Today, most people associate non-fungible tokens with crypto nerds and overhyped and overpriced pieces of digital art. Maybe it was just bad luck that the art world was where NFTs first got traction: Long before NFTs came along, it was driven by hype and speculation. But crypto enthusiasts believe the story of NFTs is just getting going, and that more useful and predictable use cases for the tokens are ready to emerge. Though such scenarios are still far from mainstream, technology companies hav
Growing up in Syracuse, New York, as the youngest of seven children, Jeanette Epps dreamed of going to space, just like her hero on TV’s Doctor Who. (The show instilled a lifelong interest in math and science.) When her older brother came home from college and, after glancing at her fourth-grade report card, suggested that she could become an aerospace engineer, the idea stuck. But the path to Houston wasn’t always clear. Here’s how Epps conquered her fears and fought her wa
NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps is set to become the become the first Black woman to be part of an International Space Station crew. But unlike some billionaires, the path to space was winding and arduous. Below, read about the training and certifications she received to qualify. T-38 Jet Training Epps learned how to operate a two-seat, twin-jet supersonic jet trainer used by the military. “A lot of people can design an airplane but don’t know how to fly it. I had to understand how to
Tuesday, Jessica Rosenworcel became the first woman to lead the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The Senate confirmed her on a 68-31 vote, making her the official chair after serving as acting chair since January at President Joe Biden’s request. The appointment is seen as good news by progressives, as the commission has been hamstrung without a chairperson. However, the commission is still deadlocked with two Democratic commissioners and two Republican ones. The Senate has yet to
“I’ll sleep when I’m dead” is out. “I sleep eight to nine hours a night” is in. Just a few years ago, hustle culture mandated that work should take precedence over rest, and if you were spending one-third of your life asleep, that was wasted time. CEOs and entrepreneurs bragged about getting just four hours a night in bed, and that attitude filtered down to anyone aspiring to success. To quote Nas, the bard of venture capitalists: “I never sleep,
One of the most remarkable things about the Framework laptop isn’t merely the device itself, but the marketplace that comes with it. Visit Framework’s online storefront, and you’ll find a sprawling array of replacement parts for sale, from screens and batteries to fans and speakers, along with upgradable storage and RAM. The Framework laptop is easy to pry open, and QR codes on each component lead to instructions on swapping them out. Having one place to buy all of those par
Despite the fact that one in four U.S. adults live with some type of disability, less than 2% of the world’s top 1 million websites provide fully accessible user experiences. We’re seeing a rise in the number of U.S. lawsuits over digital accessibility, but solving the problem is about more than avoiding legal consequences. Developing websites and mobile apps with people of all abilities in mind enables more individuals to use those products and creates a more inclusive digit
Last March, Prince Harry, no longer a working royal, found a new job at a tech startup. The Duke of Sussex joined the eight-year-old San Francisco-based company BetterUp, which provides coaching and mental health services to businesses and individuals and is currently valued at $4.7 billion (the company raised $300 million in an October series E round). His role—as chief impact officer—spans product strategy, philanthropy, and public advocacy related to mental health. The Duke of S
A new nonprofit aims to help fast-growth companies build their businesses by considering societal and environmental impacts from the outset. Responsible Innovation Labs, founded by Hemant Taneja, managing partner at venture firm General Catalyst, and former Stripe executives Jon Zieger and Diede van Lamoen, will help founders innovate with economic inclusion, environmental sustainability, workforce diversity, privacy, and “intentionality and impact.” “I’ve been invest
I spend my days working with customers in highly emotional situations as a VP of sales and client experience at SOLD.com. Selling a home brings up all kinds of issues for people. For many, it’s not only the biggest financial decision of their lives, but it also can mean leaving a place where they’ve built lifelong memories. Helping people use technology to make decisions is table stakes. What makes someone really good at this job is providing support beyond the standard of basic co