The pursuit of understanding, and the understanding of pursuit
On 21 June 2015 I started logging the songs that were stuck in my head as I awoke. 245 songs in 731 days, summarized below! Data limitations and resolutions There are several difficulties that arise with this project. I may be too tired to remember to log. The information may disappear by the time Read more about Waking Songs: 2 years of data[…]
Tech PillPack presorts and datestamps your medications. SpaceX rocket launches cost less than 1/4 as much as traditional ULA launches. Diversity in tech The results of this entrepreneur’s clothing A/B testing jive with my anecdotal experience in tech: dressing traditionally feminine gets you dismissed, but dressing edgy but not quite on the prowl captures attention and loyalty. Read more about A few good reads: tech and policy[…]
Microbiomes Exploring the idea that hospital microbiomes could someday be engineered. And continuing the topic of microbiomes: obesity surgery may work by remaking your gut microbiome. Modifying your mind via physical stimuli, or modifying your body by stimulating the mind Autism symptom reduction using a drug developed for African sleeping sickness. Increasing social sensitivity in autistic Read more about A few good reads: mind and body[…]
People were surprisingly interested in my Waking Songs project at the Quantified Self conference, so I quickly cobbled together some public-facing materials to share. I’ll be refining it over time. Quick project summary: I have been logging the songs that are stuck in my head as I wake in the mornings.
I’m at the Quantified Self conference in Amsterdam, Day 2 of 2 completed. I covered Day 1 previously. This conference is always so packed with inspiring and thought-provoking talks, breakouts, workshops, office hours, and discussions! It’s difficult to keep track, summarize, or highlight. But I’ll do what I can! Personal note: not everyone took a free uBiome Read more about QS17 Day 2[…]
I’m at the Quantified Self conference in Amsterdam, Day 1 of 2 completed. uBiome gave us free kits! What is Quantified Self? This year the Quantified Self Institute proposed a working definition that I feel is concise and captures the spirit of the community: Quantified Self is personal discovery through everyday science. This seems Read more about QS17[…]
The 2017 Quantified Self conference is in Amsterdam this year. I’ll be in the region for about a week afterward to hang out with a friend and be a tourist. Just a few observations on the process…. Wells Fargo will send you foreign currency at a good exchange rate within a day or so. Read more about Traveling for Quantified Self[…]
Expert Paul Hawken ranks top 100 climate change solutions in his new book Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming. Instead of the usual preaching involved in books on this topic, he presents the material more as a reference based on well-researched estimates of the carbon impact of each solution. I Read more about Climate change solutions ranked by expert Paul Hawken[…]
Quantified Self Apple buys Beddit, whose sleep monitoring hardware already has a software integration with the Apple watch. Ars Technica digs into the current state of the art in sleep tracking. A Carnegie Melon project produced a prototype sensor that can inform you about devices in the room without connecting directly with them. 23andMe has received FDA Read more about A few good reads: tech and policy[…]
Inner discoveries A new study shows that testosterone makes men less likely to question their intuition. I wonder whether they will follow this up with a study on women. Are we more, less, or just as susceptible to the influence of testosterone? Acetaminophen dulls pain and empathy, according to new research. A new paper tests more than 50 Read more about A few good reads: discoveries[…]
