Links for 2021-12-17
Quantum physics requires imaginary numbers to explain reality. Theories based only on real numbers fail to explain the results of two new experiments. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/quantum-physics-imaginary-numbers-math-reality [Related: If love exists then so do the natural numbers. On the reality of water, love, and numbers. https://axisofordinary.substack.com/p/if-love-exists-then-so-do-the-natural]
“Some people seem better than others at recognizing there is more than one way to view an issue. Psychologists call this integrative complexity. In this week’s episode, how we can all get better at seeing the world in a more nuanced way.” https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/both-things-can-be-true/
What do forecasting rationales reveal about thinking patterns of top geopolitical forecasters https://dropbox.com/s/6kopcktuhbwa07f/2021%20What%20do%20forecasting%20rationales%20reveal%20about%20thinking%20patterns%20of%20top%20geopolitical%20forecasters.pdf?dl=0
"Improving the factual accuracy of language models through web browsing" ("WebGPT: Browser-assisted question-answering withhuman feedback", Nakano et al 2021 {OA}) https://openai.com/blog/improving-factual-accuracy/ [David Manheim: “@ESYudkowsky - and you thought they'd need to convince us to let them out of the box!”; Eliezer Yudkowsky: “I wasn't actually under the impression we would die with that much dignity.” (Source)]
A Brief Explanation of Egan’s Dust Theory: “...the function that is you is being “run” far more often in random noise than engineered computers or ‘real’ physical reality. This is sort of like the Boltzmann brain idea, but even worse because it applies to any set of relations. According to Egan’s argument all possible experiences that can be computed by any sufficiently complex set of relations are in fact computed by them.” https://archive.md/sRHz5
Parental inattention and irresponsibility account for a large percentage of urban youth victimization as well as of youth crime commission. https://cityjourn.al/3yby9m2
Sleep technique used by Salvador Dalí really works: Some of the world's most creative minds, including Salvador Dalí and Thomas Edison described using this sleep technique to bolster creativity. https://www.livescience.com/little-known-sleep-stage-may-be-creative-sweet-spot
A new type of sound wave: the airborne sound wave vibrates transversely and carries both spin and orbital angular momentum like light does https://scitechdaily.com/physicists-discover-a-remarkable-new-type-of-sound-wave/
The Log4j security flaw could impact the entire internet. Here's what you should know https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/15/tech/log4j-vulnerability/index.html
"Evidence for a mouse origin of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant", Wei et al 2021 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.14.472632v1.full [Related: A mouse-adapted SARS-coronavirus causes disease and mortality in BALB/c mice; A versatile mouse model of COVID-19; Mice are sensitized for SARS-CoV-2 infection by Ad5-hACE2 transduction;]
"Until recently, the conventional wisdom was that nuclear energy was all but dead. But now, The Netherlands has joined UK & France in announcing a major expansion of nuclear. How did nuclear go from the margins to the mainstream? Here's the inside scoop" michaelshellenberger.substack.com/p/netherlands-goes-nuclear-in-massive
"We don’t wear seat belts on buses, trains, boats, etc. Why full size airliners, which almost never crash? And if they were to crash, are seat belts actually likely to save your life?" https://www.econlib.org/it-didnt-begin-with-covid/
Skeptic Research Center asked: how many unarmed black men were killed by police in 2019. Nearly half of liberals (44 percent) thought between 1,000 and 10,000. Actual number: under 30. https://www.skeptic.com/research-center/reports/Research-Report-CUPES-007.pdf
Before you think about forcing billionaires to pay more taxes remember that the Afghanistan war has cost ~$273 million ($273,000,000) per DAY for 20 years of taxpayers' money ($2 trillion).
I would much rather see billionaires waste their money on luxury goods than finance some useless war or a university's diversity officers.