Hurl of fame: As everyone becomes a passenger in autonomous vehicles, motion sickness is the next billion-dollar problem. From predictive buzz seats to cars that gently tilt your body during turns, engineers are working overtime (paywall link) to keep your breakfast down while your car drives itself. The goal? Making you queasy-free before 2030.
2.5 million
That’s how many people are stuck on the wait list for Raya. The dating app’s a hit with celebs and athletes, but you have to apply, and some people wait years to get in. And if you do? No screenshots, no bragging about who you’ve seen (paywall link). You might find a cougar or maybe a cheetah.
Boxes are over it: Cardboard box shipments just hit their lowest Q2 since 2015. That’s boxes for TVs, couches, frozen waffles, all whispering, “Don’t count on us.” Translation: People aren’t shopping as much. It’s not a crash, but it is a soft shrug (paywall link). You know it’s weird when cardboard boxes are quiet quitting, too.
After age 40
Your brain loses about 5% of its volume every decade, making it harder to remember details. One way to fight back? Learn a musical instrument (paywall link). It stimulates memory, coordination and problem-solving all at once, building new neurons and pathways. After all, you can tune a piano, but you can’t tuna fish.
Uber’s new girl mode rolling out: Women Uber riders in LA, SF and Detroit can request women-only drivers. The Women Preferences initiative is already live in 40+ countries (paywall link) and has logged 100M rides. Such a great idea.
1%
That’s the brave percentage of people who actually pay when faced with a paywall. Yea, I don’t either. We harness our energy into searching elsewhere for that kernel of information, or simply throw in the towel.
$500 million
That’s how much Microsoft saved by AI-answering your customer service calls. Their AI squads took over (paywall link) call centers, transforming human reps into ghost listeners.
$300 billion
The payday Ronald Wayne missed by leaving Apple too soon. Wayne bailed on his 10% stake 12 days in, for $800 in 1976 (paywall link), thinking he was dodging a financial bullet. The payout probably could buy him a small country today, or a few months’ rent in a San Francisco studio apartment.
Nearly 1,000
That’s how many ships a day are getting their GPS signals jammed near Iran’s coast (paywall link). It’s making navigation harder and riskier. It’s happening in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow but essential route that handles about 20% of the world’s oil.
More than 100
Telegram founder Pavel Durov says he’s fathered that many kids. He’s got six from three partners and has also been donating sperm for 15 years (paywall link). The kicker? He recently wrote a will saying he’ll split his $14 billion fortune equally among all of them. That’s $100 million or so each. Move over, Nick Cannon.
AI is breaking brains: Some folks are so obsessed with bots, they’re losing relationships and their grip on reality. One guy in Idaho believes he gave ChatGPT consciousness just by asking the right questions (paywall link). His wife says she’s scared to argue or he might divorce her. Others think they’re talking to God and angels. It’s a computer, folks.
Over 6 hours
If you sit still for that long every day, you’re basically asking for neck pain. The main culprit is your phone (paywall link). Why? You hunch your neck and slouch your shoulders. Over time, that throws off the muscle balance in your neck and upper back, leading to major aches and musculoskeletal issues. So yeah, remember to move around.
300
The number of calls a day businessman and talent agent Ari Emanuel makes. He also wakes up at 4 a.m. to work out, then jumps on a call with his buddy Mark Wahlberg (paywall link). Quick math? If each call is two minutes, that’s 600 minutes, or 10 hours a day on the phone. Either he’s got a clone or a Bluetooth headset glued to his head.
🤯 No cure for brain rot: If your brain feels fried from endless scrolling, folks are turning to a dumb phone (paywall link). We’re talking only the basics, i.e., phone calls and texts. The trade-off? Anxiety and fear you’re missing out. Basically, you’re screwed either way.
🚲 The Amish are riding e-bikes: In Ohio, the second-largest settlement is using them to zip past horse-drawn buggies and make life easier. But the community’s torn (paywall link). Horsepower? Out. Wattpower? In.
2 days
Your workweek in 10 years. Bill Gates thinks that’ll happen thanks to AI (paywall link). It may sound lazy, but we’ll be getting even more done. Cities like Tokyo are already testing a four-day workweek to boost birth rates. Next time you feel burned out, just picture those five-day weekends ahead.
$65 a night
What it’ll cost you to skip the hotel and stay in a convent run by sisters in Rome. Rooms come with the basics like a single bed, drawers and a sink (paywall link). Plus, there’s a simple buffet-style breakfast waiting for you every morning at 7 a.m. Blessings included, obviously. Remember to leave some Rome in your suitcase for souvenirs. (Oh, it’s a good one!)