Science

  • Snake-Oil or Cure? Do Your Supplements Actually Help?

    Are you trying to lead a healthier lifestyle?  This data visualization can help you filter out the marketing hype to help you find the vitamins, minerals, and herbs that deliver tangible benefits … versus those that serve only as a "Guaranteed Genuine Placebo".

    Here is an interactive model of the most current research data.  It is interesting because of the health research itself … and because models (like this) have far-reaching applications.  Click the image to play with the interactive version on InformationIsBeautiful.

     

    Screen Shot 2022-09-04 at 10.41.12 AMvia InformationIsBeautiful

     

    I was surprised to see how many of the supplements I take weren't high on the list.  I was also surprised to find a few effective supplements on the list that I don't take. 

    Some of you have seen how many supplements I take a day.  I take so many pills that I split them up into morning, lunch, dinner, and bedtime.  Despite that, I always like finding what else might help. 

    As a reminder, supplements are meant to support your health goals, and the secret to longevity is not going to be found without you also putting in the work yourself. 

    Regardless, I appreciated this look at the performance data behind various supplements. 

    Let me know if you find something you think is worth sharing.

  • The Average NFL Player (By Position)

    Football season is officially underway!  In honor of that, here's a look at each position's composite "player" (as of 2019).

    As you might expect, different sports have different ratios of ethnicities.  For example, you might expect more Pacific Islanders in Rugby or Asians in Badminton.

    The same is true for various positions on a football team.  Offensive linemen are more likely to be white – while running backs are more likely to be black. 

    Here is a visualization that shows what happens when you average the top players' faces in various positions.

    6a00e5502e47b288330240a4cda5bf200b-250wi

    osmutiar via Reddit

    Composites are interesting.

    While you may be thinking "this player must be unstoppable" … statistically, he's average.

    The "composite" NFL player would be the 848th best player in the league.  He's not a starter, and he plays on an average team.  You probably don't know his name if you don't root for his team. 

    We found the same thing with our trading bots.  The ones that made it through most filters weren't star performers.  They were the average bots that did enough not to fail (but failed to make the list as top performers in any of the categories).  Meaning, the survivors were generalists – not specialists.

    In an ideal world, with no roster limits, you'd want the perfect lineup for each granular situation.  You'd want to evaluate players on how they perform under pressure, on different downs, against other players, and with different schemes. 

    That's what technology lets you do with algorithms.  You can have a library of systems that communicate with each other … and you don't even have to pay their salary (but you will need data scientists, researchers, machines, data, alternative data, electricity, disaster recovery, and a testing platform).

    You won't find exceptional specialists if your focus is on generalized safety.  Generalists are great, but you also have to be able to respond to specific conditions.

    Onwards.

  • Finding Ikigai In Increasingly Stressful Times

    I just read that they sell more adult diapers than baby diapers in Japan.

    Getting old is tough … and it gets tougher the older you get.   As a result, finding your 'reasons for being' and joy in life become increasingly important. 

    The past couple of years have been a period of massive upheaval for many.  Reasons for this include stress, change, pandemics, quarantine, new jobs, new goals … or, at the other end of the spectrum, lack of change, lack of a job, or lack of purpose.

    Most people know that life is much better than the alternative (and that life becomes even better when you learn to enjoy living and let go of what isn't serving you).  Consequently, it makes sense to understand and search for the things that bring you pleasure or fulfillment.

    A Japanese concept called "Ikigai" may help better define your motivating force and the things that give you a sense of purpose or a reason for living.

    Ikigai centers around finding purpose as you grow older.  Paradoxically, it makes sense to start the process as early as possible. 

    Here is an infographic that lays out some "Reasons for Being."

    IIB-Ikigai-1

    via InformationIsBeautiful

    Finding your "reason to be" and living with purpose are keys to making the most of your time.

    The beauty of 2022 being a fresh start is that you can also change your approach and your vision.

    The graphic highlights something interesting (yet almost counter-intuitive) … When two areas intersect, it creates something positive (e.g., a passion or a mission).   However, where three areas intersect, it creates a pain point (for example, it could be what you're good at, you love doing it, the world needs it … but it doesn't make you any money – so now you're struggling).

    Worth examining and thinking about for a bit.

    On a related note, this TEDx talks about the nine common diet and lifestyle habits that help people live past 100.

     

    TED-ED via YouTube

    And here is a link to Dan Sullivan's free e-book on his plan to live to 156. 

    Live long and prosper!

  • The New Era of Energy

    A couple of weeks ago, I talked about oil production.  This week, I want to look at the current energy landscape. 

     

    Screen Shot 2022-08-18 at 12.41.13 PMView the full infographic at visualcapitalist

    Over the past several decades, there has been a massive shift in how we produce and consume energy.  This has been driven by the tech boom – as well as by climate awareness.

