Letter #8: 2015 in review.
Letters from an Internet Traveler
January 7, 2016
Dear reader,
Let me start by wishing you and yours a happy new year! Welcome to 2016.
I would like to thank you for subscribing and reading my humble Tinyletter(s), over the short time it’s been active. I really appreciate the support. This started out as more of an experiment for exposure, but after my first letter, I realized that it’s more―it’s a genuine way for me to explore, organize, and express my interests, as well as inspire others to think, act, or share for themselves.
These letters spawned out of a personal need to share the interesting information I discover everyday on the Internet with those who are sincerely interested. Social media, though made for connection purposes, seems extremely disconnected nowadays, which is why I opted for a newsletter. I wanted a more personal medium to share my findings, and what’s more personal in this digital era than email (if anyone actually reads it)? That’s where you come in―the subscribers. Your growing support sincerely inspires me to keep discovering, curating, and sharing.
Here’s to you, dear reader. And to 2015 for starting me off and 2016 for the endless possibilities.
In this installment, I’d like to rediscover 5 of my most memorable finds from 2015:
- Audio from Letter #1: RadioLab WNYC — Antibodies Part 1: CRISPR
- Article from Letter #3: Narrative.ly — The 911 Operator Who Needed Her Own Lifeline
- Video from Letter #4: Vsauce — The Zipf Mystery
- Video from Letter #6: Motherboard — The Mystery of the Creepiest Television Hack
- Article from Letter #7: Nautilus — Is Life Special Just Because It’s Rare?
Bonus―5 things I learned in 2015 that didn’t make it into my previous letters:
- A single word has the power to change the direction of a conversation, so choose your words wisely this year.
- The eye is one of our most complicated organs, yet it was the easiest to make.
- The Internet is metaphysically changing the way we remember things.
- That undeniable aggression that pours over you when you see an adorable puppy is a scientifically proven phenomenon called cute aggression.
- There are services that offer to build an eternal digital version of you that will “live” after you die.
Regards,
The Internet Traveler
This is an adaptation of Letters from an Internet Traveler, the irregularly scheduled newsletter from an overactive cybernaut — sending you thought-provoking tidbits and internet obscurities you’ve probably overlooked, one digestible chunk at a time. You can also follow the Medium publication.
