1. Pythagorean Theorem found on clay tablet 1k years older than Pythagoras (2009)
Total comment counts : 44
Summary
The article discusses the history and significance of the Pythagorean Theorem. It mentions that the theorem was named after Pythagoras but was actually discovered by Babylonian mathematicians 1000 years before Pythagoras was born. The article also notes that there are over 371 proofs of the theorem, including ones by famous figures like Leonardo da Vinci and President James A. Garfield. It further explains that the theorem has applications in geometry, algebra, and even in Albert Einstein’s theories of relativity. The article concludes by discussing Euclid’s Elements, a mathematical treatise that includes two proofs of the Pythagorean Theorem.
Top 1 Comment Summary
Pythagoras was known for his accumulation of wisdom from different cultures and his involvement in various mystery cults. He had a strong connection between math and spirituality. There are stories about him sacrificing either 100 oxen or a single ox made of flour to celebrate his discovery of the Pythagorean theorem. The conflicting accounts make it difficult to determine the true story.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the relation between the side lengths and diagonal of buildings with rectangular foundations. It mentions that various groups, including the Egyptians, discovered this relationship before Pythagoras. However, it notes that this is an observation rather than a theorem. The article suggests that the Greeks, attributed to Pythagoras, provided a proof or explanation for why this relationship always holds, but it is unclear if Pythagoras himself did so. The Babylonian tablet mentioned in the article does not seem to provide a similar proof.
2. HTTP/3 adoption is growing rapidly
Total comment counts : 36
Summary
The article discusses the adoption and benefits of HTTP/3, a new version of the HTTP protocol that has seen rapid uptake on the internet. It explains that HTTP/3 is based on the QUIC protocol, which includes crucial changes from TCP, the previous protocol version. These changes include extensive integration with Transport Layer Security (TLS) for improved encryption and security, as well as efficiency and performance improvements compared to TCP. The article also mentions that HTTP/3 is almost identical to HTTP/2 but is expected to be more performant due to its use of QUIC’s features. Overall, HTTP/3 is seen as a future-proof protocol that solves a number of problems and has been adopted quickly due to its benefits.
Top 1 Comment Summary
This article discusses the benefits of using QUIC (Quick UDP Internet Connections) as a means to bypass the Great Firewall of China (GFW). By tunneling traffic over QUIC instead of TLS, users experience lower latency and higher throughput, especially if they modify the congestion control. Additionally, even for foreign websites that are not blocked by the GFW, QUIC offers noticeable improvements in latency compared to TCP-based protocols, due to the high round-trip time (RTT) between China and the rest of the world.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author is reflecting on their lack of understanding of basic concepts related to web servers and the handling of connections. They question whether it is the kernel’s responsibility to assemble packets of data into streams that the server can process. They also acknowledge a misconception about web servers having their own port, when in reality only the client side is randomly assigned a port. The author wonders how a server without threading handles multiple incoming streams and if the kernel buffers data from multiple clients while waiting for the server to process it. They admit to not knowing where to start in order to better understand these concepts. Additionally, they express confusion about how incoming data on a single server socket is processed by individual threads for specific clients, particularly in the context of something called HTTP smuggling. They question how multiple TCP connections on a single server port are transformed into individual HTTP requests and raise the issue of threaded processing in the context of HTTP smuggling. Overall, the author seeks a deeper understanding of these mechanisms.
3. Where does my computer get the time from?
Total comment counts : 31
Summary
The article discusses where computers get their time from. It explains that the time is obtained from Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers, which are connected in layers. Stratum 3 servers get the time from stratum 2 servers, which in turn get the time from stratum 1 servers. These stratum 1 servers get the time from reference clocks, such as GPS receivers or radio signals. The GPS receivers, in turn, get the time from Schriever Space Force Base in Colorado. The base gets its time from the US Naval Observatory Alternate Master Clock in Washington DC, which has atomic clocks and receives time information from the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Paris. The article also discusses the history of time measurement and the standardization of UTC (Coordinated Universal Time).
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the NIST Randomness Beacon, which is a prototype implementation that generates random bit-strings. These bit-strings are posted in blocks of 512 bits every 60 seconds. Each value is sequence-numbered, time-stamped, and signed, and includes the hash of the previous value. This chaining of values helps prevent tampering with the output package. The article mentions that NIST is already putting time on the blockchain, which was previously joked about.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author criticizes the format of the article, stating that it is not effective for conveying information. They suggest removing the slides and organizing the content into coherent paragraphs, with some important images included for support.
4. Five Kinds of Friends (2022)
Total comment counts : 23
Summary
The article discusses the various meanings of the word “friends” and explores different types of friendships from a sociological perspective. The five types of friendships discussed are allies, backstage intimates, fun friends, mutual-interest friends, and sociable acquaintances. The article also examines the concept of social media “friends” and the changing dynamics of friendships in the modern world. It further delves into the importance of overlapping friendship categories and the role of friendship in intimate relationships. The article concludes by discussing the historical evolution of friendship and its connection to love.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article categorizes friends into different groups, which may cause cognitive dissonance and repulsion in readers. The largest group mentioned is “Sociable acquaintances,” which are considered lower quality friends. The author suggests that many people may have a large network of acquaintances but only a few real friends or potentially none at all. This realization may lead to rejection of the article’s ideas or attempts to find flaws in its argument. The article is deemed well written and interesting.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author expresses frustration with sociologists for their focus on transactional aspects of social interactions and a lack of consideration for emotions. They personally value being with friends, finding joy in the experience without any ulterior motives. The author speculates that hormones might contribute to this feeling.
