| Date | Topic | | |
| Jan 3, 2024 | We Will Have a Syncing Feeling: Using applications and files across platforms - a forum (Drew King, lead) chat messages | | |
| Jan 10, 2024 | LIDAR mapping with Dale Fried of 3DEO, hosted by Dan Kleppner chat messages . watch the presentation
For more information on the company and its technology, visit the 3DEO website at https://3deolidar.com/ and their YouTube Channel | | |
| Jan 17, 2024 | Unifying Nature’s Laws: The State of String Theory. | | |
| Jan 24, 2024 | Videos played:
How does Starlink Satellite Internet Work?
Bill Gates talking with Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy, about AI transforming education | | |
| Jan 31, 2024 | potpourri: Feynman: Fun to Imagine (67min) followed by luncheon at Bamboo in Bedford | | |
| Feb 7, 2024 | Space Update (George Gamota) chat messages | | |
| Feb 14, 2024 | Nifty Smartphone apps. Like Seek; Shazam; Pedometer; etc. chat messages | | |
| Feb 21, 2024 | Nifty Smartphone Apps Part 2 chat messages | | |
| Feb 28, 2024 | More neat apps for phones and computers – and more (Adam Broun)
* several interesting apps from the useful to the idiotic: Authy (2-factor authentication); Arc Search (Browser with summarization); Windy (weather in depth); Rise (Sourdough baking); Can of Soup (silly pictures)
* Self-hosting, moving services away from Google and Apple to resources you can control yourself: Proxmox (virtual machines); OPNSense (router); Home Assistant (Home automation); Photoprism (photo management); NextCloud (file sharing and collaboration)
List of self-hosted apps: https://github.com/awesome-selfhosted/awesome-selfhosted, Self hosted forum: https://www.reddit.com/r/selfhosted
slides chat messages | | |
| Mar 6, 2024 | potpourri
* "Watchroom", a short film by Noah Wagner on AI and Robotics. It'll make you think. (Dick Wagner)
* Android Apps (Drew) – continuing our topic of Interesting Apps from previous weeks. watch the presentation chat messages | | |
| Mar 13, 2024 | Sleep Deprivation (John Rudy) watch the presentation slides
What is Passkey and how does it work as compared to Passwords (Steve Isenberg) watch the presentation [ notes on passkey used during presentation ]
chat messages | | |
| Mar 20, 2024 | 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine: mRNA (Harry Forsdick & Dick Wagner) watch the presentation
slides chat messages
The link to videos in the slides may not work; here are the links to videos included in the presentation:
How mRNA Vaccines Work
mRNA Vaccines Questions and Misconceptions
Announcement of the prize
TED talk, how mRNA medicine will change the world, Melissa J. Moore | | |
| Mar 27, 2024 | How the MIT museum has restructured itself to a Technology gateway to MIT
Moving and rediscovering the MIT Museum collection (4m) and Tour of the MIT Museum (49m) chat messages | | |
| Apr 3, 2024 | “The Science & Lore of Eclipses – Shadows in Space” a Road Scholar lecture chat messages | | |
| Apr 10, 2024 | 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine - mRNA - Part 2 | | |
| Apr 17, 2024 | Richard Feynman Lecture: "Los Alamos From Below" (1h18m) | | |
| Apr 24, 2024 | GASP Planning session (Gigantic Allhands Scheduling and Planning) chat messages | | |
| May 1, 2024 | Five Levels of Difficulty Day. Five levels of difficulty on:
Time: Brian Greene explains Time in 5 levels of difficulty
Wormholes: Wormholes Explained - Breaking Spacetime
CRISPR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sweN8d4_MUgBiologist Explains CRISPR in 5 Levels of Difficulty
PickPocketing: 9 levels of pick-pocketing, easy to complex, from Wired mag
chat messages | | |
| May 8, 2024 | Inflammation Unmasked: Insights into its Physiology, Detection, and Treatment. (Jerry Harris, Rheumatologist)
slides . chat messages . watch the presentation | | |
| May 15, 2024 | Spacecraft Technology, the Design of the International Space Station, and Comparison of Technology in Spacecraft Over Time. Presented by Dr. Gary H Kitmacher from NASA Johnson Space Center. chat messages . watch the presentation | | |
| May 22, 2024 | Potpourri: Check Washing 101
Your favorite apps and websites. Follow-up to meeting 2/14 slides
Eclipse photos (TedK) 15m [link to Ted's pictures - coming soon] | | |
| May 29, 2024 | Oppenheimer and the Institute for Advanced Study, presented by Dan Kleppner watch the presentation chat messages | | |
| June 5, 2024 | Selected talk(s) from Google | | |
| June 12, 2024 | Materials and Medicine - talk by Robert Langer, a replay of his presentation at Cary Library on May 28th.
