Thursdays are all about longform links on Abnormal Returns. Wherever possible, free links behind the paywall are used. You can check out last week’s linkfest including a look at the teen mental health crisis.
Quote of the Day
"But in the end, perhaps inspiration’s greatest purpose is to reveal that the whole journey can be both rigorous AND fun."
(Lawrence Yeo)
Books
- An excerpt from "Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters" by Brian Klass. (theatlantic.com)
- An excerpt from Lisa Whittington-Hill’s new book, "The Go-Go’s: Beauty and the Beat." (longreads.com)
Business
- Problems at Boeing ($BA) have been brewing for a long time. (wsj.com)
- How the venture capital industry has evolved from its cottage industry beginnings. (investing1012dot0.substack.com)
- Can Sotheby’s and Christie’s be disrupted? (readtrung.com)
- A look inside Haribo's first U.S. gummi bear plant. (bloomberg.com)
- In praise of experimentation. (notboring.co)
AI
- What the history of copyright tells us about the future of AI. (newyorker.com)
- Scientists are using AI to try and decipher how animals communicate. (ig.ft.com)
Environment
- The case for nuclear energy. (unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com)
- Your used clothes often end up in the developing world where they pose an environmental hazard. (grist.org)
Longreads
- Why America's roads have become more dangerous. (nytimes.com)
- Fast food restaurants are a hotbed for child labor law violations. (wapo.st)
- Why aren't we deploying UV light to fight respiratory viruses? (vox.com)
- Money aside, what it takes to buy a pro sports team these days. (gq.com)
- How to balance inspiration and perspiration. (moretothat.com)
- What it's like to make (and buy) a hand forged knife these days. (chicagomag.com)
- Group chats are the new social media. (nytimes.com)