Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
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Daniel C. Dennett is one of the most influential philosophers of our time, perhaps best known in cognitive science for his multiple drafts (or “fame in the brain”) model of human consciousness, and to the secular community for his 2006 book Breaking the Spell. Author and co-author of two-dozen books, he’s the Austin B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy, and Co-Director of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University, where he taught our very own Point of Inquiry host Lindsay Beyerstein.

Beyerstein and Dennett catch up to discuss Dennett’s newest book, From Bacteria to Bach and Back: The Evolution of Minds. It’s a fresh look at Dennett’s earlier work on the subject of consciousness, taken in new directions as he seeks a “bottom-up view of creation.” Join Dennett and Beyerstein as they discuss the how’s and why’s of consciousness, not just from an evolutionary and neurological standpoint, but also through the lenses of computer science and human culture.

New POI episodes and updates sent right to you. It’s as easy as typing in your email. Your email isn’t shared with anyone else. Just news and updates.

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BEIJING, Oct 29 — A Chinese aerospace company has completed a successful test flight of a prototype for a supersonic commercial transport plane that aims to travel at Mach 4, which is twice as fast as the retired Concorde.

Beijing-based Space Transportation, also known as Lingkong Tianxing Technology, announced on Sunday that its Yunxing prototype had flown successfully the day before.

In a report by South China Morning Post, the company said it plans to conduct an additional assessment of its engine technology in November.

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Solar cells could be printed out like newspapers after Australia’s leading science organisation opened a $6.8 million facility dedicated to flexible solar technology.

The CSIRO launched its state-of-the-art Printed Photovoltaic Facility in south-east Melbourne on Wednesday, following more than 15 years of research into the renewable energy technology.

Researchers said printed, flexible photovoltaic cells could not only lower the cost of solar energy but could be used to deliver power in challenging areas such as space exploration, defence and disaster recovery.

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This level of precision could be a game-changer for therapies that require gene expression in one specific tissue, without impacting others.

By providing more control over where and when genes are activated, these AI-designed CREs could potentially be used in a variety of therapeutic applications, from treating genetic diseases to optimizing tissue regeneration.

As this AI-powered approach to designing CREs matures, the possibilities are vast. Beyond basic research, these synthetic DNA switches could be employed in biomanufacturing or to develop advanced treatments for a range of conditions, offering more effective ways to manipulate genes with unprecedented precision.

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Caltech scientists have introduced a revolutionary machine-learning-driven technique for accurately measuring the mass of individual particles using advanced nanoscale devices.

This method could dramatically enhance our understanding of proteomes by allowing for the mass measurement of proteins in their native forms, thus offering new insights into biological processes and disease mechanisms.

Caltech scientists have developed a machine-learning-powered method that enables precise measurement of individual particles and molecules using advanced nanoscale devices. This breakthrough could lead to the use of various devices for mass measurement, which is key to identifying proteins. It also holds the potential to map the complete proteome—the full set of proteins in an organism.

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Dr. Sanjeev Namjoshi, a machine learning engineer who recently submitted a book on Active Inference to MIT Press, discusses the theoretical foundations and practical applications of Active Inference, the Free Energy Principle (FEP), and Bayesian mechanics. He explains how these frameworks describe how biological and artificial systems maintain stability by minimizing uncertainty about their environment.

Namjoshi traces the evolution of these fields from early 2000s neuroscience research to current developments, highlighting how Active Inference provides a unified framework for perception and action through variational free energy minimization. He contrasts this with traditional machine learning approaches, emphasizing Active Inference’s natural capacity for exploration and curiosity through epistemic value.

The discussion covers key technical concepts like Markov blankets.
generative models, and the distinction between continuous and discrete implementations. Namjoshi explains how Active Inference moved from continuous state-space models (2003−2013) to discrete formulations (2015-present) to better handle planning problems.

He sees Active Inference as being at a similar stage to deep learning in the early 2000s — poised for significant breakthroughs but requiring better tools and wider adoption. While acknowledging current computational challenges, he emphasizes Active Inference’s potential advantages over reinforcement learning, particularly its principled approach to exploration and planning.

Namjoshi advocates for balanced oversight that enables innovation while maintaining appropriate safeguards. He expresses particular concern about the rapid pace of AI development potentially outpacing our understanding of risks and regulatory frameworks.

Dr. Sanjeev Namjoshi.

Continue reading “The Hidden Math Behind All Living Systems” | >

The acetate would then be used to feed plants that are grown hydroponically. The method could also be used to grow other food-producing organisms, since acetate is naturally used by mushrooms, yeast, and algae.

“The whole point of this new process to try to boost the efficiency of photosynthesis,” says senior author Feng Jiao, an electrochemist at Washington University in St. Louis. “Right now, we are at about 4% efficiency, which is already four times higher than for photosynthesis, and because everything is more efficient with this method, the CO2 footprint associated with the production of food becomes much smaller.”

To genetically engineer acetate-eating plants, the researchers are taking advantage of a metabolic pathway that germinating plants use to break down food stored in their seeds. This pathway is switched off once plants become capable of photosynthesis, but switching it back on would enable them to use acetate as a source of energy and carbon.

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“Scheduled for delivery in 2026, these new ferries will be powered with a hybrid mix of 85% hydrogen fuel cells and 15% biofuel from Bergen’s C25:33 engines.”

Norwegian power solutions supplier Bergen Engines has been selected to provide four generating sets to support the world’s largest hydrogen ferries, operating on Norway’s longest ferry connection from Bodø to Lofoten.

The C25:33L8A generating sets will be fueled by low carbon Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and will serve as support power to the hydrogen fuel cells onboard, which act as the vessel’s main propulsion power.

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