May 2024 Linkpost

Who knew that fungi might be the unsung heroes of mammalian dominance – dodging dino doom with a warm-blooded wink?

Philosophy & Human Nature

Three Motivations for Believing (spencergreenberg.com)
I would note that beliefs aren’t always about truth; sometimes they’re for fitting in or feeling good. This framework breaks it down into truth-seeking, social signaling, and emotional comfort, which feels spot on for why people cling to certain ideas even when the facts shift.

Losing Faith in Contrarianism (benthams.substack.com)
A buddy shared this take on how contrarian views often flop because they’re incentivized to be wrong but catchy. It ties into how the internet amplifies edge cases, making me rethink my own contrarian streaks – practical reminder that being against the grain isn’t always smart.

Book Review: Very Important People (lesswrong.com)
This dive into nightclub status games reveals how much of social life is engineered exclusion. I would observe it’s like a real-world red pill on hierarchies, with implications for how we chase prestige in everyday settings – eye-opening on the mechanics of cool.

Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places (betonit.ai)
Swiping abroad highlights how local dating pools limit us, but apps could expand horizons massively. A colleague pointed this out, and it connects to broader ideas on assortative mating – makes you wonder why we stick to our zip codes for soulmates.

Diss Songs (traditionsofconflict.substack.com)
Exploring how cultures worldwide use verbal burns in rituals, from rap battles to ancient ether. Someone mentioned this as a timeless human urge to one-up rivals poetically – adds flavor to why modern feuds feel so primal and entertaining.

Academic Research & Science

N,N-Dimethyltryptamine Compound Found in Ayahuasca Regulates Adult Neurogenesis (nature.com)
This study on DMT’s role in neurogenesis used in vitro NSC cultures from 24 mice and in vivo experiments with n=5-12 per group in male C57/BL6 mice, treating with 1 μM DMT in vitro and 2 mg/kg i.p. in vivo. Key findings: DMT promotes proliferation (increased ki67/PCNA, P<0.01), migration, and differentiation into neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes via sigma-1 receptor (S1R), with antagonists like BD1063 blocking effects. In vivo, it boosted hippocampal neurogenesis and improved memory in Morris water maze tests. Implications suggest DMT could aid neuroregenerative therapies without hallucinogenic side effects if S1R-targeted. Quote: “Our results in vitro and in vivo show that DMT is a key regulator in the activity of adult NSCs.”

Updating the Fungal Infection-Mammalian Selection Hypothesis at the End of the Cretaceous Period (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
A review synthesizing paleontological and mycological data, without new samples, posits a fungal bloom post-Chicxulub impact (66 million years ago) selected for endothermic mammals over ectothermic reptiles. Methodology involved literature integration, e.g., climate models showing 11°C cooling and 1-2 year photosynthesis shutdown. Key findings: Fungi proliferated in darkness and decay, infecting reptiles more (e.g., skewed sex ratios in turtles at 2°C drop); mammals resisted via warmth and immunity, surviving to dominate Paleocene. Data: Mammal metabolic rates 12-20x reptiles’; fossil hyphae in dino eggs. Implications: Fungi shaped vertebrate evolution, paralleling modern ectotherm declines. Quote: “The FIMS hypothesis posits that a fungal bloom following the cataclysm… selected for endothermic animals over ectothermic reptiles.”

Is There Really a Child Penalty in the Long Run? (maximum-progress.com)
Analyzing a 2024 IVF study (n unspecified, but Danish registry data over 25 years), using first-attempt success as instrument for fertility. Methodology: Instrumental variables comparing successful (80% more likely to birth year 1) vs. unsuccessful women. Findings: No long-term income penalty; earnings equal at 10 years, higher at 24 years for successful; lifetime earnings ~2% higher (CI includes zero). Contrasts prior studies showing persistent gaps. Implications for fertility: If no penalty for rich Danish women, economics less barrier to kids – cultural trends dominate low birth rates. Quote: “If fertility is falling even though mothers don’t have to sacrifice returns from their career, then economics is not the main motivator of that trend.”

