[ad_1]
See what the latest playoff picture looks like and simulate your own playoff scenarios!
Preselect winners for upcoming games based on one of the following:
*Click “Copy URL” to share your custom playoff scenario with your friends!
*Click “Tiebreakers” to see the rules associated with your scenario.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
How do we know we’re not living in a computer simulation? Is it even possible to tell? For what it’s worth, researchers have drawn from various scientific frameworks to reject this hypothetical hypothetical reality—and a team of mathematicians now says they’ve taken the argument a step further.
In a Journal of Holography Applications in Physics study published earlier this year, researchers demonstrated that, assuming the universe runs purely on mathematics and physics, it would be impossible for any algorithm to simulate reality as we know it. This is because the universe exists “on a type of understanding that exists beyond the reach of any algorithm,” the researchers explained in a statement.
“Drawing on mathematical theorems related to incompleteness and indefinability, we demonstrate that a fully consistent and complete description of reality cannot be achieved through computation alone,” Mir Faizal, a physicist at the University of British Columbia in Canada, added in the statement.
The model builds on several mathematical theorems, including Gödel’s incompleteness theorem. This idea, announced by the eponymous scholar in 1931, very simply states that no set of axioms, or algorithm, can perfectly prove every true fact about numbers.
For instance, an algorithm would have trouble parsing the statement “This true statement is not provable.” If the statement were provable, it’d be false and illogical. If it weren’t provable, then it’s true, but how would the algorithm compute an answer?
This might sound like a pointless exercise, but it highlights a key aspect of mathematical endeavors—or, in this case, computation—that it’s bound to whatever mathematicians set as their starting assumptions. This is evident in the history of physics, the researchers explained, as humanity has transitioned from Newtonian physics to Einstein’s general relativity and now to quantum mechanics and beyond.
In the context of the universe, this suggests that there will always be a deeper layer of reality, an “information-based foundation” that cannot be fully described by computation alone, according to the paper. An obvious example of this is that human mathematicians can easily grasp “Gödelian” truths, like the statement “This true statement is not provable,” whereas computers cannot.
“Any simulation is inherently algorithmic—it must follow programmed rules,” Faizal said. “But since the fundamental level of reality is based on non-algorithmic understanding, the universe cannot be, and could never be, a simulation.”
On the other hand, the researchers’ calculations suggest that we may never arrive at a “theory of everything”—at least not one that operates algorithmically. The so-called theory of everything—a holy grail among physicists—works beyond computation, according to the researchers. If a complete, consistent understanding of reality were to lie outside the realm of formal rules, it would be illogical to believe that they could even exist, the researchers noted.
The paper offers fascinating food for thought while subtly expressing appreciation for the natural complexity of the universe. Then again, humans have a tendency to anthropomorphize most things. While I have no qualms against Gödel’s theorem, can it definitively prove something to be impossible—if that something potentially lies beyond the capacities of the human brain?
I am not sure. But I might be nitpicking. I’ll have to ask my simulation operator.
[ad_2]
Gayoung Lee
Source link
[ad_1]
Normally, I’d start this sort of article by saying something along the lines of, “Everyone knows how horrible it is to feel motion sick.” But that’s not entirely true—plenty of people can text, read, and do all sorts of things in a moving vehicle without feeling the slightest bit nauseous. If that sounds like you, you’ll have to trust me—a chronic sufferer of motion sickness—when I say that it wholeheartedly sucks.
Plus, many drugs used for motion sickness come with an unwanted side effect: drowsiness. While that’s useful for a long-haul red-eye, it definitely kills the mood on a road trip. That’s why researchers have looked into whether music can help people recover from carsickness, and they might be onto something.
“Motion sickness significantly impairs the travel experience for many individuals, and existing pharmacological interventions often carry side-effects such as drowsiness,” Qizong Yue, a researcher at Southwest University in China, said in a statement. “Music represents a non-invasive, low-cost, and personalized intervention strategy.”
