fun facts
The huge telescope from Goldeneye is being dismantled
“The iconic Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico is to be dismantled, officials announce.” | learn more
fun facts
Time’s 100 best inventions of 2020
Some of my highlights: vodka made from thin air, a biodegradable grill, a handsfree toothbrush and microbial biofertilizer. Another fun fact: I recently read Time’s creators originally wanted to call it Facts but they concluded the definition of facts was too hard to pin down. | learn more
on the blockchain
Square sold a lot of bitcoin in Q3
“Square said that it sold $1.63 billion in bitcoin through its Cash App during 2020’s third quarter.” One side-note: I still don’t know anyone who uses this app. | learn more
big ideas
Floating cities: the future of civilization?
“Seasteading isn’t the answer to our most complex problems. The answer is more experiments in government. But at its core, floating cities would allow market competition “in the most powerful industry on earth: governance”” | learn more
thoughts of food
Always start a food business, especially in a pandemic
A new project from Eric, who happens to be a PS subscriber! They’re selling a Texan pastry called Kolaches in Chicago. “Here’s some good advice that I never heard: Start a business, it’s easy. Start a FOOD business, those have […]
under the microscope
Four simultaneous gene edits; explained in a fun video
Eleanor, a PhD student at Cambridge, makes fun videos explaining science. In this video, she explains BEAM-201, a new CAR-T base editing development candidate. She does a great job! | learn more
under the microscope
How raising children can change a father’s brain
“The bodies and brains of fathers, not just mothers, are transformed through the love and labour of raising a child.” | learn more
under the microscope
Are infections seeding some cases of Alzheimer’s disease?
The most widespread theory is that a type of plaque builds up in the brain to cause Alzheimer’s, but no treatments to remove the plaque have shown good outcomes fighting the disease. Maybe the plaque is an immune response to […]
to your health
Amazon jumps deep into the pharmacy business
This goes well beyond their PillPack acquisition from 2018. The new offering, Amazon Pharmacy, allows customers to order prescription medication with free delivery, accepts most insurance, and even lets you compare your insurance price to the cash price (which is […]
better doing
Telling the 800-lb gorilla to shove it up his ass
On competing with big companies. “Every founder frets about competition from a big company, me included. We scoff at their inability to innovate and for prioritizing shareholders over customers, but still we quiver in fear.” | learn more