Breaking Boundaries: From Sport, to Technology...

Welcome back to The Chris Worsey Newsletter!

Today, as ever, we will be breaking down the five most interesting stories that I found over the last week. 

From sport, to nuclear energy, AI, and more, don’t go anywhere, there’s something in store for everyone!

1) The Making of a Legend

The idea of performance maximisation is something that has always interested me. I mean, it may sound obvious, but making it to the top of the sports world is not an easy task. 

Yet, every now and then, an athlete comes along and does exactly that. They defy expectations and retain the status of real-life icons. 

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of those people. But his story isn’t without challenges. See, Ronaldo wasn’t always destined for glory. The path he paved was a difficult one filled with more trials and tribulations than you might think.

In my most recent Youtube video I speak about exactly that. Below is the untold story of Cristiano Ronaldo – let me know what you think in the comments! 

2) Groundbreaking Decisions

This week, Microsoft announced their newest deal with Constellation Energy, and its implications could be far more significant than you may think. 

Why? Well, the deal is set to allow Microsoft to reopen the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant in Pennsylvania – the site of the worst Nuclear accident in US history… 

This is what we know so far: 

• Gaining a negative reputation following the disaster in 1979, the site has not been in use for multiple years now. However, with the rise of AI, Microsoft has big plans.

  • Set to be used as a means to meet the country’s growing energy needs, this step – while it may seem pretty crazy – is a huge leap forward in ensuring that energy consumption needs are met.

• With the agreement set to run for 20 years, in essence, Microsoft will be buying power to charge their various data centres. 

  • For perspective, Three Mile Island Unit 1 alone has the ability to provide 835 megawatts of electricity. That is the equivalent of around 700,000 homes…

• Importantly, if this project is successful, it could provide a glimpse into what the future of energy consumption looks like.

  • If nuclear energy is able to be successfully integrated into the tech sector, it could pave the way for a whole new system of operations.

3) Meta: A New Era?

Over the past few years, it has truly felt as though we’ve made some really big strides in the way we use technology.

While it could be argued that, once, technology was a luxury, today it’s everywhere. Appearing in the framework of every aspect in our day-to-day lives, it shapes how we communicate, work, and interact.

With Orion, Meta – one of the world’s biggest tech firms – seems to have taken a bold step forward. So, what is it?

• During a presentation this week, Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Meta’s newest device – Orion.

  • Acting as an AI-powered, lightweight set of glasses, the device offers users a whole new way to experience Augmented Reality (AR).

• While still only a prototype, Zuckerberg’s announcement showed the glasses’ ability to overlay different content over real-world settings.

  • Being interactive in its design and functionality, there seems to be a great deal of excitement around its release with company shares already rising since the announcement. 

• Equipped with a neural wristband and a wireless compute puck, the glasses will be able to accurately track a wide variety of users’ movements to offer a more immersive experience.

4) “This is a Paradigm Shift”

Although technology plays such an important role in our lives today, the depth at which companies have to innovate and adapt always surprises me.

In fact, some of the breakthroughs we talk about every week here are seriously absurd. Today, we have another one…

• This week, scientists from the University of Science and Technology of China and the University of California set a new record that could completely change the way we interact with our various devices.

  • Similar to research done by scientists at Georgia Tech earlier this week, the team was able to achieve ultra-fast charging for lithium-ion batteries – those most commonly found in the appliances we use today.

• Being able to recharge them 80% in just nine minutes, the breakthrough represents a groundbreaking change in the future of technology.

  • Having the power to potentially supercharge a transition into clean energy transportation in the future, this innovation could accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and renewable energy solutions.

5) An eye to the Past…

For good reason, we often talk about the ability of technology to make predictions about the future. 

But, because of that, it’s quite easy to neglect something else – the past. See, using new breakthroughs in our technological capabilities, researchers have actually been able to learn new things about civilisations in ancient times. 

Let me explain: 

• This week, Japanese scientists were able to leverage AI as a means to decode etchings in Peru's Nazca desert.

  • Dated to nearly 2,000 years ago, the 303 drawings found offer a glimpse into the cultural and artistic practices of the Nazca civilization.

• Offering an insight into the environment they lived in, as well as their beliefs and the connection between the two, the significance of such discoveries are huge. 

That’s all we have for this week… Enjoy the weekend! If you want to stay up-to-date with even more interesting bits of news, make sure to follow me on my socials!