10 things in tech: Larry Page in Fiji – Zuck’s metaverse – Web outages – Yahoo News

A host of high-profile websites including UPS and Airbnb went dark yesterday. Screenshot

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1. A lot of websites went dark yesterday. UPS, FedEx, US Bank, Airbnb, and other major websites saw outages beginning around noon yesterday, but the issue was fixed within an hour. What we know about what happened.

2. Mark Zuckerberg said he wants to turn Facebook into "a metaverse company." The CEO said Facebook will transform from a social media company to the center of the metaverse. That sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, so here's a brief explainer.

3. Reclusive billionaire Larry Page has been hiding out in Fiji for the past year, sources say. The Google cofounder has been off the grid for months - but we found he's been dwelling on islands that have been closed to most travelers during the pandemic. What's Page been doing in Fiji?

4. Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk want to colonize space, but both of their ideas have some problems. From thinning bones to toxic plants on Mars, here are the six biggest issues with their plans.

5. NASA's Perseverance Mars rover is going to cut its first sample of Martian rock. Within the next two weeks, the rover will use a laser to collect a rock sample that will help scientists search for signs of ancient life. More on that here.

6. More than half of Silicon Valley workers say they would avoid an employer that banned political discussions. Two surveys asked workers their thoughts on being able to discuss politics at work, and found that most employees want that freedom. Here's what else the surveys found.

7. Wally Funk was the only endearing thing about Jeff Bezos's spaceflight. The passengers on Blue Origin's first human flight - a pair of billionaire brothers and a millionaire investor's teen son - didn't quite reflect Jeff Bezos' message of accessibility. Our science reporter explains how Funk was the flight's saving grace.

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8. A majority of super-rich family offices own or are interested in crypto. Many investment firms of the rich increasingly see crypto as a hedge against inflation, a survey from Goldman Sachs said. Get the full rundown.

9. Disney+ streaming chief reveals his launch strategy and global expansion hurdles. Plus, he gave us some insight into what he looks for when he's hiring (hint: he's looking for "great athletes''). Read our exclusive interview.

10. A tiny-home startup that built a house for Elon Musk wants to crowdfund $50 million from Tesla fans. Boxabl gained national attention when Musk said that he was living in a tiny unit after selling his several multimillion-dollar homes. Here's how the company wants to use that recognition to emerge as a dominant player in the industry.

Compiled by Jordan Erb. Tips/comments? Email jerb@insider.com or tweet @JordanParkerErb.

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10 things in tech: Larry Page in Fiji - Zuck's metaverse - Web outages - Yahoo News