1. Land value tax in online games and virtual worlds (2022)
Total comment counts : 26
Summary
The article discusses the issue of “digital land crisis” in multiplayer games with a “digital land economy”. It highlights that games featuring “land-like assets” often suffer from a scarcity of land, leading to housing crises and speculators hoarding resources. This negatively affects the economy and enjoyment of the game for most players. The article suggests implementing a Land Value Tax (LVT) as a solution to combat land speculation in virtual worlds. It explains the concept of a land crisis in both real and virtual worlds and discusses the impact of land scarcity on housing costs and the economy. The article emphasizes the importance of addressing this issue in game design and proposes practical considerations for implementing LVT in virtual worlds.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a limitation of land value taxes (LVT), which is their self-defeating nature. While LVT can lower land values, removing it would benefit landowners by allowing their property to appreciate again. This creates an incentive to undo any progress made by LVT campaigns. The article suggests that overcoming the wealthy landowning class and maintaining their influence would be a challenge.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the concept of domains and their similarities to physical land. It explains that domains are like digital land on the internet, with websites hosted on them serving as the value add. It mentions that while domains are practically infinite, some are more desirable than others. The article also explains that there are different top-level domains (TLDs) with their own rules and fees, governed by ICANN and intellectual property laws. The author suggests that domains are different from physical land and that a land value tax or harberger tax might not be suitable for domains. They express a hope for the return of personal websites and the ability for users to bring their own custom domain for online identity.
2. I found a 55 year old bug in the first Lunar Lander game
Total comment counts : 23
Summary
The article discusses the first Lunar Landing game written by Jim Storer, a student in Massachusetts, just months after Neil Armstrong’s moonwalk. The game involves piloting a moon lander and aiming for a gentle touch down on the moon by deciding how much fuel to burn every 10 seconds. The author of the article explores the optimal fuel burn schedule for the smoothest landing and maximum remaining fuel. They discovered a bug in the game that had gone unnoticed for 55 years and found that landing in the shortest time possible with a “suicide burn” strategy was the most fuel-efficient approach. The article also discusses the sophisticated physics and numerical computing used in the game, including the Tsiolkovsky rocket equation and a Taylor series expansion. The article concludes with a discussion about the challenges of simulating collisions between solid objects in the game and the approximation techniques used by Storer.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the discovery that Jim Storer was the author of the first Lunar Lander game. The author interviewed Storer about the game and chronicled its history. Storer later provided the source code for the game. Storer admits that he had not thought about the game since leaving high school and was unaware of any other Lunar Lander game until recently. The article provides a link to the interview and source code.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses an interview with the author of a lunar landing game. The author mentions that growing up in the Space Age would have influenced technically minded individuals. The article also highlights the author’s proficiency in calculus and suggests that it would make sense for someone interested in space and rocketry to try their hand at programming a lunar landing game.
3. Fungus breaks down ocean plastic
Total comment counts : 25
Summary
Researchers from the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research have discovered that the fungus Parengyodontium album is capable of breaking down particles of the plastic polyethylene (PE) that is commonly found in the ocean. The team cooperated with colleagues from Utrecht University, the Ocean Cleanup Foundation, and research institutes in Paris, Copenhagen, and Switzerland. The fungus joins a shortlist of plastic-degrading marine fungi, with only four species found to date. The researchers discovered that the breakdown of PE by P. album occurs at a rate of about 0.05% per day and that the fungus relies on UV light for the degradation process. While the finding is scientifically outstanding, it is not expected to pose a new environmental problem, as the amount of CO2 released by the fungus is similar to the amount released by humans while breathing. The researchers anticipate that there are other unknown fungi in deeper parts of the ocean that are also degrading plastic. This discovery is crucial as the amount of plastic waste in the ocean continues to increase.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the isolation and sequencing of a fungus called Parengyodontium album from terrestrial sources. The author provides links to photos and DNA samples of the fungus on the website inaturalist.org. The first link is at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/147456216 and the second link is at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/150149352.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the accumulation of microplastics in the body and raises the question of whether natural biopolymers such as cellulose and lignin have the same issue. It explores the possibility of plant microfibers accumulating in the body like plastic or asbestos fibers, and whether this accumulation persists into old age. The article also explains the breakdown of lignin by fungi and the release of enzymes and compounds that contribute to the decomposition of organic materials. This information indicates that fungi are capable of attacking plastics to some extent due to their ability to generate highly reactive oxidants.
4. Edmond Albius’s method of pollination is now used by all vanilla growers
Total comment counts : 6
Summary
The article tells the story of Edmond Albius, a 12-year-old enslaved Black boy, who discovered a method of pollinating vanilla plants by hand in 1841. This method, known as the “Albius maneuver,” saved Réunion island’s collapsing economy and turned vanilla into a global cash crop. Prior to Albius’ discovery, vanilla could only be pollinated by a specific species of bee found in Mexico. The article highlights the botanical knowledge and ingenuity required for Albius’ invention, and discusses the resistance and racism he faced. Today, Albius’ technique is used by all vanilla growers to pollinate the flowers by hand. Despite his significant contribution, Albius was never freed by his enslaver, although he gained his liberty in 1848 when slavery was abolished in France.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article is a YouTube video showing a delicate process being performed.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author is intrigued by the phenomenon of self pollination in vanilla plants and wonders if this process is affecting the plant’s resilience by excluding cross pollination.
5. A new map of medieval London
Total comment counts : 10
Summary
A newly created map of medieval London has been shared, showcasing astonishing detail of the city in the 13th century. The map includes individual parish boundaries, the city wall, long-lost buildings, churchyards, wharfs, moats, and channels. This is significant because there are no surviving maps of London before the 1550s. However, using historical sources and collaboration with local historians, geographers, and archaeologists, the Historic Towns Trust has meticulously researched and reconstructed the street plan and property boundaries of medieval London. The Trust also created a map of Tudor London in 1520. Both maps are available online and in fold-out paper copies, offering a comprehensive overview of London’s history.
Top 1 Comment Summary
This article provides direct links to digital maps of medieval London in the years 1270-1300 and Tudor London in 1520. To access the maps, you need to click on the provided links and check the “Use this overlay” checkbox.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the usefulness of digital maps for understanding historical events. It mentions the example of reading about the death of Galois and how digital maps from the 1800s can provide insights into the locations and timings of the events surrounding his death. The author also mentions the possibility of using a sunrise calculator to estimate the time Galois had been lying in the field. The article concludes with a reference to missing chat logs that could provide further explanations about the incident.
6. Nvidia Warp: A Python framework for high performance GPU simulation and graphics
Total comment counts : 15
Summary
The article is about a Python framework called Warp that is used for high-performance simulation and graphics code. Warp can compile regular Python functions into efficient kernel code that can run on CPUs or GPUs. It is designed for spatial computing and comes with primitives for physics simulation, perception, robotics, and geometry processing. Warp is also compatible with machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch and JAX. The article provides installation instructions, examples, and resources for using Warp. Contributions from the community are welcome, and the framework is provided under the NVIDIA Software License.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the abundance of Python to native/GPU code projects and the competition in this space. It mentions two alternative projects, Taichi Lang and Numba, which allow for GPU usage without requiring Nvidia hardware. The author also expresses a desire for a Python project that compiles to pure C for creating homebrew games and embedded applications. The article provides links to Taichi Lang, Numba, and Cython for further information.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author appreciates Nvidia’s shift towards making their open-source resources more easily accessible. They highlight the convenience of being able to install CUDA tools and libraries without the need for authentication or downloading from external sources. The author believes that this change will enhance engagement with Nvidia’s work and emphasizes the importance of maximizing accessibility for open-source projects.
