Weekly Newsletter - 8th December
Lust for Data is Driving a New Space Race
Sixty seconds and five miles is all it takes to break the sound barrier. For another minute the rocket accelerates — and then the engines cut and gravity takes over. One minute more — now sixty miles high — the rocket gently touches the edge of space and begins the long fall back to Earth. Two minutes later New Shepard is back on solid ground, gently guided down by parachutes.
Though the flight lasted less than five minutes, it marked a major milestone for Blue Origin and its owner, Jeff Bezos. For the first time ever, the company had successfully launched a rocket, and come close to reaching space. Bezos, founder and billionaire CEO of Amazon, was well on his way to starting a new space age.
Though many dream of reaching space, Jeff Bezos is better placed than almost anyone to reach such lofty ambitions. An early pioneer of Internet retail — he founded Amazon in 1994 — he has since created the world’s largest retail and computing platform. Amazon is now one of the most valuable companies in the world, with annual revenues exceeding the GDP of dozens of countries.
This tremendous success has made Jeff Bezos the world’s richest man, with a fortune that can grow by billions in a single day. With so much money at his disposal, Bezos has the resources to pursue almost any fancy that takes his mind. But his interest in space is more than just a whim — he seems to believe that reaching space is vital for our future as a species.
How to Stay Forever Young
Everybody knows the script. After a brief and energetic youth, humans enter a long decline after middle age. Backs start to ache, joints stiffen up, and general aches and pains become a part of every day life. By the time retirement comes along, we’re too feeble to enjoy the few years we have left.
But what if I told you that story is wrong? What if humans could stay healthy, active and mentally sharp throughout their lives? What if a seventy year old could outrun a twenty-five year old?
Biologically, the evidence suggests that they can. It doesn’t need a wonder drug, or futuristic therapy either, the answer is much simpler. Three things make for a long and healthy life — good food, regular exercise and a positive attitude.
In the last few years, researchers have found that those three things can slow the rate at which people age, and can even reverse aging, making our bodies biologically younger. At the heart of this research is the distinction between chronological age, our age in years, and biological age, which measures the functioning of our organs.