Hello hello, welcome back to this week's edition of Sunday Chillin'! Lots of fun things coming up in the next few weeks and months, hope everyone is excited for The Proper Tilting of the Earth™.
Just A Good Time
The last few weeks have left me in an abnormally good mood. I'm always in a pretty good mood in general, but the combination of perfect weather, interesting classes, an abundance of fulfilling social interaction, and regular exercise and healthy food has got me in rare form.
Whenever I have these pleasant spells, I think about how we've gotten so used to seeing negative news and doomsday predictions that there's this undercurrent of existential dread that permeates a lot of society. And although the negative coverage is certainly warranted, I think our minds are much better at latching on to things that bring us down rather than uplift us. [1] But weeks like these remind me that things are pretty chill sometimes and it's important to keep our eyes open to seeing the good as well as the bad.
The firehose of information that we're inundated by probably overwhelms our brain's ability to really put the rest of history in perspective. There has always been suffering (and there will continue to be) but we make progress, we make progress.
So, to take advantage of my mood and to spread the cheer, for this week's newsletter, I've decided to do something sort of out-of-the-ordinary.
I'd like to share a few positive articles that hopefully demonstrate that we are indeed still making good progress as a species and that not all is as hopeless as it seems. I'll share a link to the article, summarize it briefly, and then tell you why I think it's cool. These are all just things that intrigue me (and you'll see the bias in topics below) and maybe this news won't be as cool to you as it is to me. But try to keep an open mind and enjoy these (not so small) wins!
1. World's Largest Battery Maker Announces Major Breakthrough
CATL, a battery maker based in China, just announced that later this year they will begin mass production of commercial batteries that almost double the density of energy storage by weight. Current high-end batteries from Tesla clock in at ~280 Wh/kg, but CATL is on track to deliver batteries with 500 Wh/kg density.
This may not seem like a very big deal to those of you who do not sleep with a used AAA battery under your pillow waiting for the Battery Fairy, but this advance opens up many possibilities! Within the next 10-15 years, if we continue to make meaningful improvements like this, even electric planes will be within reach. And this improvement means that electric cars, appliances, battery grids, etc. will all see huge gains in capacity without significantly increasing in size. And not to mention the multiplicative effects of taking less energy to move the same amount of battery capacity as we do now. It's just good news all the way down.
2. Curing disease is the hot new field for AI talent
Many AI engineers are leaving Silicon Valley to turn their attention to applying ML models to elucidating diseases. Talented engineers that previously worked at self-driving startups, built intelligent chatbots, or mined huge amounts of advertising data have decided that there's more money to be had elsewhere. And maybe they'll make a difference along the way.
I, for one, think that this transition is a very good thing. I've often lamented how many of the brightest minds of our generation spend their time optimizing "engagement" on various online platforms. But the success of AlphaFold, DeepMind's protein-structure prediction AI system, proves that this talent can be put to much better use. At the very least, this is an example of the Invisible Hand of the Market actually doing its job properly. Can't say I'm looking forward to having to watch a 30 second ad for Manscaped™ before getting my blood test results, but old habits die hard.
3. Scientists create an eco-friendly paint that mimics nature
Have you ever wondered what would happen if you ground up a butterfly's ultra-colorful wings? Or maybe a peacock's flamboyant feathers? What color would you get?? Grey or brown probably. [2] That's because many vibrant colors in nature are not caused by a pigment but instead by a nanostructure on the object's surface that reflects light in very specific ways. This is how certain birds and fish achieve iridescent hues, among many other examples.
Well, if you've ever wondered whether you can give your dog the same coat of color, today is your lucky day! Scientists at UCF have discovered a way to make "structural paint," a nanocoating that reflects light as desired to create different colors. Because this paint does not rely on pigment, it absorbs no heat, and much less is needed to achieve deep, rich hues.
