*“ciao” reader👋! and other new subscribers this week. welcome to the september version of “tic”. If you’re new, you can catch up on our previous editions right here.

_{(*“ciao“: hi in italian)}

in this month’s issue of “tic”, we’re going to talk about the amazing art made with living organisms, a story of an inspirational entrepreneur, behind the scenes of tech product launches and so much more. so make sure to share this with your friends, so just like you, they too can enjoy and catch up with more interesting stuff like this!

🦠 living art?

imagine a medium of art that wasn't paint or clay, but living organisms like bacteria and fungi. there you have the world of microbial art! the unique melding of science and creativity where a canvas is a petri dish and a paintbrush is a pipette. result? living, changing masterpieces that blur the lines between art and life.

how it all comes together: a different kind of canvas: instead of a traditional canvas, microbial artists use a petri dish filled with agar, which is itself a substance abounding in nutrients for the perfect environment to grow microbes.

living colors: the "paint" in microbial art comes from various strains of bacteria and fungi, each producing its color to the palette. some bacteria will produce a vibrant red or blues and create a natural color spectrum that changes as they grow.

growth as art: what is special about microbial art is that it is constantly evolving. the microbes are growing and replicating, sometimes turning simple designs into complex, living patterns. the end artwork often comes as a surprise to the artist since they have to work in sync with the natural behavior of the microorganisms.

safety first: sterility is the keyword when making microbial art. it is as much a scientific process as it is an artistic one in ensuring that the microbes are safely contained and nourished.

why it matters:

• a new form of expression: microbial art, though perceived to be a simple form of art, represents much more. It is an ever-creative process in which nature and human creativity converge into an ongoing process of self-renewal. it pushes the boundaries of conventional notions of what art could be and proves that beauty can be derived from the most unlikely sources.

  

  Agar Art Contest winning art by Vanina Kirova (source: NatGeo)

• learning through art: this art tool is even a very strong education tool. it helps people, mostly students, to learn and appreciate microbiology more practically and visibly. instead of just seeing microbes as "germs," one learns how to appreciate their place in our world.

• thought provoking: there's also a deeper aspect to the microbial art. the attempt to use living organisms and make something beautiful out of them raises interesting questions in terms of ethics and how we relate to life at the microscopic level. it makes us think about the invisible life forms which share our planet and the delicate balance we need to maintain with them.

a glimpse into the world of microbial art:

• competitions and exhibitions: this has attracted microbial art and, in some cases, competitions such as the American Society for Microbiology Agar Art Contest, where scientists and artists participate by designing wonderful pieces of abstract designs, portraits, and even landscapes using live microbes.

  

• historical roots: even the discoverer of penicillin, Alexander Fleming, tried his hand at microbial art. he made use of bacteria as "paint" in creating images, turning his petri dishes into small pieces of living art.

conclusion: it's a nice example of how, even in science, art and creativity crop up in unexpected ways. it opens our eyes to the hidden beauty of the microscopic world and challenges us to think differently about life forms we can't see but that are always around us.

🖥️ the story of Richard Branson

when one thinks of those trailblazing entrepreneurs who break out of the mold, Richard Branson comes to mind. from the early days of launching a magazine as a teenager to creating Virgin Group, Branson's journey is an exciting story of audacity, innovation, and pure, sheer determination.

the student magazine was the first real legendary creation of Branson's entrepreneurial spirit, which in turn paved his way into Virgin Records. his knack for recognizing and developing talent brought on board such revolutionary artists as The Sex Pistols, really putting Virgin Records on the map within the music industry. much of this success came to power the Virgin brand expansion into other industries, all characterized by Branson's unique service and customer experience signature touch.

on the long list of success stories created by Branson is Virgin Atlantic Airways, a company that twisted this tired airline cabal by tending to comfort and great service for the passengers. but Branson doesn't stop here. the foray into space with Virgin Galactic is about turning man's childhood dream of space tourism into reality by stretching the limits of what could be done and inspiring innumerable others to look beyond horizons.

the business world does not contain the adventurous spirit of Branson. he has had two attempts to fly around the globe in hot air balloons and kites, which failed due to bad weather. he is a man in love with exploration and testing the limits of human achievements. these feats underline the power of his persistence and innovativeness.

beyond the entrepreneurial milestones in his life, Branson stands as an activist committed to several philanthropic issues. he is concerned with a wide range of causes, from environmental conservation and global health to social justice. through Virgin Earth Challenge and Virgin Unite foundation, he endeavors to make a difference in some of the most serious problems facing humanity today.

the story of Richard Branson is one of an unbending spirit of ambition, vision, and a commitment to making a difference. to entrepreneurs and dreamers alike, he stands as one of the most inspirational role models because of his rare mix of business acumen, a spirit of adventure, and social responsibility. with Branson continuing to venture into new frontiers and championing important causes, his legacy remains a very strong reminder that, indeed, big dreaming does pay off.

