’t be easily reversed.

Can China’s AI IPOs give OpenAI and Anthropic courage?

Alex's Personal Blog • 98 implied HN points • 05 Jan 26
💼 Business Technology
  1. A new image-editing feature in a popular AI model let users alter others' photos and led to sexualized deepfakes, sparking global backlash and showing that weak safeguards can cause big regulatory and reputational damage.
  2. The U.S.'s aggressive action against Venezuela's leader signals rising geopolitical tension that could push technology markets and supply chains to split into competing blocs over time.
  3. Strong investor interest in Chinese AI IPOs like Z.ai and MiniMax could encourage American AI labs to try public listings too, since U.S. labs generally have more revenue and need fresh capital.

Surviving Techno-Dystopia

Mental Hellth • 1513 implied HN points • 12 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Technology
  1. Malcolm Harris highlights the disconnect between Silicon Valley's success and the mental health struggles in Palo Alto.
  2. The scapegoating of social media for mental health issues may not address the root problems of techno-depression.
  3. There is hope in history and in people's ability to fight back against the challenges of a techno-dystopia.

♾ Meta: The Zuck 'Playbook'

How They Make Money • 727 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
💼 Business Technology
  1. Meta (META) reported strong Q4 FY23 performance with a 5X return from November 2022 lows, focusing on Metaverse investments and cash returns to shareholders.
  2. Key points from Meta's 'Playbook' include massive compute investment, open-source strategy, future-focused research on AI, data utilization, and an experimentation culture.
  3. In Q4 FY23, Meta saw growth in user metrics and revenue, with an increase in average revenue per user, surpassing competitors like Snap and Pinterest in ARPU.

Self-aware villains, tech secessionists and a theory for why everything's getting worse

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 718 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Technology
  1. The Facebook party album from 2008 was a unique sociological spectacle that reflected youth relationships and friendships
  2. Social media platforms have evolved in how they enable users to navigate and express their friendships, from Facebook to Instagram Stories
  3. Modern digital signals of relational closeness, like group chats and Instagram grid posts, continue to play significant roles in mapping friendships

Why "Sharding Splits Security" Is a Mid-Curve Argument

Dan Hughes • 159 implied HN points • 27 Jun 24
🔮 Crypto Technology
  1. Sharding can actually enhance economic security instead of weakening it. When networks split into shards, they can manage more transactions, which can lead to higher security overall.
  2. The economic activity in a network is crucial for its value and security. More transactions and smart contracts boost the token's value, which in turn helps protect the network from attacks.
  3. Unlike traditional networks, sharding allows for greater decentralization. More validators can participate, making it much harder for bad actors to take control, which helps keep the network safe.