Hello there, new you!

And happy new year! New beginnings can seem exciting and daunting at the same time, so here's some food for thought as you design the life you want.

Maybe you want to learn a new word every day? Or become a better storyteller, or even a better friend 🤗

It's all here. Enjoy!

Big love,
Chris & the 42courses team x 

• Terms from Dan Ariely's TV show! Yes - there is a behavioural science themed TV show based on the life and work of Dan Ariely, and this list contains a glossary of terms that pop up in the show. a treasure trove for any psychology nerd.
   
• The origin of "Skunkworks" and so many more: Skunkworks is a word we use often when talking about startups and innovation, but why? If you think words are wonderful and want to learn more in 2025, sign up to this daily email about obscure words.
   
• Kurt Vonnegut's letter to 2088: This beautifully poetic letter about existential dread, written by the exceptional Kurt Vonnegut, is read, in this video, by the sublime Benedict Cumberbatch.
   
• The story is mightier than the spreadsheet: In a way that only he could,  Dave Trott tells us the true story of Christmas, and how it started in a factory with child labour.
   
• What science has to say about how to be a better friend: Friendship is arguably the most important factor in lifelong happiness, so learning how to be better at t is an investment, don't you think?

• 1496 - Leonardo da Vinci unsuccessfully tests a flying machine, showcasing his visionary ideas about early aviation. ✈️
   
• 1840 - The first deep-sea sounding is conducted by James Clark Ross in the South Atlantic at 2,425 fathoms (14,450 feet), advancing scientific exploration of the oceans. 🌊
   
• 1852 - The first Chinese immigrants arrive in Hawaii, marking the beginning of Chinese migration to the Pacific islands. 🌏
   
• 1888 - Marvin C. Stone patents the first wax drinking straw in Washington, D.C🥤
   
• 1899 - The first known use of the word "automobile" appears in an editorial in The New York Times, marking the birth of a now-common term. 🚗
   
• 1957 - The first electric watch, the Hamilton Electric 500, is introduced by the Hamilton Watch Company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. ⌚
   
• 1977 - Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs incorporate Apple Computer, Inc., launching a tech empire from humble beginnings. 🍏
   
• 1996 - The first clamshell flip mobile phone, the Motorola StarTAC, goes on sale, eventually selling 60 million units. 📞
   
• 2018 - The first bionic hand with a sense of touch, designed for use outside a lab, is unveiled in Rome—a major breakthrough in prosthetics. 🦾