MIT will offer tuition-free undergraduate education to students from families earning less than \$200,000 annually, starting next fall. This covers 80% of American households.

Families earning under \$100,000 will have all education costs covered, including room and board. This is an increase from the current \$75,000 and \$140,000 thresholds.

MIT attributes this increased affordability to a growing endowment funded by alumni donations. The institute aims to attract top students regardless of their financial situation, emphasizing the value and future prospects of an MIT education.

AI, photogrammetry, and digital preservation techniques produced a detailed 3D replica of St. Peter's Basilica. Thousands of images were used to create this digital twin, allowing virtual exploration from anywhere globally.

The Basilica, a significant site of Renaissance and Baroque architecture, took over a century to build, with contributions from famous architects such as Michelangelo and Bernini. Its digital counterpart offers comprehensive access for a broader audience.

The project involved the Vatican, Iconem (a digital preservation leader), and Microsoft. Microsoft's Azure cloud platform was integral for image processing and data storage, while AI enhanced visualization and precision. The digital twin is part of the upcoming Pétros enì exhibit.

SQL queries can solve complex problems, even seemingly intractable ones. Examples include solving Sudoku puzzles and Advent of Code challenges. The core "SELECT FROM WHERE" structure offers surprising power, acting like nested loops for brute-force problem solving.

From a logical viewpoint, this core resembles conjunctive queries. Each table is a predicate, rows are bound variables, and SELECT fields are free variables. This correspondence enables building datalog engines or compiling datalog rules into SQL.

This functionality makes SQL a constraint solver. The article uses the "Send More Money" puzzle as an example, showing how a Python solution can be replicated in SQL, with the SQL version offering improved performance compared to pure Python.

Google's DeepMind and Quantum AI teams developed AlphaQubit, an AI-based decoder for quantum computers. It boasts state-of-the-art accuracy in identifying quantum computing errors, a crucial step toward reliable quantum computing.

AlphaQubit leverages a neural network architecture similar to large language models to predict qubit errors based on consistency checks. In tests, it outperformed existing methods, reducing errors by 6% compared to tensor network methods and 30% compared to correlated matching.

AlphaQubit's performance also extends to simulated quantum systems with up to 241 qubits, indicating potential for future, larger-scale quantum computers. While improvements in speed and scalability are still needed, AlphaQubit marks significant progress.

New research indicates a potential link between specific gut bacteria and the development of certain autoimmune diseases. The study suggests that imbalances in the gut microbiome may trigger or worsen conditions like multiple sclerosis.

Scientists examined gut microbial communities in individuals with and without these diseases. Differences in bacterial composition were observed, pointing to possible causal relationships.

Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore potential therapeutic interventions targeting gut microbiota to manage autoimmune diseases. This could involve probiotics or other methods to restore gut balance.

The article introduces "Pipe Viewer" (pv), a Unix command-line tool for monitoring data flow in pipelines. It provides real-time progress updates, including transfer speeds and estimated completion times. This is particularly useful for large file operations.

The article details pv's usage in various scenarios, such as compressing large files with gzip and transferring directories over a network using tar and netcat. It shows how to incorporate pv into pipelines to monitor data throughput at different stages of the process.

Installation instructions for pv are provided for various operating systems, including Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora/CentOS, macOS, and others. The article also includes multiple examples demonstrating how to use pv effectively, showcasing its versatility in managing and monitoring data transfer operations.

A recent spate of wildfires in the Northeast, including a few in New York City, is unusual for the region's typical spring fire season. The cause is attributed to an extensive drought affecting most of the region.

The number of fires reported in the Northeast this year is significantly higher than in previous years. This rise is related to extremely dry conditions, low soil moisture, and a persistent high-pressure system preventing rainfall.

Historically, the Northeast experienced frequent fires due to intentional burning by Native Americans and for other purposes. Experts suggest that modern fire suppression may contribute to the current situation, and emphasize the need for renewed land management techniques.

New research indicates a potential link between artificial sweeteners and an increased risk of cardiovascular events. Studies involving large populations showed a correlation, but more investigation is needed to confirm causality.

The observed association was noted across various types of artificial sweeteners, suggesting a broader potential impact on health. However, the exact mechanisms underlying this possible connection remain unclear.

Experts emphasize the need for further research to determine if the observed correlation translates to a direct cause-and-effect relationship. Current recommendations on artificial sweetener consumption are under review.

Microsoft launched new Azure high-performance computing (HPC) virtual machines. These use a custom AMD CPU, potentially a repurposed MI300C, boasting high memory bandwidth.

The custom CPU utilizes HBM3 memory, resulting in significantly faster performance compared to previous generations. A single VM features four of these CPUs, totaling 450GB of HBM3 and 352 Zen 4 cores.

While technically not entirely custom, this AMD CPU is exclusive to Azure. AMD suggested the MI300C may have been difficult to market widely due to the design choices necessitated by HBM3.

The article details updates to Blossom, a robot originally developed during the author's PhD. The project involved a complete platform rebuild, including a redesigned inner frame and refactored codebase, now available on GitHub as 'r0b0'. This Python library facilitates communication between hardware and software applications.

Key improvements include a more modular design inspired by Gunpla model kits, enabling easier customization. The new design utilizes improved Dynamixel XL-330 servos, offering greater capabilities and simpler 5V operation. The software also received an overhaul, utilizing a message-oriented middleware approach for enhanced interconnectivity.

The article highlights Blossom's presentation at Maker Faire, featuring refined telepresence interface and added conversational interaction with a language model. Blossom now includes accessories like glasses with an integrated camera and a “hearing aid” microphone, enhancing its interaction capabilities. Future work includes establishing Blossom as a persistent telepresence device and exploring more sophisticated language model integration.