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16 posts found
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Nov 20, 2018
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14 min 2,099 words 309 comments
A diverse collection of links covering history, science, politics, culture, and curiosities, presented with humor and interesting facts. Longer summary
This post is a collection of various links and interesting facts across multiple domains. It covers historical peace treaties, scientific research on diminishing returns in science, geopolitical tensions in Eurovision, education rankings, religious schisms, marijuana regulations, scientific publishing news, experimental archaeology, neuroscience discoveries, geographical facts, international disputes, philosophy humor, rationality-related subreddits, healthcare transparency efforts, academic scandals, mathematical breakthroughs, political trends, cultural oddities, and linguistic curiosities. The post maintains a light, often humorous tone while presenting a wide array of information. Shorter summary
Jul 30, 2018
ssc
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23 min 3,461 words 144 comments
Scott Alexander presents a diverse collection of links and brief commentary on topics ranging from historical anecdotes to recent scientific studies and political developments. Longer summary
This post is a collection of various links and brief commentary on diverse topics. It covers historical anecdotes, scientific studies, political developments, and cultural phenomena. The post touches on subjects like vegetarian activism, Supreme Court changes, AI alignment, and Silicon Valley culture. Scott Alexander provides concise summaries and occasional personal opinions on these wide-ranging topics, often with a touch of humor or irony. Shorter summary
Apr 05, 2018
ssc
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15 min 2,179 words 638 comments
Scott shares a diverse collection of interesting links and news items, covering topics from ancient history to modern politics and technology, with brief commentary on each. Longer summary
This post is a collection of interesting links and news items on various topics. It covers a wide range of subjects including ancient Sumerian debates, conspiracy theories, academic research, political developments, AI safety, and social issues. The post presents these items in a concise format, often with brief commentary or analysis from Scott. Some notable items include studies on divorce laws and domestic violence, controversial research on firearms and naloxone, updates on AI safety research, and discussions of recent political events in Italy and South Africa. Shorter summary
Aug 29, 2017
ssc
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39 min 5,996 words 333 comments
Scott Alexander recounts his frustrating attempt to conduct a study on a bipolar disorder screening test, highlighting the excessive bureaucratic hurdles that ultimately led to the study's abandonment. Longer summary
Scott Alexander describes his frustrating experience trying to conduct a study on the validity of a bipolar disorder screening test. He encounters numerous bureaucratic hurdles from the Institutional Review Board (IRB), including issues with consent forms, data security, and patient privacy. Despite his best efforts and those of his colleagues, the study is eventually abandoned due to the overwhelming regulatory burden. Scott reflects on how this experience has made him skeptical of the current research approval process, arguing that it disproportionately hinders small-scale, independent researchers while favoring large institutions. He concludes by expressing hope for reform in the scientific research process to make it more accessible and efficient. Shorter summary
Aug 07, 2017
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15 min 2,291 words 790 comments
A collection of interesting links covering medical research, sociology, politics, and technology, with brief commentary on each item. Longer summary
This is a links post collecting various interesting articles, studies and news items. Topics range from medical research (drug expiration dates, depression treatments) to sociology (class in China, runner demographics) to politics (neoliberalism, Israel boycott laws) to technology (AI language models, genetic engineering). The post maintains a somewhat informal tone while discussing academic papers and news items, often adding brief commentary or context to help understand the significance of each link. Shorter summary
Jan 23, 2017
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17 min 2,587 words 765 comments
A diverse collection of links covering current events, scientific studies, and cultural developments, with brief commentary on each story's significance or implications. Longer summary
This is a collection of links covering various topics from current events, science, and culture. It includes news about the seasteading institute's deal with French Polynesia, a meta-analysis on red meat and cardiovascular disease, a discussion of authoritarianism by Tom Pepinsky, and various studies on topics like growth mindset and the Flynn Effect. The links also cover political developments like Obama's attempts to close Guantanamo, Trump's health picks, and new research on school choice experiments. The post maintains a neutral tone while providing brief commentary and context for each link. Shorter summary
Dec 06, 2016
ssc
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13 min 1,974 words 837 comments
A links post featuring various news and articles about politics, science, and culture, with Scott's commentary on research papers and current events. Longer summary
This is a links post compiling various interesting news and articles from around the web. Topics range from climate change and politics to scientific studies and charitable giving. Scott comments on several research papers, including ones about non-citizen voting and healthcare in Cuba. The post also includes interesting side notes about geography, prison marriages, and literary references. Many of the links are accompanied by Scott's brief commentary or witty observations. Shorter summary
Oct 04, 2016
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13 min 1,888 words 221 comments
Scott shares various interesting news items and studies spanning history, science, politics, and technology, with commentary on each item's significance or irony. Longer summary
A diverse collection of interesting links and news items covering various topics. The post includes historical curiosities (like Merv being the world's largest city), scientific research (including studies about genetic risk for sugar consumption and school effects), political developments (like Steve Bannon's profile and Trump's microphone issues), technology news (AI partnership between tech giants), and social issues (discrimination studies and immigration effects). The post maintains a light, sometimes humorous tone while discussing serious subjects, often adding ironic observations about how things work. Shorter summary
