Networking and the Internet, from First Principles

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The internet uses packet-switching, routing data via decentralized protocols like TCP/IP, enabling scalable, reliable global communication. Rooted in ARPANET, it evolved from telegraph principles to a protocol-driven network with DNS and TLS for addressing and security, operating without central control.

Your code is fast – if you're lucky

Modern compilers like Clang optimize Quicksort with branchless code (csel/cmov), achieving ~6x speedup over original and nearly double std::sort's performance on macOS/M1. GCC generates slower branch-based code for equivalent logic, highlighting compiler-specific optimizations.

Einstein's relativity rules chemical bonds in heavy elements, new research shows

https://www.brown.edu/sites/default/files/2026-07/Screenshot%202026-07-09%20at%203.01.22%E2%80%AFPM.png
Brown University researchers discovered relativistic effects in heavy elements like bismuth blur sigma/pi bonds in triple bonds, challenging textbook models. Photoelectron spectroscopy revealed hybridized bonds, impacting chemistry education and applications in solar cells and quantum tech.

Semantic/Hybrid Search in the Browser

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Eight years ago I added client-side search to this blog with Lunr.js. It creates an inverted index at build time, ships it as JSON, and matches strings in your browser. No server-side engine required. It has worked fine ever since, in the sense that it finds a post if you type a word that is actually in it. Earlier this year I wrote a semantic search engine in ±250 lines of Python (the kind ...

QuadRF can spot drones and see WiFi through my wall

https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2026/quadrf-can-spot-drones-and-see-wifi-through-my-wall/quadrf-antennna-array.jpeg
The QuadRF is a Raspberry Pi-powered phased-array radio enabling advanced signal processing, WiFi analysis, and RF visualization, with potential for Moon-scale radio experiments. Despite a rough UI, its MIPI-based high-speed data transfer and modular design showcase impressive performance for SDR applications.

Google Search lets creators know more about their reach

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Google introduces a Search Console feature enabling creators to track search terms leading to their Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube content, offering insights into audience interactions. This update expands Google Search's role as a hub for creators to monitor how users discover their social media posts.

Otary – Image and Geometry Python Library Now Has Tutorials

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This part of the documentation contains examples of what you one can do with Otary. Those examples are just meant to help you understand how to use Otary and not to be a complete reference. Just explore and have fun with all the possibilities that Otary has to offer.

Apple sues OpenAI, accuses ex-employees of stealing trade secrets

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Apple sues OpenAI for trade secret theft by ex-employees, including Tang Tan and Chang Liu, who allegedly stole confidential data and used it in hiring. The lawsuit highlights over 400 Apple alumni at OpenAI, led by Jony Ive, and claims OpenAI exploited Apple's proprietary info for hardware projects.

FCC Approves Test of Space Mirror to Light Night Sky Despite Outcry

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An update on residential proxies and the scraper situation

Websites are overwhelmed by scraper bots using residential proxies and compromised devices, evading detection through fake user behavior and coordinated attacks. Defensive measures like traffic analysis and temporary takedowns offer limited relief as attackers adapt, underscoring the need for ethical AI training data solutions.

An iroh powered smart fan

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This guide demonstrates building a smart fan using an ESP32 and iroh, measuring temperature/humidity via a DHT22 sensor and controlling a fan locally or remotely via a browser-based WebAssembly GUI, without cloud dependency. The ESP32 connects to WiFi, uses iroh's relay for global access, and employs Rust-based RPC protocols for sensor data and fan control, with optional authentication for ...

The mask that compiles to nothing: how HotSpots JIT learned to reason about bits

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An optimizing compiler removes the redundant bitwise AND in (x << 2) & -4 because left-shifting x by 2 guarantees the two lowest bits are zero, matching -4's mask. C2 achieves this by tracking integer ranges and known bits, proving the AND operation has no effect.
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SpaceX seeks FCC approval for 100,000 Gen3 Starlink satellites to deliver ultra-low-latency, multi-gigabit broadband, requiring hardware upgrades and facing interference risks. The plan aims to expand satellite internet access but encounters regulatory challenges, competition, and astronomical objections.

Good Tools Are Invisible

A good tool should be invisible, not celebrated for complexity or puzzles. Avoid reframing flaws as fun or identity; prioritize productivity over tribalism and honest evaluation.

The vintage beauty of Soviet control rooms (2018)

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Just for the pleasure, a selection of vintage control rooms dating back to the Soviet era! A beautiful collection of control rooms filled with large buttons and analog dials, long before the democratization of computers and screens. If you want more awesome content, subscribe to Design You Trust Facebook page.

