Content I Consume - 6/22/2024

I enjoy working on several project at once. Among many of my ML + Physics projects, I’ve started working on my first theoretical physics project. Specifically, I’m working on extending a QCD calculation for to new collider physics process. Getting the chance to explore theoretical work is great before I apply to grad schools and makes the rush to taking QFT 1 my junior year completely worth it.

Machine Learning & AI

Podcast: Mark Zuckerberg - Llama 3, $10B Models, Caesar Augustus, & 1 GW Datacenters - Dwarkesh Podcast

Video: The future of Nuclear = Small, Mobile, Microreactors | Radiant - S3

Dwarkesh’s podcast features many of the big names in AI today. In this episode, he chats with Mark Zuckerberg on a number of topics related to Meta’s AI efforts. To continue AI progress at it’s current rate (without some breakthrough), we must steadily increase compute. This entails relatively large power needs for large data centers.

This thought reminded me of the microreactors of from Radiant. It’s hopeful to see so many new ideas in the nuclear industry. It almost certain that AI datacenters will have dedicated power sources, maybe that power will be nuclear. To my understanding,

Physics

Paper: Generalized Gelation Theory Describes Onset of Online Extremist Support - Manrique et al.

In high school, I was a part of a physics research group. We’d host bi-weekly journal clubs. This paper was one of my favorite articles discussed in those meetings. It models the spread of online extremism through gelation theory. Gelation theory models the properties of gels (like Jell-O). I thought this was an incredibly creative application of physics theory and a wonderful read.

Miscellaneous

Video: Steroids Are Awesome - Jeff Nippard

Jeff Nippard is science-based weightlifting educator. He provides great information supported by peer-review literature. In this video, he covers the impacts of steroid use on several aspects of the human body. I learned they lower your IQ!

Steroid use has skyrocketed in the USA, especially among young people. I’ve been an avid weightlifter for many years and steroids are a constant discussion. I don’t see many easy to access sources of information on the consequences of steroid use. I’m glad this information is getting out there!