A review of 'The Family That Couldn't Sleep' by D. T. Max, discussing its exploration of prion diseases and their impact, with updated perspectives on the book's conclusions. Longer summary

This review discusses 'The Family That Couldn't Sleep' by D. T. Max, a book about prion diseases published in 2006. The review covers the book's exploration of various prion diseases, including fatal familial insomnia, kuru, mad cow disease, and chronic wasting disease. It highlights the book's focus on the historical, scientific, and cultural aspects of these diseases, as well as the key figures involved in prion research. The reviewer also provides updated information and critiques some of the book's conclusions in light of more recent research. Shorter summary

Scott explores the puzzling relationship between congenital blindness, schizophrenia, and autism, discussing potential explanations and the need for further research. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the intriguing psychiatric trivia that congenitally blind people never develop schizophrenia, but are 50 times more likely to be diagnosed with autism. He explores this in the context of the diametrical model of autism vs. schizophrenia, which suggests these conditions are opposites in many ways. Scott speculates on possible explanations, including the idea that blindness might shift certain neural hyperparameters towards the autism end of a spectrum. He acknowledges the complexity of the issue and the need for further research, mentioning studies on sensory deprivation and its effects on both conditions. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander examines whether psychiatric conditions result from evolutionary failures or tradeoffs, proposing that most disorders involve a combination of both. Longer summary

Scott Alexander explores the nature of psychiatric conditions, discussing whether they result from evolutionary failures or tradeoffs. He presents evidence for both hypotheses, noting that recent research favors the failure hypothesis. However, he argues that some conditions likely involve both failures and tradeoffs. He uses analogies from justice systems and nuclear war scenarios to illustrate how failures and tradeoffs can interact. The post concludes by suggesting that most psychiatric disorders exist on a spectrum from mostly-tradeoff to mostly-failure, and critiques the neurodiversity movement's blanket statements about conditions like autism. Shorter summary

The post explores the diametrical model of autism and schizophrenia, suggesting they represent opposite ends of a spectrum from mechanistic to mentalistic cognition. Longer summary

This post discusses the diametrical model of autism and schizophrenia, which posits that these conditions are opposite ends of a spectrum from overly mechanistic to overly mentalistic cognition. The author explains how this theory accounts for observed similarities and differences between autism and schizophrenia, including genetic, neurological, and behavioral factors. The post explores the concepts of schizotypy and high-functioning autism, and how they relate to this model. It also touches on gender differences, mutational load, and how this theory might explain certain cognitive strengths and weaknesses associated with each condition. The author acknowledges that while there's limited scientific evidence for this model, it provides an interesting framework for understanding these complex disorders. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander uses the evolution of genetic science as a metaphor to explore how other fields might benefit from recognizing the polycausal nature of complex phenomena. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the evolution of genetic science, from the search for single genes responsible for complex traits to the current understanding that almost all genes contribute to these traits. He uses this as a metaphor for other sciences, particularly psychiatry, suggesting that many fields may be more polycausal than initially thought. The post explores the implications of this shift, including skepticism about personalized medicine and the potential need for new approaches to scientific research that can handle massive numbers of interacting causes. Scott concludes by imagining a hypothetical alien society where science is centered around polycausal scores, presenting this as a thought experiment for what science could aspire to be. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander examines the synapse hypothesis of depression, which links decreased synaptogenesis to various depression research findings, and raises questions for future investigation. Longer summary

This post explores the synapse hypothesis of depression, which proposes that decreased synaptogenesis, regulated by the protein complex mTORC1, may be the underlying cause of depression. Scott Alexander reviews various lines of research on depression, including life adversity, inflammation, serotonin, glutamate, folate, and electroconvulsive therapy, and shows how the synapse hypothesis could potentially unify these diverse findings. He then expresses some skepticism about the theory, noting that it's easy to find connections between any proposed cause and various symptoms. The post concludes with six questions or areas of confusion that the author hopes will be addressed in future research, including why decreased synaptogenesis should cause depression specifically, why BDNF can't be used as a direct treatment, and how bipolar disorder fits into this framework. Shorter summary

Scott analyzes a new survey of AI researchers, showing diverse opinions on AI timelines and risks, with many acknowledging potential dangers but few prioritizing safety research. Longer summary

This post discusses a recent survey of AI researchers about their opinions on AI progress and potential risks. The survey, conducted by Grace et al., shows a wide range of predictions about when human-level AI might be achieved, with significant uncertainty among experts. The post highlights that while many AI researchers acknowledge potential risks from poorly-aligned AI, few consider it among the most important problems in the field. Scott compares these results to a previous survey by Muller and Bostrom, noting some differences in methodology and results. He concludes by expressing encouragement that researchers are taking AI safety arguments seriously, while also pointing out a potential disconnect between acknowledging risks and prioritizing work on them. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links spanning drug policy, scientific studies, historical oddities, and current events, with Scott's commentary on each. Longer summary

This is a links post collecting various interesting news and studies. It covers a wide range of topics including drug policy changes around suboxone, scientific studies about intelligence and inflammation, historical oddities like Japanese WWII plans, educational research, and current events. The post includes both serious academic content (like studies on behavioral therapy and economic effects of aging) and lighter items (like Pokemon Go at Holocaust museums). Scott provides brief commentary and context for each link, often connecting them to his previous writing or ongoing themes. Shorter summary