AI 2040: Plan A

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Plan A advocates for an international agreement with transparent AI research and global collaboration to safely develop superintelligence, avoiding existential risks. Without such measures, unchecked AI races risk power concentration and catastrophic outcomes, urging immediate governance action.

Late Bronze Age Collapse

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The Late Bronze Age Collapse (c. 1220–1170 BC) saw interconnected states in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East decline or collapse, marked by site destructions and political fragmentation. Causes remain debated but likely include climate shifts, warfare, and economic strain, with uneven regional impacts.

The tech of 'Terminator 2' – an oral history (2017)

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In 1991, ILM pioneered CGI tools like 'Make Sticky' and 'Body Sock' to create Terminator 2's liquid metal T-1000, overcoming limited resources and nascent tech. Artists and developers collaborated intensively, blending innovation with practical problem-solving, cementing the film's legacy as a VFX milestone.

Silent speech with ultrasound

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Our system achieves 15.6% word error rate using 50 hours of ultrasound tongue data, outperforming lip-reading with 12.5% on 1M hours. Challenges include hardware miniaturization and non-American accents, but it generalizes across speakers and shows promise for silent speech tech.

Combustion engine web-based simulator

Crank-angle-resolved combustion engine simulator: build an engine, watch it run, and read real thermodynamics — P–V diagrams, dyno curves, knock prediction and more.

After 7 years in production, Scarf has reluctantly moved away from Haskell

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A long-time Haskell advocate, the author moved Scarf's new development to Python due to AI-driven workflows and Haskell's compilation/ecosystem bottlenecks, urging the community to prioritize AI-era optimizations like faster builds, better tooling, and agent-friendly design to remain relevant.

Alternate clock designs and time systems

The article critiques the traditional 24-hour time system's inconsistency and explores alternative metric-based time designs, like decimal or hexadecimal formats, for simpler calculations and readability, while acknowledging challenges in adoption and accuracy. It invites suggestions for custom time systems, emphasizing flexibility in reimagining how we measure and display time.

Inference Optimization for MiMo v2.5: Pushing Hybrid SWA Efficiency to the Limit

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MiMo-V2.5 uses Hybrid SWA and MoE to cut KVCache by 7x, boosting efficiency in long-context and multimodal tasks. Optimizations like tiered caching, SWA-aware systems, and GCache integration enhance throughput and hit rates, achieving 93%+ server-side efficiency.

Snails' teeth beats spider silk as nature's strongest material (2015)

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Marine snails' teeth, composed of goethite nanofibers and protein, are Earth's strongest natural material, exceeding spider silk and Kevlar. Though outmatched by graphene, they rival top carbon fibers, while rare materials like lonsdaleite surpass diamond's hardness.

GPT-5.6 Sol Ultra produces proof of the Cycle Double Cover Conjecture [pdf]

The paper proves the Cycle Double Cover Conjecture, asserting every bridgeless graph has a cycle cover where each edge is in exactly two cycles. The proof leverages cubic graphs, Γ-flows, and linear algebra to construct the cover, extending prior results on 8-flows and 3-edge-colorings.

Show HN: Getting GLM 5.2 running on my slow computer

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colibrì runs GLM-5.2 (744B MoE) on 25 GB RAM via int4 quantization, disk-streamed experts, and C-based zero-dependency engine, achieving lossless inference with speculative decoding and adaptive caching. It leverages AVX2, MTP heads, and batched expert reads, but requires NVMe SSDs and careful hardware management due to disk I/O and wear risks.

New York City to ban deceptive subscription practices

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New York City's Mamdani administration bans deceptive subscriptions and junk fees, enforcing fines for hard-to-cancel services and requiring upfront pricing for all charges, targeting housing and consumer markets. The rules aim to combat hidden costs and corporate malpractice, facing industry opposition but backed by consumer advocates.

A love letter to flashcards

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Initially dismissing flashcards for deep learning, the author adopted spaced repetition via Anki, creating personalized cards for concepts and insights rather than rote facts. This approach enhanced long-term retention and enabled resuming learning after breaks.

Computation as a universal and fundamental concept

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Tim Roughgarden explores computational limits, starting with Turing's 1936 proof that some problems (like the halting problem) are unsolvable by algorithms. He then examines NP-completeness, showing that many problems resist efficient solutions, leading to the unresolved P vs NP question with implications for cryptography and AI.

War Atlas: An interactive cartography of every named war in human history

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An interactive cartography of 10,584 recorded military conflicts across 5,000 years of human history, with 427 historical empire borders, casualty estimate ranges, and era-by-era timeline navigation.