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Frederick O'Brien on Muck Rack

Frederick O'Brien

Albion, London
As seen in: Smashing Magazine, The Guardian, Yahoo News UK, New Scientist, AOL UK, Roman Road LDN
Covers:  Tech, business, history, film, music, design, web development
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Frederick O'Brien’s Biography

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NCTJ qualified freelance multimediajournalist with a background in SEO and sustainable development.

Frederick O'Brien’s Journalist Portfolio

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AI hotel assistant persuades guests to use less water and electricity

AI hotel assistant persuades guests to use less water and electricity

An artificially intelligent eco-assistant can persuade hotel guests and staff to reduce electricity use by up…

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What Does A Foldable Web Actually Mean?

What Does A Foldable Web Actually Mean?

Foldable devices have brought with them talk of a 'foldable web,' and the idea that long-standing web convent…

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The Split Personality Of Brutalist Web Development

The Split Personality Of Brutalist Web Development

No frills, or flashing neon frills with sprinklers attached? 'Brutalist' websites have flourished in recent y…

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What Newspapers Can Teach Us About Web Design

What Newspapers Can Teach Us About Web Design

Before the home page, there was the front page. From the Gutenberg Principle to grid systems to above the fol…

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Portrait: Marcus Tisson builds a mental health legacy following his mother's suicide

Portrait: Marcus Tisson builds a mental health legacy following his mother's suicide

On August 21, 2016, Marcus Tisson's mother, Margaret, jumped in front of a train at Mile End Station. Two mon…

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Curtain falls on inaugural Fragments Festival

Curtain falls on inaugural Fragments Festival

Genesis Cinema celebrated the final night of its first ever Fragments Festival on Saturday. Organised in six …

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Articles

How climate breakdown is putting the world’s food in peril - in maps and charts

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By Frederick O'Brien, Ashley Kirk Verified
| Yahoo News UK Verified
Experts have warned that the world’s ability to feed itself is under threat from the “chaos” of extreme weather caused by climate change. Crop yields have increased enormously over the past few decades. But early warning signs have arrived as crop yield rates flatline, prompting warnings of efficiency hitting its limits and the impacts of climate change taking effect. Experts have warned that, under high-emission scenarios, future crop yields could decrease by a quarter.
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The Grayscale Problem — Smashing Magazine

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By Jhey Tompkins, Maggie MacKenzie Verified, Frederick O’Brien, Frederick O'Brien
| Smashing Magazine Verified
10 min read Design, Colors, Opinion Column Share on Twitter, LinkedIn From A/B tests to AI slop, the modern web is bleeding out its colour. Standardized, templated, and overoptimized, it’s starting to feel like a digital Levittown. But it doesn’t have to be. Last year, a study found that cars are steadily getting less colourful. In the US, around 80% of cars are now black, white, gray, or silver, up from 60% in 2004. This trend has been attributed to cost savings and consumer preferences.
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What Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance Can Teach Us About Web Design — Smashing Magazine

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By Frederick O’Brien, Frederick O'Brien
| Smashing Magazine Verified
15 min read Best Practices, Inspiration, Mental Health, Web Design Share on Twitter, LinkedIn Road-tripping along the line between engineering and spirituality, Robert M. Pirsig’s musings on the arts, sciences, and Quality ring as true now as they ever have. I think we, as engineers and designers, have a lot to gain by stepping outside of our worlds. That’s why in previous pieces I’ve been drawn towards architecture, newspapers, and the occasional polymath.
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Interview

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Have you ever used a typewriter?

Yes, for home defence.

Who's your favorite fictional journalist?

William de Worde.

How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?

In Sanskrit.

Awards

Content Campaign of the Year

2018 - UK Content Awards

Won award for B2C Content Campaign of the Year for my 'Hipster Index' research. The study recieved international coverage, featuring in publications such as The Independent, the New York Post, and the Evening Standard.

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