Links for 2022-01-25
Meta’s cutting-edge AI supercomputer for AI research [with the aim of one day training models with trillions of parameters.]: “...we believe it will be the fastest AI supercomputer in the world, performing at nearly 5 exaflops of mixed precision compute. Through 2022, we’ll work to increase the number of GPUs from 6,080 to 16,000, which will increase AI training performance by more than 2.5x. The InfiniBand fabric will expand to support 16,000 ports in a two-layer topology with no oversubscription. The storage system will have a target delivery bandwidth of 16 TB/s and exabyte-scale capacity to meet increased demand.” https://ai.facebook.com/blog/ai-rsc
A look at consciousness through the lens of epidemiology. https://meltingasphalt.com/consciousness-an-outside-view/
Single Cell Genomics Reveals Viruses Consumed by Marine Protists https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2020.524828/full
Black silicon photodetector breaks the 100% efficiency limit. One incoming photon generates approximately 1.3 electrons. [Published: 13.8.2020] https://www.aalto.fi/en/news/black-silicon-photodetector-breaks-the-100-efficiency-limit
The Nanotechnology Revolution Is Here--We Just Haven't Noticed Yet: “The nanotechnology revolution is quietly underway, with scientists harnessing microchip fabrication technology to create nanoscale devices. For example, Resonant makes microelectromechanical systems incorporated into smartphones to filter radio interference via vibrating elements. Another nanomachine, the metalens, a thin and virtually flat lens covered with thousands of silicon fibers, can bend light in ways that used to require multiple conventional lenses; applications include three-dimensional (3D) smartphone sensors, which metalens maker Metalenz will produce with semiconductor manufacturer STMicroelectronics. Meanwhile, the Georgia Institute of Technology's Andrei Fedorov and colleagues used electron beams to etch patterns in two-dimensional materials, or to stack structures made of carbon atoms atop them.” https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-nanotechnology-revolution-is-herewe-just-havent-noticed-yet-11642827640 [archived version: https://archive.fo/iah0J]
Harvesting renewable energy from Earth’s mid-infrared emissions https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2014/02/26/1402036111
“Turning back time with epigenetic clocks. If biological ageing can be slowed, halted or rewound, are the machine-learning algorithms the best way to measure it? Some experts are unconvinced.” https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00077-8
Mathematical theory of deep learning: Can we do it? Should we do it? https://youtu.be/3uRD_lg701k
Instant Neural Graphics Primitives with a Multiresolution Hash Encoding (Training a NeRF takes 5 seconds!) https://nvlabs.github.io/instant-ngp/assets/mueller2022instant.pdf
Democrats Push to Revive $250 Billion Tech Investment Bill to Counter China [WSJ] https://archive.fo/HzprQ
Their DNA Hides a Warning, but They Don’t Want to Know What It Says — Some volunteers for biobanks, which collect genetic information to study health across populations, have been surprised to be informed they carry risky mutations. [NYT] https://archive.fo/onmKL
Toby Ord came up with an interesting logic puzzle:
At last you reach the mountain shrine—and its nameless gods. One knows everything, but alternates answering truly and falsely. The other knows nothing, but alternates answering ‘yes’ and ‘no’. You know not which is which, nor where they are up to in their patterns.
Two paths lead onward. How many yes/no questions need you ask (each can be directed to the taller god, or the shorter one) to find out which path leads to your heart’s desire?
Here is a possible solution by Richard Kennaway I received via Facebook:
I think I can do it in two questions. It certainly can't be done in one, because if you addressed it to the ignorant god you have learned nothing about the path.
Whenever you want to ask a question P of the knowledgable god, you can get a consistent answer by asking "If my next question to you were P, would you say "no"?" Their answer to that will be a truthful answer to P. I shall abbreviate that to NEXT(P). By asking all questions in this form, the knowledgable alternating god, whichever he is, is reduced to a knowledgable truth-telling god, while the ignorant god's answers are unaffected.
Point to one of the paths, and ask one god Q1 and then the other god Q2:
Q1. NEXT(this is the right path if and only if the ignorant god's next answer will be "yes")
Q2. NEXT( this is the right path if and only if the ignorant god's last answer was "yes")
You are pointing to the right path if and only if the answers are the same.
Proof (as a text image, for the sake of the formatting that Facebook will trash):