February 2024 Linkpost

Who knew that conquering hordes could be eco-warriors? Genghis Khan apparently cooled the planet by turning battlefields into forests.

Philosophy & Human Nature

Evaporative Cooling of Group Beliefs (lesswrong.com)
Early studiers of cults were surprised to discover that major shocks like failed prophecies often strengthen group beliefs rather than weaken them, as moderates leave and the most committed remain, leading to a gradual shift toward extremism. This essay draws parallels to physics, where evaporative cooling removes high-energy particles, leaving the system cooler—here, “cooler” means more uniform and extreme. I would note that this dynamic reminds me of how certain academic or political circles can spiral into echo chambers, especially when discussing Native issues where only the most vocal stay engaged.

Alexithymia: Emotional Blindness (en.wikipedia.org)
This neuropsychological condition involves challenges in recognizing, expressing, and describing emotions, often linked to autism, PTSD, or brain injuries, affecting up to 10% of the population. It manifests in difficulty distinguishing emotions from bodily sensations and a constricted imaginative life. I would observe that in a world obsessed with emotional intelligence, this feels like a hidden superpower—or curse—for those navigating social rizz in texting or group dynamics.

The Seinfeld Strategy for Beating Procrastination (jamesclear.com)
Jerry Seinfeld’s method of marking a calendar with an X for each day he wrote jokes created a chain he didn’t want to break, emphasizing consistency over perfection to build habits. This approach leverages momentum, as studies show starting small leads to sustained effort in creative fields. A pal shared this, and I would say it’s spot on for creatives battling vegging out with poor posture—simple, but it turns vague goals into unbreakable streaks.

On the Experience of Using a Guest Pass at an Elite Gym (applieddivinitystudies.com)
Encountering physically elite individuals in a high-end gym shatters illusions from social media, forcing confrontations with personal inadequacies and societal comparisons. The essay critiques ego-protection tactics like questioning others’ intelligence or impact, proposing strategies like retreating to subcultures, becoming a polymath, or opting out of competition entirely. I would highlight how this mirrors broader cultural pressures, where vanity clashes with claimed virtues, and peace comes from rejecting the need to always win.

The Reality of the Danish Fairytale (world.hey.com)
Denmark’s welfare state offers free education and healthcare but with strict meritocracy, rationed access, high taxes over 50% on earnings above $85,000, and cultural norms enforcing conformity and contribution. Homogeneity (87% shared ethnic heritage) enables trust and sharing, but it comes with zero tolerance for non-contributors, like jailing beggars or evicting minorities from “ghettos.” I would note that this egalitarian system trades lavishness for safety, with average homes at 850-1100 sq ft and a “walk-it-off” healthcare ethos, challenging multicultural societies to replicate it.

Rational Doomerism: The Song of Jonathan of Patmos (rantstofriends.substack.com)
Through the lens of Jonathan, a downwardly mobile Zillenial facing isolation, economic stagnation, and global crises like climate change and AI risks, the essay argues doomerism has rational roots in observed decays—from opioid-ravaged heartlands to polarized politics and cultural helplessness. It questions whether therapy like CBT can counter this worldview, doubting its efficacy amid “Bad Guys Winning.” I would reflect that zooming from messy rooms to collapsing trade systems paints a terrifying yet plausible narrative of humanity as the “Last Human.”

The List: How To To-Do List Do Change Your World (rantstofriends.substack.com)
To-do lists are recursive structures—descriptive (recording facts like friends’ birthdays) and prescriptive (action items from emails to calendar blocks)—expanding to encompass all life, from quantum events since the Big Bang to future ambitions. Tools like ToDoist and Feedly turn chaos into order, with the essay positing that a Unified Theory of Everything will ultimately be “The List.” I would add that in a world of distractions, this framework transforms microwave meals and dirty rooms into manageable steps toward godlike organization.

Academic Research & Science

Undecidability of the Spectral Gap (arxiv.org)
This quantum many-body physics paper proves the spectral gap problem—determining if a Hamiltonian is gapped or gapless—is undecidable, linking it to the Halting Problem via aperiodic tilings and quantum phase estimation on a 2D lattice with finite-dimensional spins and nearest-neighbor interactions. Key findings: algorithmic undecidability and axiomatic independence, implying some gaps can’t be proven/disproven mathematically. Methodology uses Robinson tilings to encode Turing Machines, with local Hilbert space dimension fixed (though large), interaction strength ≤1, and matrices with algebraic elements. No sample sizes, but thermodynamic limit as lattice size L→∞. Conclusions: impacts stability results and finite-size scaling; implications for new phenomena like size-driven phase transitions. Quote: “We prove that this is an undecidable problem… with translationally-invariant, nearest-neighbour interactions.” I would muse that the world’s unreadable face, like an ancient aurochs, mirrors this undecipherable quantum mystery.

Early Eukaryotes: Multicellular Life 1.6 Billion Years Ago (science.org)
Fossils from China’s 1.635-billion-year-old Chuanlinggou Formation reveal Qingshania magnifica, filamentous green algae with up to 20 cells and spores, pushing multicellular eukaryote origins back 600 million years. Methodology: dissolved rocks yielded 279 fossils (278 Q. magnifica), analyzed via microscopy and chemical tests distinguishing from cyanobacteria. Sample size: 279 fossils. Conclusions: early multicellularity was simple; complex forms with organs emerged <1 billion years ago, showing diverse body plans. Implications: rewrites evolution timeline, though some debate eukaryotic classification. Quote: “It’s a fantastic paper. This gives us a better idea of the grand vision of life.” I would emphasize this bolsters my view that humans might be alone in the universe—if we perish, so does all that matters—by advancing the multicellular step earlier, heightening odds of intelligent life rarity.

