Some thoughts about the genetic code aliens would use in the 2nd part of the series: The Science of Aliens:
Alien life would likely have different biochemistry, which may change the way it reproduces.
Category: science
Consciousness remains scientifically elusive because it constitutes layers upon layers of non-material emergence: Reverse-engineering our thinking should be done in terms of networks, modules, algorithms and second-order emergence — meta-algorithms, or groups of modules. Neuronal circuits correlate to “immaterial” cognitive modules, and these cognitive algorithms, when activated, produce meta-algorithmic conscious awareness and phenomenal experience, all in all at least two layers of emergence on top of “physical” neurons. Furthermore, consciousness represents certain transcendent aspects of projective ontology, according to the now widely accepted Holographic Principle.
#CyberneticTheoryofMind
There’s no shortage of workable theories of consciousness and its origins, each with their own merits and perspectives. We discuss the most relevant of them in the book in line with my own Cybernetic Theory of Mind that I’m currently developing. Interestingly, these leading theories, if metaphysically extended, in large part lend support to Cyberneticism and Digital Pantheism which may come into scientific vogue with the future cyberhumanity.
According to the Interface Theory of Perception developed by Donald Hoffman and the Biocentric theory of consciousness developed by Robert Lanza, any universe is essentially non-existent without a conscious observer. In both theories, conscious minds are required as primary building blocks for any universe arising from probabilistic domain into existence. But biological minds reveal to us just a snippet in the space of possible minds. Building on the tenets of Biocentrism, Cyberneticism goes further and includes all other possible conscious observers such as artificially intelligent self-aware entities. Perhaps, the extended theory could be dubbed as ‘Noocentrism’.
Existence boils down to experience. No matter what ontological level a conscious entity finds herself at, it will be smack in the middle, between her transcendental realm and lower levels of organization. This is why I prefer the terms ‘Experiential Realism’ and ‘Pantheism’ as opposed to ‘Panentheism’ as some suggested in regards to my philosophy.
Mice fed every other day in another study lived, on average, 12% longer than mice fed every day, largely due to the delay of cancerous diseases.
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According to the International Food Information Council’s 2020 Food and Health Survey, you most likely know someone who is practicing intermittent fasting. The survey of 1000 adult Americans found that one in ten were putting down the fork during specified periods of time, making it America’s most popular “diet.”
It’s no surprise that the diet has charmed so many Americans. Intermittent fasting is the preferred diet of celebrities, from Kourtney Kardashian to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, and is reportedly a staple of Silicon Valley culture. Fox News reported that it’s “hailed by trainers [and] doctors as [an] easy weight loss program that works.”
The dirt scattered across the floor of an ancient, remote cave in Mexico has yielded a new source of viable ancient DNA.
For the first time, scientists have sequenced ancient DNA from soil samples — and it’s all thanks to the Upper Paleolithic bears that prolifically used the cave as their toilet around 16000 years ago.
The scientists describe their work as “the Moon landing of genomics”, as the breakthrough means fossilized remains are no longer the only way of obtaining ancient DNA. Further, it shows ancient DNA can now be studied in the context of populations, rather than scattered, fragmentary individuals.
As the first papers under these mandates are published, Plan S supporters say it’s the start of a journey towards open science. But most research funders haven’t signed up yet, and negotiations over the plan have produced a complex landscape of options to avoid paywalls. Here’s what the initiative means for scientists and journals — and some of the controversies that will play out in 2021 and beyond.
The push to remove journal paywalls officially started this year. Here’s how it works.
Commentary: We like to imagine an AI-driven future, but it’s machine learning that will actually help us to progress, argues expert Michael I. Jordan.
Would aliens be friendly or a threat? — Part I of a new series.
Any advanced alien species would have a social structure, but would also likely have predatory roots.
Maria Mitchell’s Telescope and the Kickstarting of Popular Astronomy: The Heartening Story of the World’s First Crowdfunding Campaign for Science
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Given the rate of overweight and obese people in the Western world, there are inevitably lots of fat people interested in life extension. Assuming that weight-loss trends continue with a high failure rate, the majority of fat spanners will not be able to lose and maintain their weight loss through diet and exercise.
This article explores effective life-extension interventions that do not include weight loss for people with an excess of adipose tissue.
Is it possible to be fat and healthy? Is obesity a death sentence? Learn about what the science says about life extension when fat.
Once particularly useful future application, according to Harvard Business Review, will be the potential development of new drugs, a task it is “uniquely suited for” because it would operate on the same laws of quantum physics as the molecules it is simulating.
And so, Abu Dhabi has joined the community of nations endeavouring to accomplish this next step in human history.
The Advanced Technology Research Council is building the computer at its Quantum Research Centre labs in Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with Barcelona-based Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech.