CULTURE EDITOR'S PICK PSYCHOLOGY SOCIOLOGY The Price Of Love: Hidden Costs Of Modern Dating Key Takeaway: The average American spends $120,000 on romantic activities, leading to a significant amount of “dating debt” among millennials and Gen Z. This debt accumulation is attributed to the desire to signal status and the persuasive retail marketing of luxury as synonymous with love. Luxury brands like Gucci and Tiffany use strategic marketing tactics […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
CULTURE EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE The Truth About The Antikythera Mechanism Key Takeaway: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a film based on the Antikythera Mechanism, an ancient Greek object that tracked the cycles of the Sun, Moon, and planets against the stars. The mechanism, discovered in 1901, was tangible proof of technological sophistication and was a part of underwater archaeology. The film explores […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
CULTURE EDITOR'S PICK The Origin Of Christmas Trees Key Takeaways: The humble Christmas tree is emblematic of the growth of market economics and world trade. Who would have imagined that fir trees would be grown in Denmark especially for the export market, or that factories in China would produce plastic replicas? So, let’s climb on the sleigh and take a ride around this […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
CULTURE EDITOR'S PICK SOCIOLOGY Why TikTok Might Be A Threat To Music Key Takeaways: Viral TikTok videos have meant success for new and established artists alike. The short-form video service has earned US$12 billion (£10.5 billion) in advertising revenue in 2022. Many of its most popular videos feature music – available to use for free – through its audio library. TikTok pays the “Big Three” record labels […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ART & DESIGN EDITOR'S PICK TECHNOLOGY How The CGI Of Jurassic Park Revolutionised The Industry Key Takeaway Jurassic Park, a 1993 film, revolutionized cinema by using computer-generated imagery (CGI) to bring dinosaurs to life. The adaptation, written by Michael Crichton and David Koepp, changed the ending and paved the way for future dinosaur-themed films. Stop-motion tests led to go-motion, but Spielberg’s team used CGI modeling and animation for Jurassic Park, […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ART & DESIGN CULTURE EDITOR'S PICK The Art Of Balding Balding is really common, affecting more than 50% of men. It’s also physically inconsequential (bald men live just as long as haired men). So why, in his memoir Spare, does Prince Harry refer to his brother’s baldness as “alarming”? As a social psychologist with a special interest in balding (and author of an upcoming book entitled Branding Baldness), […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ART & DESIGN CULTURE EDITOR'S PICK The Story Of Issey Miyake Key Takeaways: Designer Issey Miyake has died aged 84, leaving an indelible mark on the fashion world. He sustained a serious leg injury and lost his mother to radiation sickness soon after, events which inspired him to “think of things that can be created, not destroyed”. Issey Miyake’s time in Paris after the student protests […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ART & DESIGN EDITOR'S PICK POLITICS The Surprising Power Of Cartoons Key Takeaways: Cartoons can also make us feel anger and powerlessness, fear and loathing. Nobody knows what is it about cartoons, which are generally thought of as silly, trivial, and irrelevant that gives them the power to incite murder, worldwide protests, censorship, imprisonment, and all the rest. Like words, however, cartoons are supple enough to […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE Signatures Of Alien Technology? Key Takeaways: If an alien were to look at Earth, many human technologies – from cell towers to fluorescent light bulbs – could be a beacon signifying the presence of life. It is possible to detect these molecules in the atmospheres of exoplanets with the same method the James Webb Space Telescope is using to […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK PHILOSOPHY Can Gluttony Set You Free? Key Takeaways: On the question of excess—of too much food, drink, or anything else—poet William Blake wrote, “You never know what is enough until you know what is more than enough.” Groaning boards hold particular appeal for Americans: After the Swedish smörgåsbord was introduced at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, it morphed into the […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ENTREPRENEURSHIP The Balance of Nature This is the way a new universe is supposed to work, or at least, how the universe has to work, if it is supposed to. If all the things in the universe (like every single cell, tree, galaxy, star, planet, etc.) can only be understood if you accept that they were created in some very […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
