Links for 2021-12-31
Zero Knowledge Proofs Explained (proving that you know a value x, without conveying any information apart from the fact that you know the value x) https://youtu.be/5ovdoxnfFVc
Steam engines were built before theory. For nuclear bombs, theory came first. https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/9hRyGD72gEAAMGdzF/book-review-the-most-powerful-idea-in-the-world-by-william
AI Fire Alarm Scenarios: will we get any further warnings about when AI(s) will exceed human levels at general-purpose tasks? http://www.bayesianinvestor.com/blog/index.php/2021/12/23/ai-fire-alarm-scenarios/
The Peculiar Economics of 3D Printing https://quillette.com/2021/12/21/the-peculiar-economics-of-3d-printing/
2021's Biggest Breakthroughs in Math and Computer Science https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uASADiYe_8
Facebook shows off mind-reading technology it hopes to use one day with smart glasses: “The wrist device is capable of reading neurological signals sent from a users' brain down to their hands. It could theoretically read these signals to get a sense of what a user wants to do and replicate the action in a virtual or augmented reality environment.” https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2021/03/18/facebook-shows-off-mind-reading-technology.html
How many lives has bioethics cost? https://unherd.com/2021/12/how-many-lives-has-bioethics-cost/
"as the base rate of hypothesis becomes more unlikely, each piece of confirming testimony provides a nonlinear increase in support, relative to a more commonplace hypothesis … lay reasoners consistently fail to account for this" https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-02667-001
People Literally Don’t Know When to Shut Up—or Keep Talking—Science Confirms https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/people-literally-dont-know-when-to-shut-up-or-keep-talking-science-confirms/
“Children who engage the most with princess culture report more egalitarian attitudes about gender roles, lower adherence to hyper-masculine norms, and better body esteem five years later.” https://www.psypost.org/2021/12/longitudinal-study-suggests-disney-princess-culture-has-a-positive-impact-on-young-childrens-gender-development-62267
Study: Watching a lecture twice at double speed can benefit learning better than watching it once at normal speed. "The results offer some guidance for students at US universities considering the optimal revision strategy." https://digest.bps.org.uk/2021/12/21/watching-a-lecture-twice-at-double-speed-can-benefit-learning-better-than-watching-it-once-at-normal-speed/
Seven ways in which the left is now the right: 1. Adopting things from other cultures is bad; 2. What your ancestors did matters; 3. Large corporations can be a force for good; 4. Some religions shouldn't be criticised; 5. People should be addressed by their titles; 6. Academics need to sign loyalty oaths; 7. Profanity should be removed from TV and radio https://noahcarl.substack.com/p/seven-ways-in-which-the-left-is-now