matthew

This is a krytron, a high-speed trigger switch historically used in nuclear weaponry to control the timing of detonation circuits. It’s an ultra fast, gas-filled tube that works by using a small electrical trigger to ionize gas inside, which instantly allows a much larger current to flow. The ability to switch high currents almost instantly is what makes it useful in systems where extremely precise timing is critical. Some krytrons contain a small amount of radioactive material (like Nickel-63 or krypton-85) to help the gas ionize more reliably. Krytrons were developed in the early 1950s and used primarily through the 1970s, especially during the Cold War. In nuclear weapons, they were part of firing circuits that required multiple electrical pulses to occur at almost exactly the same moment. They were also employed in scientific and industrial applications such as pulsed lasers and high-speed photography. Legally, krytrons are heavily controlled under export regulations like the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). They are legal to own in the U.S., but exporting them internationally without proper authorization is strictly prohibited.☢️

Six months ago, there was a lot of focus on the idea that the there would be a massive glut of unused computing power which would could a recession as AI use plateaued. The "compute bubble" belief was absolutely everywhere. The degree to which this was wrong deserves some notice

A minor benefit of lunar exploration is it makes people at Vice miserable. Ad Astra!

the older i get, the more i hate alcohol.

BREAKING: Health officials warn that dinosaur chicken nuggets sold at Walmart may contain high levels of lead.

Earlier today, a malicious actor gained unauthorized access to Drift Protocol through a novel attack involving durable nonces, resulting in a rapid takeover of Drift’s Security Council administrative powers. This was a highly sophisticated operation that appears to have involved multi-week preparation and staged execution, including the use of durable nonce accounts to pre-sign transactions that delayed execution.