Grist Potentia

Grist Potentia explores the intersection of technology, creativity, history, and economics through a mix of reflections, curiosity-driven insights, and commemorations of historical figures and milestones. It encourages thoughtful engagement with beliefs, technological optimism, and the impact of ideas on progress.

Technology and Innovation Creative Thinking and Creativity Economic Theories and Productivity Historical Analysis and Perspectives Philosophical Reflections on Beliefs and Progress

The hottest Substack posts of Grist Potentia

And their main takeaways

I Choose To Believe …

58 implied HN points • 14 Jun 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Belief
  1. The post challenges you to engage with and offer upgrades to your beliefs.
  2. It invites you to explore the choices you make that can serve life on Earth.
  3. The author emphasizes the importance of flexing your innate capacity to choose what you believe.

Productivity Gains from Generative AI

39 implied HN points • 10 Jun 23
🕹 Technology AI Productivity Economics
  1. AI is being discussed a lot right now, with faster analysis of its economic impact compared to past tech changes.
  2. Generative AI is linked to increased productivity, though mostly based on anecdotes and personal experiences.
  3. Research by Economics Ph.D. candidates at MIT may provide more insights into the productivity gains from generative AI.

In the name of progress ...

39 implied HN points • 31 May 23
🕹 Technology Progress Humanity AI
  1. Technology has been exciting humans for centuries, from basic tools to AI.
  2. Despite fears, humanity embraces technology, believing it leads to job creation and prosperity.
  3. Many techno-optimists have strong faith in the positive impacts of technology.

Engelbart and the ABC Model

39 implied HN points • 29 May 23
🕹 Technology Innovation History Computing
  1. Vannevar Bush was a prolific inventor and mathematician who managed a large group of scientists during WWII.
  2. He created the first analog computer at MIT capable of solving complex equations.
  3. Bush's work laid the foundation for advancements in technology and computing.
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Saturday Curiosity Links

19 implied HN points • 02 Jul 23
💰 Finance Economics History
  1. On July 1, 1941, Myron Scholes, the Canadian-American financial economist, was born in Ontario.
  2. Myron Scholes began his journey into Economics early through his Uncles' businesses and investments in the stock market.
  3. Myron Scholes is known for developing the Black-Scholes model with Fischer Black.

Friday Curiosity Links

19 implied HN points • 01 Jul 23
🔬 Science Physics History
  1. Albert Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity was published in 1905.
  2. The theory reconciled Maxwell's equations with laws of mechanics.
  3. Einstein's theory introduced the concept of the speed of light.

Ayn Rand on Writing Nonfiction

19 implied HN points • 29 Jun 23
📖 Philosophy Nonfiction
  1. Ayn Rand promoted a vision of human potential and nature at the beginning of life.
  2. She defended capitalism, egoism, and reason, while opposing collectivism, altruism, and religion.
  3. Ayn Rand, originally Alisa Rosenbaum, chose to pursue a career in writing.

Thursday Curiosity Links

19 implied HN points • 16 Jun 23
💾 History
  1. Kobayashi Issa, a famous Japanese poet and lay Buddhist priest, was born on June 15, 1763.
  2. Issa, meaning Cup-of-tea, wrote over 20,000 haikus despite facing many tragedies in life.
  3. You can continue reading with a 7-day free trial subscription to Grist Potentia.

Trunk Songs

19 implied HN points • 05 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Theater Songwriting
  1. Trunk songs are pieces written for a show but set aside for later use.
  2. Songwriters often save trunk songs for future projects.
  3. Subscription to Grist Potentia gives access to full post archives.

Monday Curiosity Links

1 HN point • 20 Jun 23
💾 History Events
  1. Blaise Pascal, the French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist, was born on June 19, 1623.
  2. Pascal, despite chronic illnesses, was highly productive and created significant works like Pascal's Triangle.
  3. Pascal noted privately that he was embarrassed by his talents.

Sunday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
📚 Literature History Poetry Authors
  1. Irish poet W.B. Yeats died on January 28, 1939, known for his Symbolist poetry and mysticism.
  2. Article on investing in systems change capacity.
  3. Exploration of proprioception as the sixth sense of storytelling.

Thursday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
💾 History Events Biography
  1. Today in History: English writer A. A. Milne was born on January 18, 1882.
  2. A. A. Milne attended Westminster School and Trinity College in Cambridge.
  3. A. A. Milne was not just a writer, but also a talented cricketer who played for amateur cricket teams.

Monday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
💾 History Events
  1. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929.
  2. His father was a pastor who stood up against segregation.
  3. Martin Luther King Jr. witnessed and fought against discrimination.

Wednesday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
🔬 Science Mathematics Genetics Biology Evolution
  1. Today in history, G. H. Hardy was born - a famous mathematician known for his work in number theory.
  2. Genes may not be the complete blueprint for life as previously thought.
  3. Noise pollution is a significant environmental concern that needs attention.

Sunday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🔬 Science History Research Higher education
  1. Charles Lindbergh made history with his transatlantic flight in the Spirit of St. Louis in 1927.
  2. Rebecca Solnit talks about how slow change can lead to radical change.
  3. Scientists are taking a stand against fraudulent science research like plagiarism and paper mills.

Monday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
🔬 Science History Philosophy Nature
  1. On February 5, 1971, Apollo 14 landed on the Moon collecting 94.35 pounds of Moon rocks.
  2. The book 'Gödel, Escher, Bach' had a significant influence on the author's life.
  3. Forests exhibit a mesmerizing law that breaks the norms found throughout nature.

Friday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
💾 History Events
  1. On January 19, 1829, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's famous work Faust had its premiere performance.
  2. Faust, Part One was first published in 1808, and it is considered a significant piece of literature.
  3. Subscribe to Grist Potentia for 7 days of free access to their full post archives.

