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How Satoshi Nakamoto and Vitalik Buterin Inspired Key Parts of Celestia - CoinDesk

Layer 1s July 10, 2024, 8:16AM EDT Published 1 minute earlier on

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin is advocating for the Ethereum network to be more prepared for the hypothetical case of censorship under a 51% attack.

This is the thing Im advocating we do more research on and we build, he said in a keynote speech at ETHCC in Brussels.

Buterin was considering the notion of a 51% attack, a state where more Ethereum blocks are being produced by a malicious actor (or multiple working in coordination) than by honest actors. He argued that one of the biggest concerns is that this could result in censorship on the network.

A potential response to such an attack, he said, would be for honest validators to move to a fork of the chain. The current plan would largely rely on social consensus, with community members working together to agree on a fork.

However, Buterin argued that it would be better if the network was more prepared for such a response. He said that it would be good for this response to be largely automated and planned out in advance.

"We want to make the response to 51% attacks be something that is as automated as possible. So if you are a validator then your node should run software, which, if it detects transactions are being censored or some validators are being censored or it's being censored it will automatically counter-censor the majority chain and all honest nodes will just automatically, as a result of code that theyre running, coordinate on the same minority software," he said.

Buterin acknowledged that it would be impossible to get 100% of the network to automatically move to a fork as there are a lot of limitations. But he said: The closer you can get to this, then the more we get to a situation where the amount of effort that social consensus needs to do is much lower.

He said the technological layer at the very least needs to present one obvious winning candidate for a soft fork that the community can rally around if it needs to move away from a censoring chain.

Buterin also argued for increased adoption of light clients across Ethereum's infrastructure layer, particularly including wallets. He said they should also support the verification of zk-EVMs, providing further support for Layer 2 networks.

He also addressed the issue of quantum resistance. He noted that this is a pending concern for the Ethereum blockchain. However, he argued that the network has four elements that are at risk Merkle trees, consensus signatures, blobs and user accounts but that each have their own solutions.

Beyond this, he pushed for further protocol simplification to make things easier for developers and users.

Disclaimer: The Block is an independent media outlet that delivers news, research, and data. As of November 2023, Foresight Ventures is a majority investor of The Block. Foresight Ventures invests in other companies in the crypto space. Crypto exchange Bitget is an anchor LP for Foresight Ventures. The Block continues to operate independently to deliver objective, impactful, and timely information about the crypto industry. Here are our current financial disclosures.

2023 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

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Vitalik Buterin pushes for Ethereum to respond to 51% attacks in a more automated way - The Block

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has come under fire over a new controversial subject he waded into recently. As an outspoken nerd, one of the commenters on his post about COVID-19 has advised him to stick to core blockchain subjects.

The conversation started when the Ethereum innovator posted a photo of him on X with a special face mask. He said while the world needs to do more to clean up indoor air, he gave a thumbs up to a face mask innovator Zhou Liangs Mask.

The face mask essentially measures C02 in the immediate surroundings. It is also designed to protect the user from inhaling the bad air in the environment. It also helps detect the COVID-19 variants in atmosphere which to Buterin has continued to evolve. Despite the positive intention from Vitalik Buterin, he got canceled out by the community.

One user asked how this conversation will help the industry as a whole. This statement possibly stemmed from the global disparity and reception of COVID-19 vaccines. However, Vitalik Buterin has a deep interest in COVID-19 amelioration.

As reported by Coingape, the Ethereum founder once donated up to $1.2 billion in Shiba Inu and other tokens to COVID-19 non-profit in India. This donation comes off as one of the many attempts to find solution to real world problem by Buterin.

He is known to withdraw funds from some of his public addresses to fund research ventures. In the controversial thread on X, he hinted that researchers working to keep COVID-19 strains under do not get enough support. This suggests he might likely consider funding some of these startups or founders.

