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That could soon change, however—thanks in large measure to PC gaming accessories like the Oculus Rift, a gaming-focused VR headset “designed for immersive games” but capable of so, so much more. Mere toys? Ha. These devices could be the keys that unlock the future.
This is not a toy: Oculus Rift’s virtual talents could transform real lives | PCWorld
There is $100 trillion looking for a good solar investment, according to NREL Senior Finance Analyst Michael Mendelsohn. The only obstacle is perceived risk.
$100 Trillion for Solar Revealed at Intersolar North America : Greentech Media
The greater the volume of trading, the greater the extent to which prices are determined not by informed assessment of fundamental value but by speculation.
The market is not the best place to set a fair price for assets – FT.com
The first test runs of a lawnmower that could reach speeds of more than 130mph have taken place.
BBC News – First tests of ‘130mph’ lawnmower
Cases of an incurable illness called valley fever are multiplying at an alarming and mystifying rate in the American south-west. Six states are affected, and Mexico too, but few places have been hit as hard as one remote city.
BBC News – Valley fever: An incurable illness in the dust
It started with a simple promise: the ability to travel from Los Angeles to San Francisco in half an hour. As time went on, Musk added more. It would be low-friction, and use such minimal power that the entire thing could be run on electricity from solar panels installed above the tracks.
Here’s how Elon Musk’s Hyperloop might actually work | The Verge
In 2011, Prince Hans-Adam II offered his entire principality of Liechtenstein for rent on Airbnb ($70,000 a night), “complete with customized street signs and temporary currency,”
Welcome to the ‘Sharing Economy’ – NYTimes.com
There is a broad, research-based consensus amongst academic researchers, policymakers and pundits that the key to economic growth lies in improving productivity. There is also wide agreement that productivity increases come through innovation. As Charles Jones argues: “[t]he more inventors we have, the more ideas we discover, and the richer we all are” (2005). This immediately leads to the following policy question: (how) can the number of inventors be increased?
Does education lead to more innovation? | vox
Why exactly shouldn’t banks be able to trade physical commodities? To see one argument, take a look at a big report from David Kocieniewski in today’s New York Times. According to Kocieniewski, a Goldman Sachs-owned company has been involved in an elaborate plan to move around aluminum in a way that has inflated market prices.
Goldman’s Alleged Aluminum Scam – Business Insider
If you wanted to say that a quantum computer runs on magic, you wouldn’t be too far off.
What Is Quantum Computing? – Business Insider
