A weekly collection of links to interesting things curated by Colin Wright.
What Would Signal Life on Another Planet?
Perhaps the most intuitive way to look for a biosignature in that barcode is to scour it for a gas that was clearly produced by life. For a time scientists thought that oxygen, which is abundant on Earth because of photosynthesis, served as a stand-alone biosignature. But oxygen can arise from other processes: Sunlight could break apart water in the planet’s atmosphere, for example.
The Brief Rise and Steep Fall of a New Orleans Amusement Park
There’s something primordial about the ruins of Six Flags New Orleans. Overgrown with Smilax thorns that loop around the skeletal remains of kiddie rides and home to alligators and boars, the former amusement park feels less like a real-world location and more like a figment from a half-forgotten nightmare. Faded, moldy Looney Tunes cartoon characters peer out with horribly misplaced cheer underneath sagging, graffiti-splattered concessions stands. Rides that once evoked laughter and delighted screams now slump defeatedly, a grim reminder of the tragedy that befell an entire city nearly two decades ago.
The Bizarre History Of Tyrian Purple, The Ancient Royal Dye Worth More Than Gold
In one story from Greek myth, Hercules is walking on the beach with his dog when the animal leaps on a sea snail in the surf. The dog emerges from the tussle with a muzzle dyed purple. When Hercules later tries to woo a nymph named Tyro, she notices the dog’s stained fur and demands a robe in the same color. This, according to legend, was the birth of Tyrian purple.
Though the story of Hercules and his dog is a myth, the lust for Tyrian dye was very real in the ancient world. Painstakingly made from the mucus of thousands of sea snails, the pigment was used for cloaks, wall paintings, and more. It commanded exorbitant prices and was reserved for the wealthy.
But by the 15th century, the production of Tyrian dye came to an end.
OpenAI Closes in on Largest VC Round of All Time
OpenAI today is expected raise around $6.5 billion at a $150 billion pre-money valuation, while also turning down billions of oversubscribed dollars, as first reported by Bloomberg.
This would be the largest venture capital round of all time, topping the $6 billion raised earlier this year by Elon Musk's xAI.
OpenAI previously scored $10 billion from Microsoft, but that was a multi-year, corporate deal that included more cloud credits than cash.
For context: $150 billion is what the entire U.S. venture capital market had under management in 1999, which fueled the internet bubble.
$6.5 billion is the amount raised just 10 years ago (2014) by all startups in New York, Texas, and Florida combined.
23andMe Board Resigns in New Blow to DNA-Testing Company
All seven independent directors of DNA-testing company 23andMe resigned Tuesday, following a protracted negotiation with founder and Chief Executive Anne Wojcicki over her plan to take the company private.
It is the latest challenge for 23andMe, which has struggled to find a profitable business model. The stock price rose a penny on Tuesday to $0.35 per share. At that price, 23andMe’s valuation is just $7 million more than the cash on its balance sheet. That represents a 99.9% decline from its $6 billion peak valuation just after going public in 2021.
The Hidden Environmental Costs of Food
As pricey as a run to the grocery store has become, our grocery bills would be considerably more expensive if environmental costs were included, researchers say. The loss of species as cropland takes over habitat. Groundwater depletion. Greenhouse gases from manure and farm equipment.
Dozens Arrested as Crime Message Network Dismantled
More than 50 people have been arrested as part of a major international investigation which dismantled an encrypted communication platform.
The platform, known as Ghost, was used to facilitate a wide range of criminal activities, including large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, instances of extreme violence and other forms of serious and organised crime.
Europol and Eurojust, together with international law enforcement, worked together to carry out the operation.
Over the course of the investigation, 51 suspects were arrested, including 38 in Australia, 11 in Ireland, one in Canada and one in Italy belonging to the Italian Sacra Corona Unita mafia group.