Link Tank: Wearable Tech That Never Quite Took Off
Wearable tech that was fated to be forgotten, why In the Heights might be the perfect post-pandemic movie, the best standalone sci-fi books plus more in today's Link Tank.
Smart glasses. Smart gloves. Smart…shirts? These ambitious wearables never quite took hold in our culture.
“While the 2010s was the first decade where wearables really took off, these devices actually have a long, storied history. They date all the way back to 17th century China, when scholars invented a tiny wearable abacus—or you know, the world’s first smart ring. Since then, there’s been a lot of trial and error in creating wearable technology that the average person would actually use. But we’re not here to talk about the successes.”
Now that theaters are reopening, In the Heights might be the perfect feel-good movie for post-COVID times, with hits vibrant city setting, focus on community, and more.
“Shot during the summer of 2019 in the far-north Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights, In the Heights was originally supposed to come out in June 2020 before getting delayed almost a full year. It will finally be released in theaters on June 11, while simultaneously heading to streaming on HBO Max. As the country reopens and theatergoing is deemed safe again for vaccinated Americans, In the Heights represents a sort of post-pandemic crossroads for new releases. Audiences will get to choose between seeing it big and loud among a group of strangers or watching from the convenience (and lower cost) of their couch.”
Sometimes you don’t want to star a tenuous, 6-book sci-fi journey. Maybe you just want to pick up one really good read! Our friends at The Portalist have identified some great options.
“Science fiction tends to tackle big, complicated ideas within complex societies, explored on an epic scale. This usually means stories captured over the span of several books, giving time to build the world, technologies, and cultures with depth and nuance. But every now and again, an author manages to present all of these facets in a single book.”
Bees are an essential part of our ecosystem – pollinating flowers, food-producing plants, and more. Turns out, cities need these busy workers more than we anticipated!
“Bees like a diversity of plants to pick from, and surprisingly enough, big cities have a buffet of different flowers and trees to choose from that bloom throughout the year. “I think people are worried about the pollution getting into the honey,” explains Hilary Kearney, the founder of San Diego-based Girl Next Door Honey. “But there’s plenty of pollution happening in more rural spaces, especially because of agriculture.””
Energy storage is a problem we’ll have to overcome if we really want renewables to work for our increasingly energy-demanding society. Looks like we might have some solutions to look forward to!
“There’s a wide variety of energy storage systems out there, all of which can be used to facilitate what the International Energy Agency described as a “complete transformation of the global energy system.””
Bombolini. Oliebollen. Sufganiyot, and more! There are a dozen delicious doughnut variations to enjoy from around the world.
“When most people think of doughnuts, they picture a ring of deep-fried dough with a hole in the middle (an innovation that came courtesy of a ship captain named Hanson Gregory in the mid-19th century), maybe topped with glaze or something equally sweet. But depending on where you are in the world, these tasty treats have evolved into different shapes, sizes, and flavors altogether.”
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