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Automated summaries of top Hacker News stories written by a large language model.
Genetic autopsies to unravel the mystery of sudden deaths
Sudden deaths without an apparent cause are a major challenge in modern cardiology. Traditional autopsies often fail to determine the exact cause of death in these cases. However, genetic autopsies, which involve a molecular analysis of the corpse to detect genetic variations associated with heart diseases, have been growing in popularity. These genetic autopsies can help identify the cause of death in around 30% of cases where traditional autopsies are inconclusive. The results of these autopsies can also help prevent future sudden deaths by identifying hereditary ailments in the victim's relatives.
Peter Thiel backs 'Olympics on steroids' event that allows athletes to dope
Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel is supporting the Enhanced Games, an event that encourages athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs openly. The brainchild of Dr. Aron D’Souza, the event aims to push the boundaries of human performance and aid research into nutritional supplements and biohacks. Thiel, along with other venture capitalists, has backed the project, which plans to hold its inaugural competition next year. The Enhanced Games will feature five events and will be open to both professional and amateur athletes. The controversial concept has received criticism from anti-doping whistleblowers and former Olympic athletes who argue that it is unsafe and unfair.
Math Built the Modern World
The Industrial Revolution was not solely driven by scientific discoveries, but rather by the advancements in mathematics and measurement. The introduction of mathematics in various fields such as accounting, finance, demography, and economics led to significant progress. Geometry played a crucial role in painting, astronomy, cartography, surveying, and physics. The adoption of Hindu-Arabic numerals and decimal notation, as well as the invention of logarithms and slide rules, greatly aided computation. Mathematical innovations also revolutionized fields like painting, surveying, cartography, warfare, and astronomy. The precision of angular measurement increased significantly over time. Triangulation networks were used for mapmaking and establishing the shape of the Earth. Mathematics also played a key role in astronomical debates and navigation. Overall, mathematics was the driving force behind the modern world. (Summary based on 33% of story text.)
Meta Beats Sales Forecast Estimates; Announces First Dividend
Meta, the social media giant, has exceeded sales forecast estimates and announced its first-ever dividend. The company's strong performance is attributed to increased advertising revenue and user engagement. Meta's revenue for the quarter surpassed expectations, driven by a surge in online advertising spending. The company's decision to pay a dividend is seen as a positive sign for investors, as it demonstrates Meta's confidence in its financial stability and future growth prospects. This news comes amidst ongoing controversy surrounding Meta's market dominance and concerns over privacy and data security. Nonetheless, Meta's impressive financial results and dividend announcement are sure to grab attention in the business world.
Meta Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Results
Meta Platforms, Inc. (formerly Facebook) has reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023. The company saw strong growth in its community and business, with revenue reaching $40.11 billion for the quarter and $134.90 billion for the full year, representing increases of 25% and 16% respectively. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's founder and CEO, highlighted the progress made in advancing AI and the metaverse. Other financial highlights include increases in daily and monthly active users, ad impressions, and capital expenditures. Meta also announced the initiation of a quarterly dividend and a $50 billion increase in its share repurchase authorization. (Summary based on 15% of story text.)
Toyota Is Developing New Combustion Engines
Toyota sold a record number of cars in 2023, but electric vehicles (EVs) made up only a small percentage of their sales. Despite this, Toyota believes there is still a need for combustion engines and is developing new engines as part of a major project. Chairman Akio Toyoda stated that he believes EVs will never exceed a market share of 30 percent, with the remaining 70 percent being represented by gasoline cars, hybrids, and fuel cell EVs. Toyoda also mentioned the potential of hydrogen-burning combustion engines. He emphasized the impact on jobs if the industry were to shift solely to EVs and highlighted the lack of charging infrastructure in many regions. While other automakers are committing to becoming fully electric, Toyota sees EVs as just one part of the solution to achieve carbon neutrality.
Predictability, Home Advantage, and Fairness in Team Sports
The author discusses a paper that shows soccer is becoming more predictable over time. They conducted a cross-discipline analysis of predictability in team sports and found that soccer, along with volleyball and possibly baseball, is becoming more predictable. However, other sports showed mixed results or a decrease in predictability. The author also explores the influence of home advantage, noting that it has been shrinking across all disciplines. They also tested the hypothesis that the rich-get-richer effect is behind predictability and found that European sports, which operate under a capitalist system, tend to be more predictable compared to American sports, which operate under a socialist system.
