BUSINESS & ECONOMICS EDITOR'S PICK The Flawed Theory Behind Why Nations Prosper Key Takeaway: Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James Robinson were awarded the 2024 Nobel Memorial Prize in economics for their book Why Nations Fail, which argued that countries succeed when they adopt inclusive institutions like democracy, while extractive institutions stifle growth by concentrating power and wealth in elites. However, their theory has faced criticism for […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE Cosmic Breakthroughs On The Horizon Key Takeaway: Advancements in telescope technology have led to more discoveries about the universe than ever before. As new, groundbreaking observatories are set to launch over the next 20 years, they are expected to push the boundaries of cosmology even further. Chile is home to two ambitious ground-based telescopes, the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) and […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SOCIOLOGY Extreme Weather Conspiracy Theories: What Is Really Happening? Key Takeaway: Hurricane Milton in Florida sparked a rise in extreme weather conspiracy theories, which often arise after catastrophic events. These theories aim to explain significant events by attributing them to the secret actions of powerful groups. However, these theories often require a plausible group capable of executing the secretive actions they propose. People embrace […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
BUSINESS & ECONOMICS EDITOR'S PICK Reviving State Power: The New Era of Industrial Policy Key Takeaway: State intervention in global economics is gaining momentum, particularly since the 2010s, due to financial crises, geopolitical tensions, and the fragility of global supply chains. The relationship between exports and protectionism is complex, as successful industrial and trade policies often blend export promotion with elements of protectionism. South Korea and Taiwan have used […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
BUSINESS & ECONOMICS EDITOR'S PICK Boeing: Are Businesses Too Big To Fail? Key Takeaway: Alaska Airlines flight 1282 nearly fell out of the sky after losing a door plug, following two similar 737 Max plane crashes in 2018 and 2019. Boeing was charged with conspiracy to defraud regulators in 2021, but the US government agreed not to prosecute the company if it promised to pay a criminal […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK POLITICS TECHNOLOGY The Hidden Risks Of TikTok? Key Takeaway: The U.S. House of Representatives voted 352-65 to require TikTok’s parent company, China-based ByteDance, to sell the app or face a nationwide ban. The bill’s fate in the Senate is unclear, and the resulting legislation could survive a court challenge. Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed legislation banning TikTokin in May 2023, the first […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK PSYCHOLOGY SCIENCE The Halo Effect Key Takeaway: A recent study suggests that the “halo effect” is more complicated than previously thought, as attractive people may receive more help from strangers, higher wages, and more job opportunities. This can lead to more favorable treatment in life, such as lighter prison sentences. However, in court, jurors show biases, and more attractive defendants […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE Is Insomnia Actually Bad? Key Takeaway: Insomnia, a major health issue, affects around a third of people, with women and older individuals more affected. Sleep deprivation can lead to increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and mental illness. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the risk of insomnia, which has led to a rise in mental health […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK PHILOSOPHY The Philosophy Of Parenthood Key Takeaway: Anti-natalism is a philosophical view that it is ethically wrong to bring anyone else into being, focusing on worries about suffering and choice. It is not an exclusively modern attitude, but it is based on ancient Greek playwright Sophocles’ belief that life contains far more suffering than good. Contemporary arguments focus on the […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
BUSINESS & ECONOMICS EDITOR'S PICK SOCIOLOGY Are Big Businesses Actually Helping The Environment In Their ESG? Key Takeaway: A study of 100 of the world’s largest businesses found that two-thirds of them carry out restoration activities, but the evidence supporting these efforts is inadequate. Many corporate sustainability reports lack rigor in defining restoration, outlining methodologies, and quantifying outcomes. They also fail to clearly distinguish between projects designed to align with legal […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
What We Can Expect From Science In 2025 Key Takeaway: 2025 is expected to be a groundbreaking year with technological innovation, space exploration, and scientific discovery. Artificial intelligence is leading the charge, tackling challenges like antibiotic resistance and material design. Space exploration is also on track, with missions like NASA’s Artemis II and India’s Gaganyaan launching. Brain-machine interfaces, quantum computing, and nuclear fusion […] Written by Empirics Asia January 3, 2025January 3, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The Device That Transformed Philosophy Forever Key Takeaway: Friedrich Nietzsche’s creative process was a transformation driven by technology, transforming his writing style and offering profound insights into how tools of expression influence thought. By 1881, Nietzsche turned to the Malling-Hansen writing ball, an advanced mechanical typewriter, which increased his productivity and influenced his writing style. This shift reflected a broader evolution […] Written by Empirics Asia January 2, 2025January 2, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Are We Born With A Moral Compass? Key Takeaway: A large-scale replication effort by the ManyBabies consortium has cast doubt on a groundbreaking study that claimed infants could differentiate between “helpers” and “hinderers,” preferring those who assisted others over those who obstructed them. The original study, led by Kiley Hamlin, involved showing six- and ten-month-old infants a puppet show, and 88% of […] Written by Empirics Asia December 24, 2024December 24, 2024 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The Rise Of Western Computer Chips? Key Takeaway: Intel’s CEO, Pat Gelsinger, has resigned amid boardroom discontent, signaling the fading of a once-dominant American technological legacy. Intel’s strategic missteps during the rise of mobile technology led to financial reliantness on older technologies and delayed investment in next-generation manufacturing processes. The company’s struggle is emblematic of a larger challenge for the U.S. […] Written by Empirics Asia December 20, 2024December 20, 2024 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The Significance Of The Santa Myth Key Takeaway: The Santa Myth is a myth that has been passed down through generations to infuse Christmas with wonder. It represents a world that is fair and just, where good behavior is rewarded and kindness celebrated. The myth enriches children’s experience by providing a framework for understanding fairness and responsibility. It also encourages creativity […] Written by Empirics Asia December 13, 2024December 13, 2024 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Rethinking Life Beyond Earth Key Takeaway: Astrobiologists are exploring life beyond Earth, aiming to uncover universal principles governing complex systems. Since the discovery of the first exoplanet in 1995, over 5,000 planets orbiting distant stars have been identified. These rocky worlds, many of which are rocky, lie within their stars’ habitable zones, where conditions might allow liquid water to […] Written by Empirics Asia December 12, 2024December 12, 2024 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
How Reading Shapes Your Brain Key Takeaway: Reading is becoming less popular due to the rise of screens and videos. A study published in Neuroimage reveals that reading impacts the brain, with readers with strong abilities having distinctive traits in the left hemisphere, particularly in the anterior temporal lobe and Heschl’s gyrus. The brain is adaptable, changing its structure as […] Written by Empirics Asia December 10, 2024December 10, 2024 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