Odds and Ends #61: Fake Woolly Mammoths

Plus why intelligence is social, Land Registry open data, and some completely invisible VFX

Photo by April Pethybridge on Unsplash

Hello! It’s time for Odds and Ends, your round up of the most interesting links I’ve seen this week – along with some shorter takes.

This week, I’m featuring:

• How AI doesn’t capture the social aspects of human decision making

• Why scientists are lying to you about recreating the woolly mammoth

• Exciting open data news from the Land Registry

• What recent film had a tonne of invisible CGI enhancements

• And some brilliant NIMBY-vanquishing action from a London pub.

But first, a couple of reminders!

Firstly, on March 25th, I’ll be speaking to the excellent Anya Martin about housing politics and how the YIMBY movement has been so damn effective over the last few years. You can find out more details and buy tickets here.

And secondly, don’t forget to go back and read this week’s epic big esssay on the government’s digital plans, if you missed it.

I’m delighted to say that the piece has gone down well, and appears to have been widely read inside government. So I just wanted to welcome new subscribers from the corridors of power – don’t forget I always enjoy receiving emails about the cool stuff that you’re working on!

Now let’s get on with the links.