I just stumbled upon the Google app Google Arts & Culture, and it was such a wonderful surprise! I'm definitely planning to spend more time exploring it—it truly seems worthwhile. Hope you enjoy it too! https://artsandculture.google.com/
- Pedro
Read on SubstackOne Strange Rock, a must-watch series from National Geographic, offers 10 engaging, entertaining, and insightful episodes. Through these, I learned so much about the wonders of Earth that I hadn’t known before. Here's a breakdown of what I discovered or got a quick refresher on in this episode: Earth is unique in many ways. It’s the "1 in a million" planet, the only one we know of that's rich in oxygen, which makes up 20.95% of our atmosphere—a percentage that has remained incredibly stable over time. Oxygen is essential for generating the energy that sustains life. So, how is oxygen produced? Through an incredible cycle: a) It begins in Africa, in salt deserts. b) From here, massive dust storms carry this desert dust across the Atlantic to South America—a phenomenon observable from space. c) Every year, 27 million tons of African dust reach the Amazon basin, delivering perfect nutrients for plants and trees thanks to the salts and minerals it carries. d) The trees and plants, as we learned in school, transform carbon dioxide into oxygen. e) Each tree produces enough oxygen to support two people. f) However, all the oxygen produced in the Amazon basin is consumed within the basin itself. g) The Amazon rainforest, in turn, creates a "river in the sky," where evaporating water forms massive clouds. h) This sky river meets the Andes Mountains, where it condenses into rain, flows back into the Amazon, erodes the rocks, and transports the generated nutrient-rich sediments to the ocean. i) In the ocean, diatoms—tiny organisms and unsung heroes—absorb these nutrients, photosynthesizing and producing oxygen. In fact, diatoms are responsible for generating around 50% of the atmospheric oxygen. j) Diatoms thrive wherever there's water. k) When they die, diatoms settle on the ocean floor, forming a salty layer. l) Eventually, this layer forms new salt deserts, as mentioned in point a. m) And so, the oxygen cycle continues. This cycle is nothing short of astonishing—it shows how everything is interconnected and also how fragile these connections may be. All of this covered in just 50 minutes! https://youtu.be/XrC4vDcWmxk?si=GZluN5Z_9CpsUDcZ
- Pedro
Read on SubstackThe Economist’s presidential election prediction model currently suggests that each candidate has a 50% chance of winning. According to their simulations, if the election were held today, Trump would win 51 out of 100 times based on their Monte Carlo simulation. Regardless of political preference, here are some key points to consider: Anticipate a Very Close Race: With such tight margins, be prepared for widespread misinformation and disinformation in the aftermath, especially from the losing side. Fraud Allegations Will Arise Quickly: Claims of fraud or election manipulation may surface almost immediately. Heightened National Tensions: A nation split so evenly will likely experience significant tension and conflict across communities. Institutional Resilience is Essential: There will be substantial turbulence post-election, and institutions must be prepared for this strain. Whether you’re an individual, company, government, or region, it’s wise to consider scenarios for each potential president based on their policy promises and projected impact on your interests, both in the U.S. and abroad. Personally, I’m especially interested in understanding how The Economist built this model. Exploring the “How it works” section and the methodology details could provide valuable insights for applying similar modeling techniques to my own work. You can check it out here: https://www.economist.com/interactive/us-2024-election/prediction-model/president/how-this-works/. Our presidential election prediction shows the race is a dead heat https://www.economist.com/interactive/us-2024-election/prediction-model/president from The Economist
- Pedro
Read on SubstackData, big data, data analytics, intelligence, and AI are now widely applied to football, transforming talent discovery and performance optimization. This short FT video showcases the transformative role of data in football and sports as a whole. The motivations are clear: Nearly 50% of multi-million euro transfers fall short of expectations. Mitigating the rent-seeking by players, as almost all additional revenue streams end up in wages and transfer costs, draining the clubs. Leveling an uneven playing field, where league position is often highly-correlated with wage bills and investment budgets (see Bretford example). Expanding the recruitment pool to identify untapped talent. While most major clubs now have data departments, only a few manage to truly generate added value—many of the low-hanging fruits have already been picked. If these approaches can benefit the sports industry, imagine the impact they could have on your business and industry overall. https://youtube.com/watch?v=A_pxpJgY7V4&si=V242-0cXIs_OyyuU
- Pedro
Read on Substack1irst things first: Some of the best professionals I’ve worked with in my career were from PwC. That said, there are issues that can’t be overlooked. Between 2012 and 2023, PwC faced fines totaling around €450 million for misconduct across several countries—hardly a sterling business record. The firm’s recent connection to Evergrande is just the latest episode in a series that has run far too long. The outlook isn’t much better among the other "Big Three," where similar problems persist. This highlights a need for rethinking incentives and corporate governance across the entire business-services sector, a vast industry today. The mantra of “You don’t make partner because you’re a good auditor; you make partner because you close deals” needs serious reassessment. For further insight, The Economist has an excellent read on this topic. PwC needs to rethink its global governance https://www.economist.com/business/2024/09/19/pwc-needs-to-rethink-its-global-governance from The Economist
- Pedro
Read on SubstackNeed to organize your bookshelf or tackle a similar task? (No need to be Picasso to come up with a few other scenarios!) You have three approaches: Bubble Sort – Simple but slow, not the most efficient. Insertion Sort – On average, you only need to compare about half of the items that came before. Quick Sort – Breaks down the items into several partitions, making it faster to sort. Surprisingly, programmers use Quick Sort to optimize code and deliver better results. From my experience, whether the challenge is physical or programming-related, the most crucial step is defining the variables and establishing a clear problem-solving framework. How you approach this will determine whether the solution takes three hours or nearly ten days! Sometimes, there’s more depth than meets the eye. https://youtu.be/WaNLJf8xzC4
- Pedro
Read on SubstackAn Insightful Essay on Solar Energy: Its Evolution and Future Prospects Solar energy has evolved dramatically over the past few decades, and its growth is nothing short of exponential. As we look to the future, this upward trajectory is expected to continue, positioning solar power as a key solution to the global energy crisis. China has firmly established itself as the leader in solar energy, excelling particularly in manufacturing. Meanwhile, Europe, despite being an early adopter in terms of installations, lags behind in production capabilities. This dynamic between regions highlights both the progress and the challenges within the global energy landscape. For anyone interested in understanding the critical role solar energy will play in solving our energy conundrum, this essay is a must-read. Solar power is going to be huge https://www.economist.com/interactive/essay/2024/06/20/solar-power-is-going-to-be-huge from The Economist
- Pedro
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