300ms Faster: Reducing Wikipedia's Total Blocking Time
Have you ever been frustrated from interacting with a website that was slow to respond to your clicks or had jerky scrolling? Performance flaws like these can lead to the following: For more than…
The Art of Compression
The very short story can conjure a fiction out of almost nothing.
Scientists Working to Generate Electricity From Thin Air Make Breakthrough
Scientists making the "Air-gen" device have discovered that any material can be used to generate electricity from the air.
We’re effectively alone in the Universe, and that’s OK
Solitude is not a curse—it urges us to explore the mysteries of our galaxy and beyond.
The Mystery of the Disappearing van Gogh
After a painting by the Dutch artist sold at auction, a movie producer claimed to be the owner. It later vanished from sight, with a trail leading to Caribbean tax havens and a jailed Chinese…
Of Songs and Stories: What Bruce Springsteen Learned From Flannery O’Connor
Shortly after the birth of his sister Virginia in 1951, Springsteen’s family moved in with his paternal grandparents. They would stay there through 1956, but the years spent in that house would rem…
Kid Cop Returns (Again and Again)
He duped the PD as a teenager — and that was just the beginning.
We’re All Shopping Addicts Now
There is always a newer, cooler, more desirable version of ourselves to become, if only we buy the right products.
When digital nomads come to town
Cities from Canggu to Medellín are welcoming tech workers, but locals complain they’re being priced out.
The Return of Ryan Gosling
Starring as Ken in 'Barbie,' Ryan Gosling talks candidly about the new kind of films he wants to make—and the offscreen roles he’s prioritizing in real life.
How the U.S. Almost Became a Nation of Hippo Ranchers
In 1910, a failed House bill sought to increase the availability of low-cost meat by importing hippopotamuses that would be killed to make "lake cow bacon"
AI Canon | Andreessen Horowitz
A curated list of resources we’ve relied on to get smarter about modern AI, including generative AI, LLMs, and transformer models.
«a curated list of resources we’ve relied on to get smarter about modern AI.»
Where China is beating the world
On high-speed rail, EVs, and solar, China is doing truly amazing things.
How to Survive a Car Crash in 10 Easy Steps
A journalist navigates a world forever changed by her traumatic brain injury.
The Rhythm of Your Screen
It’s 2023 and I’m still frequently asked by clients about scrolling. I understand why. Every design comes with assumptions about how much content
“That little island changes everything”
How we designed Lyft Live Activities to elevate the rider experience
Astrophysics and stale beer: What life is like working at the South Pole
Those who live at the South Pole approach the ice with a sense of awe that borders on religious conviction
The search for my kimchi
I loved my grandmother's fresh kimchi. But as I aged, tasting the defining flavor of my childhood became elusive.
Using linear() for better animation
Using the linear() easing function with CSS transitions, animations and the JavaScript Web Animations API
Be Careful Using ‘Menu’
TL;DR: Be careful when using the word menu. Be certain you have chosen the term that accurately describes the control you want. If this post looks familiar to you, that is because it is essentially a…
See your identity pieced together from stolen data
Have you ever wondered how much of your personal information is available online? Here's your chance to find out.
Ticketmaster: the UX of a true monopoly
An onboarding that prioritises data collection, a punishing checkout experience and a core experience ripe with bugs.
I’m a rational optimist. Here’s why I don’t believe in an AI doomsday.
We live in interesting times. The systems of today are powerful. They can write, paint, direct, plan, code, and even write passable prose. And with this explosion of capabilities, we also have an…
Through Gripping Photos, Ryan Newburn Captures the Depths of Iceland's Ancient Glacial Caves — Colossal
Ryan Newburn photographs his expeditions into Icelandic ice caves and the vast, immense spaces that emerge once inside.
Mastering CSS Blend Modes
CSS mix blend modes provide an easy, yet powerful way to create visually interesting designs.
