Solstice

solstice

**Dubai, UAE, April 28th, 2025/Chainwire/--**Backed by Deus X Capital, Solstice will debut USX this summer alongside a native yield protocol launching with over $100M in committed TVL, bringing permissionless delta-neutral returns to Solana from day one. Solstice Labs, an onchain asset manager backed by $1 billion digital asset investment firm Deus X Capital, today announced USX, a stablecoin purpose-built for sustainable yield on Solana. Launching this summer, USX offers permissionless access to a native yield protocol that has over $100 million in committed total value locked (TVL), providing users access to institutional-grade returns through automated delta-neutral trading strategies. Solstice Labs Solstice Labs Deus X Capital Deus X Capital Designed for both institutions and everyday users, USX is a synthetic stablecoin optimized for performance on Solana. The USX peg is maintained by the 1:1 collateralization of fiat-backed stablecoins, such as USDC and USDT, and partnerships with some of the biggest market makers and liquidity providers in the industry. Users are able to lock USX into Solstice’s YieldVault to access real-time returns generated through off-chain funding-rate arbitrage and dynamically hedged staking-yield strategies, leveraging a 3-year track record showing 19.2% average over the last 12-months and protected by a dedicated insurance fund. “We’ve seen the same dynamic repeat in crypto: DeFi yields are constantly over-engineered, opaque or reserved for institutional players,” said Ben Nadareski, CEO and Co-Founder of Solstice Labs. “USX is designed at its core to change this by simplifying competitive yields in a transparent and sustainable way. All stablecoin users should have the opportunity to capture the yield that larger protocols keep to themselves while not giving up utility in the base asset. That’s the promise of DeFi, and that’s what we’re building at Solstice.” “We’ve seen the same dynamic repeat in crypto: DeFi yields are constantly over-engineered, opaque or reserved for institutional players,” said Ben Nadareski, CEO and Co-Founder of Solstice Labs. “USX is designed at its core to change this by simplifying competitive yields in a transparent and sustainable way. All stablecoin users should have the opportunity to capture the yield that larger protocols keep to themselves while not giving up utility in the base asset. That’s the promise of DeFi, and that’s what we’re building at Solstice.” The Solana Stablecoin for Everyone Solana has quickly emerged as one of the fastest-growing stablecoin ecosystems, expanding its share of stablecoin liquidity from 2.5% to 5.4% in just two months, at the time of publication. But while the chain has become a hub for stablecoin velocity, especially in MEV, arbitrage, and orderbook-style trading, it still lacks a dominant Solana-native stablecoin built for yield. 2.5% to 5.4% 2.5% to 5.4% USX is designed to fill that gap, purpose-built for Solana’s low-latency, high-throughput infrastructure. As stablecoin transfer activity increasingly shifts from centralized exchanges to trading-driven DeFi applications, USX positions Solana at the forefront of capturing new onchain capital via yield-native stable assets. USX’s launch is supported by a growing network of infrastructure, security, and liquidity partners to enable off-exchange settlement solutions, expanding the stablecoin’s utility across both centralized and decentralized exchanges. Built by the Team Behind Solstice Staking USX and its protocol are part of the Solstice umbrella, which also includes Solstice Staking AG, after a recent acquisition. Solstice Staking is one of the most trusted staking operations in the industry, currently securing: Solstice Staking AG Solstice Staking AG after a recent acquisition after a recent acquisition $1B+ in staked assets
9,000+ validator nodes
100% renewable energy-powered infrastructure
99.99% uptime for institutional reliability $1B+ in staked assets 9,000+ validator nodes 100% renewable energy-powered infrastructure 99.99% uptime for institutional reliability With a track record rooted in stability, Solstice is now focused on creating the next evolution of DeFi; one where transparency, performance, and access go hand in hand. Coming Summer 2025 USX will officially launch in Summer 2025, with early access and beta incentives for all users to be announced in the coming weeks. For updates, users can visit https://solsticelabs.io/ or follow @solstice_io. Meet the team this week in Dubai during Token2049 at the Solana Mega Mixer, co-hosted by Solstice Labs and the Solana Superteam. https://solsticelabs.io/ https://solsticelabs.io/ @solstice_io @solstice_io Solana Mega Mixer Solana Mega Mixer About Solstice Labs Solstice Labs AG, a Deus X Enterprise company, in partnership with the Solstice Foundation is reimagining financial asset management for the onchain era. Solstice’s Protocol leverages a registered approved manager to offer institutional-grade products to investors. Key products include USX, a Solana-native stablecoin alongside Solstice’s YieldVault, a democratized yield-bearing protocol that allows participants to access institutional-grade delta-neutral yields. Solstice Labs AG Solstice Labs AG Bolstering the group's crypto credentials, Solstice Labs AG also operates Solstice Staking AG, one of the most trusted infrastructure providers in the industry, securing over $1 billion in assets across 9,000+ validator nodes. Users can learn more at https://solsticelabs.io and follow @solstice_io. https://solsticelabs.io https://solsticelabs.io @solstice_io @solstice_io About Deus X Capital Deus X Capital is a specialist investment and operating company focused on private equity, venture capital, and venture build opportunities in the capital markets, fintech, and digital assets sectors. Deus X has more than $1bn in assets under management and its unique expertise, extensive network, and diverse capabilities to foster lasting value within the financial technology sector. Deus X Capital Deus X Capital Contact Leslie Termuhlen press@solsticelabs.io This story was distributed as a release by Chainwire under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here This story was distributed as a release by Chainwire under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here here here

Solstice Labs Announces Upcoming USX Launch, a Solana-Native Stablecoin Built For Transparent Yield

Solstice Labs абвяшчае наступны запуск USX, Solana-Native Stablecoin пабудаваны для празрачнай выручкі

Solstice Labs anuncia el próximo lanzamiento de USX, una Stablecoin nativa de Solana construida para un rendimiento transparente

Solstice Labs annonce le prochain lancement USX, une stablecoin Solana-Native construite pour un rendement transparent

A Solstice Labs bejelentette a közelgő USX elindítását, egy átlátható hozamra épített Solana-native Stablecoin-t

Solstice Labs、透明な収益のために構築されたソラナ・ネイティブ・スタイブルコイン「USX Launch」を発表

Solstice Labs dia manambara ny famoahana USX ho avy, Solana-Native Stablecoin Natsangana ho an'ny Transparent Yield

Solstice Labs го најавува претстојното лансирање на USX, Solana-Native Stablecoin изграден за транспарентен принос

Solstice Labs kondigt komende USX-lancering aan, een Solana-native Stablecoin gebouwd voor transparante opbrengst

Solstice Labs объявляет о предстоящем запуске USX, родной Stablecoin, созданный для прозрачной доходности

Solstice Labs tillkännager kommande USX-lansering, en Solana-Native Stablecoin byggd för transparent avkastning

Solstice Labs ประกาศการเปิดตัว USX ในอนาคต, Solana-Native Stablecoin สร้างขึ้นสําหรับผลกําไรที่โปร่งใส

索尔斯蒂斯实验室宣布即将推出USX,一个为透明收益而建造的Solana原生稳定币

THE EVENING SKY AT THE WINTER SOLSTICE

THE EVENING SKY AT THE SUMMER SOLSTICE

Did You Know Trees Feel the Pull of the Moon? Scientists Link Sap Flow to Lunar Tides

Знаете ли, че дърветата усещат привличането на Луната? Учените свързват соковия поток с лунните приливи и отливи

¿Sabías que los árboles sienten la atracción de la luna? Los científicos relacionan el flujo de savia con las mareas lunares

آیا می دانستید درختان کشش ماه را احساس می کنند؟ دانشمندان جریان شیره را به جزر و مد ماه پیوند می دهند

הידעת שעצים מרגישים את משיכת הירח? מדענים מקשרים בין זרימת מוהל לגאות ירח

木々が月の引力を感じることをご存知ですか？科学者は樹液の流れと月の潮汐を関連付けています

តើអ្នកដឹងទេថាដើមឈើមានអារម្មណ៍ទាញព្រះច័ន្ទ? អ្នកវិទ្យាសាស្ត្រភ្ជាប់លំហូរ Sap ទៅជំនោរតាមច័ន្ទគតិ

Oyebi ete Banzete Eyokaka Kobenda ya Sanza? Bato ya siansi bakangisaka Sap Flow na ba marées lunaires

ເຈົ້າຮູ້ບໍ່ວ່າຕົ້ນໄມ້ຮູ້ສຶກດຶງດວງເດືອນ? ນັກວິທະຍາສາດເຊື່ອມຕໍ່ກະແສ Sap ກັບ The Lunar Tides

ایا تاسو پوهیږئ چې ونې د سپوږمۍ د راښکته کیدو احساس کوي؟ ساینس پوهان د سپو جریان د قمري لندبل سره نښلوي

Waizviziva Here Kuti Miti Inonzwa Kudhonzwa Kwemwedzi? Masayendisiti Anobatanidza Kuyerera Kwemvura kune Lunar Tides

Daraxtlar Oyning tortishishini his qilishini bilarmidingiz? Olimlar dastani oqimini Oy to'lqinlari bilan bog'laydi

