The Nine Realms of Universe that Make You Possible Book by astrophysicist Hakeem Oluseyi with Nils Johnson-Shelton, published in April 2026. Oluseyi’s central idea is that human existence becomes comprehensible when reality is viewed at several radically different scales. The laws governing quarks, people, stars, galaxies, and the universe appear very different, yet they areContinueContinue reading “Why Do We Exist?”
Author Archives: drrjv
Critique: Psychedelics align brain activity
Nature 656:936–947, 2026 “Psychedelics can profoundly alter consciousness by reorganizing brain connectivity, producing acute experiences that shape lasting psychological change, Psychedelic dynamics are commonly described as desynchronized or entropically disordered, yet the brain organization underlying self-dissolving and boundary-dissolving experiences that participants often report, and how context shapes that organization, remain unresolved. To address this, weContinueContinue reading “Critique: Psychedelics align brain activity”
ND Filters in Antartica?
Taking a trip to Antartica in a few months with Johan Drone Adventures and did some research with the help of Claude on the need for and use of ND filters. Drone Video For drone video: Get an ND set. Antarctica is exactly where you’ll need them. Smooth-looking video depends on keeping your shutter speed roughlyContinueContinue reading “ND Filters in Antartica?”
The Universal Raw Photo Workflow
One Universal Workflow for Literally Any RAW Photo Editor from Andy Hutchinson (Thank you, Andy!) Universal RAW Workflow.pdf Stage 1: The Prep Demosaicing Lens correction Denoising Choosing profiles and film simulations Stage 2: Light White balance and tint Exposure and histogram balance Contrast Highlights and shadows recovery White and black point setting Curves adjustments StageContinueContinue reading “The Universal Raw Photo Workflow”
When the Doctor Becomes Optional 😳
A Skeptical Read of the “AI-Alone Medicine” Argument https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2852952 There’s a comfortable consensus in medicine about artificial intelligence: the machine assists, the physician decides. The AMA even rebranded it “augmented intelligence” to keep the human firmly in charge. A recent JAMA Viewpoint by Ezekiel Emanuel and colleagues sets out to demolish that consensus. Its claimContinueContinue reading “When the Doctor Becomes Optional 😳”
Meshtastic Links
Some links to check out if you are interested in learning more about Meshtastic. Easy to use, cheap, open source method of communication when the grid goes down or there is no cell phone service. Official Meshtastic site: https://meshtastic.org Documentation: https://meshtastic.org/docs/introduction/ Cheap Meshtastic devices:SenseCAP Card Tracker T1000-E SenseCAP MeshTracker X1 (upgrade to T1000-E) Mac/iPhone/iPad/Apple Watch App:ContinueContinue reading “Meshtastic Links”
The Evidence Gap in Deep Cervical Lymphatic Procedures for Alzheimer’s
Deep cervical lymphatic-venous anastomosis is one of the more interesting failures-in-progress in recent Alzheimer’s research. Theoretically seductive, evidentially threadbare, and already the subject of a regulatory ban in the country where it originated. The theoretical case The rationale rests on the glymphatic–meningeal lymphatic clearance model: cerebrospinal and interstitial fluid carry metabolic waste, including amyloid-β andContinueContinue reading “The Evidence Gap in Deep Cervical Lymphatic Procedures for Alzheimer’s”
‘The Odyssey’ : The Movie of Our Time
Summarized and critiqued from Ezra Klein’s article: Christopher Nolan’s Trojan Horse Tricks are central to “The Odyssey” and Odysseus is a trickster. He is described, in the first line of the story, as the man of many ways or of many wiles or of many turns. He is, depending on the translator, an ingenious man,ContinueContinue reading “‘The Odyssey’ : The Movie of Our Time”
Psilocybin’s Lasting Impact
How a Single Dose May Rewire the Brain for Weeks A growing body of research is reshaping how scientists understand psychedelics, not as fleeting, mind-altering experiences, but as catalysts for longer-term biological change. Two recent studies offer compelling evidence that psilocybin, the active compound in “magic mushrooms,” may alter brain communication patterns and immune signalingContinueContinue reading “Psilocybin’s Lasting Impact”
Run an LLM on your iPhone
Check out Bonsai (27B) and Gemma 4 using the Locally AI by LM Studio App on your iPhone 😎 Both run in Locally AI on an iPhone 17 Pro, but they’re built for different jobs, so the “winner” depends on what you’re doing. TL:DR – Bonsai is the stronger pick for reasoning and code; GemmaContinueContinue reading “Run an LLM on your iPhone”
Dr Bob, Brain Mechanic 