Added newsletter 41: "Ultrasonic Coffee, GPT-4o, H5N1 Milk, Dyson Sph…

…eres, Planet 9, VGER, Eneropa, Black Holes, and more!"

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+title: "#41: Ultrasonic Coffee, GPT-4o, H5N1 Milk, Dyson Spheres, Planet 9, VGER, Eneropa, Black Holes, and more!"
+date: 2024-05-18
+number: 41
+---
+
+Hi everyone!
+
+I’m sure you saw the news about OpenAI’s latest model, GPT-4o. It’s the first large language model that can process text, voice, and video in near real-time, and the demos looked super impressive.
+
+However, I’ve always found it awkward to talk to virtual assistants. They’re really stupid sometimes (hello Siri), and they don’t respond quickly enough to have a natural conversation with. I’m eager to see if OpenAI can convince me of the contrary.
+
+What are your thoughts about these announcements? And how are you using AI in your day-to-day workflows? I’m curious to know. Reply to this email and let me know!
+
+Enjoy this edition of the newsletter!  
+Xavier
+
+---
+
+## 🤓 Cool Stuff I Found on the Internet
+
+![](/newsletter/assets/041/ultrasonic-cold-brew-coffee.jpg)
+
+### [Ultrasonic cold brew coffee](https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2024/05/Ultrasonic_cold_brew_coffee_ready_under_three_minutes)
+Enjoy cold brew coffee but don't want to go through the 24 hours steeping process? These researchers found a way to cold brew in under 3 minutes by blasting the coffee grounds with ultrasonic sound waves! 
+
+
+
+### [People wanting raw milk to be infected with H5N1](https://futurism.com/neoscope/raw-milk-enthusiasts-demand-milk-infected-avian-flu-h5n1)
+This should be in the section "concerning stuff I found on the internet": some people want to drink unpasteurized milk from cows infected with the H5N1 avian flu virus. Raw milk advocates believe they'll gain immunity in doing so. Experts warn that drinking raw milk can be dangerous, and exposing yourself willingly to H5N1 virus is akin to playing Russian roulette with your health.
+
+
+
+### [How much time should we sit/stand?](https://theconversation.com/how-much-time-should-you-spend-sitting-versus-standing-new-research-reveals-the-perfect-mix-for-optimal-health-228894)
+Every office worker is aware of the phrase "sitting is the new smoking", but what's the ideal balance between sitting and standing? This research suggests 8.3 hours of sleep, 5.2 hours of standing, 2.2 hours of light activity, and 2.2 hours of moderate to vigorous activity per day. Following this regimen minimizes the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
+
+<br>
+
+## 👽 Space
+
+![](/newsletter/assets/041/dyson-sphere.jpg)
+
+### [Potential evidence of Dyson spheres](https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/deep-space/a60780331/dyson-sphere-evidence-alien-civilizations/)
+A Dyson sphere is a mega-structure that encases a star and harnesses its energy. It’s an interesting way to look for advanced alien civilizations. Two studies sifted through millions of observations of stars while looking for anomalies. Both teams found several stars with excess radiation patterns that couldn’t (yet) be explained by natural phenomena. Suggesting the potential existence of Dyson spheres.
+
+
+
+### [More evidence for Planet 9](https://www.universetoday.com/166889/new-evidence-for-our-solar-systems-ghost-planet-nine/)
+Astronomers are struggling to explain the unusual orbits of some objects past Neptune. One theory is that a very distant, undiscovered, and ninth planet is responsible. New simulations support the existence of Planet Nine, but it’s not conclusive as other cosmic phenomena could explain the orbits.
+
+<br>
+
+![](/newsletter/assets/041/black-hole-visualization.jpg)
+
+### [Visualization: falling into a black hole](https://phys.org/news/2024-05-black-hole-visualization-viewers-brink.html)
+NASA released a 360° video that simulates the event horizon of a black hole. It was created with a supercomputer and visualizes what happens if you were to approach, orbit, and fall into a black hole.
+
+
+### [Voyager 1 break silence](https://blogs.nasa.gov/voyager/2024/04/22/nasas-voyager-1-resumes-sending-engineering-updates-to-earth/)
+In November, Voyager 1 started sending random data back to Earth. After 6 months, NASA was able to identify and fix the issue. A part of the probe’s memory got corrupted, preventing it from accessing parts of its programming. Luckily, JPL found a clever solution to move the code to different locations within the computer’s memory. And so Voyager 1 lives for another day! The probe is currently 15 billion miles away from home.
+
+<br>
+
+## 🧠🤖 Artificial intelligence
+### [GPT4o: next level multi-modal AI](https://techcrunch.com/2024/05/13/openais-newest-model-is-gpt-4o/)
+This week, OpenAI launched GPT-4o, a model capable of processing text, speech, and video while being faster and less expensive than GPT-4. OpenAI also released new apps that allow you to have a natural conversation with GPT-4o and get near real-time responses from it. I always found it awkward to talk to virtual assistants, but this could change that! The demos surely look impressive.
+
+
+
+### [Establishing rules for AI behavior](https://openai.com/index/introducing-the-model-spec/)
+OpenAI published "Model Spec" and it's a bit like the [three laws of robotics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Laws_of_Robotics), but then for AI. It includes principles like "assisting users, benefiting humanity, and adhering to social norms" and rules to protect privacy and avoid NSFW content. Model Spec is just a first draft, doesn't affect OpenAI's models yet, and will be updated based on feedback. 
+
+<br>
+
+## ⚡️ Energy & Environment
+
+### [Eneropa: Europe divided by renewable energy specialization](https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/eneropa-roadmap-2050/)
+This (fictional) map explores what would happen if we divided Europe into regions based on their renewable energy potential. It includes regions like "Tidal States" and "Isles of Wind". It's quite a fascinating thought experiment!
+
+<br><br>
+
+![](/newsletter/assets/041/mammoth-dac.jpg)
+
+### [Mammoth: world's largest CO2 vacuum](https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/8/24151905/mammoth-carbon-removal-direct-air-capture-climeworks)
+Climeworks fired up the world's largest Direct Air Capture plant to date, in Iceland. It will remove 36,000 tons of CO2 yearly, the equivalent of 7,800 gas powered cars. The technology remains expensive, but Climeworks is working on bigger and more cost efficient plants.
+
+
+
+### [The Car Powered by Plastic](https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2023/11/plastic-waste-in-the-fuel-tank/)
+Dutch designer Gijs Schalkx has modified an old Volvo 240 to run on diesel made from plastic waste. While it sounds cool, it's detrimental to the environment, emitting more CO2 per 100km than regular gas-powered cars. But this experiment should make us think about alternative fuel sources and the growing issue of plastic pollution. 
+
+