Here at Innovation Hub, we’re nerds. Total dorks. Complete poindexters. And we're proud of it. We do, after all, make a radio show that’s all about innovation and science and technology. So, this week, we're fully embracing our nerdiness.
We start off with nerd royalty, Weird Al Yankovich. Mr. White and Nerdy himself. He just won a grammy (his acceptance speech wasn’t even upstaged by Kanye West) and his last album debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts. But Weird Al has been innovating for years. He was a music video trailblazer (remember Eat It?) and he was satirizing pop culture long before The Onion and The Daily Show made it cool.
Take a listen as Weird Al geeks out with Kara over grammar, explains why he released eight videos in eight days, and talks about the future of the music industry:
What can nerds possibly learn about intelligence from jocks? Turns out, there's a lot.
According to science writer Annie Murphy Paul, research shows that “being physically fit, getting regular exercise, is the best thing you can do for your brain and you intelligence.” And the second best thing? Having an active social life. Which means if nerds want to increase their intellectual capital, they might have to stop researching the new lightsaber crossguard and start playing basketball with friends.
Here's more on how to get smarter, courtesy of Annie Murphy Paul
Drones. It’s not just nerds that care about them anymore. From the sci-fi realm of destroying the Anubis fleet in Stargate (and yes, that’s an actual reference; like I said, we’re nerds here at Innovation Hub) to possibly shipping books to your doorstep, they’re slowly moving towards the mainstream.
And the FAA just announced new rules for drones that might move us closer to a world where drones are a part of everyday life. But before drones can bring us the latest George R. R. Martin novel (if it ever comes out), the FAA has to keep testing them. Ryan Delaney gives us a look at the privacy concerns and economic possibilities that drone testing has brought to upstate New York:
Now to a place where nerds rule like pasty, hoodie-wearing kings: Silicon Valley. What does the future hold hold for the geek ground zero?
Roger McNamee, a high-profile Silicon Valley investor for over three decades, and Farhad Manjoo, tech writer for the New York Times, give us their perspective. Find out what technology’s going to look like in the coming decades from those who know it best: