The BLT Episode 6: Putting I.T. Bluntly
It’s been an exciting week for discoveries! Some have brought hope, some have promised (but maybe not delivered) that we are close to major breakthroughs, and sadly, some have reminded us of the impact we are having on this marvellous planet we call home.
There have been a few losses this week however, and together they have painted a rich picture that we couldn’t wait to explore with some interlinked visual thinking and visual storytelling. We never cease to be amazed at the ways even quite different stories overlap and connect.
We hope you enjoy this week’s BLT, we certainly enjoyed starting it with a Lord of The Rings quote. Are there stories perfect for the BLT that we’ve missed? Tell us, and find out more about how we work by contacting us today!
A delivery robot takes a very unusual route
You might not expect to see a robot making its way through your local forest, but this is exactly what happened to University of Northhampton history professor Matthew McCormack, as he cycled through Northampton’s Lings Wood. Made by Starship Technologies, the little robot was delivering someone’s groceries via the exceptionally scenic route. After McCormack suggested the robot was lost, Starship Technologies replied, ‘not lost, simply on an adventure!’
‘Mystery monkey’ may be a rare hybrid
The forests have more surprises for us, an unusual monkey spotted in Borneo has been puzzling scientists. While it was first thought to be a morph of a silvered leaf monkey, a more worrying possibility has been put forward. The monkey could be a hybrid, with a proboscis monkey father and silvered leaf monkey mother. This kind of hybridisation is very rare in the wild and could reflect the pressure animals in Borneo are facing from severe habitat loss.
The “fantastic giant tortoise” has been re-discovered after over 100
In other animal news, the Galápagos has surprised us all again! The Fernandina Island giant tortoise, also known as the “fantastic giant tortoise” because of the male’s shell, has been found alive after being thought to be extinct. The discovery provides hope for the species, and raises many questions. Scientists are still unclear how giant tortoises made it to the island in the first place.
The marble slab revealed to be an ancient Greek yearbook
The gifts from the past keep coming! A 2000-year-old Greek tablet that has been in the National Museums Scotland collection for more than 130 years has been re-examined and shown to be an ancient Greek yearbook, listing the names of students alongside their civic and military training. What will future generations think when they find our yearbooks and class photos?!
Have Google created a sentient AI?
It’s a big question with profound repercussions, if the answer is yes. After talking with Google’s LaMDA chatbot, engineer Blake Lemoine came to the conclusion that the chatbot might have its own feelings and be sentient. Google has said that the chatbot isn’t sentient, and several experts have said that Blake has anthropomorphised the AI. For us, this story was the perfect opportunity to pay homage to HAL in Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Farewell Internet Explorer
As we possibly greet something new, we also have to say goodbye to a modern classic. Microsoft has officially retired Internet Explorer. Described by some as ‘the end of an error’, Internet Explorer guided a generation into the world wide web. Will you miss Internet Explorer or is this long overdue? Either way, rest in peace IE.
The value of Bitcoin crashes
We’re living in a very different world to the one that first greeted Internet Explorer. It’s now the age of cryptocurrencies, but everything is far from smooth sailing. In just five days, the value of Bitcoin fell by 25%. This is happening due to the financial shocks rocking the world right now, and an increase in people deciding to sell up.
When the Internet met Lechonk
Pokémon seems to be the gift that keeps on giving, and the our love for the adorable creatures shows no sign of stopping. This week the new Pokemon “Lechonk” was announced and the internet promptly fell in love. The-pig based Pokémon has been described as a “gourmand with an excellent nose”.
Could cannabis feed be the future for chicken farmers?
The answer might very well be yes after scientists noticed fewer cases of avian bronchitis and better meat quality in chickens fed with cannabis. The research took place in Thailand, and found the effect of the cannabis on chickens was very positive. The study also found no traces of cannabinoids in the chicken’s meat or eggs, which, we guess, is good or bad news, depending on your point of view.
Bill Gates claims NFTs are “100 percent based on greater fool theory”
This week, Bill Gates made his thoughts on NFTs clear. Speaking at a TechCrunch event on climate change, Gates made a reference to the Bored Ape Yacht Club as he shared his view that NFTs are based on “greater fool theory” and explained how he prefers investments with tangible outputs.
Snoop’s blunt roller beats inflation with a pay rise
Keeping it cannabis, Snoop Dogg has shown his qualities as an employer and someone able to recognise talent this week. After first employing his blunt roller in 2019, Snoop has now given him a pay rise in line with inflation. Snoop refers to his blunt roller as “Lurch”, saying he has “impeccable timing”. Previously earning between $40,000 and $50,000 a year, he must be one heck of a blunt roller!
We love using visual thinking and visual storytelling to create connected and layered whiteboard animations like this. We’d love to talk to you about how your message could look as a whiteboard animation, contact us today!