This is so cool! These paints may lead to a whole new era of extremely colorful and degradation-resistant surfaces. On top of that, they may increase building heating/cooling efficiency since they don’t absorb any heat. These paints also contain far fewer toxins, such as the heavy metals that are required to make certain shades of paint. Don't be surprised if you see me wearing some extremely fancy trousers in the next few years. [3]
4. Rural Americans are importing tiny Japanese pickup trucks
Rural Americans actually use their trucks for hauling supplies, unlike the annoying macho men you see on city roads driving their 17-ft tall behemoths. [4] Because this is the case, many of these rural fellows are seeking out the small, utilitarian trucks that Japan produces. There are a number of hoops to jump through here (e.g. the truck must be at least 25 years old) but there seems to be some desire to return to useful vehicles over status symbols.
There's not much to say here but I'm just glad that people are coming back to their senses. The top-end Ford F-150 offers like 750+ horsepower and includes a built-in nuclear reactor. Why in the world do you need something like that to haul your groceries and take your kids to soccer practice? Go back to vans, pls.
5. Using solar farms to generate fresh desert soil crust
As the Earth's arable land continues to dry up due to overuse, innovative people are looking for ways to revitalize dead land. Researchers at ASU found that using solar panels to shield areas of desert actually led to an increase in biodiversity in the soil shaded by the panels. This "biocrust" can then be re-inoculated, speeding up their recovery by 5-10x when compared to non-shaded crusts. [5]
Not bad! This means that even seemingly uninhabitable areas can be rejuvenated, all while still producing energy! On top of that, this arrangement will likely reduce the airborne dust that currently impacts desert regions. Hopefully we can continue to find more creative ways to mitigate the effects of climate change in this way.
This newsletter has been longer than my usual ones, but I feel that it is important to look on the bright side whenever we can. There's enough negativity out there, but there are many reasons to be optimistic if you choose to look for them. I hope you've found some interesting things to ponder, and we did all of this just in time for Earth Day!
Whenever I have these pleasant spells, I think about how we've gotten so used to seeing negative news and doomsday predictions that there's this undercurrent of existential dread that permeates a lot of society. And although the negative coverage is certainly warranted, I think our minds are much better at latching on to things that bring us down rather than uplift us. [1] But weeks like these remind me that things are pretty chill sometimes and it's important to keep our eyes open to seeing the good as well as the bad.
The firehose of information that we're inundated by probably overwhelms our brain's ability to really put the rest of history in perspective. There has always been suffering (and there will continue to be) but we make progress, we make progress.
So, to take advantage of my mood and to spread the cheer, for this week's newsletter, I've decided to do something sort of out-of-the-ordinary.
I'd like to share a few positive articles that hopefully demonstrate that we are indeed still making good progress as a species and that not all is as hopeless as it seems. I'll share a link to the article, summarize it briefly, and then tell you why I think it's cool. These are all just things that intrigue me (and you'll see the bias in topics below) and maybe this news won't be as cool to you as it is to me. But try to keep an open mind and enjoy these (not so small) wins!
1. World's Largest Battery Maker Announces Major Breakthrough
CATL, a battery maker based in China, just announced that later this year they will begin mass production of commercial batteries that almost double the density of energy storage by weight. Current high-end batteries from Tesla clock in at ~280 Wh/kg, but CATL is on track to deliver batteries with 500 Wh/kg density.
This may not seem like a very big deal to those of you who do not sleep with a used AAA battery under your pillow waiting for the Battery Fairy, but this advance opens up many possibilities! Within the next 10-15 years, if we continue to make meaningful improvements like this, even electric planes will be within reach. And this improvement means that electric cars, appliances, battery grids, etc. will all see huge gains in capacity without significantly increasing in size. And not to mention the multiplicative effects of taking less energy to move the same amount of battery capacity as we do now. It's just good news all the way down.
2. Curing disease is the hot new field for AI talent
Many AI engineers are leaving Silicon Valley to turn their attention to applying ML models to elucidating diseases. Talented engineers that previously worked at self-driving startups, built intelligent chatbots, or mined huge amounts of advertising data have decided that there's more money to be had elsewhere. And maybe they'll make a difference along the way.
I, for one, think that this transition is a very good thing. I've often lamented how many of the brightest minds of our generation spend their time optimizing "engagement" on various online platforms. But the success of AlphaFold, DeepMind's protein-structure prediction AI system, proves that this talent can be put to much better use. At the very least, this is an example of the Invisible Hand of the Market actually doing its job properly. Can't say I'm looking forward to having to watch a 30 second ad for Manscaped™ before getting my blood test results, but old habits die hard.
