The mangroves of Sri Lanka are home to a very special resident. The archerfish might not look that powerful, but it can fire watery arrows to take down its prey from up to two meters away. In this video, we’ll show you the archerfish’s unique hunting strategy, which also involves an astonishing grasp of physics and math. Behind those dual-action eyes, complex calculations are going on…
Category Archives: Analysis
Architecture: The End Of The ‘Megatall Skyscraper’
It’s the end of an era. Malaysia’s Merdeka PNB118 is the second tallest building ever constructed – and the world’s last megatall skyscraper.
Analysis: The High Cost Of Public Universities (Video)
Tuition at America’s public universities has nearly tripled since 1990. With President Biden looking to ease the burden for some students, experts explain how federal financial aid programs can actually contribute to rising costs. Photo: Storyblocks
Social Media: ‘Clubhouse & Twitter Spaces Explained’
A video to help you understand social audio. Audio-only social-media venues are all the rage right now. How does it all work and what’s there to listen to? WSJ’s Joanna Stern went inside Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces to talk to the people there to find out. Photo illustration: Kenny Wassus for The Wall Street Journal
Analysis: Rise Of 7-Eleven Convenience Stores
7-Eleven, home of the 64-ounce Double Gulp and the Pina Colada Slurpee, has helped revolutionize the way we shop at convenience stores. In March 2019, the 90-year-old brand launched its first Evolution Store. Featuring fresh food options and specialty alcohol, the new store concept is aimed at a new generation of consumers. And with consumer behavior changing due to Covid-19, the convenience store industry could be on the verge of a profound change.
Africa: ‘An Economic History Of Egypt’ (Video)
The Egyptian Economy was the only one in the Middle East North Africa region to avoid a recession in 2020. Being a good reflection of the economic rollercoaster Egypt routinely finds itself on. One driven by inflation rates of up to 30% a year, a halving of its currency and a painful IMF bailout in 2016. But how did Egypt’s Economy find itself in this situation? What impacts did Five Year Plans, spending nearly 20% of GDP on the military and widespread nationalisation have on its economy? Why is Egypt the world’s largest importer of wheat? And perhaps most importantly, what has its post 2011 revolution delivered?
Egypt, a country linking northeast Africa with the Middle East, dates to the time of the pharaohs. Millennia-old monuments sit along the fertile Nile River Valley, including Giza’s colossal Pyramids and Great Sphinx as well as Luxor’s hieroglyph-lined Karnak Temple and Valley of the Kings tombs. The capital, Cairo, is home to Ottoman landmarks like Muhammad Ali Mosque and the Egyptian Museum, a trove of antiquities.
Defense: ‘Future Of The Aircraft Carrier’ (Video)
Expensive, massive and lethal, the aircraft carrier has been the cornerstone of American security for close to a century, but with advances in missile design, will it remain on top? Aircraft carriers are expensive. The latest carrier in the U.S. Navy, part of what’s called the Ford class, costs $12.8 billion per ship, and that’s before the cost of fixing new technology, aircraft flying off the deck and the cost of operating the carrier in the high seas for months at a time. The U.S. has more active aircraft carriers than every other country in the world combined. The U.S. Navy currently has ten Nimitz-class carriers, one Ford-class carrier and nine amphibious assault ships, which are smaller and focus on helicopters and short takeoff and vertical landing aircraft. A Nimitz-class carrier can carry a mix of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, E-2D Hawkeye surveillance aircraft and an assortment of other support aircraft and helicopters. The carrier fighter of the future is the F-35C. But to field the new aircraft, most U.S. carriers will need to be upgraded.
Inside Views: ‘The Money Behind Professional Poker Players’ (Video)
Poker is a game of extreme variance. Professional poker players can go stretches without winning or placing at a level that earns any cash. The wins, however, can make up for the droughts with players earning thousands to millions of dollars depending on the game or tournament entered. Considering poker is an inconsistent sport, players look to offset the risk involved. This is done through staking, where an “investor” will pay a player’s way through tournaments for a piece of the action.
Aviation: The Challenges Ahead For Electric Planes
It’s been a tough 12 months for the airline industry, hit hard by the Covid-19 #pandemic. But there are also ongoing concerns about the environmental impact of air travel. Could electric planes be a way forward? They are already being trialled in Slovenia and fully #electric, commercial flights could be ready to take off in just 10 years’ time. Our colleagues from France 2 report, with FRANCE 24’s James Vasina.
Analysis: Can ‘Restoration Hardware – RH’ Become A Global Luxury Brand?
COVID-19 has dealt a harsh blow to countless retailers, many of which were already struggling. However, RH, formerly Restoration Hardware, is doing rather well. The company’s stock price had cratered in March 2020 and struggled in early April, as forced lockdowns endangered retail. But by December 2020, shares had rebounded and risen more than 110 percent since the beginning of the year. RH is now ambitiously trying to turn it into a global luxury brand providing an array of services.
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