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Maya Blue: Cracking the Code of an Ancient Pigment

2025-06-16

This article unravels the mystery of Maya Blue, a remarkably durable blue pigment used by the ancient Maya civilization. It reveals Maya Blue isn't a simple organic or inorganic pigment, but a unique, human-made nano-structured hybrid of the clay mineral palygorskite and the indigo dye. Through analysis of ancient pottery and sacrificial offerings, the author unveils two methods the Maya used to create it: one involving burning palygorskite, indigo, and copal incense; the other, grinding wet palygorskite with indigo leaves and then heating the mixture. This discovery highlights the Maya's sophisticated craftsmanship and offers insights for modern materials science.

(www.mexicolore.co.uk)

Tech Maya civilization ancient pigment

Simple Live Calculator using Tree-sitter and Cranelift JIT

2024-12-27

Simple Live Calculator using Tree-sitter and Cranelift JIT

This GitHub project demonstrates a simple live calculator built with Tree-sitter and Cranelift JIT. The core code is highly integrated for ease of understanding. The project includes the grammar, a REPL interface, stress tests, and benchmarks. Modifying the grammar automatically updates the main binary. Syntax highlighting is used as an example of Tree-sitter's capabilities.

(github.com)

Development Live Calculator

LLMs Fail Simple Task: Matching HTML5 Elements and TLDs

2025-09-21

LLMs Fail Simple Task: Matching HTML5 Elements and TLDs

The author tested three commercially available LLMs on a seemingly simple task: identifying which top-level domains (TLDs) share names with valid HTML5 elements. The results were disappointing, with all three models producing inaccurate or incomplete results, highlighting the limitations of current LLMs even on tasks requiring basic comparison skills. The accuracy, it seems, is heavily dependent on the user's familiarity with the subject matter.

(shkspr.mobi)

AI

India Pulls Cloudflare's VPN App and Others from App Stores

2025-01-03

India Pulls Cloudflare's VPN App and Others from App Stores

India has removed several VPN apps, including Cloudflare's popular 1.1.1.1, from its app stores citing a 2022 regulation requiring VPN providers to store user data for five years. This move has sparked backlash from the industry, with some VPN providers withdrawing from India or ceasing marketing there. The action marks a significant tightening of VPN regulations in India.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

Parasitic Worms Manipulate Praying Mantises to Their Deaths on Asphalt

2025-01-04

Parasitic Worms Manipulate Praying Mantises to Their Deaths on Asphalt

Researchers from Kyoto University have discovered that a parasitic horsehair worm manipulates praying mantises into walking onto asphalt roads, leading to their demise. The worm, which lives inside the mantis, causes it to mistake the reflective properties of asphalt for water. Experiments showed infected mantises are attracted to horizontally polarized light, similar to that reflected by water surfaces. This research highlights the cunning survival strategies of parasites and the unintended consequences of human activity on ecosystems. The findings were published in PNAS Nexus.

(mainichi.jp)

Tech parasite praying mantis ecology

Signal's Rise in the Netherlands: Universities Ditch WhatsApp Over Privacy Concerns

2025-03-23

Signal's Rise in the Netherlands: Universities Ditch WhatsApp Over Privacy Concerns

Signal messaging app is rapidly gaining popularity in the Netherlands, particularly among universities, driven by growing concerns over WhatsApp's data privacy practices and the spread of misinformation. Institutions like Utrecht University of Applied Sciences are recommending or considering switching to Signal due to its non-profit nature, open-source code, and strong privacy focus. The National Student Union also voiced privacy concerns, advocating for Signal or other open-source alternatives. This follows previous security concerns in higher education, with TikTok previously facing bans due to espionage risks.

(dub.uu.nl)

Tech

FBI Freezes Green Fund Accounts Amidst Controversy

2025-03-14

FBI Freezes Green Fund Accounts Amidst Controversy

The FBI has frozen accounts held by several nonprofits and state government agencies containing funds from the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, established by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act to finance clean energy projects. This action has sparked controversy, with the EPA administrator alleging fraud but providing no evidence. A court has demanded evidence from the Department of Justice or the accounts will be unfrozen.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech Green Fund FBI Investigation Legal Dispute

Y2K Panic: A Real Crisis?

2025-01-07

Y2K Panic: A Real Crisis?

A former IBM Y2K test manager recounts the tense period, refuting claims that the Y2K problem was overhyped. He uses firsthand experience to demonstrate that significant date-processing issues existed, and inaction would have had catastrophic consequences for the financial industry. The article contrasts practical experiences with academic perspectives, highlighting the gap in understanding between practitioners and theorists, and the challenges faced by technical staff under pressure. The author emphasizes the need for early problem identification and resolution, sharing how his team ensured system stability through risk assessment and multi-stage testing.

