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Really long form podcast
I just finished listening to a 5-hour podcast interview by Lex Fridman. Lex is an AI researcher who started interviewing colleagues in his field, and then kept expanding his reach and interests. He now interviews intellectuals and thinkers in many technical fields, from biology to cosmology to philosophy,  usually at great length (many hours). Lex’s questions are often clumsy and awkward, but going long allows him to get deep, and often intimate. He seeks answers to hard questions. While he sometimes interviews famous pundits, he usually speaks with really interesting people you’ve never heard of. The payoff is that his Lex Fridman Podcast keeps me informed about “big questions” stuff. — KK

Search research papers for a consensus
Consensus.app is a search engine that extracts, aggregates and distills findings from 200 million peer-reviewed scientific research papers to answer your questions. It’s still in beta, so there is disclaimer that the results are not meant to be taken as final truth, but more of a reflection of relevant research relating to your query. I love using other search engines besides Google whenever I can. Here’s a list of other interesting search engines we’ve recommended in the past. — CD

Leaky faucet fix
Our showerhead was leaking, even after I replaced the rubber washer. YouTube informed me that I had a scarred valve seat, which is the brass ring that is supposed to form a tight seal against the washer. I bought a reseating tool for about $10 on Amazon, which smoothens the surface of the valve seat. It worked, and saved me a $150 plumber visit. — MF

Different types of therapy
Here’s a great jumping off point to learn about different types and approaches to psychotherapy. I have been hearing from friends about Family Systems Therapy and looked it up here. I also really appreciate this article on The Elements of Good Therapy, which should be empowering, non-pathologizing and collaborative. — CD

Maker nerd newsletter
The Prepared is a free weekly newsletter about manufacturing, materials, engineering, infrastructure, factories, and the built world. It’s put out by hardware nerds. They also have a great cool tool review section on their website. The newsletter is insider talk about professionals making stuff for real. I look forward to it every week. —KK

Get more awe in your life
According to this Guardian article, “regular doses of awe may be vital to our wellbeing and make us nicer people.” The article includes a list of different ways to experience the shivery, goosebumpy feeling of awe, including attending live performances by skilled people, watching nature documentaries, and listening to music that gives you the chills. — MF

— Kevin Kelly, Mark Frauenfelder, Claudia Dawson

10/16/22