Ask HN: Freelancer? Seeking freelancer? (February 2024)
This post on news.ycombinator.com is a forum for individuals to connect with freelancers or seek freelance work. The post requires users to specify whether they are seeking work or a freelancer, their location, and whether remote work is an option. The purpose of the post is to facilitate direct connections between individuals rather than involving agencies, recruiters, or job boards. This ensures a more personal and direct approach to finding or offering freelance opportunities.
Texas Tempts Tesla
In a surprising turn of events, Texas is making a bold move to lure Tesla to the Lone Star State. The state's governor, Greg Abbott, has reportedly been in talks with the electric car manufacturer to convince them to build their next factory in Texas. This move is controversial because Texas has some of the strictest laws in the country when it comes to selling cars directly to consumers, which is Tesla's preferred method. However, the state is offering attractive incentives, such as tax breaks and grants, to entice the company. It remains to be seen if Tesla will take the bait and make Texas its new home.
A new way to discover places with generative AI in Maps
Google Maps is introducing a new feature that uses generative AI to help users discover places that meet their specific preferences. By analyzing detailed information about over 250 million places and insights from its community of over 300 million contributors, Google Maps' large-language models (LLMs) can quickly make suggestions for where to go. Users can simply state what they are looking for, such as "places with a vintage vibe in SF," and the AI models will provide trustworthy suggestions organized into helpful categories. Users can also continue the conversation with follow-up questions and save places to a list for future reference. This feature is currently in early access for select Local Guides in the U.S.
The FCC wants to make robocalls that use AI-generated voices illegal
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering making robocalls that use AI-generated voices illegal in an effort to combat spam and scams. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel wants the commission to officially recognize calls using AI-generated voices as "artificial," which would make them against the law under the FCC's Telephone Consumer Protection Act. This proposal would make it easier for the FCC to go after and charge those responsible for these calls. The rise of AI-generated voices mimicking celebrities and politicians has already caused confusion and tricked consumers into thinking scams are legitimate. The FCC's recognition of AI-generated voice calls as illegal would provide new tools for State Attorneys General to crack down on scams and protect consumers. This proposal comes after a call impersonating President Joe Biden was made to New Hampshire residents using AI tools.
Scientists found a major clue why 4 of 5 autoimmune patients are women
Scientists at Stanford University have discovered a possible explanation for why more women than men suffer from autoimmune diseases. Women account for about 80% of people with autoimmune diseases, which manipulate the immune system to attack healthy tissue. The researchers found that a molecule called Xist, found only in women, is a major culprit in these diseases. Xist plays a role in inactivating one of the X chromosomes in women, preventing overproduction of proteins. However, the researchers found that Xist also generates molecular complexes linked to autoimmune diseases. This discovery could lead to new tests and treatments for autoimmune diseases.
Relocation of .nl domain names to Amazon causing unrest in Dutch internet sector
The plan to relocate part of the technology behind .nl domain names to Amazon Web Services has caused unrest in the Dutch internet sector. Critics are concerned that this move will hand over a crucial part of the Dutch internet to an American company and the U.S. government. The Domain Name System (DNS) behind .nl is involved in translating domain names into IP addresses, and without it, a large part of the Dutch internet would stop working. The Netherlands Internet Domain Registration Foundation (SIDN) insists that the DNS will continue to be run in-house, but the system behind it will be moved to Amazon. This decision has raised concerns about digital autonomy, dependency on Amazon, and privacy issues. The SIDN argues that the move is necessary due to the cost and time-consuming nature of maintaining servers and the lack of available staff. However, critics fear that the U.S. government will have the final say on the .nl systems and that American intelligence services will have access to the data of 6.3 million domain names. The Dutch government and various industry organizations have also expressed their concerns about the move.
Library Extension: See book availability from your local library's catalogs
The Library Extension is a browser extension that allows users to easily discover books and ebooks available at their local library while browsing online. The extension checks the user's library's online catalog and displays the availability of the item on the same page. It is available for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge browsers and has received positive reviews from thousands of users. The extension saves time by eliminating the need to search across multiple library catalogs and provides a convenient link to reserve the title from the library. It supports nearly 5000 libraries and is free to use with no signup required.
Online safety legislation is opposed by many it claims to protect
Lawmakers are pushing for the passage of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) to protect children's safety online, but many children themselves are opposed to the legislation. They argue that the lawmakers are more interested in controlling information than actually protecting kids. The bill has faced opposition from over 100 human rights and LGBTQ groups, as well as First Amendment lawyers, who believe it would restrict free speech and violate privacy rights. Critics also argue that the bill would collect more sensitive data and limit children's access to beneficial online resources. Studies have shown that social media can have positive effects on young people's mental health and well-being when used properly. Opponents of the bill argue that it is a censorship bill disguised as a privacy bill.
