The end of interchange. “Credit card companies have had a good run extracting interchange from merchants for the last forty years, but those days are coming to an end.” Fred Wilson’s a pretty good predictor of the future, but I […]
This frog knows its face. I’ve shared before about the discovery that tiny electrical fields help cells determine where a nose should be, for example. I can’t get enough of how cool this is. “Picasso tadpoles make largely normal frog […]
Algae as asphalt’s green hero. “Algae-derived compounds can improve moisture resistance, flexibility and self-healing behavior in asphalt, potentially extending pavement life and reducing maintenance costs,” says Assoc. Prof. Elham Fini. ~ learn more
Plants’ secret language revealed. Scientists have unraveled a century-old mystery of how plants communicate stress. “We are trying to build a foundational knowledge of understanding how communication in plants happens,” explains Vesna Bacheva. The study shows plants use negative pressure […]
Diet Coke’s ‘It Girl’ moment. Count me in for one! Yet, I refuse to let my kids try it. The soda has made a major comeback, embraced by Gen Z as the “fridge cigarette” for its refreshing qualities minus the […]
Chicago’s vegan scene contracts. In recent years, the city has witnessed a retreat in its plant-based dining options. “Despite the once-rising popularity of vegan and vegetarian cuisine, many establishments are now shuttering as diners return to traditional meats.” I sent […]
Digital devices and education decline. “The standardized test scores of American students had been rising for decades. Then they began to slide, dropping to their lowest point in two decades in 2023 and 2024.” Devices like laptops and tablets may […]
Marginal returns to public universities. “This paper studies the returns to enrolling in American public universities by comparing the long-term outcomes of barely admitted versus barely rejected applicants. … The typical marginally admitted student gains an additional year of education […]
I skied down Mount Everest (world first, no oxygen). Andrzej Bargiel “becomes the first person to climb Mount Everest and ski back to Everest Base Camp without supplementary oxygen.” After nearly 16 hours in the “death zone,” he made history […]
The rapid decline of horses. “Then, between 1930 and 1950, 90% of the horses in the US disappeared.” The shift from horse power to engine power was abrupt, despite two centuries of gradual technological advancements. ~ learn more