Interesting Links for 20-05-2025

[andrewducker]

1. News on the search for the solar system's ninth planet

(tags:space solarsystem viaJamesNicoll )

2. AI Chatbots Are Becoming Even Worse At Summarizing Data (5 times worse results than human-written summaries)

(tags:ai writing epicfail )

3. Several conferences relocate north of the border as Canadians refuse to travel to the U.S.

(tags:usa canada academia conferences )

4. UK, France, Canada speak out on Israel's actions in Gaza. (Not actually doing anything about it, mind you)

(tags:UK France Israel Canada gaza )

5. What's the state of using AI for science?

(tags:ai research physics )

6. It's Breathtaking How Fast AI Is Screwing Up the Education System

(tags:ai Education school doom )

7. Sex worker 'terrified' by plans for new Scottish prostitution law

(tags:sexwork scotland OhForFucksSake )

Comments

[calimac]

I'm not traveling to the US, either, though I live there. That is to say, I'm not leaving the country for fear of what will happen when I come back.

On two of my last three visits to Canada, I was quizzed by Canadian customs as to what I was doing there. When I was attending a conference, I was expected to produce documentation, which I didn't have, having done everything by e-mail. They were surprised that I didn't have those e-mails on my phone, but I don't do e-mail by phone. When I went as a tourist, I was expected to rattle off from the top of my head some tourist attractions I'd be visiting. The third time, however, the customs queries were by kiosk, and it didn't try to grill me.

[andrewducker]

It all seems so unnecesarily combative to me!

[conuly]

And pointless. Like, what if you say "I'm just popping over the border to get some poutine, can you recommend a place?", can they really keep you out on suspicion?

[andrewducker]

Exactly. And why would you want to stop someone popping over for Poutine?

[conuly]

To save it all for yourself, I guess?