HackerNews Summary (2023-04-30 12AM)

Source: Why Are Lithium Prices Collapsing?

Summary
After enjoying massive growth from 2020 to 2022, along with a surge in demand primarily from China’s electric vehicle (EV) boom, the price of lithium has spectacularly crashed back down to earth by nearly 47%, a reversal attributed both to reduced EV sales and no evidence of the renewal of EV subsidies in the Chinese market.

Fact

💰 The total spot value of lithium consumption rose from around $3bn in 2020 to $35bn in 2022.

📉 The price of lithium carbonate, which is used to produce lithium hydroxide contained in EV batteries, fell nearly 47% from mid-November 2022 highs of CNY597,500 per tonne to CNY319,500 per tonne by March 17.

🇨🇳 Sales of new-energy cars, which include pure battery EVs and plug-in hybrids, fell in January 2023 by 6.3% YoY to 408,000 units in China, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

---

Source: SpaceX Rocket Struggled to Self-Destruct as It Spun Out of Control

Summary
SpaceX’s Starship rocket generated a rock tornado and multiple engines failed during its maiden flight before exploding 40 seconds later, Elon Musk said in a Twitter audio chat on Saturday. Despite this, Musk said the flight was successful.

Fact

🚀 Starship generated a “rock tornado” at launch

🔥 Multiple engines failed as Starship headed upwards

🤸 Starship somersaulted out of control

💥 Starship finally exploded 40 seconds after an automated self-destruct command

🧐 Test was successful in terms of gathering data

---

Source: ChatGPT / GPT-4 seems to suddenly be malfunctioning

Summary
The user subscribed to ChatGPT/GPT-4 for code writing assistance, but the AI is now malfunctioning by forgetting its previous output and generating new code or getting stuck.

Facts

🤖 ChatGPT/GPT-4 is an AI-powered code writing assistant.

😕 The AI is malfunctioning by forgetting previous output and generating new code or getting stuck.

🆘 The user is seeking help from any OpenAI person to find out what’s wrong with the system.

---