3. Scientists create an eco-friendly paint that mimics nature
Have you ever wondered what would happen if you ground up a butterfly's ultra-colorful wings? Or maybe a peacock's flamboyant feathers? What color would you get?? Grey or brown probably. [2] That's because many vibrant colors in nature are not caused by a pigment but instead by a nanostructure on the object's surface that reflects light in very specific ways. This is how certain birds and fish achieve iridescent hues, among many other examples.
Well, if you've ever wondered whether you can give your dog the same coat of color, today is your lucky day! Scientists at UCF have discovered a way to make "structural paint," a nanocoating that reflects light as desired to create different colors. Because this paint does not rely on pigment, it absorbs no heat, and much less is needed to achieve deep, rich hues.
This is so cool! These paints may lead to a whole new era of extremely colorful and degradation-resistant surfaces. On top of that, they may increase building heating/cooling efficiency since they don’t absorb any heat. These paints also contain far fewer toxins, such as the heavy metals that are required to make certain shades of paint. Don't be surprised if you see me wearing some extremely fancy trousers in the next few years. [3]
4. Rural Americans are importing tiny Japanese pickup trucks
Rural Americans actually use their trucks for hauling supplies, unlike the annoying macho men you see on city roads driving their 17-ft tall behemoths. [4] Because this is the case, many of these rural fellows are seeking out the small, utilitarian trucks that Japan produces. There are a number of hoops to jump through here (e.g. the truck must be at least 25 years old) but there seems to be some desire to return to useful vehicles over status symbols.
There's not much to say here but I'm just glad that people are coming back to their senses. The top-end Ford F-150 offers like 750+ horsepower and includes a built-in nuclear reactor. Why in the world do you need something like that to haul your groceries and take your kids to soccer practice? Go back to vans, pls.
5. Using solar farms to generate fresh desert soil crust
As the Earth's arable land continues to dry up due to overuse, innovative people are looking for ways to revitalize dead land. Researchers at ASU found that using solar panels to shield areas of desert actually led to an increase in biodiversity in the soil shaded by the panels. This "biocrust" can then be re-inoculated, speeding up their recovery by 5-10x when compared to non-shaded crusts. [5]
Not bad! This means that even seemingly uninhabitable areas can be rejuvenated, all while still producing energy! On top of that, this arrangement will likely reduce the airborne dust that currently impacts desert regions. Hopefully we can continue to find more creative ways to mitigate the effects of climate change in this way.
This newsletter has been longer than my usual ones, but I feel that it is important to look on the bright side whenever we can. There's enough negativity out there, but there are many reasons to be optimistic if you choose to look for them. I hope you've found some interesting things to ponder, and we did all of this just in time for Earth Day!
Where's the music, bub?
Not much to say here this week. The following are just songs that make me feel great when I listen to them. I know a lot of people don't listen to the songs every week, but I highly recommend giving these a gander when you're feelin' a bit down. They just might do the trick!
Gust of Wind - Pharrell Williams ft. Daft Punk
Spotify | YouTube
Everybody Wants To Rule the World - Tears for Fears [6]
Spotify | YouTube
Work It Out - RJD2
Spotify | YouTube
How Dare You - Michael Minelli, Oswin Benjamin [7]
Spotify | YouTube
A lot of great music videos this week too, worth a watch!
See you all next Sunday!
suhaas
————————————————————————————
If you'd like to share this newsletter with your friends, please direct them to this link.
Here are Spotify and YouTube playlists with all the songs so far.
[1] I'm not sure if any of you have noticed, but I tend to turn to evolutionary reasoning to figure out why humans behave a certain way. In this case, I think our fixation on negative events may have something to do with the fact that it makes sense for our brains to learn a stronger lesson when something goes wrong, rather than when something goes right. "Oh no, my child was taken by ocelots when I left him outside at night" is something that should probably evoke a stronger reaction than "My amazon package was supposed to arrive in 4 days but it arrived in 3!!" Your experience may vary.