Brief Note on Popovers with Dialogs
This is not a comparison between popovers and dialogs, nor is it a discussion of support. This is me trying to get ahead of a potential issue for users when developers mix and match the patterns. I…
Single Line Comments in CSS
Brad Frost noted on Twitter how he recently made a website with plain HTML, CSS, JS, etc., and found himself missing some of the ergonomics from Sass. Having mostly abandoned Sass on personal…
display: contents considered harmful
display: contents has a long and storied history when it comes to accessibility.…
“Artificial Intelligence & Humanity,” an article by Dan Mall
What I rely on AI for—and what I don’t.
Quantum physics proposes a new way to study biology – and the results could revolutionize our understanding…
Studying the brief and tiny quantum effects that drive living systems could one day lead to new approaches to treatments and technologies.
Genetic Engineering
Genetic engineering is the process of using recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology to alter the genetic makeup of an organism.
ChatGPT can’t think – consciousness is something entirely different to today’s AI
Of the risks posed by AI, overtaking human intelligence isn’t an immediate concern.
The strange survival of Guinness World Records
The long read: For more than half a century, one organisation has been certifying and cataloguing all of life’s superlatives. But has it gone from being about the pursuit of knowledge to simply…
Study Offers New Twist in How the First Humans Evolved
A new genetic analysis of 290 people suggests that humans emerged at various times and places in Africa.
Out of our minds: opium’s part in imperial history
The long read: How a mind-altering, addictive substance was used as a weapon by one empire to subdue another
«1856, to the second opium war, and the greater opening of China to foreign merchants as well as the full legalisation of the opium trade»
New York's skyscrapers are causing it to sink
The ground under New York City is sinking 1-2mm per year, partly due to the sheer mass of all the buildings but it isn't the only city to be suffering – what can be done to save them?
How the Trocadero blew London’s mind then vanished for ever
The palace of pleasure we truly did not deserve
The war on Japanese knotweed
The long read: Once hailed as a ‘handsome’ import, this most rampant of plants has come to be seen as a sinister, ruinous enemy. Can it be stopped?
How NASA Plans to Melt the Moon—and Build on Mars
Scientists are testing ways to construct buildings on Mars and the moon without hauling materials from Earth. One possible solution: 3D printed melted regolith.
The fall of Vice: private equity’s ill-fated bet on media’s future
The evaporation of TPG’s $450mn investment shows what can happen when Wall Street collides with an uncontrollable creative industry
The failure of classical physics and the advent of quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics has played a significant role in the development of various disciplines of physics. It was propounded in 1925 and has reigned supreme ever since, extending its domain over the years;…
The Quality of Mercy - The Atavist Magazine
Gary Settle has helped dozens of federal prisoners get compassionate release. Will it ever be his turn to go home?
Memories Help Brains Recognize New Events Worth Remembering
Memories may affect how well the brain will learn about future events by shifting our perceptions of the world.
Intelligence Officials Say U.S. Has Retrieved Craft of Non-Human Origin
In a Debrief exclusive, Ralph Blumenthal and Leslie Kean report that a former official says the U.S. has retrieved craft of non-human origin.
Updating my website from my iPad!
How I am able to use github codespaces to develop and push updates to my website, from my iPad.
Bees can learn, remember, think and make decisions
Scientists are learning amazing things about bees’ sensory perception and mental capabilities.
A Centuries-Old Mystery: Did This Elusive Viking City Exist?
Was a “medieval New York” called Jomsborg a literary fantasy or a historical reality? New archaeological discoveries may provide a clue.
My first superoptimizer
I heard about these mythical programs that find optimal code through a brute-force search, but I didn't know how they worked. So I made one.
How to Stare at Your Phone Without Losing Your Soul
How many hours per day can you stare at your phone before you qualify for a 12-step program? Eight? Four? Twenty? One? Here’s the truth: Screen time doesn’t ...