Pooled number of deaths by age group in EU
The website www.euromomo.eu provides graphs and maps that display the pooled number of deaths by age group in the European Union. The data is collected from 27 participating countries, including Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Notably, Ukraine did not contribute to the data for this particular week. It is important to note that Germany (Berlin) and Germany (Hesse) were also not included in the pooled data.
Meta Quest v62 sw update supports Apple spatial videos, PS controllers, and more
Meta has announced that its Quest VR headsets will receive an update to support Apple's spatial videos, making it a more affordable option for playback compared to Apple's Vision Pro headset. The update will be available for Quest 2, Quest 3, and Quest Pro headsets. In addition to spatial video support, the v62 update will also include compatibility with PlayStation 5 DualSense or PlayStation 4 DualShock controllers, browser support for game streaming, Facebook live-streaming, and expanded hand gesture quick actions. While Apple's Vision Pro offers a sharper display, it comes with a hefty price tag of $3,499, whereas the Quest 3 is priced at $499.
A Startup Allegedly 'Hacked the World.' Then Came the Censorship, and Backlash
A startup called Appin Technology has been accused of hacking, leading to a series of legal threats and censorship attempts against news outlets reporting on the allegations. Reuters, SentinelOne, the Internet Archive, Lawfare, Risky Biz, WIRED, and several other publications have either removed or altered their articles about Appin Technology due to legal pressure. Appin co-founder Rajat Khare has also sent legal threats to news outlets based on a court order he obtained in Switzerland. However, some outlets, such as The New Yorker, have resisted the censorship attempts. The backlash against the censorship may be backfiring and causing reputational harm to Appin Technology and Khare.
Show HN: The Super Programmer – A colorful introduction to engineering
The Super Programmer is a book written by the author, who has been exploring different areas of computer science for over 15 years. The book originally started as a guide to computer graphics and 3D rendering algorithms, but evolved into a comprehensive exploration of various topics in computer and software engineering. The author emphasizes the importance of understanding the fundamentals and not limiting oneself to a narrow area of expertise. The book covers topics such as transistors, logic gates, computer programming, audio and visual processing, artificial intelligence, and cryptography. It aims to provide a colorful and accessible introduction to these often underrated fields of computer programming. The author also invites contributions from readers to further enhance the book. (Summary based on 75% of story text.)
Sorry Appin, We're Not Taking Down Our Article About Your Attempts to Silence
This article on Techdirt discusses the attempts made by Appin, an India-based tech company, to silence reporters and remove articles about their alleged involvement in hacking schemes. The article highlights Appin's use of law firms in different jurisdictions to threaten media organizations and force them to remove content. The author also mentions how Appin has been successful in suppressing stories about their activities in the past. The article notes that these attempts to silence reporters have caused a Streisand Effect, drawing more attention to the allegations against Appin. The author emphasizes the importance of calling out such attempts to silence reporting and protecting press freedom.
"No way to prevent this" say users of only language where this regularly happens
The article discusses the release of a vulnerability in the GNU glibc project and the subsequent efforts to fix it. The vulnerability is a result of a heap-based buffer overflow in the syslog() function, which is written in C, the only programming language where these vulnerabilities regularly occur. The article highlights the fact that 90% of the world's memory safety vulnerabilities have occurred in C in the last 50 years and projects written in C are 20 times more likely to have security vulnerabilities. The article quotes a programmer who expresses helplessness in preventing these vulnerabilities and refers to themselves as "helpless."
Trees struggle to 'breathe' as climate warms
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that trees in warmer, drier climates are releasing more carbon dioxide (CO2) back into the atmosphere than trees in cooler, wetter conditions. This process, called photorespiration, occurs when trees are under stress. The research team found that the rate of photorespiration is up to two times higher in warmer climates, especially when water is limited. This finding challenges the belief that plants help draw down carbon from the atmosphere. As the climate warms, plants may become less able to absorb CO2, which could have significant implications for climate change. The study also introduces a new method for studying photorespiration rates using wood samples, which could help predict how trees will respond to future climates.
Ask HN: Who wants to be hired? (February 2024)
The web content is a post on the website news.ycombinator.com titled "Ask HN: Who wants to be hired? (February 2024)". The post invites individuals who are looking for work to share their information using a specific format. The format includes details such as location, remote work availability, willingness to relocate, technologies they are proficient in, and a link to their résumé or CV. The post emphasizes that readers should only email the provided addresses to discuss work opportunities.
