Hello, oh glorious you!

What do $6 million bananas, elephant-free rooms, and vibe checks have in common? They’re all featured in this week’s Weekend Reads, of course!

Also, Sebastian (our #1 learner) sent us something rather brilliant about AI image generation to share with you! (Feel free to do the same for future editions 😉)

Dive in for behavioural gems, mind-blowing visuals, and a proper giggle.

Big love,
Chris & the 42courses team x 

• No Elephants, Please: Ethan Mollick is back, and this time he’s revealing what the new generation of AI image makers has over the last one. Spoiler - it's pretty impressive.
   
• How to spot misleading advice from "finfluencers": Part two of our chat with behavioural finance expert Merle van den Akker. Expect awkward truths, money biases, and clever ways to outsmart your own brain.
   
• Vibe Check: AI and Behavioral Science in Silicon Valley: From the founder of Irrational Labs comes insight about the intersection between behavioural science and technology in the age of AI.
   
• The $6.2 million banana: Need we say more? Alright - Dan Ariely is in fine form as he explains why this super weird purchase was made, and why it might not be a good idea.
   
• 50 ways to use the new ChatGPT for images: From visual brainstorming to meme magic, this video you so many ideas to play with the AI new image tools. (Suggested by Sebastian, a true Weekend Reads MVP!)

• 1789 – The first US Congress begins regular sessions during George Washington’s presidency at Federal Hall in NYC. Politics, paperwork, and powdered wigs. 🇺🇸
   
• 1818 – Congress decides the US flag should have 13 red & white stripes and 20 stars. Simple. Iconic. 🧵
   
• 1828 – Casparus van Wooden patents chocolate milk powder in Amsterdam. Generations of kids (and adults) say thank you. 🍫
   
• 1902 – Cecil Rhodes sets up a scholarship fund worth $10 million. 🎓
   
• 1964 – The Beatles’ “Can’t Buy Me Love” hits #1 and stays there for five glorious weeks. 🎶
   
• 1968 – Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. A tragic day for humanity and a turning point in the civil rights movement. 🕊
   
• 1973 – The World Trade Center opens in New York, becoming the tallest building in the world (at the time) with 110 stories of steel and ambition. 🏙️
   
• 1975 – Microsoft is founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. 💻
   
• 1999 – Jack Ma founds Alibaba in China. Just a small venture that would go on to redefine global commerce. 🛒🐉