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Earth's Subsurface May Hold Vast Reserves of Natural Hydrogen

2024-12-25

Two geologists from the U.S. Geological Survey have developed a model suggesting Earth's subsurface may contain up to 5.6 × 10⁶ million metric tons of natural hydrogen. The model incorporates factors like natural production rates, reservoir amounts, and leakage from hydrogen-bearing rocks. While most of this hydrogen is likely inaccessible, the researchers highlight that harvesting just 2% could meet humanity's energy needs for roughly two centuries, offering a potential game-changer for clean energy.

(phys.org)

Tech natural hydrogen geological model clean energy

Fogus' 2024 Year in Review: Programming, Reading, and Life Reflections

2024-12-23

In his 2024 year-end blog post, Fogus reflects on his year in programming, reading, and life. He shares noteworthy articles and books he enjoyed, covering topics like the Elite game, amateur radio history, Japanese bathroom folklore, and the history of WordStar. He highlights favorite technical books like "And so FORTH" and non-technical books such as "Butcher's Crossing." Fogus details his experiences with the Clojure programming language and explorations into other languages like Joy and Forth. He concludes by outlining his plans for 2025, including the Clojure 1.13 release and continued work on his Juxt project.

(blog.fogus.me)

Development year in review reading recommendations

Alibaba Unveils QvQ: A New Visual Reasoning Model

2024-12-25

Alibaba recently released QvQ-72B-Preview, a new visual reasoning model under the Apache 2.0 license. Designed to enhance AI's visual reasoning capabilities, QvQ builds upon the inference-scaling model QwQ by adding vision processing. It accepts images and prompts, generating detailed, step-by-step reasoning processes. Blogger Simon Willison tested QvQ, finding it successful in tasks like counting pelicans but less accurate on complex reasoning problems. Currently available on Hugging Face Spaces, future plans include local deployment and broader platform support.

(simonwillison.net)

AI visual reasoning AI model

Npflared: A Free, Self-Hostable Private npm Registry

2024-12-24

Npflared is a free and open-source, self-hostable private npm registry built on Cloudflare's Worker, D1, and R2 services, allowing you to host it for free. Fully compatible with existing npm clients, Npflared provides a secure way for you and your team to manage private npm packages. Get the benefits of a full-fledged private registry with ease and enhance your development workflow.

(npflared.thomas-cogez.fr)

Development private registry

Symbolic Execution by Overloading bool

2024-12-24

This article presents a clever technique for symbolic execution of Python code by overloading the __bool__ function in the Z3 Python library. The author leverages Z3's capabilities to translate Python conditional statements into Z3 expressions, enabling path exploration and result analysis. This approach bypasses complex AST traversal and allows direct use within Python code, simplifying symbolic execution.

(www.philipzucker.com)

Development symbolic execution __bool__ overloading

A German Cure for Loneliness: The Stammtisch

2024-12-22

In today's fast-paced world, loneliness is increasingly common. This article recounts the author's discovery of a traditional German way to combat loneliness—the Stammtisch, where like-minded individuals regularly meet at a bar or restaurant for drinks and conversation. The Stammtisch fosters friendships and provides a relaxed social atmosphere without the hassle of hosting, offering a solution to modern loneliness. The author draws parallels to their own coffee club, highlighting the benefits of regular social gatherings and emphasizing the importance of human connection.

(www.npr.org)

Misc loneliness social connection german tradition

Deep Dive into the Code of the Classic Game 'Elite'

2024-12-23

A new website offers an in-depth exploration of the code behind the 1984 BBC Micro cassette version of the legendary game 'Elite'. Features include playable versions in your browser, downloadable source code, code maps, and over 115 articles detailing every aspect of the game's development. It's a treasure trove for retro gaming enthusiasts and programmers alike.

(elite.bbcelite.com)

Game Retro Gaming Code Analysis

NetBox Launches New Network Discovery Agent for Faster Network Topology Building

2024-12-23

NetBox Labs recently released a public preview of its NetBox Discovery agent. This fully open-source tool quickly and easily discovers networks and devices, ingesting information into NetBox to accelerate building a network source of truth centered around NetBox. Its agent-based architecture is ideal for complex network environments and works with NetBox Assurance to detect and remediate network drift. Currently supporting two discovery modes: network and device discovery, it integrates with the Diode data ingestion engine.

