on the blockchain
HODL waves
“The colored bands show the relative fraction of Bitcoin in existence that was last transacted within the time window indicated in the legend.” | learn more
big ideas
Have you hugged a concrete pillar today?
From Bill Gates: “In 1950, the world made roughly as much steel as cement (a key ingredient in concrete); by 2010, steel production had grown by a factor of 8, but cement had gone up by a factor of 25.” | learn […]
big ideas
The trillion dollar paint job
“Infrastructure spending is broadly popular, which is likely why this new “infrastructure” bill has a decent amount of bi-partisan support. This is also why so many projects that have nothing to do with infrastructure are framed in such dishonest terms.” | learn […]
big ideas
We need to build our way out of this mess
“Many of our country’s problems are reducible, in one way or another, to the fact that we have lost the imperative to transform the physical world.” | learn more
thoughts of food
Smallholders produce one-third of the world’s food
This is less than half of what many headlines claim. From Our World in Data: “It is often claimed that smallholder farmers produce 70% or even 80% of the world’s food. This claim has even been made by the United […]
thoughts of food
Plant-based Sushi, faux fish rattle the multibillion-dollar seafood market.
“When a tuna marketing executive took a bite of the dehydrated tomato seasoned with olive oil, algae extract, spices, and soy sauce early last year, he was shook. “This is going to be a problem for us,” he said.” | learn more
thoughts of food
Is lab-grown meat really going to solve our nasty agriculture problem?
“Long the stuff of science fiction and philosophical musing, cellular agriculture is fast becoming a reality.” | learn more
under the microscope
Concrete microbiome could act as early warning system for collapse.
“Concrete may not seem like a particularly hospitable environment for life, but bacteria do actually live inside it. A new study led by the University of Delaware has examined this concrete microbiome to find out how they get there, how […]
under the microscope
A link between severity of COVID-19 infections and Neanderthal DNA
Covid-19 isn’t the theme of this story, but it is one interesting observation. “Genetic scientists from the University of California Santa Cruz have learned that just 7%—or less—of our DNA is unique to the human species, with the remainder of […]
under the microscope
People whose enzymes work slowly can’t handle the stress
“The hardworking ones are precisely four times faster than the lazy ones. The hardworking enzymes are built with valine, the lazy enzymes with methionine.” | learn more