fun facts
The world’s oldest smiley face is 3,700 years old.
Archaeologists found a Hittite jug with a very old smiley face on it. Everyone loves emojis, right? | learn more
oh, chicago
Interview with Zunum Aero’s new CTO.
He’s building a tech team for the electric aircraft startup in the Chicagoland area. In this interview, he talks about the startup and why Chicago makes sense. | learn more
profiles of people
Out of prison and back in the blockchain game.
“After spending a year in prison, Bitcoin pioneer Charlie Shrem has a new job and a new mission: helping build the future of the Internet.” | learn more
big ideas
A robotic arm piloted a Boeing 737 in a simulator.
Yes, we already have self-flying drones, but what to do about the legacy equipment that’ll be in service for decades? A DARPA program has created a system that can do the job of a real pilot, with video inputs of […]
big ideas
Never trust a video again.
Researchers at the University of Washington have applied neural networks to create lip-synced video from an audio clip. They faked a video of Obama that’s eerily realistic. The long-term implications are pretty eye-opening. | learn more
under the microscope
How do VCs make decisions?
A study out of Chicago Booth took a deep dive into the VC decision-making process with the help of surveys from almost 900 investors, both early and late stage. | learn more
under the microscope
Metformin promises to extend life for a nickel a pill.
Nir Barzilai runs the Institute for Aging Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He’s on a mission to get the FDA to classify aging as a disease. Then, he expects research to demonstrate that Metformin (and similar interventions) […]
tech, startups, internet
The pulse of fintech Q2 2017.
This report by KPMG offers loads of aggregate and specific data. Pay special attention to the corporate investments going into this space! | learn more
tech, startups, internet
Electric vehicle outlook 2017.
The report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance is behind a submission form, but even if you don’t go that far you’ll see highlights and predictions. This raised my eyebrow: “We estimate that EVs will account for 54% of new car […]
book recommendations
Foundation
Isaac Asimov’s famed work of science fiction has been cited by some of today’s most well-known technologists as inspiration for their life paths. I just had to read it to learn what all the hype was about. I found the […]