25th July 2015
1) Easy DNA Editing Will Change the World
“We now have the power to quickly and easily alter DNA. It could eliminate disease. It could solve world hunger and it could provide unlimited energy. It could really get out of hand.”
2) In 2008 Airbnb approached 7 prominent investors in Silicon Valley. They were attempting to raise $150,000 at a $1.5M valuation. That means for $150,000 you could have bought 10% of Airbnb. Two investors didn’t bother replying and the other 5 sent rejection letters. Airbnb have just published them.
3) Great fun – An obsessively detailed map of American literature’s most epic road trips. All your favourites are here including On the Road and the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test.
4) Nikkei, pips Axel Springer to buy The Financial Times from Pearson for $1.3 billion (in cash). Former Financial Times editor Richard Lambert told the BBC World Service he was surprised the group was bought by Nikkei. Asked why Pearson was selling the FT, he said: “They’ve lost interest. They are now a book publishing company, education publishing company, there isn’t anybody there who is particularly interested in newspapers and I guess they want to deploy the assets somewhere else.” Here is the deal as explained by Pearson Chief Executive, John Fallon on this FT.com video (subscription may be needed).
5) Google Map’s new tracking tool records everywhere people have been. A new tool, called “Your Timeline”, uses Maps to record all of the places you have been for the purpose of retracing steps after the fact.
6) In the week that Earth 2.0 was discovered, Tim Urban from Quartz points out, that there are 100 Earth-like planets in the universe for every grain of sand in the world; so where are all the Aliens?
7) The growing business of generating fake enthusiasm – from flash-mobs to the Presidential campaign trail.
8) No time for binge watching TV series from HBO and the like? Here to help ,from Wired, is their binge watching guide.
9) Charming. You will fall in love with the #FollowMeTo couples honeymoon pictures.
10) As I know you’re interested…. Here is that Taylor Swift and Nick Minaj twitter feud explained.