Top stories

Stop syncing everything
neilk 2 days ago

Stop syncing everything

The article discusses the importance of selective synchronization in database management, emphasizing the need to avoid syncing everything and instead focusing on syncing only the necessary data. It highlights the benefits of this approach, including reduced resource usage, faster sync times, and better data integrity.

sqlsync.dev
378 49
Summary
A 6-Hour Time-Stretched Version of Brian Eno's Music for Airports
vinhnx 3 days ago

A 6-Hour Time-Stretched Version of Brian Eno's Music for Airports

The article discusses a six-hour time-stretched version of Brian Eno's 'Music for Airports,' which was created by musician and sound artist Sam Slater. The extended version allows listeners to experience Eno's ambient work in a new and immersive way, exploring the subtle nuances and textures of the original composition.

openculture.com
67 29
Summary
DEDA – Tracking Dots Extraction, Decoding and Anonymisation Toolkit
pavel_lishin about 14 hours ago

DEDA – Tracking Dots Extraction, Decoding and Anonymisation Toolkit

The article describes 'deda', a tool for digital evidence detection and analysis, which aims to provide a framework for the acquisition, processing, and visualization of digital evidence. It outlines the key features and capabilities of the deda tool, making it a valuable resource for digital forensics and incident response professionals.

github.com
231 76
Summary
tux3 about 23 hours ago

Electron band structure in germanium, my ass (2001)

The article discusses the history and architecture of Memorial Union, a prominent building on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. It provides an overview of the building's design, construction, and the various facilities and spaces it houses, which have served the university community for over a century.

pages.cs.wisc.edu
837 347
Summary
Open source, 3D-printable smart chess board
bdcravens 3 days ago

Open source, 3D-printable smart chess board

The article discusses the Open Chess - Smart Chess Board, a 3D-printed chess board that can be programmed to automatically move chess pieces and record game moves. The board is designed to enhance the chess-playing experience by automating certain tasks and providing digital features for chess enthusiasts.

thangs.com
48 24
Summary
ydnyshhh 2 days ago

Circuit Tracing: Revealing Computational Graphs in Language Models (Anthropic)

The article discusses attribution graphs, a method for analyzing the influence and relationship between entities in a network. It presents various techniques and algorithms used to construct and analyze these graphs, which are valuable for understanding complex systems and decision-making processes.

transformer-circuits.pub
89 5
Summary
Bletchley code breaker Betty Webb dies aged 101
danso about 23 hours ago

Bletchley code breaker Betty Webb dies aged 101

The article discusses the discovery of a new species of giant water lily, which has been named the world's largest. Researchers have found that this species, Chupi, can grow leaves up to 3.2 meters (10.5 feet) in diameter, surpassing the previous record holder.

bbc.com
421 72
Summary
Where does air pollution come from?
kamaraju about 7 hours ago

Where does air pollution come from?

The article discusses the main sources of air pollution, including transportation, energy production, industry, agriculture, and household activities. It provides an overview of the relative contributions of these different sources to air pollution levels around the world.

ourworldindata.org
170 86
Summary
Show HN: I made Confetti: a configuration language file format
hgs3 2 days ago

Show HN: I made Confetti: a configuration language file format

Hello everyone, I created Confetti: a simple, typeless, and localization-friendly configuration language designed for human-editable configuration files.

In my opinion, JSON works well for data interchange, but it's overused for configuration, it's not localization-friendly, and it's too syntactically noisy. INI is simple but lacks hierarchical structures and doesn't have a formal specification. Confetti is intended to bridge the gap.

I aim to keep Confetti simple and minimalistic, while encouraging others to extend it. Think of it like Markdown for configuration files: there's a core specification, but your welcome to create your own variations that suit your needs.

confetti.hgs3.me
30 20
Summary
docmechanic 4 days ago

Scientists uncover key mechanism in evolution: Whole-genome duplication drives

sciencedaily.com
14 2
Converting a Go-Kart into a Deathtrap
mattogodoy 3 days ago

Converting a Go-Kart into a Deathtrap

This article describes the author's experience of converting a go-kart into a 'deathtrap' by making various modifications, including installing a more powerful engine and removing safety features. The article serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of amateur vehicle modifications and the importance of prioritizing safety.

matto.io
71 22
Summary
Shared DNA in Music
ksampath02 about 14 hours ago

Shared DNA in Music

The article explores how AI-powered music analysis can reveal the 'DNA' of different musical genres and styles, providing insights into the underlying structures and characteristics that define them. It highlights the potential of this technology to reshape the music industry and influence how music is created, discovered, and experienced.

pudding.cool
187 38
Summary
Why F#?
bozhidar about 23 hours ago

Why F#?

