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64 posts found
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Feb 05, 2026
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Links For February 2026

48 min • 7,419 words • 660 comments • 255 likes • podcast (49 min)
A monthly collection of diverse links covering AI developments and regulation, COVID origins debates, healthcare policy, cultural phenomena, scientific research, and internet curiosities, maintaining Scott's characteristic blend of serious analysis and entertaining observations. Longer summary
Scott Alexander's February 2026 links collection covers a wide range of topics including AI developments, politics, science, culture, and internet phenomena. Major themes include updates on AI capabilities and regulation (with discussions of OpenAI, Anthropic, and various political machinations around AI policy), the ongoing COVID lab leak debate and related prediction markets, healthcare and drug development issues, cultural observations from around the world, and various scientific and academic findings. The post maintains Scott's characteristic style of jumping between serious policy discussions, academic research, internet curiosities, and cultural commentary, with particular attention to AI safety concerns, rationalist community topics, and interesting historical or linguistic oddities. Shorter summary
Dec 10, 2025
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Links For December 2025

51 min • 7,776 words • 592 comments • 260 likes • podcast (52 min)
Scott's monthly roundup of interesting links covering AI policy developments, technology news, cultural observations, and scientific research from December 2025. Longer summary
This is Scott Alexander's monthly collection of links and commentary covering diverse topics. Major themes include AI policy battles (chip sales to China, regulation debates, political campaigns), startup news (Substrate fraud allegations, Tornyol mosquito drones), and scientific updates (COVID origins, Hitler's DNA, lactose intolerance). The post also covers cultural topics like the first millennial saint, Dimes Square commentary, and political polling about ideal Democratic candidates. Scott provides his characteristic mix of straightforward reporting, skeptical analysis, and occasional humor throughout the 53 linked items. Shorter summary
Aug 29, 2025
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Open Letter To The NIH

6 min • 815 words • 341 comments • 190 likes • podcast (6 min)
Scott shares an open letter urging the NIH to spend $5 billion in allocated but unspent research funds before the fiscal year deadline. Longer summary
Scott Alexander shares an open letter to the NIH about unspent research funding. The letter, which he was asked to share by anonymous authors concerned about retaliation, urges NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya to follow through on his commitment to spend $5 billion in allocated funds before the fiscal year ends on September 30th. The letter emphasizes the bipartisan support for NIH funding, the economic returns on research investment, and the importance of keeping pace with China's increasing research spending. Shorter summary
Jun 18, 2025
acx
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ACX Grants 1-3 Year Updates

83 min • 12,838 words • 168 comments • 123 likes • podcast (75 min)
Scott reviews updates from two cohorts of ACX Grants recipients (from 2021 and 2024), analyzing their progress and sharing lessons learned about what makes grants successful. Longer summary
Scott Alexander reviews progress updates from two cohorts of ACX Grants recipients - the first cohort from 2021 (after 3 years) and the second from 2024 (after 1 year). The post methodically goes through each grant's status, with many showing significant progress in areas like AI safety advocacy, animal welfare, scientific research, and political lobbying. Scott then analyzes patterns in what made grants successful, finding that lobbying organizations and animal welfare projects were particularly effective, while scientific grants were harder to evaluate. He concludes that while not all projects succeeded, the $3 million program generated good value through both direct impact and startup creation, and he plans to continue it with some adjustments. Shorter summary
Feb 10, 2024
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ACX Grants Results 2024

29 min • 4,390 words • 219 comments • 145 likes • podcast (24 min)
Scott Alexander announces the winners of ACX Grants 2024, covering a diverse range of projects from medical research to policy advocacy. Longer summary
Scott Alexander announces the results of the ACX Grants 2024, detailing the winners and their projects. The grants cover a wide range of areas including medical research, technology development, policy advocacy, and scientific studies. Scott explains the selection process, acknowledges contributors, and mentions future plans for the grants program. He also discusses how Manifund will handle payments and create an impact market for unfunded projects. Shorter summary
Jan 09, 2024
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The Road To Honest AI

