Most People Think ChatGPT Is Conscious (A Little)

A recent survey out of the University of Waterloo in Canada has found that most people assign a non-zero capacity for feeling and experience to ChatGPT. Interestingly, they are more likely to do so the more time they have spent with little Chat. We live in interesting times. Press release here, paper here.

This episode of Science News covers hydrogen. Germany, the United States, the UK, the EU, and many other countries are looking toward hydrogen to be a clean miracle fuel to power the future. It sounds good at first, but hydrogen has a bunch of problems - one of which is that it’s highly inefficient. “The most dumb thing I could possibly imagine for energy storage” Elon Musk called it. I agree. Check out our science quizzes!

Mysterious Export Controls on Quantum Computers

New Scientist reports that multiple nations – including the U.K., France, and Canada – have suddenly introduced almost identical export restrictions on quantum computers that have more than 34 qubits. There is nothing that can be done with the currently existing computers of this size that cannot be done faster and better on conventional computers, so the purpose of this regulation is quite unclear. Most likely it is to limit the spread of technological knowledge. This comes only six months after NATO published an official “Quantum Technologies Strategy”, that lists desirable outcomes, including that “Allies have cooperated in the development of quantum technologies with a view to maintain NATO’s technological edge and Allies’ abilities in the field.” Coincidence?

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Scientists Want to Prevent Glaciers from Melting

A group of about 50 climate scientists and geoscientists have joined forces on a whitepaper that calls for active interventions to prevent glaciers from melting. The most promising methods they propose are (a) to put barriers around the borders of glaciers that float on water to prevent warm water from getting under them, and (b) drilling holes on top of glaciers to slow down the flow of meltwater. The major purpose of the whitepaper at this point is to call for further research. Read the whitepaper here.

Our podcast “Science with Sabine” is available on Spotify, Amazon, Apple, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Radio Public, and YouTube.