Download Nature Podcast August 28, 2024
In this episode:
00:31 Chatbots make racist decisions based on dialect
Research has shown that large-scale language models, including those that power chatbots such as ChatGPT, make racist judgments based on a user's dialect. When asked to describe a person, many AI systems responded with racist stereotypes when comparing text written in African American English (a dialect spoken by millions in the United States associated with the descendants of enslaved African Americans) to text written in Standard American English. Findings indicate that such models harbor covert racism even when they do not exhibit overt racism, and that traditional fixes to address the biases of these models are ineffective at addressing this issue.
Research paper: Hoffman et al.
NEWS & OPINIONS: Law students make racist remarks when asked questions in African-American English
Nature News: Chatbot AI makes racist decisions based on dialect
07:01 How ancient engineers built megalithic structures
The 6,000-year-old Menga dolmen is a marvel of ancient engineering. Research has revealed new insights into the dolmen's structure and the technical ability of its Neolithic builders. Research has shown that a counterweight and ramp setup could have been used to place the massive sandstone blocks that make up the structure's walls into the correct position. Each block was tilted at an angle precise to the millimeter. Researchers suggest that the structure shows that the Neolithic people who built the dolmen had a practical level understanding of physics, geometry, geology and architectural principles.
Nature News: Study of 6,000-year-old monument reveals engineering knowledge of Stone Age builders
12:28 Spiders use fireflies as food
The spider Araneus ventricosus uses captured male Absocondita terminalis fireflies to lure more insects into its web. When bitten by the spider, the captured firefly's blinking pattern changes to resemble that of a female looking to mate, leading other fireflies to ambush them. It's unclear how this mechanism works, but the researchers say it's a rare example of a predator altering the behavior of its prey to catch other prey.
Science: Spiders trick male fireflies into glowing like females, luring more males to their deaths
16:35 The physics of paper
By combining experiments and theoretical research, a research team has solved the mystery of why only certain types of paper can cut human skin. According to the study, if the paper is too thin, it will bend instead of being cut, but if it is too thick, the force is distributed over a relatively wide area and will not cause damage. The study found that the best thickness for cutting is paper with a thickness of about 65 micrometers, which includes the paper used to print certain popular magazines.
Research highlight: Science and nature at work: Paper cutting
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