Besides his core support for cryptocurrencies, Vitalik Buterin is also interested in innovations that better human life in general. Beside public health, he is also known to publicly advocate for privacy, especially on general-use social media platforms.

He has also joined the call on developers to properly anchor the use cases for memecoins for the greater good.

Read More: Vitalik Buterin Proposes Requirements For Meme Coin Dominance

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Vitalik Buterin Faces Community Rage Over COVID-19 Post - CoinGape

Mustafa Al-Bassam, cofounder of Celestia, shares his most vivid stories of his early days of hacking, the next steps for Celestia, and what hes cautious about.

Posted July 12, 2024 at 9:00 am EST.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Mustafa Al-Bassam was a teenage hacktivist who outsmarted a US government contractor, shamed the Westboro Baptist Church, hacked Sony a record number of times, and eventually got arrestedthough his 80 transgressions got halved for a funny reason.

At the Modular Summit in Brussels, Laura had a fireside chat with Mustafa to discuss how he went from his teenage years as the head of LulzSec and member of Anonymous to founding Celestia, a project aiming to solve key issues in blockchain scalability by going with a modular approach.

He also discussed data availability sampling, why he believes Celestia has achieved significant product-market fit since its launch, and the three key components of Celestias road map.

Show highlights:

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How Satoshi Nakamoto and Vitalik Buterin Inspired Key Parts of Celestia - Unchained

At the Ethereum Community Conference, the co-founder of the cryptocurrency, Vitalik Buterin, gave a keynote speech regarding its strengths and weaknesses. He began by highlighting the strength of the Ethereum ecosystem, describing it as large and reasonably decentralised, and highlighting the range of these applications that shows Ethereums versatility.

Buterin mentioned that Ethereums weaknesses still need to be addressed. The co-founder is known for openly discussing the cryptocurrencys weaknesses despite its numerous successes.

Among the more prominent weaknesses is Ethereums usability, which renders the network incredibly complicated for non-experts and discouraging for new users. He pushed for simplifying the existing protocol to ease things for developers and users alike.

Furthermore, Buterin noted that solo staking is still very difficult as the current process requires 32 ETH before one can become a validator in addition to the complicated process of running a node. However, he reassured the crowd that these issues are very addressable.

He also advocated for preparedness in the hypothetical case of a 51% attack and stated that his biggest concern is that it could result in network censorship. He admitted that developing a solution for this is not as simple as it depends on a lot of assumptions around coordination, ideology, and various other things, and its not clear how to do something like that as well in 10 years.

However, he proposed that increasing the quorum threshold from 75% to 80% can help prevent difficulties in the network recovering from attacks when the chain finalises.

We want to make the response to 51% attacks be as automated as possible, Buterin stated. Essentially, if a validator or transaction is censored, it will counter-censor the majority chain, and all honest nodes will coordinate on the same minority software.

Vitalik Buterin presented an honest and unbiased representation of Ethereums current state while proferring solutions to certain issues through various technological innovations.

For example, to address Ethereums scalability issues, Vitalik stated that a solution lies in shards, which will allow for the division of workload among parallel chains. He also stated that continuous research will be conducted to improve and address security concerns.

To round up his speech, he stressed the value of doubling down on strengths while still recognising and fixing any inadequacies.

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Vitalik Explores Ethereums Strengths and Weaknesses at ETHCC - CoinJournal

In our exceedingly fast-paced society, it can be challenging to exist in any state other than doing mode. Even when we think were resting, are we really?

Think about it when did you last create some space in your day to put down your to-do list, your phone or turn off the television and simply be with yourself in the present moment?

Its not easy, but it seems more of us are trying to do this by practicing techniques, such as meditation. According to Statista, the global meditation apps market is estimated to reach $7.09 billion by 2028. A 2017 survey conducted in the United States found that the percentage of adults practicing some form of meditation tripled between 20122017.

