Putin's waiting game

Before we begin, let me tell you about a little experiment I'm running. OpenAI now lets you create your own GPTs: essentially the technology and the chat interface from ChatGPT, but you can give it your own detailed instructions on what goals it should pursue and how it should behave. So, obviously, I had to give it a try. Meet Climate Action GPT — Your personal guide to making a difference in the climate crisis. Curious what you think.

1. The West Must Defeat Russia

It's striking how the war in Ukraine has gradually, then suddenly disappeared from headlines and public awareness. And it's not just the headlines, as Anne Applebaum writes. Putin is only waiting for Ukraine's allies to lose interest. «He will wait for the democratic world to splinter, and he will encourage that splintering.» (Gift link so you can read it without a subscription)

Gift Article: The West Must Defeat Russia

Putin hasn’t given up his plans. He thinks Ukraine’s allies will lose interest.

The AtlanticAnne Applebaum

2. A Beginner’s Guide to Looking at the Universe

A spectacular piece. A visual essay that will leave you in awe of the universe.
(Gift link so you can read it without a subscription)

A Beginner’s Guide to Looking at the Universe

A stunning advancement in a long history of stargazing, the James Webb telescope reveals light where once we saw only darkness. Our view of the universe will never be the same.

The New York TimesKate LaRueIllustrations by Daniel Zvereff

3. ​How China took over the world’s online shopping carts

Fascinating piece on how China is transforming from the world's factory to the world's shopping centre.

How China took over the world’s online shopping carts

Chinese e-commerce platforms like Shein, Temu, and TikTok Shop are going global with big ambitions.

Rest of WorldViola Zhou

4. This Photograph Demands an Answer

Take a deep breath before reading this. It's a reflection on an image of six dead children from Gaza, and why we rarely get to see such images. Don't be afraid to click the link, the article is crafted in a way that lets you make up your mind if and when you're ready to see the image.

Opinion | This Photograph Demands an Answer

The news media doesn’t often publish graphic images of dead children. But this photograph must be seen.

The New York TimesBy

5. Why transformative artificial intelligence is really, really hard to achieve

On the surface, it's hard not to be impressed by recent advances in artificial intelligence. One of the key questions is whether progress will only ever accelerate, of if we'll soon see AI's capabilities plateau. This is an excellent summary article of the best arguments why truly transformative AI will be harder to achieve than many enthusiasts think. Comes with this wonderful quote: «It was like claiming that the first monkey that climbed a tree was making progress towards landing on the moon.»

Why transformative artificial intelligence is really, really hard to achieve

A collection of the best technical, social, and economic arguments Humans have a good track record of innovation. The mechanization of agriculture, steam engines, electricity, modern medicine, computers, and the internet—these technologies radically changed the world. Still, the trend growth rate…

The GradientArjun Ramani and Zhengdong Wang

What else?

• What 3-year-olds, philosophy professors and the Backstreet Boys have in common.
• Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, 2023 winners and finalists
• A quick round of applause for whoever came up with that title: Sphere and Loathing in Las Vegas.
• Livestream a random sunset from someplace on earth.
• «All I want to know is where I’m going to die, so I’ll never go there.» — Charlie Munger

The Future of...Forests

Green giants whisper,
In tomorrow's light, they thrive,
Nature's breath deeper.

A gem from the archive

Fascinating images: Beer, wine, coffee and tea under the microscope.

Popular Drinks Photographed Under a Microscope

Fingerprints of Drinkable Culture is a photo series by photographer William LeGoullon that explores what popular beverages look like under a microscope.

PetaPixelMichael Zhang

Thanks for reading. I wish you a nice weekend and hope to see you again next Friday!

— David 👋