Lunch at the Labs

Items of Interest

Various web links I found to be of interest recently.

• The Next Great Leap in AI Is Behind Schedule and Crazy Expensive

  OpenAI's new artificial-intelligence project is behind schedule and running up huge bills. It isn't clear when-or if-it'll work. There may not be enough data in the world to make it smart enough.
  ...
  OpenAI has conducted at least two large training runs, each of which entails months of crunching huge amounts of data, with the goal of making Orion smarter. Each time, new problems arose and the software fell short of the results researchers were hoping for, people close to the project say.

• Exercise for Brain Health: Wendy Suzuki's Insights
  • Exercise stimulates the release of chemicals that promote the growth and survival of brain cells, enhancing cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, and problem-solving.
  • Regular physical activity decreases chronic inflammation in the brain, a significant contributing factor to neurodegenerative diseases.
  • Exercise strengthens the connections between brain cells, facilitating faster communication and increasing the brain's capacity for learning and adaptation.
  • Exercise elevates BDNF levels, a protein that promotes the growth and development of new neurons, crucial for maintaining cognitive function.
• How Intellectuals Found God

  Almost 150 years after Nietzsche said 'God is dead,' some of our most important thinkers are getting religion.
  UGH
  

• Science and Religious Dogmatism

  Today's leading historians of science have "debunked" the notion that religious dogmatism and science were largely in conflict in Western history: conflict was rare and inconsequential, the relationship between religion and science was constructive overall. This view stands in sharp contrast to that of a group of economists, who are beginning to report empirical evidence suggesting pervasive conflict, either in the present or during various historical settings. Who is right? This article provides quantitative evidence--from the continental level down to the personal one--suggesting that religious dogmatism has been indeed detrimental to science on balance.

• Manufacturing is a war now

  And the democracies are losing.

  In other words, neither political party in America has yet grasped the nature or the magnitude of the challenge posed by China's manufacturing might, or the nature of the steps needed to respond. Trump is still dreaming the same simple protectionist dreams he thought of back in the 1990s, while his progressive opponents think of reindustrialization as a giant make-work program. Meanwhile, America's allies overseas seem even less capable of averting their decline.

  The manufacturing war is being lost, and we urgently need to turn things around.

• Chinese scientists have no choice but to leave US, top mathematician says

  He said many ethnic Chinese students had been driven away from the US by discrimination from the government, including accusations of misusing American research funds for China's benefit.
  ...
  "This exodus is unfortunate for the US as it could diminish its research capabilities. For China, the return of these scientists means it is gaining top talent, but it also results in weakened ties with the US and a loss of first-hand knowledge of advanced technologies."

• How Daniel Nigro's Belief in Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan Led to the 'Year of Vindication'

  The man behind two of my favorite musical artists this year.

  Nigro, who has been named Variety Hitmakers Producer of the Year, has spent the past five years building out the sound of pop's biggest breakthroughs, first with Olivia Rodrigo's debut, "Sour," in 2021 and its tearjerker lead single, "Drivers License," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (and stayed there for eight weeks). Then came Roan, who built a framework for her rocket ride to superstardom as an opener on Rodrigo's "Sour" tour in 2022, followed by a massive word-of-mouth groundswell that culminated in six songs from her debut, "The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess," charting. Her seventh song to do so, "Good Luck, Babe!," is now nominated in top categories at the 2025 Grammy Awards, and Roan is up for best new artist, an award Rodrigo won in 2022.

• Post Open

  Post-Open is a successor to Open Source, currently under construction. It includes payment for developers, easier compliance for companies, support for all software from one entity, better security, and more. Read this this for an introduction.

• Take the Habit or Ritual Quiz

  Are you turning mundane moments into meaningful ones?

  Rituals hold the power to turn the most ordinary acts into the most memorable moments. We use them to increase productivity, pleasure, and purpose in our lives, sometimes without even realizing it. This short quiz will assess where you're already using rituals, and where you may be missing opportunities to add them to your life. We'll ask you questions about three different places that rituals are at play: Rituals for Yourself, Rituals in Your Relationships, and Rituals at Work and in the World.

• Our World in Data

  Research and data to make progress against the world's largest problems.
  13,220 charts across 120 topics -- All free: open access and open source