Science and psychology has long played a surprisingly large role in the development of casinos. However, the links between the two are becoming stronger than ever.

This is due to the extreme level of competition within the gambling industry, with countless companies all scrambling to be able to steal a slice of the pie.

The global industry for casinos and the world of iGaming as a whole is now worth around a whopping $500 billion a year. It is clear that gambling is now very big business indeed.

It makes sense to lean on science as a way to maximize earnings. How are casinos doing this?

Science helps to build the customer experience

At both online casinos and their bricks and mortar equivalents, customer experience is one of the top priorities. It stands to reason that science plays a part in its development.

Mathematics is also involved in a big way. Mathematics has a hand in everything to do with a casino, from the odds used on certain table games to the variance of online slots. Return to player is another area within slots where mathematics is part of the equation as well.

At bricks and mortar casinos, science has long been used in the design stage. Casinos famously never have clocks on display, as this keeps guests disconnected from the outside world. A lack of windows is a design choice made by many casinos for the same reason.

Additionally, the layout inside is carefully created in order to encourage people to stay inside and gamble for as long as possible. One of the ways casinos do this is by placing their bathrooms in illogical locations. The idea is players will spot other casino games they want to try out on their way to and from using the bathroom as a result of the maze-like layout of the buildings.

However, there are signs that the industry is moving away from these designs, with many experts believing that they are outdated. Roger Thomas is one of the casino designers to be trying new things such as embracing natural light in a bid to create spaces people will enjoy.

Slot games are another area of gambling where science plays an increasingly big role. New games have more and more pay-lines, which improves the chances of a ‘partial win’ and encourages people to keep spinning the reels for longer, even if they are losing cash overall.

AI increasingly adopted by online casinos

Lots of changes have happened to online casinos in the last few years, including a sharp spike in their popularity during the course of 2020 as a direct result of the coronavirus crisis.

There is no doubt that artificial intelligence is one of the latest branches of science that will have a profound impact on the iGaming industry. Some online casinos have already turned to AI to help solve issues in areas like customer support and this is set to become even more common.

AI is also being used to try to identify players at online casinos who could be at risk of addiction, as well as finding those who already seem to be struggling to control their gambling.

The rise of AI in the casino world can be seen through the development of a computer named Libratus. Back in 2017, the AI masterpiece won countless hands against top-rated poker players, even though the game is one where the human element was thought to be important. 

During the Brains vs Artificial Intelligence competition, Libratus took more than $1.7 million in chips even though the computer had been a 4/1 underdog in the tournament’s betting odds.

Smart, personalized data used to target customers

Casino customers who play at online sites are likely to have received tailored promotions. These have been developed through the use of smart data that tracks how they play online.

These personalized deals make it more like that online casino players will come back to a site to gamble more, which the operator means hopes they will lose more cash in the long run.

While AI can be used to identify problem gamblers and offer them help and support, this data can also be used for more nefarious purposes. It is easy to imagine how an online casino site with an insight into how a player gambles could use this information for their own advantage.

People may not have even realized they gave the green light for science to be used for this purpose. Information about data is usually buried in the terms and conditions, which most casino customers will not have taken the time to read carefully as they signed up for an account.

With the use of science within the industry continuing to grow at a rapid rate, the possibilities for AI and virtual reality at online casinos seem to be absolutely limitless.

If you’re like me, the thought of extended cardiovascular exercise is exhausting before you even get started. Nonetheless, there are many people around the world that love extensive cardio exercise. Some push themselves to the limit with triathlons and other amazing sports. Throughout history, there have been countless examples of people pushing themselves to the limit and completing incredible acts of endurance. Sometimes for sport, sometimes for fame, and sometimes out of life saving necessity. Here are some memorable examples of people pushing themselves to the limit. 

World Record Breakers

Great examples of human endurance can be seen in the record books. In the pursuit of breaking a world record, many people have pushed themselves as hard as they can to set records of the “world’s longest” type. One man named Phil Laak has achieved a similar feat. In 2010, Laak set a new official Guinness World record for the world’s longest poker game, a stunning accomplishment totaling 115 hours. He was allowed to take a five-minute break every hour, but can you imagine sitting at a table playing a stressful game like poker for hours on end? I wonder what would have happened if he busted? 