    The practical realities of widespread tech adoption directly impact energy consumption.  For example, there are now over 7 billion people with smartphones.  As the population (and the number of gadgets and tech we use) grows, logically, so does our energy consumption.

    Luckily, we're also getting better at powering them. 

    On a different front, oil is still a meaningful and vital part of the energy ecosystem … but, now, it's being supplemented by multiple renewables. 

    Screen Shot 2022-08-18 at 12.41.59 PMView the full infographic at visualcapitalist 

    Over the last decade, investment in green technologies has helped the cost of renewable energies drop precipitously. 

    That spurred a different set of products and use cases.  For example, we've seen the number of electric cars grow exponentially.  In 2011, there were approximately 70,000 EV units in the world.  Now there are around 16.5 million. 

    This isn't a commentary on the environmental benefit of renewables; it is an observation about the direction energy is heading. 

    And, just like with AI, despite being a space that's existed for a long time, it is still in the "early adoption" phase. 

    Based on estimations, the IEA projects an 8x growth in EV by 2050.  This also means that we will use an increasing amount of batteries and rare metals.  Currently, China controls the supply chains and critical resource constraints. 

    If our goal is to be energy independent, we have a long way to go … Nonetheless, recognize that this creates massive business and investment opportunities. 

    Onwards!

  • Some Cool “Futuristic” Tech You Might Not Have Seen

    I joke that I have a "tense" problem. I spend a lot of my time thinking about what will be possible in the future. And once I know something is possible, in my head, it has already happened.

    It isn’t a reality distortion engine … it is a reality creation engine.

    For me, this is centered around the way technology is transforming the world and how it affects my business. 

    Sometimes it's nice to take a step back and look at all the "quality of life" improvements. The gadgets that make you say "Wow!" … even though they may not benefit you directly. 

    So, here are a few that caught my eye over the last few weeks. 

    Augmented Reality Running 

    In 2020, Ghost Pacer put together a pair of AR glasses that would give you a virtual running partner. The app would analyze the running route and the wearer's desired goals and set them up against a virtual runner who would push them to their limits. 

    Last year, SNAP and Nike teamed up to create a new AR running experience as well. 

     

    Spectacles via YouTube

    This is a great way to get moving for those (like my wife) who benefit from a structure around their exercise. 

    Magnetic Slime Robot for Healthcare

     

    New Scientist via YouTube

    Watching the video of this slime is somewhat uncanny. Its movements feel almost lifelike. That being said, the potential for this custard-like slime worm is massive. It can navigate narrow passageways, grasp objects, and more. There are already plans to use this to remove foreign objects from people.  

    Functioning Hoverboards 

     

    RIDE via YouTube

    Multiple generations of kids have dreamed of hoverboards after watching Back To The Future. While it's not in homes yet, it is now a reality as seen in this video with Tony Hawk riding one. Unfortunately, since breaking into the scene in 2015 with a successful Kickstarter, I have not seen much from Hendo Hoverboard. 

    Thankfully, they're not the only company in the space anymore. If you're willing to drop almost 15K, you can own a working hoverboard from Arcaboard. 

    I remember when we used to go outside to play or exercise.

    We live in interesting times!  

  • Where Are Children Being Born?

    Everyone knows that children are our future. They're the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, and workers. Countries that are having a natural decrease in population due to families not having children will likely find themselves becoming less important on the geopolitical stage.

    While the future is often hard to predict, here is easy “prediction” (that is much less of a prediction than it is simple math). In order to predict how many 18-year-olds there will be in a particular country in fifteen years, simply count the 3-year-olds there now.  Yes, there will be some death or migration … but it is an easy way to get a sense of some important mega-trends.

    With that said, the U.S. saw many states with more deaths than births in 2020 and 2021. 

    So, where are children being born?

    Where-Will-The-Next-1000-Babies-Come-From

    India, China, and Africa all are seeing massive population growth. America is still net positive. It's also worth noting that India and China are topping the list because they already have such large populations. Their birth rates are actually slightly below average. 

    On a longer term scale, it's also worth noting that population growth has been declining since the 1960s. Partly due to education, wealth, and the move from rural to urban living. 

    Slowing population growth means a larger portion of the population is older. As median age increases, there are lots of potential economic consequences.

    It's an interesting compounding of consequences. 

    We'll see if the countries with the largest population growth have the economy and infrastructure to support that growth. 

  • Oil Production By Country in 2021

    You could argue that we're in the middle of the first energy crisis of the 21st century.

    While gas prices are finally on the way back down, the recent surge is driving inflation and has consumers thinking much more about where their oil comes from. 

    When I last wrote about oil production, the shocking "secret" was that the largest importer of oil into the U.S. was Canada – and that most of our oil was produced within the U.S. 

    Largest-oil-producers-in-2021-by-countryvia visualcapitalist

    While the U.S. is the largest producer of Oil, OPEC is the largest organization. OPEC accounts for 35% of total production, with Saudi Arabia accounting for a third of OPEC's output. 

