Latest Stories from Jessica
Sponsored ads for weight loss injections cause a social media stir
Targeted advertisements for semaglutide injections like Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy are popping up on the social media feeds of Instagram and Twitter users. The Western world can’t stop talking about Ozempic. Who is using it? How much does it cost? Is it too good to be true? What are the side effects? Although there are far more important things to be talking about with our peers, it’s hard to ignore...
How will tech experts prevent AI from adopting extreme bias?
As Artificial Intelligence becomes further interwoven with everyday life, more questions about its input biases emerge. By 2032, the market value of Artificial intelligence is expected to reach $2,760.3 billion. This relatively novel technology has become an integral part of our most-used devices, through the incorporation of Siri in our smartphones and computers as well as in our homes via virtual assistants like Alexa. Now, the use of AI is expanding beyond...
Solar panel bike paths expanded in the Netherlands
The Dutch boast over 35,000km of cycle paths within their home nation. In North Holland, two new cycle paths have been fitted with solar panels, offering a source of clean energy and providing an alternative to car travel. As the world looks to transition to clean and renewable energy, Dutch authorities are getting creative as they look for ways to power their nation. Due to the scarcity of land in the...
Pope grants priests permission to bless same-sex couples
The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis has granted priests in the Roman Catholic Church the green light to bless same-sex marriages. On Monday, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis had formally approved the blessing of same-sex couples, marking a significant stride towards fostering a more inclusive environment for LGBTQ Catholics. This latest move is part of a series of changes to church doctrines that align with his vision of a...
What caused 1,200 tons of fish to wash up on Japan’s shores?
Many are speculating the mass wash-up is a result of the ‘treated’ radioactive water released into the ocean in recent months. Japan’s Fisheries Agency is denying the link. Off the fishing port of Hakodate in Japan, 1,200 tons of dead sardines and mackerel washed ashore earlier this month. Local fishermen have rushed to collect the mass of fish which stretched for more than a kilometre over fears that they would cause...
Fashion giant Zara hit with boycott after poorly timed ad campaign
Millions of people have been boycotting brands that support the Israeli occupation of Gaza since the start of the bombardment more than two months ago. After posting a questionable ad campaign on its website, the latest brand to be hit with pushback is the fast fashion brand Zara. The Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip has now been going on for two months. During the last nine weeks, the horrific images...
New European AI laws hope to influence global tech regulations
As AI technology rapidly advances, policymakers have agreed upon a new set of regulations to ensure its capabilities are used ethically across EU member states. Once passed, they hope the laws will act as a blueprint for other nations around the globe. With the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) software advancing tremendously in the last year, the question of ‘what can AI do?’ has become ‘what can’t AI do?’ In...
Our playbook guide to deceptive fossil fuel practices: part four
When it comes to the insidious techniques that the industry is using to undermine climate negotiations and delay progress, there are many. Here, we discuss the ways fossil fuel companies work to undermine climate science, as well as their tactics to target young people, further normalising the future of continued fossil fuel use. People often say that the truth is stranger than fiction, and that certainly applies to fossil fuel...
Why are so many popular cities enforcing anti-tourism policies?
Some of the planet’s most popular vacation destinations are taking measures to reduce the number of tourists they accept each year. Let’s face it, humans need to slow down – and fast. While growth and prosperity are two defining measures of a successful society, the rate at which the global population has been moving and consuming is what has left us with two of the most pressing issues of our time:...
Will AI-generated influencers dominate social media’s future?
If Instagram is the place where the world’s most beautiful people can easily garner global attention, followers, brand deals, and immense wealth – is it not the perfect playground for influencers generated by AI to succeed? Would you buy a product promoted by a person who wasn’t real? It’s possible you already have. The capabilities of Artificial Intelligence, specifically its capacity for realistic image generation, are getting freakishly good. At the...