11 Days With No Sleep

Going without sleep is absolutely excruciating. I don’t think there’s anyone that will deny the necessity of sleep every night to recharge your brain and body. In 1965, one high school student named Randy Gardner took up the challenge and managed to go an alarming 11 full days without any sleep at all. As you can imagine, the results were scary. Just 3 days in, Randy was having immense trouble speaking. His motor skills were impaired, and he needed to be coaxed to do anything at all. This continued for days on end. The Guinness Book of World Records eventually removed his record entirely, to discourage anyone from attempting this dangerous feat. 

 22 Minutes Underwater

Some people have a tremendous drive to prove themselves, and famous diver Stig Severinsen is one of those people. He has dedicated his life to yoga, breathing meditation, and diving sports. A multiple world record holder, he has set the bar for unassisted diving depth, distance swam under ice, and most impressively, staying a full 22 minutes underwater on one breath. It’s unlikely that this record will be broken anytime soon. 

Longest Boxing Match Ever

Boxing has a long and sordid history that goes back generations. Long before the days of big money prize fights, world broadcasts, boxing commissions and judges, boxing was an underground sport put on by spectators and gamblers. Naturally, these lawless fights could get particularly macabre. One such fight went on to become the longest boxing match in history, lasting for a staggering 111 three minute rounds, a total of seven hours and nineteen minutes. Somehow, both combatants refused to go down, trading blows until the referee eventually had to call a stop to it. Both men were terribly wounded. Jack Burke broke every bone in his hands, retiring after. His opponent Andy Bowen was killed in his following fight.  

Swimming the Atlantic 

Even among cardio-intensive sports, swimming is known to be particularly challenging. Benoit Lecomte is considered to be one of the greatest long-distance swimmers of all time, and in 1986 became the first man to do the unthinkable and swim across the Atlantic ocean. For over 73 days, Lecomte covered over 3,700 miles of open ocean. He chose to swim up to eight hours a day, in two hour long shifts. Lecomte was tailed the entire time by a boat that sent out electromagnetic waves, warding off any predators in the waters around him. 

The 11 Hour Wimbledon Match

Tennis can be a much more aggressive and competitive sport than people give it credit for. In 2010, John Isner defeated Nicolas Mahut in what will be remembered as the longest tennis match of all time. Over the course of three exhausting days, the two battled and demonstrated their lightning fast reflexes. The match had to be called at the end of every day because of nightfall. Eventually, on the third day and with some luck behind him, Isner pulled ahead to claim victory in an impressive feat of human endurance.

There are many ways to get CBD into your system. Each approach comes with benefits and drawbacks. One point of variation is the speed of efficacy. Say you want to relax quickly before going to bed, which CBD delivery method acts the fastest on the body? Let’s look at popular options and compare them to find out.

1 – CBD edibles

Many factors impact how long it takes for edibles to take effect. When ingested, CBD is processed by the liver before it can reach your bloodstream. How long that will take depends on how long it has been since your last meal, as well as what you ate. Factors like age, weight, and taking prescription medications may also impact that speed.

All of this amounts to great variability when it comes to edibles. It can take anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours for an edible to become active after consumed. Although a time of around 60 minutes is more common. After ingested, the effects of edibles frequently last 6 hours or more.

The category of edibles includes not only the wide range of CBD food items — like chocolate, gummies, and jam — but also CBD infused drinks. The latter undergoes a similar process after being ingested.

2 – CBD oil and tinctures

Although oils and tinctures can be ingested, CBD products of this nature are more often placed under the tongue. That allows for quick absorption and higher bioavailability than ingesting the substance. When placed under the tongue, the calming effects of CBD usually take hold within 5 minutes.

CBD oil usually stays active for 3-4 hours. And while this is not the fastest method in this list, it is fast enough. Sublingual application of CBD through a dropper also allows for greater precision with the dosage.

Patients using CBD as part of an ongoing medical treatment usually prefer this delivery method. It helps patients and healthcare providers keep track of how much CBD the patient is using.

3 – CBD topicals

In the case of CBD topicals — such as creams, oils, and patches — speed can be measured in different ways. These products are often used to provide localized pain relief for various conditions. Since CBD interacts with pain receptors in the skin, the pain relief usually only takes about five minutes to set in. CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties also kick into effect right away, helping treat conditions like acne and red skin.

