Bitcoin News Australia

THE BIG IDEA

OK, let’s talk about those drones

Northeastern US residents have been enthralled by an odd mystery: a bunch of drones floating overhead.

They’ve been asking all the usual questions: What are they doing? To whom do they belong? Are they harmful? Is it aliens?

Here’s what we know

There are 1m+ legally registered machines in the US, including commercial, hobbyist, and law enforcement drones.

The FBI has received 5k+ reports of drone activity in the northeastern US since Nov. 18, including 3k+ in New Jersey — but not all were drones.

• Some reports pertained to manned aircraft, helicopters, and even stars mistaken for drones, per a federal report.

Agencies including the Department of Homeland Security are investigating, but there’s currently no evidence of foreign surveillance or criminal activity.

It’s possible the uptick in reports relates to an FAA rule change that allows drones to fly at night.

So, why is everyone freaking out?

Despite drones’ use in everything from hobbyist videos to pharmacy delivery and “fireworks” shows, it’s still a relatively new technology.

Vijay Kumar, dean of engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, told CNN that people may have anxiety surrounding drones due to their association with military operations, terrorism, and surveillance.

And where there’s uncertainty, conspiracy theories and hoaxes follow: in this case, doctored images and talk of foreign attacks, chemtrails, and Project Blue Beam, a ‘90s theory that the government would fake an alien invasion to distract the public.

In the meantime, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has asked residents to “calm down” and not attempt to shoot them down — dangerous for myriad reasons — or point lasers at them, as they could blind a pilot in a manned aircraft.

BTW: In 1938, Orson Welles’ radio broadcast of author H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds — a novel about an alien invasion — was so convincing, it created mass panic.

🔗

RECOMMENDED READING

• AI video just went mainstream: OpenAI’s Sora is now available to (almost) everyone.
• In America, bigger is better. Here’s why every new house in your neighborhood has gotten huge.

NEWSWORTHY NUMBER

The net worth of the median US renter as of 2022, per a report from the Aspen Institute, which is extra depressing when compared to the median US homeowner’s net worth of $400k.

Renters are often locked out of homeownership due to skyrocketing housing prices and high mortgage rates, which in turn prevents them from growing their wealth as they instead line someone else’s pockets month after month. They are also more likely to have debt, student loans, and less in savings than homeowners.

Is there any good news? Well, rent prices may be dropping in the US, and Katherine Lucas McKay, associate director at the Aspen Institute’s Financial Security Program, told CNN that renters can still build wealth through investment and retirement accounts.

AROUND THE WEB

🦁  On this day: In 1961, The Tokens’ “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” became a No. 1 hit. The song originated in South Africa with Solomon Linda and the Evening Birds, a group of Zulu singers and dancers, but Linda was largely cut out of the millions the song made for US music publishers.

🎵  That’s cool: Japanese band Electronicos Fantasticos plays music with barcodes — like this.

🧳  That’s interesting: The world’s “Most Traveled People” is a group of adventurers who want to visit every country on Earth.

🌲  Chill out: with this relaxing time-lapse of a pine cone becoming a pine tree.

😍  Aww: Have you ever seen an eastern quoll? You should.

SHOWER THOUGHT

There needs to be an ad blocker for the postal service. SOURCE

Today’s email was brought to you by Juliet Bennett Rylah and Sara Friedman.
Editing by: Ben “Will there be a ‘Bluey’ popcorn bucket?” Berkley.

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