The hottest Resources Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

On Technologies vs. Commodities

Construction Physics • 23383 implied HN points • 29 Jan 26
🌞 Climate & Environment Resources
  1. Manufactured technologies tend to get cheaper more reliably over time, while commodities can also fall in price but do so less consistently, especially in recent decades.
  2. The price dynamics overlap: commodities face depletion, tradability, and cartel effects, while technologies benefit from learning, scale, and process improvements, yet technologies can hit siting or resource limits and commodities can improve via better extraction methods.
  3. It’s unclear whether commodities follow learning curves because long-run cumulative production data is often missing, so analyzing specific price-driving mechanisms is more useful than relying on a simple technology-vs-commodity split.

The Resource Wars Have Begun

Anima Mundi • 1009 implied HN points • 28 Feb 26
🌍 World Politics Resources
  1. Control of raw materials — oil, rare earths, cobalt, uranium, gold — is the central driver of many current wars and diplomatic moves. Conflicts from Iran to Venezuela to the DRC are being shaped more by resource access than by ideology.
  2. Three competing strategies are colliding: the US uses transactional military leverage for resource access, China builds long-term infrastructure and standards to secure supplies, and Russia funds war through extraction while shadow actors profit. That collision is creating a multipolar scramble with no clear global rules or effective institutions.
  3. The resource scramble risks cascading global crises — energy chokepoints, nuclear proliferation, supply‑chain collapses if Taiwan is attacked, and worsening humanitarian and democratic breakdowns. These cascades threaten markets, food and energy security, and accelerate the weakening of dollar dominance.

Copper: Imminent Supercycle or Mostly Hype?

Doomberg • 516 implied HN points • 20 Feb 26
💰 Finance Resources
  1. Copper was fairly inactive for about a decade, but interest and market attention have suddenly spiked.
  2. There’s growing hype that future supply will fall far short of demand, which supporters say could trigger a copper 'supercycle'.
  3. The full, in-depth analysis is behind a paid subscription, so accessing the complete argument requires upgrading.

The Entropy Debt Theory of Civilization

Anima Mundi • 432 implied HN points • 16 Jan 26
🌞 Climate & Environment Resources
  1. Many major problems—climate breakdown, institutional decay, and worsening mental health—are connected as interest payments on an "entropy debt" because civilizations maintain order by exporting disorder across space and time.
  2. Modern civilization has exhausted the places and times to which it can export entropy—fossil fuels, colonial extraction, and psychological repression were ways to borrow order, and now the system is approaching saturation.
  3. The real solution is a civilizational shift from borrowing order to living on "entropy income" by relying on solar-driven flows and redesigning institutions and values. Efficiency or a simple energy switch won’t by itself erase the underlying debt.

Top Links 955 A bunker of rare earths. No more Lightning. Pandemic security. Jakarta's growth.

Chartbook • 314 implied HN points • 18 Dec 25
🌍 World Politics Resources
  1. People are focusing on building secure stockpiles of rare earth metals to protect supply chains and national security.
  2. The era of Lightning is ending, signaling a shift in device connectors and a big change for accessories and hardware standards.
  3. There’s renewed attention to pandemic security and Jakarta’s rapid growth, highlighting public health preparedness and the challenges of fast urban expansion.
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Plan D

Doomberg • 6499 implied HN points • 13 Oct 24
🌍 World Politics Resources
  1. Turkmenistan, led by the late dictator Niyazov, created a unique cult of personality centered around himself with his image everywhere in the country.
  2. After Niyazov's death, Turkmenistan remained an oppressive state under President Berdimuhamedov, known for its very low score on political rights and civil liberties.
  3. The country has huge energy resources, especially natural gas, making it significant in global energy discussions, particularly concerning China's future energy needs.

A bunker of rare earths. No more Lightning. Pandemic security. Jakarta's growth.

Chartbook • 157 implied HN points • 18 Dec 25
🌍 World Politics Resources
  1. Countries are building secure stockpiles of rare earth minerals, underscoring their strategic importance for technology and defense.
  2. A program or product called "Lightning" is being ended, signaling a shift away from that specific technology or platform.
  3. Pandemic security is a major policy concern, and Jakarta is experiencing notable economic and urban growth that matters for planning and development.

Reader Question: What to do if you experience medical weight stigma

Weight and Healthcare • 639 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Resources
  1. Weight stigma in healthcare is common and can have various forms, impacting patients differently depending on many factors.
  2. There are several ways to address and respond to weight stigma in healthcare, such as addressing it in the moment, submitting a complaint, or sharing experiences on review sites and social media.
  3. Taking action against weight stigma, like lodging complaints, can lead to changes in healthcare practices even if the outcomes are not always visible.

Reader Question - How to Find a Weight-Neutral Provider

Weight and Healthcare • 579 implied HN points • 09 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Resources
  1. To find a weight-neutral healthcare provider, look for terms like weight-neutral, weight-inclusive, anti-diet, and Health at Every Size(tm).
  2. Utilize lists of vetted providers from organizations like ASDAH, Mary Lambert, Christy Harrison, and Jen McLellan.
  3. You can also ask in fat-positive groups for referrals, call ahead to inquire about weight-neutral care, or discuss your preferences with your current provider.

Guns and Jesus

The Friendly Neighbors • 1120 implied HN points • 29 Mar 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Resources
  1. Gun violence is a leading cause of death for children in America, surpassing other industrialized nations.
  2. Thoughts and prayers are not enough when addressing gun violence, action is needed for change.
  3. Embracing Jesus's teachings means taking action to create safety and show mercy in a world affected by gun violence.

👑 5+ resources with the TOP creative ads

Business & Marketing with Nika • 39 implied HN points • 11 Aug 24
💼 Business Resources
  1. You can find inspiring ads and creative work at places like Ad Creative Bank or the Ads of the World website. These resources showcase some of the best in advertising.
  2. The Cannes Lions Festival is a big deal for marketers, similar to the Oscars for movies. It's a great place to see top creative work and get inspired.
  3. If you're running online ads, check out the Meta Ads Library or Google's Ads Transparency Center to find creative examples in real-time.

Hang on, are there ANY lost minerals?

Material World • 1269 implied HN points • 23 Dec 24
🔬 Science Resources
  1. Humans haven't really run out of minerals or resources, just gotten better at finding and extracting them. We still have plenty of well-known materials, even if they're harder to find in some places.
  2. Many stories about lost minerals, like certain types of marble, are exaggerated or incorrect. For example, some rare marbles still exist in significant amounts, contrary to popular belief.
  3. Instead of focusing on supposed lost minerals, it's more interesting to explore the minerals we continue to extract today, even when people think they've been exhausted.

The chokepoint behind America’s AI boom

Definite Optimism • 44 implied HN points • 16 Dec 25
🌍 World Politics Resources
  1. China controls the vast majority of rare-earth refining and high-performance magnet production, creating a strategic choke point for advanced tech supply chains.
  2. The US AI boom and recent economic growth depend heavily on these critical minerals, and Chinese export controls exposed how vulnerable the US and its allies are, forcing urgent policy shifts.
  3. Addressing this requires a large, sustained industrial push to rebuild mining, refining, and manufacturing capacity in the West — a one-day summit or small measures won’t be enough.

The Best Skillsets to Learn in 2024 for Generative AI

Rod’s Blog • 238 implied HN points • 15 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Resources
  1. Generative AI is a rapidly evolving field creating novel content like images, text, music, etc., with real-world applications from enhancing creativity to helping solve problems.
  2. To succeed in generative AI, you need skills like mathematics and statistics, programming, data science, knowledge of generative AI methods, and creativity in your specific domain.
  3. To learn generative AI in 2024, leverage online courses, books, blogs, tools, and engage in communities and events dedicated to this field.

👩🏽‍🚀 The Acquisitions Co. Field Guide

alohomora • 235 implied HN points • 26 Mar 23
💼 Business Resources
  1. The Acquisitions Co. Field Guide offers insights on navigating government for early-stage startups.
  2. Numerous opportunities and resources are available for companies working with the government like funding programs and institutional investors.
  3. Understanding different government contract mechanisms and agencies, like SBIR programs, is crucial for startups looking to work with the government.

