To the Stars with Data: July 4 2021
Galactic Expansion, CRISPR, space hotel, BitClout, and more...
Hello!
This past week, I've been thinking about quantum field theory (QFT). I’ve always heard about QFT, but never truly understood why it’s so important. Then I saw this video (below).
An actual CERN researcher, Simon Sels, commented: "As someone with a Ph.D. in physics working at CERN, I can tell you that this is the most accessible, compact but accurate introduction to QFT I have ever heard!" Thanks, Simon!
Quantum computing—computing that exploits quantum states—is picking up steam, quickly moving from theory to practice. Want to learn more? Check out one of IBM’s papers.
Here’s to this week’s newsletter!
Joe
Thought-provoking Data Viz
Quick Hits. Researchers simulated how a star-faring civilization might settle their galaxy. Many previous models of galactic expansion simulated the expansion in a galaxy whose stars don’t move, but a static galaxy leads to inaccurate simulations because stars in galaxies are constantly moving. In the video, purple dots are settled star systems, white boxes are settlement ships, and white dots are unsettled star systems.
My Thoughts. This simulation blows my mind because its operating values are so conservative yet the results are so striking, particularly near the end. The two primary operating values are as follows: settlement ships only fly to other star systems that are within 10 light-years and settlement ships launch no more frequently than 100,000 years.
Let’s put this in perspective. Humans have attained explosive growth in technological capability within the past 200 years (0.2% of 100,000 years), and our technological expansion is only accelerating. Assuming that we continue to experience accelerating growth, we’ll likely settle other star systems faster than the simulation.
But, of course, we need to survive long enough as a species to settle other stars. Let’s work on that first.
Earth News
✂ Landmark one-and-done CRISPR therapy shows success
Quick Hits. Researchers attempted to treat a fatal hereditary disease, transthyretin amyloidosis, by injecting a CRISPR-based therapy directly into patients' bloodstreams. The participants reported no serious side effects and the results were incredibly promising.
According to Jennifer Doudna, one of the scientists who received the Nobel Prize for CRISPR:
“This is a major milestone for patients. While these are early data, they show us that we can overcome one of the biggest challenges with applying CRISPR clinically so far, which is being able to deliver it systemically and get it to the right place.”
My Thoughts. CRISPR (and gene-editing in general) is controversial for a number of reasons (more on this here), so it's promising to see such positive results in combating a deadly hereditary disease. Ultimately, I think the potential benefits of gene-editing greatly outweigh the potential harms. Regardless, we seem to be on the path to adoption. In the US alone, there are over 5600 patents related to CRISPR.
Here’s a quick introduction video if you need a refresher on CRISPR.
🚗 Next-Gen Volvos will include LiDAR as a standard feature
Quick Hits. Starting in Volvo's Xc90 electric flagship SUV, LiDAR will be a standard feature. The cars will be able to support 3 modes of driving: “Drive”, “Cruise”, and “Ride”. In Drive, the vehicle will provide drivers with warnings, automatic braking, steering interventions, and similar features. With Cruise, the vehicle will help control motion and lane-control. Ride is mostly unsupervised, where the car drives autonomously and the driver is only needed for inclement driving conditions or emergencies.
My Thoughts. After promising autonomous vehicles for over a decade, technology and vehicle companies are finally starting to deliver. In terms of the 5 levels of autonomous driving, Volvo’s “Ride” feature sits at Level 3 (partial autonomy), so only a few vehicles surpass it. Waymo One—which offers free rides in the East Valley of Phoenix—is one example.
Space News
🛎 First-Ever Luxury Space Hotel Nears Launch
Quick Hits. Orbital Assembly Corporation aims to produce robots that can semi-autonomously manufacture stuff in space. The first thing they plan to manufacture? A luxury space hotel. In 2023, the company will send these robots to space to build the hotel. The hotel will be ready by 2027 and will include "a wealth of amenities such as health spas, gyms, themed restaurants, Earth-viewing lounges and bars, and even concerts in space."
My Thoughts. I find the space hotel remarkable because of its manufacturing. Housing and paying astronauts aren’t cheap, so assembling items in space adds a significant sum to the price of any project. Once commonplace, robots will likely be a much cheaper solution.
🏠 China wants to establish a permanent Mars base
Quick hits. China wants to establish a permanent Mars base, with plans to get humans to the base as early as 2033. To accomplish this feat, they plan to use a "space ladder", which just appears to be a series of space elevators. With this timeline, others will likely visit Mars before China.
My thoughts. Though establishing a space elevator infrastructure would be a boon for space mobility, we may not even have the technology now (or in 10 years) to build it on Earth, let alone another planet. Regardless, China’s announcement will likely spur competitiveness across the globe. I predict that we’ll begin to see other Mars settlement announcements within the next few years.
Things that make you think
💰 Let’s talk about BitClout
Quick Hits. Imagine if you, as an individual, had a stock representing you. When people buy your stock, the price increases and you get a portion of the payment. When people sell your stock, the price of the stock goes down. Now imagine that stop being integrated into a social media platform.
That's Bitclout.
The financial impetus is twofold:
Creators should be able to make more money from their audience than current social media networks allow, and
Followers should be able to make money by "investing" in creators
My Thoughts. After pondering for some time, I still don't know what I think about BitClout, so I’ve outlined some arguments for and against BitClout below. Reply to this email and let me know what you think!
Pros:
Income. Creators can theoretically receive more money from their followers compared to traditional social networks. Traditional social networks depend on ad revenue to pay creators while BitClout allows for direct payments.
Transparency. BitClout’s documentation is readily available and the project is open-source, so creators and followers know exactly what they can expect from the platform. On other social media platforms, creators and followers alike are beholden to murky algorithms that dictate their experience.
Open Data. The data stored in Bitclout is open to everyone (with some exceptions, such as login information). This is unlike many current social media networks, which restrict access to their APIs.
Cons:
Speculation. Speculation is at the heart of Bitclout. Creators and followers are not promised any sort of reward and could potentially lose a lot of money. Those uneducated on the topic and more likely to lose their investments.
Psychological dependence. In traditional social media networks, users can end up depending on likes/shares/follows to determine their self-worth. Bitclout ups the ante by adding literal financial worth to the mix.
Shady Practices. At launch, many users were skeptical or outright hostile toward BitClout. BitClout has addressed some concerns, but others still remain. In my mind, the most prominent of which is their unauthorized creating of BitClout accounts from popular Twitter profiles.
Future-Thinking Companies
🥩 Future Meat Technologies. Future Meat Technologies grows meat from animal cells and is the first to do it at scale. Producing up to 1102 pounds of meat per day, they can produce a chicken breast for as little as $3.90. And they do this with 80% fewer greenhouse gas emissions, 99% less land use, and 96% less freshwater use than typical meat production.
🐟 Wild Type. They also grow meat (salmon) from cells but are only at the pilot stage, growing salmon meant for sushi.