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The Unsung Heroes of Science: Null Results

2025-07-26

The Unsung Heroes of Science: Null Results

A survey of 11,069 researchers reveals a striking paradox: while 98% recognize the value of null results (outcomes that don't confirm the hypothesis), only 30% attempt to publish them. Fear of rejection, uncertainty about suitable journals, funding concerns, and peer pressure contribute to this significant underreporting. This wastes resources and hinders scientific progress. Researchers who successfully published null results reported benefits such as inspiring new hypotheses and preventing redundant research. The findings call for a shift in how research productivity is assessed, emphasizing the importance of sharing null results for a more accurate and honest scientific record.

(www.nature.com)

Tech null results data sharing

Reviving ELIZA: A C++ Recreation of the First Chatbot

2025-05-17

Reviving ELIZA: A C++ Recreation of the First Chatbot

This post details the recreation of ELIZA, the first chatbot created by Joseph Weizenbaum in 1966, using C++. The author meticulously recreated ELIZA's functionality, starting from parsing the original script to optimizing the code and comparing it with the original source. Further enhancements include running ELIZA on an ASR 33 teletype and contributing to the proof that the 1966 CACM version is Turing-complete. The entire project is neatly packaged in a single eliza.cpp file, with compilation instructions for macOS and Windows. This project is a fascinating tribute to AI history and a valuable resource for developers interested in early AI technology.

(github.com)

AI

Global Earthquake Early Warning System Leveraging Android Smartphones

2025-07-20

Global Earthquake Early Warning System Leveraging Android Smartphones

A new study demonstrates the effectiveness of a global earthquake early warning system built using the accelerometers in millions of Android smartphones worldwide. The system, called Android Earthquake Alerts (AEA), rivals traditional seismic networks in accuracy, detecting earthquakes globally and delivering timely alerts to users. Even in regions lacking traditional infrastructure, AEA provides crucial early warning to millions, potentially mitigating earthquake damage. By exploiting the speed difference between seismic waves, AEA issues alerts before the destructive waves arrive, buying precious seconds for people to react.

(gizmodo.com)

Tech Earthquake Early Warning

US Trade Deficit: A Tale of Saving and Investment

2025-05-20

US Trade Deficit: A Tale of Saving and Investment

The persistent US trade deficit isn't simply due to insufficient exports; it's fundamentally linked to a macroeconomic imbalance. The article uses national accounting to demonstrate the equivalence between the trade deficit and the gap between domestic saving and investment spending. Analyzing household, business, and government savings, it shows how their interplay affects the overall saving rate. The author argues that while trade policies like free trade agreements or industrial policy can influence trade composition, they won't solve the deficit unless they also address the saving-investment gap. Closing this gap, however, presents a significant challenge.

(libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org)

Misc saving

Google's Gemini App Integrates Real-Time AP News Feed

2025-01-15

Google's Gemini App Integrates Real-Time AP News Feed

Google announced that its Gemini app will integrate a real-time news feed from the Associated Press (AP) to enhance the timeliness of search results. This builds on Google's long-standing partnership with AP, leveraging AI to improve products and services. The AP will provide real-time data, helping Gemini users access the latest information. Google also highlighted its collaborations with news organizations worldwide and its commitment to exploring AI's role in journalism, supporting journalists and the news ecosystem.

(blog.google)

Tech Associated Press

AI Agent Automates the Exploitation of Smart Contract Vulnerabilities

2025-07-10

AI Agent Automates the Exploitation of Smart Contract Vulnerabilities

Researchers from University College London and the University of Sydney have developed an AI agent, A1, capable of autonomously discovering and exploiting vulnerabilities in smart contracts. A1 uses AI models from OpenAI, Google, DeepSeek, and Alibaba to generate exploitable Solidity contracts. Tested on 36 real-world vulnerable contracts, A1 achieved a 62.96% success rate on the VERITE benchmark and discovered additional vulnerabilities. The researchers highlight a 10x reward asymmetry between attack and defense, emphasizing the need for proactive security. While A1 shows significant profit potential, its open-source release is currently on hold due to concerns about its powerful capabilities.

