Scott Alexander reports on the Progress Studies Conference, discussing advances in energy, AI, housing policy, and other fields, with an overall optimistic tone about recent developments and potential for future progress. Longer summary

Scott Alexander recounts his experience at the Progress Studies Conference, which focused on various technological and social advancements. The conference covered topics such as energy (particularly solar and nuclear power), politics and regulation, AI, YIMBY movement, self-driving cars, and other areas of potential progress. The overall mood was optimistic about recent developments in these fields, with many speakers highlighting how regulatory changes could accelerate progress. Scott notes that while the conference itself may not be directly responsible for recent advances, it reflects a growing awareness of the importance of technological progress and the need to address regulatory barriers. Shorter summary

A plasma physicist reviews 'The Future of Fusion Energy', explaining fusion basics and predicting its achievement by 2035-2040 based on recent developments. Longer summary

This post reviews 'The Future of Fusion Energy' by Parisi and Ball, providing an in-depth overview of fusion energy, its current state, and future prospects. The reviewer, a plasma physicist, explains the basics of fusion, the progress made so far, and why fusion hasn't been achieved yet. They discuss various fusion experiments, including ITER, and highlight recent developments in private fusion companies. The reviewer predicts a high likelihood of achieving fusion by 2035 or 2040, based on multiple diverse approaches currently being pursued. Shorter summary