Google's self-driving car knows how to run yellow lights.
But unlike regular humans, it doesn't have to guess whether it'll beat the countdown. Instead, it turns what for many of us is a split-second decision based on experience and guts into a heavily calculated dance of probability, speed and trajectory. Roughly 230 feet before it hits an intersection, it scans the light with its cameras and, based on the thousands of other data points it's tracking in its surroundings, the car will make the right call.
Friday, March 18, 2016
Google Self-Driving Car Update
"I rode in Google’s self-driving car. This is what impressed me the most":
Good New Free Science Fiction
"Up and Coming: Stories by the 2016 Campbell-Eligible Authors"
This anthology includes 120 authors—who contributed 230 works totaling approximately 1.1 MILLION words of fiction. These pieces all originally appeared in 2014, 2015, or 2016 from writers who are new professionals to the SFF field, and they represent a breathtaking range of work from the next generation of speculative storytelling.Click through to get the free download link. (Available for free until March 31, 2016.)
All of these authors are eligible for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 2016. We hope you’ll use this anthology as a guide in nominating for that award as well as a way of exploring many vibrant new voices in the genre.
Secret Chamber In King Tut's Tomb
"New Scans Made a Surprising Discovery in King Tut’s Tomb"
I'm hoping it's the Lost Ark! (Via H.R.)Late last year, radar scans at King Tut’s tomb revealed the possible presence of a secret chamber. A more detailed analysis of this data shows not just the presence of a hidden room—but also unidentified objects that are comprised of metal and organic materials.As reported in National Geographic, the announcement was made earlier today at a press conference in Cairo, where Egyptian antiquities minister Mamdouh Eldamaty said, “It could be the discovery of the century.”
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Tiny Robots Pulling A Car
NYT: "Modeled After Ants, Teams of Tiny Robots Can Move 2-Ton Car" (Via H.R.)
[A] team of six microrobots, weighing just 3.5 ounces in total, could pull a car weighing 3,900 pounds... Their new demonstration is the functional equivalent of a team of six humans moving a weight equivalent to that of an Eiffel Tower and three Statues of Liberty, Mr. Christensen said. The car is the one he uses for commuting to campus. Part of the magic is the use of a special adhesive that was inspired by gecko toes.Demonstration video:
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
fMRI and Orgasms
"Are You Orgasming Without Even Knowing It?: I was, until I masturbated for science"
Monday, March 14, 2016
Win Free Pizza On Pi Day
Win 3.14 years of free pizza on Pi Day by solving 3 math problems:
Pizza Hut is partnering with acclaimed mathematical genius John H. Conway, distinguished professor of pure and applied mathematics emeritus, Princeton University.
Conway has channeled his mathematical genius into writing three math problems varying in level of difficulty from high school to Ph.D. level. These word problems will be released right here on the Hut Life Blog on National Pi Day, Monday, March 14th, 2016. The problems will be up by 8 am Eastern Time, and all of the great minds of the Internet will have the chance to solve them and the chance to win 3.14 years of FREE pizza (awarded in Pizza Hut® gift cards).
“Pi may be irrational, but free pizza is anything but,” added Conway, who is profiled in the 2015 book, Genius at Play: The Curious Mind of John Horton Conway. “I’m eager to challenge America with these problems and find the next great pizza-loving mathematician that can solve them.”
Saturday, March 12, 2016
Friday, March 11, 2016
Blue Origin Tour
"Behind the curtain: Ars goes inside Blue Origin's secretive rocket factory". (Via H.R.)
Strange DST History
"The Strange and Surprising History of Daylight Saving Time".
My favorite story:
My favorite story:
[A]nother young American had better luck during the U.S. Selective Service System's Vietnam War draft lottery, according to Prerau.And don't forget to watch the classic snarky CGP Grey video:
Each birth date was randomly selected and assigned a draft order in which young men were called to service... “Based on the day this guy was born, he had a low number and was very likely to be drafted,” Prerau says.
“But he was born just after midnight. So he went to court claiming that in his state he was born under standard time, which would have been an hour earlier. That would mean his birth occurred before midnight and on a different day—which just happened to have a much higher lottery number. The courts agreed that he was right and he actually managed to avoid the draft in that way.”
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Fooling Fingerprint Sensors
"All You Need to Dupe a Fingerprint Sensor Is Paper, Conductive Ink, and an Inkjet Printer"
Wednesday, March 09, 2016
Clarity On p-Values
"We're using a common statistical test all wrong. Statisticians want to fix that."
Related story: "Statisticians Found One Thing They Can Agree On: It's Time To Stop Misusing P-Values"
Related story: "Statisticians Found One Thing They Can Agree On: It's Time To Stop Misusing P-Values"
How English Sounds To Non-English speakers
"How English Sounds to Non-English speakers".
(Via S.L., who says "I keep feeling like I'm on the verge of comprehension.")
(Via S.L., who says "I keep feeling like I'm on the verge of comprehension.")
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