However, when applied to the skin, CBD does not make you calmer. Not usually, at least. It takes CBD about six hours to get through your skin and into your bloodstream. Meaning that if you sleep with a CBD face mask on, you might feel the substance affect your mood in the morning.

4 – CBD Vaping

Vaping takes the crown as the fastest delivery method in this list, with some asterisks associated with it. When vaporized CBD makes it into your lungs, it has easy access to your bloodstream. The calming effects are often felt in under a minute.

However, there are health concerns associated with vaping. Make sure you look into those before you pick up the habit. You might be better off sticking with sublingual application of Cibdol’s CBD oil instead.

Tech has changed the world of business as we know it. It has changed the way that we operate, market, sell, communicate, profit and even hire employees. Cloud computing, 3D printing and even intelligence tools are all advancements that have been made thanks to tech. So what other changes have happened as the result of business? Take a look below to find out more.

Communication Technologies

Traveling for a meeting both inside and outside of the city is time-consuming. It can also have a huge impact on your productivity overall as well. Tech has made it easier than ever to eliminate all of these issues. Now you can use video conferencing software to communicate with stakeholders; you can also participate in webinars too. Talking with trained employees is no longer difficult or time-consuming thanks to Google Hangouts either, and this alone has changed the way that we do business in general.

Simple and Faster Ways of Getting Paid

Cash flow management is the single most important element of running a successful business. If you are slow to communicate then this will almost certainly impact your business growth overall. It’s vital for your small or midsize business to get paid as soon as possible as well and this is why online banking, secure payment gateways or even mobile apps are powerful business tools. It gives you the chance to pay for products or services faster, and it also means that you can get paid much faster too. Take online casino games for example, you can now deposit money online and play without having to go to a land-based alternative. This is just one example of fast payment, but it just goes to show how much things have changed over the years and how tech advancements really do have a huge impact.

Creating Business Documents

It was never easy to create and keep documents safe before Microsoft Office came along. Now you can easily edit business documents, spreadsheets and even presentations too. A lot of businesses across the world are able to create service invoices and they can also credit memos too. Business letters, expense report planning and even project presentations are now easier than ever to manage, which goes to show how much of an impact tech has had overall on business management.

Real-Time Support

Customers are a real asset for businesses and for this reason, you have to make sure that you are providing them with the support they need. If you want to do this then real-time support is always an option. Real-time support can be given to customers through various live-chat channels and IT has made all of this possible. It’s vital that businesses change the way that they deal with customers at the end of the day because if they don’t then they will never be able to have the long-term relationship they need, and they won’t be able to capitalize as much on loyalty either.

Scientists have developed the first living robots in the world using stem cells from frogs. Though they come from frogs, the robots do not have any resemblance to any known amphibians. These robots are called Xenobots, which are the first of a kind. They were named after the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis). 

The robots are very tiny

They are not more than a millimeter wide making them small enough to travel inside human bodies. Xenobots are made up of living tissues that were assembled by scientists into bodies designed by computer models. They can move independently; they can swim, survive for weeks without food, and work together in groups.

Stem Cells

Stem cells are cells which are not categorized that have the capability to develop into different cell types. The researchers scraped living stem cells from frog embryos and left them to gestate. The cells were then cut and reshaped into specific “body forms” that were designed by a supercomputer. 

Skin cells bonded to form structure, while the pulsing heart muscle cells allowed the robot to move on its own. These xenobots have the power to heal by themselves. When the scientists sliced into one robot, it healed by itself and kept moving.

Xenobots

Xenobots don’t look like traditional robots. They do not have shiny gears or robotic arms. They look more like a tiny blob of moving pink flesh. Researchers say this “biological machine” can achieve things that cannot be performed by steel and plastic robots.

In a research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers say that traditional robots degrade and produce harmful ecological and health side effects. They say xenobots are friendly to the environment, and they are also safe for human health.

Xenobots are also very useful compared to traditional robots. 

They can be used to collect microplastics in the oceans. They could be used to clean up radioactive waste, carry medicine inside the human bodies, or scrape plaque from the arteries. They are suitable for internal drug delivery because they can survive for days in aqueous environments. Apart from these tasks, they could also help researchers to learn more about cell biology. This will help in future advancement in human health. It would even be possible to reprogram tumors into healthy tissue and also repair congenital disabilities.