(netboxlabs.com)

Development Network Discovery

Classified Fighter Jet Specs Leaked on War Thunder Forums Again

2024-12-23

The War Thunder online combat game forums are again embroiled in controversy after a leak of classified documents related to the Eurofighter Typhoon's CAPTOR radar system. A user shared restricted material to support a claim, prompting swift removal of the content and suspension of the user. This incident highlights recurring concerns about the platform's failure to prevent repeated leaks of sensitive information. Previous leaks have included details on the Challenger 2 tank, Leclerc main battle tank, and Chinese ammunition systems. Experts warn that such unauthorized disclosures carry significant legal risks and can compromise the operational security of military platforms.

(ukdefencejournal.org.uk)

Tech classified leak War Thunder

KeyPub.sh: A Privacy-Focused SSH Key Verification Service

2024-12-23

KeyPub.sh is a free, publicly available service requiring no installation or configuration. It leverages your existing SSH public key as your identity, linking it to your email address for simplified authentication. Users register and manage their SSH keys via a simple email verification process, controlling the visibility of their email address. This provides a lightweight, privacy-respecting alternative to OAuth for CLI applications, eliminating the need for developers to build user verification systems while empowering users with control over their privacy.

(keypub.sh)

Development SSH key authentication

LLM Standardization Directory: Enabling AI Website Integration

2024-12-23

A proposed standard, `/llms.txt`, aims to simplify the interaction between large language models (LLMs) and websites. This directory curates companies and products leading the adoption of this standard, spanning AI developer tools, financial products, websites, and more. The goal is to improve the efficiency and accuracy of LLMs interacting with diverse websites.

(directory.llmstxt.cloud)

AI standardization website integration

SiaPy: A Python Tool for Efficient Spectral Image Processing

2024-12-25

SiaPy is a Python tool for efficient processing of spectral images. It provides a comprehensive suite of tools for loading, processing, and analyzing spectral image data. SiaPy supports multiple file formats and features an easy-to-use API. The project is licensed under the MIT License and welcomes community contributions.

(github.com)

Development spectral image processing

Tracking Down Bulgarian Marketplace Scammers: A Programmer's Undercover Investigation

2024-12-23

A programmer, while selling an item on an online marketplace, fell victim to a sophisticated scam involving a phishing website and fake courier information. Driven by personal reasons, he launched an investigation, uncovering a vast Bulgarian-based scam operation utilizing a custom Node.js system and Telegram bots. The investigation revealed the group's organizational structure, members' identities, and operational methods, implicating thousands across multiple European countries. Despite reporting, such scams are difficult to eradicate.

(sy1.sh)

Tech online scam

National Cryptologic Museum Unveils Fascinating New Exhibits

2024-12-24

The National Cryptologic Museum has opened exciting new exhibits ranging from psychic espionage to the search for extraterrestrial life. The "Project Star Gate" exhibit reveals the Cold War-era government program using psychics for intelligence gathering, featuring artwork from agent Joe McMoneagle. The "Mind Machine" exhibit demonstrates the power of the mind to alter machine output, while the "SETI" exhibit explores the search for alien life, including attempts to communicate via radio signals. New permanent exhibits include a linguist's dream—a Language Whiteboard—and a "You Are Leaving the American Sector" sign from the Berlin Wall. These captivating exhibits are on display until mid-December.

(www.nsa.gov)

Misc National Cryptologic Museum Cold War Psychic Espionage

NoDB: Processing Payments Without a Database

2024-12-21

Alvaro Duran's "The Payments Engineer Playbook" introduces a revolutionary approach to payment system design: processing payments without a database. He argues that the prevalence of asynchronous programming stems from the assumption of database necessity. Using event sourcing, each step in the payment process is recorded as an event, not as a persistent state. These events are temporarily stored in memory, and the system reconstructs the payment status from the event stream, eliminating the need for persistent storage. This high-performance, high-reliability approach, inspired by high-frequency trading, allows for quick recovery from outages through hot backups. The article details this concept using a payment flow example and looks toward future applications in payment systems.

(news.alvaroduran.com)

Development Event Sourcing Databaseless Payments High-Frequency Trading

Planet Puppet: A Ventriloquism Convention Chronicle

2024-12-24

This article recounts the author's experience at an international ventriloquism convention. The convention brought together ventriloquists and their puppets from around the world, creating a vibrant and unusual atmosphere. The author vividly describes the diverse attendees, captivating performances, and the techniques behind the art of ventriloquism, revealing the unique charm and legacy of this ancient art form. The piece also explores the future of ventriloquism and its reflection of human nature and the profound implications of performance art, offering a captivating blend of entertainment and insightful reflection.