In a study published today in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Yue and colleagues induced carsickness in study participants with a driving simulator (you couldn’t pay me enough to get into that) and then played different types of music while monitoring them for potential recovery. According to their results, soft and joyful music best supported recovery. Perhaps surprisingly, even sad music was worse than doing nothing.
The team divided the 30 participants, who had reported moderate levels of previous carsickness, into six groups—four who listened to music as they recovered from motion sickness, one who didn’t, and one whose simulations stopped before the participant became carsick.
Everyone wore electroencephalogram (EEG) caps—tools that measure electrical activity in the brain. The researchers hoped to identify brain signals indicative of carsickness by comparing the neural activity of the first five groups with that of the sixth group—the one for which the simulation stopped before participants could become nauseous (ok, maybe you could pay me to be in group six).
The researchers first measured each participant’s EEG signals as they sat still in the simulator. The participants subsequently underwent a driving task and communicated their level of carsickness. At the end of the task, some participants listened to music for 60 seconds.
The team then asked them how carsick they still were. The participants reported that joyful music reduced carsickness by 57.3%, soft music reduced it by 56.7%, and passionate music by 48.3%. While those who didn’t listen to music reported 43.3% fewer carsickness symptoms after the 60 seconds, participants who listened to sad music reported a reduction of just 40%.
The researchers suggest that soft music might relax tensions that worsen carsickness, and joyful music may provide a distraction by triggering brain reward systems. Sad music could aggravate negative feelings and, as a result, worsen a person’s general discomfort.
Interestingly, the EEG data revealed changes in participants’ occipital lobe brain activity when they said they were carsick. Specifically, the device recorded less complex activity when participants reported feeling significantly nauseous. As they recovered, brain activity in this area gradually returned to normal levels.
“Based on our conclusions, individuals experiencing motion sickness symptoms during travel can listen to cheerful or gentle music to achieve relief,” Yue explained. “The primary theoretical frameworks for motion sickness genesis apply broadly to sickness induced by various vehicles. Therefore, the findings of this study likely extend to motion sickness experienced during air or sea travel.”
However, “the primary limitation of this study is its relatively small sample size,” the researcher added. “This constraint results in limited statistical power.” What’s more, one’s brain might react differently to a simulation than real-life conditions. In other words, more research with larger samples is needed to confirm both the carsickness brain activity patterns and to continue investigating the impact of music on motion sickness.
Moving forward, the team will study different types of motion sickness and the influence of music taste. And if any of the researchers are reading this article, I’d like to suggest investigating the anecdotal evidence of how singing helps prevent and/or recover from motion sickness. It would finally prove to my family that I literally need to belt out the lyrics to all of Taylor Swift’s songs when we hit those windy roads.
[ad_2]
Margherita Bassi
Source link
[ad_1]
Before kids and other responsibilities, when I regularly gamed into the wee hours, playing management sims was one of my favorite things to do. I spent countless days building in Sim Tower, SimCity, and Theme Park. I ran a studio in The Movies, managed a menagerie in Zoo Tycoon, and constructed the pyramids in Pharaoh. My villainous lairs in Dungeon Keeper 2 and Evil Genius were beyond compare. I built impregnable castles in Stronghold, and I sank days into Game Dev Story—a game about making games.
These games are the perfect foil to multiplayer madness, offering a table of absorbing escapism for one. As the kids have grown, I’ve found myself with a little more time to scratch that management and building itch, and these are the games that have sucked me back in.
A note for potential players: While there are often console versions, you tend to get better controls and greater depth if you play on PC.
Updated June 2024: We added several games, including Against the Storm, Manor Lords, and Galacticare, switched a couple of titles for newer releases, and updated details and pricing throughout.
Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting that’s too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today.
[ad_2]
Simon Hill
Source link
[ad_1]
Australian-based sports wagering start-up ZeroFlucs announced Friday that Benjie Cherniak, principal at Avenue H Capital and former managing director of Don Best has joined the organisation as a strategic advisor.