There are many different ways to meditate, which can make defining what meditation is a challenge. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says that the term meditation refers to a variety of practices that focus on mind and body integration and are used to calm the mind and enhance overall well-being. Meditation has inspired many scientific studies over recent decades, with researchers increasingly eager to pinpoint if and how these ancient techniques can deliver such benefits in modern-day life.

In this article, we explore some of the latest research on meditation, the brain and well-being.

Our global population is aging in a society that presents a myriad of challenges and complexities, all of which carry the potential to adversely impact our physical and psychological well-being. Could practicing long-term meditation help?

That was the question fueling a recent randomized, controlled clinical study co-led by University College London (UCL) scientists. This trial, lasting 18 months, is the longest randomized meditation training study conducted to date.

It is increasingly crucial to understand how we can support older adults in maintaining and deepening their psychological well-being, said Dr. Marco Schlosser, honorary research fellow at UCLs Division of Psychiatry and the studys lead author. We tested whether long-term meditation training can enhance important dimensions of well-being. Our findings suggest that meditation is a promising non-pharmacological approach to support human flourishing in late life.

One hundred and thirty-seven healthy individuals aged 6584 years in Caen, France, were assigned to either an 18-month meditation training program, an English language training program of the same duration or a passive control group with no training.

The meditation program consisted of a nine-month mindfulness module followed by a nine-month loving kindness and compassion module. Often used interchangeably, mindfulness meditation refers to a type of meditation that encourages the practitioner to experience a state of mindfulness, which is the presence of the current moment without judgment.

These modules were delivered in various formats: weekly group sessions that were two hours long, a retreat day and daily home practice sessions that were 20 minutes in length. All participants were assessed at a baseline visit, mid-intervention at 9 months and post-intervention at 18 months.

Credit: iStock.

Schlosser and colleagues collected self-report data on several measures of well-being in the study, including the Psychological Well-Being Scale and the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-BREF Assessment. They also collected data on participants experiences of awareness, connection and insight.

In the context of this study, awareness refers to undistracted attention to our thoughts, feelings and surroundings, while connection denotes feelings of respect, gratitude and kinship. Insight describes self-knowledge and understanding how our thoughts or feelings can contribute and shape our perception.

The 18-month meditation training was superior to English training on changes in awareness, connection, insight and global scores (comprising awareness, connection and insight) and superior to no-intervention only on changes in awareness and global scores, the authors said.

While long-term meditation training induced changes in awareness, connection and insight, it was not associated with higher scores on the Psychological Well-Being Scale, nor the WHOQOL-BREF Assessment compared to the English language training or control groups. The researchers question whether these measures accurately capture the depth of human flourishing that long-term meditation training could bring.

As with many studies in the realm of psychological well-being, the study is limited by its reliance on self-report data, which is sensitive to biases. The research team also highlighted that the sample, being well-educated, healthy participants that were recruited from one geographical location, is not necessarily representative of the general population.

Mindfulness has been linked to improved sleep, but how and why remains unclear.

Researchers at the University of South Florida (USF) sought to explore this further, focusing on employee well-being specifically and drawing from a theory known as emotion regulation. A simple definition of emotional regulation is that it describes an individuals ability to influence which emotions they have and when. The study is published in Health Psychology.

Led by Dr. Claire Smith, assistant professor of psychology at USF, the research group followed two independent cohorts of nurses (144 in total) over two weeks in the United States. Nurses were selected as the study population because they typically experience disrupted sleep patterns and are subjected to high-stress environments.

We know that good sleep restores us physically and psychologically, and it keeps us happier, safer and even more ethical at work. We wanted to explore which aspects of sleep are influenced by mindfulness and why, Smith said.

Participants were required to complete a survey three times a day which explored their state and trait mindfulness, and how much time they spent fixated on negative thoughts. Quality of sleep data was recorded through self-report methods and actigraphy data the following morning.

The study findings suggest that being mindful helped nurses reduce negative emotions and the amount of time spent ruminating. For instance, if you got a negative performance review at work, you might choose to shift your focus from negative thoughts of how you have failed and are incompetent to positive thoughts of what you did right and how you can grow, Smith said.