7. Start presentations on the second slide
Total comment counts : 32
Summary
The article suggests starting a presentation on the second slide to grab the audience’s attention. This technique is borrowed from a book about writing fiction, where the first chapter is swapped with the second to create more suspense. The same concept can be applied to technical presentations, where starting with the problem or mystery hooks the audience and makes them more engaged. The article gives an example of a presentation about optimizing a virtual machine, where starting with a performance profile and the failed optimization grabs the audience’s attention and makes them more interested in learning about the background and solution. The article also mentions that programmers have an inherent response to solve problems, so presenting them with a problem at the beginning of the presentation will captivate their interest.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author gave a talk at PyCon and struggled to fit their content into the time slot. They edited out the introduction and went straight into the first point, along with a joke. They learned that if the topic is interesting and combined with a joke, it can capture the audience’s attention effectively.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses tips for presentations, particularly focusing on the first slide and how to introduce yourself as a speaker. The author suggests treating the first slide as a placeholder and not including too much information on it. They also mention different ways of being introduced, and how to respond in each case. The article also briefly mentions the importance of organizing slides and including outline slides, especially for online presentations. The author expresses a desire for an easier way to include slide notes when posting slides online.
8. Map of forest sounds from around the world
Total comment counts : 12
Summary
This article discusses a project called “Sounds of the Forest” that aims to collect sounds from woodlands and forests around the world and create an open source sound library. Selected artists will use the collected sounds to create music, audio, artwork, or other creative works to be presented at the Timber Festival 2021, an annual event celebrating trees and woodlands. The project is supported by public funding from Arts Council England and the second phase is supported by PRS Foundation’s Open Fund for Organizations.
Top 1 Comment Summary
Radio aporee is a large collection of field recordings from around the globe. It provides a platform for searching and exploring these recordings.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the process of contributing audio recordings to a project. The author states that the audio is licensed under Creative Commons, allowing for freedom of use. The submission process is described as straightforward, but it requires signing in with a Google account, which the author finds disappointing. However, an alternative option of contacting the project via email is mentioned. The author expresses disappointment that the default process assumes users are comfortable with the privacy policy of a large ad tech company, considering the project has its own clear and concise privacy policy.
9. Microsoft’s Recall AI feature is now indefinitely delayed
Total comment counts : 2
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
I’m sorry, but as an AI text-based assistant, I cannot access or summarize specific articles. Please provide the actual text or a brief description of the article you would like me to summarize.
10. Lamini Memory Tuning: 10x Fewer Hallucinations
Total comment counts : 16
Summary
The article discusses the limitations of general-purpose language models (LLMs) and introduces a solution called Lamini Memory Tuning. General-purpose LLMs are trained to reduce average error but struggle with specific facts, resulting in inaccuracies and hallucinations. Lamini Memory Tuning optimizes for zero error on specific facts, allowing the model to recall them accurately while maintaining its ability to generalize and produce fluent prose. It combines methods from information retrieval and AI to teach the model that nearly right answers are still wrong. This approach effectively fine-tunes open-source LLMs to be near-perfect on facts while still performing well on other tasks. Lamini Memory Tuning uses a mixture of memory experts, functioning as memory for the model, and intelligently retrieves and routes relevant experts at each layer during inference. This results in a sparsely activated model called a Mixture of Memory Experts (MoME) that can handle a large number of facts. The approach has been implemented in Llama 3, which was trained on 15 trillion tokens.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a creative and interesting idea involving training fact-based LoRAs to zero loss and using RAG to select the appropriate one for a query. The author suggests that a potential advantage for such a company could be proprietary fact LoRAs, essentially licensing a modern AI encyclopedia. Overall, the idea is deemed as really nice.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article questions whether AI becomes less creative and more like full-text-search when considering what qualifies as “fact” in the training data. It suggests that if everything is treated as fact, the AI model will have perfect accuracy but lack creativity.