The Thinker's Digest #3

Your fortnightly dose of brain food

Author

Nishant Bhide
August 07, 2023

Dear Thinker,

The invention of electricity has defined modern-day society. In today’s digital world, it can be compared to the discovery of fire. While the invention itself is of utmost importance, effective distribution is what enables all of us to avail its benefits. However, it’s only the 0 to 1 moment that gets the limelight. The 1 to 1000 moment is buried in technical papers and PhD dissertations.

Today’s edition pays homage to discovery of one such 1 to 1000 moment. The electric grid. We then traverse through the realms of science, investing, music and finally gaming. It’s a bit of a rollercoaster but one, I promise, you’ll thoroughly enjoy. Happy reading!

Brain Food

1. The Birth of the Grid

Electricity distribution has by far been one of the most important human inventions. Today, almost all everyday routines rely, in some way, on the availability of electricity. Ensuring this electricity reaches you is as important as electricity itself. This article charts the history of how early electric grids were designed and how they delivered power to all of America.

Read the full article, here.

2. Difference Between Heat and Temperature

While discussing the warming of the oceans with a colleague, I was startled to hear his indifference towards the ocean’s temperature potentially rising by 1 degree celsius. His argument was it’s just 1 degree and that it will make only a marginal difference. As I digged deeper into his reasoning, I realised that he, like many others, didn’t know the fundamental difference between heat and temperature. In this video, Neil Degrasse Tyson beautifully draws the boundary while showing how they’re related.

Watch the full video, here.

3. A Magical Quest: The Journey of Learning about Investing

Investing your money smartly has become the need of the hour. With high inflation rates and excessive currency printing, keeping cash in your account is as good as lighting it on fire. The advent of applications like Zerodha, Groww and Robinhood have allowed people like you and me to easily invest directly into assets like stocks, bonds, ETFs and crypto.

But, this convenience has come with added risks. Improper understanding of investing can result in you actually losing everything. This article charts the different type of investing philosophies one can follow and also provides links to books for further learning. A must read for anyone looking to get directly involved in the markets.

Read the full article, here.

4. How the Beatles Used Indian Classical Music Theory

The Beatles were one of the first international musicians to heavily feature Indian Classical music in their songs. Their love affair with Indian music started in 1965 when they were introduced to musical instruments like the sitar and tabla on the sets of their movie, Help! What started off with curiosity soon turned into a passion. This video goes in depth about which all Beatles songs were influenced by Indian music. An interesting watch!

Watch the full video, here.

5. How Roblox Grows: From Virtual Playground to Global Empire

Roblox has positioned itself as the virtual gaming infrastructure on which anyone can create their own reality. Last year, Roblox developers earned $600 million so clearly it’s working. This article dives deep to into the world of Roblox and traces its origin and growth story. Trust me, this one’s wild.

Read the full article, here.

If you enjoyed this list, subscribe to Beyond the Horizon and get access to information that will increase your knowledge of the ideas that shape the world.

Here are some earlier posts to give you a sense of the topics covered in this newsletter -