Wednesday☕️

20 Nov 2024 — 4 min read

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MicroStrategy has become a leading corporate investor in Bitcoin, holding over 331,200 BTC as of November 2024, worth around $29.8 billion. By using Bitcoin as its primary reserve asset, the company has positioned itself as a key player in the cryptocurrency market. Other major holders include BlackRock, with its iShares Bitcoin Trust holding around 472,306 BTC, and Grayscale, managing about 600,000 BTC through its Bitcoin Trust. These investments highlight the growing interest from institutions in Bitcoin as a digital asset.
Bitcoin operates on its own decentralized network technology (blockchain), which has remained secure since its creation in 2009. The network is maintained by miners distributed globally (anyone/anywhere can start mining) making it resistant to centralized control or manipulation. With a fixed supply of 21 million coins, Bitcoin’s scarcity is a key factor in its perceived value. The only way to truly manipulate or take control of Bitcoin would be through a 51% attack, where an entity gains majority control of its mining power. However, the immense computational and financial resources required make such an attempt extremely challenging.

Economics & Markets:

Geopolitics & Conflicts:

Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin intensified nuclear threats following Ukraine’s use of U.S.-supplied ATACMS long-range missiles to strike targets within Russian territory. Putin announced changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, lowering the threshold for nuclear weapon use against conventional attacks. This escalation comes as Ukraine reportedly continues to deploy these missiles, applying significant pressure on the Kremlin and exposing Russia’s struggles to counter Ukraine’s advancing capabilities.

The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) has noted that Russia’s reliance on nuclear rhetoric reflects its weakened military position and an attempt to deter further Western support. Also, President Joe Biden approved the provision of anti-personnel land mines to Ukraine, just two days after authorizing the ATACMS missiles. These land mines are reportedly intended to slow Russian advances in contested regions, particularly in the east. Together, these steps mark a significant escalation in U.S. military support, further intensifying the conflict and prompting heightened threats from Moscow.

Environment & Weather:

Today, a powerful storm system, classified as a bomb cyclone, is moving toward Northern California and Oregon, bringing the potential for heavy rainfall and strong winds. This rapidly intensifying system, fueled by an atmospheric river, is expected to deliver up to 8 inches of rain in Northern California, while Oregon braces for strong winds and localized flooding.

The storm is already impacting coastal areas and is expected to bring hazardous conditions throughout the day, prompting warnings and preparations across the region. An atmospheric river is a concentrated band of moisture in the atmosphere that transports water vapor from tropical regions, often resulting in heavy rain and snow when it moves over land or mountains, contributing to the storm’s intensity.

Space:

On November 19, 2024, SpaceX conducted the sixth test flight of its Starship rocket from Starbase in Texas, achieving milestones like the first in-space reignition of a Raptor engine. The upper stage completed a near-global trajectory before splashing down in the Indian Ocean, while the Super Heavy booster performed a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, potentially due to a malfunction or safety protocol to avoid potential risks during the planned rocket catch.

With SpaceX’s Starlink network providing constant communication, the mission maintained real-time tracking and oversight of both stages throughout the flight. This connectivity ensures continuous control and monitoring of Starship, enhancing safety and reliability for future missions and long-range exploration.

Science & Technology:

Yesterday, Figure AI announced a breakthrough with its humanoid robot, Figure 02, achieving 400% greater efficiency and a 7x higher success rate in task execution. This marks another step in the rapidly expanding humanoid robotics market, where companies are racing to develop robots capable of tackling diverse tasks, from household chores and large-scale construction to building infrastructure on other planets and military operations. Figure AI’s vision includes deploying millions of these robots globally to revolutionize labor-intensive and precision-driven tasks.

This announcement positions Figure AI alongside major competitors like Tesla, Boston Dynamics, NVIDIA, Agility Robotics, and Apptronik, all of whom are advancing humanoid robotics for industrial, commercial, and exploratory purposes. Tesla’s Optimus, Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, and NVIDIA’s AI platforms for robot development are all part of the growing ecosystem driving this technology forward. By focusing on versatility and scalability, Figure AI is contributing to a future where humanoid robots are indispensable tools across industries, reshaping how humanity approaches complex challenges both on Earth and in space.

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