The author trained a neural network with logic gates as activation functions to learn Conway's Game of Life's 3x3 kernel. To speed up inference, the learned logic circuit was extracted and compiled into bit-parallel C code (with optimizations to remove redundant gates). Benchmarking revealed a stunning 1744x speedup compared to the original neural network.
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Guile Hoot 0.2.0, a Scheme to WebAssembly GC compiler, has been released. This release introduces a Foreign Function Interface (FFI), enabling developers to write the majority of web application code directly in Scheme, minimizing reliance on JavaScript. The article demonstrates building interactive web pages using Scheme and the FFI, progressing from a simple "Hello, world!" to an interactive counter and finally a to-do list application. Leveraging Scheme's symbolic manipulation capabilities and SXML, it builds an efficient virtual DOM with a React-like diffing algorithm for updates.
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Nicholas Khami shares his experience parallelizing multiple LLM code generators (Claude Code, Codex) using Git worktrees and tmux. He found significant efficiency gains; even with inconsistent individual LLM output quality, running multiple agents concurrently drastically increases the chance of getting usable code. However, manually managing multiple worktrees and tmux sessions is cumbersome. To solve this, he and his co-founder are building `uzi`, a CLI tool to streamline the workflow, providing a smoother developer experience by automating tasks like starting agents, sending prompts, running commands, previewing, committing, and creating PRs. This promises to greatly enhance developer productivity, and the parallel processing philosophy extends beyond coding, applicable to legal contract review and marketing data analysis. The future will likely see more software integrating similar parallel execution capabilities.
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Japan Post launched a new "digital address" system assigning seven-digit alphanumeric codes to physical addresses. Users input these codes on e-commerce sites, automatically populating their addresses. Addresses are linked via Japan Post's Yu ID service and remain unchanged even with physical address changes. Rakuten and other companies are considering adoption, and Japan Post aims for widespread use within a decade. This innovation promises to simplify online shopping address entry in Japan.
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Compiler Explorer's URLs have evolved from encoding compiler states directly in URLs to using goo.gl short links, and finally to a self-built storage solution. With goo.gl sunsetting in August 2025, the author is rescuing old goo.gl-based links, recovering over 12,000 so far. This post highlights the author's commitment to 'URLs that last forever' and reflects on the reliance on third-party services.
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Alex Kasman of the College of Charleston has compiled a database of over one thousand short stories, plays, novels, films, and comic books featuring math or mathematicians. This resource aims to catalog significant fictional references to mathematics, allowing users to browse by author, title, publication date, or search by genre, topic, motif, or medium. The site also features newly added entries and personal recommendations. Whether you're a math teacher, a fiction enthusiast, or curious about society's perception of mathematicians, this database is a treasure trove.
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arXivLabs is a framework for developing and sharing new arXiv features directly on the website, in collaboration with the community. Participants, individuals and organizations alike, embrace arXiv's values of openness, community, excellence, and user data privacy. arXiv is committed to these values and only works with partners who share them. Got an idea to enhance the arXiv community? Explore arXivLabs.
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Archaeological finds off the coast of Java, Indonesia, are rewriting our understanding of Homo erectus. Fossil remains, including skull fragments, unearthed during dredging operations in the Madura Strait, reveal a surprisingly mobile Homo erectus population inhabiting Sundaland, a vast lowland area now submerged. The discoveries, including evidence of hunting and diverse dietary habits, challenge previous theories of isolated Javanese Homo erectus populations. The findings point to a rich ecosystem and suggest interaction with other hominin groups, painting a far more complex picture of early human life in Southeast Asia 140,000 years ago. This unique collection, spanning 36 vertebrate species, offers unprecedented insight into the region's past biodiversity.
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During Hurricane Helene in late September 2024, while my university was closed and people were boarding up their homes, I reverse-engineered Waffle House's website. Using hidden JSON data within their Next.js site, I built a live map tracking Waffle House closures to help gauge the hurricane's impact. The site unexpectedly went viral, attracting attention from Waffle House itself and even Frank Luntz. Ultimately, trademark issues forced me to take it down, but the experience was a fun and unexpected adventure.
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Tesseral is an open-source authentication infrastructure for business software (B2B SaaS). It's a multi-tenant, API-first cloud service compatible with any tech stack. Developers can use the managed service at console.tesseral.com or self-host. It bundles everything needed for user management: customizable login pages, B2B multitenancy, user impersonation, self-service configuration, various login methods (magic links, social login, SAML, SCIM), role-based access control (RBAC), multi-factor authentication (MFA), passkeys/WebAuthn, authenticator apps (TOTPs), API key management, user invitations, and webhooks. SDKs are available for React, Flask, and more, simplifying frontend and backend integration.
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Despite billions of dollars invested in Texas K-12 education from 2012 to 2021, annual reading test scores remained flat. A deep dive into test design reveals this stagnation wasn't due to lack of student improvement, but rather, the test itself. The administering agency annually adjusted difficulty, resulting in consistent passing rates over a decade, masking actual student progress. This norm-referenced testing focuses on relative ranking, not absolute standards, hindering accurate assessment of learning and exacerbating inequities in resource allocation. The researcher calls for improved test design to remove barriers to educational equity.
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Telegram has partnered with Elon Musk's xAI to exclusively distribute its Grok chatbot on the Telegram platform for one year. xAI will pay $300 million in cash and equity for this deal. Telegram will also receive 50% of revenue from Grok subscriptions purchased through the app. Grok will be integrated deeply, allowing users to access it via the search bar and use it for tasks like writing suggestions, summarizing text, and creating stickers. This mirrors Meta's integration of Meta AI into Instagram and WhatsApp.
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A new study sheds light on the Gobi Wall, a 321-kilometer-long structure in Mongolia. Contrary to previous assumptions, the research reveals it wasn't solely a defensive barrier. Built primarily during the Xi Xia dynasty (1038-1227 CE), the wall served multiple purposes: boundary demarcation, resource management, and imperial control consolidation. The international team used remote sensing, surveys, and excavations to uncover evidence of its construction and strategic importance, revealing its route was carefully chosen based on resource availability. This research challenges long-held beliefs about Inner Asian imperial frontier systems, offering insights into the interplay between environmental adaptation and state power in medieval empires.
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Wetlands is a lightweight Python library designed to simplify Conda environment management. It creates Conda environments on demand, installs dependencies, and executes arbitrary code within them, preventing dependency conflicts. Ideal for plugin systems or integrating external modules, Wetlands uses either pixi or micromamba for fast and efficient Conda environment handling. A simple API allows developers to create, launch, import modules, execute functions, and cleanly exit environments, making dependency management in Python projects easier and more efficient.
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Monero (XMR), a privacy-focused cryptocurrency, has been a target for governments, cybersecurity experts, and analytics firms aiming to deanonymize its transactions. This article analyzes various attempts to break Monero's privacy, including efforts by companies like Chainalysis and CipherTrace, and academic research on its ring signature scheme. While some methods, such as exploiting timing analysis or correlating off-chain data, have shown limited success, Monero's ring signatures, stealth addresses, and confidential transactions have proven remarkably resilient. The proactive defense efforts of the Monero community, including the "Breaking Monero" series, have further strengthened its resistance to tracking.
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This powerful data filtering tool allows users to customize search results based on parameters such as country, language, and last updated time. Users can select from numerous country and language options and specify the update time range to precisely obtain the required information.
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This article introduces a revolutionary 'Blowtorch Theory' challenging the ΛCDM standard model of cosmology. It posits that powerful jets from early supermassive black holes actively shaped the universe's structure through electromagnetic processes, not solely gravity. These jets created vast, low-pressure cavities and magnetic field lines, forming the cosmic web. The theory elegantly explains the James Webb Space Telescope's observations of surprisingly mature early galaxies without requiring dark matter.
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The Chicago Sun-Times and Philadelphia Inquirer published AI-generated fake news supplements, prompting reflection on our current "Who Cares" era. The article highlights the lack of concern, from writers to readers, regarding the authenticity of content. AI-generated mediocrity floods the internet, with 'good enough' simulations replacing genuine effort. The author calls for valuing originality and mindful creation, fighting back against AI-produced banality by prioritizing high-quality content.
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San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Maria Su is secretly rolling out a new "Grading for Equity" plan affecting over 10,000 high school students this fall. This plan, implemented without Board approval, drastically lowers passing grades, eliminating the impact of homework and attendance. Critics argue this undermines college readiness and ignores existing achievement gaps. While proponents claim it promotes equity, data from similar programs show limited success in closing achievement gaps. The lack of transparency and minimal parental outreach further fuels concerns about the plan's potential negative consequences and raises questions about the district's leadership.
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Transform your terminal into a vibrant garden with Flower Garden CLI! Grow five unique flower types, each blossoming into intricate mathematical patterns and fractals. Water your flowers, watch them grow, and enjoy the beautiful, colorful displays. With an easy-to-use menu and automatic saving, you can cultivate your digital garden at your own pace. Install via pip and start growing!
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Mateusz Jurczyk of Google Project Zero spent two years deeply researching the Windows Registry, uncovering 53 CVEs in the process. His research highlights the complexity of the registry as a local privilege escalation attack surface, detailing security issues stemming from its large, legacy codebase written in C. The research covers various vulnerability classes including memory corruption, information disclosure, and logic bugs, analyzing various attack entry points such as hive loading, app hives, and direct system calls. The research also emphasizes how the registry's self-healing mechanisms impact security auditing, and the challenges of unclear boundaries between strict format requirements and conventions. Finally, the post summarizes exploitation primitives and discusses strategies and difficulties in registry fuzzing.