(www.theregister.com)

Tech exploit generation

Gamers Accidentally Become Cybersecurity Experts

2025-03-02

Gamers Accidentally Become Cybersecurity Experts

Thousands of video game enthusiasts are unknowingly developing cybersecurity skills through their hobby. Speedrunners, in pursuit of the fastest game completion times, exploit glitches requiring reverse engineering skills. They utilize tools like IDA Pro and Ghidra, even developing custom tools, to understand game mechanics. The glitches they find—buffer overflows, use-after-frees, etc.—are strikingly similar to real-world cybersecurity vulnerabilities. These gamers possess valuable vulnerability research skills without realizing the professional potential. This article encourages them to transition into the cybersecurity industry, transforming their passion into a career.

(zetier.com)

Tech Game Glitches

The Three Temples of LLM Training: Pretraining, Fine-tuning, and RLHF

2025-06-10

The Three Temples of LLM Training: Pretraining, Fine-tuning, and RLHF

In the hidden mountain sanctuary of Lexiconia, ancient Scribes undergo training in a three-part temple: The Hall of Origins, The Chamber of Instructions, and The Arena of Reinforcement. The Hall of Origins involves pretraining, where Scribes read vast amounts of text to learn language patterns. The Chamber of Instructions is where fine-tuning occurs, using curated texts to guide Scribes towards better outputs. The Arena of Reinforcement utilizes Reinforcement Learning with Human Feedback (RLHF), with human judges ranking Scribe answers, rewarding good ones and punishing bad. Elite Scribes may also be subtly modified via LoRA scrolls and Adapters, tweaking responses without retraining the entire model. This three-winged temple represents the complete process of training large language models.

(medium.com)

AI Pretraining

Groundbreaking Discovery: Dramatically Reduced Space Needed for Computation

2025-06-30

Groundbreaking Discovery: Dramatically Reduced Space Needed for Computation

MIT computer scientist Ryan Williams has made a groundbreaking discovery, overturning 50 years of assumptions about the trade-off between computation space and time. Traditional theory held that a t-step computation requires roughly t bits of memory. However, Williams proved that any problem solvable in time t needs only about √t bits of memory. This achievement relies on reducing the problem to an equivalent one that cleverly reuses space, thus compressing information. The research suggests that the bottleneck in computation isn't memory capacity, but how efficiently it's used.

(www.scientificamerican.com)

Tech memory compression

Turning an Old iPhone into a UniFi Protect Camera with Docker

2025-08-26

The author successfully integrated an old iPhone's camera into their UniFi Protect system using a Docker container. Lacking an iOS app with native ONVIF support, they cleverly used an RTSP app (IP Camera Lite) and an ONVIF proxy Docker container. ffmpeg was used to verify the RTSP stream, and after some configuration adjustments (including specifying the correct width/height), the DIY camera was successfully added to UniFi Protect, replacing their previous Surveillance Station and Scrypted setups.

(www.caseyliss.com)

Hardware Third-party Camera

Ecosia and Qwant Team Up to Build a European Search Index

2025-03-09

Ecosia and Qwant Team Up to Build a European Search Index

Ecosia and Qwant have announced a partnership to create the "European Search Perspective," an independent European search index. This marks a significant step in both companies' pursuit of technological autonomy and data sovereignty. The new index database, initially supporting French and German searches, is slated for launch in 2025 and will provide a foundation for future AI technologies. This initiative aims to enhance the transparency and security of search results and reduce reliance on major tech companies like Google and Bing, ultimately creating a more free environment for green tech development.

(blog.ecosia.org)

Tech tech independence

Pangolin: Self-Hosted Zero Trust Tunneled Reverse Proxy

2025-07-11

Pangolin: Self-Hosted Zero Trust Tunneled Reverse Proxy

Pangolin is a self-hosted, tunneled reverse proxy server with identity and access control, designed to securely expose private resources across distributed networks. It acts as a central hub, connecting isolated networks – even those behind restrictive firewalls – via encrypted tunnels, enabling easy access to remote services without opening ports. Leveraging WireGuard, Pangolin offers robust features including centralized authentication (SSO, TOTP), role-based access control, and flexible deployment options. Extend its functionality with Traefik plugins. Use cases include bypassing port restrictions, deploying business applications, and managing IoT networks. A self-hosted alternative to Cloudflare Tunnels.

