The term "uncanny valley" refers to a phenomenon in robotics, artificial intelligence, and computer graphics where humanoid objects or characters that closely resemble humans elicit a sense of unease or discomfort in observers. The concept was first introduced by the Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori in 1970. According to Mori's hypothesis, as a robot’s appearance becomes more human-like, our emotional responses toward it become increasingly positive, but only up to a certain point.
The just-world hypothesis is a cognitive bias that suggests that people have a tendency to believe that the world is fundamentally just and fair. According to this hypothesis, individuals hold the belief that the outcomes of people’s actions are inherently deserved—good things happen to good people, and bad things happen to bad people. This belief can lead individuals to rationalize or assign blame based on the perceived morality or behavior of others.
Omission bias is a cognitive bias that occurs when individuals judge harmful consequences as less severe when they result from an omission (a failure to act) rather than from a commission (an active decision to act). In other words, people often perceive inaction as less blameworthy or less harmful compared to actions that lead to negative outcomes. For example, in medical ethics, a physician might choose not to give a certain treatment due to its potential risks, even if that treatment could help the patient.
Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols, their use and interpretation. The concept of meaning within semiotics is complex and revolves around how signs convey ideas, concepts, and emotions. Here are some key components related to meaning in semiotics: 1. **Signs**: In semiotics, a sign is anything that carries meaning. This includes words, images, sounds, gestures, and objects.
The neurobiological origins of language encompass the study of how the brain's structure and function contribute to the development and use of language in humans. This field combines insights from neuroscience, linguistics, cognitive science, and psychology to understand how language abilities arise from underlying biological mechanisms. Key aspects of the neurobiological origins of language include: 1. **Brain Structures**: Certain regions of the brain are closely associated with language processing.
Alpenglow refers to the phenomenon where mountains, typically at sunset or sunrise, are bathed in a warm, reddish or pinkish light. This effect occurs when the sun is just below the horizon, casting its rays onto the mountains. The light interacts with the atmosphere and the snow or rocky surfaces of the mountains, creating a beautiful visual display. Alpenglow is often most pronounced on the peaks and ridges, where the sunlight has a more direct angle.
Aurorasaurus is a citizen science project and online platform that allows individuals to report and track auroras, or the Northern and Southern Lights. Launched in 2014, Aurorasaurus aims to gather real-time data on auroral events by collecting reports from amateur astronomers, photographers, and the general public. Users can share their experiences and photographs of auroras, which are then mapped and made available to researchers and the public.
A keogram is a type of visual representation used primarily in the field of atmospheric science, particularly in the study of auroras and other phenomena related to the Earth's magnetosphere. It is a 2D image that captures the brightness or intensity of a specific phenomenon over time. In a keogram, time is represented on one axis (usually the horizontal axis), while the vertical axis represents a specific spatial dimension — often the zenith angle or latitude of the observation site.
St. Elmo's fire is a phenomenon that occurs during thunderstorms, characterized by a visible blue or violet glow. It is caused by the ionization of air surrounding pointed or sharp objects, such as the mast of a ship or the spire of a church. When the electric field in the atmosphere becomes strong enough, it creates a discharge of electricity that results in a gentle and continuous glow at the tips of these objects. St.
Black hole cosmology is a theoretical framework that explores the relationship between black holes and the overall structure and evolution of the universe. This field of study investigates various aspects of cosmology—including the origin and fate of the universe—through the lens of black hole physics. Some of the key concepts and ideas in black hole cosmology include: 1. **Black Holes as Cosmic Structures**: Black holes can play a significant role in the formation of galaxies and large-scale structures in the universe.
A Gravastar, or "gravitational vacuum star," is a theoretical astrophysical object proposed as an alternative to black holes. The concept was introduced by physicist Pawel Mazur and Wojciech Zurek in the early 2000s. Gravastars are thought to be composed of a "vacuum" or "negative energy" state surrounded by a shell of exotic matter, which might be able to resist gravitational collapse.
NOAAS Chapman (R/V Chapman) is a research vessel operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States. It is named after Edward A. Chapman, an important figure in oceanographic research. The Chapman is typically used for a variety of oceanographic and environmental research missions, including studies of marine ecosystems, fisheries, and the impact of climate change on ocean environments.