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This essay argues that over-reliance on Large Language Models (LLMs) in software engineering can accelerate incompetence. An experienced software engineer details how LLMs, while offering speed in code generation, introduce significant risks: incorrect outputs, inability to understand context, increased technical debt, and the suppression of critical thinking and creativity. Drawing on the insights of Peter Naur and Fred Brooks, the author emphasizes that programming is about building program theory and managing program entropy, tasks beyond current LLMs' capabilities. The essay concludes that while LLMs are useful tools, they cannot replace human ingenuity and deep thinking, and over-reliance can lead to increased costs and project failures.
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The article uses the analogy of a drunk looking for his keys under a lamppost to illustrate a common mistake among technically skilled individuals seeking consulting work. They focus on improving already strong technical skills (e.g., learning a sixth programming language when the first five are already in demand), neglecting crucial soft skills like sales and networking. The author argues that while strengthening existing strengths is beneficial, addressing weaknesses that hinder progress (like sales ability) should be prioritized. Attending conferences and actively seeking opportunities is more effective than solely focusing on enhancing technical expertise.
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Microsoft is expanding Windows Update to include third-party applications. Developers can now sign up for a private preview of the Windows Update orchestration platform, enabling future support for updates to any app or driver. While initially focused on business apps, it will be open to all apps and management tools. This allows developers to leverage scheduled updates based on user activity, battery status, and sustainable energy timing, connect directly to native Windows Update notifications, and list updates in the Windows Update app history. Microsoft will support MSIX/APPX packaged apps and some custom Win32 apps.
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Leaning Technologies announced the release of CheerpJ 4.1, featuring early preview support for Java 17 and improved stability for Java 11, alongside performance optimizations, networking stack enhancements, and mobile usability improvements. CheerpJ is a WebAssembly-based JVM enabling direct execution of unmodified Java bytecode in browsers, supporting large-scale Swing/AWT applications and Java library integration (Library Mode). CheerpJ 4.1 also introduces support for JNI WebAssembly modules, allowing execution of Java applications reliant on native code like Minecraft. Future CheerpJ 5.0 will include stable Java 17 support and NPM support.
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Large Language Models (LLMs) have revolutionized code writing, surpassing even the impact of the World Wide Web. However, this hasn't changed the fundamental truth that understanding code is harder than writing it; every line is tech debt. Introducing LLMs makes convincing teams to abandon old test suites and technical decisions even harder. LLMs readily produce new functions, leading to bloated, hard-to-maintain codebases, defying DRY principles. Historically productive engineering teams rely on deep toolchain expertise, but LLMs drastically lower coding costs, resulting in an explosion of ecological diversity in software environments. While LLMs might eventually improve code readability and reasoning, the current challenges are substantial.
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Science fiction author Cory Doctorow's PyCon US 2025 keynote explored the 'enshittification' of internet platforms. He attributes this phenomenon to a three-stage strategy employed by tech companies to maximize profits: locking in users, degrading user experience to benefit business customers, and finally, extracting all value from the platform. Using Google as an example, he showed how 'twiddling' algorithms manipulate search results and ad placement, harming user interests. Doctorow argues that 'enshittification' isn't a technical issue, but stems from relaxed antitrust regulation and neglected privacy legislation. He calls for stronger antitrust measures, improved interoperability, enhanced privacy protections, and other steps to reverse this trend and build a 'new good internet'.
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This article unveils a quirk in JavaScript's date parsing: `2025/05/28` and `2025-05-28` represent different dates. This stems from long-standing inconsistencies in how browsers parse date strings. The article traces the evolution of date string parsing in Chrome, Firefox, and Safari since the release of the ES5 standard in 2009, highlighting their varying implementations and interpretations of the ISO 8601 standard. Ultimately, date formats like `2025-05-28` are interpreted as UTC, while others are interpreted as local time, causing confusion. The article concludes by introducing the upcoming JavaScript Temporal API, which will resolve this issue by mandating timezone information.
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LIEF now boasts a comprehensive API for creating DWARF files, along with plugins for Ghidra and BinaryNinja to export reverse-engineering analysis results. This allows sharing of crucial information like function names and structures across different reverse engineering tools. Leveraging LLVM's DWARF backend, the API (available in Python, Rust, and C++) simplifies the process, even handling details like stack variable offsets. This improves collaboration and understanding in complex reverse engineering projects.
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A new study quantifies how much EVs help reduce not only harmful exhaust emissions but also other types of pollution from personal vehicles. The study found that electric vehicles, thanks to regenerative braking, reduce brake dust by up to 83%, significantly more than hybrids or plug-in hybrids. While EVs may have slightly higher tire wear, the overall reduction in non-exhaust emissions is substantial because brake dust is far more likely to become airborne. The study recommends prioritizing public transport, walking, and cycling, alongside EV adoption, and developing more durable tires and brake pads.
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