Categorie: Overig
Roko’s Basilisk
What if a super intelligent A.I from the future will torture the people who haven’t helped create it? – Patrick Jans
Quantum immortality
In quantum mechanics, physicists have come up with all kinds of thought experiments. Quantum suicide and quantum immortalilty are examples of these thought experiments. They are a variation on the most famous problem in quantum mechanics, Schrödinger’s cat. This article will continue on with the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics. In this article I will try to explain quantum immortality and what implications this might have on life and physics. A quick recap on Schrödinger’s cat The most famous thought experiment in quantum mechanics is called Schrödinger’s cat. In this experiment you observe a box. […]
Travelling every single country in the world
As soon as one receives one’s first passport, dreams of filling it with stamps start drifting into one’s mind. With about 190 nations in the world, there is no dearth of places to visit. But how long would it take to visit every single country? And how much would it cost? Creating a plan For many people in the world, it may be impossible to visit every country. For instance, American nationals are banned from entering North Korea and Iran. Despite these restrictions, the first step in any adventure is to set a detailed plan. Transportation, […]
Thorium Reactors
Thorium could be a good alternative energy source. Compared to a uranium reactor, thorium reactors are safer and produce less nuclear waste
How Game Theory can help in environmental treaties
The bank robbery that you planned with your best friend, Llyod Shapley, did not go as successfully as you both expected. Multiple things were working against you after you hid the stolen money and as a result you both ended up in the police station. Both taken to a separate interrogation room, the police officers are not sure who was the mastermind behind this robbery. As these officers were profound economics students in their younger years, they decided to give both of you two choices. Either you keep silent or you betray your best friend. […]
The lazy person’s guide to a healthy brain
Now that the summer holiday is around the corner it is time to relax and unwind. After all the exams and deadlines of the past weeks, some downtime to enjoy the weather, lay down in the park, or go out with friends is well deserved. However, once the new year has started after weeks of just slacking around during the summer, studying or working can be quite challenging and tiresome. Your brain just isn’t used to be stimulated anymore. And even though you intended to stay healthy by sleeping a lot, eating healthy, and exercising, […]
Estimated reading time: 5 minuten
The math conference
Two mathematicians, Simon and Blume, are at a conference dinner, fighting over the last few pieces of lobster and steak, when another mathematician walks up to them. Having heard about the brilliance of the two, he decides to present them a riddle. After thinking for quite a while, he bends over to Simon, and whispers a number in his ear. Then, he leans over to Blume and whispers a number in his ear as well. Brimming with confidence, he states the following. “I have told each of you a number, one larger than the other, […]
Estimated reading time: 3 minuten
The meme that is never gonna give you up
If you have been on the internet in the past fourteen years, it might have happened to you. A link was sent to you, disguised as a funny video or interesting site. You clicked on the link, and, while hearing the first tunes, you already knew what was going on. It was not the video or site you expected to appear: you had been ‘Rickrolled’. For anyone who has somehow managed to avoid the phenomenon of Rickrolling all of this time, the gag is as follows. It involves tricking someone into clicking on a link […]
Social engineering
The UG is taking new measures to prevent hackers from attacking their network. Therefore, we have been subjected to the mandatory password change, and soon, the university will require two-factor authentication for all it’s users. These measures will make it more difficult for attackers to gain access to the networks of the university, however, no matter how strong your password is, you should never forget that people are the weakest link in the security chain. That’s why we are often responsible for the failure of security systems. During the corona pandemic we have observed a […]
About hamsters and microwaves
Many of you have probably heard the story of the British guy that put his hamster in the microwave. It is a true but very short tale. The hamster died and the guy was sent to jail. How many of you, however, know that one of the first microwaves ever was invented to actually heat up frozen hamsters? Okay, I said one of the first microwaves. The “official” and better known story about the invention of the microwave oven is not quite related to the one about the hamsters. The microwave oven is actually said to […]
Estimated reading time: 2 minuten
The ever expanding universe
For thousands of years, astronomers wrestled with basic questions about the size and age of the universe. The ancient Greeks recognized that it was difficult to imagine what an infinite universe might look like. But they also wondered that if the universe were finite, and you stuck out your hand at the edge, where would your hand go? When Einstein developed his theory of gravity in the General Theory of Relativity, his equations said that the universe should either be collapsing or expanding, whereas he assumed it was static. After Hubble discovered that the universe […]
Estimated reading time: 6 minuten
Are we alone in the universe?
Are we alone in the universe? A question that has occupied and fascinated human mind for generations. But with the enormous size of the universe, we can’t possibly be alone right? – Patrick Jans