[2] Gonna be honest, this is a complete guess, how would I know? Do I look like someone who has captured a peacock and stripped it of its plumage to test the existence of pigment on tail feathers? Or like someone who has ever even seen a butterfly without cowering in discomfort?? You give me too much credit.
[3] If you really want to impress your friends, the original title of this paper is "Ultralight plasmonic structural paint." Just cross your fingers and hope that they don't ask you any technical details and you should be good. (For what it's worth, there are a lot of interesting details in the paper so I recommend reading it if you have an hour to spare).
[4] Apparently with the tallest trucks, drivers can't see objects unless they are over 1.8m tall or over 8 feet away. I would be doomed.
[5] Honestly, this all checks out to me. Imagine for a second that you are a layer of biocrust in the lower Sonoran Desert, yearning for a chance at life. Day in and day out, you suffer in the extreme heat and the direct sun but one fateful morning, a cool shade is placed above you. Now, instead of toasting at 160ºF, you are at a much more balmy 120ºF. Who wouldn't have a bit more pep in their step with all of this quality-of-life improvement? One can hardly blame the little fellows for not feeling up to the task with current conditions. This research is probably the result of unionizing, no doubt.
[6] I first came across this song when I was like 10 years old at my friend's house after spending the whole day outside. I associate this song with warm summer evenings, adventures through the woods, and a completely carefree life. To be fair, that's not that much different from my life today, but it always makes me feel great to listen to.
[7] Warning, this song is very catchy and may continue to percolate in the depths of your mind for much longer than you intend. Please exercise caution.
Gust of Wind - Pharrell Williams ft. Daft Punk
Spotify | YouTube
Everybody Wants To Rule the World - Tears for Fears [6]
Spotify | YouTube
Work It Out - RJD2
Spotify | YouTube
How Dare You - Michael Minelli, Oswin Benjamin [7]
Spotify | YouTube
A lot of great music videos this week too, worth a watch!
See you all next Sunday!
suhaas
————————————————————————————
If you'd like to share this newsletter with your friends, please direct them to this link.
Here are Spotify and YouTube playlists with all the songs so far.
[1] I'm not sure if any of you have noticed, but I tend to turn to evolutionary reasoning to figure out why humans behave a certain way. In this case, I think our fixation on negative events may have something to do with the fact that it makes sense for our brains to learn a stronger lesson when something goes wrong, rather than when something goes right. "Oh no, my child was taken by ocelots when I left him outside at night" is something that should probably evoke a stronger reaction than "My amazon package was supposed to arrive in 4 days but it arrived in 3!!" Your experience may vary.
[2] Gonna be honest, this is a complete guess, how would I know? Do I look like someone who has captured a peacock and stripped it of its plumage to test the existence of pigment on tail feathers? Or like someone who has ever even seen a butterfly without cowering in discomfort?? You give me too much credit.
[3] If you really want to impress your friends, the original title of this paper is "Ultralight plasmonic structural paint." Just cross your fingers and hope that they don't ask you any technical details and you should be good. (For what it's worth, there are a lot of interesting details in the paper so I recommend reading it if you have an hour to spare).
[4] Apparently with the tallest trucks, drivers can't see objects unless they are over 1.8m tall or over 8 feet away. I would be doomed.
[5] Honestly, this all checks out to me. Imagine for a second that you are a layer of biocrust in the lower Sonoran Desert, yearning for a chance at life. Day in and day out, you suffer in the extreme heat and the direct sun but one fateful morning, a cool shade is placed above you. Now, instead of toasting at 160ºF, you are at a much more balmy 120ºF. Who wouldn't have a bit more pep in their step with all of this quality-of-life improvement? One can hardly blame the little fellows for not feeling up to the task with current conditions. This research is probably the result of unionizing, no doubt.
[6] I first came across this song when I was like 10 years old at my friend's house after spending the whole day outside. I associate this song with warm summer evenings, adventures through the woods, and a completely carefree life. To be fair, that's not that much different from my life today, but it always makes me feel great to listen to.
[7] Warning, this song is very catchy and may continue to percolate in the depths of your mind for much longer than you intend. Please exercise caution.