fun facts

Iconic home floor plans reveal urban history.

“To understand a city, start with the foundation. Floor plans from homes around the world explain how the way we live has shaped the design and architecture of urban neighborhoods — and vice versa.” So far I’ve learned about Amsterdam’s canal […]

book recommendations

Mycroft and Sherlock

By: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anna Waterhouse The first thing to know about this book is that it’s written by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the 19-time NBA basketball all-star. He has demonstrated, at least to my satisfaction, his skill set has grown far […]

fun facts

A fake trip to Coachella on Instagram

Never trust the internet! “London-based YouTuber Byron Denton fooled many of his Instagram followers by pretending to be at Coachella, though some caught onto his prank.” | learn more

fun facts

Admiral Nelson’s body was preserved in brandy. 

I learned this on a tour of London this weekend. During the battle of Trafalgar in 1805, the victorious Admiral took a sniper bullet to the shoulder and soon died. The ship’s surgeon William Beatty decided to preserve his body for […]

on the blockchain

The mutual communication society. 

Jill Carlson shares a story of credit reporting by shopkeepers in 1800s London. Then, she brings it back to the blockchain: “Credit is an integral part of any mature and functional economic system. So if cryptocurrency is digital cash, what […]