May 09, 2016
ssc
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28 min 4,206 words 315 comments
A collection of interesting links and studies on various topics, from bad statistics and media coverage to technological progress and scientific discoveries, with commentary from Scott Alexander. Longer summary
This is one of Scott's regular link posts, presenting a diverse collection of interesting articles, studies, and developments. The topics range from media coverage and politics, through scientific studies and technological progress, to social developments and cultural phenomena. Scott provides commentary on many of the links, often adding context, questioning methodology, or highlighting interesting implications. The post maintains a mix of serious academic content and lighter cultural observations. Shorter summary
Apr 15, 2016
ssc
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17 min 2,623 words 393 comments
A links roundup examining various scientific studies, social developments, and historical findings, with a particular focus on recent research about confounding variables and replication issues in science. Longer summary
This is an extensive links post covering various scientific studies, news items, and interesting facts. Scott discusses several studies about confounding variables and replication in science, historical findings about ancient civilizations, new research on topics ranging from climate change to criminology, and various social and political developments. The post starts with methodological concerns in science, moves through various research findings and historical tidbits, and ends with news about ongoing projects and obituaries. The tone is analytical but casual, with Scott often adding his own commentary and pointing out interesting implications or contradictions. Shorter summary
Dec 29, 2015
ssc
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11 min 1,597 words 581 comments
A curated collection of interesting links covering academic debates, cultural issues, economics, and scientific discoveries from around the web. Longer summary
This is a links post containing various interesting articles and news items from around the web. The post covers topics ranging from academic debates, cultural issues, economics, and scientific discoveries. Notable items include discussions about political correctness at Oberlin, a replication debate in economics, SpaceX's successful rocket landing, and various historical curiosities like the Roman charioteer Gaius Appuleius Diocles and the Sedan nuclear test mishap. Shorter summary
Dec 08, 2015
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19 min 2,827 words 785 comments
A collection of interesting links covering recent research, controversies, and developments across various fields including science, economics, politics and sociology, with Scott's brief commentary on each. Longer summary
This is a link roundup post covering various topics and recent research findings. Scott shares interesting links about economics, science, politics, and sociology. The post includes studies on racial bias in policing, diet soda effects, mass shootings statistics, refugee integration in Sweden, and various other topics. He also discusses controversial topics like cultural appropriation and gun control debates, while maintaining a balanced and analytical perspective. The format follows Scott's typical style of providing brief commentary and context for each link shared. Shorter summary
Aug 30, 2015
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17 min 2,574 words 606 comments
A collection of interesting links covering science, economics, and culture, with key stories about psychology study replication failures and various scientific findings. Longer summary
This is a links post containing various interesting news and studies from around the internet. Scott shares updates on topics ranging from economics to psychology to politics. Key highlights include a discussion of the psychology replication crisis where only half of major studies replicated, new findings about e-cigarettes being safer than smoking, insights into carbon offset fraud in Russia and Ukraine, and various scientific studies on topics like genetics and obesity, women in STEM fields, and the effects of school schedules on academic performance. Shorter summary
Aug 20, 2014
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95 min 14,696 words 553 comments
Ozy Frantz provides a detailed critique of common 'manosphere' beliefs, particularly those of blogger Heartiste, using scientific studies and logical arguments to counter claims about human sexuality and dating. Longer summary
This post is a detailed rebuttal of many common beliefs within the 'manosphere', particularly focusing on the blogger Heartiste. The author, Ozy Frantz, argues against Heartiste's views on human sexual interaction, beauty standards, gender differences, and dating strategies. They provide counterarguments supported by scientific studies and logical reasoning, addressing topics such as physical attractiveness, femininity, sluttiness, and 'game' techniques. The post also touches on issues of evolutionary psychology, societal norms, and the nature of human sexuality. Throughout, Ozy maintains a skeptical stance towards many manosphere claims while acknowledging some gender differences do exist. Shorter summary
Apr 28, 2014
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33 min 4,998 words 197 comments podcast (38 min)
Scott Alexander critiques a meta-analysis supporting psychic phenomena to illustrate flaws in scientific methodology and meta-analysis. Longer summary
Scott Alexander examines a meta-analysis by Daryl Bem that claims to provide strong evidence for psychic phenomena (psi). While Bem's analysis follows many best practices for scientific rigor, Alexander argues it likely suffers from experimenter effects and other biases that can produce false positive results. He uses this to illustrate broader issues with the scientific method and meta-analysis, concluding that even seemingly rigorous studies and meta-analyses can produce incorrect conclusions. This challenges the idea that scientific consensus and meta-analysis are the highest forms of evidence. Shorter summary
Feb 24, 2013
ssc
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12 min 1,814 words 18 comments
Scott shares his monthly collection of interesting links spanning science, technology, history, and culture, with commentary on each story's significance or peculiarity. Longer summary
A collection of interesting links from February 2013, covering various topics from scientific discoveries to cultural oddities. The post includes stories about DNA data storage, unusual medical cases, economic statistics, technological advances in AI, historical curiosities like Irish slaves and green children, and various social and political observations. Scott presents these with his characteristic mix of intellectual curiosity and witty commentary, often noting when claims appear exaggerated or deserve skepticism. Shorter summary
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