1. Deepmind Alphadev: Faster sorting algorithms discovered using deep RL Total comment counts : 35 Summary The article discusses the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to discover new and efficient algorithms for fundamental tasks such as sorting and hashing. The authors formulated the task of finding better sorting algorithms as a single-player game and trained an AI agent, AlphaDev, to play this game and discover small sorting algorithms that outperformed previously known human benchmarks....

1. Messages that can only be understood under the influence of psychedelics Total comment counts : 46 Summary A panel of judges from QRI’s international phenomenologist network scored submissions to a Psychedelic Cryptography contest based on their effectiveness, specificity, and aesthetic value. Only three submissions showed promise, using a classic method that exploits tracer effects to “write out” images or text over time.The encoded information pops out in a psychedelic state of consciousness, presenting the first clear demonstration of a real perceptual computational advantage of psychedelic states....

1. Apple Vision Pro: Apple’s first spatial computer Total comment counts : 344 Summary Apple has announced the release of its first spatial computer, the Apple Vision Pro, which blends digital content with the physical world using a three-dimensional user interface controlled by a user’s eyes, hands, and voice. It features an ultra-high-resolution display system and custom Apple silicon in a unique dual-chip design to ensure every experience feels like it’s taking place in front of the user’s eyes in real-time....

1. Why do railway tracks have crushed stones alongside them? Total comment counts : 31 Summary error Top 1 Comment Summary The article explains that keeping crushed stones under the tracks clean is important to prevent fouling, which could cause derailment. The stones move slightly as each train passes above them, and this helps keep the track straight and level. Fouling stops this effect, and railway maintenance involves digging out all the stones, washing them, and putting them back every 25 years....

1. Fq: Jq for Binary Formats Total comment counts : 19 Summary Fq is a tool, language and decoders for working with binary data that allows users to work with binary formats in the same way one would using jq. It can present data like a hex viewer, transform, slice and concatenate binary data. It also supports nested formats and has an interactive REPL with auto-completion. Fq was originally designed to query, inspect and debug media codecs and containers but has since then been extended to support a variety of formats like executables, packet captures and serialization formats like JSON, YAML, XML, ASN1 BER, Avro, CBOR, and protobuf....

1. Radiation-hardened Quine (2014) Total comment counts : 27 Summary The article describes a self-printing program written in Ruby called “robust quine” that works even if one character is deleted from the code. It includes instructions for generating a broken program and running it, and provides three versions of the program, including the latest “ascii-art” version. The program is available for use under the MIT License. Top 1 Comment Summary The article discusses the possibility of a script that can deal with general bit flips rather than just deleting one character randomly....

1. Notes apps are where ideas go to die (2022) Total comment counts : 78 Summary The article discusses how we use notes and bookmarking apps to remember things, but we actually use them to forget. By writing things down, we can clear our minds and organize our thoughts. Our desire to remember everything stems from an innate fear of loss. However, most of what we write down isn’t actually valuable....

1. Rarbg Is No More Total comment counts : 87 Summary error Top 1 Comment Summary The article discusses the history of RARBG, a Bulgarian tracker that was a big player in the illegal warez scene. The author expresses curiosity about how such illegal operations can remain anonymous online and avoid being caught, despite the maturity and commercialization of the internet. Top 2 Comment Summary The author wonders why torrent search is based on centralized websites, which can be taken down, instead of a distributed search that would solve the obvious weak link problem....

1. Setris – Tetris with Sand Physics Total comment counts : 33 Summary The article is about a downloadable game called Setris that is available for Windows and Linux. It combines the gameplay of Tetris with falling sand. Users have been leaving positive comments and suggestions for the game, including requests for a Mac version and a mobile version, as well as some bug reports and feedback on game mechanics....

1. Let us serve you, but don’t bring us down Total comment counts : 34 Summary The Internet Archive experienced an hour-long outage due to tens of thousands of requests per second for public domain OCR files launching from 64 virtual hosts on Amazon’s AWS services. Though the service was restored by blocking those IP addresses, another set of 64 addresses soon commenced the same kind of activity, leading to another hour of outage....