This is a machine learning paper about Large Reasoning Models dropping the ball by way of overthinking. Does this apply to humans too? “ Our analysis reveals that simple efforts to mitigate overthinking in agentic environments — such as selecting the solution with the lower overthinking score — can improve model performance by almost 30% while reducing computational costs by 43%.” ~ learn more
“By eliminating all challenges from Nero’s path, she created what Dio describes as a person whose “behavior began to be absolutely insensate”—essentially, a monster who became one of history’s most notorious tyrants.” ~ learn more
The demo looks promising! I’ve applied for early access and will report back if I get it. Interestingly this was promoted as “China’s second DeepSeek moment.” The founder, Yichao ‘Peak’ Ji, has a pretty crisp American accent and his github profile placed him in Boulder, Colorado for what seems to be his prior startup. I wonder if he was pushed or pulled back to China? ~ learn more
This is excellent. “The example-driven, practical walkthrough of Large Language Models and their growing list of related features, as a new entry to my general audience series on LLMs. In this more practical followup, I take you through the many ways I use LLMs in my own life.” ~ learn more
Detailed and scathing. Can’t wait for more from this author, Austin Berg. “How Chicago’s governance structure, political culture, and a sympathetic City Council helped an unpopular mayor sell out the city’s future.” ~ learn more
“Real neurons are cultivated inside a nutrient rich solution, supplying them with everything they need to be healthy. They grow across a silicon chip, which sends and receives electrical impulses into the neural structure.” ~ learn more
This is such a great explanation of this ubiquitous technology. “Where as a conventional oven heats indiscriminately, a microwave oven can reach below the surface, and concentrate its heat on certain ingredients. Which may be viewed as a "feature" when cooking molten chocolate cake, or a problem when reheating a breakfast sandwich...” ~ learn more
“This stagnant brine pool at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico is so toxic it kills and embalms any crabs and amphipods that are unlucky enough to stumble into it.” ~ learn more
“An AI algorithm was taught to produce the lightest and strongest possible geometric structure for a nanomaterial (depending on what it was made of). The result was a carbon nanolattice that is light enough to sit on a soap bubble without breaking it, but can also support more than a million times its own mass.” ~ learn more
“In a new paper in PNAS Nexus, researchers … found that adding just the right amount of disorder to the structure of certain materials can make them more than twice as resistant to cracking.” ~ learn more