(github.com)

Development zero trust

Draft Texts from Your Computer Keyboard

2025-08-29

Draft Texts from Your Computer Keyboard

Tired of typing long texts on your phone's tiny keyboard? This browser-based tool lets you draft and send SMS and iMessages using any computer keyboard. Simply type your message, and it generates a QR code you can scan with your phone to send. Supports multiple recipients (comma-separated), and international codes are recommended but not always required. Even if you don't know the recipient's number, scan the QR code and fill in the recipients on your phone using autocomplete. All data processing happens within your browser; nothing is sent to a server. Give it a try!

(sethmlarson.dev)

Development

Stop Teaching Useless Math: Probability and Statistics Should Reign Supreme

2025-03-03

$Stop Teaching Useless Math: Probability and Statistics Should Reign Supreme$

This essay critiques the current high school math curriculum, arguing that the overemphasis on calculus and trigonometry—useless for most students—neglects the crucial importance of probability and statistics. Probability and statistics are widely applicable in daily life, empowering students to understand risk, detect misleading information, and make better decisions. The author proposes a curriculum reform prioritizing probability and statistics, integrating real-world applications like sports analytics, social media, and gaming strategies, to make math relevant and engaging.

(anandsanwal.me)

Misc probability and statistics

Accidental Invention: The Centennial Snow Globe's Legacy

2025-01-02

Accidental Invention: The Centennial Snow Globe's Legacy

The Perzy family of Vienna accidentally invented the snow globe. In 1900, Erwin Perzy I, attempting to improve operating room lighting, accidentally created a glass globe filled with water and white particles that floated like snow. He had a brilliant idea, placing a miniature model of the Mariazell Basilica inside, creating the first snow globe. This accidental invention unexpectedly swept the world, weathering wars and economic depressions, and through generations of the Perzy family, became a Christmas classic, still produced by the family business at a rate of 300,000 per year.

(www.smithsonianmag.com)

Misc invention story family business Christmas

US EV Sales Hit Record High in August, Tesla's Market Share Slides

2025-09-13

US EV Sales Hit Record High in August, Tesla's Market Share Slides

US electric vehicle sales reached a record high of 146,332 units in August, capturing 9.9% of the total market. With the federal EV tax credit set to expire soon, analysts predict Q3 2025 will be the strongest quarter ever for US EV sales. The average transaction price was $57,245, essentially flat year-over-year. While Tesla remains the market leader, its market share dropped to a record low of 38%, with sales down 6.7% year-over-year. Cox Automotive analysts attribute the sales surge to new product launches and motivated dealers.

(electrek.co)

Tech US Auto Market

Atari 2600+ & 7800+: Retro Gaming Reimagined

2025-02-09

Atari 2600+ & 7800+: Retro Gaming Reimagined

Atari's new 2600+ and 7800+ systems bring classic Atari gaming to modern TVs via HDMI. Both boast retro designs and compatibility with original controllers. The 7800+ includes a wireless gamepad, though its quality is questionable. While load times are slow and some game compatibility issues exist, the high-definition visuals and ease of connection to modern displays make them attractive for retro gaming enthusiasts and collectors.

(www.goto10retro.com)

Game

Scientists Map the Complete Neural Pathway for Sensing Cool Temperatures

2025-08-04

Scientists Map the Complete Neural Pathway for Sensing Cool Temperatures

Researchers at the University of Michigan have, for the first time, mapped the entire neural pathway responsible for sensing cool temperatures, from the skin to the brain. This groundbreaking discovery reveals a dedicated pathway for cool temperatures, separate from the pathway for hot temperatures, highlighting evolution's elegant solution for precise thermal perception. A key component is a spinal cord amplifier; without it, the cool signal is lost. This research not only deepens our understanding of fundamental biology but also holds significant implications for treating cold-related pain, such as that experienced by chemotherapy patients.