These organisms come pre-loaded with their own source of food of proteins and lipids. This allows them to live for more than a week, although they cannot evolve nor reproduce. If exposed to environments that are rich in nutrients, their lifespan can increase to several weeks.

Although the supercomputer, which is a powerful piece of Artificial Intelligence, plays a significant role in creating these robots, it is unlikely that Artificial Intelligence could have any bad intentions. However, it incites fears of having new forms that may one day be a threat to humanity. 

The process may be uncontrollable if it lands into the hands of less scrupulous individuals and groups. Michael Levin, who is the director of the Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology at Tufts, says that “when we start to mess around with complex systems that we don’t understand, we are going to get unintended consequences.”

 

Over the summer of 2019 I started to feel like I needed an outlet for my media skills that was just my voice. For over ten years I had been building the content of UntamedScience in a collaborative way. I’d raise funds and then hire people to make content and fulfill our educational needs. But, I never had one thing that was made in my voice entirely.

So, I decided that I wanted to make a channel, that resonated with how I was seeing the world at the moment. That was the concept. But first, I needed to figure out what was troubling me.

I felt emotional distress at my current situation – living in a digital age that was causing huge amounts of stress. But why was I stressed? Was it called for? Through my understanding of history and advancements in medicine, I knew we were living in the best time in history. It didn’t feel that way though.

It seemed to me that I could use my understanding of biology, learn more things about human psychology, and start trying to figure out more of our human past to figure out why it seemed like I was more stressed than I should have been. I came to the conclusion that since we evolved as a species in what we commonly refer to as the Stone Age, I was essentially a Stone Age Man! If I could learn more about the circumstances that I evolved in, maybe, just maybe, things would get better.

I learned these main things:

1. Our stress is an adaptation to help us survive. But, it only works when the threat is immediate, and needed to get us out of the situation. Like fighting a saber tooth cat or wooly mammoth.
2. We evolved in small groups of maybe as many as 300, but not much more.
3. Seeing stressful things on social media, which is pulling from nearly 8 billion people, is telling our body that we need to fight, yet the threat isn’t immediately around us. And, it’s all the time.
4. Most people have lost a connection to nature, something that has grounded us our entire evolutionary history.

So, I decided I wanted to tackle a couple of these problems. Mainly, I’d teach people more about the wild places, so that they could slowly learn to disconnect. I’d also start running trips with small groups – mini-trips as a way for people to reconnect with their StoneAge selfs, but it a modern, safe way. I hope this brings the best of both worlds.

Here is a short trailer about it:

Here are some of the things I’ve been doing on StoneAgeMan’s Youtube Channel

• Rope and Cordage Basics
• Rule of 3’s: Basic Survival Knowledge
• What is the best survival Knife
• How to tie the taut-line: The Best Camping Knot

AND, I have many more, if you just go visit the learning pages at StoneAgeMan.com!

May learning and education make us healthier and happier!

-Rob Nelson

The psychology behind gambling has been discussed over and over again. What makes people gamble? What pushes them to bet more money? How do they decide their next move? Which thoughts lead to errors in judgement and memory?

Understanding Gambling Psychology

These are all legit questions that are embedded in psychology of the human mind. They decide on their future actions based on superstitions, odds, or simply – their gut. All this falls under and can be described with the psychology of gambling. 

Understanding how your brain functions can help you place a link between gambling and rational choice. For that purpose, we’ll refer to the work of a bestselling author and a Nobel Prize winning economic expert, Daniel Kahneman. 

His book Thinking Fast and Slow will change how you view betting, help you develop critical thinking in gambling, and assist you in changing your bad behaviors.

Explaining Thinking Fast and Slow

This book shows readers two systems in a brain i.e. a dual-process model that explains the control over actions or behaviors. Essentially, his book teaches you many ways in which the fight of these two systems leads to errors in judgement, mistaken decisions, and errors in memory. Of course, it also gives unique, helpful tips on fixing this. So, before you start gambling or rush to get your bonuses by the link, you should definitely explore his great insight and ideas. 