Tuesday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
💾 History Events People
  1. Today in History: Susan Sontag, an American writer and intellectual, was born on January 16, 1933 in New York City.
  2. Susan Sontag began her studies at the University of California, Berkeley before transferring to the University of Chicago to study philosophy, ancient history, and literature.
  3. Subscribe to Grist Potentia for a 7-day free trial to access more content and post archives.

Thursday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
💾 History
  1. On January 11, 1787, William Herschel discovered two moons of Uranus: Titania and Oberon.
  2. William Herschel built his first large telescope in 1774 and spent nine years surveying the skies.
  3. He used prisms and temperature sensors to measure the wavelength distribution of stars.

Monday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
💾 History Events
  1. Stephen Hawking, the famous physicist, was born on January 8, 1942.
  2. Hawking was initially not academically successful, but later showed aptitude for science.
  3. Hawking's father initially advised him to study medicine.

Tuesday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🔬 Science History AI Mathematics
  1. Douglas Engelbart, a pioneer in computer technology, created the computer mouse and more innovations in human-computer interaction.
  2. Lessons from history's top R&D labs offer valuable insights for innovation.
  3. Implementing a 4-day workweek and cutting employee salaries by 20% helped a CEO save their company from layoffs.

Monday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🔬 Science History Space Psychology
  1. Oprah Winfrey overcame a tough childhood to become a successful talk show host and media mogul.
  2. Antarctic fungi survived Martian conditions on the International Space Station.
  3. Gravity helped demonstrate the strength of the strong force in the proton.

Monday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
💾 History Events Facts
  1. On January 22, 1984, Apple Macintosh was launched after a famous Super Bowl ad.
  2. The Macintosh project started in 1979 to create an affordable, user-friendly computer.
  3. The team behind the Macintosh project included Jef Raskin and hardware engineers.

Saturday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 20 Jan 24
💾 History Events
  1. On January 20, 1993, Audrey Hepburn passed away in Switzerland. She was known for her beauty, style, sophistication, innocence, and her efforts to help children.
  2. There is an offer for a 7-day free trial to access full post archives by subscribing to Grist Potentia.
  3. Paid subscribers can sign in to access the post.

Wednesday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
💾 History Events
  1. Thomas Paine published his pamphlet Common Sense in 1776 advocating independence from Great Britain.
  2. Common Sense was published anonymously and became an instant sensation with the largest sale of any book in America at the time.
  3. To read more posts like this, consider subscribing to Grist Potentia for a 7-day free trial.

Tuesday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🕹 Technology History
  1. On January 9, 2007, Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the original iPhone.
  2. It was the first iPhone model and the first smartphone Apple designed and made.
  3. Development work on the original iPhone began in 2005.

Monday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 23 May 23
🕹 Technology Machine Learning
  1. LLM developers should know specific numbers for better performance
  2. Machine learning model can detect Alzheimer's signs in various languages
  3. Subscribe for a 7-day free trial to access more content on Grist Potentia

Saturday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
💾 History Events
  1. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a renowned composer, was born on January 27, 1756 and greatly influenced classical music.
  2. Explore revolutionary science in 'The Flux Capacitor - Time, Funds, and Peers for Revolutionary Science.'
  3. Discover a unique revelation about the universe from something in a 2-year-old's bedroom.

Sunday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🔬 Science History Neuroscience Architecture
  1. Thomas Edison, born in 1847, was an American inventor known for significant contributions in electric power, communication, sound recording, and motion pictures.
  2. The way the brain responds to reward is connected to a person's socioeconomic background.
  3. Emilio Ambasz's architecture combines poetry and greenery, showing a unique intertwining of art and nature.

Saturday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Literature Education Music Climate & Environment History
  1. Charles Lamb, an English essayist and poet, was born on February 10, 1775, known for his works like _Essays of Elia_ and _Tales from Shakespeare_. He had connections with other literary figures like Wordsworth and Coleridge.
  2. The Earth experienced its warmest January on record, marking eight months of unprecedented temperatures. This raises concerns about climate change.
  3. John Dewey's ideas on education and democracy are still relevant today, showing the enduring impact of his vision.

Friday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality History Philosophy
  1. Swami Vivekananda was born on January 12, 1863 in Calcutta and became a famous Indian Hindu monk and philosopher.
  2. Swami Vivekananda introduced Vedanta and Yoga to the United States when he spoke at the 1893 Parliament of Religions.
  3. To keep reading about Swami Vivekananda and more, you can get a 7-day free trial by subscribing to Grist Potentia.

Wednesday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🔬 Science History Physics Biology Art Ethics
  1. Ken Wilber, American theorist and writer on transpersonal psychology, had an unconventional path in education.
  2. I.I. Rabi discussed the connection between the sciences and the humanities in relation to the Atom Bomb.
  3. Physicists found evidence suggesting time reversibility in glass.

Wednesday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
💾 History Events Biography
  1. George Joseph Stigler, an American economist, was born on January 17, 1911.
  2. Stigler was a key leader of the Chicago school of Economics.
  3. He obtained his BA from the University of Washington and his MBA from Northwestern University.

Friday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 04 Aug 23
🍲 Food & Drink History
  1. Today in history: August 4, 1693 is traditionally credited with Dom Perignon's invention of champagne.
  2. Dom Perignon, a French Benedictine monk, was an innovator of sparkling wine.
  3. He tackled the problem of in-bottle refermentation faced by winemakers during his time.

Tuesday Curiosity Links

0 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
💾 History Events Discoveries
  1. Jack Kilby filed the first patent for an integrated circuit in 1959, leading to the modern computer revolution.
  2. Mathematicians have proven Bach's greatness as a composer.
  3. A rare 'Bookfind of the century' sold for $2.23 million.