50 Years Ago Today...

Credit: Space Universe by Digital Dreamscape.

Happy Birthday to Mac in the Multiverse!

Mac would've turned 50 today; a sobering thought for myself and, I suspect, for those who knew him. But, I think, turning 50 would not have been as big of a deal for Mac. For one thing, I believe he'd remain eternally youthful at heart. I also imagine he'd possibly be a crypto currency multi-millionaire by now. And, that would be a good thing, but, I have my doubts about how comfortable he'd feel living in the present political climate in the country in which he was born. All that comes to my mind is how much he enjoyed visiting Paul Kimball in Nova Scotia.

He loved Nova Scotia.

About today's AI video, well, it's a cool, ancient-future kind of thing with plenty of magnificently designed spaceships. I know Mac would appreciate the spaceships. What got me is the frame they chose to present the video. It isn't merely a weirdly attractive image, it's Golden.*

Would Mac love AI? I wonder. (My guess is that he'd love the videos for sure and might want to create his own. For more spacecraft from Digital Dreamscape try this Stargate-themed offering.)

Below are some links for further entertainment. It seems, in spite of the "present political climate" science is flourishing. So, if science (and art) are flourishing, Mac would probably assume things weren't too bad... especially if he was a multi-millionaire! ;-)

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Photos show the cosmic calling of extraterrestrial enthusiasts at Indonesia’s UFO Festival

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New Research Finds That ChatGPT Secretly Has a Deep Anti-Human Bias

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How far will AI go to defend its own survival?

"Recent safety tests show some AI models are capable of sabotaging commands or even resorting to blackmail to avoid being turned off or replaced."

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The ‘dead internet theory’ makes eerie claims about an AI-run web. The truth is more sinister

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Scientists discover new type of life form living in the human body

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"Third state" of existence between life and death confirmed by scientists

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A 'Third State' Exists Between Life and Death—And That Suggests Your Cells Are Conscious, Some Scientists Say

“But the emergence of new multicellular life-forms from the cells of a dead organism introduces a ‘third state’ that lies beyond the traditional boundaries of life and death.”

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* In other words, if ever an image needed a Phi-shell this would be it. See the Golden Meme footnote in Clouds, Time & Spiraling Planes.

AI Alchemy

 

The cicadas are in full swing today. At least, the metallic drone-like sound is similar. However, last night, I noticed a weird, overly large green bug outside on the cement wall of the motel - a kind of alien grasshopper - which was weird enough to be an AI confection. I have just learned via Google, however, that the katydid makes shorter sounds, not the long, extended pneumatic-drilling whine of what is the annual NM cicada I am currently hearing.

Incidentally, I learned all of the above in about 3 minutes. Of course, you realize this would not have been possible 30 years ago (in the century I was born). I wonder if anyone has charted the effects of such rapid-fire information gathering on human life, intellect and consciousness... and, cumulatively, what we can refer to as the Collective, that is: all species of intelligence and consciousness, which we've only begun to acknowledge.

Moving right along, we arrive at another broad topic, alchemy, and why the "chemical" constituents of the universe behave like they do. Hermetically, this is the fool's journey which leads to wisdom. Does this apply to the example of AI Alchemy above with all its digitally-enhanced minerals undergoing contrived chemical reactions? Well, yes and no. But, who cares? It's eye-candy, addictive, and it's at one's fingertips... thanks to AI artist/alchemists over at Vimora ASMR.

(Note: Ah, but it's possible to do so much more with labradorite!)

Interestingly, this video was given a warning label: "Altered or synthetic content. Sound or visuals were significantly edited or digitally generated." Apparently, this was necessary because enough people were assuming it was real. I've been mistaken myself with a few AI videos and think warning labels are a good idea.

Meanwhile, the aptly named Dog Days of summer are drifting by again in the angst-ridden, hot August winds. But, although this is never a good thing - and this year it's potentially Ground Zero - we have one reason to party: it's time for Mac's 2025 birthday celebration!

See you then.

Related links:

This just found, another, cool alchemical video by AIDITOR: Virtual Lab Alchemy - The Complete Elemental Experiments.

Scientists Baffled by "Alien Mineral" That Acts in a Weird Way When Heated Up