19 min • 2,920 words • 346 comments • 218 likes • podcast (20 min)
Scott reviews two papers on honest AI: one on manipulating AI honesty vectors, another on detecting AI lies through unrelated questions. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses two recent papers on creating honest AI and detecting AI lies. The first paper by Hendrycks et al. introduces 'representation engineering', a method to identify and manipulate vectors in AI models representing concepts like honesty, morality, and power-seeking. This allows for lie detection and potentially controlling AI behavior. The second paper by Brauner et al. presents a technique to detect lies in black-box AI systems by asking seemingly unrelated questions. Scott explores the implications of these methods for AI safety and scam detection, noting their current usefulness but potential limitations against future superintelligent AI. Shorter summary
Dec 01, 2023
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Links For November 2023

27 min • 4,069 words • 410 comments • 125 likes • podcast (26 min)
A collection of 47 diverse links and news items covering topics from religious practices to AI developments, with brief commentary on many items. Longer summary
This post is a collection of 47 diverse links and news items covering various topics. It includes discussions on religious practices, video games, political trends, scientific studies, AI developments, economic analyses, historical anecdotes, and cultural phenomena. The author provides brief commentary on many of the items, often with a mix of humor and critical analysis. The links range from academic studies and economic reports to quirky historical facts and contemporary cultural observations. Shorter summary
Feb 20, 2023
acx
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Grading My 2018 Predictions For 2023

49 min • 7,468 words • 426 comments • 144 likes • podcast (48 min)
Scott Alexander grades his 2018 predictions for 2023 and makes new predictions for 2028, with a strong focus on AI developments. Longer summary
Scott Alexander reviews his predictions from 2018 for 2023, grading himself on accuracy across various domains including AI, world affairs, US culture and politics, economics, science/technology, and existential risks. He then offers new predictions for 2028, focusing heavily on AI developments and their potential impacts on society, economics, and politics. Shorter summary
Feb 09, 2023
acx
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Links For February 2023

40 min • 6,180 words • 1,041 comments • 146 likes • podcast (41 min)
Scott Alexander presents a diverse collection of 49 links and brief commentaries on various topics, ranging from cultured meat to AI developments and current events. Longer summary
This post is a collection of 49 diverse links and brief commentaries on various topics, including cultured meat, government policies, scientific studies, historical anecdotes, AI developments, and current events. The author, Scott Alexander, provides his thoughts and observations on each item, often with a mix of humor, skepticism, and analysis. The links cover a wide range of subjects from technology and economics to politics and culture, reflecting the broad interests of the blog's readership. Shorter summary
Nov 04, 2022
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ACX Grants: Project Updates

28 min • 4,283 words • 106 comments • 66 likes • podcast (27 min)
Scott Alexander provides updates on the ACX Grants project, summarizing the progress of grantees and their ongoing needs. Longer summary
This post provides updates on the ACX Grants project, where Scott Alexander awarded grants to various individuals and organizations for innovative projects. The post summarizes the progress of each grantee, their self-assessed performance on a scale of 1-10, and any additional help or funding they are seeking. The projects range from scientific research and technology development to policy advocacy and social initiatives. Scott also reflects on lessons learned from the grant program and announces the creation of an ACX Grantees Discord for grantees to connect with each other. Shorter summary
Oct 05, 2022
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How Trustworthy Are Supplements?

46 min • 7,076 words • 167 comments • 184 likes • podcast (48 min)
Scott Alexander investigates the reliability of dietary supplements, finding that while issues exist, most are not completely fake as some media reports claim. Longer summary
Scott Alexander examines the trustworthiness of dietary supplements, debunking widespread claims that most are completely fake. He analyzes studies, consumer lab reports, and industry insider accounts to conclude that while there are issues in the supplement industry, outright fraud is rare, especially for common vitamins and minerals. More complex botanicals and trendy supplements may have more variability, but complete absence of active ingredients is uncommon. Scott suggests consumers should be discerning, especially with lesser-known products, but notes that for many supplements, precise dosing may not be critical. Shorter summary
Feb 22, 2022
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Links For February

