YouTube is one of the most influential platforms in modern media, but its origin story is surprisingly simple: a small team wanted an easier way to share video online. In the early 2000s, uploading and sending video files was slow, formats were inconsistent, and most websites weren’t built for smooth playback. YouTube’s founders focused on removing…

A game does well. Within eighteen months there are four more with the same mechanic, a different theme and a number after the name. This is not laziness, and understanding why explains a good deal about the catalogue you are browsing. The maths is the expensive part Building and certifying a new mathematical model takes…