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The average American contributed nearly $6,000 to a 401(k) account in 2023, an increase over the previous year and roughly 8% of their total income. Check out these and more numbers on America’s 401(k) saving habits with this survey across different financial companies’ plans to give a representative glimpse at retirement saving today.
Architectural Digest
From an architect’s point of view, the buildings on Wall Street help tell the story of the street itself. This video takes you on a walking tour of many of the major buildings on Wall Street, guided by architect Nicholas Potts. In the video, Potts explains the many architectural styles on display within Wall Street’s few blocks, and what they reveal about a few iconic Wall Street institutions. Watch it here.
Pew Research Center
In 2022, roughly 52% of US adults lived in middle-income households, according to Pew Research. This income calculator can help you determine whether or not you're one of them. Specifically, the calculator lets you enter your household income, location, and more to see where you line up in Pew's government data. Check it out here.
Architectural Digest
From an architect’s point of view, the buildings on Wall Street help tell the story of the street itself. This video takes you on a walking tour of many of the major buildings on Wall Street, guided by architect Nicholas Potts. In the video, Potts explains the many architectural styles on display within Wall Street’s few blocks, and what they reveal about a few iconic Wall Street institutions. Watch it here.
If you’ve ever spent any time on finance-themed meme pages, you’re likely already aware that today’s young men have a fascination with the serial killer main character of the movie 'American Psycho.' But what is it about the satirical representation of the late-1980s Wall Street investment banker-type that Gen Z men feel such a connection with? Read this article to find out.
“Black Wall Street” was another name for the affluent neighborhood of Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Black-owned businesses once thrived. Until a white mob destroyed it in 1921. America had other “Black Wall Street” neighborhoods in places like Richmond, Virginia. Find out more about the meaning of the term “Black Wall Street” in this video.
Using OpenAI’s video-generation tool Sora, a user can create impressive, hyper-realistic video footage from a simple text prompt. This short film, titled “Air Head”—a whimsical look at balloon-headed person navigating the world—is one example. The team behind it used some extra post-production FX touches as well, but this is a good example nonetheless of what a user can do with OpenAI’s tool.
Stanford University
In a candid interview for Stanford University’s entrepreneurship seminar, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman gives advice for aspiring AI entrepreneurs and shares his insights about the opportunities and risks of AI tools and artificial general intelligence. Altman—who attended Stanford for two years, studying computer science before leaving without earning a degree—discusses when to be contrarian, which ideas to pursue, and more.
After ChatGPT, OpenAI again shocked the general public with its text-to-image generator DALL-E, capable of creating a wide range of image styles based on simple prompts. Its utility has also given rise to an organic, passionate user base who employ the tool both for fun and for professional purposes. This running thread from OpenAI’s developer forum lets users show off their favorite works (updated on a rolling basis).
Harvard University
Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia, an umbrella term that refers to a collection of symptoms, including memory loss, cognitive impairment, behavior changes, and more. Broadly caused by the death of brain cells, the disease generally (but not always) emerges in older age, strikes women more often (two-thirds of cases), and currently has no cure.
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Quanta Magazine
Fruit flies genetically engineered to be awake for as long as they live tend to live half as long as their well-rested brethren. Analysis shows these modified flies suffer from a buildup of DNA-destroying reactive oxygen species in their guts. When enabled to sleep or provided with antioxidants that neutralize the electron-thieving molecules, the sleepless flies live as long as their counterparts, suggesting sleep loss accumulates in the gut.
Many antidepressants approach the mental health condition from the chemical imbalance theory, which proposes that symptoms are caused by an insufficient amount of monoamines or neurotransmitters. Correcting this "imbalance" meant increasing the availability of those monoamines, typically serotonin, which influences mood and sleep. This led to the development of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs. This five-minute video explains how the science of antidepressants still isn't fully understood.
Alzheimer's Association
The brain has three main parts—the cerebrum, brain stem, and cerebellum—each combining to control the entirety of the body’s operations. Alzheimer’s progressively deteriorates the circuitry in these structures, resulting in what we see as the symptoms of the disease. This rich visual guide illustrates the difference between a healthy brain and one afflicted by Alzheimer’s.
TED Conferences
A human deprived of sleep for a single night will see an immediate increase in amyloid beta proteins, the molecule behind plaques seen in Alzheimer’s. New studies reveal high-quality sleep is critical in preventing the buildup of the sticky protein that appears to play a role in the development and progression of the neurological disease.
