The Skeptics Guide #1059 - Oct 25 2025

Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach, by Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig, is a comprehensive textbook covering various aspects of artificial intelligence. It provides a broad overview of the field, encompassing search algorithms, knowledge representation, reasoning, machine learning, and natural language processing. The book is known for its clear explanations, numerous examples, and extensive coverage of both classical and modern AI techniques. It serves as a valuable resource for students and researchers alike, offering a solid foundation in the principles and applications of AI. Its wide adoption makes it a standard reference in the field.

In 'Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal', Mary Roach delves into the intricacies of the human digestive system, starting from the sense of smell and taste, through the mouth, stomach, and intestines, to the final stages of elimination. The book is filled with fascinating anecdotes, historical accounts, and scientific insights, including visits to a pet-food taste-test lab, a fecal transplant procedure, and discussions on topics such as flatulence, constipation, and the stomach's remarkable abilities. Roach's approach makes even the most taboo subjects engaging and entertaining, highlighting the complex and often surreal aspects of human biology.