Introducing The Substack Bulletin

Substack • 701 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
💼 Business Resources
  1. The Substack Bulletin shares news, resources, and opportunities for publishers, offering collaboration tools and customization tips for Substack websites.
  2. Recent updates include direct messaging capabilities for publishers, an upgraded recommendations network leading to increased subscriptions, and advanced layout options for showcasing content.
  3. The community section highlights writer meetups, milestones, and press features, encouraging interaction and sharing within the Substack community.

Catalyzing Climate Action in the Classroom

This Week in MCJ (My Climate Journey) • 176 implied HN points • 26 Oct 23
🚌 Education Resources
  1. Climate change education can significantly reduce carbon emissions when implemented at scale, similar to the impact of rooftop solar or electric vehicles.
  2. Many educators lack confidence, time, and resources to teach climate change effectively, leading to limited coverage of the topic in schools.
  3. SubjectToClimate provides vetted, interdisciplinary, and free resources to help all teachers incorporate climate change education into their lessons, promoting action and hope.

The VC Corner 📰 #3

The VC Corner • 119 implied HN points • 08 Dec 23
💼 Business Resources
  1. The VC Corner is a weekly newsletter focusing on venture capital updates. It's designed for both experienced investors and those new to the field.
  2. The newsletter offers curated news and resources relevant to startups and investment. This can help readers stay informed on the latest trends in the industry.
  3. Readers can get started with a free trial to access past posts and insights. This is a great way to sample the content before committing.

The "Brittleness" Problem in Data Pipelines.

Data Engineering Central • 157 implied HN points • 24 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Resources
  1. Brittleness in data pipelines can lead to various issues like data quality problems, difficult debugging, and slow performance.
  2. To overcome brittle pipelines, focus on addressing data quality issues through monitoring, sanity checks, and using tools like Great Expectations.
  3. Development issues such as lack of tests, poor documentation, and bad code practices contribute to brittle pipelines; implementing best practices like unit testing and Docker can help improve pipeline reliability.

The Sheer Stupidity of Sweating the Small Stuff

The Radar • 59 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
💼 Business Resources
  1. Broken windows theory highlights the impact of respecting the environment on criminal behavior, where fixing small issues can prevent larger violations.
  2. Sweating the small stuff in management can lead to top-heaviness, allowing unproductive managers to justify their positions by focusing on trivial matters.
  3. Overemphasizing minor issues can distract from addressing real problems and lead to ineffective management, ignoring actual priorities and resource allocation.

The Research Post

Weight and Healthcare • 439 implied HN points • 18 Jun 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Resources
  1. Weight-neutral care is gaining support among healthcare experts and studies show its effectiveness in improving health outcomes regardless of BMI.
  2. There are significant issues with traditional weight-loss and dieting interventions, as research suggests high long-term failure rates and minimal health benefits.
  3. Additional resources are available to combat weight stigma and healthcare inequalities based on BMI, supporting a more inclusive and holistic approach to health.

How I Left Facebook to Forge My Path in Data Consulting

SeattleDataGuy’s Newsletter • 482 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
💼 Business Resources
  1. Define your niche: Before starting a consulting business, determine what specific problems you aim to solve for clients.
  2. Attracting clients: Methods to find clients include content marketing, networking, referrals, sales outreach, and vendor partnerships.
  3. Creating a marketing funnel: Use frameworks like AIDA (Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action) to organize and target your content towards potential clients.

Video on About pages, discover Substacks by country, and more

Substack • 392 implied HN points • 28 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Resources
  1. You can now watch videos on your About pages, making it easier to express your mission and connect with readers.
  2. Substack added a feature to find popular posts by country using a world map, helping you discover new content globally.
  3. You can upload your own transcripts for videos, and share specific moments in a video through timestamped links.

