Hi there -
I’m trying something new this week. You’ll find six traditional curiosities covering everything from space travel to rabbit holes to pizza toppings, but I’ve also added in a new section called ‘Quick Snacks.’ These are a few extra things I wanted to share but without the full blurb. Let me know if you’d like more or less of those going forward.
Here’s what sparked my curiosity this week:
1. Bob & Doug Go to Space
This Wednesday (5/27), at approximately 4:30 pm EDT, history will be made. It marks the launch of the first two NASA astronauts to be catapulted off this tiny blue marble in a private spacecraft. Well, sort of private. SpaceX, the brainchild of Elon Musk, has partnered with NASA to provide the Dragon spacecraft that will carry Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station. In preparation for the most important flight in the company’s history, SpaceX is pulling out all the stops. Their entire site is dedicated to the mission, you can see the full flight plan hour-by-hour, and they even created this animated simulation of the entire trip from launch to landing. If you know me well, it’ll come as no surprise to learn that I’m a big space geek. Just the other night, I spent what was likely far too long explaining the mindblowing concept of space distance to my family. I mean… millions of light years? Come on now. The sun is only 8 light minutes away from Earth and that’s already a whopping 93 million miles! Doesn’t help that last night I watched Ad Astra for the 3rd time. Good luck to Bob & Doug and the entire Dragon mission.
Read more about the launch here.
2. The Startup PR Clock
All startups long for that first great press hit. The TechCrunch article that announces them to the world, the NYT profile that shows them in their best light, oh, and hopefully doesn’t mention any of their competition. But as startups mature, it’s increasingly difficult to know where they stand with the press. Are they still the new shiny toy? Or are there cracks in the armor? A few years ago, a PR friend of mine told me about this concept of the PR clock. It’s a clever way for a company to orient themselves in the PR cycle. Aaron Zamost, Head of Communications at Square, wrote a great article in Wired a few years ago that explains these sentiment shifts overtime for any tech startup. There are, as always, exceptions to the rule, but this is a good guiding framework that startups can use to anticipate what may come next. Who'd go where today?
Click here for the full article.
3. Smart Sounds
“Most music in the world is designed to grab your attention.” Not this kind. Functional music is purpose-built to enhance cognition, improve sleep, or some other, well, function other than pure pleasure. I’ve been fascinated by this new genre for quite some time now and have tested all sorts of apps in the space. Here are a few that I’ve tried and loved so far:
Endel.io (desktop & iOS) - My favorite of the bunch. Endel uses a number of personal inputs like natural light levels, heart rate, weather, and motion type to create a personalized soundscape for four different modes: relax, on-the-go, focus, and sleep. Bonus: their brand identity is beautifully synchronized across their various channels, sites, apps, and partnerships.
Brain.fm (desktop) - One of the most well-known out there. They focus predominantly on at-work focus and they do it very well.
Wild Journey (iOS) - If you love nature, check this one out. It’s a beautifully designed app that plays ambient nature sounds as well as a number of mindful meditations. If you’re trying to relax and focus at the same time, this is a strong choice.
Tinnire & Generative.fm (app & desktop) - These final two are part of the generative music family. This is music that self-generates thanks to artificial intelligence. There’s not as much information about the science behind these particular two, but expect to see more generative music in the coming years.
4. Dive into the Rabbit Hole
As the internet continues its fusion with our collective identity, it’s not always the easiest task to take a step back and ask ourselves what the side effects may be. My new favorite podcast, “Rabbit Hole” by Kevin Roose & co. at The New York Times, promises to explore just that. The series dives deep into “the stories of people who are shaping and are being shaped by, the internet. The episodes act as a social mirror of sorts—allowing us to see ourselves in brightness and in darkness, in the best corners of the web and the scariest.
5. Pizza from the Pro
Have you made pizza during quarantine? Would you like some tips from one of the best? Well, Mark Bittman, the legendary food journalist and author, has you covered. He’s been writing profusely about pizza for the last few weeks over on his Medium publication, Heated. I especially loved his recent article exploring the ‘13 Variations to Convince You of the Greatness of White Pizza.”
6. The Next Game of Thrones
Unless you’re like me, an avid Life Below Zero and One Strange Rock viewer, you probably don’t watch too much Nat Geo TV. Their programming often flies under the radar of pop culture—occasionally emerging here or there. But this one could be big. Their new series, Barkskins, is set to premiere tomorrow night and the early reviews indicate Nat Geo might have a hit on its hands. Based on the novel by Pulitzer-winner Annie Proulx, it’s the story of French settlers in New France during the late 1600s and the adventures and troubles they encounter. More specifically, the show follows two prisoners from the homeland who’ve chosen servitude in this new land in exchange for not being locked up. I, for one, am very excited and if this is half as good as The Revenant or Game of Thrones, both of which it’s been compared to, I think we’ll all be happy to watch.
Quick Snacks
What happens when AI creates new words? They’re surprisingly believable.
If James Bond had a corner of the internet (+ father’s day gift ideas).
What has technology done to our friendships? More than you know.
That’s all, folks! Feel free to share this around with your friends or family and tap the little heart if you *really* liked it. Anyone who hasn’t yet can subscribe here. ☺️
Let me know if you like the Quick Snacks section (I’m open to name suggestions).
Also, if you want to chat about something I shared, please don’t hesitate to hit reply or leave a public comment below.
I’ll see you back here next Sunday—have a great week.