This, in turn, is associated with better sleep quality. Our research suggests that day-to-day mindful attention may help people regulate their emotions in a way that promotes their sleep quality. Particularly for those in high-stress occupations, like health care workers examined here, mindfulness may be helpful in daily maintenance of emotional well-being and sleep health, the authors said.

Smith and colleagues hope that future research on mindfulness confronts not only big picture results like sleep or productivity, but also how we handle emotions.

Research shows that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) can be effective at helping individuals manage symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, a key barrier to the study of MBIs and their clinical implementation is time they typically require several weeks of commitment from participants to complete.

Professor Michael J Telch and colleagues at the University of Texas at Austin recently devised a mindfulness-based single-session intervention (SSI), which is designed to overcome this barrier and improve the accessibility of MBIs. Telch and colleagues recently conducted a randomized clinical trial, recruiting 91 participants, which evaluated the effects of this intervention on self-perceptions of loneliness, stress, depression and anxiety.

Preliminary research suggests SSIs may reduce anxiety, stress and improve mental well-being in nonclinical samples, the authors said. Further, research suggests single-session mindfulness-based interventions may reduce negative affectivity (e.g., depression, rumination, anxiety, stress).

To date, only one clinical trial has evaluated the effectiveness of an SSI on loneliness, which became increasingly prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic when the study was conducted.

The 91 participants (60.44% female) were randomized to receive either a one-hour mindfulness-only telephone intervention, a one-hour randomized mindfulness and compassion intervention, or were placed on a one-week waitlist to form a control group.

Credit: iStock.

Those assigned to the mindfulness and compassion intervention were taught a third skill related to compassion [] Participants were instructed to think of a person, place, object, or spiritual or religious figure that consistently evokes feelings of warmth, love, kindness or whatever compassion feels like to them. They were encouraged to focus their attention on any sensations that arose after evoking this feeling, the authors said.

A variety of scales were used to evaluate perceived levels of loneliness, stress, anxiety and depression at one-week follow-ups. Data analysis revealed that, compared to the waitlist control group, the inclusion of a compassionate element in the SSI led to meaningful reductions in perceived levels of stress, anxiety and depression after one week, as described by the authors.

The researchers believe that SSIs offer an approach that could be easily adopted in a wide range of contexts, but further research is required to evaluate whether changes in self-reported symptoms are maintained for long durations of time.

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The Latest Research News on Meditation, Well-Being and the Brain - Technology Networks

Many CEOs feel the pressure to be constantly available and connected. How do you set boundaries? What routines or habits do you have that help you disconnect from work?

I used to feel the pressure to be constantly connected and had the urge to reply to every single message or email as soon as possible. Over the years, I have learned to take a break from external stimulation and enjoy the present with myself. It can be a short break to read a book or do my daily meditation practice. For me, I have daily gym routines and I set time aside to read and meditate to seek clarity about life.

I also plan to make time every year for a ten-day silent meditation camp, which I attended in January 2024. It was my first silent meditation camp experience with no phone, no talking (not even eye contact) and no reading/journaling. I had the 10 days just to be with myself and look inwards to feel and observe. Though still amateur, it made me realise how important it is to be present and be mindful about your emotions and feelings without reaction. My mind became sharper and I became calmer after the whole experience.

What other aspects are important for sustainable leadership?

Personally, I find it very important to have fellow entrepreneur friends who can support one another in life. It makes you realise that you are not alone and things will be fine even when the current situation does not meet our expectations. I am also very grateful for people who voluntarily offer help to me as mentors or advisors. I have learnt from them enormously on both a personal and professional front.

Besides friendship and mentorship, having hobbies or passions outside of work is very important for me. I occasionally coach people as a personal trainer. The experience is very fulfilling and offers a good distraction from work stress.

Continuous learning and personal growth are vital for sustainable leadership. What are some ways you invest in your own development amidst your busy schedule?