Sungazing, or sun gazing, is a practice that involves looking directly at the sun during specific times of the day, usually at sunrise or sunset, when the sun is less intense. Proponents of sungazing claim various benefits, such as increased energy, improved mental clarity, enhanced mood, and even potential healing effects. The practice is often associated with certain spiritual and philosophical traditions, and some practitioners believe it can help foster a deeper connection to nature and the universe.
A constant spectrum melody refers to a type of musical structure where the frequency content remains relatively stable over time, often maintaining a consistent set of pitches or tonal relationships rather than traditional melodic variation. This concept can be applied in various contexts, including contemporary music, minimalism, and experimental compositions. In a constant spectrum melody, the emphasis might be placed on the sustained or repeated elements rather than dramatic changes in pitch or rhythm. This creates a sense of continuity and can evoke a particular mood or atmosphere.
Timbre composition refers to the aspect of music that deals with the quality or color of sound produced by different instruments or voices. Unlike pitch (which pertains to how high or low a sound is) and dynamics (which refer to the volume of sound), timbre is what differentiates one sound source from another, even if they are playing the same note at the same volume.
Vish is a traditional Indian board game that is played with a set of pieces on a grid-like board, usually made of cloth or wood. The game is often associated with strategy and skill, similar to chess or checkers. The objective typically involves capturing the opponent's pieces or reaching a designated area on the board. The rules and specifics of Vish can vary by region and community, and it may be known by different names in different cultures.
Pseudorationalism is not a widely recognized or standardized term in academic literature, but it can generally refer to a belief or argument that appears to be rational or logical, yet is based on flawed reasoning, biases, or unfounded assumptions. This concept can manifest in various contexts, such as pseudoscience, pseudophilosophy, or in certain types of debate, where individuals may employ logical-sounding arguments that do not hold up under scrutiny.
Empirical algorithmics is a field of study that focuses on the empirical analysis and evaluation of algorithms, particularly through the use of computational experiments. This area aims to understand the behavior and performance of algorithms under various conditions using real or simulated data, rather than relying solely on theoretical analyses or worst-case scenarios.
New England's Dark Day refers to a significant historical event that took place on May 19, 1780. On this day, an unusual darkening of the sky occurred across parts of New England, particularly in Connecticut, and extended into other northeastern states. The cause of this phenomenon was not immediately understood, leading to widespread speculation and fear.
Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project
Welcome to the OurBigBook Project! Our goal is to create the perfect publishing platform for STEM subjects, and get university-level students to write the best free STEM tutorials ever.
Everyone is welcome to create an account and play with the site: ourbigbook.com/go/register. We belive that students themselves can write amazing tutorials, but teachers are welcome too. You can write about anything you want, it doesn't have to be STEM or even educational. Silly test content is very welcome and you won't be penalized in any way. Just keep it legal!
Intro to OurBigBook
. Source. We have two killer features:
- topics: topics group articles by different users with the same title, e.g. here is the topic for the "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus" ourbigbook.com/go/topic/fundamental-theorem-of-calculusArticles of different users are sorted by upvote within each article page. This feature is a bit like:
- a Wikipedia where each user can have their own version of each article
- a Q&A website like Stack Overflow, where multiple people can give their views on a given topic, and the best ones are sorted by upvote. Except you don't need to wait for someone to ask first, and any topic goes, no matter how narrow or broad
This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.Figure 1. Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page. View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivativeVideo 2. OurBigBook Web topics demo. Source. - local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
- to OurBigBook.com to get awesome multi-user features like topics and likes
- as HTML files to a static website, which you can host yourself for free on many external providers like GitHub Pages, and remain in full control
Figure 2. You can publish local OurBigBook lightweight markup files to either OurBigBook.com or as a static website.Figure 3. Visual Studio Code extension installation.Figure 5. . You can also edit articles on the Web editor without installing anything locally. Video 3. Edit locally and publish demo. Source. This shows editing OurBigBook Markup and publishing it using the Visual Studio Code extension. - Infinitely deep tables of contents:
All our software is open source and hosted at: github.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook
Further documentation can be found at: docs.ourbigbook.com
Feel free to reach our to us for any help or suggestions: docs.ourbigbook.com/#contact