你知道树木能感受到月球的引力吗？科学家将树液流与月球潮汐联系起来

While everyone else is hoping that 2025 will be a better year than those earlier this decade, I suggest that you think more about 2030... And I know what you might be thinking… I'm not big on New Year's Resolutions, Jonathan. I've disappointed myself with pass/fail goals too many times in the past. My current stack of habits is pretty good, so I'm just going to stick with those. Or maybe you're more pessimistic than that… What's the hell is the point of making grand plans at this time? In the post-COVID "new normal," my career prospects are shot  -  my industry has been hit hard by the shit show of the 2020s. And it's harder to date now. My social life is contracting  -  people seem less interested in meeting up. My family members are estranged because of political differences. Inflation has made it even harder to afford to eat a clean, organic diet. I'm just hoping we don't all die in a nuclear war next week! I'd still urge you to make some New Year's Resolutions and, in fact, make some five-year 2030 resolutions. Here's why: I've been doing this for a while myself, and frankly, I fail at a lot of goals I set for myself in a given year - but I'm surprised at how this conscious future-casting manifests years later. Too many gurus and pop culture characters sell the idea that your personal growth efforts will bear fruit quickly, and as a result, you get disappointed that the results of your first year investing in cryptocurrency have not been something to brag about - or whatever it is that you devote yourself to. If you're pessimistic about the future... I certainly wouldn't blame you given how chaotic this young decade has proven itself thus far, but I'd urge you to rewatch my speech, The Winter Solstice of Civilization… Give some contemplation as to how you can liberate yourself by choosing discomfort in 2025. The more you choose to endure discomfort, the more you claw back your God-given freedoms from the vile forces that seek to enslave you - the more your horizons broaden while beauty, meaning, and adventure beckon. In the past two years, my marriage and sex life have improved dramatically as a result of my choosing discomfort, discipline, and higher personal standards, which I write about in How to Stay Loyal to Your Woman - 6 steps to resilient sexual-spiritual risk mitigation and I forgot what D’Artagnan taught me and got my dick BURNED by a LASER. Create a 5-Year Self-Determination Flowchart It’s well said that… We often over estimate what we can achieve in a year and underestimate what we can achieve in 5 years. In one year, you’ll likely be pretty similar to who you are right now.\It’s also pretty hard to say what your life will be like in 10 years; some people’s lives will radically change for the better or worse in 10 years.However, in half that time, your life will likely still have a significant resemblance to what it is now. I strongly encourage you to make optimistic predictions about what your life could look like in 5 years in these areas… Business or Career
Education and Learning
Family and Friends
Finances
Faith and Spirituality
Health and Fitness
Food and Diet
Hobbies and Entertainment
Relationships and Sex
Things and Toys
Travel and Adventure
Where will you live?
What would your average day or week look like? Try to strike a balance between your wildest fantasies and a reasonable prediction of how you will be living if you practice your best habits with discipline. Look at your Coach.me dashboard (you should have set this up by now if you’re serious about thriving) and imagine those daily habits multiplied by 1800 (5 years). https://www.limitlessmindset.com/apps-software/720-coach-me?embedable=true By the way, don't set yourself up for failure by overloading yourself with too many daily habits. Certain edifying habits only need to be done once or twice a week. For example, While I love technology, I don't want to outsource my memory to technology, so I practice Mnemonics with the SuperMemo app a few times a week. MindMeister is one of my favorite tools for organizing my thoughts and ideas. So, I suggest that you take 45–60 minutes (Fire up Brain.FM for a 60-minute focus session) to create a flowchart in MindMeister, which is free and takes just a moment to sign up for. I suggest that you link the individual self-determination predictions to your habits in Coach.me.
All of your 5-year predictions should connect at least loosely to your daily habits. If they don’t, consider adding them to your Coach.me dashboard.
Specificity is great. Actually, be arbitrarily specific. The important thing is that you visualize and think specifically about what you want your life to look like in 5 years. This is quite different from a vision board, which is really just fantasizing… I’d like a red Ferrari.I’d like a supermodel girlfriend.I’d like a yacht with a shark tank in it. Whereas the 5-year Self-Determination Flowchart is specific organized predictions based upon habits and behaviors, which can be measured and done daily or weekly. I urge you to make time to do this now Life will happen to you, and you’ll forget about this exercise. Do it now. The self-determination flowchart is a great thing to save and revisit, especially around January 1st. With the craziness of the holidays and the demands of family in the rearview, this should naturally be a more introspective period for you. This is an ideal time to consider how you’re doing and review your life, values, and habits along with your medium and long-term goals. Here’s my old self-determination flowchart; perhaps you can draw some inspiration or ideas from it… Our current self-determination flowchart, I'm NOT going to publish as one of my resolutions is to be a bit more of a private person instead of the oversharer with the internet that I have been. For the vain Speaking of the year 2030, if you find yourself struggling to stay really committed to the healthy anti-aging and biohacking stuff, go look at pictures of people five years older than you are now. If you have family members of the same sex about 5 years older than you, go look at a recent photo of them - that might give you a pretty good idea of what you'll look like in the future. Use an AI Age Filter image tool or search Your Age+5 Your Gender on Shutterstock or Google Images for images... Unless you're under 25 years old, it's not a pretty picture - especially if you disregard the obviously doctored/photoshopped/Instagram-filtered modeling photos  -  is it? I'll make a wild claim and then prove it: I haven't aged in the past 10 years. Check out these photos of me at age 26… At 36... And this year, at 39 I don't share these photos to brag (ok, maybe a little), but to prove that this biohacking and diet hacking stuff really does work - I looked hard for photos of me looking worse after 10 years of wear and tear and couldn't find any. If you'd rather age like wine than milk, replace a few of your meals a week with raw coconut and implement as much of the anti-aging stuff as you can afford to, and you'll thank me in five or ten years! If... You've failed at your New Year's Resolutions in the past, read Goal Failure Demystified + 144 Studies Synopsized. In it, I share a long-term strategy and a specific technology. Respond... On balance, are you optimistic or pessimistic about 2025? What goals and dreams do you have for 2030? What daily/weekly habits will you implement now to work towards them? While everyone else is hoping that 2025 will be a better year than those earlier this decade, I suggest that you think more about 2030... And I know what you might be thinking… I'm not big on New Year's Resolutions, Jonathan. I've disappointed myself with pass/fail goals too many times in the past. My current stack of habits is pretty good, so I'm just going to stick with those. I'm not big on New Year's Resolutions, Jonathan. I've disappointed myself with pass/fail goals too many times in the past. My current stack of habits is pretty good, so I'm just going to stick with those. I'm not big on New Year's Resolutions, Jonathan. I've disappointed myself with pass/fail goals too many times in the past. My current stack of habits is pretty good, so I'm just going to stick with those. Or maybe you're more pessimistic than that… What's the hell is the point of making grand plans at this time? In the post-COVID "new normal," my career prospects are shot  -  my industry has been hit hard by the shit show of the 2020s. And it's harder to date now. My social life is contracting  -  people seem less interested in meeting up. My family members are estranged because of political differences. Inflation has made it even harder to afford to eat a clean, organic diet. I'm just hoping we don't all die in a nuclear war next week! What's the hell is the point of making grand plans at this time? In the post-COVID "new normal," my career prospects are shot  -  my industry has been hit hard by the shit show of the 2020s. And it's harder to date now. My social life is contracting  -  people seem less interested in meeting up. My family members are estranged because of political differences. Inflation has made it even harder to afford to eat a clean, organic diet. I'm just hoping we don't all die in a nuclear war next week! What's the hell is the point of making grand plans at this time? What's the hell is the point of making grand plans at this time? In the post-COVID "new normal," my career prospects are shot  -  my industry has been hit hard by the shit show of the 2020s. And it's harder to date now. My social life is contracting  -  people seem less interested in meeting up. My family members are estranged because of political differences. Inflation has made it even harder to afford to eat a clean, organic diet. I'm just hoping we don't all die in a nuclear war next week! I'd still urge you to make some New Year's Resolutions and, in fact, make some five-year 2030 resolutions. Here's why: I've been doing this for a while myself, and frankly, I fail at a lot of goals I set for myself in a given year - but I'm surprised at how this conscious future-casting manifests years later . Too many gurus and pop culture characters sell the idea that your personal growth efforts will bear fruit quickly, and as a result, you get disappointed that the results of your first year investing in cryptocurrency have not been something to brag about - or whatever it is that you devote yourself to. I've been doing this for a while myself, and frankly, I fail at a lot of goals I set for myself in a given year - but I'm surprised at how this conscious future-casting manifests years later If you're pessimistic about the future ... If you're pessimistic about the future I certainly wouldn't blame you given how chaotic this young decade has proven itself thus far, but I'd urge you to rewatch my speech, The Winter Solstice of Civilization… The Winter Solstice of Civilization… Give some contemplation as to how you can liberate yourself by choosing discomfort in 2025 . The more you choose to endure discomfort, the more you claw back your God-given freedoms from the vile forces that seek to enslave you - the more your horizons broaden while beauty, meaning, and adventure beckon. Give some contemplation as to how you can liberate yourself by choosing discomfort in 2025 In the past two years, my marriage and sex life have improved dramatically as a result of my choosing discomfort, discipline, and higher personal standards, which I write about in How to Stay Loyal to Your Woman - 6 steps to resilient sexual-spiritual risk mitigation and I forgot what D’Artagnan taught me and got my dick BURNED by a LASER . How to Stay Loyal to Your Woman - 6 steps to resilient sexual-spiritual risk mitigation I forgot what D’Artagnan taught me and got my dick BURNED by a LASER Create a 5-Year Self-Determination Flowchart Self-Determination Flowchart Self-Determination It’s well said that… We often over estimate what we can achieve in a year and underestimate what we can achieve in 5 years. We often over estimate what we can achieve in a year and underestimate what we can achieve in 5 years. We often over estimate what we can achieve in a year and underestimate what we can achieve in 5 years. In one year, you’ll likely be pretty similar to who you are right now.\It’s also pretty hard to say what your life will be like in 10 years ; some people’s lives will radically change for the better or worse in 10 years. However, in half that time, your life will likely still have a significant resemblance to what it is now. In one year, you’ll likely be pretty similar to who you are right now.