💡 Warp News #268
🌎 The Earth has become greener. 🚭 Teen drug and alcohol use reaches historic low levels. 💻 New AI model creates tailored materials for future technology.
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⏩ The willingness to change has nothing to do with age
I don’t believe that attitudes toward change and the willingness to evolve are tied to age. In my experience, there are deeply conservative young people and incredibly adaptable seniors—and vice versa. No particular mindset dominates based on age.
Other traits, like curiosity, play a bigger role.
That’s why I wasn’t surprised—but delighted—that Joakim Jardenberg competed and placed second in the Swedish Prompt Championship.
Joakim is one of Sweden’s internet pioneers. In the early 1990s, he helped bring newspaper Aftonbladet into the internet age. Now—30 years later—he’s still at the forefront, ranking among Sweden’s (and therefore the world’s) best prompters.
He’s far from old, but he is 30 years older than the last time. I interviewed him for my AI book, and it’s impossible not to be infected by his almost giggly enthusiasm. These are the kinds of people Kevin Kelly refers to when he says the future is created by optimists.
If you missed it last week, Joakim shared his best prompt tips—and they’re truly excellent!
Mathias Sundin
The Angry Optimist
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💡 Fact-based optimistic news of the week
🦈 Shark attacks decreased during 2024
The number of shark attacks decreased from 69 to 47 during 2024, well below the ten-year average of 70 attacks. Four of the attacks resulted in fatalities. Bull sharks were responsible for the majority of identifiable attacks during the year.
💻 New AI model creates tailored materials for future technology
MatterGen creates materials based on specific requirements and desired material properties. The model has already led to the creation of a new material, TaCr2O6, which has been successfully tested in laboratory. The technology is available to everyone under MIT license.
🚭 Teen drug and alcohol use reaches historic low levels
Alcohol consumption among middle school students in the US has decreased from 46 to 13 percent since 1997. Marijuana use is at its lowest in three decades among high school students. Nicotine vaping among seniors has decreased from 35 to 21 percent since 2020.
💡 Nobel laureate transforms AI hallucinations into new proteins
David Baker uses AI's ability to generate hallucination to develop entirely new proteins for medical treatment. His team converts AI's imagined protein structures into real proteins that can be used in healthcare. The method has led to 10 million new proteins.
🌎 The Earth has become greener during the 21st century
Satellite data shows that Earth's vegetation was at its most extensive in 2020 since measurements began in 2001. Increased carbon dioxide levels, warmer climate and reforestation contributed to increased greenery in temperate and cold regions.
💊 New comprehensive study shows over 60 health effects of Ozempic drugs
Study with 215,000 participants shows that Ozempic-like drugs reduce the risk of 42 different health conditions. People taking the medications have a 12% lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The study also shows 9% lower risk of heart attack and 8% lower risk of deep vein thrombosis.
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