Quantum Navigation

"US military to test quantum navigation on secret spaceplane"

UK, Apple, And Privacy

"UK government walks back controversial Apple 'back door' demand after Trump administration pressure"

Smart Glasses Again?

"Meta to unveil Hypernova smart glasses with a display, wristband at Connect next month"

Big Universe

Video: "Universe Size Comparison". (Via S.N.)

Message In Ice Bubbles

"Manipulating trapped air bubbles in ice for message storage in cold regions"

Expiration Dates

NYT: "Do Food Expiration Dates Really Matter?"

Surveillance Shoes For Parents

"Skechers is making kids' shoes with a hidden AirTag compartment"

Skechers introduced a line of kids' sneakers that contain a hidden compartment where parents can slip in an Apple AirTag. 

 Inside the heel of the shoe, a small insert can be lifted to reveal the compartment. Then, parents can track the location of their child -- or, at least their child's shoes. These shoes don't come with an AirTag, and they don't appear to be an actual collaboration with Apple, but rather, a third-party product that Skechers has developed on its own... 

Apple only advertises its AirTags as products to keep track of items like keys, wallets, or luggage -- not human beings. But parents have been using the technology to keep an eye on their kids. Already, there are products like AirTag-compatible bracelets, insoles, pins, or even knock-off Crocs Jibbitz that can fit an AirTag.

I am not a parent, so I am probably not qualified to comment much on the propriety of these uses. I'm sure my readers who are parents have some interesting opinions about this use of technology.

Time In The Market > Timing The Market

"What if you had the worst timing and bought the market at the top before each crash over the past 25 years?" 

tldr; you still would have done astonishingly well

Robotaxi Report

"I Took a Tesla Robotaxi Around Austin and This is What It's Like -- And Why I Feel Safe"

Wearable BP Monitor

"Wearable blood pressure monitor attaches like a bandage for real-time continuous measurement". (Via H.R.)

Better Rebar

"Startup enables 100-year bridges with corrosion-resistant steel"

Allium Engineering, founded by two MIT PhDs, is tripling the lifetime of bridges and other structures with a new technology that uses a stainless steel cladding to make rebar resilient to corrosion. By eliminating corrosion, infrastructure lasts much longer, fewer repairs are required, and carbon emissions are reduced. The company’s technology is easily integrated into existing steelmaking processes to make America’s infrastructure more resilient, affordable, and sustainable over the next century.

Robot Folding Laundry

"Helix Learns to Fold Laundry"

AI Reading Roman Texts

"Google AI makes breakthrough to crack Roman texts to unearth secrets of the past". (Via H.R.)

Tech Tree

"Historical Tech Tree". Nice interactive site! (Via G.F.)

AI Plastics

"AI helps chemists develop tougher plastics"

MIT Vs. Eggs

"MIT engineering students crack egg dilemma, finding sideways is stronger"

Same Side Up

"This New Pyramid-Like Shape Always Lands With the Same Side Up"

When Do You Really Need To Get To The Airport?

Nate Silver runs the numbers and determines that "get to the airport 2 hours before flight time" is too cautious; he says 1 hour is sufficient. 

(From my experience in Denver's airport, there is enough variability in the length of the TSA lines that I still need to arrive 2 hours ahead of time to be confident of not missing my flight.)

Long Bridge

"World's longest suspension bridge: Italy approves $15.6 billion connection to Sicily". (Via H.R.)

Forbes On Robinhood

Detailed Forbes piece on Robinhood ($HOOD) and Vlad Tenev.

AI Medical Disclaimers

"AI companies have stopped warning you that their chatbots aren't doctors"

QC And Wall Street?

"Why Wall Street's Future May Depend on Quantum Mechanics"

Nvidia Millionaires

TIL that "78% of Nvidia employees are millionaires" 

I'm especially impressed by all the employees who want to keep working there, rather than cashing out and retiring. (Via P.O.)

Health Costs

"Baumol's Cost Disease and the Undercutting of Physician Pay"

Huemer On AI

Mike Huemer: "I, for one, welcome our robot overlords" (Springer Nature)

Hsieh Forbes Column: Just Seeing A (Fake) Sick Person Can Activate Your Immune System

My latest Forbes column is out: "Just Seeing A (Fake) Sick Person Can Activate Your Immune System"