Is it time to go back to the office? - The Economist

Has the working-from-home revolution been good for productivity? Or is it time for office workers to go back to the office? 

 

Is Buy Now, Pay Later A Good Idea For Consumers?

Consumers have flocked to “buy now, pay later” businesses in recent years as a way to make big purchases more manageable. In fact, these new services have become big competition for traditional store credit cards. Their rapid growth is raising questions about the benefits and risks for consumers, as well as the lack of regulation.

 

Why Conglomerates Split Up - WSJ

Corporate titans General Electric and Johnson & Johnson both announced that they are splitting, two of the latest in a long string of conglomerate break ups. Here’s why big businesses divide and what it could mean for investors.

 

Cryptocurrencies: how regulators lost control - FT Film

Leading voices from the cryptocurrency industry, including Binance CEO 'CZ' and Sam Bankman-Fried of FTX, and Financial Times reporters tell the story of how the cryptocurrency industry ballooned into a market worth more than $2tn with little regulatory oversight. How did regulators lose control and can they get a grip now? Or is there a danger that overregulation stifles innovation? 

 

DeFi: Crypto’s ‘Wild West’ of Finance - WSJ

Many are calling decentralized finance, or DeFi, the “Wild West of finance.” This fast-growing industry aims to provide automated banking services for cryptocurrencies to everyone, with no middle men. But DeFi is still in its early stages, which means there are risks. 

 

Trapped in the Metaverse: Here’s What 24 Hours in VR Feels Like

Everyone is blabbing about the metaverse. But what does this future digital world look like? WSJ’s Joanna Stern checked into a hotel and strapped on a virtual-reality headset for the day. She went to work meetings, hung out with new avatar friends and attended virtual shows.

 

How to cool a warming world - The Economist

The warmer it gets, the more people use air conditioning—but the more people use air conditioning, the warmer it gets. Is there any way out of this trap? 

In this video;

• What’s the cooling conundrum? 
• The pros and cons of AC 
• How to reinvent air conditioning 
• Can buildings be redesigned to keep cool?
• Scalable, affordable cooling solutions 
• Policy interventions for cooling