Let’s have a closer look. 

According to Kahneman, all bad decisions people make in life and in gambling can be explained with the dual process model. These two different thought modes are referred to as ‘’system 1’’ and ‘’ system 2’’. 

System 1

The first system is fast thinking. It’s associative, intuitive, automatic, metaphorical, and impressionistic. It’s also one that you can never switch off. Operations guided by it don’t involve any intentional control. When you play gambling games and make an automated choice based on your gut or simply the mood you’re in, you’re thinking fast. This means that you’re using the system 1. 

According to the author, when you make gambling casino games decisions based on this system, you’re basically using a: ‘’secret author of many of the choices and judgments you make’’. 

System 2

The second system of our thinking is deliberate, slow. Decisions made with it require attention and careful thinking. When things get harder to handle with intuition or speed, system 2 takes over in the human brain. 

This happens, for example, when you need to make a math calculation while gambling. If you have to calculate the RTP of a game, you need to use a formula and do some math. This is where the conscious part of your brain takes action, rather unwillingly, with a goal to resolve an issue.

Because it is more complex, system 2 tires easily (something that the author calls ego depletion. When it is tired, it simply accepts decisions made by System 1. 

Yes, System 1 is intuitive and often right, but when the second system is too tired, we are no longer focusing too hard on making right decisions. When it comes to statistical thinking, System 1 is hopelessly bad at this. It jumps wildly to irrational conclusion and is subject to different biases and interference effects like the Florida effect or Halo effect. 

What You Can Take from the Book

Once you understand the difference between these systems, you’ll understand how susceptible we are to being puppeted and influenced by the features found in our surroundings. Casinos have invested a great deal of strategies that will make you act intuitively and fast. In fact, many of the games require fast thinking and don’t really leave much room for you to turn on the System 2 in your brain. 

If you want to make the best possible decisions based on more than just your gut, you need to take a step back and analyze. Sure, System 1’s work is exceptionally important because the role of chance in our lives is enormous. 

However, if you want to win big, you need to use the best of your abilities when gambling. Also, you need to understand that including both fast and slow thinking is crucial for making right decisions. As Daniel Kahneman says:

‘’Nothing in life is as important as you think it is, while you are thinking about it.’’

With this in mind, there are two things you should know about your gambling choices:

• The brain works mostly on System 1, which is a lazy part. This keeps you from using the power of your intelligence in full. 
• When you’re gambling and making money decisions, you cannot have your emotions clouding you. Leave them at home and activate System 2.

Many times, you’ll pick System 1 thinking that it can handle a task. At times, you’ll be right but when you’re in the thrill of gambling, you might end up making a mistake.

Gambling is basically a test of luck, which is where System 1 comes really handy. People survive based on their instincts. They jump away from vehicles when they honk and respond to fear because of this system. Choosing one dollar deposit casino, players consciously avoid big loses but during a game a point shifts and can end up with even higher stakes.However, you cannot base important money decisions solely on fast thinking. You need a combo of intuition and conscious thinking, which involves two systems of your brain.

Be aware of the systems. Know that your emotions may try and confuse you when it comes to making money decisions Try and consider probability, odds, and statistics. Once you determine your odds, act accordingly. Emotions cannot and should not have a role in your gambling endeavors. 

As Las Vegas, Macau and Monte Carlo look set to allow their biggest casinos to open their doors after the extended period of lockdown, all eyes are on the government and scientific guidelines to ensure that everything is done in the safest and most educated fashion. Whilst veteran online casinos and leading mobile casinos apps have enjoyed an almost unrivaled period of gains thanks to people being unable to go out of their houses, the allure of the brick and mortars will indubitably drive gamblers and travel-fanatics back to these powerhouses of industry. With that in mind however, just what advice are the government and leading scientific researchers giving to the casinos (and most businesses) to ensure that they can open their doors for good, without having to re-enter a stage of lockdown again.

PPE/Masks:

Whilst this may seem obvious to most and even become the new ‘normal’ in terms of social interaction, many leading researchers around the world are advocating that people wear masks. For the casinos, this will be especially important for their croupiers, staff and employees to keep them safe and also because the likelihood of crowds trying to flock to the tables and celebrate in the wins of those doing well means that people will be hard-pressed to follow the recommended 2m distancing rule.

