Reposted by Neil Brown
ladies and gentlemen...we got him
October 30, 2025 at 7:10 PM
ladies and gentlemen...we got him
Reposted by Neil Brown
I used to work at a small shop that made little plastic vampires.
There were only 2 of us working there, so I had to make every second count.
There were only 2 of us working there, so I had to make every second count.
October 28, 2025 at 11:36 PM
I used to work at a small shop that made little plastic vampires.
There were only 2 of us working there, so I had to make every second count.
There were only 2 of us working there, so I had to make every second count.
Reposted by Neil Brown
Learned that an anonymous outside expert on submersibles did an interview with the OceanGate Titan investigation, and they released a transcript, with all the names redacted. The first line of his first answer? "I'm sure you're familiar with my film Titanic."
October 16, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Learned that an anonymous outside expert on submersibles did an interview with the OceanGate Titan investigation, and they released a transcript, with all the names redacted. The first line of his first answer? "I'm sure you're familiar with my film Titanic."
Reposted by Neil Brown
Engineering Lego Cars to Climb Increasingly Tall Walls. I love these iterative Lego engineering videos. [kottke.org]
Engineering Lego Cars to Climb Increasingly Tall Walls
I haven’t gotten my Brick Technology fix in awhile, so here’s a video featuring a series of more and more capable Lego vehicles climbing over taller and taller walls. As I have written before, here’s what makes these v
kottke.org
September 25, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Engineering Lego Cars to Climb Increasingly Tall Walls. I love these iterative Lego engineering videos. [kottke.org]
Reposted by Neil Brown
Reposted by Neil Brown
She basically invented astrophysics.
She proved the laws of chemistry, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics, not just gravity, applied universally.
She determined the composition of the sun and primacy of hydrogen in the universe.
She advised the PhDs of Frank Drake and Frank Kameny.
She proved the laws of chemistry, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics, not just gravity, applied universally.
She determined the composition of the sun and primacy of hydrogen in the universe.
She advised the PhDs of Frank Drake and Frank Kameny.
Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin ✨ figured out what stars are made of ✨ when she was just 25. 🔭🧪
Her PhD thesis basically established the Harvard astro department — at a time when Harvard didn't officially allow woman students.
I wrote this little profile to mark the 100th anniversary of her thesis:
Her PhD thesis basically established the Harvard astro department — at a time when Harvard didn't officially allow woman students.
I wrote this little profile to mark the 100th anniversary of her thesis:
September 24, 2025 at 11:36 PM
She basically invented astrophysics.
She proved the laws of chemistry, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics, not just gravity, applied universally.
She determined the composition of the sun and primacy of hydrogen in the universe.
She advised the PhDs of Frank Drake and Frank Kameny.
She proved the laws of chemistry, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics, not just gravity, applied universally.
She determined the composition of the sun and primacy of hydrogen in the universe.
She advised the PhDs of Frank Drake and Frank Kameny.
Reposted by Neil Brown
I enjoyed this. And what an infectious laugh. ❤️
"Reporter left speechless after witnessing Japan's new $70 million Maglev train in action at 310 mph"
"Reporter left speechless after witnessing Japan's new $70 million Maglev train in action at 310 mph"
September 2, 2025 at 8:29 PM
I enjoyed this. And what an infectious laugh. ❤️
"Reporter left speechless after witnessing Japan's new $70 million Maglev train in action at 310 mph"
"Reporter left speechless after witnessing Japan's new $70 million Maglev train in action at 310 mph"
Reposted by Neil Brown
There is an iconic figure of Japan that will not be with us much longer. He is an endangered species, almost extinct. He will be mourned. Read my salaryman elegy on this week's Substack:
The Death of The Salaryman
The hard-working, hard-drinking white collar company man of old Japan is dead (more or less). He is survived by Pasona, a generation of part-time workers, and a stack of unpaid overtime slips.
open.substack.com
August 29, 2025 at 2:12 AM
There is an iconic figure of Japan that will not be with us much longer. He is an endangered species, almost extinct. He will be mourned. Read my salaryman elegy on this week's Substack:
Reposted by Neil Brown
we have both computers and science fiction because Byron was so insufferable it inspired all the women around him to come up with elaborate reasons to get away
Ok folks: what is your favorite fact that you share with people (maybe a bit too) eagerly?
August 20, 2025 at 2:40 AM
we have both computers and science fiction because Byron was so insufferable it inspired all the women around him to come up with elaborate reasons to get away
Reposted by Neil Brown
If anyone is in Brighton and has a microphone or access to a microphone, or has a friend who has access to a microphone, now would be a brilliant time to let me know. #microphonerequest
July 10, 2025 at 5:20 PM
If anyone is in Brighton and has a microphone or access to a microphone, or has a friend who has access to a microphone, now would be a brilliant time to let me know. #microphonerequest
Reposted by Neil Brown
Reposted by Neil Brown
Our talk “Anvil Rendering Architecture” is up on YouTube, including Q&A!
youtu.be/CcYq18bkvyU?...
youtu.be/CcYq18bkvyU?...