27 min • 4,149 words • 561 comments • 65 likes • podcast (32 min)
Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of links on topics ranging from scientific studies to cultural phenomena, with brief commentary on each. Longer summary
This post is a collection of links to various interesting articles, studies, and topics. Scott covers a wide range of subjects including scientific studies, cultural phenomena, economic trends, AI developments, and current events. The post includes commentary on each link, often with Scott's personal insights or opinions. Some recurring themes include AI progress, social science research, economic inequality, and cultural shifts. The tone is informative and slightly humorous, with Scott occasionally adding caveats about the reliability of certain claims or studies. Shorter summary
Feb 10, 2022
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ACX Grants ++: The Second Half

80 min • 12,376 words • 114 comments • 25 likes • podcast (89 min)
Scott Alexander shares the second half of ACX Grants, presenting 59 diverse project proposals seeking funding or support. Longer summary
Scott Alexander presents the second half of ACX Grants, a list of projects seeking funding or support that he couldn't fully fund himself. The post includes 59 diverse project proposals (numbered 67-125) covering topics such as medical research, technology development, social initiatives, and scientific studies. Each proposal includes a brief description of the project, its goals, and contact information for those interested in supporting or collaborating. Shorter summary
Feb 03, 2022
acx
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ACX Grants ++: The First Half

82 min • 12,655 words • 180 comments • 33 likes • podcast (90 min)
Scott Alexander presents brief descriptions of 66 diverse projects seeking funding or support as part of the ACX Grants program. Longer summary
Scott Alexander announces the closing part of ACX Grants, presenting brief descriptions of projects that he couldn't fully fund himself. He invites readers to consider donating money, time, or other resources to these projects. The post includes 66 diverse project proposals, ranging from scientific research to social initiatives, each with a short description and contact information for interested parties. Shorter summary
Jan 26, 2022
acx
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Bounded Distrust

19 min • 2,818 words • 886 comments • 325 likes • podcast (21 min)
Scott Alexander explores how to navigate bias in media and expert opinions through understanding the unwritten rules of misrepresentation. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the concept of 'bounded distrust' in media and expert opinions. He argues that while many news sources and experts are biased, there are unwritten rules about how far they will go in misrepresenting facts. Understanding these rules allows people to extract useful information even from biased sources. He uses examples from FOX News, Washington Post, and scientific research to illustrate how people can navigate bias and misinformation. The post concludes by acknowledging that this skill of discerning truth from biased sources is not universal, leading to a divide between 'savvy' and 'clueless' people in their trust of institutions. Shorter summary
Dec 15, 2021
acx
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Ancient Plagues

12 min • 1,790 words • 247 comments • 108 likes • podcast (14 min)
Scott Alexander analyzes the threat of ancient diseases from thawing permafrost, arguing that recent human plagues pose a greater risk than prehistoric ones. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the potential threat of ancient diseases reemerging from thawing permafrost due to climate change. He argues that diseases from millions of years ago are unlikely to pose a significant threat to humans, as they would not be adapted to human biology. However, he expresses more concern about recent human plagues like the 1918 Spanish flu or smallpox potentially coming back. Scott explains that while there's no evidence of live smallpox virus found on artifacts or corpses, the possibility of viruses surviving in permafrost can't be ruled out entirely. He concludes that the biggest risk might come from scientists investigating these potential threats rather than natural exposure. Shorter summary
Apr 14, 2021
acx
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[LINK] Unifying Predictive Coding With Backpropagation

4 min • 540 words • 83 comments • 47 likes • podcast (5 min)
Scott Alexander discusses recent research unifying predictive coding in the brain with backpropagation in machine learning, exploring its implications for AI and neuroscience. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses a recent paper and Less Wrong post that unify predictive coding, a theory of how the brain works, with backpropagation, an algorithm used in machine learning. The post explains the significance of this unification, which shows that predictive coding can approximate backpropagation without needing backwards information transfer in neurons. Scott explores the implications of this research, including the potential fusion of AI and neuroscience into a single mathematical field and possibilities for neuromorphic computing hardware. Shorter summary
Apr 07, 2021
acx
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Metis And Bodybuilders

16 min • 2,403 words • 265 comments • 122 likes • podcast (16 min)
Scott examines how scientific research has challenged traditional bodybuilding wisdom about rest periods, questioning the reliability of practical wisdom ('metis') compared to academic studies. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the relationship between bodybuilding lore and scientific research, using an article by fitness researcher Menno Henselmans as a starting point. The post examines the traditional bodybuilding wisdom about short rest periods between sets, which was believed to be optimal for muscle growth. Scott then explores how recent scientific studies have contradicted this belief, showing that longer rest periods can be more effective. He uses this example to reflect on the concept of 'metis' (practical wisdom) in bodybuilding communities and its limitations when compared to academic scientific research. Shorter summary
Feb 22, 2021
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A Look Down Track B

16 min • 2,454 words • 69 comments • 62 likes • podcast (18 min)
Scott Alexander critically examines a new theory on antidepressant mechanisms, expressing skepticism while acknowledging its potential significance if proven true. Longer summary
Scott Alexander reviews a recent study proposing a new theory for how antidepressants work, which suggests they bind directly to TrkB receptors rather than acting through serotonin. He explains the study's findings and their potential implications, but expresses skepticism about the theory. Scott outlines several reasons why he finds the new theory unconvincing, including existing evidence supporting the serotonin hypothesis, issues with the study's claims about drug accumulation, and expert opinions on the difficulties of TrkB research. He concludes by stating he will stick with the conventional theory for now, while remaining open to future developments. Shorter summary
Jul 30, 2018
ssc
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Links 7/18: URL Mountains

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
Aug 31, 2017
ssc
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Highlights From The Comments On My IRB Nightmare

26 min • 3,982 words • 183 comments
Scott shares reader responses to his IRB experience, ranging from similar frustrations to defenses of the system, and discusses concerns about increasing bureaucracy in research. Longer summary
This post highlights responses to Scott's previous article about his frustrating experience with the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process. Many readers shared similar stories of bureaucratic hurdles and absurd requirements they faced when trying to conduct research. Some commenters offered advice on how to navigate the system more effectively or suggested that experiences may vary depending on the institution. Others defended the importance of IRBs in preventing unethical research, citing historical examples like the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment. Scott acknowledges some fair criticisms but maintains that IRBs have become overly burdensome for low-risk studies. He expresses concern about new NIH policies that may further increase bureaucratic requirements for basic science research. Shorter summary
May 09, 2017
ssc
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Links 5/17: Rip Van Linkle

23 min • 3,478 words • 912 comments
A Links post presenting various news items and articles, ranging from cultural curiosities like the multiocular O to scientific findings about brain sex differences and genetic research, along with commentary on current events and politics. Longer summary
Scott Alexander presents a collection of interesting links and articles covering a wide range of topics. The post includes scientific findings (like research on sex differences in the brain and studies on antidepressants), cultural curiosities (like rare Cyrillic letters), political developments (like the White House's decision on Exxon drilling rights), and various technological advances (like an AI that writes poetry). The post provides brief commentary on each link, often with Scott's characteristically analytical and sometimes humorous perspective on the implications of each item. Shorter summary
Mar 30, 2017
ssc
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Links 3/17: Relinkquishment

16 min • 2,417 words • 752 comments
A links post featuring various news stories, research findings, and interesting facts, from Jewish pirates to ancient Roman artifacts to the fallout of various Trump-related controversies. Longer summary
This is a links post covering diverse topics in news and research. Stories include historical facts (like Jewish pirates in the Caribbean), scientific research (BDNF and sunlight correlation, Leek & Jager's paper on scientific findings), current events (Trump's FDA pick, immigration numbers, anti-Semitic incidents), technological developments (Uber self-driving cars, electric planes), and various social and political topics. The post follows Scott's typical links format, offering brief commentary and often humorous observations on each link. Shorter summary
Feb 14, 2017
ssc
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Links 2/17: Site Your Sources

13 min • 1,974 words • 439 comments
A collection of interesting links from early 2017 covering drugs, education, politics, science and history, with Scott's commentary on each. Longer summary
This is a links post where Scott Alexander shares various interesting articles and studies he's come across. The post covers a wide range of topics including new drug developments, education statistics, political events around Trump's presidency, scientific discoveries, and historical curiosities. The format follows a typical links post structure with brief commentary on each link, often adding context or witty observations. Many items focus on current events from early 2017, including Trump administration policies and European political trends. Shorter summary
Dec 06, 2016
ssc
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Links 12/16: Site Makes Right

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
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