Sanitize Everything:

When someone leaves a machine, a new deck of cards are opened, dice are handled by a guest or someone finishes their plate of food – sanitizer will be needed. The advice from the government and scientists is to be overcautious as germs can live on surfaces for hours – meaning that without proper adherence to a strict cleaning regime – the risk of someone catching something is heightened dramatically. The only bottleneck here will be the accessibility for some of the smaller businesses to acquire the amount they would need to do this.

Separate People:

While the image of throngs of people gathered round a table or celebrating a Jackpot win on a slot machine are commonplace when you think of the likes of Sin City and major gambling destinations, scientists have long been pushing that separation and careful mixing are a must to keep the R-number down. Many of the casinos have been advised on crowd control and placing direction flows on the floor to ensure people don’t get too close, but the casinos themselves have also taken an initiative here. Plexiglass screens, much like those being installed at local supermarkets, are going to be used to separate the dealers from the customers and also between machines to help people separate effectively.

Temperate Checks:

While this hasn’t yet been confirmed, as scientists strive to find a cure or marker to end the current crisis, one of the major flags has been a spike in body temperature for almost all common illnesses. Just like airports have installed body scanners, these could also be used in casinos to stop unwell visitors coming in and also to minimize the risk that when people fail to obey social distancing or the floor markings from catching something. 

While scientists and governments continue to discuss preventative and combative measures to ensure the safe opening of many large enterprises and buildings, the casino industry is doing its’ best to confer with the decision makers and abide by all suggested practices to prevent a second spike that would cause a devastating blow to their revenues and even their futures.

Color has a potent role in various artistic endeavors and commercial pursuits, with its impact on human psychology being exploited by everyone from master painters to marketing maestros.

In the context of video games, color is an especially important tool that can be used in a variety of ways, so here is a deeper dive into its deployment by designers over the years.

Conveying emotion

First and foremost, color is harnessed in the same way as audio effects and music to set the emotional tone for both the game as a whole, as well as individual aspects of the story.

Games which aim to explore narratives that are gritty, realistic and intense will opt for color palettes that reflect this. The grays, greens, browns and reds of almost any entry in the long-running Call of Duty franchise attest to that. Meanwhile a more upbeat game, like Super Mario Odyssey or almost any modern slot found on casino sites, will opt for brighter, more cheery primary colors to convey their mood and overall ethos.

In this way, video games use color to control their audiences’ response in much the same way as movies do. This all ties into very primitive evolutionary instincts that humans have; bright, light scenes mean that threats have nowhere to hide, while dingy and dark areas are more inherently scary. Thus light and color have a symbiotic psychological relationship in interactive entertainment, as in other forms of artistic expression.

Creating a brand identity

While video games are undeniably works of art, they are also products which need to be sold to consumers, and an effective way to help new releases stand out from the crowd is to make sure that they look distinctive.

While not every game achieves this successfully, there are some examples of releases that have made effective use of color to create a brand identity that is appreciable and instantly recognizable at a distance.

Mirror’s Edge and its sequel, subtitled Catalyst, managed to achieve this with flare, using a combination of clean white and bright red to give the world of the game a unique look. Color can make for eye-catching screenshots and impressive trailer videos, both of which are crucial in making sure that audiences are aware of an upcoming release and thus more likely to cough up some cash. Capitalizing on consumer psychology through color is a trick seen in plenty of other games, even if it is also often a side-effect of a title having a strong overarching artistic vision that creates a brand almost by accident.

Focusing attention

One of the main challenges of video game design is conveying to the player their aims and abilities, without having to constantly bombard them with tutorial pop-ups or rely on overlaid way-markers in the HUD to point them in the right direction.

Color is the ideal option for achieving this, as it can be used to draw the eye of the player and give them an easy indication of what aspect of the game world is worth paying attention to and what is merely background ornamentation.

Of course there are myriad approaches to focusing the attention of players using color, ranging from the extremely over to the suitably subtle. Often it is a case of using the shade of a particular surface to single it out from similar surfaces surrounding it, rather than making it entirely different in hue.

Ultimately the psychological application of color in video games is more practical than in almost any other art form, and yet still manages to be immensely satisfying to those who want to just sit back and enjoy the ride.