Will Twitter’s board swing Elon’s way?

Plus: A crucial building block of protein is disappearing from Earth's soil Apr 15, 2022 [View in browser]( Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, has made his “best and final” offer to purchase 100 percent of Twitter. He’s proposing $54.20 per share in cash, with a "420" thrown in for good measure. Typical. The bold offer is the latest twist in the ongoing saga between Twitter and Musk, who believes the social media giant has to go private since it can “neither thrive nor serve” free speech in its current form. Will the Twitter board, however, tilt in his favor? Before delving into the full implications of Musk's potential takeover, watch today’s video to learn how glasses are made in a factory. Good morning. I’m Derya, an editor at IE. This is The Blueprint. Let’s pick up the pace. [Video]VIDEO OF THE DAY [Here's how pairs of glasses are made in a factory]( It’s more than just putting a piece of glass into a frame. [Here's how pairs of glasses are made in a factory]( CULTURE [Will Twitter’s board swing Elon’s way? Analysts think not]( [Elon Musk.]( Elon Musk may have played nice for a few days after shoring up a majority stake in Twitter, but now he has dropped the biggest decision hurdle for the company's directors, [which is to accept or deny his $43-billion offer]( and potentially make the company private. - Musk wants Twitter to be self-reliant for revenues, carry out societal responsibilities, and have no limits on free speech. Interestingly, Musk sees all three happening, but only when the publicly-traded company [becomes his own fiefdom](. Barebones. While shareholders might seem to be a happy lot getting premiums on the stock price, analysts state that Musk's offer is actually lower than the $70-a-share high that Twitter stock saw just a couple of months ago. Considering Musk's veiled threat of not remaining a shareholder if his offer is rejected, analysts predicted that the Twitter stock is likely to take a tumble unless the Board managed to bring in another investor to pick up Elon's stake swiftly. And, Thursday night, a $7.5 trillion-dollar firm called [Vanguard displaced Musk]( becoming the largest shareholder of Twitter stocks. So far, so good, for Twitter shareholders. But if the Board rejects Musk's offer, they’ll also need to brace themselves for his 'Plan B', which will unfold only after the decision. [Read More]( SCIENCE [Why this crucial building block of protein is disappearing from Earth's soil]( [Cattle graze a pasture.]( Nitrogen is necessary for life. For example, it's an indispensable part of photosynthesis. That’s why it’s big news that nitrogen is becoming increasingly unavailable in ecosystems across the world. - In a first-of-its-kind analysis, a group of researchers [examined more than a century’s worth of data]( to reach a stunning conclusion. Many factors are driving the change. On land, there’s an entirely different set of problems that drains accessible nitrogen far more quickly than it can be replaced. One example is the intensive grazing of livestock, as well as wildfires. Higher concentrations of carbon in the atmosphere may also play a role. Take a step back. It’s difficult to know what these declining levels of nitrogen mean for the future. However, it should be noted that declining nitrogen availability jeopardizes the annual increase in plant carbon storage by imposing limitations to plant growth. Hence, [climate change models estimating]( carbon stored in biomass need to take nitrogen availability into account. [Read More]( INNOVATION [A new and outlandish delivery drone concept can carry 100 pounds up to 80 miles]( [The CCY-01]( Austria-based vertical propulsion company Cyclotech partnered with Japanese delivery firm Yamato to [develop a concept for an unusual delivery drone]( using Cyclotech's thrust vectoring propulsion system. - The concept aircraft, called CCY-01, flies using six of Cyclotech's unique CycloRotors. It’ll be able to carry out precise landings in tight quarters while coping with challenging wind conditions. Is that a UFO? This new CCY-01 concept arranges [Cyclotech's already unusual design]( into a completely new configuration, adding two CycloRotors positioned at 90-degree angles at the back of the aircraft. This allows the aircraft to produce horizontal sideways thrust without tilting. The aircraft also features two redundant vertical thrusters for extra security. It has a payload capacity of 99 lbs (45 kg) and it can fly up to 25 miles (40 km) at speeds of roughly 80 mph (130 km/h). Of course, CCY-01 is only in the concept phase so far, meaning it may never be built. [Read More]( MAIL & MUSINGS Unmanned aerial vehicles are gaining popularity thanks to their potential military, logistics, and other uses. When it comes to drones, which improvement should be prioritized? Be sure you check back tomorrow for the results! [Autonomy. The fact that we need to control the vehicle remotely kills it.]( [They are not cost-efficient. It doesn't make sense.]( [Regulation. Obviously.]( [They are not reliable at all, I don't trust them with packages.]( Yesterday’s Results Our question was whether you would be willing to communicate with aliens without first knowing their intentions. There are mixed responses. Only if we can share their reply with humanity. 35% Yes! That’s history book material. 30% No. It sounds too dangerous. 25% Can I just send an away team? 10% QUOTE OF THE DAY “ It’s a very sobering feeling to be up in space and realize that one’s safety factor was determined by the lowest bidder on a government contract. ” American astronaut Alan Shepard in 1961, attributed in various forms AND ANOTHER THING... - Could Amazon's satellite service [steal the lead from SpaceX's Starlink]( - To learn more about the physics of aerobatic flight — the hair-raising stunts pilots perform at air shows — [a journalist traveled down to Ruston, Louisiana]( for the wildest ride of her life. (Popular Mechanics) - WhatsApp is substantially expanding its services with a new tab that enables thousands of participants in a Community [to host multiple sub-group chats](. - Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president, [said that it would be impossible]( for the Baltic region to remain “non-nuclear” if Sweden and Finland joined the Nato alliance. (Financial Times $) - Earth Day is right around the corner. [Here's how you can get involved](. - A/Cs and refrigerators help keep people safe — but they also further warm the planet. Scientists [are working on eco-friendlier solutions]( as global demand for cooling grows. (Knowable Magazine) - A tropical force [is causing ice shelves to tumble]( into the sea. Prepared by Derya Ozdemir and Brad Bergan Enjoy reading? Don't forget to forward to a friend! Was this email forwarded to you? [Subscribe]( [About Us]( | [Advertise]( | [Contact Us]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Youtube]( [Linkedin]( [Instagram]( You are receiving this email because you have subscribed to our newsletter. Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe [here.]( © Copyright 2021 | The Blueprint is by Interesting Engineering, Inc. 201 Spear Street, Suite 1100 San Francisco, CA 94105 | All Rights Reserved [Interesting Engineering]