NDE's Explained?

The scientific debate over "near death experiences". Non-paywall link here.

Point-Counterpoint On AI And Societal Upheaval

Matt Shumer argues that AI will cause tremendous economic/societal upheaval, "Something Big Is Happening".

Connor Boyack responds, invoking Bastiat's principle of the seen vs. the unseen: "AI isn't coming for your future. Fear is."

And from Tatiana Tsiguleva: "Matt wrote a lot about the jobs AI will eliminate. He barely mentioned the other list: the jobs AI will create."

All three essays are worth reading. 

3D-Printed Food For Soldiers

"Beyond MREs: The US Army Is Testing 3D-Printed Food for the Battlefield"

New Plastic

"The compleximer: New type of plastic mixes glass-like shaping with impact resistance". (Via H.R.)

AI Is Astonishingly Good At Writing Romance Fiction

NYT: "Can Chatbots Write Emotionally Rich Romance Fiction?" (gift link).

This is both appalling and funny at the same time.

Nature Article Claims We Have Reached AGI

Nature: "Does AI already have human-level intelligence? The evidence is clear". Non-paywall link here.

I'm not convinced by their argument. 

Parenting Win

Parenting advice from Scott Alexander.

 

Dark Matter Map

"See the Most Detailed Map of Dark Matter Ever Made, Bringing Astronomers a Step Closer to Unraveling Its Mysterious Nature"

Berluti Knot

Video: "The World's BEST Shoelace Knot! ...The Berluti Knot"

Mysterious Shoes

"Hundreds of Mysterious Victorian-Era Shoes Are Washing Up on a Beach in Wales. Nobody Knows Where They Came From"

The leading theory is that the black leather boots, which were discovered by volunteers, were traveling on a cargo ship that sank nearby roughly 150 years ago.