Archive of past GGD News content, pre-2023./experimenting. Not for public viewing.
Visual 09: Megacities in 2050
In 2050, another 2.5 billion people will be added to the planet’s urban areas, with the majority of growth taking place in Asian and African countries. Using data from the UN and the Global Cities Institute, the visualization above highlights the world’s top megacities.
HSBC Buys Silicon Valley Bank UK for £1
In a rescue deal, HSBC bought the UK branch of Silicon Valley Bank for a little over $1. The private sale was made on Sunday night, and overseen by the Bank of England. An estimated $7 billion worth of company deposits were saved. Many of Britain’s startups, venture capital funds, and tech companies are protected and can now make payroll.
New AI Tool Fakes Live Eye Contact
Nvidia Broadcasting’s new Eye Contact feature lets a user fake eye contact during live-streams or video conferences. Will you try it?
Tesla Steering Wheels Fall Off
Tesla is now under investigation after several customers reported steering wheels falling off while driving. At least 120,000 vehicles will be probed
Unsold: Adidas Stuck with $1.3 Billion Yeezy Inventory
After Adidas and Kanye West discontinued their partnership, the sportswear giant was left with a mountain of unsold Yeezy sneakers. Options to deal with their $1.3 billion inventory are limited.
Chris Rock Debuts Netflix’s Very First Live-Streamed Event
Over the weekend, Chris Rock became the first entertainer to stream a live global event on Netflix. And yes, he addressed “The Slap.” In addition to Chris Rock: Selective Outrage, live pre-show and post-show events were arranged, featuring comedians and celebrities like Leslie Jones, Arsenio Hall, Sir Paul McCartney, Amy Schumer, Jerry Seinfeld, and more.
New UK Law Will Ban ‘Cyberflashing’
The British government has announced plans to create a new criminal offense; “Cyberflashing.” Under the proposed legislation, anyone who sends unsolicited sexual images online can face up to two years in prison.
Playing Netflix Games
Netflix Games has officially launched on iOS and iPad. Are you playing? Through its app, the streaming giant offers five games at no additional cost. Today’s announcement comes a week after first dropping on Android devices. Only two of the games are related to a Netflix show (Stranger Things). After the global success of Squid Game in September (and past experiments with actual gaming), rumors of Netflix launching a gaming vertical became more amplified.
Visual 06: The HeLa Cell Line
For 70 years, the cells of Henrietta Lacks have been used without her consent. HeLa cells are special because they can divide indefinitely. The data visual above highlights some of the many medical breakthroughs achieved through the HeLa cell line. “The Mother of Modern Medicine,” is inspired by Kadir Nelson’s painting of the same title.
Amazon and Big Pharma Link Up to Launch AION Labs
The world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies have teamed up to back AION Labs, a biotech innovation space. Official partners include AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Merck, Teva, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and the Israel Biotech Fund.