\It’s also pretty hard to say what your life will be like in 10 years I strongly encourage you to make optimistic predictions about what your life could look like in 5 years in these areas… optimistic predictions Business or Career Education and Learning Family and Friends Finances Faith and Spirituality Health and Fitness Food and Diet Hobbies and Entertainment Relationships and Sex Things and Toys Travel and Adventure Where will you live? What would your average day or week look like? Business or Career Education and Learning Family and Friends Finances Faith and Spirituality Health and Fitness Food and Diet Hobbies and Entertainment Relationships and Sex Things and Toys Toys Travel and Adventure Where will you live? What would your average day or week look like? Try to strike a balance between your wildest fantasies and a reasonable prediction of how you will be living if you practice your best habits with discipline . Look at your Coach.me dashboard (you should have set this up by now if you’re serious about thriving) and imagine those daily habits multiplied by 1800 (5 years). Try to strike a balance between your wildest fantasies and a reasonable prediction of how you will be living if you practice your best habits with discipline if Coach.me dashboard https://www.limitlessmindset.com/apps-software/720-coach-me?embedable=true https://www.limitlessmindset.com/apps-software/720-coach-me?embedable=true By the way, don't set yourself up for failure by overloading yourself with too many daily habits. Certain edifying habits only need to be done once or twice a week. For example, While I love technology, I don't want to outsource my memory to technology, so I practice Mnemonics with the SuperMemo app a few times a week. Mnemonics MindMeister is one of my favorite tools for organizing my thoughts and ideas . So, I suggest that you take 45–60 minutes (Fire up Brain.FM for a 60-minute focus session) to create a flowchart in MindMeister, which is free and takes just a moment to sign up for. MindMeister is one of my favorite tools for organizing my thoughts and ideas Brain.FM create a flowchart in MindMeister, I suggest that you link the individual self-determination predictions to your habits in Coach.me. All of your 5-year predictions should connect at least loosely to your daily habits. If they don’t, consider adding them to your Coach.me dashboard. Specificity is great. Actually, be arbitrarily specific. I suggest that you link the individual self-determination predictions to your habits in Coach.me. All of your 5-year predictions should connect at least loosely to your daily habits. If they don’t, consider adding them to your Coach.me dashboard. Specificity is great. Actually, be arbitrarily specific. The important thing is that you visualize and think specifically about what you want your life to look like in 5 years. This is quite different from a vision board , which is really just fantasizing… vision board I’d like a red Ferrari. I’d like a supermodel girlfriend. I’d like a yacht with a shark tank in it. I’d like a red Ferrari. I’d like a supermodel girlfriend. I’d like a yacht with a shark tank in it. Whereas the 5-year Self-Determination Flowchart is specific organized predictions based upon habits and behaviors, which can be measured and done daily or weekly. I urge you to make time to do this now I urge you to make time to do this now Life will happen to you, and you’ll forget about this exercise. Do it now. The self-determination flowchart is a great thing to save and revisit , especially around January 1st. With the craziness of the holidays and the demands of family in the rearview, this should naturally be a more introspective period for you. This is an ideal time to consider how you’re doing and review your life, values, and habits along with your medium and long-term goals. The self-determination flowchart is a great thing to save and revisit Here’s my old self-determination flowchart; perhaps you can draw some inspiration or ideas from it … Here’s my old self-determination flowchart; perhaps you can draw some inspiration or ideas from it Here’s old Our current self-determination flowchart, I'm NOT going to publish as one of my resolutions is to be a bit more of a private person instead of the oversharer with the internet that I have been . one of my resolutions is to be a bit more of a private person instead of the oversharer with the internet that I have been oversharer For the vain For the vain Speaking of the year 2030, if you find yourself struggling to stay really committed to the healthy anti-aging and biohacking stuff, go look at pictures of people five years older than you are now . If you have family members of the same sex about 5 years older than you, go look at a recent photo of them - that might give you a pretty good idea of what you'll look like in the future. Use an AI Age Filter image tool or search Your Age+5 Your Gender on Shutterstock or Google Images for images... Speaking of the year 2030, if you find yourself struggling to stay really committed to the healthy anti-aging and biohacking stuff, go look at pictures of people five years older than you are now AI Age Filter image tool Your Age+5 Your Gender Shutterstock Unless you're under 25 years old, it's not a pretty picture - especially if you disregard the obviously doctored/photoshopped/Instagram-filtered modeling photos  -  is it? I'll make a wild claim and then prove it: I haven't aged in the past 10 years. Check out these photos of me at age 26… Unless you're under 25 years old, it's not a pretty picture - especially if you disregard the obviously doctored/photoshopped/Instagram-filtered modeling photos  -  is it? At 36... And this year, at 39 I don't share these photos to brag ( ok, maybe a little ), but to prove that this biohacking and diet hacking stuff really does work - I looked hard for photos of me looking worse after 10 years of wear and tear and couldn't find any. If you'd rather age like wine than milk, replace a few of your meals a week with raw coconut and implement as much of the anti-aging stuff as you can afford to, and you'll thank me in five or ten years! ok, maybe a little replace a few of your meals a week with raw coconut If... If ... If You've failed at your New Year's Resolutions in the past, read Goal Failure Demystified + 144 Studies Synopsized . In it, I share a long-term strategy and a specific technology. You've failed Goal Failure Demystified + 144 Studies Synopsized Respond... Respond... On balance, are you optimistic or pessimistic about 2025? What goals and dreams do you have for 2030? What daily/weekly habits will you implement now to work towards them? On balance, are you optimistic or pessimistic about 2025? What goals and dreams do you have for 2030? What daily/weekly habits will you implement now to work towards them?

