Articles and personal takes on all things technology and science
Ranking AI Models and How I Use Them OPINION
The Birthday Paradox MATH
The first time I saw this, it seemed unbelievable: in a room of just 23 people, there's a 50-50
chance two share a birthday. In a room of 75 people, it's a 99.9% certainty.
Looking back at my life, maybe it's true after all. In my high school class of about 28 people, I shared a birthday (August 9) with someone. Again at university (class of about 250), I share it with someone else.
I've attached a paper that shows the mathematical proof. They did a really good job simplifying the math—most mathematicians pride themselves on obfuscation and writing confusing papers. I've gotten headaches from some. If you like math, dig in.
Read the paper (PDF) →
Looking back at my life, maybe it's true after all. In my high school class of about 28 people, I shared a birthday (August 9) with someone. Again at university (class of about 250), I share it with someone else.
I've attached a paper that shows the mathematical proof. They did a really good job simplifying the math—most mathematicians pride themselves on obfuscation and writing confusing papers. I've gotten headaches from some. If you like math, dig in.
Read the paper (PDF) →
Do Phones and Bluetooth Devices Cause Cancer? HEALTH AND PHYSICS
There are popular concerns that radiation from electronic devices—mobile phones, Bluetooth
headphones—can cause adverse health effects like cancer. In this 2012 report from the
independent Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation to the Health Protection Agency in the
United Kingdom, Chapter 3 (pages 80-116) discusses all possible carcinogenic mechanisms of these
devices, cites several studies, and concludes:
"Results of multiple studies remain divergent with no obvious reason as to why some researchers find effects and others do not. There is still lack of independent replication of results, and where replications have been undertaken they do not support the original findings. This continued lack of robust evidence makes the possibility of Radio-frequency (RF) fields affecting cells more unlikely."
In other words: no convincing evidence that your phone is giving you cancer.
Read the full report (PDF) →
"Results of multiple studies remain divergent with no obvious reason as to why some researchers find effects and others do not. There is still lack of independent replication of results, and where replications have been undertaken they do not support the original findings. This continued lack of robust evidence makes the possibility of Radio-frequency (RF) fields affecting cells more unlikely."
In other words: no convincing evidence that your phone is giving you cancer.
Read the full report (PDF) →
We Are Going Back to the Moon! SPACE NEWS
I've always been a space enthusiast. There's something humbling and fascinating about the
infinite vastness of space. Celestial bodies like supermassive stars, black holes, and moons are
cool.
Preparations are underway for the Artemis II mission, which aims to set the stage for an eventual human landing on the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo missions of the 1960s and '70s. It's Artemis III that will take us back to the Moon—slated for 2028.
Read the BBC article →
Preparations are underway for the Artemis II mission, which aims to set the stage for an eventual human landing on the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo missions of the 1960s and '70s. It's Artemis III that will take us back to the Moon—slated for 2028.
Read the BBC article →
But those GPT-3.5 days feel like ages ago now. Newer, better models have been released. Even Google managed to turn over a new leaf from its catastrophic Bard days. In my daily tasks, I've found different models useful for different things. Here's my ranking: