Numlock News $5 / month

Numlock News is a daily newsletter that unearths fascinating, lesser-known stories across a variety of subjects, employing data and statistics to inform and entertain. It spans science, entertainment, technology, and environmental issues, offering insights into trends, societal changes, and peculiar occurrences without relying on advertisements.

Science and Technology Environment and Climate Entertainment and Media Economics and Business Culture and Society Health and Medicine Sports and Games Legal and Political

The hottest Substack posts of Numlock News

And their main takeaways

Numlock News: September 20, 2023 • Smurf Turf, Scantron, Tomatoes

550 implied HN points • 20 Sep 23

Some college football fields have trademarked colorful turf, sparking a legal battle.
An artist took money to make a statement on income inequality but turned in empty frames.
With digital test-taking on the rise, traditional scantron testing may be on the decline.

Numlock Sunday: Zeyi Yang on BYD

78 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24

🕹 Technology Electric Vehicles Shipping Manufacturing

BYD, a Chinese electric car manufacturer, has entered the shipping industry by building RORO vessels to transport their vehicles globally.
In 2023, BYD shipped 240,000 vehicles overseas, a significant increase from the previous years and a clear indication of their growth in the market.
RORO vessels have been uncommon due to the effects of the 2008 recession, with most vehicle manufacturers owning their fleets, making BYD's move notable.

Numlock Sunday: Matty Merritt on the rise and fall of the Disney Channel Original Movie

78 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24

🎭️ Culture Movies TV Pop culture Entertainment

High School Musical was a game-changer for Disney Channel Original Movies, making billions and shifting towards more sequels.
Disney Channel Original Movies started as small-budget experiments and grew into huge money-makers.
The success of DCOMs like High School Musical led to a shift in Hollywood towards more franchises and less risk-taking in filmmaking.

Numlock Sunday: Matthew Boyle on the fastest-growing job in America

117 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24

💼 Business Job Market Technology Finance

The fastest-growing job in America is wind turbine service technician, with a projected growth of 44.9% from 2022 to 2032.
Wind turbine service technicians are in high demand due to a massive scale-up in onshore wind projects.
This job pays $80,000 a year and does not require a college degree.

Numlock Sunday: Chris Ingraham on a stadium-sized pile of rock salt

98 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24

🔬 Science Environment Chemicals Research

Minnesota uses 445,000 tons of salt on roads annually, equivalent to a stadium-sized pile.
A teaspoon of salt can pollute five gallons of water, leading to water contamination.
High salt levels have impaired 50 lakes and streams in Minnesota and threaten 75 more.

Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity: