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
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
EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE The Secret To Becoming An Olympian Key Takeaway: Olympic athletes face a challenging journey of dedication and intense training to hone speed, strength, and technique. However, the path to success is fraught with uncertainty, as the risk of injury is a constant concern. In competitive sports, athletes must maintain their body’s integrity, as even a minor mistake can lead to serious […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE The Building Blocks Of The Universe Key Takeaway: Peter Higgs, the creator of the Higgs boson, has died at the age of 94. Higgs, a great scientist in particle physics, discovered the Higgs boson in 1964 after reading a paper by American theoretical physicist Philip Anderson. This led to the development of the Standard Model, which explained how fundamental particles and […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK PSYCHOLOGY Inside The Minds Of Magicians Key Takeaway: A study examining the mental health of magicians found that they exhibited similar traits to people with mental illnesses like schizophrenia and autism. Magicians, who both create and perform their own shows, require precision and technical skills to entertain the audience. They scored lower on nearly every psychotic symptom compared to the general […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE A Scientific Look At Astrology Key Takeaway Astrology is often associated with exclusivity, as it describes traits of different zodiac signs for a large audience. However, the scientific community has rejected the idea that celestial signs influence a person’s life or personality traits. A 1985 experiment by physicist Shawn Carlson found that astrologers were able to persuade clients through body […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK SCIENCE The Science Of Becoming Immortal Key Takeaway Dr. David Sinclair, a professor of genetics and co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research at Harvard, has discovered a biological clock that can accelerate and reverse the aging process. The study, which has been the product of 13 years of research, disrupts our scientific understanding of aging. […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
CALLUM CONNECTS INTERVIEWS Colin Thompson – Founder of Oligye Enterprises This article was originally published here: Colin Thompson – Founder of Oligye Enterprises Realising that the effect of motivational speaking was short-lived, Colin Thompson moved into life coaching to enable him to make a greater difference to clients lives. What’s your story? After several years of practice, I developed the ability to visualize my wiser-elder-self. […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK PSYCHOLOGY The “Sunk Benefit” Fallacy Key Takeaways: When you work on a project with people and successfully solve a problem, you (rightly) feel proud and accomplished. If the project helped create some “thing” that will require further maintenance and attention, you’ll probably come to love (and hate) that system. Don’t be afraid to move on to the next task, always […] 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
Birkin Under Seige: Unlikely Challenge Of A Luxury Icon Key Takeaway: The “Wirkin” bag, a $78 imitation of Hermès’ Birkin bag, has gained popularity on TikTok, attracting millions of users. The bag, a clever portmanteau of “Walmart” and “Birkin,” allows everyday consumers to partake in high-end fashion without the exorbitant cost. The trend reflects a broader shift in societal values, where symbols of wealth […] Written by Empirics Asia January 14, 2025January 14, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Fusion: The Move Towards Unlimited Clean Energy Key Takeaway: In 2022, scientists achieved the “experiment of the century” at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, marking the first time a fusion reaction produced more energy than consumed. This achievement has attracted billions of dollars in private investment, particularly in the United States, to advance fusion technology. However, a myriad of engineering challenges remain before […] Written by Empirics Asia January 13, 2025January 13, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The Biological Cost Of Loneliness Key Takeaway: A study by the University of Cambridge and Fudan University has found that loneliness is a significant health risk, with 25% of older adults and 15% of adolescents suffering from it. The research identified five proteins, including GFRA1, ADM, and FABP4, that are significantly elevated in individuals experiencing loneliness, which play key roles […] Written by Empirics Asia January 7, 2025January 7, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
How A Japanese Show Revolutionised Global Startup Culture Key Takeaway: The Japanese show “Money Tigers” revolutionized global startup culture by introducing a risk-averse economic culture to entrepreneurs pitching their ideas to wealthy angel investors. This format, inspired by “Dragons’ Den” and “Shark Tank,” has sparked 50 adaptations worldwide, with over $1 billion in investments reported by 2024. Before the global success of Dragons’ Den or Shark […] Written by Empirics Asia January 6, 2025January 6, 2025 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
Is A.I. Redefining Business Success? Key Takeaway: Generative AI is revolutionizing the business landscape by providing instant, high-quality results without high costs or delays. It allows small businesses to create professional menus, provide round-the-clock customer support, and analyze social media trends. AI also reduces infrastructure investments, making it more accessible and cost-effective. This shift has redefined the equation for success, […] Written by Empirics Asia December 31, 2024December 31, 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