The article discusses the benefits of using the F# programming language, highlighting its conciseness, type-safety, and functional programming capabilities, which make it a powerful choice for building robust and maintainable software applications.

batsov.com
341 310
Summary
tobr about 18 hours ago

The Myst Graph: A New Perspective on Myst

The article discusses the Myst graph, a novel data structure that enables efficient storage and retrieval of information in a hierarchical manner. It highlights the potential applications of the Myst graph in areas such as knowledge representation, information retrieval, and decision support systems.

glthr.com
211 59
Summary
Glubux's Powerwall (2016)
bentobean about 20 hours ago

Glubux's Powerwall (2016)

The article discusses a man who has been powering his home for 8 years using a network of laptop batteries, demonstrating a creative and cost-effective off-grid energy solution.

techoreon.com
370 242
Summary
Testing DVD-R and CD-R 25 years later: optical disks from Japan
csdvrx about 14 hours ago

Testing DVD-R and CD-R 25 years later: optical disks from Japan

The article discusses various optical discs from Japan, including TDK UV Guard, Fuji, LG, Sony, and Maxell discs. It provides an overview of the features, performance, and usage of these discs across different media types and applications.

goughlui.com
97 45
Summary
The Tectonics Behind the Myanmar Quake
rbanffy 2 days ago

The Tectonics Behind the Myanmar Quake

The article examines the causes of the devastating earthquake that struck Myanmar in 2016, which killed over 100 people. It explores the tectonic forces and fault lines that contributed to the quake, as well as the potential impacts of climate change on the region's seismic activity.

nautil.us
3 0
Summary
generichuman about 13 hours ago

The state of binary compatibility on Linux and how to address it

The article discusses the importance of binary compatibility in the Linux ecosystem, highlighting the challenges of maintaining compatibility across different Linux distributions and kernel versions. It explores strategies for ensuring binary compatibility, such as using containerization and package management tools.

jangafx.com
146 84
Summary
Show HN: Offline SOS signaling+recovery app for disasters/wars
nizarmah about 13 hours ago

Show HN: Offline SOS signaling+recovery app for disasters/wars

A couple of months ago, I built this app to help identify people stuck under rubble.

First responders have awesome tools. But in tough situations, even common folks need to help.

After what happened in Myanmar, we need something like this that works properly.

It has only been tested in controlled environments. It can also be improved; I know BLE is not _that_ effective under rubble.

If you have any feedback or can contribute, don't hold back.

github.com
112 69
Summary
How Silica Gel Took Over the World
Hooke about 16 hours ago

How Silica Gel Took Over the World

Silica gel is a porous, granular material that is commonly used as a desiccant to absorb moisture and maintain dry conditions. It has a wide range of applications, including in food packaging, electronics, and pharmaceutical storage.

scopeofwork.net
116 102
Summary
PaulHoule 2 days ago

AI image recognition detects bubble-like structures in the universe

Researchers have developed an AI-powered image recognition system that can identify cosmic objects in astronomical images, potentially revolutionizing the way we study the universe. The algorithm is capable of detecting galaxies, stars, and other celestial bodies with high accuracy, opening up new possibilities for automated analysis of large-scale astronomical data.

phys.org
77 41
Summary
nixass 4 days ago

Generate autounattend.xml files for Windows 10/11

The article provides a web-based tool to generate unattend.xml files for automated Windows installations. Users can customize various settings, such as the product key, language, and administrator account, and download the generated file for use in their deployment process.

schneegans.de
174 53
Summary
Apocryphon about 14 hours ago

Silicon Valley, Halt and Catch Fire, and How Microserfdom Ate the World (2015)

This article explores the cultural and technological shifts depicted in the TV series 'Silicon Valley' and 'Halt and Catch Fire', as well as the influence of Douglas Coupland's novel 'Microserfs' on the portrayal of the tech industry and the lives of those working in it.

grantland.com
71 37
Summary
Train and Weather Tracker with Raspberry Pi and E-Ink
tosh 4 days ago

Train and Weather Tracker with Raspberry Pi and E-Ink

This article discusses using a Raspberry Pi to build a model train control system. It covers the hardware setup, software configuration, and how to integrate the system with a physical model train layout.

sambroner.com
68 12
Summary
Forking Work Simplification – Let's Bring Back Eisenhower's Process Improvement
RetiredRichard about 11 hours ago

Forking Work Simplification – Let's Bring Back Eisenhower's Process Improvement

The article discusses the benefits of forking, a software development practice that allows for parallel work and experimentation. It also explores the concept of work simplification and how it can increase productivity and efficiency in various industries.

