Graham tried tweaking the CNN approach so that the kernel would only be placed on 3-by-3 sections of the image that contain at least one pixel that has nonzero value (and is not just blank). In this way, he succeeded in producing a system that could efficiently identify handwritten Chinese. It won a 2013 competition… Continue reading Sparse Neural Networks Point Physicists to Useful Data
U.S.-China Rivalry in an Era of Weakening States
In his recent meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Burns reportedly emphasized the importance of stabilizing the bilateral relationship. After an alarming downturn in U.S.-China relations, an easing of tensions could indeed provide a welcome breather for two countries confronting intractable domestic problems. Washington continues to grapple with slowing growth, bitter… Continue reading U.S.-China Rivalry in an Era of Weakening States
Brain Waves Synchronize when People Interact
Neuroscientists usually investigate one brain at a time. They observe how neurons fire as a person reads certain words, for example, or plays a video game. As social animals, however, those same scientists do much of their work together—brainstorming hypotheses, puzzling over problems and fine-tuning experimental designs. Increasingly, researchers are bringing that reality into how… Continue reading Brain Waves Synchronize when People Interact
The Case for a Governance-First U.S. Security Policy in the Sahel
Both terrorism and coups are on the rise in the Sahel. This is a troubling trend that the United States should be working to reverse. To do this, Washington needs to ramp up support aimed at improving security governance, professionalizing militaries, and strongly sanctioning all forms of military takeovers in the region. This will require… Continue reading The Case for a Governance-First U.S. Security Policy in the Sahel
How We Caught the D.C. Beltway Snipers (Beltway Snipers, John Muhammad, Lee Malvo)
Podcast: Download MYS263: A year after the 9/11 attacks, the Washington DC area was rocked by a series of random sniper attacks that left 10 people dead. Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli discuss the shootings, the men behind them, how police caught them, and why they went on their murder spree Get all new episodes… Continue reading How We Caught the D.C. Beltway Snipers (Beltway Snipers, John Muhammad, Lee Malvo)
How to Unravel The Recent Mifepristone Rulings
The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. The U.S. Supreme Court issued an emergency ruling on April 21, 2023, that allows continued access to the abortion pill mifepristone in states where abortion is legal. The court’s decision, which included few details and only indicated that Justices Clarence Thomas… Continue reading How to Unravel The Recent Mifepristone Rulings
Countries Buy Defective Chinese Military Equipment. Why?
China’s defense industry has exported malfunctioning and defective military equipment in recent years—leaving countries short of what’s needed for their security while also draining military budgets. Nigeria’s military reported several technical problems with the Chinese-made F-7 aircraft delivered starting in 2009. A handful were lost in crashes or accidents. By 2020, of the nine remaining,… Continue reading Countries Buy Defective Chinese Military Equipment. Why?
Fatherhood and Subsidiarity – SpiritualDirection.com
God is our Father. Jesus presents himself as God’s own Son. He speaks of God as his Father who desires to become our Father. All fatherhood derives from God the Father and has its meaning from him (cf. Ephesians 3:14-21). And what do we see in God’s Fatherhood? He is radically different from the counterfeit… Continue reading Fatherhood and Subsidiarity – SpiritualDirection.com
A New Experiment Casts Doubt on the Leading Theory of the Nucleus
A new measurement of the strong nuclear force, which binds protons and neutrons together, confirms previous hints of an uncomfortable truth: We still don’t have a solid theoretical grasp of even the simplest nuclear systems. To test the strong nuclear force, physicists turned to the helium-4 nucleus, which has two protons and two neutrons. When… Continue reading A New Experiment Casts Doubt on the Leading Theory of the Nucleus
Extremist Beliefs Among Veterans, Space Traffic, Teacher Well-Being: RAND Weekly Recap
This week, we discuss evidence suggesting that veterans don’t support extremism any more than the public does; why it’s time to manage traffic in outer space; twin personnel crises on the horizon for Russia; workplace conditions that support teacher well-being; America’s strategic advantage over China in Oceania; and how climate change might affect force readiness.… Continue reading Extremist Beliefs Among Veterans, Space Traffic, Teacher Well-Being: RAND Weekly Recap