Personally, I take continuous learning and personal growth very seriously and they are key sources of happiness to me. I invest time in holistic growth, meaning in mind, body and soul. A well-balanced personal growth keeps your ego in check and makes you a humble human being.

I have a daily gym routine, where I will try to improve my power lifting performance or enhance functionality of various parts of my body. I also try to allocate time for reading and meditation daily. These practices have become habits over the years.

Besides my routines, I occasionally register for courses to achieve certifications in my serious hobbies such as the ACE Personal Trainer certification and Precision Nutrition: Nutrition Coaching certification. The knowledge I have learned has been beneficial to myself and people around me. I have also made friends in the fitness community for sharing and learning.

See also: Fengru Lin on making time for movement, bonding over burning off leeches, and optimising exercise for longevity

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Jane Wang on the impact of a ten-day silent meditation camp - Tatler Taiwan

Weekly Vipassana mediation sessions are 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Sundays at Art at the Cave, 108 E. Evergreen Blvd., Vancouver. This type of meditation encourages self-observation by focusing on the inner self in a non-judgmental way. Theres a $1 to $10 suggested donation to participate but no one will be turned away.

Originally posted here:

Weekly Insight Meditation at Art at the Cave Gallery - events.columbian.com

Saturday, July 13, 2024, 11 a.m. to noon

5059 Newport Avenue, San Diego, 92107

Age Limit: 18+ Cost: Free - $20

Curated stories, fun places to hang out and top events. Dont miss out.

Curated stories, fun places to hang out and top events. Dont miss out.

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Meditation, Awareness & Awakening - San Diego Reader

Photo courtesy of Flint Sparks

Just sitting or sitting Zen is the English translation of the word Zazen. Zazen meditation comes from the Buddhist tradition and allows for the transformation of the mind in a simple, seated posture.

Molokai residents have an opportunity to experience Zazen meditation at weekly classes by Koko Kawauchi Johnson and monthly instruction from Flint Sparks at the Guzeiji Soto Mission in Kaunakakai.

The temple is a puuhonua, explained Johnson, who is from Japan, and introduced weekly classes to a small but growing group of participants back in January. Anybody can come and well be open for everybody.

The primary principle of this Japanese meditation technique is establishing a comfortability and eventual fulfillment with nothingness, according to longtime Zazen teacher Sparks.

Its a sort of nothing that doesnt wait for a reward at the end, explained Sparks, who offers monthly meditation sessions at Molokais Guzeiji Soto Mission to supplement the weekly classes taught by Johnson. Essentially, its the practice of allowing thoughts, images and words to pass by without consciously interacting with them, he explained.

For Sparks, Zazen is an especially effective tool for dealing with difficult life moments. As a psychologist with a specialty in behavioral medicine, he worked for years with hospital patients in cancer care units.

I was working with people who were dying, Sparks explained. Theres a certain kind of question they were bringing to me. Some were certainly psychological, but some were questions of the soul, deeper things or spiritual questions.

These questions led Sparks to Buddhism and then to Zazen. Its the simple nature of Zazen and its alternative approach to achieving a state of relaxation that practitioners find attractive, he explained.

We sit for 20 to 30 minutes, said Sparks. Almost invariably people will say can we go for longer?

For Johnson, Zazen likewise provides mental health benefits.

Im offering this because so many young men are killing themselves, Johnson stated.

She explained that Zazen can help practitioners cultivate a safe space within themselves.

You can just be yourself, be quiet and safe, she said.

Molokai residents can try Zazen in their own homes, according to Sparks, by sitting in a garden or a place overlooking the ocean and being open and ready to see what arrives.

Molokai residents who wish to join the weekly Sunday Zazen practice should first participate in an orientation, which takes place the first Thursday of every month. For more information, contact Johnson at (808) 498-8351.

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Learn the Art of Nothing with Zazen Meditation - Molokai Dispatch