(www.sciencedaily.com)

Tech Temperature Sensation Pain Mechanism

The Obscure Interact Model One Home Computer and its Surprisingly Deep Adventure Game

2025-04-07

The Obscure Interact Model One Home Computer and its Surprisingly Deep Adventure Game

This article delves into the story of the Interact Model One, a low-cost personal computer from 1978 that aimed to compete with giants like the Commodore PET but ultimately failed in the US market. However, its successor, the Victor Lambda, found success in France, leading to the development of games such as the surprisingly complex adventure game, *Troll Hole Adventure*. This 8-bit game, despite its limitations in memory and resolution, boasts a challenging puzzle design and deep gameplay, showcasing the ingenuity of early game developers working with constrained resources. The article follows the journey of the computer's creator, Ken Lochner, from his work on Dartmouth's time-sharing system to his foray into the personal computer market, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of this forgotten piece of computing history.

(bluerenga.blog)

Game Personal Computer History 8-bit Games

American CS Grads Face Job Crisis: Cheaper Labor Undermines Dreams

2025-07-18

American CS Grads Face Job Crisis: Cheaper Labor Undermines Dreams

American computer science graduates are facing a severe job crisis. While salaries have increased nominally, real wages have stagnated since 2015. A flood of foreign workers with work permits has drastically reduced employment rates for US graduates, even below 50% for some specializations. This isn't simple competition; it's systematic displacement. Policies like the H-1B visa program import cheaper, more compliant workers who undercut American graduates, suppressing wages and opportunities. The author calls for drastic reductions in H-1B visas and prioritization of American workers, arguing that the current system sacrifices a generation of CS graduates.

(ifspp.substack.com)

Tech Job Crisis H-1B Visas Tech Talent

Advent of Code: Elegant Solution to a Stateful Parsing Problem

2025-04-09

The latest Advent of Code puzzle involves interpreting `do()` and `don't()` instructions that enable or disable the contribution of `mul` instructions to a sum. Regular expressions struggle with this statefulness, as they recognize stateless regular languages. The author uses a parser-based solution, lifting it into a state transformer to create a stateful parser. This parser efficiently handles `do()`, `don't()`, and `mul` instructions, processing roughly 1MB of input in 0.12 seconds—a significant improvement over a regex-based approach.

(entropicthoughts.com)

Development state transformer parser combinators

Air Pollution May Exacerbate Lewy Body Dementia Risk

2025-09-07

Air Pollution May Exacerbate Lewy Body Dementia Risk

A study of 56 million people reveals a link between long-term exposure to PM2.5 air pollution and an increased risk of developing Lewy body dementia. The research suggests PM2.5 doesn't cause the disease but accelerates its onset in genetically predisposed individuals. Experiments in mice showed PM2.5 exposure led to α-synuclein buildup in the brain, alongside impaired spatial memory and object recognition. The study also indicates PM2.5 might spread α-synuclein via the gut-brain axis, contributing to Lewy body dementia.

(www.nature.com)

Tech Lewy Body Dementia

A Link to the Past Randomizer: A Decade of Optimization Obsession

2025-06-10

The author recounts a decade-long journey with the A Link to the Past randomizer, a patch that shuffles item locations in the game. Initially drawn in by speedrun videos on YouTube, the author became engrossed in finding optimal routes through the ever-changing game. However, over time, the competitive scene evolved into an extreme pursuit of efficiency, transforming the game into a tedious grind. Ultimately, the author abandoned the time-consuming endeavor, reflecting on the potential for new discoveries through the algorithm's suggestions.

(leejo.github.io)

Game Randomizer

A Decade Review: Diving Deep into Time-Series Anomaly Detection

2025-01-06

Advances in data collection and the explosion of streaming data highlight the crucial need for time-series analytics. This paper provides a decade-long review of time-series anomaly detection, encompassing methods from traditional statistical measures to the surge of machine learning algorithms. It presents a process-centric taxonomy to categorize and summarize existing solutions, offering a meta-analysis of the literature and outlining general trends in the field. This comprehensive survey serves as a valuable resource for researchers.

