"5 COOL THINGS" - weekly emails

5 Cool Things šŸ˜Ž
5 Cool Things:
11/30/23
Hi, this is Greg Powell. I hope you'll enjoy one or more of these interesting topics from the world of business and beyond. Dan Powell, my son and collaborator, has researched the articles and written the summaries, so this is not a boilerplate message. We'd like to give you a weekly break to learn about something cool or, better yet, 5 Cool Things


From Yellow Cabs to Sky Cabs: Air Taxis Take a Big Apple Test Flight (The Register)

Flying cars are the quintessential ā€œfuture technologyā€, but they are one that might actually become a reality within our lifetimes. With electrical and battery technology, combined with autonomous driving technology (you really wouldnā€™t want flying cars driven like cars, would you?), we are closer than ever to this once-unthinkable goal. In New York City, electric air taxi companies Joby Aviation and Volocopter made test flights this month from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, as part of an initiative by Mayor Eric Adams. While itā€™s an important step, these craft are awaiting certification from the FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Read moreā€¦

 

All the Fish We Cannot See (Hakai Magazine)

In the deep ocean, a massive number of fish take part in a cyclical dance as they move from the deep ocean to the surface and back each day. The quantity of these ā€œmesopelagic fishā€ is so enormous and dense that navy sonar operators in World War Two, detecting them for the first time, saw essentially a false seafloor about 1000 feet below the surface of the waves. Today, these populations are being studied to learn more about how they might regulate the climate and carbon processes in the ocean ā€” but the same technology that makes them easier to study also makes them easier to capture for food. So far, itā€™s estimated that some 10 billion tons of carbon is pulled from the oceanā€™s surface to the deep water each year, with as much as 40 percent carried by mesopelagic fish. Read moreā€¦

 

Tons of Acorns? It Must Be a Mast Year (The Conversation)

According to naturalists, 2023 is a ā€œmast yearā€ for trees like oaks and walnuts, a time when the trees produce a larger number of nuts and seeds than they normally do. Scientists believe that mast years work along the same logical lines as the mass hatching of cicadas in cycles does ā€” there are simply too many for animals to eat ā€” but itā€™s less known how all of the trees are able to synchronize their seed production. We know that trees canā€™t product a lot of nuts and still put resources into growing. We also know that weather seems to play a role, with poor weather hampering flowers and overall reproduction. That leaves the emerging science of plant communication using certain chemicals released into the air and soil, which weā€™ll need to learn a lot more about before we can say for sure about its effects. Read moreā€¦

 

What We Can Learn From the Ancient Art of Wayfinding (BBC)

The success voyage of the Kon Tiki, a recreated ancient South American vessel that reached Polynesia, popularized the theory that Pacific settlers simply drifted across the seas using ocean currents. However, a special form of navigation, called wayfinding, may have been just as much or more responsible for the incredible feats that these early sailors achieved. There are a few different methods that could have been used, from the positions of stars to species of birds which are known to stray certain distances from land. Other techniques are less concrete and border on the mystical: subtle ocean swells caused by trade winds and weather, te lapa, or underwater lighting, seen near land masses, and whales or other creatures seen in certain areas. Read moreā€¦

 

Now That's What I Call Music turns 40: Forty Facts About the Compilation Giant (BBC)

Now Thatā€™s What I Call Music has been a staple of music libraries, kooky TV ads, and internet memes since November 29, 1983. Now on its 116th edition, the series is still a big seller even in a world where streaming playlists have largely replaced physical media. This article shares some fun trivia about Now Thatā€™s What I Call Music over the years. For example, the series got its name from a 1930s cartoon, inspired rival record company compilations and associated gaps in artist representation, and has localized variants around the world, even though it started in the UK. The most popular edition? Now Thatā€™s What I Call Christmas, which would be the ninth most popular UK album if not a compilation. Read moreā€¦

Check out my Writings: "Minding Your Business"
VISIT MY WEBSITE
See you next week!
            - Greg
Facebook
Twitter
Link
Website
Copyright Ā© 2023 Powell Management Resources, All rights reserved.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp
https://mailchi.mp/d5ac46be49e2/5-cool-things?e=[UNIQID]