Press Release
–
Nov 11, 2022 09:00 EST
BRISBANE, Australia, November 11, 2022 (Newswire.com)
–
Australian-based sports wagering start-up ZeroFlucs announced Friday that Benjie Cherniak, principal at Avenue H Capital and former managing director of Don Best has joined the organisation as a strategic advisor.
ZeroFlucs provides software that enables sports betting operators to dramatically augment their pricing offerings while leveraging their own existing data sources and relationships. Market deliverables include Same-Game and Same-Race parlays, blended betting, and overall content enhancement such as additional markets.
Having achieved significant market penetration in Australia, the year old upstart is now targeting international operators, with the emerging North American market front and center.
With 15+ years of industry experience in both the US and international markets, Cherniak will play a pivotal role in ZeroFlucs growth trajectory.
On the new partnership, Cherniak said:
“ZeroFlucs technology is a game changer for race and sportsbook operators. That they can significantly augment market offerings is a big win – but that they can do so utilizing an operator’s existing pricing feeds ensures pricing accuracy and an enhanced user experience, thus differentiating from the competition. I’m thrilled to be aligning with Steve and his capable team as they introduce their technology stateside and beyond.”
ZeroFlucs founder and Australian wagering industry veteran, Steve Gray commented:
“Working with Benjie has been absolutely pivotal for us: helping us refine our product positioning and messaging, as well as providing contacts and market insight. Benjie is a proven commodity in the space. Nearly every operator has worked with him in some capacity over the years and everyone in the industry respects his understanding of the market. It’s hard to imagine a better partner for us on this journey.”
Source: ZeroFlucs
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
Press Release
–
Mar 22, 2022
ARLINGTON, Va., March 22, 2022 (Newswire.com)
–
The sun, like all known stars, is in essence, a giant mass of hot gas, mainly hydrogen and helium. The temperature and pressure in its core are so high that nuclear fusion occurs, producing plasma that releases huge amounts of energy. The outward pressure of this plasma is balanced by the inward pull of gravity, leaving the star in hydrostatic equilibrium – producing virtually unimaginable amounts of clean, stable energy, for billions of years. This science is part of the core that drives Kronos Fusion Energy.
Recreating these conditions within a fusion generator has been the subject of 60 years of research around the world. This research is now on the cusp of realizing viable, powerful, and clean energy that enables the efficient delivery of personnel, material, and energy systems to future colonies. This technology is reaching maturation just as a new dawn of space exploration is emerging – as stated in the March 17, 2022, Summit by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, “The time for fusion energy is now.”
Thought leaders from Stephen Hawking to Elon Musk agree that the future of mankind lies in our ability to become a multi-planetary species. Their rationale states that, so long as humanity has all its eggs in one basket – or all its people on one planet – there will always be the risk of an extinction-level event. In fact, if history is our guide, this risk becomes a near inevitability.
The only true way to mitigate this risk is through our ability to establish settlements on other planets, and fusion energy holds the key to making this a reality.
In 1620, the privately funded Mayflower and her civilian pilgrims, not a government-led mission, paved the way for the creation of what today is called America. Four hundred years later, the first privately funded and operated space flights carried civilian passengers into space, bringing into global focus the continued relevance of the role that private industry must play in future space programs and planetary colonization efforts. Kronos Fusion Energy Incorporated (KFEI) is at the forefront of these efforts, as demonstrated by its commitment to establishing the National Fusion Energy Space Center.
Priyanca Ford, Founder of KFEI, affirmed this aim: “Kronos Fusion Energy has spent the last seven years developing and refining algorithms and simulations that allow us to bring fusion energy out of the lab and into the space programs of tomorrow. This exciting technology transforms space travel, providing for rapid and agile spacecraft, capable of carrying substantial payloads and delivering vast amounts of electrical power in a compact device – essential to reaching, establishing, and sustaining life on future planetary colonies.”
For more information:
Press Contact – Erin Pendleton – pr@kronosfusionenergy.com
Source: Kronos Fusion Energy
[ad_2]