CBC's long-form/big think radio program Ideas recently featured a lecture called "Feeding Ten Billion" from Raj Patel, an Africa development scholar formerly with the World Bank, and author of The Value of Nothing. Patel's perspective on global agriculture and social justice is incisive and contrarian. I've never heard anyone talk about the demerits of the "Green Revolution" in agriculture like this, and it was an eye-opener. A perfect hour-long listen for the weekend's chores. MP3 link
Skeptical take on the Green Revolution
Why it's so hard to find a good tape deck these days
My colleague Brent Butterworth has a fantastic new piece on Wirecutter about the recent revival of music on tape cassettes — and why it's so hard to make them sound good, on a very technical level. CDs can flawlessly reproduce the entire range of audio from 20 hertz (half an octave below the lowest note… READ THE REST
Listen to the bass-heavy sounds of Mars as recorded by the Perseverance rover
Over the last eight months, NASA's Perseverance rover has used two onboard microphones to record more than five hours of sounds on the Red Planet, from wind gusts to the roll of the rover's wheels and the buzzing of the Ingenuity autonomous helicopter's blades. Perseverance is the first probe to be outfitted with dedicated microphones.… READ THE REST
A bat detector made with a Raspberry Pi
If you've run out of bat detectors but the bat detector store has already closed for the day, fret not! Here is kryptonaut's report about constructing a bat detector with a Raspberry Pi and other inexpensive components. The code isn't made available, but if you have some experience coding bare-metal on the Pi it shouldn't… READ THE REST
Protect your Internet footprint better with 20 Cyber Monday deals on VPN subscriptions
Hackers and Internet thieves are everywhere these days, and the threat of your systems and devices being breached means that keeping your PC safe these days isn't really an option. Going offline is also a rarity, and being connected to the world wide web only subjects you more to the digital pirates looking to steal… READ THE REST
Snag this wireless charger for under $50 this Cyber Monday
A few messes here and there is no big deal, but too much clutter at home or in your workspace can make you anxious, adding unnecessary stress to your already-buzzing mind. But with all the gadgets you have to charge every single day, it's not hard to cover every tabletop with multiple cables, chargers, and… READ THE REST
A grab-and-go modern survival kit with a Cyber Monday special price
With the increase in wildfires, hurricanes, and a world-wide pandemic hitting us this past year, it's safe to say that having an accessible and smart survival kit has become necessary. The GetxGo® emergency kit is packed with over 40 smartly organized and modernized essentials. The GO kit has everything you need to support your on-the-go… READ THE REST
