big ideas
How energy makes life possible.
Bill Gates reviews “Energy and Civilization: A History” by author Vaclav Smil. | learn more
thoughts of food
Man tricks TripAdvisor to make his shed the top-rated restaurant in London.
If you need another reminder about why not to trust things you see on the internet, here it is. This is amazing. | learn more
under the microscope
Dr. Valter Longo interviewed by Kevin Rose.
This interview was fascinating, and presented new information that’s broadened my perspective on diet and longevity. “Dr. Valter Longo is director of the Longevity Institute at USC and the Program on Longevity and Cancer at IFOM in Milan.” | learn more
under the microscope
To stay young, kill zombie cells.
Long time readers might recall the story of senescent cells – those that no longer divide, but haven’t self-destructed either. When researchers killed them off in mice, it seemed to reverse the aging process (more active, healthier fur, etc.). Now, […]
fun facts
Lava Lamps are being used for encryption.
Computers don’t do random numbers very well. So, security firm Cloudflare decided to let a wall of lava lamps handle the randomizing instead. The array of over 100 lava lamps in assorted colors is in their lobby for all to […]
tech, startups, internet
First Round state of startups 2017.
“Every year, we survey as many venture-backed startup founders as possible to figure out what it’s like to run a technology company right now. This year, we got more responses than ever before — 869 — giving us an even […]
oh, chicago
Finally, see trash and recycling pickup schedule online.
It’s a little sad that this is new, but I found it handy so maybe you will too! The tool tells you the pickup days for your specific address. | learn more
oh, chicago
The spirit of DNAinfo lives on at ChicagoPipeline.
Former DNAinfo reporters have taken it upon themselves to keep publishing the local news that we all love so much via Medium. It’s not a perfect substitute, but it’s better than nothing. Chicagoans, maybe if we spread the word more […]
fun facts
Kids who know how to deceive are smarter and better adjusted.
Well, this is something… “Why do some children start lying at an earlier age than others? What separates them from their more honest peers? The short answer is that they are smarter.” | learn more
better doing
How to design your ideal workday based on your sleep habits.
“When it comes to falling asleep and waking up, Breus has found there are four types of people in the world–or rather, animals: bears, lions, wolves, and dolphins. Each represents a so-called ‘chronotype’ that describes your body’s natural sleep habits […]