When Loss Diminishes Our Collective Knowledge

Nuno Loureiro hoped to replicate the energy of the Sun https://www.economist.com/obituary/2026/01/08/nuno-loureiro-hoped-to-replicate-the-energy-of-the-sun From The Economist All lives are unique, special, and important. However, there are some individuals whose loss is felt more deeply because of what they might have achieved in their field of knowledge and the potential impact they could have had on the lives of others. It seems that Nuno’s death is one such case (few Portuguese are featured in The Economist’s obituary section). I did not know Nuno Loureiro before the fateful event of his murder or before reading this obituary. Yet, after reading it, I paused to reflect on how many events like this—events no one can fully explain or understand—are diminishing our collective knowledge. To his family and friends, my deepest condolences. Hopefully, others will follow in his footsteps in the study of reliable fusion energy. (text revise by a llm)

- Pedro

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Siete ideas sencillas para entender la inteligencia artificial

Un artículo muy bueno de El País (Kiko Llaneras) explica de una forma muy sencilla cómo funciona la inteligencia artificial y cuáles son sus diferencias con la inteligencia humana en 7 lecciones: 1- Las máquinas pueden aprender A través de prueba y error va ajustando sus parámetros, ejecutando un proceso larguísimo y a veces opaco, pero que no es magia. 2- La IA tiene habilidades emergentes Ejecutando el proceso presentado en el punto 1 millones de veces, la IA es capaz de detectar sarcasmo y otras formas subjetivas de expresarse sin que nunca se le haya explicado lo que eso significa (lo mismo se aplica a las reglas de gramática de una lengua). 3- La IA aprende con una “evolución cutre” Necesita millones de ejemplos para aprender lo que a un niño le bastan dos o tres ejemplos para entender de qué se trata. 4- Hemos automatizado la cognición Absorbe una cantidad descomunal de conocimiento y aprende los procesos que llevan a utilizar ese conocimiento en problemas reales, viendo cómo se han resuelto antes situaciones concretas (búsqueda de patrones en la resolución de problemas). 5- La IA es más intuitiva que racional Utiliza casi siempre el Sistema 1 de pensamiento (véase Daniel Kahneman, Thinking, Fast and Slow). 6- Los humanos también somos patrones Nuestra forma de pensar, como es sabido, aplica continuamente heurísticas para simplificar la solución de problemas complicados, por lo que a veces no somos tan distintos. 7- Vivimos una explosión cámbrica de la IA Estamos atravesando un período de crecimiento rápido, diverso y disruptivo de la inteligencia artificial, comparable a la Explosión Cámbrica en biología (un momento, hace unos 540 millones de años, en el que aparecieron muchísimas formas de vida nuevas en muy poco tiempo). Espero que disfruten tanto como yo su lectura. (texto revisado por llm) https://elpais.com/ideas/2026-01-25/como-piensa-una-inteligencia-artificial-la-gran-sorpresa-es-que-intuye.html?sma=lanewsletterdekikollaneras_2026.01.30_2&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=lanewsletterdekikollaneras_2026.01.30_2

- Pedro

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The Hidden Rules of Sports Betting: Who Wins, Who Gets Blocked

The battle to stop clever people betting https://www.economist.com/christmas-specials/2025/12/18/the-battle-to-stop-clever-people-betting From The Economist An inside look at the sports-betting industry, where you can be classified as a “sharp”—a highly skilled player who is often restricted in your betting—and a “whale”—a big-time loser who is more than welcome to play. Highly skilled players, who know when and what to bet to exploit mispriced odds on the platforms, are profiled based on specific criteria, chased, and restricted in their betting ability. This skews the market and significantly improves the platform’s profitability… (I even wonder if it’s legal to prevent the market from working freely…). I also learned that some people make a living from this activity—and that there are sophisticated schemes, often in legal gray areas, designed to bypass these restrictions. Welcome to the highly profitable world of sports betting! Buckle up and enjoy the ride. (text revise by a llm)