New Year's Resolutions are Great, but Who Will You Be in 2030?

Machaq Maran amtäwinakax wali askipuniwa, ukampis ¿Khitis 2030 maranxa?

নতুন বছরের রেজোলিউশনগুলি দুর্দান্ত, কিন্তু 2030 সালে আপনি কে হবেন?

Οι αποφάσεις της Πρωτοχρονιάς είναι υπέροχες, αλλά ποιος θα είσαι το 2030;

Los propósitos de Año Nuevo son geniales, pero ¿quién serás en 2030?

Les résolutions du Nouvel An sont excellentes, mais qui serez-vous en 2030 ?

Resolusi Tahun Baru Memang Hebat, tetapi Siapakah Anda di Tahun 2030?

新年の抱負は素晴らしいですが、2030年にはあなたは何者になるでしょうか?

Жаңы жылдык резолюциялар сонун, бирок 2030-жылы ким болосуз?

Mosoq watapaq tanteasqankuqa ancha allinmi, ichaqa ¿Pitaq kanki 2030 watapi?

Қарорҳои соли нав бузурганд, аммо шумо дар соли 2030 кӣ хоҳед буд?

Yangi yil qarorlari ajoyib, lekin siz 2030-yilda kim bo'lasiz?

Izisombululo zoNyaka oMtsha zinkulu, kodwa uya kuba ngubani ngo-2030?

Reminder: Bitcoin CAN Make Civilization Sane

THE UNCONSCIOUS ORIGIN OF THE HERO

It was the annual Solstice party at Wunderland Games, and I was especially excited to give my team a taste of old-school gaming magic. The star of the evening was the legendary Caroline, an interactive fiction pioneer who was going to showcase her retro text-based creations. Her passion had first inspired me years ago through the story of a young developer named Luna. Luna was a shy backend coder without much experience in game design. But she dreamed up the most wondrous text adventure ideas and would excitedly tell her friends about them. Most just laughed and told Luna to focus on “real” games with fancy graphics and sound. But Luna believed in the power of words and imagination, so she kept tinkering after hours on a passion project - a quirky text adventure she coded up on a terminal. It wasn't much to look at, just glowing green words on a black screen. But the world she conjured up was wildly creative. One day, veteran developer Gail happened to see Luna’s little game. She was utterly charmed by the ingenuity of the storytelling and gameplay. Thanks to Gail’s mentorship, Luna's text game became a cult hit, though she remained largely unknown. I was just starting out back then, but Luna’s story inspired me - proof that coding magic happens when you embrace creativity and imagination over industry norms. I vowed that if I ever ran a studio, I would champion provocative visions over profit-chasing. So when I became CEO of Wunderland Games, I recruited the legendary Caroline to help recapture the spirit of those text adventure pioneers like Luna. Caroline was delighted to accept. We planned an interactive showcase of her retro games for the annual holiday party. The office was buzzing with activity and laughter as we put the finishing touches on the decorations. Pixel art snowflakes and strings of 8-bit Christmas lights gave the space a deliciously retro vibe. The centerpiece was our huge Douglas fir Christmas tree, overflowing with gaudy 80's video game ornaments. I checked my watch. 5:15 pm. Caroline should've arrived by now for setup and rehearsal. Where was she? I felt a twinge of panic. Her interactive demo was meant to be the highlight of the whole evening! Just then, my phone rang. It was Caroline, speaking in a rush. "Bob! I'm so sorry, I'm running late. I'll be there in 15 minutes. Please stall for me!" she said breathlessly. I reassured her it was fine, we'll make it work. But inside, I was worried. This wasn't like Caroline to be late on such an important day. Right on cue at 5:30 pm, the doors opened and my team streamed in, laughing, trading gifts, and admiring the decor. The scent of fresh gingerbread and cinnamon wafted from the buffet. But still no sign of Caroline. I quietly asked someone to keep stalling as I slipped away to Caroline's demo room to check on things. Maybe she had arrived and was frantically getting set up? But when I entered the room, it was still and dark, empty except for a lone computer terminal glowing in the corner. Where was she? Just then my phone buzzed. It was Caroline, whispering. "I'm here but my codes got corrupted! I can't access my presentation. I'm so sorry..." She sounded near tears. My heart sank. After all this planning and anticipation, Caroline's big interactive demo wasn't going to happen. The team would be so disappointed. Then Caroline's face lit up and just winked conspiratorially. "Leave it to me, I’ll improvise something ten times better!" she whispered with a twinkle in her eye. I didn't know what she had up her sleeve, but I trusted her creative spirit absolutely. I hurried back to the party and grabbed the mic. "Sorry for the delay, everyone. I have a very special guest who's going to take you on an old-school adventure! Let's give a warm welcome to the legendary Caroline!" Right on cue, Caroline rushed onto the stage, slightly flustered but beaming. "Hi folks! So it seems technology has failed us tonight, but the human imagination never fails! Let's journey back to the magical days of text-based adventures. I'll be the computer, and you tell me what to do!" She turned to face the audience expectantly. They tittered, not quite sure what to do. "Come now, don't be shy! You there, in the holiday sweater - what's your name?" Caroline asked warmly. "Oh, I'm Susan." "Nice to meet you, Susan! What's your first command for me?" "Um, look around the room?" Susan offered tentatively. Caroline smiled delightedly. "Excellent! You look around the festively decorated room. Pixel art snowflakes twinkle down from the rafters, and the giant Christmas tree glows with 8-bit ornaments..." As Caroline brought the setting to life, people relaxed. Another person called out, "Open the present under the tree!" Caroline rolled with their idea. "You open the present and find a rare crystal orb, which begins to glow..." The audience oohed. Now they were getting into it, each building on the last. When someone yelled out, "Use the candy cane as a sword!" Caroline acted it out, getting laughs. Soon Caroline was effortlessly weaving each suggestion into an increasingly complex, fantastical world. Every detail she inventively improvised inspired new ideas from the crowd. As Caroline immersed the audience in her storytelling, I watched in awe from the sidelines. Her imaginative improv was far more engaging than any polished presentation could have been. The team hung on her every word, offering their input, laughing together. Caroline's passion was electric. Every new detail she conjured up made the world come more alive. I was transported back to those late nights as a kid, hunched over the glowing green terminal, getting lost in text worlds far more magical than reality. Time flew by in a blaze of laughter and curiosity. As Caroline brought the story to an uplifting conclusion, the room erupted in thunderous applause. She turned to me, eyes shining. "Thank you," she mouthed silently. I just smiled and nodded. No words were needed. The magic unfolding onstage said it all. As I looked around at the team's faces - delighted, inspired, connected - I knew my speech was pointless now. Caroline had already conveyed everything I yearned to say, and so much more. Her story was a gift from the heart that touched that childlike spark of imagination in all of us. As CEO, it was my job to provide direction to the team. But sometimes the best leadership is knowing when to step back and let creativity carry the torch instead. [Parts of this story were written using AI tools]