Technology & Society

Autism and the Internet Will Defeat the Monoculture (writingruxandrabio.com)
This piece argues the internet empowers autistics to disrupt cultural uniformity through niche communities like rationalists. Key arguments: Internet reduces autistic challenges, amplifies strengths like obsession; autistics produce high-variance ideas, per Cowen on low price elasticities. Examples: LessWrong/EA influencing AI safety (e.g., SB 1047 bill). Implications: As institutions fail autistics, online spaces drive evolution, countering stagnation. Quote: “The Internet has attracted a specific type of people that often face difficulties in the ‘real world’: that is, those on the autistic spectrum.”

The Lunacy of Artemis (idlewords.com)
Critiquing NASA’s Artemis, methodology via program analysis: SLS costs $4B/launch, Orion twice Apollo’s weight, NRHO orbit risks 3-day aborts vs. Apollo’s hours. Findings: $7-10B per landing vs. Apollo’s $3.3B; unnecessary Gateway as “tollbooth.” Implications: Stifles exploration, favors contractors; better private alternatives. Quote: “Artemis can’t even measure up to Apollo 1.0. It costs more, does less, flies less frequently.”

How to Build a $20 Billion Semiconductor Fab (construction-physics.com)
Details fab construction: 4-level structure, cleanrooms Class 10-100, processes like photolithography (EUV $400M/machine). Findings: $10-20B cost, 70-80% tools; historical rise from $4M (1960s). Implications: Precision demands drive costs, enabling Moore’s Law but concentrating production. Quote: “Fabs are where mass production meets atomic-level precision engineering.”

The Perils of Moneyballing Everything (forkingpaths.co)
A pal flagged this on over-relying on data analytics, risking fragility in complex systems. It connects to broader pitfalls in tech and society – conversational nudge that not everything quantifies well without backlash.

Economics & Development

The Economics of Apple Share Repurchase (marginalrevolution.com)
Apple’s record buyback and 4% dividend hike (to 25 cents/share) boosted shares 10%. Methodology: Market reaction analysis. Findings: Signals underpriced shares, optimism on core plans; shareholders better allocators. Implications: Big Tech peak, but products improve. Quote: “The market is applauding the notion that the shareholders can allocate this money better than Apple can.”

Banks in Disguise (netinterest.co)
Companies like Starbucks ($1.9B stored value, $215M breakage) act as banks via deposits/loans. Findings: Carnival $7B deposits; Delta $8.4B deferred credits. Implications: Reduces capital needs but risks withdrawals/defaults. Quote: “Starbucks is a bank dressed up as a coffee shop.”

A Study of the Industrial Party and the Sentimental Party (strategictranslation.org)
My friend highlighted this Chinese take on tech vs. humanities divides – useful lens for development debates, staying relevant as global tensions rise.

Reference & Curiosities

Great Male Renunciation (en.wikipedia.org)
Post-18th century shift to drab menswear, tying into enduring fashion norms. I would add it’s a quirky history lesson on why dudes ditched the flair – memorable for cultural evolution chats.

Elsa Maxwell’s Guide to Throwing Legendary Parties (vogue.co.uk)
Timeless tips from a 1920s hostess on curating guests like a hat. A colleague shared, and it’s conversational gold for why parties stick in memory – “Guests should be selected with as much care as a new Reboux hat.”

Politics & Current Events (2024)

American Pronatalists: Malcolm and Simone Collins (theguardian.com)
Amid birth rate drops, this couple pushes for more kids with tech twists. I would observe their methods spark debate on family futures – timely but with long-view relevance if trends hold.

The Adults Are Still in Charge at the University of Florida (wsj.com)
Florida’s firm stance on protests contrasts campus chaos elsewhere. Someone noted it’s a snapshot of free speech boundaries – current but echoes enduring policy questions.