(clarotesting.wordpress.com)

Tech

Generating UML Diagrams at Compile Time with C++26 Reflections

2025-08-03

This article demonstrates how to leverage the new reflection features in C++26 to generate PlantUML class diagrams at compile time. The author cleverly combines `std::meta::info`, the `lift` and `splice` operators, and `std::define_static_string` to automatically extract class information from the code and generate a UML diagram. The process also discusses the use of `std::meta::access_context` and how to handle different types of reflection information, ultimately outputting the generated UML code at runtime. This showcases the power of C++26 reflections, offering new possibilities for code analysis and visualization.

(www.reachablecode.com)

Development Reflections

New Blood Type Discovered: Gwada Negative

2025-06-21

New Blood Type Discovered: Gwada Negative

A French woman from Guadeloupe has been identified as the sole known carrier of a new blood type, dubbed 'Gwada negative.' The discovery, officially recognized by the International Society of Blood Transfusion, was made possible by high-throughput DNA sequencing after an unusual antibody was detected in 2011. The woman inherited the mutated gene from both parents. This finding improves care for patients with rare blood types.

(www.lemonde.fr)

Tech new blood type genetic mutation hematology

Infinite Memory: A Theoretical Proof Using Spaced Repetition

2025-02-02

This paper proves that using spaced repetition, an infinitely-lived but forgetful person can recall an infinite number of facts. By establishing a power-law relationship between forgetting and the number of reviews, and considering a finite daily study time, the author derives a model showing that with careful curation of review schedules, knowledge can accumulate indefinitely, ultimately leading to infinite memory. While the daily review load is finite, the cumulative knowledge grows without bound over time.

(www.efavdb.com)

Misc mathematical model

Cloudflare's Open-Sourced OAuth Library: An Archaeological Record of Human-AI Collaboration

2025-06-07

Cloudflare's Open-Sourced OAuth Library: An Archaeological Record of Human-AI Collaboration

Cloudflare open-sourced an OAuth 2.1 library almost entirely generated by Claude, an AI model. The project's Git history meticulously documents every prompt, iteration, and human intervention, offering an archaeological record of human-AI collaboration. Initially skeptical, the lead engineer was amazed by Claude's ability to generate nearly all the code for a production-ready authentication library. The case study highlights the importance of clear prompts, iterative refinement, and timely human intervention for effective human-AI collaboration. The future may see prompts themselves becoming the code, directly driving application execution.

(www.maxemitchell.com)

Development human-AI collaboration

NSA Warns: Fast Flux Technique Threatens Critical Infrastructure

2025-04-04

NSA Warns: Fast Flux Technique Threatens Critical Infrastructure

The National Security Agency (NSA) has warned that a technique known as "fast flux," used by hostile nation-states and ransomware groups to hide their operations, poses a significant threat to critical infrastructure and national security. Fast flux allows decentralized networks to evade takedown attempts by rapidly cycling through IP addresses and domain names. This constant change makes identifying the true source of attacks extremely difficult and provides redundancy. The NSA, FBI, and their allies urge enhanced cybersecurity defenses to counter this growing threat.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech

AI and Sensor Networks Challenge Submarine Stealth

2024-12-16

AI and Sensor Networks Challenge Submarine Stealth

The ability of submarines to remain undetected is facing a significant challenge due to rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, drones, and sensor networks. This article explores the AUKUS agreement between the US, UK, and Australia to build nuclear submarines and the modernization of China's naval submarine capabilities. Advanced sensor networks and AI algorithms can detect subtle traces of submarine activity, weakening the effectiveness of traditional submarine stealth technology. The article analyzes strategies to counter this challenge, including using noise to disrupt AI systems, deploying unmanned underwater vehicles, and employing strategic maneuvers. However, the AUKUS agreement also faces challenges such as high costs, uranium shortages, and the rapid development of China's submarine capabilities, making its future uncertain.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech submarine stealth sensor networks

mizu.js: A Lightweight HTML Templating Library for Any-Side Rendering

2024-12-19

mizu.js: A Lightweight HTML Templating Library for Any-Side Rendering

mizu.js is a lightweight HTML templating library supporting both client-side and server-side rendering. Its simple syntax, close to vanilla JavaScript and HTML, offers a gentle learning curve. Featuring a rich set of directives for conditional rendering, loops, data binding, and HTTP requests, mizu.js allows building various web applications—single-page apps, static sites, and dynamic pages—without complex build processes. Its flexibility and simplicity make it ideal for both small and large projects.