CULTURE EDITOR'S PICK PSYCHOLOGY The Recipe For Perfect Romance Key Takeaways: Romantic comedy has been a controversial genre, often dismissed as a “chick flick” and panned by critics. However, critics are not the only ones watching romcoms, as they are often seen as repetitive and rely on certain tropes. The “neo-traditional romcom” is the dominant form of the genre, with characters running through airports […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY The World’s Only Unbreakable Encryption Key Takeaway: Encrypting messages is crucial for protecting our privacy and humanity, and current methods of encryption use integer factorization, which can take billions of years to decrypt. However, the one-time pad (OTP) cipher, the world’s only unbreakable cipher, offers perfect security due to its real-world simplicity. The OTP cipher uses Hardware Random Number Generators […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE Human Evolution May Be A Total Accident Key Takeaway: Around 9 million species exist on Earth, from simple single-celled organisms to humans. Evolutionary biologists believe that life has an innate tendency to evolve into ever more complex forms, which may be driven by natural selection. However, modern biologists disagree on the process behind this increase in complexity. One possibility is that maximum […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK PHILOSOPHY PSYCHOLOGY SCIENCE What Is Intelligence? Key Takeaway: The Anthropocene era highlights the dangers of humanity’s extinction, with migration, war, climate change, hacking, and nuclear annihilation being the main threats. Human intelligence is unique in reproduction and survival, as it also poses an ethical risk. Western mythology and literature provide insights into the moral dilemmas at the heart of human intelligence, […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK TECHNOLOGY Bringing Back The Dead With A.I.? Key Takeaway: Generative AI, such as large language models (LLMs) and image and video generators, is amplifying the phenomenon of “digital necromancy,” which involves the reanimation of the dead through their digital remnants. This technology has been used to reanimate celebrities like Bruce Lee, Michael Jackson, and Tupac Shakur, and has expanded access to these […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE The Secret Functions Of Dopamine Key Takeaway: Recent neuroscience research suggests that popular strategies to control dopamine are based on an overly narrow view of its function. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that tracks reactions to rewards, such as food, sex, money, or answering a question correctly. There are many types of dopamine neurons located in the uppermost […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE NASA Finally Revealed Findings On UFOs Key Takeaway: NASA’s independent study team released a report on UFOs, describing them as UAPs (unidentified anomalous phenomena) to move beyond the stigma associated with UFOs. The report found no evidence that reported UAP observations are extraterrestrial. The report also highlighted the need for transparency and reducing the stigma associated with UFOs. The study team […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
BUSINESS & ECONOMICS EDITOR'S PICK How China’s Property Crisis Will Impact Global Tourism Key Takeaway: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the Chinese travel industry, with a slow return to global flights due to the country’s struggling real estate sector. China’s largest developer, Country Garden, lost $7.1 billion in the first six months of 2023, and investors are concerned about potential debt default. Local governments heavily rely on tax […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
CULTURE EDITOR'S PICK PSYCHOLOGY SOCIOLOGY The Price Of Love: Hidden Costs Of Modern Dating Key Takeaway: The average American spends $120,000 on romantic activities, leading to a significant amount of “dating debt” among millennials and Gen Z. This debt accumulation is attributed to the desire to signal status and the persuasive retail marketing of luxury as synonymous with love. Luxury brands like Gucci and Tiffany use strategic marketing tactics […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY How Nanoparticles Will Change The World Key Takeaway: Nanotechnology, which includes particles smaller than 10,000 times the diameter of a human hair, is playing a growing role in various industries, including medicine, cosmetics, and medicine. Nanoparticles can pass easily through the blood-brain barrier, potentially enabling better treatment of brain diseases and disorders like cancer and dementia. They can also be used […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The Secret Functions Of Dopamine Key Takeaway: Recent neuroscience research suggests that popular strategies to control dopamine are based on an overly narrow view of its function. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that tracks reactions to rewards, such as food, sex, money, or answering a question correctly. There are many types of dopamine neurons located in the uppermost […] Written by Kimberlee D'Ardenne September 19, 2023September 19, 2023 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