A links roundup post covering recent developments in science, medicine, psychology and politics, with particular focus on research replication issues and the 2016 election season. Longer summary

This is a links roundup post covering various recent research findings, news, and developments. It covers topics from toxoplasma research, drug trials, and scientific replication crises to politics and social issues. The post discusses several important developments in psychology including failed replications of established theories like ego depletion, updates on clinical trials and drug research, and various political developments around the 2016 election season. It maintains a light tone while discussing serious academic and scientific topics, including several meta-analyses and study critiques. Shorter summary

A diverse collection of links covering recent studies, news stories, and interesting facts, ranging from scientific research to policy debates to unusual historical events. Longer summary

A link roundup post covering various topics from scientific studies to current events. The post includes discussions about studies on bottled water bans, birth month effects on health, probiotics and social anxiety, Mexican drug cartels, intelligence studies, and climate change. It also covers interesting stories like Pakistan's transgender tax collectors, a 1910s plan to introduce hippo ranching in America, and various policy discussions around gun violence, university regulations, and economic studies. The post maintains a light tone while discussing serious topics, often adding humorous asides or interesting historical facts. Shorter summary

A links roundup covering topics from ISIS dating sites to space exploration, scientific studies, and cultural observations, featuring Scott's commentary and analysis on each item. Longer summary

This is a links post presenting various news and studies. It covers diverse topics including a dating site run by ISIS, space exploration news about Orion and SpaceX, studies about omega-3 fats and psychosis, Chinese censorship of puns, controversies around doxxing in Ferguson, research on glial cells and intelligence, poker tournament winners linked to effective altruism, and various other scientific studies and cultural observations. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander critiques feminist discourse around 'nice guys', arguing it can be unfair and counterproductive, potentially driving lonely men towards anti-feminist ideologies. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the concept of 'nice guys' and how they are portrayed in feminist discourse. He argues that the criticism of 'nice guys' by some feminists is often unfair and counterproductive, potentially driving lonely men towards more extreme anti-feminist ideologies. The post examines the origins of this discourse, its effects on men struggling with loneliness, and suggests a more empathetic approach to addressing these issues. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of interesting links and brief commentaries on topics ranging from pollution solutions to genetic discoveries and cultural differences. Longer summary

Scott Alexander shares various interesting links and brief commentaries on diverse topics. These include an Effective Altruism survey, innovative solutions to pollution, a unique thundercloud, eating habits of liberals and conservatives, a critique of cyberbullying, police body cameras, genetic discoveries related to intelligence, polio outbreaks, race and drug testing in hiring, cultural differences based on agriculture, China's economic future, and circular farms seen from airplanes. The post is a collection of brief, often unrelated observations and references to articles Scott found intriguing. Shorter summary

A monthly links post collecting and commenting on various interesting articles and studies from around the web, ranging from scientific research to philosophy to economics. Longer summary

This is a links post collecting various interesting articles and studies from around the web. Topics range from scientific research (like glucosamine effects on lifespan) to economics (like Amazon's employee policies) to philosophy (like debates on free will). Scott provides commentary and analysis on each link, often connecting them to previous discussions or adding his own insights. The post covers a wide variety of subjects including medicine, politics, evolution, and technology, with a mix of serious academic content and more lighthearted items. Shorter summary

Scott shares and comments on various interesting links from February 2014, covering science, medicine, education, technology, and politics. Longer summary

This is a collection of interesting links from February 2014, covering a wide range of topics. Scott starts with unusual scientific findings about sobriety and chewing, then covers social experiments in schools, tech culture in San Francisco, medical system stories both good and bad, and various scientific studies about obesity, depression, and therapy. He also discusses education policy, with particular focus on coding bootcamps and charter schools, as well as various economic and political topics. The post ends with some technological developments including Bitcoin and a project for worldwide satellite internet. Shorter summary

Scott shares a diverse collection of interesting links ranging from scientific studies and economic developments to cultural oddities and humor pieces. Longer summary

This is a collection of interesting links covering various topics from science, society, and technology. The links include studies about gender income gaps, nitrogen-fixing crops, racial representation in India, and unusual scientific findings. There are also some humorous entries about autocorrect fails and weather photos, as well as interesting cultural phenomena like the Patel Motel Cartel and Sweden's Gavle Goat. The post combines serious scientific and social commentary with lighter cultural observations. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander presents a roundup of recent medical and psychological studies, covering topics from UV light exposure to belief in science during stress. Longer summary

This post is a roundup of recent medical and psychological studies from June. Scott Alexander covers a wide range of topics, including UV light exposure benefits, gut microbiota research, obesity factors, iodine deficiency effects on intelligence, Medicare cost variations, ketamine for depression, hypothermia caps for chemotherapy patients, cruise ships as alternatives to assisted living, peer review effectiveness, genetic risk for schizophrenia and IQ, obesity rates in lesbians, oxytocin and pair-bonding, and belief in science during stressful situations. The tone is informative with occasional humorous or sarcastic comments. Shorter summary