In Homer's epic poem, Odysseus's crew is affected by flowers and fruits from a lotus tree, leading to notable episodes in the narrative. The Odyssey, which recently received a new film adaptation directed by Christopher Nolan, details the long journey of the hero Odysseus, king of Ithaca, as he seeks to return home after the Trojan War, facing various challenges, such as encountering the Cyclops.
A lesser-known passage of the poem recounts that after a failed attempt to raid the Cicones tribe, Odysseus and his men arrive at an island in the Mediterranean. This location is inhabited by the 'lotophagoi,' a tranquil people who live by feeding on the flowers and fruits of a fantastic plant dominant on the island. By consuming this food, Odysseus's men are enchanted, losing the memory of their destination and preferring to remain on the island. Odysseus himself is forced to drag his companions, tied up and crying, back to the ship.
In the new film version, Nolan attributes the flowers to Calypso, the nymph who keeps Odysseus on her island for seven years in a state of deep amnesia. She uses the effects of the lotus flower to make him forget the traumas related to the sacking of Troy and his family in Ithaca. This raises the question: what species of flower possesses such memory-erasing power?
The exact identification of the species is difficult, as it is unlikely that the poetic 'lotus flower' corresponds to modern species like *Nelumbo nucifera*, native to Asia and associated with Buddhism. The original Greek term used, $ ext{lōtós}$ (*lōtós*), is generic and applied to various plants and fruits.
Ancient Greek historians have differed on the exact location of the event. Herodotus, in the 5th century BC, believed the island was located in the coastal area of modern Libya. Three centuries later, Polybius pointed to Djerba, and Strabo, in the 1st century, followed this line. Archaeologist Elizabeth Fentress told the New York Times that Djerba has a native plant called *Ziziphus lotus*, which acts as a sedative, suggesting this could be the case.
Another strong candidate is *Nymphaea caerulea*, the blue lotus, known as the Egyptian lotus. This plant, which grows in North Africa and fits the mythical Mediterranean, has psychoactive properties used by the ancient Egyptians to relieve anxiety, induce sleep, or improve libido, potentially causing hallucinations in high doses.
Alternatively, *Papaver somniferum*, the opium poppy, is considered, as it is the source of analgesic substances used in the synthesis of opioids. This flower was widely consumed in the Mediterranean region in antiquity, which would justify the violent reaction of Odysseus's companions, who had to be dragged tied up.
However, uncertainty remains. Some experts argue that the flower may be purely mythical, combining exotic characteristics to stimulate the imagination of ancient Greece, without any real botanical correspondence. Kirk Freudenburg, a classical culture researcher, commented to the NYT that 'the lotus is for food in the Odyssey, just as the Cyclops is for humans. One thing in mythical imagination.' Thus, the flower may reflect more on the thinking of the era than on botany.
Artificial intelligence (AI) models are turning to printed books as a data source for their training. The company ISBNdb, which holds an extensive literary database, provides this content for the development of AI models.
These systems require high-quality data, and there is a preference for physical books published before 2022, as they are considered 'cleaner' material, meaning free from superficial content generated by other AIs.
The massive acquisition of these copies raises concerns, given the risk that the books may be discarded or destroyed after being processed by machines. There is also a lack of clarity regarding these transactions, especially concerning rare works.
Currently, AI models are obtaining information from an unusual source: printed books. ISBNdb acts as a digital repository for these works, capturing material from various suppliers, both small and large. Although it is crucial for AI training, there remains a fear that these books are being consumed or, worse, destroyed after automated reading.
According to ISBNdb, this methodology represents the ideal way to train Large Language Models (LLMs), as the material is considered 'clean,' avoiding what is called AI Slop, which is shallow content produced by generative artificial intelligences. Using older data resolves the potential problem of declining information quality when using more recent materials.
As reported by the website 404 media, AI developers prefer publications prior to 2022, the year models like ChatGPT and Claude gained prominence in the market. It is worth noting that the main sources of information for LLMs include platforms such as Reddit and Wikipedia, which contain user-created texts.
The purpose of this search for physical books is to elevate the quality of the data used in AI models, serving as a strategy to combat AI Slop, a practice that has been targeted online. Recently, LinkedIn implemented a feature to report this type of content. Superficial texts, generated entirely or partially by AIs, pose an obstacle for social media users as well as corporations, a phenomenon known as Workslop.
For LLMs to generate more natural dialogues, a solid base of real interactions is necessary, which justifies the importance of training with social media data like Reddit. Similarly, Wikipedia offers a vast collection of compiled information, facilitating access to a large volume of simple writing.
The main hurdle lies in obtaining these printed books on a large scale. To make this possible, ISBNdb makes data from bookstores, small merchants, and even individually sold titles available in its catalog. The company claims it is possible to organize purchases amounting to one million units.
The increase in the purchase of physical books occurs during a period of massive content digitalization, which draws attention. Marketplaces observe this movement cautiously, as supply does not match such high demand. Some sellers point to the lack of transparency in these deals, as there is no clear information about who is acquiring these large lots or why. ISBNdb, for its part, states that negotiations are kept confidential.
A positive aspect for sellers, besides the financial benefit, is the release of titles that were stagnant on shelves, according to an interviewee to 404 Media. However, there remains the fear that the works will be destroyed after scanning. This is suggested by a lawsuit filed against Anthropic in the United States, where the digitization method requires cutting the pages for mechanical reading, which would speed up the process. Thus, precious materials, such as rare and low-circulation books, run the risk of becoming mere 'food' for AI.
The Lecomte Apartment / Orzan Atelier was designed to transform the ground floor of an old family residence into a modern and tranquil living space, with a total area of 55 square meters.
This project is located in the residential neighborhood of Costière, in the city of Le Havre, France, according to the description provided by the design team.
Information about the project can be viewed through the available gallery.
