The decentralized web will be as big a game changer as the internet was in the '90s

Cryptocurrencies have had their time in the spotlight. Now it's time to focus on solving bigger problems.

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  • The internet has witnessed many big developments since it was created. The next big one will be decentralization.
  • Right now, the internet is centralized, which cause many issues, not the least of which is big companies having power over vast amounts of data.
  • Over the past few years there has been a major increase in the number of decentralized projects working on making the decentralized web a reality in the near future.
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How hands-on learning fires up your brain

To strengthen your mind, work with your hands, says former astronaut Leland Melvin.

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  • Learning is a mental and physical pursuit, says retired astronaut Leland Melvin.
  • Recalling his childhood, Melvin explains how working with his dad to turn a $500 bread truck into a family RV camper ultimately made him a better astronaut, able to maneuver the $2-billion dollar Columbus Laboratory out of the payload bay of a shuttle and attach it to the International Space Station.
  • Experiential learning — like hands-on DIY, engineering kits, and Duplo games — wires your brain for problem solving from a young age. It's a leg-up we can all give to the children in our lives.
  • "[W]hen we let [kids] build and create and it's meaningful and it helps them solve a problem, that gets them thinking about how they can be change makers themselves and how they can be scientists and engineers," says Melvin.
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Scientists plan to spray the sky with light-reflecting particles to dim the sun

A trio of scientists from Harvard hopes to do this in 2019.

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  • Scientists hope to launch the world's first solar geoengineering project next year.
  • The project involves spraying calcium carbonate into the stratosphere.
  • The team hopes to get people thinking more seriously about bioengineering.
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Bitcoin and blockchain jobs are booming — and they pay well

Research shows that employers are working to find more talent in the blockchain space, and they're willing to pay higher rates for it.

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  • A study by Glassdoor found that demand for blockchain work has risen 300% since last year.
  • Glassdoor reported the median starting salary for blockchain job openings was over $32,000 higher than the median US salary, an increase of 61.8%.
  • Despite the issues in the current crypto market, blockchain technology appears to have a bright future.
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7 scientists we are thankful for this Thanksgiving

You may not recognize the names, but these seven scientists have improved the lives of people the world over.

Photo from CSIRO
  • We admire people who make a big show of their altruism, but some of the most praiseworthy accomplishments occur outside popular attention.
  • This Thanksgiving, we give thanks to seven scientists who made the world a safer, healthier place to live.
  • While there is still a lot of progress to make, the combination of science and humanism continues to improve the world and our lot in it at an unprecedented scale.
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