(mizu.sh)

Development HTML templating server-side rendering client-side rendering

The 14KB Rule: Why Website Size Matters More Than You Think

2025-07-19

Why is a 14kB webpage significantly faster than a 15kB one? The answer lies in TCP slow start, an algorithm that governs how servers initially send data. This article explains how TCP ensures reliable data transmission and how slow start optimizes bandwidth usage. High-latency networks, like satellite internet, dramatically illustrate the impact: each round trip adds significant delay. The article advocates for minimizing website size to under 14kB or, at the very least, ensuring critical content is within the first 14kB for optimal user experience. While HTTP/2 and HTTP/3 are mentioned, they don't negate the importance of this principle.

(endtimes.dev)

Development

Perseverance Rover Captures First Visible-Light Martian Aurora

2025-05-17

Perseverance Rover Captures First Visible-Light Martian Aurora

NASA's Perseverance rover has captured the first-ever visible-light aurora on Mars, a feat achieved through collaboration with the MAVEN orbiter and ground teams. By predicting a coronal mass ejection, they observed a 557.7 nm aurora within a narrow time window. This discovery provides valuable data for future human exploration and confirms the similarity to Earth's aurora, suggesting future astronauts may witness this phenomenon.

(www.jpl.nasa.gov)

Tech Martian aurora Perseverance

Building SNES ROMs with C# using DotnetSnes

2025-05-04

Building SNES ROMs with C# using DotnetSnes

DotnetSnes is a revolutionary project enabling the creation of functional SNES ROMs using C#! It achieves this by providing a .NET library that abstracts SNES game development functions and globals. Compiled DLLs are transpiled to C and then compiled into a ROM using the PvSnesLib SDK. While SNES limitations (like no dynamic memory allocation) necessitate compromises in idiomatic C#, fully functional games are possible. The article details the development process, dependency installation, project setup, and building steps, showcasing two examples: HelloWorld (basic text output) and LikeMario (a more complex tile-map based game).

(github.com)

Development SNES development C# game development

Amazon Killing Off Kindle's Download & Transfer Feature

2025-02-13

Amazon Killing Off Kindle's Download & Transfer Feature

Amazon will discontinue the 'Download & Transfer via USB' feature for Kindle ebooks on February 26th, 2025. This option, primarily used in the pre-Wi-Fi era, is being phased out due to low usage and its association with ebook piracy. While the feature is going away, users can still send books to their Kindles via Wi-Fi, using the 'Send to Kindle' feature or third-party software like Calibre. The change is unlikely to significantly affect most users who primarily rely on wireless delivery.

(goodereader.com)

Tech Ebooks

The Crystal Palace: A Century of Photography, from Glory to Ashes

2025-08-19

The Crystal Palace: A Century of Photography, from Glory to Ashes

This article recounts the epic story of the Crystal Palace, from its debut at the 1851 Great Exhibition to its dramatic destruction by fire in 1936. Through a rich collection of historical photographs, it chronicles the building's construction, relocation, fires, and eventual demolition. The images capture the Palace's grandeur and magnificence, as well as its decline and the enduring legacy it left behind.

(heritagecalling.com)

Misc photography history Crystal Palace

Calculating Credit Card Debt with Code: Is Math Essential for Programmers?

2025-08-24

Calculating Credit Card Debt with Code: Is Math Essential for Programmers?

This article explores whether math is essential background knowledge for programmers. By building an Elixir program simulating credit card repayment, the author demonstrates how simple formulas and programming can solve real-world problems, such as calculating compound interest and repayment schedules. The program's simulation shows that slightly increasing the minimum payment percentage or adding a small extra monthly payment significantly reduces repayment time and saves substantial money, highlighting the importance of understanding compound interest and financial planning. Even without advanced math, practical application is shown.

(programmersstone.blog)

Development

Efficient Fabric Launches Compiler Playground for Breakthrough Processor

2025-02-27

Efficient Fabric has launched its Compiler Playground, an interactive software ecosystem enabling developers to experience the performance and energy efficiency of its breakthrough processor architecture. Developers can write or paste C code, which the compiler automatically maps to the Efficient dataflow architecture. The Playground visualizes code distribution and execution across the Fabric's tiles, includes a debugger, and provides battery life estimates showcasing dramatic energy efficiency improvements.

(www.efficient.computer)

Development processor

GitHub Project TILDNN Updated

2024-12-22

GitHub Project TILDNN Updated

The TILDNN project on GitHub has been updated. The project appears to be related to artificial intelligence or deep learning (inferring from the name). Specific update details are not provided in the given text; accessing the GitHub link is necessary for further information.

(github.com)

AI Project Update

ChatGPT's New "Study Together" Mode: AI Tutor or Cheating Enabler?

2025-07-08

ChatGPT's New

Some ChatGPT Plus subscribers are reporting a new feature called "Study Together." Instead of directly answering prompts, this mode reportedly asks questions, prompting users to engage actively, much like an AI tutor. Speculation abounds about whether it will evolve into a multi-user study group feature and how effective it will be in deterring academic dishonesty. OpenAI hasn't commented, and ChatGPT itself remains vague about the feature's wider rollout. This new mode highlights ChatGPT's dual role in education: it can aid learning but also facilitate cheating; "Study Together" may be OpenAI's attempt to steer usage towards positive applications.

(techcrunch.com)

AI Study Mode

The 'Source of Truth' Illusion in Product Development

2025-08-02

The 'Source of Truth' Illusion in Product Development

The common 'single source of truth' problem in product development often misses the mark. It assumes everyone wants the truth, agrees on what that truth is, and is willing to work towards coherence. This article uses the example of a team juggling initiatives, releases, launches, epics, and various allocation frameworks to illustrate the inherent complexity. Forcing standardization hinders efficiency, while embracing full complexity leads to cognitive overload. The key is finding a balance, acknowledging the nuances, and avoiding the suppression of reality to achieve better operational effectiveness. The author questions how organizational tools and systems reflect power dynamics and whose preferences dominate.

(cutlefish.substack.com)

Development source of truth

Emacs Solo: A Minimalist Emacs Configuration

2025-03-27

Emacs Solo: A Minimalist Emacs Configuration

Emacs Solo is a minimalist Emacs configuration that leverages only built-in packages, eschewing external dependencies. Recently showcased live on the System Crafters Weekly Show, it demonstrates a powerful and efficient workflow. The configuration includes numerous customizations, such as enhanced icomplete-verical, an experimental git-gutter alternative, supercharged eshell, and more, aiming for a lightweight, fast, yet fully functional Emacs experience.

(www.rahuljuliato.com)

Development Minimalism

Reverse Engineering Elgato's Stream Deck Plus: Breaking Free from Proprietary Software

2024-12-26

Reverse Engineering Elgato's Stream Deck Plus: Breaking Free from Proprietary Software

Den Delimarsky successfully reverse-engineered the Elgato Stream Deck Plus and shared the detailed process. Using tools like Wireshark, he captured and analyzed the USB communication between the Stream Deck Plus and a computer, revealing the workings of buttons, screen, and knobs. This includes the image transfer protocol, button status feedback, and screen touch event coordinate data. He then updated the DeckSurf SDK with a C# example, enabling developers to control the Stream Deck Plus without relying on Elgato's software.

(den.dev)

Hardware hardware hacking

The Secret Crisis in American Elementary Reading Instruction: The Debunked 'Three-Cueing' System

2025-08-03

The Secret Crisis in American Elementary Reading Instruction: The Debunked 'Three-Cueing' System

This article exposes a long-standing problem in American elementary reading instruction: the widely used 'three-cueing' system. This method, which teaches children to guess words using pictures, grammar, and context, has been debunked by cognitive science. Research shows skilled readers rely on quick and accurate word recognition, while three-cueing hinders this development by encouraging guessing. The article uses a mother's personal experience and extensive research to argue for a shift away from this outdated approach and towards scientifically-backed phonics instruction, ensuring children develop true reading proficiency. The consequence of this flawed system is a shocking number of children who struggle to read, impacting their overall development and future prospects.

(www.apmreports.org)

Education reading instruction

DeepSeek App's Security Flaws Spark US Government Concerns, Potential Ban Looms

2025-02-08

DeepSeek App's Security Flaws Spark US Government Concerns, Potential Ban Looms

A mobile app called DeepSeek is facing potential government ban in the US due to security vulnerabilities. Security experts discovered the app bypasses Apple's App Transport Security (ATS), using insecure HTTP protocols for communication, potentially exposing sensitive data to the Chinese government. Experts warn that even with encrypted communication, sending sensitive data to servers in China remains risky. US lawmakers are pushing for a 60-day ban on DeepSeek from government devices due to national security concerns that the Chinese Communist Party may have created a backdoor for accessing Americans' private data.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Chinese Company

Heathrow Airport Shutdown: Massive Power Outage Causes Chaos

2025-03-21

Heathrow Airport Shutdown: Massive Power Outage Causes Chaos

A major fire at an electrical substation near London's Heathrow Airport caused a complete power outage, shutting down the airport for the entire day. Thousands of flights were diverted or turned back, impacting tens of thousands of passengers. The fire also left over 16,000 homes without power. The incident highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and raises questions about backup power systems. Affected passengers shared stories of disrupted travel plans, including missed weddings and delayed visits to sick family members.

(www.cnn.com)

Tech Heathrow Airport Flight Delays

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