Links for 2024-01-30
AI:
Far from being “stochastic parrots,” the biggest large language models seem to learn enough skills to understand the words they’re processing. https://www.quantamagazine.org/new-theory-suggests-chatbots-can-understand-text-20240122/
🦅 Eagle 7B : Soaring past Transformers with 1 Trillion Tokens Across 100+ Languages — “A brand new era for the RWKV-v5 architecture and linear transformer's has arrived - with the strongest multi-lingual model in open source today” https://blog.rwkv.com/p/eagle-7b-soaring-past-transformers
Meta presents Deconstructing Denoising Diffusion Models for Self-Supervised Learning https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.14404
Scaling Up to Excellence: Practicing Model Scaling for Photo-Realistic Image Restoration In the Wild https://supir.xpixel.group/
Mitsubishi Electric Develops Behavioral-analysis AI that Analyzes Manual Tasks Without Requiring Training Data https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mitsubishi-electric-develops-behavioral-analysis-021000014.html
Science and Technology:
Researchers demonstrate rapid 3D printing with liquid metal https://news.mit.edu/2024/researchers-demonstrate-rapid-3d-printing-liquid-metal-0125
MIT’s breakthrough self-powered sensor harvests energy from the air https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10341273
Yet another "superpower" of GLP1 agonists is being realized--reducing inflammation throughout the body, including the brain. At least 20 clinical trials are currently testing GLP1 agonists in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's treatment. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00118-4
Large-sample study involving almost a million students finds that sex differences are universal across dozens of countries and cultures — sex can be predicted by academic interests and abilities. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0160289620300313
Politics:
Fewer and faster: Global fertility isn't just declining, it's collapsing https://fasterplease.substack.com/p/fewer-and-faster-global-fertility
“The strange thing with fertility is nobody really knows what’s going on... It’s not primarily driven by economics or family policies. It’s something cultural, psychological, biological, cognitive.” https://www.ft.com/content/500c0fb7-a04a-4f87-9b93-bf65045b9401 [https://archive.is/ZmD9O]
“Fiscal Year 2023 set a record for US Arms Sales: The Russian Invasion of Ukraine has created unprecedented demand, resulting in an estimated $238.4 billion in sales being approved. A huge boost for the American economy.” https://twitter.com/ColbyBadhwar/status/1752064838761623738
“The complete capitulation of Biden Administration’s approach to the Middle East with spill-over effects on the crisis in the Red Sea and Iran‘s unhinged operations in the region.” https://twitter.com/vtchakarova/status/1752127759542112461
‘Why should I kill our own?’: Thousands of soldiers surrender as Myanmar junta shaken by rebel advances https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/jan/29/myanmar-military-junta-totters-as-battalions-surrender
Ukraine:
Ukraine's vital gains in the Black Sea: "With 6.3m tonnes of goods exported in December, the Odessa region’s three ports—Odessa itself, Chornomorsk and Pivdenny—are now almost back to pre-war volumes…In total, Ukraine has destroyed at least 22 of the 80 working combat vessels of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, and damaged another 13." https://www.economist.com/europe/2024/01/28/russia-is-losing-the-battle-for-the-black-sea [https://archive.is/CEdFk]
“Oleksiy Yukov, the head of the search team of the "Platzdarm" [Foothold] Military-Historical Heritage Research Association. The org is involved with the exhumation of Russian servicemen in the Bakhmut direction. The report raises important questions.” https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1752092529388888341
Kuwait will transfer 100 M-84AV tanks to Ukraine through Croatia. https://twitter.com/GloOouD/status/1752244747232493978