Leben (Life aka misc)
⚽
UNIX is hot. It’s more than hot. It’s steaming. It’s quicksilver lightning with a laserbeam kicker. — Michael Jay Tucker
Leben (Life aka misc)
The Enshittification Hall of Shame
In 2022, writer and activist Cory Doctorow coined the term “enshittification” to describe the gradual deterioration of a service or product. The term’s prevalence has increased to the point that it was the National Dictionary of Australia’s word of the year last year. The editors at Ars Technica, having “covered Read more…
Leben (Life aka misc) Renos Technology
Google Says Commercial Quantum Computing Applications Arriving Within 5 Years
Google aims to release commercial quantum computing applications within five years, challenging Nvidia’s prediction of a 20-year timeline. They’re optimistic that within five years we’ll see real-world applications that are possible only on quantum computers. Real-world applications Google has discussed are related to materials science – applications such as building Read more…
Leben (Life aka misc)
The Long Quest for Artificial Blood
Scientists are making significant advances in developing artificial blood substitutes, with two promising approaches emerging in 2025, the New Yorker reports. At the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Center for Blood Oxygen Transport and Hemostasis, researchers are testing ErythroMer, a synthetic nanoparticle that mimics red blood cells’ oxygen-carrying capabilities. Read more…
Leben (Life aka misc) Renos Technology
‘AI Granny’ Driving Scammers Up the Wall
Since November, British telecom O2 has deployed an AI chatbot masquerading as a 78-year-old grandmother to waste scammers’ time. The bot, named Daisy, engages fraudsters by discussing knitting patterns, recipes, and asking about tea preferences while feigning computer illiteracy. In tests over several weeks, Daisy has kept individual scammers occupied Read more…
The Planet (on, and off)
Temperatures at North Pole 20C Above Average and Beyond Ice Melting Point
Temperatures at the north pole soared more than 20C above average on Sunday, crossing the threshold for ice to melt. From a report: Temperatures north of Svalbard in Norway had already risen to 18C hotter than the 1991-2020 average on Saturday, according to models from weather agencies in Europe and Read more…