Modern Wisdom #1035 - Mark Rober - How to Engineer a Life You Love
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Dec 20, 2025 
Mark Rober, a former NASA engineer and popular YouTuber, shares his fascinating journey from working on the Mars Rover to engaging in viral experiments. He discusses the importance of embracing failure as a learning tool and how to rekindle curiosity in adults. The conversation dives into engineering principles that can enhance everyday life, the impact of AI on society, and the blend of storytelling with technology. Rober also shares insights from his time at Apple and the creative processes behind his famous glitter bomb projects.
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A Satellite For Space Selfies
- Mark built a small satellite that displays submitted pictures and takes photos so people can get a selfie from space.
- He launched it as a free outreach project and maintains a deorbit plan so it burns up after ~5 years.
Factory Robots First, Homes Later
- Robotics paired with AI will enable exponential manufacturing by automating both thinking and doing tasks.
- The first winners will target factories, where ROI and adoption scale fast, not consumer home robots.
Glitter Bombs To Expose Porch Thieves
- Mark made glitter-bomb packages with cameras and fart spray to catch porch thieves and improved them yearly with drones and better triggers.
- He collaborated with police, used releases for unblurred faces, and the series resonated because it evoked strong visceral emotions.