Ctrl, Alt, Imagine

Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . THE SOUTH POLE here CHAPTER XIV: THE SOUTH POLE I rushed on to the platform. Yes! the open sea, with but a few scattered pieces of ice and moving icebergs—a long stretch of sea; a world of birds in the air, and myriads of fishes under those waters, which varied from intense blue to olive green, according to the bottom. The thermometer marked 3° C. above zero. It was comparatively spring, shut up as we were behind this iceberg, whose lengthened mass was dimly seen on our northern horizon. “Are we at the pole?” I asked the Captain, with a beating heart. “I do not know,” he replied. “At noon I will take our bearings.” “But will the sun show himself through this fog?” said I, looking at the leaden sky. “However little it shows, it will be enough,” replied the Captain. About ten miles south a solitary island rose to a height of one hundred and four yards. We made for it, but carefully, for the sea might be strewn with banks. One hour afterwards we had reached it, two hours later we had made the round of it. It measured four or five miles in circumference. A narrow canal separated it from a considerable stretch of land, perhaps a continent, for we could not see its limits. The existence of this land seemed to give some colour to Maury’s theory. The ingenious American has remarked that, between the South Pole and the sixtieth parallel, the sea is covered with floating ice of enormous size, which is never met with in the North Atlantic. From this fact he has drawn the conclusion that the Antarctic Circle encloses considerable continents, as icebergs cannot form in open sea, but only on the coasts. According to these calculations, the mass of ice surrounding the southern pole forms a vast cap, the circumference of which must be, at least, 2,500 miles. But the , for fear of running aground, had stopped about three cable-lengths from a strand over which reared a superb heap of rocks. The boat was launched; the Captain, two of his men, bearing instruments, Conseil, and myself were in it. It was ten in the morning. I had not seen Ned Land. Doubtless the Canadian did not wish to admit the presence of the South Pole. A few strokes of the oar brought us to the sand, where we ran ashore. Conseil was going to jump on to the land, when I held him back. Nautilus “Sir,” said I to Captain Nemo, “to you belongs the honour of first setting foot on this land.” “Yes, sir,” said the Captain, “and if I do not hesitate to tread this South Pole, it is because, up to this time, no human being has left a trace there.” Saying this, he jumped lightly on to the sand. His heart beat with emotion. He climbed a rock, sloping to a little promontory, and there, with his arms crossed, mute and motionless, and with an eager look, he seemed to take possession of these southern regions. After five minutes passed in this ecstasy, he turned to us. “When you like, sir.” I landed, followed by Conseil, leaving the two men in the boat. For a long way the soil was composed of a reddish sandy stone, something like crushed brick, scoriae, streams of lava, and pumice-stones. One could not mistake its volcanic origin. In some parts, slight curls of smoke emitted a sulphurous smell, proving that the internal fires had lost nothing of their expansive powers, though, having climbed a high acclivity, I could see no volcano for a radius of several miles. We know that in those Antarctic countries, James Ross found two craters, the Erebus and Terror, in full activity, on the 167th meridian, latitude 77° 32′. The vegetation of this desolate continent seemed to me much restricted. Some lichens lay upon the black rocks; some microscopic plants, rudimentary diatomas, a kind of cells placed between two quartz shells; long purple and scarlet weed, supported on little swimming bladders, which the breaking of the waves brought to the shore. These constituted the meagre flora of this region. The shore was strewn with molluscs, little mussels, and limpets. I also saw myriads of northern clios, one-and-a-quarter inches long, of which a whale would swallow a whole world at a mouthful; and some perfect sea-butterflies, animating the waters on the skirts of the shore. There appeared on the high bottoms some coral shrubs, of the kind which, according to James Ross, live in the Antarctic seas to the depth of more than 1,000 yards. Then there were little kingfishers and starfish studding the soil. But where life abounded most was in the air. There thousands of birds fluttered and flew of all kinds, deafening us with their cries; others crowded the rock, looking at us as we passed by without fear, and pressing familiarly close by our feet. There were penguins, so agile in the water, heavy and awkward as they are on the ground; they were uttering harsh cries, a large assembly, sober in gesture, but extravagant in clamour. Albatrosses passed in the air, the expanse of their wings being at least four yards and a half, and justly called the vultures of the ocean; some gigantic petrels, and some damiers, a kind of small duck, the underpart of whose body is black and white; then there were a whole series of petrels, some whitish, with brown-bordered wings, others blue, peculiar to the Antarctic seas, and so oily, as I told Conseil, that the inhabitants of the Ferroe Islands had nothing to do before lighting them but to put a wick in. “A little more,” said Conseil, “and they would be perfect lamps! After that, we cannot expect Nature to have previously furnished them with wicks!” About half a mile farther on the soil was riddled with ruffs’ nests, a sort of laying-ground, out of which many birds were issuing. Captain Nemo had some hundreds hunted. They uttered a cry like the braying of an ass, were about the size of a goose, slate-colour on the body, white beneath, with a yellow line round their throats; they allowed themselves to be killed with a stone, never trying to escape. But the fog did not lift, and at eleven the sun had not yet shown itself. Its absence made me uneasy. Without it no observations were possible. How, then, could we decide whether we had reached the pole? When I rejoined Captain Nemo, I found him leaning on a piece of rock, silently watching the sky. He seemed impatient and vexed. But what was to be done? This rash and powerful man could not command the sun as he did the sea. Noon arrived without the orb of day showing itself for an instant. We could not even tell its position behind the curtain of fog; and soon the fog turned to snow. “Till to-morrow,” said the Captain, quietly, and we returned to the amid these atmospheric disturbances. Nautilus The tempest of snow continued till the next day. It was impossible to remain on the platform. From the saloon, where I was taking notes of incidents happening during this excursion to the polar continent, I could hear the cries of petrels and albatrosses sporting in the midst of this violent storm. The did not remain motionless, but skirted the coast, advancing ten miles more to the south in the half-light left by the sun as it skirted the edge of the horizon. The next day, the 20th of March, the snow had ceased. The cold was a little greater, the thermometer showing 2° below zero. The fog was rising, and I hoped that that day our observations might be taken. Captain Nemo not having yet appeared, the boat took Conseil and myself to land. The soil was still of the same volcanic nature; everywhere were traces of lava, scoriae, and basalt; but the crater which had vomited them I could not see. Here, as lower down, this continent was alive with myriads of birds. But their rule was now divided with large troops of sea-mammals, looking at us with their soft eyes. There were several kinds of seals, some stretched on the earth, some on flakes of ice, many going in and out of the sea. They did not flee at our approach, never having had anything to do with man; and I reckoned that there were provisions there for hundreds of vessels. Nautilus “Sir,” said Conseil, “will you tell me the names of these creatures?” “They are seals and morses.” It was now eight in the morning. Four hours remained to us before the sun could be observed with advantage. I directed our steps towards a vast bay cut in the steep granite shore. There, I can aver that earth and ice were lost to sight by the numbers of sea-mammals covering them, and I involuntarily sought for old Proteus, the mythological shepherd who watched these immense flocks of Neptune. There were more seals than anything else, forming distinct groups, male and female, the father watching over his family, the mother suckling her little ones, some already strong enough to go a few steps. When they wished to change their place, they took little jumps, made by the contraction of their bodies, and helped awkwardly enough by their imperfect fin, which, as with the lamantin, their cousins, forms a perfect forearm. I should say that, in the water, which is their element—the spine of these creatures is flexible; with smooth and close skin and webbed feet—they swim admirably. In resting on the earth they take the most graceful attitudes. Thus the ancients, observing their soft and expressive looks, which cannot be surpassed by the most beautiful look a woman can give, their clear voluptuous eyes, their charming positions, and the poetry of their manners, metamorphosed them, the male into a triton and the female into a mermaid. I made Conseil notice the considerable development of the lobes of the brain in these interesting cetaceans. No mammal, except man, has such a quantity of brain matter; they