EDITOR'S PICK TECHNOLOGY Is Artificial Intelligence Inevitable? Key Takeaway: The hype surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) is a long-standing belief in technological determinism, which suggests that once a technology is developed, its widespread adoption is unavoidable. However, this perspective is oversimplified and misleading when it comes to AI. Evidence of AI’s impact on productivity remains sparse, and there’s little consensus on its utility […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK PSYCHOLOGY SOCIOLOGY How Materialism Shapes Modern Relationships Key Takeaway: Materialism, the belief that wealth and possessions define happiness and self-worth, is causing a decline in relationships, particularly among younger generations. This shift is fueled by media portrayals of unrealistic standards and financial strain. To counteract this, producers and marketers should focus on qualities like trustworthiness, honesty, and affection, rather than material achievements. […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK TECHNOLOGY The Brains Behind The A.I. Revolution Key Takeaway: Princeton physicist John Hopfield and University of Toronto computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their groundbreaking work in deep learning, which has significantly transformed the artificial intelligence landscape. Hopfield’s work, known as the Hopfield Network, demonstrated the dynamic behavior of neural networks and the ability to store […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SOCIOLOGY The Dark Side Of Digital Drama Key Takeaway: The subreddit “Am I the Asshole?” has become a cultural phenomenon, with 20 million members and a focus on dissecting digital disputes. The platform encourages users to share stories about their non-violent conflicts, transforming them into moral judgments with quick votes and comments. AITA’s success lies in its structured approach to storytelling, which […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE The Dark Side Of No Sleep Key Takeaway: The “no-sleep challenge” has become a dangerous trend on social media, with some individuals trying to break world records for consecutive days without sleep. Sleep is essential for survival, as it helps the body repair itself and prevents health problems like depression, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and a shortened lifespan. Chronic sleep deprivation […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
BUSINESS & ECONOMICS EDITOR'S PICK FINANCE Why Crypto Crashed Key Takeaway: Japan’s stock market plunged 12% on August 5, marking its worst day in 37 years. The fall was triggered by fears of a US economy slowdown, with the Nasdaq index dropping over 6% and the S&P 500 dipping by 4.25%. The US Federal Reserve’s chairman, Jerome Powell, suggested an interest rate cut in […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK PHILOSOPHY Philosophy In The Age Of A.I. Key Takeaway: OpenAI, a leading AI research and development company, has announced plans to build a new team and allocate 20% of its computing resources to align AI systems with human values. The company is aiming to prevent artificial superintelligences from waging war on humanity. Philosophy has been instrumental to AI since its inception, with […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK TECHNOLOGY A Digital Afterlife Key Takeaway: The digital afterlife industry is rapidly evolving, with companies creating virtual reconstructions of deceased individuals based on their digital footprints. This technology offers comfort and disruption, blurring the lines between past and present, memory and reality. However, it raises ethical and emotional challenges, such as consent, privacy, and the psychological impact on the […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE How People Can Influence Our Memories Key Takeaway: A study has found that our memory helps us learn from experiences and develop new knowledge by integrating and updating information. Memory can forge inferred connections beyond direct experiences, which can sometimes lead to false inferences. The study found that people may prioritize information from liked sources more than those from disliked ones, […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ART & DESIGN EDITOR'S PICK TECHNOLOGY The Science Fiction Feedback Loop Key Takeaway: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman sparked controversy by referencing the 2013 movie “Her” to highlight the novelty of ChatGPT’s latest iteration. Actor Scarlett Johansson accused the company of improperly using her voice after she spurned their offer to make her the voice of ChatGPT’s new virtual assistant. This highlights the “sci-fi feedback loop,” which […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Why Forgetting Is Essential: The Hidden Power Of Memory Loss Key Takeaway: Memory research has long explored the reasons behind forgetting, with the “forgetting curve” illustrating that people lose details of new information quickly after learning it. Memory formation involves strengthening synapses, making the memory more resilient. Memory is also adaptive, constantly evolving to handle new information. This adaptability is vital for navigating minor changes […] Written by Empirics Asia November 5, 2024November 5, 2024 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The Big Bang: Inside The Explosive Origin Of Everything Key Takeaway: The Big Bang theory describes the universe’s birth as a massive explosion nearly 14 billion years ago, sparking everything we know today. Scientists discovered this event in 1929 with Edwin Hubble’s discovery of distant galaxies moving away from each other. The cosmic microwave background (CMB) in 1964 provided direct evidence for the Big […] Written by Empirics Asia November 1, 2024November 1, 2024 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Tiny Titans In Space: A Revolution In Space Exploration Key Takeaway: CubeSats, affordable, lightweight satellites, are revolutionizing space exploration by focusing on single scientific goals like observing asteroids or tracking water on the Moon. They travel as secondary payloads, minimizing space debris and accelerating discovery. CubeSats are also unlocking mysteries of distant worlds, paving the way for humanity’s dreams of becoming a multiplanetary species. […] Written by Empirics Asia October 25, 2024October 25, 2024 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Why We Crave Fear? The Science Of The Scare Key Takeaway: The fascination with fear is deeply rooted in human evolution, with emotions playing a critical role in survival. Controlled fear experiences, such as watching horror movies or navigating a haunted house, offer a safe way to engage with this powerful emotion. Exposure to intense fear reduces anxiety levels afterward, leaving people feeling more […] Written by Empirics Asia October 24, 2024October 24, 2024 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
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 […] Written by Empirics Asia October 23, 2024October 23, 2024 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
How To Manage Existential Anxiety In The Age Of Constant Crises Key Takeaway: In a world filled with crises, existential anxiety is a growing concern. This anxiety often manifests as mental distress, with the brain responding with stress hormones. Doomscrolling, a cycle of anxiety, can intensify feelings of helplessness and vulnerability to conspiracy theories. To manage this, stress-reduction exercises, emotional and social connections, and problem-solving can […] Written by Empirics Asia October 22, 2024October 22, 2024 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
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 […] Written by Empirics Asia October 21, 2024October 21, 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