This nine-minute short film attempts to answer the loaded question of what it feels like to fade into dementia, a degenerative neurological disease that causes memory, motor, and cognition issues. The focus of the Dutch film is Jos, a married father who previously worked in hospitality. It follows him as he sinks deeper into his dementia "during what feels like a single day. Or is it years?"
Somitogenesis is the process by which segmented body structures like vertebrae form in embryos. While the process is well understood in animals like mice or zebrafish it is difficult to study in humans. But now, researchers have created a model of somitogenesis, using pluripotent stem cells, called an axioloid.
Ologies with Alie Ward
Sometimes you just want to hear two smart people talk about interesting science. In this episode of the Ologies podcast, host Alie Ward picks the brain of science communicator Samantha Yammine—whose PhD work focused on neural stem cells. The conversation covers everything from the earliest days of stem cell research to what the future of stem cell therapies may look like.
Stem Cell Network
Induced pluripotent stem cells are used in a great deal of stem cell research, but many people are still unfamiliar with exactly what “iPS” cells are. This video provides a clear (and short!) explanation of iPS cells for non-experts, and offers insights into why scientists are interested in these cells.
From Spanish paella to West African jollof rice, rice is a staple in dishes all over the world. This colorful animated video dives into the global expansion of rice, which now contributes over 20% of the calories consumed by humans each year. Learn about rice’s beginnings thousands of years ago, the environmental consequences of its popularity, and the potential for positive changes in the future.
Eyes have long been said to be the window to the soul. In this article, a psychologist and pupillometrist explores research demonstrating pupils as a window into the mind. Pupils can tell us how intensely someone is exerting mental effort, or even reveal what a person is imagining. Read this article for insight into the field of pupillometry and how it can offer insights into our psyches.
The creator economy, or independent business of self-employed creators, continues to be an attractive way to gain income for many people in the internet-era. While many platforms exist that help creators monetize their work, they each have different feature sets and different pricing models. This calculator helps workers decide which platform can work the best for them.
Off the coast of Miami lies an island called Indian Creek Village. Spanning around 300 acres, the island is home to a few dozen homes owned by celebrities, sports stars, and tech founders. Only residents or verified visitors can enter this private space, which is protected by its own police force. Listen to this podcast episode for more information about the private island and why the wealthy love it.
Chris Williamson
How does the richest individual in the world spend his days? Billionaire Marc Andreessen details the somewhat unusual approach that Elon Musk has to being a CEO. Addressing problems head-on, attracting the best talent, and setting high standards are just a few of the reasons why his companies can achieve so much success. Watch this video podcast for more insights.
The MIT Press Reader
In this article, renowned neurologist Richard Cytowic seeks to expose multitasking as a fool’s errand. Cytowic explains how the brain, like computers, switches between tasks rather than handling multiple tasks at once. He shares that attempting to focus on multiple activities at once consequentially decreases the brain's ability to ignore distractions, maintain focus, and organize information. Instead, try to focus on completing one thing at a time.
Scientists are exploring IVG (in-vitro gametogenesis), a breakthrough technology that could create eggs and sperm from skin or cheek cells, potentially enabling anyone to have biological children.
The Sea Dragon was a massive rocket concept from the 1960s that, if built, would have been the largest ever constructed. Designed to stand 490 feet tall, it could carry 1.1 million pounds into low-Earth orbit.
On October 13, 2024, SpaceX conducted its fifth Starship test launch, aiming to return its Super Heavy booster to the launch site using a pair of mechanical arms on its “Mechazilla” tower. After separating from the Starship’s upper stage, the booster used grid fins for steering and Raptor engines to control its descent. In a carefully timed maneuver, the tower arms successfully caught the booster mid-air—a significant step in reusable rocket technology.
One of the earliest video games to use 3D interfaces, 1993's Doom was a first-person shooter set on the moons of Mars which ended in hell. It became one of the most critically and commercially successful games of all time. Now, you can wander virtually in an art gallery in the mode of the game, sipping wine and perusing pixelated versions of classic works of art.
A baseball’s journey to the major leagues is brief but precise. Each lasts about seven pitches, but crafting them is an exacting process. Handmade in Costa Rica, the balls meet strict MLB specs: cork or rubber cores, wool yarn, Tennessee cowhide, and 108 stitches. Before play, they’re coated in Lena Blackburne mud from a secret New Jersey spot, ensuring grip and consistency for the big game.
A picket line is a boundary created by workers on strike, asking others not to cross it in solidarity. Traditionally, it’s a physical line outside a workplace, but today, it can also be digital—like boycotting a company’s website.
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