Surprising take: If you’ve ever wondered why more American students don’t pursue well-paying STEM degrees, a new survey from the Pew Research Center might provide some insight: the classes are too hard. According to the survey, about half of adults—52%—say the main reason young people don’t pursue STEM degrees is they think subjects like science and math are too hard. About 23% of respondents say the degrees are not useful to careers young people pursue while 12% say courses like science and math are too boring. Read more.
Venture fund: Companies like Apple, Walt Disney and Walmart are investors in a $23 million venture fund aiming to use tools like artificial intelligence and blockchain technology to improve global labor practices. Working Capital was launched today by Humanity United, a foundation that’s part of the Omidyar Group started by the founder of eBay. The fund is focusing on startups testing ways to trace products or monitor abuses. Read more.
Cutting back: With demand for the iPhone X weaker than expected, Apple is reportedly set to slash production on the phone by nearly 50% during the first quarter of this year, The Wall Street Journal reports. Apple only plans to produce about 20 million units of the iPhone X, down from the roughly 40 million initially planned, according to people with knowledge of the situation. Others, however, say Apple cut orders for components of the phone by 60%. Apple, which declined to comment on The Wall Street Journal’s report, launched the phone on the 10th anniversary of the iPhone. Read more. A subscription may be required.