    Almost half of the world's oil production comes from The U.S., Saudi Arabia, and Russia. 

    Also, despite being the world's largest oil producer, the U.S. is still a net importer of oil. 

    Supply constraints on oil – as a result of sanctions on Russia – are creating a price increase with skyrocketing demand from mid-pandemic levels. Combine that with OPEC refusing to increase production to meet demand, and you have an energy shortage. 

    The U.S. has already started releasing barrels from its strategic reserves, and we've seen gas prices go down as a result, but it remains to be seen if our efforts will be enough to curb the shortage. 

    What else do you think we should be doing?

  • Taylor Swift’s Carbon Footprint?

    I'm writing this from International Falls, MN (someplace I never thought I'd be … ).  Meanwhile, one of the only less likely things, I can think of, is the article's topic.

    Taylor Swift is known for being vocal about climate issues.  She was also just 'outed' for the 170 flights her private jet took last year.  The news came out after another celebrity was chastised for a 20-minute private jet flight.  Taylor claims that most of those flights weren't hers – and that she rents the plane out.  Knowing other people with private jets, that's believable. 

    There are obviously bigger problems in the world today.  Nonetheless, I'm sharing this info anyways because the chart comparing her carbon footprint to the average person's caught my eye. 

    Ezgif.com-gif-maker (8)via Reddit

    I wonder how that would compare to the carbon footprint of non-celebrity private jet owners or manufacturers. 

     

  • What Tasks Should AI Take Over?

    One of the most common pop-sci questions about Artificial Intelligence is whether it will take our jobs.  

    There's a lot of fear from workers about a future where their roles are taken. Gartner recently surveyed workers on what tasks they wanted AI to handle. 

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    Gartner via Statista

    According to VentureBeat, some survey respondents did not want to use AI at work at all. Their reasons were privacy and security concerns. 

    I think one of the tasks that will be thrust upon AI companies is to help workers understand that AI is not meant to replace or take over their jobs, but to help workers be more effective and focused on higher-value tasks. 

    The Heartbeat of AI is Still Human_GapingVoid

    Onwards.

  • Understanding Data Breaches

    In 2016, I received this e-mail from my oldest son, who used to be a cybersecurity professional.

    Date: Saturday, October 22, 2016 at 7:09 PM
    To: Howard Getson
    Subject: FYI: Security Stuff

    FYI – I just got an alert that my email address and my Gmail password were available to be purchased online.

    I only use that password for my email, and I have 2-factor enabled, so I'm fine. Though this is further proof that just about everything is hacked and available online.

    If you don't have two-factor enabled on your accounts, you really need to do it.

    Since then, security has only become a more significant issue.  I wrote about the Equifax event, but there are countless examples of similar events (and yes, I mean countless). 

    When people think of hacking, they often think of a Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attack or the media representation of people breaking into your system in a heist.

    In reality, the most significant weakness is people; it's you … the user.  It's the user that turns off automatic patch updating.  It's the user that uses thumb drives.  It's the user that reuses the same passwords.  But, even if you do everything right, you're not always safe. 

    Your data is likely stored in dozens of places online.  You hope your information is encrypted, but even that isn't always enough.  Over the last 17 years, 17.2B records have been "lost" by various companies.  In 2021, a new record was set with 5.9 billion user records stolen. 

    VisualCapitalist put together a visualization of the 50 biggest breaches since 2004. 

    50-biggest-data-breaches-infographicClick To See Full Size via VisualCapitalist

    InformationisBeautiful also put together a great interactive visualization with all of the breaches, if you want to do more research. 

    image from i.imgur.com

    Click To See Interactive Version via InformationIsBeautiful

    It's impossible to protect yourself completely, but there are many simple things you can likely do better. 

    • Use better passwords… Even better, don't even know them.  You can't disclose what you don't know.  Consequently, I recommend a password manager like LastPass or 1Password, which can also suggest complex passwords for you. 
    • Check if any of your information has been stolen via a website like HaveIBeenPwned or F-Secure
    • Keep all of your software up to date (to avoid extra vulnerabilities)
    • Don't use public Wi-Fi if you can help it (and use a VPN if you can't)
    • Have a firewall on your computer and a backup of all your important data
    • Never share your personal information on an e-mail or a call that you did not initiate – if they legitimately need your information, you can call them back
    • Don't trust strangers on the internet (no, a Nigerian Prince does not want to send you money)
    • Hire a third-party security company like eSentire or Pegasus Technology Solutions to help monitor and protect your corporate systems

    How many cybersecurity measures you take comes down to two simple questions … First, how much pain and hassle are you willing to deal with to protect your data?  And second, how much pain is a hacker willing to go through to get to your data?

    My son always says, "you've already been hacked … but have you been targeted?" Something to think about!