7 stories to read this weekend

Given that we are in the middle of summer, it is not a surprise that many writers are actually taking the opportunity to step away from the computer. As a result, I had to look at sources deeper and further to find the stories that might be worth your time. So here goes.

• The Future of Play: The Olympics are around the corner. Baseball season in full swing — an appropriate time to think about the future of live sports. It is one of the best pieces on future of live-action sports.
• Where a photo is worth 10 words: Mark Hall makes a case that social apps, including photo apps like Instagram, are all about communication first.
• Rolling Stone’s Bill McKibben offers up the terrifying math of global warming that shows that climate changes that are happening around us are real and are going to have an economic impact.
• The future of manufacturing is in America, argues Foreign Policy. Why? Think computers, robots and other technologies.
• Does thinking really burn more calories? Scientific American has the answers and they will surprise you.
• Five questions with Scott Wilson, the designer behind the LunaTik watch strap that turns your iPod Nano(s AAPL) into a watch, and the new TakTik iPhone case.
• A nerd is not a geek: two spins on Spider-Man. I have to confess, I am biased towards Spiderman more so than any other superhero, so I had to share this story from NPR’s website.