- Pedro

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Rediscovering Adam Smith: Insights from The Economist on 250 Years of Wealth of Nations

Adam Smith is misinterpreted and his influence overstated https://www.economist.com/christmas-specials/2025/12/18/adam-smith-is-misinterpreted-and-his-influence-overstated From The Economist A great piece on Adam Smith by The Economist, using the 250th anniversary of his most famous book, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, as a leitmotif. “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.” In a striking article, it downplays the relative importance of what is actually mentioned in the book versus what has been widely attributed to it. It seems the invisible hand is not explicitly explained or applied to the pricing mechanism as we understand it today, but used in other contexts. Smith also introduces other concepts, such as the “impartial spectator”—an inner monologue or third-party perspective that judges our actions. However, it seems Smith occasionally gets economics “wrong,” for example in the labor theory of value or his discussion/partially support of the Navigation Acts, against free trade mechanisms (as he did acknowledge some secondary benefits, like the growth of the shipping industry). Nonetheless, although it does not seem like easy reading, the article has sparked my interest in finally tackling this book, as well as his earlier major work, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, both of which have been patiently waiting on my bookshelf. (text revise by a llm)

- Pedro

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Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: What Newton Achieved by 26

A great 10-minute explanation of who is the brightest mind in recorded history—Isaac Newton—and why. What have accomplished by 26, standing on the shoulders of all the great minds who came before you? 🙂 Whenever you need a reality check about your achievements, or current challenges, or someone you read on the papers, come back to this video—it provides an immediate sense of perspective and catharsis. Neil deGrasse Tyson, on top of being a brilliant scientist, is also a fantastic communicator, just like his mentor Carl Sagan. https://youtu.be/xKwlp1Ap9XA?si=5PE5VEp9IP1y5lYR

- Pedro

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For Kids, Parents, and the Kid in You

What if the best way to learn about history is by playing with it? https://www.economist.com/christmas-specials/2025/12/18/what-if-the-best-way-to-learn-about-history-is-by-playing-with-it From The Economist Do you have kids—or maybe a kid still alive inside you? Do they (or you) spend countless hours playing games? If the answer to any of these is yes, why not make some of that time educational too? There are plenty of games that can help kids—and adults—learn about specific fields of study. History is the focus of this article, but the same idea applies to other areas of science and knowledge as well. Why not turn playtime into a learning opportunity? It’s a simple way to benefit both you and your kids, without sacrificing fun. Games I’ll be keeping an eye on (especially when they go on promotion): 1- Europa Universalis 5 (eu5) 2- Crusaders Kings 3- Victoria Series 4- Hearts of Iron 5-Imperator:Rome 6- The Civilization 7-Total Wars and remember “When it comes to education, there is no substitute for learning by doing. To teach children Spanish, have them speak it. To teach them art, give them paper and paints. Plenty of tech titans got their start by playing around on a computer in their youth.”

- Pedro

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A Call That Aged Well

After the inspiring and assertive speech by Mark Carney in Davos, I remembered that I had posted something about him following an interview he gave to The Economist, 3 months ago. It is really rewarding to see that my assessment at the time turned out to be right. (text revised by a llm) My linkedin post back in November Great interview with Prime Minister Mark Carney.I must confess, I was genuinely impressed by his performance and his vision for the country.This is clearly linked to his extensive expertise in economics and his previous roles as Governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England.As I was listening, I thought to myself: here’s a politician I can truly understand — someone who speaks clearly, sounds reasonable, and demonstrates real knowledge of the issues at hand. https://www.economist.com/insider/the-insider/zanny-minton-beddoes-interviews-mark-carney https://www.linkedin.com/posts/pedrospinto_bonus-episode-zanny-minton-beddoes-interviews-activity-7382474995127529473-asPr?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAD8SDIBEeUyeyA2_0sAKh3TRFMPtKOI5AA

- Pedro

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