Retro Technology: examples, how it/they work, how to use. Sliderule, rotary telephone, abacus, etc. | | |
| June 19, 2024 | 5G and 6G: 10-fold increase in top internet speeds. (TedK & BobP) 5G slides . chat messages | | |
| June 26, 2024 | YouTube topics on Quantum Mechanics: Sabina and others. (BarryK) Videos shown:
Don't fall for quantum hype
The Quantum Hype Bubble Is About To Burst
Quantum Computing with Light: The Breakthrough?
Quantum Computers cross 1000 Qubits Threshold! What does this mean?
It looks like AI will kill Quantum Computing
Bad News for Quantum Computing: Another Advantage Gone
Quantum Internet: No One Needs This
How to Detect Quantum Bullshit | | |
| July 3, 2024 | Potpourri
Considerations and specifications for your next computer slides . chat messages | | |
| July 10, 2024 | GASP Planning session (Gigantic Allhands Scheduling and Planning) | | |
| July 17, 2024 | Development of the Abiocor total artificial heart (Alan Millner)
The Abiocor total artificial heart developed by Abiomed, is an electro-hydraulic device implanted in a patient with the original damaged heart removed. It is self-contained with no tether to hospital equipment. chat messages . slides . watch the presentation | | |
| July 24, 2024 | Fusion Update (TedK) watch the presentation | | |
| July 31, 2024 | Old Technology 1968-1994 (JohnRudy) watch the presentation . chat messages . slides | | |
| August 7, 2024 | Bob Metcalfe talk: Connectivity is the Thing chat messages | | |
| August 14, 2024 | WinGet - Windows Package Manager (Drew) | | |
| August 21, 2024 | Several Tech-for-Seniors episodes. Will be useful/interesting even if you're not old enough to be a “senior”. Ep 170A 6/17/2024 Hackers, Duck Duck Go, and more Ep 176A 7/29/2024 Screenshot on Chromebook, Snopes, Trackers | | |
| August 28, 2024 | Euclid Telescope (JerryS) chat messages watch the presentation | | |
| September 4, 2024 | Potpourri
* Bringing back the dead (info JohnR found)
* JerryS Covid vaccination update chat messages Watch the Covid presentation Meeting Summary | | |
| September 11, 2024 | Quantum Computing (Vladan Vuletic, Dept. of Physics, MIT)
Are quantum computers possible? And if yes, what will we be able to do with them (and when can I buy one)? Vladan will discuss the state of the art in quantum computing, with particular focus on neutral-atom quantum computing based on atoms in Rydberg states. watch the presentation Meeting Summary | | |
| September 18, 2024 | Claude Shannon - Father of Information Theory and Father of the Information Age (George Gamota)
30 minute overview 60 minute MIT lecture by Bob Gallagher
Claude Shannon Tricks for Creative Problem Solving | | |
| September 25, 2024 | GASP Planning session (Gigantic Allhands Scheduling and Planning) chat messages | | |
| October 2, 2024 | IgNoble 2024 Meeting Summary | | |
| October 9, 2024 | In light of the announcement of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics, we will present videos of the recipients Geoffrey Hinton and John Hopfield: “The Godfather in Conversation: Why Geoffrey Hinton is worried about the future of AI” and “Emergence, dynamics, and behaviour - John Hopfield” | | |
| October 16, 2024 | Tech for Seniors (selected topics appropriate for our group) Meeting Summary | | |
| October 23, 2024 | Potpourri
TedK and his smart bowl of jelly
video: the genius of the quantum navigation breakthrough Meeting Summary | | |
| October 30, 2024 | How QR Codes Work, and Intel and Drone “Fireworks” and more in the sky chat messages . Meeting Summary | | |
| November 6, 2024 | OBS Studio (Drew)
Using Artificial Intelligence in Programming, such as Javascript in Web Pages (English to Code) (Harry) chat messages . Meeting Summary | | |
| November 13, 2024 | Passkeys and Related Technologies. Starting with a little background on PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) as well as discussing the various ways that people authenticate themselves to websites, best practices and risks including the use of password managers, 2FA (two factor authentication), SMS (Short Message Service: cellphone text messaging) codes, etc, and how passkeys fit into all of this. (Seth Silverman) chat messages . Meeting Summary
Videos Seth showed:
* How to make passwords more secure 3m
* What is PKI (Public Key Infrastructure)? 9m
* SSL, TLS, HTTPS Explained 6m
* Why you should turn on two factor authentication 8m
* FIDO promises a life without passwords 10m
* Passwords vs Passkeys: FIDO bites back 11m | | |
| November 20, 2024 | An impromptu potpourri.
