Nuclear fusion is an incredibly complex scientific problem that researchers are coming at from all sorts of angles, and Zap Energy is starting to make waves through one of the lesser-known approaches. The Seattle-based startup has achieved a major milestone for its Z-pinch fusion technology, and is now working to make it a commercial reality via modular, garage-sized reactors that could be scaled up to bring this experimental form of energy to the grid. Nuclear fusion research aims to recreate the process inside the Sun, where intense heat and pressure combine to create plasma in which atomic nuclei fuse together to release energy. Much of the effort in this field is focused on suspending these streams of plasma inside reactors shaped like donuts or twisted loops using incredibly… Source link

Last weekend, Blake Lemoine, a Google engineer, was suspended by Google for disclosing a series of conversations he had with LaMDA, Google’s impressive large model, in violation of his NDA. Lemoine’s claim that LaMDA has achieved “sentience” was widely publicized–and criticized–by almost every AI expert. And it’s only two weeks after Nando deFreitas, tweeting about DeepMind’s new Gato model, claimed that artificial general intelligence is only a matter of scale. I’m with the experts; I think Lemoine was taken in by his own willingness to believe, and I believe DeFreitas is wrong about general intelligence. But I also think that “sentience” and “general intelligence”… Source link

During his excursions to northeastern Montana, Rigby was often joined by Notre Dame students and adult volunteers, usually under the auspices of Earthwatch, a group based in Watertown, Massachusetts, that matches amateur scientists with projects conducted by researchers in a variety of fields including paleontology who need both financing and labor. Rigby had received support from Earthwatch since 1988, with some 420 volunteers having joined him in the desert badlands near Fort Peck. After finding a large area with the bones of a hadrosaur in the summer of 1996, Rigby and his team returned a year later to dig deeper. (In the interest of safety, security and science, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which now manages the area, asked that the exact location of Rigby’s fieldwork… Source link

If you’re a Warriors fan, you’ve got a lot of s–t on your plate for the next few days. You have to remain drunk. You have to wander the streets, looking for other Warriors fans you can scream WOOOOOO! at on sight. You have to find a police car to topple over and burn (here’s a bottle of lighter fluid to get you going on that). You have to jump into the ocean because Klay Thompson (rightfully) made it sound like the most important thing in the world, only to remember that the ocean water in San Francisco is colder than the royal family. You have to forcefully wedge Steph Curry into the GOAT conversation and get everyone all argue-y about that particular topic all over again. But I have one last other, vital thing I need you to do. I want you to remember what’s REALLY important… Source link

Ray Tincher The year 1989 was a turning point in political history because a wave of revolutions swept the Eastern Bloc in Europe; it started in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power sharing and came to a head with the opening of the Berlin Wall in Germany in November, the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, embracing the overthrow of the communist dictatorship in Romania in December. We also saw protests against communism in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, which China quickly crushed. In January 1989, the Lexus and Infiniti luxury car brands were launched. After several years, Ted Bundy was executed by Florida’s electric chair for the murder of several young women. Barbara Harris was the first woman consecrated as a bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States. And… Source link

Although enjoying ice cream is a 365-day-a-year activity for many, the summer season means it’s officially “game on” for local ice cream shops. We’ve checked out many around Rhode Island over the years and present this list of “Six Picks” (with several honorable mentions) for you to consider. Note: We’ve intentionally excluded restaurant chains like Ben and Jerry, Cold Stone Creamery, Kilwins, and Dairy Queen. (Yes, there’s a DQ on Atwood Ave. in Cranston.) We love them too, just focusing on locally owned and operated stores for this story. Cranston/Johnston/Seekonk: Some of the best soft-serve in the state can be found at Sundaes, a Rhode Island institution for over 30 years. There are literally hundreds of flavor combinations, dozens of mix-ins, and… Source link

Hello, and welcome to the latest edition of the LogicHub Monthly Update! Each month we’ll be covering a broad view of this past month’s threats, a series of informative use cases seen this month by our teams, and a series of recommended articles, podcasts, and other useful resources. Watch the LogicHub Monthly Security RoundUp – June 2022 Security Safari: New Threats in the Wild This section is devoted to threats of particular note that have been seen in the past month. A select few of particular interest will be highlighted in greater detail. NIST NVD data will be used to make these determinations. Highlight: Follina Zero-Day What Does It Do?: Follina is the new Microsoft Office zero-day sweeping across communications. The vulnerability takes advantage of a… Source link

This article appeared originally as “Achieving Fusion” in the November 2005 issue of American Rifleman. To subscribe to the magazine, visit the NRA membership page and select American Rifleman as your member magazine. For years, scientists have been chasing the Holy Grail of energy independence by attempting to create cold fusion. They say it will change the world by providing a cheap and plentiful energy source. Despite a premature and possibly fraudulent claim of success in 1989, the reality of cold fusion has always remained just out of reach. Who knows if we will see it happen in our lifetime, but thanks to some very creative people, hunters have another form of Fusion that can provide lots of energy at a very affordable price. Its roots can be traced back to the technology… Source link

TC Sessions: Climate, in partnership with the Extreme Tech Challenge 2022 Global Finals, is our first event dedicated to the climate crisis. And our agenda is complete!  In just three days, leading scientists, entrepreneurs, VCs and more will gather in person on June 14 at UC Berkeley (and online on June 16) to examine the role of tech and startups in mitigating and adapting to the existential threat you know and dread. I know this reporter will be there! How about you? Join me at the show — but hurry. Buy your pass today and save $100. Prices go up at the door. On stage, you’ll hear from influential leaders, including former EPA administrator Carol Browner, Impossible Foods founder Pat Brown, Berkeley Lab’s director of Climate & Ecosystem Sciences, William Collins, Lime… Source link

media release: Cold Fusion is a jazz, fusion, and funk quartet founded in 2021 and based in Madison. This line-up of experienced and popular area talent performs original material, along with some creatively reinterpreted covers. With heavy influences from artists like John Scofield, Vulfpeck, Lyle Mays, Herbie Hancock, Steely Dan, and Miles Davis, it is easy to hear the fusion of both traditional and modern styles blend like a freshly steeped cup of cold brew. The band’s members include Bruce Wasserstrom (guitar), Aaron Metz (bass), Daniel Anderson (keyboards), and Mark Fairchild (drums). Their combined multi-genre experience fuses for a perfect capture of punchy grooves and pressure-cooked solos. The band stays rooted in both the past and present, thus creating their… Source link