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(total reading time: 5 mins)
We have some great self improvement advice in today’s letter. As well as avoiding news, learn how to meditate better, become a better leader and don’t turn sleep into a super-power.
On the innovation side, learn about regenerative biology, robot telescopes and spying gym gear. Then on the lighter side, we list 20 great novels, some surprising insights on dating and Bugatti’s new electric car.
Enjoy!
Bilal
Avoid News – Towards a Healthy News Diet (Rolf Dobelli) Dobelli explores the 15 reasons that explain why people don’t really know much in the age of information. He recommends cutting out news completely as a means of therapy.
David Lynch Visualizes How Transcendental Meditation Works with Sharpie & Big Pad of Paper (Open Culture) Transcendental Meditation Guru David Lynch releases a YouTube video to break down and take people by the hand through the meditation process on paper.
7 Leadership Lessons Over 2.5 Years (Signal v. Noise) Leaders from various tech companies stress the importance of stepping out of comfort zones, being reflective and not micromanaging.
Do We Actually Grow from Adversity? (The Conversation) Psychologists say that data collected for studies on post-traumatic growth can be inaccurate and very biased. Those who say they “grew the most” after traumatic events may be part of their PTSD symptoms as well.
How Much does Upbringing Actually Matter for Children? (Twitter, Rolf Degen) Research shows that in terms of educational achievements, upbringing plays a bigger role for children from economically disadvantaged families. For those on the other side of the economic spectrum – educational achievements are mostly pre-programmed by genes.
Can Babies Learn to Love Vegetables? (The New Yorker) Babies weren’t born to know what’s good for them. But America’s highly commercialised baby food industry makes it harder for children to develop and be comfortable with healthier choices later in life.
Is Matthew Walker’s “Why We Sleep” Riddled with Scientific and Factual Errors? (Columbia University Dept. of Statistics) The short answer to the question after examining how Alexy Guzey roasted the claims by Walkers – the “sleep scientist” at Google and Berkeley professor – is YES.
Physical Activity May Protect Against New Episodes of Depression (Science Daily) Researchers Say that both high- and low-intensity workouts help reduce risks of developing depression, even among those genetically predisposed to depression.
Link Between Inflammation and Mental Sluggishness Shown In New Study (University of Birmingham) Researchers show that inflammation is a major cause of declined cognitive abilities – including the brain’s ability to remain alert – in humans.
This Robotic Camera Telescope Wants to Bring Astrophotography to the Masses (Peta Pixel) A French company Vanois recently launches “Stellina,” a portable astrophotography camera with a live image stacking feature. Now everyone can post their own galaxy pictures on social media.
The Coming Age of Generative Biology (Flagship Pioneering) Andrew Beam and Molly Gibson argue that machine learning may exploit the complex rules in biology and create new molecules, therapies and even genes.
Dupont Displays Silicone Adhesives And Wearables At Compamed and Medica (Medical Plastic News) These devices can help with wound and ostomy care as well as self-administered drug delivery services. Good news for the patients and caretakers.
MIT Researchers Teach Autonomous Cars to Predict Driver Behavior (Geek.com) The AI Lab at MIT now uses machine learning models to detect whether a driver is “selfish” or “selfless.” With this prediction, autonomous cars can be better at planning routes or responding to road emergencies.
The New Dot Com Bubble Is Here: It’s Called Online Advertising (Less Wrong) The “selection effects” seen from a case study on eBay’s inefficient advertising strategies prove that large investments in online marketing don’t yield significant returns.
Disney+ Has a Hacking Problem (Gizmodo) A lack of multi-factor authentication and habits of reusing passwords have contributed to the recent user information leak from Disney+.
Your Workout Gear Is Now Smarter Than You (Outside Online) Smart workout apparels are now capable of monitoring, analysing and transmitting their users’ activity data.
The Next Phase Of Marie Kondo’s Empire Is Here (Fast Company) The queen of tidying up with a minimalism-based philosophy is now selling merchandises to her followers. Less is more no more?
10 Tips I Wish I Knew 10 Years Ago as a Photographer (PetaPixel) For documentary photographer Asher Svidensky, it’s all about not obsessing too much with gears and always doing photography with a greater mission in mind.
Pretty Stunning Data On Dating (Marginal Revolution) Studies have shown that in heterosexual relationships, the attractiveness of men to women is negatively correlated with the amount of cargo shorts men own.
Bugatti’s First Electric Car Will Be a ‘More Affordable’ Four-Seater (Robb Report) Even high-end car manufacturers are chasing the trend of EVs. By “affordable,” the French automaker is planning to price this new model between $550,000 and $1.1 million.
The Verge Home & Tech Gift Guide 2019 (The Verge) This list includes more than just smart home appliances – getting a piece of artistic knife sharpener for the upcoming Christmas (and Thanksgiving) feast doesn’t sound like a bad idea.
Turns Out, They Speak a Lot of Languages in Star Wars (Gizmodo) Star Wars producers have released a YouTube video to remind you that 10 different languages are spoken across the Star Wars universe.
Alan Moore On Marvel Vs. Scorsese: The Influence of Superheroes Is “Embarrassing” And “Worrying.” (Lit Hub) As one of the most remarkable brains behind DC Comics, Alan Moore criticises modern superhero comics (and their derivatives) as lacking backbones and diversity in characters.
The 20 Best Novels of the Decade (Lit Hub) Emily Temple picks out her favourite 20 novels written and published in English between 2010 and 2019 including Pulitzer Prize winner The Underground Railroad – yes, the second decade of the 21st century is coming to an end.