Cloudflare Thanksgiving 2023 Security Incident
Cloudflare detected a security incident on Thanksgiving Day in 2023, where a threat actor gained access to their self-hosted Atlassian server. The security team immediately investigated and cut off the threat actor's access. CrowdStrike's Forensic team was brought in to perform an independent analysis, which confirmed that no customer data or systems were impacted. The threat actor accessed Cloudflare's internal wiki and bug database, as well as their source code management system. They attempted to access a console server in a data center that was not yet in production but were unsuccessful. Cloudflare took the incident seriously and implemented measures to strengthen their security protocols. The attack was believed to be performed by a nation-state attacker with the goal of obtaining persistent access to Cloudflare's global network. (Summary based on 73% of story text.)
Nasopharyngeal Lymphatics Found to Be Crucial for Cerebrospinal Fluid Outflow
A groundbreaking study conducted by South Korean researchers has discovered a network of lymphatic vessels behind the nose that plays a crucial role in draining cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the brain. The findings, published in Nature, shed light on a previously unknown route for CSF outflow and could have significant implications for understanding and treating neurodegenerative conditions. The researchers used transgenic mice with lymphatic fluorescent markers, microsurgeries, and advanced imaging techniques to identify the lymphatic plexus in the nasopharynx as a hub for CSF outflow. They also demonstrated that pharmacological activation of the deep cervical lymphatics enhanced CSF drainage in mice. The study opens up new avenues for improving CSF clearance and preventing the progression of conditions like Alzheimer's disease.
FOSDEM 2024 – NetBSD 10: Thirty years, still going strong [video](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39220474)
In this video from FOSDEM 2024, the speaker discusses the latest release of NetBSD, NetBSD 10, which marks the project's 30th anniversary. NetBSD 10 introduces numerous changes and improvements, including performance and security enhancements, expanded CPU and GPU support, and improved virtualization capabilities. The talk also highlights the strength of NetBSD's package system, pkgsrc, which is portable to multiple operating systems and can be used for development and deployment environments. The speaker addresses the relevance of NetBSD in today's landscape, emphasizing its supportive community and versatility for both beginners and experienced users. The video also showcases interesting use cases and ways to get involved with NetBSD.
Show HN: Spliit – FOSS alternative to Splitwise, with receipt scanning
Spliit is a free and open-source alternative to Splitwise, a popular expense-sharing app. It allows users to create groups, share expenses, display group balances, and create reimbursement expenses. It also includes features such as progressive web app functionality, selecting participants for expenses, splitting expenses unevenly, marking groups as favorites, assigning categories to expenses, searching for expenses in a group, uploading and attaching images to expenses, and creating expenses by scanning receipts. The project is built using Next.js, TailwindCSS, shadcn/UI, Prisma, and is hosted on Vercel. The author welcomes contributions and offers options for financial support to keep the application free and ad-free.
Campfire
Campfire is a self-hosted group chat system that allows users to easily invite people, create rooms, and use features like @mentions and direct messages. Unlike other chat systems, Campfire does not have recurring charges and can be customized to fit individual needs. It can be installed as a Docker container image and run on various platforms, including cloud services and personal servers. Campfire is available for a one-time purchase of $299 and comes with basic support. It can be accessed via the web or mobile devices and can even be used in air-gapped networks.
The people hosting their own 'living funerals'
Living funerals, also known as pre-funerals, are gaining popularity as a way for people to say goodbye and celebrate their lives while they are still alive. The concept originated in Japan in the 1990s and has since spread to South Korea and other countries. Living funerals offer a break from traditional funeral practices and allow individuals to have an uplifting celebration on their own terms. They provide an opportunity for people to express their feelings and ensure that nothing is left unsaid. The experiences of individuals who have hosted their own living funerals are shared, highlighting the emotional impact and the importance of celebrating life. (Summary based on 78% of story text.)
Snap is recalling and refunding every drone it ever sold
Snap is recalling and refunding every drone it ever sold due to a fire hazard caused by the batteries. The company sold under 71,000 drones and is recalling all of them, not just the removable batteries. Snap and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission have received reports of battery bulging, one fire, and one minor injury. Customers can get a full refund for the entire drone and any batteries they own, without needing a receipt. They must return the entire drone, minus the batteries, and dispose of the batteries safely. This move is surprising considering Snap's previous interest in drones and hardware.