What It Takes to Grow: Pioneering Psychoanalyst Karen Horney on the Key to Self-Realization
“Self-knowledge… is not an aim in itself, but a means of liberating the forces of spontaneous growth. In this sense, to work at ourselves becomes not only the prime moral obligation, bu…
«under the forces of convention and compulsion; it requires living amicably with who we have been in order to fully live into who we can be.»
The 7 types of people you need in your life to be resilient
For most of us, a major cause of overwhelm at work is the small stuff, or what authors Rob Cross PhD and Karen Dillon call “microstresses.” Good news: Your relationships can actually he…
«microstresses” — those countless small moments that occur in every workday and drain you of time, energy and enthusiasm»
31 Lessons I’ve Learned About Money
I remember learning how to play the recorder in elementary school. I remember square dancing. I remember cursive. I built a model of a Spanish mission out of sugar cubes. Some of this was fun. Some of…
The Two-Century Quest to Quantify Our Senses
The quantification of bodies, senses, and experience did not begin with surveillance capitalism but can be traced back to mathematical and statistical techniques of the 19th century.
Inside the Meltdown at CNN
CEO Chris Licht felt he was on a mission to restore the network’s reputation for serious journalism. How did it all go wrong?
Can I Afford to Live Like This?
We asked young New Yorkers about their dream futures. Then we calculated exactly how much each would cost.
Doubting Shakespeare’s Identity Isn’t a Conspiracy Theory
The Shakespeare authorship question—the theory that William Shakespeare might not have written the works published under his name—is the most horrible, vexed, unspeakable subject in the history of …
TikTok creators use AI to rewrite history
A viral trend imagines alternate timelines in which Western imperial nations never came to power.
How to Think About Politics Without Going Insane
The first thing every human learns about politics is that there are things you can say that will make people hate you, and things you can say that will make people approve of you. What those things…
Global heating will push billions outside ‘human climate niche’
World is on track for 2.7C and ‘phenomenal’ human suffering, scientists warn
An Illustrated Guide to Mouth Gestures and Their Meanings Around the World
An excerpt from François Caradec’s book “Dictionary of Gestures.”
Your Book Review: Cities And The Wealth Of Nations/The Question Of Separatism
Finalist #1 in the Book Review Contest
One Man’s Mission to Make Running Everyone’s Sport
Martinus Evans wants to make running more inclusive. His new book beckons back-of-the-packers to lace up.
Night at the Vatican
After the tourists go home, a museum’s collection tells its own story.
Boots on the Ground
Anti-government organizations are filling a disaster-response gap — and using it to spread their message.
What If Instead of Trying to Manage Your Time, You Set It Free?
The cultural critic Jenny Odell sees a way out of our obsession with personal efficiency.
"It Was Lighting in a Bottle": An Oral History of MTV News
Thirty-six years after TV's youth-culture monolith changed the face of cable news, its star correspondents — Kurt Loder, Tabitha Soren, John Norris, SuChin Pak, Alison Stewart and Gideon Yago —…
Girls Gone Wild Changed The World Forever. Joe Francis Is Finally Ready To Talk About It.
Joe Francis' porn empire was everywhere in the 2000s. How did it all fall apart?
What Happens When You Die? Unlike Most People, I Know. I Even Have Video.
I was morbidly thrilled: I had lived long enough to watch myself die.
Notes on Losing
Nearly every time I play tennis, I melt down spectacularly. Why do I keep coming back for more?
In ‘Succession,’ Tom and Greg Were Never Playing the Long Game
In a joint interview Monday morning, Matthew Macfadyen and Nicholas Braun reflected on their characters’ bond and their big finale slap fight. “It was real,” Macfadyen said.
Weird, Rare, and Everywhere
In the bogs of Hecate Island, British Columbia, a writer and novice naturalist joins researchers for a glimpse of a multiyear biodiversity mission—and gets acquainted with some odd organisms.
