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The 50 Most Innovative Companies Of 2012

The $999 Genome Is Less Important Than What We Do With It

For years, cheap genome sequencing has been rendered useless by the fact that computers couldn’t do anything helpful with the data. That is starting to change, and a real genomics revolution is at hand. READ»

TECHNOLOGY | Comment

Amazon Goes To Brazil

BY Neal UngerleiderToday

Amazon's gearing up a Brazilian launch for the Kindle this summer. Their strategy? Sell their product for far cheaper than the local competition, take a hit in import duties, and watch the profits roll in.READ»

CO.DESIGN

Myth, Busted: Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man Might Have Been A Copycat Idea

BY Suzanne LaBarreToday

New research suggests that the iconic illustration was actually a collaboration between da Vinci and a mysterious young Milanese architect-cum-resistance fighter. READ»

CO.DESIGN

The EzyStove Improves On Man’s Greatest Invention, Fire

BY Mark WilsonToday

Can designers build a better fire? For developing countries, they had to. READ»

CO.DESIGN

Infamous Literary Characters Illustrated As Police Sketches

BY Mark WilsonToday

Remember when your favorite character was ruined by a movie? This is so much worse. READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

The Strategy Of Being Needed

BY Kaihan KrippendorffToday

I spent last week in snow-plow position, trailing my 4-year-old daughter down ski slopes. On the lift rides up, while singing songs with mispronounced words (Frosty the Snowman has a “bucky” nose, by the way, instead of a button), ...READ»

CO.CREATE

What, Exactly Is Sound Design? "Dragon Tattoo"'s Ren Klyce Breaks It Down

BY Rae Ann FeraToday

Admit it: When it comes to the Sound categories in the Oscar pool, you pick the loudest film. To help us understand what sound design is, Mit Out Sound’s Ren Klyce, Oscar nominee for "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo," explains the art ... READ»

CO.EXIST

California's New State Parks Will Get You All Wet

BY Andrew PriceToday

A new series of marine parks creates an almost unbroken chain of protected ocean from Mexico to Oregon. READ»

CO.DESIGN

How I Mashed "2001" And "Tron" Into a Tragic Love Story About Human-Machine Interaction

BY John PavlusToday

The video created by our own John Pavlus for Jascha’s "Limited" asks: What if an artificial intelligence like HAL wasn’t evil, but just misunderstood? READ»

MIC 2012

The 50 Most Innovative Companies Of 2012

BY Fast Company StaffToday

Take a slideshow tour of the big-idea businesses shaping the future--featuring the rundown of the Most Innovative Companies in this month's issue of Fast Company, on newsstands now, plus bonus online-only interactive features. READ»

CO.EXIST

Why This Company Puts On A Mass Wedding For Employees

BY Ariel SchwartzToday

When Plamex employees get married, it’s on the company. It’s just part of a company culture that treats Mexican factory workers with respect instead of as moveable parts. READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

How Sam Adams Founder Jim Koch Is Helping Entrepreneurs Brew The American Dream

BY Shawn ParrToday

There is an entire generation of drinkers too young to remember the watery wasteland of beer before Sam Adams, the full-flavored brew that tickled America's taste buds and inspired a nation of craft brewers. Founder Jim Koch tells Fast Company how his brew reinvented the industry--and how The Boston Beer Company is now helping other entrepreneurs get a leg up. READ»

CO.EXIST

Hundehi: Keep Your Dog Safe While Shopping

BY Ben SchillerToday

Dastardly dognappers: not a problem you think about until your dog is taken from where you left him leashed. Now you can stash your pet in a helpful little kennel to keep him safe from greedy dog lovers. READ»

CO.EXIST

For Cities With Water Shortages, Don't Blame It On The Rain

BY Andrew PriceToday

Though many places around the country barely have enough to drink, they’re ignoring a massive free source of water: the stuff up in the clouds, which could fulfill almost all of our water needs if we just used it right. READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

The 8 Principles Of Product Naming

BY Matt Gordon and Nick FoleyToday

Even at the best of times, naming is a contentious and emotional business. Whether you're naming your baby, your boat, or your brand, the process can breed nearly endless deliberation. Keep these principles in mind as you scout the perfect name. READ»

WORK FLOW | Comment

Webcam Glam: 3 Easy Ways To Look Polished On Video Chats

BY Amber MacToday

With many employers relying on video chat to keep employees connected, individuals using webcams to produce expert how-to videos, and television broadcasters depending on this technology to beam guests in from all over the world, it's no longer just good enough to be happy that your connection works. Here are 3 simple--but really effective--tips to improve your webcam presence.READ»

30 SECOND MBA

How Do You Prioritize Your Day?

BY Fast Company StaffToday

Steve Jones, Cofounder and executive producer of Teton Gravity Research, answers this business question at 30SecondMBA.com. READ»

CO.DESIGN

New Nike+ Is iPhone Centered, Offering You A Personal Trainer And Workout Tracking

BY Anthonia AkitundeToday

The Nike+ fuses your physical workout with digital tracking tools--thus focusing on your head and not just your feet. READ»

Scorsese's Legendary Editor Thelma Schoonmaker Dissects "Hugo" By Way Of "Goodfellas"

BY Ari KarpelToday

Three-time Oscar winner and current nominee Thelma Schoonmaker, who has edited every Martin Scorsese film since "Raging Bull," dissects a sequence in "Hugo" that prompts her to recall the process of cutting Joe Pesci’s "Funny, how?" ... READ»