5. Bitmagnet: A self-hosted BitTorrent indexer, DHT crawler, and torrent search
Total comment counts : 16
Summary
The article introduces a software called bitmagnet, which is a self-hosted BitTorrent indexer, DHT crawler, content classifier, and torrent search engine. The software is currently in alpha stage and may have bugs and changes before the official release. The unique feature of bitmagnet is its DHT crawler, which allows users to crawl the distributed hash table (DHT) network to discover and classify torrents without relying on external trackers or indexers. The article also mentions another open-source project called magnetico, which was a reference point for implementing the DHT crawler feature in bitmagnet. The focus is currently on delivering the core features, but there are potential ideas for future exploration.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the implementation of a DHT crawler in a project called Bitmagnet. It mentions that another open-source project called Magnetico was the first to implement a usable DHT crawler and served as a reference for the implementation in Bitmagnet. The author acknowledges that their initial attempt at a DHT crawler was in 2012 and provides links to their code, although they note that it is not recommended for use. They also mention that since DHT was first implemented in 2005, they doubt they were the first to work on this idea.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses a common issue where certain things lack proper implementation and do not provide the same level of services as they utilize. It mentions a specification called BEP51, which aims to prevent this issue, but highlights the failure to adhere to it.
6. F3D is an open source 3D viewer, fast and minimalist
Total comment counts : 16
Summary
F3D is a fast and minimalist 3D viewer that supports various file formats, including glTF, STL, STEP, PLY, OBJ, FBX, and Alembic. It offers rendering and texturing options, such as real-time physically based rendering and raytracing. The viewer is controlled through the command line and supports configuration files, thumbnails, interactive hotkeys, and drag-and-drop functionality. F3D also includes a library, libf3d, for rendering meshes with C++ and Python Bindings, and experimental bindings for Java and JavaScript. The project is community-driven and welcomes contributions. F3D is developed by Kitware SAS and relies on open-source projects like VTK, OCCT, Assimp, Alembic, Draco, and OSPRay. It is distributed under the 3-Clause BSD License.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses some issues with F3D, a 3D rendering program. The author mentions that the software struggles to load large files and lacks feedback during the loading process. They suggest that it would be useful if F3D offered file format conversions, as it already demonstrates the ability to render files. The author also mentions their interest in experimenting with procedurally generated models and using network models to create 3D models. They provide a link to a website selling a procedural starship spaceship generator.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the author’s experience with trying to work with a .usdz file using the OpenUSD framework. They mention that despite their attempts, it was not possible to work with the file yet due to an issue mentioned in a GitHub link provided.
7. Delta finds fake jet aircraft engine parts with forged airworthiness documents
Total comment counts : 23
Summary
Delta Air Lines has found unapproved components in a small number of its jet aircraft engines, joining other major US airlines in disclosing the use of fake parts. The suspect components were found on some of the engines, accounting for less than 1% of Delta’s mainline fleet. American Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines have also previously disclosed the use of parts from AOG Technics. Delta has not stated whether the engines with fraudulent parts were in service, but they have been replaced and flight operations have not been affected. Airlines, maintenance providers, and regulators worldwide have been investigating AOG-supplied parts with forged airworthiness documents. AOG was ordered by a London judge to provide records to identify additional suspect parts.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article mentions that Delta Airlines did not disclose whether the engines with fraudulently documented parts were in service on planes. Their silence implies that the parts were used. However, Delta claims that none of its current aircraft are flying with unapproved parts, and the discovery of the fake parts did not affect their flight operations. The parts were detected by an unnamed third party during engine work, not by Delta themselves.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses an aircraft crash investigation that identified fake aircraft parts as the cause of the incident. It suggests that reading the investigation report could provide additional information about how and where these counterfeit parts enter the aviation system. The link provided leads to a Medium article titled “Riven by Deceit: The Crash of Partnair Flight 394.”
8. Database Performance at Scale – A free book
Total comment counts : 11
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
Apologies, but I cannot access or summarize specific articles or content from external links. I can only provide general assistance based on information provided directly to me. If you have any specific questions or need assistance with any particular topic, feel free to ask!
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the lack of authoritative books or papers on how to build object stores like S3 or software-defined storage in general. It mentions the success of object stores in public clouds and the limited number of companies and research groups working on their own. The article raises several unanswered questions such as how to achieve unlimited throughput like S3, optimal hardware for S3’s workload, optimizing for large-scans in analytics workload, supporting strong consistency without impacting performance, handling cluster expansion without impacting user experience, and maximizing hardware performance for an OSD.
9. US startup begins producing 40%-efficient thermophotovoltaic cells
Total comment counts : 11
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a graphic showcasing the progression of photovoltaic cell efficiency over time, starting from 1976. It states that the current capabilities of photovoltaic cells are not necessarily commercially viable or available. The article mentions that the efficiency of solar panels for residential use is typically around 20% in ideal conditions.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the potential efficiency of GE’s combined cycle turbines, which can reach a system level efficiency of approximately 63% with an emitter temperature of 2,400 degrees Celsius. These turbines, similar to aircraft jet engines, are commonly used to generate electricity from gas but can also run on other liquid fuels or any heat source.
10. Google Docs adds tracking to links in document exports
Total comment counts : 18
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The article explains that Google Docs is often used as a method to distribute malware. By sending users to a Google Docs page, which is trusted by corporate firewalls and AV scanners due to it being on the Google domain, the malware can be spread. The article suggests that the tracking of users leaving the Google domain and ending up on another site, which can be seen through the provided link, could help to reduce the effectiveness of using Google Docs for malware distribution.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author believes that the stated intention for Google’s redirect feature is to prevent phishing and provide warnings to users. However, the author also points out that this feature allows Google to track users’ browsing habits. The author mentions that Microsoft does something similar with their Teams platform, and suggests that companies should be more transparent about their intentions. They argue that it would be better for companies to be honest about collecting data to track user behavior and improve their own profits, instead of sugar-coating it.