Lost Markets, an Optimistic Take on AI, and 'CryptoMom'

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Meet the Watchdog Called CryptoMom

Dave Michaels | The Wall Street Journal | Retweeted by Brent Skorup

In her role on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Hester Peirce has frequently voted against enforcement actions and called on the SEC to moderate its fine-levying practices. One vote in July won her the hearts of the cryptocurrency community and innovative traders.

Here’s What Scientists Searched for in 2018: AI Is Up, Stress Is Down

Kelly Oakes | Nature | Shared by Tyler Cowen

Whether you’re solving the world’s biggest problems or trying to pass a biology exam, odds are you’ve turned to the internet for research. Data from the scholarly database Scopus and Google show the top science terms searched in 2018.

Ford’s Futurist, and City Planners, Try to See Past the Conventional Car

Michael Laris | The Washington Post | Retweeted by Jennifer Huddleston Skees

Sheryl Connelly, Ford’s futurist, has the unique task of predicting the future of transportation. She is working with city planners to ensure a smooth ride into the driverless-car future.

Why 2018 Was the Best Year in Human History!

Nicholas Kristof | The New York Times | Shared by Donald Boudreaux

While at first glance it may seem like the world is worse off year-after-year, key indicators such as access to electricity, drinking water, and the internet paint a different picture.

How an Emerging African Megacity Cut Commutes by Two Hours a Day

Nick Van Mead | The Guardian | Retweeted by Salim Furth

In a city with virtually no public transport and a projected population of 13.4 million by 2035, local officials are turning to bus lanes, instead of rail, to shorten commute times.

America’s Lost Markets

The Editorial Board | The Wall Street Journal | Retweeted by David Beckworth

Two years after President Trump’s withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, American producers are the biggest losers in a rebranded trade deal without the US.

Things Really Aren’t That Bad. But We Like to Think They Are.

Mitch Daniels | The Washington Post | Tweeted by Adam Thierer

In his new book Enlightenment Now, Steven Pinker applies reason, science, and humanism to show that the quality of life worldwide is on the rise.

A Top Roboticist Says A.I. Will Not Conquer Humanity

Brian Bergstein | Medium | Tweeted by Adam Millsap

Putting dystopian nightmares to rest, technological optimist and realist Rodney Brooks predicts that AI will not take over the world, and forecasts other technological innovations the world will see by 2069.

‘You Have to Actually Cut Open Mumbai’s Belly’—Inside One of the World’s Most Audacious Transit Projects

Corrine Abrams | The Wall Street Journal | Retweeted by Alex Tabarrok

With a population density almost three times larger than New York City, Mumbai’s underground subway project faces many challenges in the form of monsoon rains, ancient temples, and religious norms.