Happy Monday, readers. Today we're sharing insights from an interview with Elon Musk, and showing you "the charging station of the future."
Ready? Let's get started.
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1. Elon Musk talks war, space travel, and loneliness in a new interview. In a conversation with Mathias Döpfner, the CEO of Insider's parent company, Axel Springer, Musk discussed Russia's invasion of Ukraine, space travel, the ideal dinner guest, and what makes human beings special. Here are a few highlights:
- The conversation meandered through topics, from Russian President Vladimir Putin to Musk's revelation that "for one to be fully happy," you must be happy at work and happy in love. (Musk himself is "medium happy," he said.)
- The Tesla CEO commented on the American government, saying it has "very, very ancient leadership," and that in the US and elsewhere, there's "a serious issue with gerontocracy."
- When asked his biggest fear, Musk responded with three existential threats: Religious extremism, a declining birthrate, and "artificial intelligence going wrong." Death, however, did not make the list.
Read Musk's full interview here.
In other news:
2. Apple became the first streamer to land the best picture Oscar with its coming-of-age drama "Coda." The tech giant pipped Netflix's western "The Power of the Dog" to the top spot during an eventful night for the Academy Awards. Check out our full list of award winners here.
3. A Google engineer describes the weeks after finding out they may be laid off. The engineer — one of dozens who were told they'd be let go if they don't find another job at the company — says they experienced a lack of communication that filled the past few weeks with uncertainty. Read the employee's story here.
4. Microsoft fired employees after allegations of bribery in the Middle East and Africa. In an essay, a former employee accused the tech giant of turning a blind eye to employees, subcontractors, and government operators engaging in bribery. Here's what the ex-employee is alleging.
5. Documents show Amazon's prototype delivery drones have crashed at least eight times in the last year. Confirmation of the crashes comes as Amazon looks to secure new registration that would allow it to test drones closer to population centers and with fewer restrictions. What we know about the crashes.
6. SpaceX's Starlink internet poses danger for users in Ukraine, experts say. Starlink terminals are "visually distinctive" and difficult to camouflage, and Russian troops could consider their users as targets, according to experts. Why Starlink could be endangering its users in Ukraine.
7. Meet a "soul reader" who charges up to $100,000 to help Silicon Valley execs improve their lives. 51-year-old Sacha Knop uses her "super empath" abilities to help CEOs, financiers, and the ultrawealthy overcome personal and professional hurdles. Take a look inside a typical soul-reading session.
8. The CMO of Pinterest shares her daily routine. Andréa Mallard, 45, starts her day when she feels most creative: 5 a.m. But before she starts work, she exercises, listens to a five-minute meditation, and drinks a breakfast smoothie. Here's how she organizes her mornings to get everything done.
Odds and ends:
9. VW's electric charging firm just unveiled "the charging station of the future." Electrify America has released designs for EV charging stations with solar panels, coffee bars, and lounges. See inside the charging stations.
10. Google's CEO swears by a relaxation technique called non-sleep deep rest. We tried it out. NSDR puts you into a "liminal space between being awake and falling asleep," and has been hailed by Sundar Pichai as a trusty relaxation method. An Insider reporter gave it a shot, and found it was pretty hit or miss. Here's what it was like.
What we're watching today:
- The NLRB is set to begin counting votes in the Amazon Alabama warehouse union ballot.
- Today is the annual State of NASA address.
- Binance Blockchain Week 2022 starts today in Dubai.
Curated by Jordan Parker Erb in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email [email protected] or tweet @jordanparkererb.) Edited by Michael Cogley in London.