Color Photos of Stalin-Era Soviet Union Taken by a US Diplomat Who Got Deported for Espionage, 1950s
Delving into 1950s Soviet Life: Candid Photographs Reveal State Control, Scarcity, and Resilience. Explore an era through captivating visuals, shedding light on the challenges and indomitable human…
This is the first X-ray taken of a single atom
SX-STM enables detection of atom type, simultaneous measurement of its chemical state.
Did Scientists Accidentally Invent an Anti-addiction Drug?
People taking Ozempic for weight loss say they have also stopped drinking, smoking, shopping, and even nail biting.
Microsoft Says New A.I. Shows Signs of Human Reasoning
A provocative paper from researchers at Microsoft claims A.I. technology shows the ability to understand the way people do. Critics say those scientists are kidding themselves.
Titanic: First ever full-sized scans reveal wreck as never seen before
Full-sized digital scans reveal shipwreck in stunning detail, showing unopened champagne bottles.
A brain implant changed her life. Then it was removed against her will.
Her case highlights why we need to enshrine neuro rights in law.
The Ugly Truth Behind “We Buy Ugly Houses”
HomeVestors of America, the self-proclaimed “largest homebuyer in the U.S.,” trains its nearly 1,150 franchisees to zero in on homeowners’ desperation.
Can humans ever understand how animals think?
The long read: A flood of new research is overturning old assumptions about what animal minds are and aren’t capable of – and changing how we think about our own species
Dark waters: how the adventure of a lifetime turned to tragedy
The long read: The Clipper round the world yacht race was created for amateurs seeking the ultimate challenge. But did they underestimate the risks?
Martin Amis’s Comic Music
The great British novelist, who has died at seventy-three, had a true literary vitality that was high-spirited and farcical.
‘Almost magical’: chemists can now move single atoms in and out of a molecule’s core
An explosion of skeletal editing methods to insert, delete or swap individual atoms in molecular backbones could accelerate drug discovery.
Opinion | The Real Reason Your Groceries Are Getting So Expensive
Grocery-retailer consolidation is damaging our food system, stifling innovation and making everything more expensive.
The complicated history of how the Earth’s atmosphere became breathable
Biology, geology, and chemistry all worked together to make the present atmosphere.
The Explosive Legacy of the Pandemic Hand Sanitizer Boom
Three years ago, the FDA declared a manufacturing free-for-all. Now a noxious brew of leftover product is catching fire and making people sick.
Buckle up because El Niño is almost here, and it’s going to get hot
The world is headed into “uncharted territory.”
If Your House Was Falling Off a Cliff, Would You Leave?
Homeowners along the eastern coast of England are watching the North Sea swallow their communities. Help is on the way — but only for some.
These Are the Most Bizarre Numbers in the Universe
Most real numbers are unknown—even to mathematicians
Where to start with: Kazuo Ishiguro
Bittersweet tales of a deluded butler, Arthurian fables and the view from AI – if you’re not familiar with the garlanded author’s work, here are some good entry points
Chronic stress can inflame the gut — now scientists know why
Signals originating in the brain make their way to gut nerve cells, leading to a release of inflammatory chemicals.
A Confession Exposes India’s Secret Hacking Industry
The country has developed a lucrative speciality: cyberattacks for hire.
Why You Should Actually Let Yourself Eat the Foods You ‘Can’t Be Trusted’ Around
It sounds counterintuitive but here’s why it actually makes a lot of sense.
‘Lost’ Illusions: The Untold Story of the Hit Show’s Poisonous Culture
It was a groundbreaking smash, but things got so toxic behind the scenes that even co-showrunner Damon Lindelof now says: “I failed.” A powerful excerpt from the new book ‘Burn It Down.’
A Music Critic Reviews AI Songs
Some are technically impressive. But are they actually good?
How Mirror Neurons Explain Our Urge to Copy Others
Ever notice how you slowly start talking and acting more like the people you spend the most time with? This phenomenon, known as "behavioural contagion,” can shape our actions and habits in powerful…
«Try to notice when your actions and reactions are truly original, or if you're simply acting out a pattern you've seen in the past.»