NASA Finally Revealed Findings On UFOs Key Takeaway: NASA’s independent study team released a report on UFOs, describing them as UAPs (unidentified anomalous phenomena) to move beyond the stigma associated with UFOs. The report found no evidence that reported UAP observations are extraterrestrial. The report also highlighted the need for transparency and reducing the stigma associated with UFOs. The study team […] Written by Chris Impey September 18, 2023September 18, 2023 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Some Silicon Valley Investors Are Trying To Create A Utopian City Key Takeaway: George Bernard Shaw referred to Ebenezer Howard’s “garden cities” concept in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which he believed would offer the advantages of town and country without the drawbacks. Recently, a Silicon Valley consortium called Flannery Associates purchased land for California Forever, a contentious project that echoes Howard’s ideas. Howard’s […] Written by Empirics Asia September 12, 2023September 12, 2023 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
How Video Games Are Reviving Classical Music Key Takeaways: Starfield, a highly anticipated video game, allows players to build their own character and spacecraft, travel to multiple planets, and follow multiple story arcs. The game’s interactive music uses a palette of musical language that cultivates a contemplative soundscape, launching the listener into the vastness of space while remaining curious, innocent, and restrained. […] Written by J. Aaron Hardwick September 11, 2023September 11, 2023 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The Psychology Of Fyre Festival II Key Takeaway: The founder of the 2017 Fyre Festival, William “Billy” McFarland, has announced plans for a second attempt at the festival, with a target date of the end of 2024. McFarland, who was charged with several fraud offences and sentenced to six years in prison, has been promoting the event on Instagram. The promotion […] Written by Yaniv Hanoch September 8, 2023September 8, 2023 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
What Exactly Is Nudge Theory? Key Takeaway: The concept of “nudge theory” has gained prominence 15 years after its 2008 book, “Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth and Happiness.” The book, which inspired politicians like Barack Obama and David Cameron, led to the creation of government teams to incorporate nudge theory into public policy. However, the success of these nudges […] Written by Stuart Mills September 7, 2023September 7, 2023 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The Age Of Nanotechnology Key Takeaways: Nanotechnology is set to revolutionize clothing, transportation, and transportation. Clothing will be tailored to individual needs, with synthesizers in closets creating clothing that fits perfectly. Nanosuits, made of 5 microns thick fabric, will cover the wearer’s body, allowing separate holes for individual hairs and making them weightless. This technology will double the amount […] Written by Ella Alderson September 6, 2023September 6, 2023 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Rethinking Education Key Takeaways: The Industrial model of education that fueled the modern era and its dizzying reach did its job incredibly well. In his writing, Flynn illustrates study after study, spanning nations and decades, in which modern educational gift of abstraction — a transcendent sign of intelligence, as we saw in Raven’s Matrices — has been […] Written by Anthony Fieldman March 2, 2022October 19, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
How China Is Transforming Its Economy Through Learning I highly recommend reading the McKinsey Global Institute’s new report, “Reskilling China: Transforming The World’s Largest Workforce Into Lifelong Learners”, which focuses on the country’s biggest employment challenge, re-training its workforce and the adoption of practices such as lifelong learning to address the growing digital transformation of its productive fabric. How to transform the country […] Written by Enrique Dans February 1, 2021February 1, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Why You’re Not Seeing Success With Influencer Marketing With the new year around the corner, now is a good time to re-evaluate your past marketing strategies and gear up for the year ahead. For some businesses, influencer marketing has simply not seemed to live up to its lofty promises of genuine engagement, credibility, and transparency. Some have claimed that it has been failing […] Written by Michael Tan January 14, 2021January 15, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
A New Philosophy of Business I’m about to ask you to take a mental leap. For the next 8 minutes, suspend your notions of what a business is, and I’ll propose a new lens for you to look through. There are a lot of questions asked around what “community” means for business. “Where should community fit in my organization?” and […] Written by Empirics Asia September 5, 2018September 5, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
