iluli on Substack: 5 Reasons to Subscribe

My inbox is overflowing. Every day I get bombarded with promotions, pointless updates, and notifications I never signed up for. Most of the time I swipe away without even opening. But imagine if, just once, an email landed that you actually looked forward to reading...

Alright, you caught me – this is a shameless plug for the iluli newsletter. But I promise there’s a good reason.

Each month, we take on subjects that might sound intimidating at first – from bioprinting human organs, to the rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs, to the surprising role of magic mushrooms in mental health treatment – and break them down into engaging, easy-to-digest explainers. And what’s more – it’s FREE to subscribe.

So if you’re wondering whether iluli deserves a spot in your inbox, let me give you five reasons why I believe it does.

1. Big Ideas, Clearly Explained

I know from experience that not everyone has the time – or the patience – to wade through dense academic writing. It’s why so many of us listen to audiobooks at double speed or turn to book-summary apps like Blinkist. We want the ideas – without the slog.

At the heart of this is something called “epistemic curiosity”, which Ian Leslie explores in his aptly titled book Curious. In simple terms, it’s our natural urge to fill in the gaps in what we know – that itch to learn something new. Part of it comes from the buzz of discovery, and part from the discomfort of ignorance.

Satisfying that curiosity is one of the reasons I created iluli. My aim is to bridge the gap between complexity and clarity. When we dive into topics like artificial intelligence or nuclear fusion, we strip away the jargon and present the key insights in plain English. Without oversimplifying – because it’s the nuance that makes these topics so fascinating – my hope is that anyone, regardless of background, leaves feeling like they truly understand the subject.

2. More Than Words

People learn in different ways – some absorb information best through text, others through visuals, and many through a mix of both. That’s why every iluli newsletter is built around the monthly iluli video: a five-minute animated explainer released on YouTube on the first of each month.

Big ideas can feel heavy but that doesn’t mean they have to be dull. iluli’s animations sneak in playful Easter eggs and visual gags – think Spider-Man memes, 2001: A Space Odyssey nods, and of course the inevitable Back to the Future reference. Even the yellow umbrella from How I Met Your Mother makes a cameo.

Learning should be fun, after all!

3. Different Strokes for Curious Folks

The one thing iluli will never be is predictable. If every edition tackled the same kind of subject in the same way, you’d lose interest fast – and so would I. Curiosity thrives on variety, which is why we deliberately cast the net wide when choosing what to explore.

No two editions are alike. One month we might dive into the world of brain hacking – the science of rewiring our minds and what it means for human potential. The next, we could be unpacking how a single solar storm has the power to knock out satellites, cripple power grids, and throw the world into chaos in a matter of minutes. 

iluli is fuelled by big, sometimes uncomfortable questions – following them wherever they lead, and uncovering surprising answers along the way. My role is to bring you along for the ride: making complex ideas accessible, sparking fresh ways of thinking, and hopefully leaving you with something memorable to carry into your own conversations.

4. The Director’s Cut

Every iluli video is just the tip of the iceberg – there’s far more research behind it than can ever fit into five minutes. That’s where the Substack comes in. Subscribers get the extras: the most thought-provoking nuggets, insights, and recommendations we uncover along the way from the realms of technology, health, and culture. 

Sometimes that means a fascinating study that didn’t make it into the animation, a quirky fact too good to leave on the cutting room floor, or a left-field connection that sheds new light on the topic.

It’s the bonus material – the good stuff that didn’t make the final cut, but still deserves a place in your inbox.

5. Easy as Pi

Finally, I want iluli to be simple.

Learning shouldn’t feel like homework. iluli is designed to be a refreshing break in your day – something you can dip into over a coffee, pick up a new idea, and carry into your conversations, your work, or your everyday thinking.

And because it’s hosted on Substack, you don’t need to worry about complicated sign-ups, paywalls, or logins. Just subscribe, and the next edition will arrive in your inbox automatically. Et voilà! 

Curious? Subscribe here 👉 iluli’s Substack