are also capable of receiving a certain amount of education, are easily domesticated, and I think, with other naturalists, that if properly taught they would be of great service as fishing-dogs. The greater part of them slept on the rocks or on the sand. Amongst these seals, properly so called, which have no external ears (in which they differ from the otter, whose ears are prominent), I noticed several varieties of seals about three yards long, with a white coat, bulldog heads, armed with teeth in both jaws, four incisors at the top and four at the bottom, and two large canine teeth in the shape of a fleur-de-lis. Amongst them glided sea-elephants, a kind of seal, with short, flexible trunks. The giants of this species measured twenty feet round and ten yards and a half in length; but they did not move as we approached. “These creatures are not dangerous?” asked Conseil. “No; not unless you attack them. When they have to defend their young their rage is terrible, and it is not uncommon for them to break the fishing-boats to pieces.” “They are quite right,” said Conseil. “I do not say they are not.” Two miles farther on we were stopped by the promontory which shelters the bay from the southerly winds. Beyond it we heard loud bellowings such as a troop of ruminants would produce. “Good!” said Conseil; “a concert of bulls!” “No; a concert of morses.” “They are fighting!” “They are either fighting or playing.” We now began to climb the blackish rocks, amid unforeseen stumbles, and over stones which the ice made slippery. More than once I rolled over at the expense of my loins. Conseil, more prudent or more steady, did not stumble, and helped me up, saying: “If, sir, you would have the kindness to take wider steps, you would preserve your equilibrium better.” Arrived at the upper ridge of the promontory, I saw a vast white plain covered with morses. They were playing amongst themselves, and what we heard were bellowings of pleasure, not of anger. As I passed these curious animals I could examine them leisurely, for they did not move. Their skins were thick and rugged, of a yellowish tint, approaching to red; their hair was short and scant. Some of them were four yards and a quarter long. Quieter and less timid than their cousins of the north, they did not, like them, place sentinels round the outskirts of their encampment. After examining this city of morses, I began to think of returning. It was eleven o’clock, and, if Captain Nemo found the conditions favourable for observations, I wished to be present at the operation. We followed a narrow pathway running along the summit of the steep shore. At half-past eleven we had reached the place where we landed. The boat had run aground, bringing the Captain. I saw him standing on a block of basalt, his instruments near him, his eyes fixed on the northern horizon, near which the sun was then describing a lengthened curve. I took my place beside him, and waited without speaking. Noon arrived, and, as before, the sun did not appear. It was a fatality. Observations were still wanting. If not accomplished to-morrow, we must give up all idea of taking any. We were indeed exactly at the 20th of March. To-morrow, the 21st, would be the equinox; the sun would disappear behind the horizon for six months, and with its disappearance the long polar night would begin. Since the September equinox it had emerged from the northern horizon, rising by lengthened spirals up to the 21st of December. At this period, the summer solstice of the northern regions, it had begun to descend; and to-morrow was to shed its last rays upon them. I communicated my fears and observations to Captain Nemo. “You are right, M. Aronnax,” said he; “if to-morrow I cannot take the altitude of the sun, I shall not be able to do it for six months. But precisely because chance has led me into these seas on the 21st of March, my bearings will be easy to take, if at twelve we can see the sun.” “Why, Captain?” “Because then the orb of day described such lengthened curves that it is difficult to measure exactly its height above the horizon, and grave errors may be made with instruments.” “What will you do then?” “I shall only use my chronometer,” replied Captain Nemo. “If to-morrow, the 21st of March, the disc of the sun, allowing for refraction, is exactly cut by the northern horizon, it will show that I am at the South Pole.” “Just so,” said I. “But this statement is not mathematically correct, because the equinox does not necessarily begin at noon.” “Very likely, sir; but the error will not be a hundred yards and we do not want more. Till to-morrow, then!” Captain Nemo returned on board. Conseil and I remained to survey the shore, observing and studying until five o’clock. Then I went to bed, not, however, without invoking, like the Indian, the favour of the radiant orb. The next day, the 21st of March, at five in the morning, I mounted the platform. I found Captain Nemo there. “The weather is lightening a little,” said he. “I have some hope. After breakfast we will go on shore and choose a post for observation.” That point settled, I sought Ned Land. I wanted to take him with me. But the obstinate Canadian refused, and I saw that his taciturnity and his bad humour grew day by day. After all, I was not sorry for his obstinacy under the circumstances. Indeed, there were too many seals on shore, and we ought not to lay such temptation in this unreflecting fisherman’s way. Breakfast over, we went on shore. The had gone some miles further up in the night. It was a whole league from the coast, above which reared a sharp peak about five hundred yards high. The boat took with me Captain Nemo, two men of the crew, and the instruments, which consisted of a chronometer, a telescope, and a barometer. While crossing, I saw numerous whales belonging to the three kinds peculiar to the southern seas; the whale, or the English “right whale,” which has no dorsal fin; the “humpback,” with reeved chest and large, whitish fins, which, in spite of its name, do not form wings; and the fin-back, of a yellowish brown, the liveliest of all the cetacea. This powerful creature is heard a long way off when he throws to a great height columns of air and vapour, which look like whirlwinds of smoke. These different mammals were disporting themselves in troops in the quiet waters; and I could see that this basin of the Antarctic Pole serves as a place of refuge to the cetacea too closely tracked by the hunters. I also noticed large medusæ floating between the reeds. Nautilus At nine we landed; the sky was brightening, the clouds were flying to the south, and the fog seemed to be leaving the cold surface of the waters. Captain Nemo went towards the peak, which he doubtless meant to be his observatory. It was a painful ascent over the sharp lava and the pumice-stones, in an atmosphere often impregnated with a sulphurous smell from the smoking cracks. For a man unaccustomed to walk on land, the Captain climbed the steep slopes with an agility I never saw equalled and which a hunter would have envied. We were two hours getting to the summit of this peak, which was half porphyry and half basalt. From thence we looked upon a vast sea which, towards the north, distinctly traced its boundary line upon the sky. At our feet lay fields of dazzling whiteness. Over our heads a pale azure, free from fog. To the north the disc of the sun seemed like a ball of fire, already horned by the cutting of the horizon. From the bosom of the water rose sheaves of liquid jets by hundreds. In the distance lay the like a cetacean asleep on the water. Behind us, to the south and east, an immense country and a chaotic heap of rocks and ice, the limits of which were not visible. On arriving at the summit Captain Nemo carefully took the mean height of the barometer, for he would have to consider that in taking his observations. At a quarter to twelve the sun, then seen only by refraction, looked like a golden disc shedding its last rays upon this deserted continent and seas which never man had yet ploughed. Captain Nemo, furnished with a lenticular glass which, by means of a mirror, corrected the refraction, watched the orb sinking below the horizon by degrees, following a lengthened diagonal. I held the chronometer. My heart beat fast. If the disappearance of the half-disc of the sun coincided with twelve o’clock on the chronometer, we were at the pole itself. Nautilus “Twelve!” I exclaimed. “The South Pole!” replied Captain Nemo, in a grave voice, handing me the glass, which showed the orb cut in exactly equal parts by the horizon. I looked at the last rays crowning the peak, and the shadows mounting by degrees up its slopes. At that moment Captain Nemo, resting with his hand on my shoulder, said: “I, Captain Nemo, on this 21st day of March, 1868, have reached the South Pole on the ninetieth degree; and I take possession of this part of the globe, equal to one-sixth of the known continents.” “In whose name, Captain?” “In my own, sir!” Saying which, Captain Nemo unfurled a black banner, bearing an “N” in gold quartered on its bunting. Then, turning towards the orb of day, whose last rays lapped the horizon of the sea, he exclaimed: “Adieu, sun! Disappear, thou radiant orb! rest beneath this open sea, and let a night of six months spread its shadows over my new domains!” About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Jules Verne (1994). Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/files/164/164-h/164-h.htm This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

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