There exists an experimental drug that can double your IQ. The effects are temporary and will last at least a year, though it's unclear at what point after that they will fade away. Animals used in the testing process did not experience negative side effects. 

Algernon is a woman with a well below-average IQ whose daily material needs are met. She is given the chance to be the first human to try the drug.

Cobre Panama is a copper mine that, while functioning, was responsible for 5% of Panama's GDP. Copper is Panama's biggest export, and the primary purchaser of Panamanian copper is China.

In 2023 the mine was shuttered for two reasons:

1) A protracted disagreement between the Canadian mining company (First Quantum) and the Panamanian government over the mine's operations (e.g. revenue sharing, tax conditions, worker wages), which led to the government reneging on the agreement.

2) SUNTRACs, one of Panamas leading trade unions was excluded from labor involving the mine's construction which prompted them to engage in the blocking of ports and disrupting the mines' operations.

Eventually, the government and First Quantum settled on an agreement, but the Panama Supreme Court ruled that the revenue-sharing agreement between First Quantum and Panama was "unconstitutional". First Quantum is now seeking $20B in international arbitration and has asked for US and Canadian government involvement in the arbitration.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) created by the US Federal Government to increase liquidity in the mortgage markets. After a financial institution issues a mortgage, the GSEs will evaluate the mortgage's financial characteristics (loan size, borrower credit score, demographic information). If a mortgage meets the GSE's standards, they may choose to buy it from the bank, which enables the bank to extend more loans than otherwise possible.

Today, around 70% of all mortgages that banks have lent to homebuyers are eventually bought by Fannie and Freddie, who then either package and sell the mortgages as mortgage-backed securities or hold the assets on their balance sheet (currently around $7T).

The GSEs were originally created as semi-private companies in that they were privately run corporations that benefitted from government support and were subject to specific government regulations. However, following the 2008 financial crisis, the US placed the GSEs under conservatorship, giving the government complete control over their operations.

An example of metaphorical art is Untitled (Portrait of Ross in L.A.), which was created by Felix Gonzalez-Torres during the AIDS epidemic. The work consists of a pile of colorful, individually wrapped candies weighing 175 pounds—the weight of Gonzalez-Torres’ partner, Ross, before he contracted AIDS. Visitors are encouraged to take pieces of candy, and as the pile diminishes, it mirrors Ross’s physical decline due to the illness.

An example of visceral art is The Peace Wall in Belfast which is painted with depictions of political struggle and violence. These include murals of parents in Gaza holding their injured children and rows of corpses wrapped in shrouds.

Neobanks (e.g. Chime, N26) are financial institutions that offer banking services entirely online. Neobanks have no physical branches, and are legally classified as fintech entitites rather than licensed banks.

A "situationship" is a term used to describe a romantic or intimate relationship that lacks clear definitions or commitment. Situationships are characterized by emotional intimacy, spending time together, and often involve a sexual component. However, people in a situationship do not set clear boundaries for their relationship or place it in a category.

Andrew Tate is a social media influencer who has been banned from Youtube, Instagram and TikTok for his misogynistic views.

In 2017 Reddit banned r/incels, a forum of 41,000 people who self-identify as "involuntarily celibate".