(arxiv.org)

AI time series anomaly detection

Senior Engineers Share Their LLM Workflow Hacks

2025-05-24

Senior Engineers Share Their LLM Workflow Hacks

This article compiles insights from senior engineers on practically using Large Language Models (LLMs) in their daily work. Rejecting hype, it focuses on real-world applications. Key takeaways include the "second opinion" and "throwaway debugging scripts" techniques, the importance of prompt documentation, and the need to view LLMs as helpful tools rather than magic bullets. These experienced engineers offer valuable lessons for developers looking to integrate LLMs efficiently into their workflow.

(pmbanugo.me)

Development

MiMo-7B: 7B Parameter Reasoning LLM Outperforms 32B Models

2025-04-30

MiMo-7B: 7B Parameter Reasoning LLM Outperforms 32B Models

Xiaomi introduces MiMo-7B, a 7-billion parameter language model designed for reasoning. Through optimized pre-training data and strategies, along with innovative reinforcement learning techniques, MiMo-7B demonstrates exceptional performance on math and code reasoning tasks, surpassing even larger 32B parameter models. The open-sourced model includes checkpoints for the base model, SFT model, and RL-trained models, offering valuable resources for developing powerful reasoning LLMs.

(github.com)

AI reasoning capabilities

FreeBSD 14.1 Suspend/Resume Works Like a Charm

2025-01-13

FreeBSD 14.1 Suspend/Resume Works Like a Charm

A seasoned FreeBSD user shares the results of their suspend/resume tests on FreeBSD 14.1 using a ThinkPad W520 laptop. The tests demonstrate that suspend/resume functionality works flawlessly, mirroring the performance observed on FreeBSD 12.2. The author opted for FreeBSD 14.1 over 14.2 due to potential issues with kernel-related packages in 14.2's pkg builds, which target an older FreeBSD version.

(vermaden.wordpress.com)

Development Suspend Resume

Nintendo Switch 2's GameChat: Balancing Privacy and Safety

2025-06-06

Nintendo Switch 2's GameChat: Balancing Privacy and Safety

Nintendo Switch 2's new GameChat voice chat feature balances user privacy with enhanced child protection. GameChat is limited to friends only, requiring phone number verification. For minors, parental consent via the Nintendo Parental Controls app is mandatory, allowing parents to approve friend requests and control video chat access. GameChat temporarily records the last three minutes of audio and video for handling reported violations, but users can withdraw consent at any time. While recordings may be used to investigate violations, Nintendo emphasizes this is to maintain a safe and family-friendly online environment.

(arstechnica.com)

Game

Quiet Homelab: OpenShift Cluster on Refurbished ThinkCentre Tinys

2025-05-27

Quiet Homelab: OpenShift Cluster on Refurbished ThinkCentre Tinys

This post details a low-power, quiet homelab built using refurbished Lenovo ThinkCentre Tiny PCs. Running Red Hat Enterprise Linux, these compact machines are used to host an OpenShift cluster, though they're versatile enough for Kubernetes or other containerized applications. The author details the hardware, costs (around €416 total), and even provides a 3D-printed rack-mounting solution. A perfect example of how to build a powerful yet unobtrusive home server setup.

(jan.wildeboer.net)

Development

Cybersecurity Vendor Under Attack: SentinelOne's Real-World Fight

2025-04-30

Cybersecurity Vendor Under Attack: SentinelOne's Real-World Fight

SentinelOne, a cybersecurity firm, publicly disclosed a series of attacks targeting its infrastructure and those of its partners. These attacks came from various sources, including North Korean IT workers posing as job applicants, ransomware operators probing for vulnerabilities, and Chinese state-sponsored actors. SentinelOne highlights the vulnerability of security vendors themselves and shares its experiences in combating these threats, emphasizing internal collaboration, intelligence-driven defense, and the need for increased industry cooperation to strengthen overall security.

(www.sentinelone.com)

Tech APT attacks

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