First three are products Steve has found useful
* 1TB SSD
* iPhone charging magnetic car mount
* 4-USB port car cigarette adapter
Videos shown to the group
* Cardboard drone used in Ukraine
* Ideal Husband (short)
* Lexington drone show (short)
* What it really means
chat messages . (no summary was generated) | | |
| December 4, 2024 | GASP Planning session (Gigantic Allhands Scheduling and Planning) | | |
| December 11, 2024 | Inspiring the next generation: Women’s Technology Program in Mechanical Engineering at M.I.T. (Barbara Hughey)
watch the presentation . Meeting Summary slides | | |
| December 18, 2024 | Tuberculosis in the 1800s and how it applies to today (JerryS) watch the presentation | | |
| January 8, 2025 | Dick Wagner on Sociobiology
Talk based on Sociobiology (The New Synthesis) by Edward O. Wilson © 1975 watch the presentation . chat messages . Meeting Summary . slides | | |
| January 15, 2025 | Potpourri
Continuation of Sociobiology slides . watch the presentation
Elon Musk's optimistic views of the future . Meeting Summary | | |
| January 22, 2025 | Practical Fusion Power Update and Challenges: breeding and handling Tritium (TedK)
Meeting Summary . watch the presentation | | |
| January 29, 2025 | Potpourri. Egg Drop from Space (Mark Rober) . How does a computer mouse work? (12m) . Astrophysicist Explains Gravity in 5 Levels of Difficulty | | |
| February 5, 2025 | Sabine Hossenfelder day
Videos we watched: Did DeepSeek burst the AI bubble or will the Stargate Project make it worse?
AI Super Agents are coming. Allegedly. What does this mean? . The Case for String Theory Just Got Stronger
How close is the bird flu to human transmission? Status update. . Is the Universe Infinite or Finite?
What is “gravitic propulsion” and could the US government hide it? | | Barry |
| February 12, 2025 | Modular Nuclear Reactors (MNRs). These are being developed to supplement the production of electricity for the coming energy-hungry data centers. (George W Griffith PhD from Idaho National Laboratory, part of Department of Energy)slides . Paper on status of SMR . Meeting Summary | | JerryS |
| February 19, 2025 | Potpourri, showing: Time travel in fiction (8m) How time travel is possible (9m)
The time travel paradox you never heard of (10m) New office math (1m)
Why can't anything go faster than the speed of light? History of speed of light part II (12m)
The best and worst ways to board a plane (9m) Solving the three-body problem (16m) Large and small views (3m) . chat messages | | |
| February 26, 2025 | Curated interesting video shorts, including Hossenfelder & Veritasium. Videos presented and discussed:
(25m) What if all the world's biggest problems have the same solution? (Vertasium)
(7m) What Everyone Gets Wrong about AI (Hossenfelder)
(35m) The problem with Sabine Hossenfelder
Meeting Summary . chat messages | | |
| March 5, 2025 | GASP planning session | | |