🔡 wordle fun

here’s an exclusive wordle challenge from us;

dans les coulisses: “the journey from concept to market” 📱

launching any new tech product is a very complex and highly integrated process that goes way beyond just launching the next gadget at a press event. it is the climax of years of research, designing, testing, and planning in strategic terms. let's take a closer look at what really goes on behind the scenes of a major tech product launch.

1. research and development (R&D): the birth of an idea

market research: companies engage in extensive market research before the conceptualization of a new product to understand consumer needs, identify trends, and analyze competition. this research will then inform the direction of product development, making sure a new offering will meet some real demand.

innovation and design: be it an idea or a concept, after proper solidification, it moves to the R&D phase, where engineers and designers work together to bring the concept into being. this often includes many prototypes, each refined by feedback and testing. the design team works on functionality and aesthetics so as to come up with a useful product that looks good.

technology and integration: if it is a tech product, more so a groundbreaker, then innovation is its way to go. engineers work on the integration of new technology—software, hardware, or both. this phase can run into years because every component has to be rigorously tested for its reliability, performance, and user experience.

2. testing and refinement: perfection takes time

prototyping: once the preliminary design is ready, it undergoes a series of stages in prototyping. the prototypes shall be tested for fault finding, enhancing usability, and verification that the product works as per the plan. this phase of trial and error requires iteration several times before the product is ready to be sent out into the world.

user testing: after internal testing, the product is passed on to beta testers or focus groups for feedback in the real world. feedback at this stage is crucial for the tweaking of the product, as it provides insights into how the average consumer will use the product. common problems arising during this stage concern user interface problems, unexpected bugs, or simply overlooked features.

compliance and certification: this is quite important for many tech products, especially those involving wireless communications, security, or medical applications. it may involve extensive testing to achieve industry standards and government regulations, thereby increasing another layer of complexity to the launch timeline.

3. building the hype

the marketing team is slogging through brand message way before any tech product is revealed. this goes all the way from giving a product its name and designing the logo to developing key messaging that thoroughly explains what a product does and why it should matter. teasers or leaks are really a pre-announcement strategy used to build some amount of anticipation. that is, cryptic social media posts and short videos, maybe selective previews given to some influencers and the members of the press—items of that type—are designed to create some buzz without revealing the real gist.

whether it's a live keynote presentation, a virtual event, or a hybrid, it's a high order production — where every piece from the choice in venue and stage design down to just-so timing of product reveals — bears careful planning and deliberation.

4. getting ready for the big day

as the launch date approaches, attention turns to manufacturing and logistics. factories ramp up to produce the product on a massive scale while maintaining super-strict quality control. meanwhile, the logistics team ensures that there are products ready to ship right after an announcement by handling warehousing, distribution networks, and retail partnerships.

demand is very hard to predict. consequently, in order to estimate demand without falling into the situations of under- or overproduction, companies often use pre-orders or initial limited releases.

5. the launch and beyond!

launch day is the day to which all backstage action converges. the product finally enters into public domain through a finely polished event, mostly being showcased to the public by highlighting its features and benefits. but that does not stop here. once available, companies keenly observe sales and any customer feedback while standby support teams put things right if there's an issue. updates and patches might still be required even after launch to make sure the product is up to consumer expectations.

conclusion

a tech product launch is such a humongous effort, requiring thousands of man-hours of hard work, inter-team coordination, and maybe a bit of luck. it's not about launching a gadget; it's about narrating a story, creating that anticipation, and then giving consumers a product bound to at least meet, if not exceed, their expectations. it pulls back the curtain on just how much effort goes into bringing new innovations to market, and in doing so, allows your readers to understand everyday technology.

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here’s a nerdy fun fact that might surprise you 🤓

in 1997, it was the first time that a computer program, Deep Blue, managed to beat the world chess champion at that time, Garry Kasparov, in a six-game match. what's interesting is that in one of the games Deep Blue made a probably random move that confused Kasparov and really gave him the impression that the computer was so much more intelligent than it really was. it was because of a bug in the program, but turned out to be really a game changing moment!

thank you for reading! wish you all a wonderful month.

until next month,

“tic.” team