July 3, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Our talk “Anvil Rendering Architecture” is up on YouTube, including Q&A!
youtu.be/CcYq18bkvyU?...
youtu.be/CcYq18bkvyU?...
Reposted by Neil Brown
Worth a watch:
Head of Signal, Meredith Whittaker, on so-called "agentic AI" and the difference between how it's described in the marketing and what access and control it would actually require to work as advertised.
Head of Signal, Meredith Whittaker, on so-called "agentic AI" and the difference between how it's described in the marketing and what access and control it would actually require to work as advertised.
June 26, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Worth a watch:
Head of Signal, Meredith Whittaker, on so-called "agentic AI" and the difference between how it's described in the marketing and what access and control it would actually require to work as advertised.
Head of Signal, Meredith Whittaker, on so-called "agentic AI" and the difference between how it's described in the marketing and what access and control it would actually require to work as advertised.
Reposted by Neil Brown
Our talk from REAC 25 is now available online!
You can download the slides here: enginearchitecture.org/2025.htm#4
The recording will be published in the coming days—stay tuned!
Direct Links:
- PDF: enginearchitecture.org/downloads/RE...
- PPT: enginearchitecture.org/downloads/RE...
You can download the slides here: enginearchitecture.org/2025.htm#4
The recording will be published in the coming days—stay tuned!
Direct Links:
- PDF: enginearchitecture.org/downloads/RE...
- PPT: enginearchitecture.org/downloads/RE...
June 26, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Our talk from REAC 25 is now available online!
You can download the slides here: enginearchitecture.org/2025.htm#4
The recording will be published in the coming days—stay tuned!
Direct Links:
- PDF: enginearchitecture.org/downloads/RE...
- PPT: enginearchitecture.org/downloads/RE...
You can download the slides here: enginearchitecture.org/2025.htm#4
The recording will be published in the coming days—stay tuned!
Direct Links:
- PDF: enginearchitecture.org/downloads/RE...
- PPT: enginearchitecture.org/downloads/RE...
Reposted by Neil Brown
Thanks for the reminder @janemunday.bsky.social. Every summer, I repost this article DROWNING DOES NOT LOOK LIKE DROWNING. To date, I know of FOUR kids who were saved after someone who'd clicked on the link learnt how to spot actual drowning. Take time to read and pass on.
slate.com/technology/2...
slate.com/technology/2...
Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning
Drowning is not the violent, splashing call for help that most people expect.
slate.com
June 19, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Thanks for the reminder @janemunday.bsky.social. Every summer, I repost this article DROWNING DOES NOT LOOK LIKE DROWNING. To date, I know of FOUR kids who were saved after someone who'd clicked on the link learnt how to spot actual drowning. Take time to read and pass on.
slate.com/technology/2...
slate.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Neil Brown
Berkeley Earth’s high-res temperature data is now part of Climate Station on #PS5! This immersive environment is new way for global audiences to explore climate change. Huge thanks to #Sony for bringing open science into a global platform. 🎮🌍
🔗 More info: store.playstation.com/en-us/concep...
🔗 More info: store.playstation.com/en-us/concep...
June 18, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Berkeley Earth’s high-res temperature data is now part of Climate Station on #PS5! This immersive environment is new way for global audiences to explore climate change. Huge thanks to #Sony for bringing open science into a global platform. 🎮🌍
🔗 More info: store.playstation.com/en-us/concep...
🔗 More info: store.playstation.com/en-us/concep...
Reposted by Neil Brown
In the Observer today, an article about dark energy and the future of the Universe - featuring quotes from Jim Peebles, @astrokatie.com, Neil Turok and me. (I doubt any of us endorse the sub-editor's choice of headline though.)
observer.co.uk/news/science...
observer.co.uk/news/science...
Evidence suggests the universe may stop expanding
The latest data about the mysterious substance dark energy could revolutionise our understanding of the cosmos
observer.co.uk
June 8, 2025 at 10:14 AM
In the Observer today, an article about dark energy and the future of the Universe - featuring quotes from Jim Peebles, @astrokatie.com, Neil Turok and me. (I doubt any of us endorse the sub-editor's choice of headline though.)
observer.co.uk/news/science...
observer.co.uk/news/science...
Reposted by Neil Brown
OK, this is wild.
In September 2023, geophysicists across the world started monitoring a very odd signal coming from the ground under them.
It was picked up in the Arctic. And Antarctica. It was detected everywhere, every 90 seconds, as regular as a metronome, for *nine days*.
What the HELL?
1/
In September 2023, geophysicists across the world started monitoring a very odd signal coming from the ground under them.
It was picked up in the Arctic. And Antarctica. It was detected everywhere, every 90 seconds, as regular as a metronome, for *nine days*.
What the HELL?
1/
May 12, 2025 at 3:20 PM
OK, this is wild.
In September 2023, geophysicists across the world started monitoring a very odd signal coming from the ground under them.
It was picked up in the Arctic. And Antarctica. It was detected everywhere, every 90 seconds, as regular as a metronome, for *nine days*.
What the HELL?
1/
In September 2023, geophysicists across the world started monitoring a very odd signal coming from the ground under them.
It was picked up in the Arctic. And Antarctica. It was detected everywhere, every 90 seconds, as regular as a metronome, for *nine days*.
What the HELL?
1/
Reposted by Neil Brown
This method is fundamental to how modern displays, including computer monitors, TVs, and smartphone screens, produce color images. By varying the intensity of these three primary colors, screens can create millions of different colors.
May 4, 2025 at 1:53 PM
This method is fundamental to how modern displays, including computer monitors, TVs, and smartphone screens, produce color images. By varying the intensity of these three primary colors, screens can create millions of different colors.
Reposted by Neil Brown
This is a new image from #JWST.
The bright points with spikes are stars in the Milky Way.
Everything else is a galaxy.
Everything. Else. Is. A. Galaxy.
The bright points with spikes are stars in the Milky Way.
Everything else is a galaxy.
Everything. Else. Is. A. Galaxy.
April 29, 2025 at 6:47 PM
This is a new image from #JWST.
The bright points with spikes are stars in the Milky Way.
Everything else is a galaxy.
Everything. Else. Is. A. Galaxy.
The bright points with spikes are stars in the Milky Way.
Everything else is a galaxy.
Everything. Else. Is. A. Galaxy.
Reposted by Neil Brown
1. Can you figure out where I was standing when I took this picture?
ChatGPT could. Given the photograph (scrubbed of all header information), the new chain of thought model, ChatGPT o.3, was able to pinpoint the location with a few meters.
ChatGPT could. Given the photograph (scrubbed of all header information), the new chain of thought model, ChatGPT o.3, was able to pinpoint the location with a few meters.
April 29, 2025 at 4:49 AM
1. Can you figure out where I was standing when I took this picture?
ChatGPT could. Given the photograph (scrubbed of all header information), the new chain of thought model, ChatGPT o.3, was able to pinpoint the location with a few meters.
ChatGPT could. Given the photograph (scrubbed of all header information), the new chain of thought model, ChatGPT o.3, was able to pinpoint the location with a few meters.
Reposted by Neil Brown
Reposted by Neil Brown
Assassin's Creed Shadows on PS5 Pro already features raytraced global illumination and specular reflections.
Learn how we pushed even further with a new PSSR implementation on PS5 Pro:
play.st/4cpV7tU
Learn how we pushed even further with a new PSSR implementation on PS5 Pro:
play.st/4cpV7tU
Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Ubisoft deep dives into PS5 Pro updates
PSSR support and the inclusion of ray traced reflections for Balanced mode are available now.
play.st
April 12, 2025 at 5:05 AM
Assassin's Creed Shadows on PS5 Pro already features raytraced global illumination and specular reflections.
Learn how we pushed even further with a new PSSR implementation on PS5 Pro:
play.st/4cpV7tU
Learn how we pushed even further with a new PSSR implementation on PS5 Pro:
play.st/4cpV7tU
Reposted by Neil Brown
Tokyo's famous Shibuya Scramble intersection is so crowded and never empty that there's a 1:1 scale replica of it that can be rented by TV and film productions located 80 km northwest of Tokyo in Ashikaga.
ashikaga-scramble.com
Location: maps.app.goo.gl/uXz4s2Z1y3qK...
ashikaga-scramble.com
Location: maps.app.goo.gl/uXz4s2Z1y3qK...
March 8, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Tokyo's famous Shibuya Scramble intersection is so crowded and never empty that there's a 1:1 scale replica of it that can be rented by TV and film productions located 80 km northwest of Tokyo in Ashikaga.
ashikaga-scramble.com
Location: maps.app.goo.gl/uXz4s2Z1y3qK...
ashikaga-scramble.com
Location: maps.app.goo.gl/uXz4s2Z1y3qK...
Reposted by Neil Brown
AltDevBlogADay was a very interesting site that hosted posts from industry professionals, covering a wide range of topics. Unfortunately it went down about 10 years ago and is accessible only via web archive web.archive.org/web/20140328.... Definitely worth browsing, many still relevant posts.
#AltDevBlog
web.archive.org
February 1, 2025 at 11:25 AM
AltDevBlogADay was a very interesting site that hosted posts from industry professionals, covering a wide range of topics. Unfortunately it went down about 10 years ago and is accessible only via web archive web.archive.org/web/20140328.... Definitely worth browsing, many still relevant posts.