Create Stochasticity in Belgian election story

Story about stochasticity in a Belgian election, that we can use to introduce people to why we should take stochasticity in environments, and by extension grid-worlds, seriously.
pik-gane · Mar 7, 2024 · 8da2484 · 8da2484
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+    <title>The Curious Case of Belgium's Extra Votes</title>
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+<body>
+    <h1>The Curious Case of Belgium's Extra Votes</h1>
+    <p>On a fateful day, May 18th, 2003, the Belgian populace enthusiastically stepped into the future, as they headed to the polls. This wasn't a typical day for Belgium's democracy. Over the past few years, the country had been gradually transitioning to electronic voting systems, aiming to meld modern technology with the centuries-old practice of casting ballots. Their system, developed after extensive research, ensured that every Belgian could cast their vote on a computer. As an additional layer of security, the system was designed to store votes both within its digital memory and on an external magnetic card. After making their choice on the computer, each voter would receive this card, which they would subsequently drop into a physical box, acting as a tangible backup.</p>
+    <p>As the sun set on election day and the usually arduous process of counting votes commenced, it seemed the electronic system would prove its worth in efficiency. But by nightfall, a peculiar anomaly emerged. In Schaerbeek, a bustling municipality nestled in the heart of Brussels, something was amiss. Maria Vindevogel, a candidate relatively unknown on the national stage and leading her own small party, had reportedly received a number of votes that exceeded logical possibilities. Given the intricacies of Belgium's preferential voting system, this anomaly was glaringly evident.</p>
+    <p>Taking the digital discrepancies seriously, the election commission decided to refer to their tangible backup – the magnetic cards. With meticulous precision, officials began recounting each vote, feeding the cards back through the system. After what felt like an eternity, the results of the recount mirrored the initial digital count for all candidates, barring Maria. For her, the recounted tally was lower by a precise count of 4,096 votes. This was no mere coincidence; it was a mystery begging to be unraveled.</p>
+    <p>The specific number, 4,096, wasn't arbitrary in the digital realm. Computers, at their core, communicate in binary, a language consisting of zeros and ones. Every binary digit, or bit, represents an increasing power of two. In this world, the number 4,096 corresponds to 2^12, linked to the 13th bit in a sequence. For such a discrepancy to occur, the 13th bit had inexplicably flipped from its original state.</p>
+    <p>Belgium's electronic voting system was put under the microscope. Tech experts, software engineers, and digital forensics teams scoured every line of code for bugs. The exact computer responsible for the error was isolated and rigorously tested. Yet, both the software and hardware appeared flawless. With no logical explanation emerging, the investigation turned historical.</p>
+    <p>In the late 1970s, tech behemoth Intel had stumbled upon a similar enigma. Their cutting-edge memory chips, integral components of countless computers, were mysteriously changing data. The root of the issue was traced back to radioactive contamination. As it turned out, the ceramic used to package Intel's chips was sourced from a facility near Colorado's Green River, located dangerously close to an old uranium mill. Radioactive elements from the mill inadvertently contaminated the river, and trace amounts of uranium and thorium found their way into the ceramic packaging of the chips. These elements emitted alpha particles that were energetic enough to flip a bit without causing any visible damage – a phenomenon termed a 'soft error.'</p>
+    <p>However, Belgium's situation had a twist. The computer in question hadn't been exposed to any such radioactive environment. The investigation needed to look beyond the Earth, towards the cosmos.</p>
+    <p>Victor Hess, in the early 20th century, had unveiled the existence of cosmic rays. Contrary to their name, these weren't rays but high-energy particles from distant cosmic events, such as supernovae and even black holes. Some of these cosmic particles possess immense energy. A notable instance was the detection of the 'OMG particle' in 1991. This single subatomic particle bore the energy equivalent to a fast-moving baseball.</p>
+    <p>When these cosmic particles approach Earth, they don't directly make contact with the surface. Instead, they undergo interactions with the atmosphere, resulting in a cascade of secondary particles. The theory proposed by the Belgian investigators was nothing short of sensational: The flipping of the 13th bit was due to pure bad luck, a cosmic ray caused an atmospheric dance, which in turn caused a random particle to ram into the computer's transistor.</p>
+    <p>Cosmic rays have had a profound impact on science. Their existence led to groundbreaking discoveries, including the first confirmed observation of antimatter. Instruments like cloud chambers were developed to visualize and study these rays, revealing their intricate behaviors and leading to a deeper understanding of the universe.</p>
+    <p>In Belgium, however, on that fateful day in 2003, cosmic rays served as a humbling reminder. As advanced as technology may become, it remains susceptible to the vast, unpredictable mysteries of the cosmos.</p>
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