Is Slack Really Worth $20 Billion?

Tom Patriot

Slack shares opened at $38.50 on Thursday, the company’s first day of trading, up 48 percent from a $26 reference price Wednesday. That massive win gave the San Francisco-based tech startup a $19.5 billion valuation, almost triple its private valuation of $7.1 billion. That seems like a high number, considering that Slack itself estimated the market for its industry (workplace collaboration services) at $28 billion in its offering paperwork. Friday saw the startup fall back to earth, as Slack stock fell 3.63 percent to 37.22. However, the true question about…

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Performance-enhancing bacteria found in the microbiomes of elite athletes

Tom Patriot

New research has identified a type of bacteria found in the microbiomes of elite athletes that contributes to improved capacity for exercise. These bacteria, members of the genus Veillonella, are not found in the guts of sedentary people. By taking a closer look at the bacteria, the researchers from Joslin Diabetes Center determined Veillonella metabolizes lactic acid produced by exercise and converts it into propionate, a short chain fatty acid. The human body then utilizes that propionate to improve exercise capacity. The results were reported today in Nature Medicine. “Having increased…

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Professional Princess Melody Ricketts Walks Us Through Her Cosplay Beauty Routine

Tom Patriot

A cartoon princess can’t exactly drop her skin-care routine, but Melody Ricketts, of the popular feed @MelodysPrincessLife, is the next best thing. As a character actor, Ricketts dresses up as all of our favorite fantasy princesses, with hair and makeup meticulously planned to bring each fairy tale to life. Ricketts estimates that every weekend she works three parties, meets 80 kids, and takes over 200 photos — and that translates to a whole lot of beauty prep. “The most rewarding thing about it is bringing these fantasy characters to life,” she…

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