Multiscale Integration in Biological Systems Using Effective Information (pnas.org)
This paper analyzes causal interactions in complex systems like the brain at multiple scales using “effective information” (EI), showing higher EI at macroscopic levels indicates integrated causation. Key findings: EI peaks at macro scales in models like neural networks and gene regulation, with coarse-graining maximizing EI. Methodology: applied EI to models including cellular automata (no sample sizes, computational simulations), small-world networks, and Boolean gene networks, using mutual information and perturbations. Conclusions: macro scales often dominate causation; implications for understanding emergence and downward causation in biology. Specific data: EI computed via entropy differences post-perturbations. Quote: “Causal interactions within complex systems can be analyzed at multiple spatial and temporal scales.” A colleague mentioned this in a chat about free will and quantum models, and I would connect it to debates on moral deserts—if causal convergence revives them at higher scales.

Neurosurgeon’s Focused Ultrasound for Alzheimer’s and Addiction (cbsnews.com)
Dr. Ali Rezai uses focused ultrasound—1,000 beams via helmet—to open the blood-brain barrier temporarily (24-48 hours) with microbubbles, enhancing drug delivery. For Alzheimer’s: combined with aducanumab, reduced plaques 50% more in targeted areas; sample: 3 patients, monthly 2-hour sessions over 6 months. For addiction: targets nucleus accumbens at 90 watts in 1-hour MRI-guided procedure; sample: 16 patients, 12 drug-free; earlier implants (7-hour surgery) kept 2 clean for 4 years. Conclusions: non-invasive, augments therapy but no cure; risks like bleeding. Implications: faster treatments for neurodegeneration and obesity. Quote: “If we can, we should not be doing brain surgery.” I would ponder if curing addiction via MRI sounds erodes free will—do we still have it?

The Seattle God Committee: A Cautionary Tale (healthaffairs.org)
In 1962, Seattle’s “God Committee” rationed dialysis based on social worth, selecting 16 of 30 candidates; methodology: anonymous lay panel assessed age, family, income, excluding minorities and poor. Key findings: ethical backlash led to universal access via 1972 legislation. No sample sizes beyond initial cohort. Conclusions: highlights risks of subjective rationing; implications for modern ethics in resource allocation. Quote: “The committee’s decisions were based on the candidates’ perceived social value.” A buddy linked this to ethical dilemmas in life extension or asteroid survival—who gets saved?

The Health Benefits of Eating Salmon (nytimes.com)
Salmon is a nutritional powerhouse due to high DHA/EPA omega-3s, linked to lower stroke/heart disease rates, reduced arterial stiffness, anti-inflammatory effects against obesity/diabetes, and brain health from development to preventing Alzheimer’s. Varieties vary: farmed vs. wild differ in nutrients/contaminants, but all outperform most foods except herring/sardines. No specific data, but studies show cognitive benefits. Conclusions: top fish for health; implications: include in diets despite slander fears. Quote: “Fish is one of the few animal foods consistently linked to health benefits, and salmon is at the top.” I would quip this better not be salmon slander, as a friend warned—turns out it’s praise for this powerhouse.

Technology & Society

Bioluminescent Plants: Firefly Petunias (prnewswire.com)
Light Bio’s genetically engineered Firefly Petunias glow via firefly genes, USDA-approved for sale; brighter than prior versions, offering sustainable lighting alternatives. No methodology details, but biotech implications for horticulture and eco-friendly decor. A colleague shared this excitedly, and I would say it’s hype-worthy for missing ginger in foods—wait, wrong link? Nah, this glows up gardens uniquely.

Reference & Curiosities

History of the Cape Colony from 1806 to 1870 (en.wikipedia.org)
Covers British rule, frontier wars (1779-1879), emancipation, and the Xhosa cattle-killing movement (1856-1857), where a prophecy led to mass starvation, killing 40,000 and displacing 30,000. I would link this to self-inflicted collapses, like negative capital gains taxes or data correlations dropping from 0.72 to 0.34 when extended.

Particle in a Box: Quantum Mechanics Model (en.m.wikipedia.org)
Models a particle in infinite potential wells, with wave functions and energy levels quantized; best analogy for free will amid socioeconomic constraints. A friend likened it to humans as waves trapped between walls—birth conditions—offering bounded choices.

Parentalia: Ancient Roman Ancestor Festival (en.m.wikipedia.org)
Nine-day February festival honoring ancestors with offerings and temple closures, ending in Feralia; emphasizes family piety. Gotta bring ancestor worship back, as someone suggested, tying to liking Kurds for historical reasons like Alexander’s victories.

Museum World Ranking (museumworldranking.net)
Ranks top museums by visitor numbers; Louvre scores ~350 points in a custom system summing rankings of 350 museums—DC totals 3K, NYC 1.7K. Useful for prioritizing cultural visits, like renovated Frick with bars.

Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program (ANSEP) (ansep.net)
Accelerates Native Americans from 8th grade to Bachelor’s in five years; big in Alaska, with events featuring Native astronauts. A pal noted it’s hidden gem, countering myths of pre-contact feminist utopias amid cringe academic papers.

Politics & Current Events (2024)

Is Ethiopia’s Disintegration Inevitable? (ethiopia-insight.com)
Explores potential harms like violence and economic collapse, but argues disintegration might enable stable, democratic states. I would connect this to African doomerism, where dying civilizations underscore if we die, everything matters dies too.