(www.nplusonemag.com)

Misc ventriloquism culture

AMD MI300X vs. Nvidia H100/H200 Benchmark: CUDA Moat Remains

2024-12-22

SemiAnalysis conducted a five-month independent benchmark of AMD's MI300X against Nvidia's H100 and H200. While the MI300X boasts theoretical advantages in performance and TCO, real-world results fell significantly short due to flaws in AMD's public software stack and insufficient testing. AMD's software proved problematic, hindering usability and resulting in performance trailing Nvidia's offerings across most benchmarks. Despite improvements from AMD engineers, the software stack remains underdeveloped, leaving the CUDA moat intact. This in-depth analysis offers concrete recommendations for AMD to enhance its software and competitiveness.

(semianalysis.com)

Hardware GPU Benchmark Nvidia H100/H200

The AI Backlash: A Necessary Correction for Practical Implementation

2024-12-24

InfoWorld reports a growing developer frustration with the hype surrounding AI, emphasizing the need for practical and easily integrated tools. The article uses the RamaLama project as an example, showcasing how container technology simplifies AI model deployment and usage, and highlights the importance of smaller, more easily understood AI models. Developers want AI to seamlessly integrate into their workflows, not exist as a separate entity. This "AI backlash" presents an opportunity for effective AI implementation.

(www.infoworld.com)

Development AI applications container technology model miniaturization

C++: A Resurgence of Programming Fun

2024-12-23

The author reflects on over a decade of programming, lamenting that languages like JavaScript, Python, and Ruby failed to recapture the joy he felt coding as a child. Recently, while developing a roguelike game using C++, he rediscovered that programming fun. He argues that C++ was once notorious for the overuse of template metaprogramming, but since C++11, the standards committee's efforts have revitalized the language. Additions like auto type inference, nullptr, and range-based for loops have significantly improved developer experience and efficiency. Modern C++ is powerful, boasting rich libraries and tools, yet avoids the negative aspects of excessive popularity. The relatively pure community allows developers to focus on creation, which is the essence of programming enjoyment.

(learncodethehardway.com)

Development

Complete Decompilation of LEGO Island (1997)

2024-12-23

The isle project has achieved a functionally complete decompilation of the classic game LEGO Island (Version 1.1, English) released in 1997. The goal is to create an accurate representation of the original game's code, matching recompiled instructions to the original machine code. Both ISLE.EXE and LEGO1.DLL are fully decompiled and functionally identical to the originals. Further work focuses on improving code accuracy, naming, documentation, and structure. While some bugs may remain, the game is playable. The project uses CMake and recommends Microsoft Visual C++ 4.2 for compiling for optimal accuracy.

(github.com)

Game game decompilation LEGO Island reverse engineering

Something's Rotten on the Internet: Tech Giants, Streaming Services, and the Erosion of User Experience

2024-12-22

A blog post examines the current state of the internet, arguing that tech companies prioritize investor demands over user experience, manipulating user behavior through frustrating app designs, deliberately degraded search results, and pervasive ad tracking. Simultaneously, the Netflix streaming model is criticized for destroying the movie industry, its disregard for quality and manipulation of viewing data leading to a flood of low-quality content and inflated viewership numbers. The post concludes by highlighting widespread user dissatisfaction with the increasing cost and declining quality of online services, ultimately suggesting smartphones and social media in their current forms are fundamentally flawed and require significant improvement.

(www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com)

Tech internet streaming services

Princeton University Unveils Infinigen: An Engine for Generating Infinite Photorealistic Worlds

2024-12-23

Princeton University's Visual Learning Lab has released Infinigen, an engine that uses procedural generation to create infinitely varied photorealistic worlds. It can generate both indoor and outdoor scenes and offers features like camera configuration, export to various file formats, and the addition of external assets. Built on Blender and incorporating several open-source projects, Infinigen's code is publicly available with comprehensive documentation and tutorials. The research team published papers on the technology at CVPR 2023 and 2024 and encourages community contributions of code, generators, and data.

(github.com)

AI procedural generation virtual worlds

Retrocomputing: Replacing a 386/486 CMOS Battery

2024-12-23

Older 386/486 motherboards often have leaky NiCd or NiMH batteries that can damage the board. This guide details a simple alternative: using three AA batteries and a battery holder. The author compares using a CR2032 and a Tadrian 3.6V Lithium cell, ultimately opting for three AAs due to ease of use, no motherboard modification, and the ability to use rechargeable batteries. Other replacement methods are mentioned, including using a CR2032 holder and Schottky diode, and utilizing an external battery header on the motherboard if present.

(rubenerd.com)

Hardware battery replacement

Physicists Measure Quantum Geometry for the First Time

2024-12-24

MIT physicists have, for the first time, measured the quantum geometry of electrons in solids. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), they overcame a long-standing challenge of directly measuring the geometry of quantum wave functions. This breakthrough opens new avenues for understanding and manipulating the quantum properties of materials, with potential applications in quantum computing and advanced electronics. The team's success involved international collaborations and innovative experimental design, navigating challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

(phys.org)

Physics quantum geometry quantum materials

Reforming Clinical Trials: Accelerating Drug Development and Lowering Costs

2024-12-22

A research report from the Institute for Progress (IFP) explores reform proposals for clinical trials in the US. The report highlights how lengthy and expensive clinical trials hinder medical innovation. Nine specific recommendations are proposed, including streamlining regulations, improving clinical trial databases, and adopting risk-based monitoring, aiming to accelerate new drug development and benefit more patients by increasing efficiency and reducing costs. This reflects a positive exploration of using technology (such as AI) to improve healthcare efficiency.

(ifp.org)

Tech medical innovation

Hoarder: A Self-Hostable Bookmark Manager Powered by AI

2024-12-24

Hoarder is a self-hostable bookmarking app that goes beyond simple link saving. It allows you to store links, notes, and images, and uses AI for automatic tagging and full-text search, supporting local models like ollama. Features include OCR, Chrome/Firefox extensions, iOS/Android apps, RSS feed support, a REST API, and full-page archiving to combat link rot. Designed for users who need a better way to manage and retrieve information across multiple platforms, Hoarder is under active development but a demo is available.

(github.com)

Development Bookmark Manager

A Journey Through Time: The History of Infographics

2024-12-23

The history of infographics is far richer and longer than many realize. It's not a modern invention, but a continuous thread weaving through centuries. From prehistoric cave paintings to medieval maps and Renaissance scientific illustrations, humanity has consistently sought more intuitive ways to present information. The 'chart craze' of the 18th century propelled infographics to new heights, becoming powerful tools for social science research. Today, with technological advancements, infographics are more vibrant and deeply integrated into our lives. This journey reflects humanity's ongoing exploration of information understanding and expression.

(history.infowetrust.com)

Design infographics history

Turing Machines: The Foundation of Computation

2024-12-21

This article provides a clear and accessible explanation of Turing machines—a theoretical model of computation. Starting with the operational principles of a Turing machine, it details its components (tape, head, program, and state) and illustrates programming techniques and capabilities through several examples, including printing characters, loops, and basic arithmetic. The article also explores computability and the halting problem, explains the concept of Turing completeness, and clarifies the connection between Turing machines and modern computers. Finally, the author provides an online editor for readers to write and run their own Turing machine programs, enhancing their understanding.

(samwho.dev)

AI Turing machine computability algorithm

Adversarial Policies Defeat Superhuman Go AIs

2024-12-24

Researchers achieved a >97% win rate against the state-of-the-art Go AI, KataGo, by training adversarial policies. These adversaries didn't win by playing Go well, but by tricking KataGo into making critical blunders. The attack transferred zero-shot to other superhuman Go AIs and was simple enough for human experts to replicate without algorithmic assistance. The vulnerability persisted even after KataGo was adversarially trained to defend against it, highlighting surprising failure modes in even superhuman AI systems.

(arxiv.org)

AI adversarial policies AI vulnerabilities Go AI

The Enigma of Luigi Mangione: A Bright Young Man and a Shocking Crime

2024-12-22

This article recounts the author's interactions with Luigi Mangione, the alleged assassin of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Luigi, a bright young man from a wealthy family, purchased a premium membership to the author's blog, leading to a two-hour video call. During their conversation, Luigi expressed concerns about the erosion of human agency in modern society, likening many to unthinking 'NPCs' manipulated by technology. He voiced frustration with high US healthcare costs. The author's shock at Luigi's subsequent arrest for murder forms the crux of the article, exploring the complexities of motivation, the coexistence of kindness and cruelty, and the multifaceted nature of human behavior. The article raises questions about free will and societal influences on individual actions.

(www.gurwinder.blog)

Misc free will social commentary murder mystery

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