All Posts (Since 2018)

Escape AI-generated slop and social media outrage; see the real world. Know the benefits of nature, humility, and kindness for you and others

Intersections

In a world increasingly filled with AI-generated slop of all kinds and a social media landscape dominated by an outrage machine that is engineered to addict people and steal their attention and privacy, it is important to know there is an alternative. And that alternative does not mean burying your nose in other media 24 hours a day. The alternative is simple … but can…

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AI chatbots and “human” language; do words actually mean anything coming from a large language model?

Intersections

Is there any humanity in the words/text that come from large language models (LLM) and AI? ‘The most astonishing thing about ChatGPT and every subsequent AI chatbot has always been that these programs are the first nonhumans to be fluent in our language. That simple fact is also, as Deb Roy argues in an essay in The Atlantic, among the most alarming things about these…

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Should information be shared freely? Should information be controlled? What should it cost?

Intersections

Should information be shared freely? That is, should content (text, images, videos, etc.) be shared without heavy external control (usually aimed at making as much money or gaining as much power as possible)? And should the information be able to be accessed and shared at no additional cost? Is transparency and free access a part of the common good? Or, at the other end of…

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The perils of AI-generated deepfake videos

Intersections

“… AI tools to generate and edit content are getting more advanced, easier to operate, and cheaper to run—all reasons why the US government is increasingly paying to use them. We were well warned of this, but we responded by preparing for a world in which the main danger was confusion. What we’re entering instead is a world in which influence survives exposure, doubt is…

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A pile of print books

Deep reading can boost your critical thinking and help you resist misinformation – here’s how to build the skill

Intersections

JT Torres, Washington and Lee University and Jeff Saerys-Foy, Quinnipiac University (from The Conversation) The average American checks their phone over 140 times a day, clocking an average of 4.5 hours of daily use, with 57% of people admitting they’re “addicted” to their phone. Tech companies, influencers and other content creators compete for all that attention, which has incentivized the rise of misinformation. Considering this…

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AI and Caring … and not thinking like machines

Intersections

Amid the hype about the capabilities of artificial intelligence, there are assertions that AI can replace humans in situations where empathy and caring are especially important. But, is that true? Think about John Haugeland’s famous quote “the trouble with artificial intelligence is that computers don’t give a damn.” As Chris Tessone commented — “The philosopher John Haugeland explained why we should not trust software with…

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Searching for information in Chemistry or Biochemistry? Updated for 2026

Intersections

Search Science Primary Literature (database): Chemistry Biochemistry See the Science Bibliographies: The Diels-Alder reaction: a mainstay of organic chemistry PFAS: “Forever chemicals” and human health For more resources, try: Subject Guide: Chemistry (updated January 2026) Chemistry textbooks (OER Commons) Biochemistry textbooks (OER Commons) Magazine posts: “Forever chemicals”, farmland, and cancer Copper nanoclusters: applications AAP guidelines–avoid certain chemicals that are added to or leach into food…

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More than half of new articles on the internet are being written by AI – is human writing headed for extinction?

Intersections

Francesco Agnellini, Binghamton University, State University of New York (from The Conversation) The line between human and machine authorship is blurring, particularly as it’s become increasingly difficult to tell whether something was written by a person or AI. Now, in what may seem like a tipping point, the digital marketing firm Graphite recently published a study showing that more than 50% of articles on the…

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What is ataxia? National Ataxia Foundation

LOCA: late-onset cerebellar ataxia

Understanding Science

What is cerebellar ataxia? How is it caused? And how does it affect the people who suffer from it? “Ataxia describes poor muscle control that causes clumsy movements. It can affect walking and balance, hand coordination, speech and swallowing, and eye movements. Ataxia usually results from damage to [or degeneration of] the part of the brain called the cerebellum or its connections. The cerebellum controls…

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Robot reading from a computer tablet

AI and Large Language Models: shortcomings and mistakes

Intersections

Large language models still struggle to tell fact from opinion “Large language models (LLMs) may not reliably acknowledge a user’s incorrect beliefs … The findings highlight the need for careful use of LLM outputs in high-stakes decisions in areas such as medicine, law, and science, particularly when belief or opinions are contrasted with facts.” (from TechXplore, November 4, 2025) Go to the source: *Suzgun, M.,…

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