Light Posting Notice

Admin note: Posting may be lighter than usual next week because of external obligations.

Way Overdue Book

"Case of the purloined library book solved 35 years later"

Math Quiz

"Would You Rather Get $1 Million or $5000 a Month for Retirement?"

Of course, the correct answer depends on assumptions about rate of return. But it's a reasonable starting point for analysis.

Space Elevator Variant

"A 20-mile long 'spacescraper' dangling from an asteroid: Could it work? "

AI And New Jobs

Alex Knapp: "How Artificial Intelligence Creates New Job Opportunities"

Anti-Encryption Politics

UK government official says strong encryption is unacceptable, because it helps terrorists.

Pound Coin Update

"Britain's New Pound Coin Has 12 Sides and Foolproof Security"

Brain-Machine Interface Update

"Elon Musk is setting up a company that will link brains and computers".

Personally, I'm looking forward to that "I know kung-fu!" moment.

Musk Vs. AI

"Elon Musk's Billion-Dollar Crusade to Stop the A.I. Apocalypse"

Leaf Scaffold For Heart Tissue

"Spinach Leaf Transformed Into Beating Human Heart Tissue"

Bitcoin and Venezuela

"Venezuela has a serious food shortage, but electricity is subsidized. People are mining bitcoins because it's worthwhile to use bitcoins to buy food across the border. Bitcoin is a way for Brazillians to get around currency controls and tarriffs." (Via Metafilter.)

Chatbots That Read Your Facial Expressions

"Customer Service Chatbots Are About to Become Frighteningly Realistic"

Skateboarding on Frozen Sand

Video: "Skateboarding on frozen sand"

Surgery While Awake

"More surgery is being performed with the patient awake and looking on, for both financial and medical reasons. But as surgical patients are electing to keep their eyes wide open, doctor-patient protocol has not kept pace with the new practice."

Mars Rocket

"These Scientists Sent a Rocket to Mars for Less Than It Cost to Make 'The Martian'

Big Mammals

"How Big Can a Land Animal Get?"

Bot Language

"It Begins: Bots Are Learning to Chat in Their Own Language"

Sperm App

"Scientists develop a phone app that can track and analyze sperm"

Cooking At Your Desk

"Watch This Chinese Woman Make the Most Insane Desk Lunch Ever"

Neuroevolution

"Researchers are using Darwin's theories to evolve AI, so only the strongest algorithms survive"