The iNaturalist project "First Known Photographs of Living Specimens" aims to document the earliest known photographs of organisms in their natural state. It seeks to compile a collection of verifiable images, ideally the very first, depicting various species as they appeared in life, rather than as preserved specimens or illustrations. This project prioritizes photographs taken before 1900, especially from the early days of photography, offering a glimpse into the historical record of biodiversity and the development of nature photography. Contributions require evidence supporting the claimed date and identification of the organism, ideally with links to primary sources.
Anime fans inadvertently contributed to solving a long-standing math problem related to the "Kadison-Singer problem" while discussing the coloring of anime character hair. They were exploring ways to systematically categorize and label hair color palettes, which mathematically mirrored the complex problem of partitioning high-dimensional space. This led to mathematicians realizing the fans' approach, involving "Hadamard matrices," could be adapted to provide a more elegant and accessible proof for the Kadison-Singer problem, which has implications for various fields including quantum mechanics and signal processing.
Hacker News commenters generally expressed appreciation for the approachable explanation of Kazhdan's property (T) and the connection to expander graphs. Several pointed out that the anime fans didn't actually solve the problem, but rather discovered an interesting visual representation that spurred further mathematical investigation. Some debated the level of involvement of the anime community, arguing that the connection was primarily made by mathematicians familiar with anime, rather than the broader fanbase. Others discussed the surprising connections between seemingly disparate fields, highlighting the serendipitous nature of mathematical discovery. A few commenters also linked to additional resources, including the original paper and related mathematical concepts.
The National Archives is seeking public assistance in transcribing historical documents written in cursive through its "By the People" crowdsourcing platform. Millions of pages of 18th and 19th-century records, including military pension files and Freedmen's Bureau records, need to be digitized and made searchable. By transcribing these handwritten documents, volunteers can help make these invaluable historical resources more accessible to researchers and the general public. The project aims to improve search functionality, enable data analysis, and shed light on crucial aspects of American history.
HN commenters were largely enthusiastic about the transcription project, viewing it as a valuable contribution to historical preservation and a fun challenge. Several users shared their personal experiences with cursive, lamenting its decline in education and expressing nostalgia for its use. Some questioned the choice of Zooniverse as the platform, citing usability issues and suggesting alternatives like FromThePage. A few technical points were raised about the difficulty of deciphering 18th and 19th-century handwriting, especially with variations in style and ink, and the potential benefits of using AI/ML for pre-processing or assisting with transcription. There was also a discussion about the legal and historical context of the documents, including the implications of slavery and property ownership.
Researchers have demonstrated a method for using smartphones' GPS receivers to map disturbances in the Earth's ionosphere. By analyzing data from a dense network of GPS-equipped phones during a solar storm, they successfully imaged ionospheric variations and travelling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs), particularly over San Francisco. This crowdsourced approach, leveraging the ubiquitous nature of smartphones, offers a cost-effective and globally distributed sensor network for monitoring space weather events and improving the accuracy of ionospheric models, which are crucial for technologies like navigation and communication.
HN users discuss the potential impact and feasibility of using smartphones to map the ionosphere. Some express skepticism about the accuracy and coverage achievable with consumer-grade hardware, particularly regarding the ability to measure electron density effectively. Others are more optimistic, highlighting the potential for a vast, distributed sensor network, particularly for studying transient ionospheric phenomena and improving GPS accuracy. Concerns about battery drain and data usage are raised, along with questions about the calibration and validation of the smartphone measurements. The discussion also touches on the technical challenges of separating ionospheric effects from other signal variations and the need for robust signal processing techniques. Several commenters express interest in participating in such a project, while others point to existing research in this area, including the use of software-defined radios.
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https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43428409
HN users generally found the iNaturalist project documenting first known photographs of species fascinating. Several commenters highlighted the surprisingly recent dates for some common species, like the European hedgehog in 1932. Discussion arose around the challenges of verification and the definition of a "good" photograph, with some suggesting the inclusion of museum specimens as a valuable addition. Others pointed out potential biases in the dataset, such as a focus on charismatic megafauna or limitations based on photographic technology availability and adoption across regions. The project's value in demonstrating biodiversity loss and changing species distributions was also acknowledged.
The Hacker News post titled "First Known Photographs of Living Specimens" linking to an iNaturalist project, sparked a modest discussion with a few interesting points. Several commenters expressed general appreciation for the project and its historical significance.
One commenter highlighted the fascinating intersection of photography's early days and the documentation of the natural world. They pointed out the remarkable patience required for these early exposures, considering the long exposure times needed with early photographic techniques, especially when photographing living subjects. This highlighted the dedication and ingenuity involved in capturing these images.
Another commenter picked up on this theme, expressing awe at the thought of these early photographers managing to capture these images at all, given the technological limitations. They considered it a "minor miracle" that such photos exist, emphasizing how difficult it must have been compared to modern photography.
A separate comment focused on the technical aspects of early photography, specifically mentioning the daguerreotype process and the challenges of capturing moving subjects. They noted the rarity of living subjects in early photographs, which adds to the project's value in showcasing these rare examples. This commenter also linked to an earlier Hacker News discussion about the earliest known photograph of a person, further enriching the context of the original post.
The discussion also briefly touched on the definition of "living specimens," with one commenter suggesting potential additions to the project featuring plant life. This comment sparked a reply questioning the inclusion of plants, potentially based on a narrower interpretation of "specimen." This exchange, while brief, raised an interesting point about the scope and interpretation of the project's focus.
Finally, a commenter mentioned the project's reliance on the "first known" qualifier, acknowledging the possibility of undiscovered or misidentified earlier photographs. This points to the evolving nature of historical research and the potential for future discoveries to reshape our understanding of early photography and its subjects.
Overall, the comments on Hacker News reflect a general appreciation for the iNaturalist project, highlighting the historical and technical significance of these early photographs. The discussion revolves around the challenges of early photography, the rarity of capturing living subjects, and the ever-present possibility of new discoveries. While not a lengthy discussion, the comments provide valuable insights and context to the linked project.