Why are so few people born on Christmas Day, New Year’s and other holidays?

Christmas Day is the least popular birthday in several countries.

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Christmas and New Year's are days of celebration in many parts of the world when people gather with family and friends. One thing many typically don't celebrate on those days is a birthday.

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You should be skeptical when it comes to hyped-up AI. Here’s why.

These questions can help us think more critically about new developments in artificial intelligence.

  • The media often exaggerate and overhype the latest discoveries in artificial intelligence.
  • It's important to add context to new findings by asking questions: Is there a demo available? How narrow was the task the computer performed?
  • A more robust approach to artificial intelligence involves solving problems in generalized situations rather than just laboratory demonstrations.
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The biggest problem in AI? Machines have no common sense.

Correlation doesn't equal causation — we all know this. Well, except robots.

  • There are a lot of people in the tech world who think that if we collect as much data possible, and run a lot of statistics, that we will be able to develop robots where artificial "intelligence" organically emerges.
  • However, many A.I.'s that currently exist aren't close to being "intelligent," it's difficult to even program common sense into them. The reason for this is because correlation doesn't always equal causation — robots that operate on correlation alone may have skewed algorithms in which to operate in the real world.
  • When it comes to performing simple tasks, such as opening a door, we currently don't know how to encode that information — the varied process that is sometimes required in differing situations, i.e. jiggling the key, turning the key just right — into a language that a computer can understand.

Gary Marcus is the author of Rebooting AI: Building Artificial Intelligence We Can Trust.

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Why Australian men live the longest in the world

A new study challenges international life expectancies.

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  • A new method for calculating life expectancies shows that Australian men live the longest.
  • Among women, the Swiss have the longest life spans.
  • The new research takes into account historical mortality conditions.
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When should hockey teams pull the goalie? Study finds optimal time.

It's far earlier than most teams currently do.


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  • A 2018 study used data from the 2015–2016 NHL season to conduct an analysis on the advantages of pulling the goalie.
  • The results suggest the optimal time to be about three times earlier than convention calls for.
  • The authors believe the results have implications in areas outside of hockey, such as investing.
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