Becoming a Data Engineering Force Multiplier

SeattleDataGuy’s Newsletter • 671 implied HN points • 23 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Resources
  1. Data engineering is crucial in today's data-driven landscape, with a growing demand for skilled professionals.
  2. Developing technical skills like architecture, data modeling, coding, testing, and CI/CD is essential for becoming a successful data engineer.
  3. Non-technical skills such as teaching, long-term project planning, and communication are equally important for data engineers to excel and become force multipliers.

How to afford homeschooling 💰

joinmodulo • 98 implied HN points • 17 Feb 23
🚌 Education Resources
  1. Homeschooling is more affordable than you might think, with many families spending an average of $600-$1800/year on education.
  2. The biggest expense to consider when homeschooling is childcare, and families should explore creative solutions like swapping care with other parents.
  3. Consider the costs of living, such as housing near good schools, when evaluating the affordability of homeschooling.

The One Hour Strategist

Strategy Notes • 39 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🚌 Education Resources
  1. Education as a strategist can be condensed into key terms and concepts
  2. Mastering a few key terms can help engage in strategic analysis and modern conflict appraisal
  3. Self-education and real-world experience are crucial beyond initial learning to become a successful strategist

How I Aced Machine Learning Interviews: My Personal Playbook

The ML Engineer Insights • 7 HN points • 03 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Resources
  1. Machine learning interviews often cover four main rounds: breadth, depth, system design, and coding.
  2. Preparing for machine learning interviews requires a balance of understanding fundamental topics and practicing with sample questions.
  3. Machine learning system design interviews focus on problem definition, evaluation metrics, feature and data handling, model development, and deployment strategies.

Unlock Causal Inference: 3 Obstacles, 8 Insights & 1 Resource

Mindful Modeler • 159 implied HN points • 29 Nov 22
🔬 Science Resources
  1. Causal inference can be challenging to start due to various obstacles like diverse approaches and neglected education on the topic.
  2. Understanding causal inference involves adjusting your modeling mindset to view it as a unique approach rather than just adding a new model.
  3. Key insights for causal inference include the importance of directed acyclic graphs, starting from a causal model, and the challenges of estimating causal effects from observational data.

Congo's Curse

Comment is Freed • 80 implied HN points • 05 Feb 25
🌍 World Politics Resources
  1. The Democratic Republic of Congo is rich in natural resources, but its wealth is not benefiting its people. Instead, many live in poverty while corrupt leaders and foreign powers exploit the country.
  2. The idea of the 'resource curse' explains how having lots of valuable resources can lead to more conflict and bad governance. In places like Congo, greed often outweighs the needs of the people.
  3. Rwanda's role in the conflict in Congo is complicated, as it backs rebel groups for its own interests. This has created a cycle of violence and instability that continues to affect the region today.

All the (Epic) Rage: Free Tools for Reading Homer's Iliad

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 59 implied HN points • 15 Sep 23
📚 Literature Resources
  1. Translations of Homer's work can be creations of their own, offering unique insights and serving different audiences.
  2. Studying and understanding Homeric language and meaning requires repetition, reflection, and discussion with others.
  3. Online tools like the Scaife Viewer and the Homer Multitext Project provide valuable resources for studying Homer's works, offering lexicons, manuscripts, and commentaries.

Seven Powers in Life Sciences

axialdaily • 58 implied HN points • 13 Mar 23
💼 Business Resources
  1. Scale Economies in business help reduce costs as production volume increases
  2. Network Economies create value as more customers join, creating barriers for new entrants
  3. Counter-Positioning involves pursuing a business model that incumbents cannot copy without damaging their existing business

Conquering the Dreaded Annual Plan

Build To Scale • 39 implied HN points • 17 Oct 23
💼 Business Resources
  1. Annual planning is crucial but understand that it's a flexible roadmap, not a rigid rulebook for the year ahead
  2. Using SWOT analysis can help identify internal strengths, weaknesses, and external opportunities, threats to guide strategic initiatives
  3. Evaluate your team's readiness to scale, recognize their strengths, weaknesses, and consider bringing in new talent as needed