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. The AI-generated algorithms have been integrated into the LLVM standard C++ sort library and represent the replacement of a component with an algorithm that has been discovered using reinforcement learning. The authors also demonstrate the generality of the approach by applying it to other domains.
Top 1 Comment Summary
AlphaDev claimed to have uncovered new algorithms that improved the sorting performance of the LLVM libc++ sorting library by up to 70%, but according to a critic, no new algorithms were actually discovered. The improvement was due to a sequence of assembly that saved one MOV, based on an unrolled insertion sort on three elements. The patch for libc++ was faster for small inputs due to the library not having an efficient implementation with a branchless sorting network beforehand. While the reinforcement learning approach worked, the article and surrounding press release have been criticized for being self-aggrandizing in their results and impact.
Top 2 Comment Summary
AlphaDev has discovered faster sorting and hashing algorithms, using a combination of assembly, compiler optimizations, and balancing both correctness and distribution. Although the approach does not involve revolutionary new methods, it has converged to a point where optimal programs are inhuman but perform better. By removing some instructions in sorting parallel instructions can run, causing less profound effects. When it comes to hashing, shorter strings use three instructions, which rises in complexity for bigger strings. However, the distribution on real workloads was deemed good enough to use in production, with the new algorithm reducing multiplication and rotation with the key improved from nine to 16.
2. Royal Navy says quantum navigation test a success
Total comment counts : 26
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The practical application of Bose Einstein Condensate (BEC) is to use it as an ultra-accurate detector of gravity that can create a map of the world based on variations in the gravitational constant g. This technology would allow nuclear submarines to navigate without surfacing for GPS lock, eliminating one of the primary reasons for sub surfacing. It is considered a potential moneymaker for the subfield.
Top 2 Comment Summary
Scientists have found a way to use Bose-Einstein condensates to measure small variations in the earth’s gravity caused by undersea terrain. They can then use satellite measured data to recover absolute position via Terrain Contour Matching. Another company is also using Bose-Einstein condensates for the same purpose.
3. “csinc”, the AArch64 instruction you didn’t know you wanted
Total comment counts : 17
Summary
The article discusses the underrated feature of the AArch64 ISA, csinc, which is a conditional move instruction used by compilers to accomplish better performance in low-level optimization. The author highlights the flexibility and potential for software engineering with the various forms of the csinc instruction, such as csinv and csneg. The article also provides examples of how the csinc instruction was used to achieve better compression algorithms compared to the traditional cmov instruction on x86. Finally, the article concludes by emphasizing the importance of conditional select instructions for ARM and their surprising flexibility compared to the traditionally discussed ones.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author has discovered a useful trick for ARM64 architecture called shrn dst.8b, src.8h, 4, which can turn a 128-bit mask into a 64-bit mask and can help in scanning bytes of a string faster. The trick was found in ARM’s “Optimized Routines” codebase while studying their strnlen() implementation.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article claims that the idea of adding a condition to processor instructions is not new and has been part of ARM since its beginning. This aspect actually makes ARM more RISCy and has nothing to do with making the processor more CISCy.
4. DeepFilterNet: Noise supression using deep filtering
Total comment counts : 11
Summary
The article discusses a “Low Complexity Speech Enhancement Framework” that uses deep filtering for noise suppression in 48kHz audio files. The framework is available on GitHub and supports Linux, MacOS, and Windows. To use the framework, one must install the DeepFilterNet Python wheel via pip and create datasets in HDF5 format. The article provides instructions for training and enhancing noisy audio files using the DeepFilterNet framework. The code is free and open source, and contributions are welcome.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a new machine learning-based noise suppression filter and compares it to classic spectral denoising and RNNoise. The writer suggests that the demonstration could use more varied speech to better showcase the benefits of the ML-based filter and highlights the importance of latency and CPU load. Additionally, the writer provides links to Noise Repellent and noise suppression for voice tools.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article provides links to a project called DeepFilterNet that can be integrated with Pipewire. It also includes a demo video on YouTube and an explanation paper.
5. Bees can learn, remember, think and make decisions
Total comment counts : 15
Summary
The article discusses the many fascinating features and abilities of bees, including their intelligence, perception of the world, and pollination techniques. Only about 10% of bees are social and live in hives, while most bees lead solitary lives. Bees have complex senses, including the ability to see ultraviolet patterns on flowers, detect scents associated with cancer and explosives, and use touch to feel ridges on petals. Bees can navigate mazes, and studies suggest they have a form of self-awareness and consciousness. Finally, the article suggests ways to help bees, who are declining globally due to factors such as habitat loss and pesticide use.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article suggests that a previous nature special about spiders showed how their web patterns changed because bees learned to avoid webs that caught their sisters. The statement implies that spiders can also learn.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article talks about how bees are skilled architects capable of building geodesic shelters with maximum efficiency and minimal materials. Their abilities are well-known and impressive in the animal world.
