AI’s Overlooked Pioneers, the Oldest War Memorial, and Cooling with Salt

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The Point:

• Japanese Contributions to AI Research: Despite Hopfield and Hinton's Nobel recognition, Japanese pioneers like Shun’ichi Amari and Kunihiko Fukushima made foundational contributions to neural network research. Amari's early work on adaptive pattern classification anticipated backpropagation, while Fukushima developed the first multilayer convolutional neural network, now central to deep learning.

• Human-Centric AI Approach: Fukushima's research focused on understanding biological processes, aiming to simulate human brain functions rather than merely scaling AI with large datasets. This "human science" approach contrasted with mainstream AI trends, emphasizing diversity and accessibility, particularly for the elderly and disabled.

• Revisiting AI’s Historical Narrative: Current AI histories are predominantly North Atlantic-centric, overlooking contributions from Japan and other regions during AI’s so-called “winter.” A broader, global perspective on AI history could inspire alternative approaches to understanding and controlling AI technologies, mitigating challenges like the "black box" problem.

The Point:

• Oldest known war memorial: A 4,300-year-old pyramid-shaped burial mound in Syria may be the earliest example of a monument honoring fallen warriors.

• Structured reburial: Researchers believe the site involved a respectful reburial of older remains from battlefields or cemeteries, with evidence suggesting some were soldiers and wagoneers.

• Rediscovered meaning: Originally excavated decades ago, the site's purpose as a war memorial was only recently understood through renewed analysis by the original team.

The Point:

• How salt cools: Some salts, like ammonium nitrate, absorb heat when dissolving in water—an endothermic process that pulls energy from the surroundings and lowers temperature.

• Solar-powered setup: Researchers developed an off-grid cooling system using a metal cup and polystyrene box, where salt dissolution rapidly dropped the temperature without electricity.

• Reusable and eco-friendly: The system stores solar energy in salt crystals and can be reused by recollecting water, offering a green cooling option for hot, sun-rich regions.