governance.fyi
36 19
Summary
SSLyze – SSL configuration scanning library and CLI tool
Brysonbw about 11 hours ago

SSLyze – SSL configuration scanning library and CLI tool

The sslyze project is an open-source tool that allows users to analyze the configuration of SSL/TLS-enabled services, including support for various cipher suites, protocols, and security features. It provides detailed information about the security posture of a server and can be used to assess the overall security of SSL/TLS deployments.

github.com
35 1
Summary
Show HN: Zig Topological Sort Library for Parallel Processing
ww520 about 18 hours ago

Show HN: Zig Topological Sort Library for Parallel Processing

I believe the best way to learn a language is by doing an in-depth project. This is my first Zig project intended for learning the ropes on publishing a Zig package. It turns out to be quite solid and performant. It might be a bit over-engineered.

This little library is packed with the following features:

  - Building dependency graph from dependency data.
  - Performing topological sort on the dependency graph.
  - Generating dependence-free subsets for parallel processing.
  - Cycle detection and cycle reporting.

github.com
100 40
Summary
dli123 about 20 hours ago

Launch HN: ASim (YC S21) – Mobile app that generates mobile apps

Hey HN, we’re Daniel and Daniel (the Daniels) from aSim (https://asim.sh/). aSim is a mobile app that can generate immediately usable and shareable mobile apps from your phone.

Tools like bolt.new and v0 have made it easier to build websites by just chatting with an LLM, but things have been lagging on the mobile side. We’ve always been suckers for well-made mobile apps, but today, it is still extremely difficult to build mobile apps with LLMs on your computer, and nearly impossible to do it from your phone.

We built aSim to make it easy to build prototypes, “trinket” apps, or just random fun things all async from your phone. You can check our landing page (https://asim.sh/) for some ideas of different types of apps. Hopefully we can bring some life to your side project graveyard, or at least make the graveyard even more numerous.

Here’s a demo video of the generation process: https://youtu.be/_3VCl13oMGc

And here are the actual one-shotted apps I made in that video:

- https://asim.sh/@dli/s/157003/make-an-app-where-i-can-upload...

- https://asim.sh/@dli/s/157014/make-me-an-app-that-is-a-clone...

- https://asim.sh/@dli/s/157006/make-me-a-chess-timer-app-for-...

All of our app generations also get access to a set of APIs that help get the ball rolling on some basic functionality. These APIs range from LLM usage and image generation to having shared state with your friends, and globally among all users. We’re always on the lookout for new API integrations (i.e. Spotify and Maps) so please let us know if you need any!

We’ve had a small cohort of beta users that have been making what we think are some pretty cool apps. Here’s some of our favorites:

- Pokemon-style Gacha Game - https://asim.sh/@evan/s/126948/elves-vs-monsters

- OpenStreetMap stats: https://asim.sh/@lake/s/104102/osm-stats

- Star wars idle game: https://asim.sh/@jojaspero/s/29102

- Find your Meyers Briggs - https://asim.sh/@typewhisperer/s/135964/jung-mirror (<-- just for fun, you don’t have to believe in MB :))

- AI Tic Tac Toe - https://asim.sh/@hashmelons/s/105561/ai-tic-tac

Behind the scenes, we’re generating a modified version of Typescript React Native that can be parsed and compiled into simpler instructions that can be sent to mobile devices on the fly. We’ve ripped out some parts of the TSC library, as well as lean heavily on AcornJS to massage the (mostly usable) LLM code into something that can actually be run. We have a bunch of static analyzers, as well as leaning on web runtimes to catch runtime errors (as well as take screenshots), though at the very end of the day, we lean the most on our users to play around with their creations and remix them into something great.

It’s currently completely free to use, so we hope you check out aSim at https://asim.sh/ and enjoy it as much as we have while building it! Let us know what features you’d like to see and any problems you have with your generations.

60 49
johannes_ne 5 days ago

Excitable cells

The article explores the concept of excitable cells, which are capable of generating and propagating electrical signals. It discusses the key features of excitable cells, including their ability to produce action potentials and their role in various physiological processes, such as neural communication and muscle contraction.

jenevoldsen.com
281 46
Summary
Show HN: Textcase: A Python Library for Text Case Conversion
zobweyt about 13 hours ago

Show HN: Textcase: A Python Library for Text Case Conversion

The article provides an overview of the TextCase library, a JavaScript utility that allows for easy conversion between different text case formats, such as camelCase, PascalCase, snake_case, and more.

github.com
59 32
Summary