6. Launch HN: Fastgen (YC W23) – Visual Low-Code Backend Builder
Total comment counts : 33
Summary
Fastgen, a new low-code backend tool, has been launched to help developers reduce the tedious process of creating and maintaining APIs/CRUD operations for their applications. With Fastgen, actions are sequenced to form rest APIs and workflows through a drag-and-drop interface, and everything created can be deployed and tested instantly in the platform and will be hosted for the developer. The low-code tool supports SQL for database operations, JSON for data structure, and comparison operators similar to JavaScript for decision-making in workflows. Fastgen aims to eliminate boilerplate code and make it easier to adjust and share work in a visual environment.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article highlights several limitations of an API building platform, including the simplicity of body validation, the manual creation of SQL queries in the DB Query editor, and the absence of foreign keys and complex DB relationships in the DB editor. The author also notes that the response editor lacks power and cannot handle authorization, only authentication. Additionally, the pricing strategy is unreasonable, and there is no information on hosting or user interface building capabilities. Lastly, the author expresses concerns about the platform’s sustainability and how confident they are that the company won’t shut down and leave their project dead.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author expresses frustration with the password requirements on a website they signed up for. They suggest using two-factor authentication instead of strict password requirements to improve security and avoid the need for frequent password resets. The author fears having to use insecure passwords in the future due to these requirements.
7. Windows 11 calls a zip file a ‘postcode file’ in UK English
Total comment counts : 54
Summary
The article informs the user that they need to enable JavaScript in their browser or switch to a supported browser in order to continue using Twitter. It also provides links to the Help Center, which contains information about supported browsers, terms of service, privacy policy, cookie policy, and the company’s imprint and advertising information. The article is dated 2023 and is attributed to X Corp.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article tells the story of a British author who was asked by an American publisher if they could change some British words in the book to American words before publishing it in the US. The author agreed, but later found out that lines in the US version like “He looked out over the apartment landscape” and “‘Come with me’, he said apartmently” did not sound right.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article describes a previous campaign by Turkey to encourage the use of “Türkiye” instead of “Turkey” in English. The author recalls encountering the campaign on a flight with Turkish Airlines, where all mentions of “Turkey” were replaced with “Türkiye”. However, the author later comes across an episode of “Everybody Loves Raymond” on the in-flight entertainment system, where the description says that Raymond burns “the Türkiye” on Thanksgiving Day.
8. From SVG to Canvas – A new way of building interactions
Total comment counts : 16
Summary
The article describes how a new interaction handling system was developed for the Felt app after switching from SVG to Canvas. The new system uses InteractionHandlers that are responsible for specific interactions instead of having each element manage its own interactions, resulting in less resource allocation and better access control. The system has a flexible design that separates rendering and interaction handling, making it possible to switch rendering targets while leaving interactions unchanged. The new system also allows for more complex interactions, such as dragging through unselected elements while still being able to click on them to make a selection.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article talks about the benefits of using InteractionHandlers, which are objects that satisfy a specific TypeScript interface and are not coupled to React or hooks. This approach feels freeing and eliminates worries about stale closures, dependencies, and hook rules. The article also discusses the concept of “fighting the framework” and how frameworks may not always fit the product, leading to complete rewrites. The author advises others to realize that almost everyone fights the framework eventually, and the more the framework can do, the earlier the fight begins.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article highlights the lack of attention given to accessibility for digital content for disabled individuals in the development of the SVG to canvas feature. The author asserts that this lack of attention is a disservice to people who are deaf, blind, have difficulty hearing or seeing, have motor impairments, or are elderly. The author urges developers to follow the WCAG guidelines for accessibility.
9. A species of deep-sea squid has the world’s biggest light-producing organs
Total comment counts : 9
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The article describes Taningia, a large pelagic (oceanic) animal with big glowing eyes that can appear near shore in Europe, Japan, or the US. Seeing its eyes glowing in the dark can be a terrifying experience.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the idea of creating a subscription dialog with the same appearance as a cookie consent dialog. It describes this approach as both clever and potentially deceptive, as users may be more likely to consent to a subscription without fully understanding that they are signing up for ongoing payments.
10. US urged to reveal UFO evidence after claim that it has intact alien vehicles
Total comment counts : 96
Summary
Former intelligence official David Grusch has claimed that the US government possesses vehicles of non-human origin and that information about it is being illegally withheld from Congress. In an interview with journalists Leslie Kean and Ralph Blumenthal, Grusch, who led analysis of unexplained anomalous phenomena within a US Department of Defense agency, said the vehicles were “of exotic origin” and had been recovered for decades. His account was later confirmed by another US intelligence official at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (Nasic), who added: “We are not alone.” The Pentagon has released a report on UAP – the term preferred by alien enthusiasts – which found over 140 instances of UAP encounters that could not be explained.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a claim made by an individual who did not witness the events himself but was shown some documents by individuals he trusts. The author suspects that this claim is part of a psychological operation conducted by the US government to identify people who are inclined to believe in vague evidence and manipulate them to leak information through curated fake evidence.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author questions the credibility of recent claims made by a man regarding alien contact, noting that they are similar to many other claims in the past. However, the author acknowledges that the man’s career history implies he may be more reliable. The article also notes the irony that one of the people supporting the man’s claims shares the surname “Grey”. While the author would love to believe in alien contact, they find it unlikely when considering the physics and mechanics involved.