DM Good morning. I've incubated for many weeks regarding where emotions and personality may reside within the Universal Holophren™, particularly the human version of it. Before I offer my conjecture, where do you believe these to be (...inclusive of genetic, epigenetic and experiential aspects), based upon our multitudes of prior-related conversations? I also attach the graphical representations to date of both The Universal Holophren and its "human version" (two PDF graphics

Honeybees have never been in danger of extinction. But scientists are finding that they can accelerate the demise of native bee populations.

In a sense, the decline of book reviews, like the decline of newspapers themselves, is a story about disaggregation.

The Stoic philosopher argued that most of life is outside our control — but the little we do control defines who we are.

DM This morning I've water on my mind.  Not literally, but in the realm of hydrology (and perhap beyond). I've a modest understanding of Bejan's Constructal Law (CL), ...at least in a two dimensional context. Today I'm pondering it in a three dimensional context, both in contexts of evaporation and absorption.  Are CL phenomena taking place as "currents" of evaporation into the air around and above us from bodies of water (creeks, springs, brooks, rivers, lakes and oceans)?

In a playtime experiment, researchers found that our closest living relatives have the capacity for make-believe, too.

The U.S. leadership is erasing the country's shared understanding.

Human psychology has burdened us with anxiety about the future and regret about the past. It may be fruitful to look outwards. Excerpt: " The psychologist B.F. Skinner (1904-90) is remembered for his principle of reinforcement. His idea was simple. When our actions are rewarded by their consequences, we tend to repeat them. When they are not, we don’t. One day a friend of mine witnessed Skinner rushing into an elevator at Harvard. The elevator was programmed, as signs indicat

Do speech buttons really allow dogs to talk to us? Scientists investigate.

With a research focus of human-centred computing, Sabrina Caldwell believes that whatever our systems do, they should support humans.

DM I noticed Montaigne in one essay referred to Troglodytes living on the west side of the Red Sea. Who were they, and were they homo sapiens? This is a wonderful question that touches on classical geography, ethnography, and the way ancient writers categorized peoples they considered exotic or peripheral. The Troglodytes of Classical Literature The "Troglodytes" Montaigne references were a real population that ancient Greek and Roman writers described living along what they

The long road from manual calculations to modern machines.

A researcher’s quest to preserve tracts of the Amazon basin leads him into wild adventure.

Combining Musk’s artificial-intelligence and space-exploration firms would be the latest tie-up of the entrepreneur’s companies

DM What are implications and/or correlations you envision regarding Wolfram's "New Science" and subsequent "Ruliad ;" with the on-going Realm of Present-Now™ (RPN™), Pantakinesis™ and/or the Universal Holophren™, if any? What a rich question, Sciart. This sits right at the intersection of your theoretical architecture and one of the most ambitious computational physics projects of our time! Before I dive into comprehensive research, a couple of clarifications would help me

DM Please provide your perspectives on Lucretius, particularly any guidance as to what we should be curating today from his thinking. Lucretius (c. 99-55 BCE) wrote "De Rerum Natura" (" On the Nature of Things" ), a philosophical poem presenting Epicurean philosophy, particularly the atomistic physics of Democritus as developed by Epicurus. Key aspects of his thought: Atomism - everything is composed of atoms moving through void Anti-supernaturalism - natural explanations fo

The "physical AI" boom has created a world of opportunity for robot makers, and they're not holding back.

DM I ponder if there are "cognitive spark plugs" which may ignite greater humility, thus leading ideally more sustainable curiosity. (I realize some folks are said to occasonally achieve this by experiencing awe-inspiriing moments; but I seek to go beyond a reliance on "situational serindipity followed by personal recepitivity." As you recall, I envisioned Pantakinesis as one means of launching a mind upon a trajectory of expansive creativity, fueled by radically increased hu

The AI company shouting about AI’s dangers can’t quite bring itself to slow down.

New evidence sheds light on the remarkable life – and mysterious collapse – of the ancient jungle city.