Andrew Chen created this 80-page deck as part of his interview process at a16z, and now he’s sharing it with us. He digs deep into acquisition & retention metrics, and it’s wonderfully educational. | learn more
John Herrman shares some interesting research in the New York Times. “The infinite retailer appears to be ushering untold numbers of stealth brands into your life…” | learn more
I am a Divvy (Chicago’s bike-share program) rider, so I enjoyed learning about the underlying economics! | learn more
“Six of North America’s major freight rail companies — BNSF, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, CSX, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific — are split among different regions, but they all converge in Chicago. The region’s rail…
I investigated this after it was used as an example in an article I read. It’s a clever concept for a scam. | learn more
The government is collecting so much tax revenue from them that they’re paying a 3rd party company to deal with the cash. | learn more
This video is incredible. Humans are amazing. Wingsuit flyers Fred Fugen and Vince Reffet fly into a plane’s open door while it’s in the air. | learn more
Karen Hao from MIT Technology Review helps clear things up with a handy dandy flowchart. | learn more
The latest research in the field of xenotransplantation is showing promising results. “The first pig-to-human skin graft using live cells is set to take place this month in Boston. At the same time, Tector is…
“Engineers have created a see-through coating for windows that’s reported to reflect up to 70 percent of heat coming in from the sun.” |learn more
Carlos Espinal of Seedcamp shares some thoughts on the phases of these relationships, which apply to both investment firms and startups. | learn more
“To explore the impact a decade and a half of leveraged buyouts has had on the industry, Retail Dive compiled data on acquisitions and outcomes from multiple sources. Here’s what we found.” | learn more
“eMarketer also noted that Walmart’s e-commerce growth is 39.4 percent just behind Wayfair’s 40.1 percent clip.” | learn more
This is a long read from the New Yorker. The author was able to interview influential people in the space including Vitalik Buterin and Joe Lubin. | learn more
As context, there are currently fewer than 2,000 operating satellites in space. | learn more
“In 2013, David Sinclair, a geneticist at Harvard, published a high-profile paper showing that aging mice became more youthful when they were dosed with a NAD-enhancing compound.” Now there are two high-profile well-financed direct-to-consumer companies…
“Ever wonder why there’s a hole in the Chicago map east of O’Hare Airport? Here’s why.” | learn more
The Chicago Tribune dives into the growth of the video gambling industry inside bars, truck stops, donut shops and other small establishments. “Video gambling’s revenues have grown by more than 75 percent in just the…
Tedium highlights the history of the invention of RFID (in the context of espionage) and its role in electronic tolling transponders (like your I-Pass). | learn more
I’ve locked my phone to only allow social media apps for 30 min per day. Thankfully, this made the cut. Will Smith, his long-time friend Jazzy Jeff, and his son Jaden Smith brought back the…
“The true story of a ring of thieves who stole millions of dollars’ worth of luxury watches—and the special agent who brought them down.” | learn more
Author: Michael Pollan Author Michael Pollen weaves together a lot of science, stories and experience into an intriguing narrative about psychedelics. I read this shortly after finishing a science-based book about meditation. It seems both…
Author: Ronald Siegel I’ve tried meditation a few times in my life, but not yet with the dedication that I apply to other areas. Partly, I’ve been skeptical of its effects. And partly, it’s hard to…
Authors: Will Durant, Ariel Durant Will and Arial Durant are historians who spent five decades studying world history and creating an 11-volume Story of Civilization. From Wikipedia: “It totals four million words across nearly 10,000 pages,…
Much of the world lacks toilets. Because of that, disease runs rampant. No water and sewer infrastructure means traditional toilets aren’t going to be an option. So, Bill Gates has been investing in this space….