HackerNews Summary (2023-05-21 08AM)

Source: Ask HN: What are your favorite sci-fi books?

Summary
Looking for sci-fi recommendations after enjoying Seveneves.

Facts

📖 Seveneves is a science fiction novel by Neal Stephenson.

🚀 The term “science fiction” was first used in the 1850s.

🏆 The Hugo Award is one of the most prestigious awards for science fiction literature.

👽 H.G. Wells is often referred to as the “father of science fiction.”

📚 Some great sci-fi books include Dune by Frank Herbert, Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.

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Source: PGP signatures on PyPI: worse than useless

Summary
A significant number of PGP signatures on PyPI are meaningless because no one verifies them. Many are generated from weak keys or poorly-formed certificates, showing widespread GPG and other PGP misuse encouraged by poor defaults and opaque interfaces.

Facts

🔒 Many PGP signatures on PyPI don’t serve a security purpose.

🐛 Many signers use weak keys and malformed certificates.

👎 The PGP ecosystem has poor defaults and unfriendly interfaces.

🙈 Users mostly don’t verify the PGP signatures.

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Source: Thermal transfer compound comparison

Summary
A comparison of thermal transfer compounds found that most varieties of thermal grease, from cheap, basic models to more expensive exotic varieties, work about the same. The only significant difference is the conducting properties of the compound, with those containing more thermally conductive particles outperforming standard grease.

Facts

💸 Cheap thermal grease works just as well as the more expensive varieties.

🔥 Thermal grease with more thermally conductive particles is more effective than just plain grease.

💧 The best technique is to apply the grease sparingly.

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Source: The U.S. is expanding CO2 pipelines. One poisoned town wants you to know its story

Summary
The carbon dioxide pipeline rupture in Satartia, Mississippi in 2020, which left 45 people hospitalized and more than 200 evacuated, serves as a warning about possible dangers of expanding U.S. carbon dioxide pipeline network, which can now balloon up to more than 65,000 miles in the next few decades due to carbon capture plans and incentives. Safety advocates and community residents worry about the current gaps in federal regulation and pipeline safety.

Fact

💨 The expected growth in CO2 pipelines is to manage statewide carbon capture and storage processes

🌡️ Carbon dioxide can’t be stored where it’s captured and may need to be sent to underground locations which can be states away

🔬 ExxonMobil and Chevron pushed higher tax credits for carbon capture in the 2020 climate legislation

🛢️ The government is investing over $10 billion in carbon capture technology through a combination of grants, loans, and tax credits

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Source: The DRAKON Language

Summary
DRAKON is a visual language used to represent algorithms, processes, and procedures used in the aerospace industry. It has unique features like the skewer and silhouette that make it superior to other visual languages. DRAKON can also be used in other areas, such as medical algorithms and business procedures.

Fact

🚀 DRAKON was created to capture software requirements for spacecraft control systems.

💼 DRAKON helps business people organize processes in their companies.

📐 Only straight lines and right angles are allowed in DRAKON diagrams.

🛠️ It is best to use a specialized tool like DrakonHub for editing DRAKON flowcharts.

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