Links for 2021-12-28
Uptime 15,364 days – The Computers of Voyager – There are few hobbies better than spending years to completely understand the computing systems running Voyager 1 and 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H62hZJVqs2o
Could acid-neutralizing life-forms make habitable pockets in Venus’ clouds? A new study shows it’s theoretically possible. The hypothesis could be tested soon with proposed Venus-bound missions. https://news.mit.edu/2021/habitable-venus-clouds-acid-neutralizing-1220 [see also: Astronomers Just Discovered the Simplest Cell Of Life in Interstellar Space (pre-print that hasn't been peer-reviewed) https://arxiv.org/pdf/2105.11141.pdf]
Crows keep special tools extra safe. Study suggest that crows have some concept of the relative 'value' of different tool types. https://www.mpg.de/18061418/1217-ornr-crows-keep-special-tools-extra-safe-987453-x
Neandertals were the first hominids to turn forest into grassland 125,000 years ago https://www.sciencenews.org/article/neandertals-first-hominid-modify-environment-forest-grassland
A new study of 4.2 million Swedes estimated the heritability of intellectual disability to be 95% https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcpp.13560
A local-realistic model for quantum theory: “We provide a rigorous definition of local realism. We show that the universal wave function cannot be a complete description of a local reality. Finally, we construct a local-realistic model for quantum theory.” https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspa.2020.0897
“[B]oth self-control and intelligence longitudinally predicted teacher-reported academic competence as well as school-reported grades; however, intelligence was a significantly stronger predictor than self-control.” https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10964-021-01539-4
Book Launch: The Engines of Cognition — “The Engines of Cognition is a newly published collection of essays by the LessWrong Community.” https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/mvPfao35Moah8py46/book-launch-the-engines-of-cognition
This Scientist Created a Rapid Test Just Weeks Into the Pandemic. Here’s Why You Still Can’t Get It. https://www.propublica.org/article/this-scientist-created-a-rapid-test-just-weeks-into-the-pandemic-heres-why-you-still-cant-get-it