Latest Stories from Jessica
Are we prepared for the next pandemic?
Although nobody knows when the next pandemic will happen, the mistakes and lessons learned from COVID-19 should be a guiding force in helping us prepare for a similar situation in the future. Despite the fact that most of us have collectively blocked the year of 2020 from our minds, the COVID-19 pandemic will be forever remembered as one of the largest crises of modern history. Coronavirus was the first rapidly spreading,...
Is shopping for skincare now more complicated than ever?
The rise of no-nonsense, ingredient-focused skincare lines promised to streamline our self-care regimes. But with new product lines, formulas, and beauty trends popping up every month, has taking care of our skin become over-complicated? The beauty industry has seen massive growth over the last few years, especially in the skincare department, which is expected to have a market value of over 185.5 billion USD by 2027. Since 2020, its e-commerce sector...
Should ‘dry dating’ become the new norm?
In countries where drinking is woven into social culture, alcohol consumption during dates has almost become a given. While it typically helps to take the nervous edge off meeting a total stranger, is ‘dry dating’ better in the long run? For single people who’ve resolved to find a partner in 2024 while also setting the goal of completing ‘Dry January,’ the reality of dating while completely sober may be a...
Could artificial reefs provide island nations with hurricane protection?
As hurricane season becomes more of a threat due to increasingly warmer ocean temperatures, one island is launching an artificial reef project to protect their coastlines from large storm waves. For many, the arrival of summer brings the promise of days spent relishing in the sun, but if you live on an island within the Atlantic ocean, it also ushers in five months of hurricane season. Running from June 1st to...
Starbucks hit with lawsuit over false ‘ethical’ claims
Starbucks becomes the latest global corporation to be legally challenged for making unsubstantiated and completely false claims about its ‘ethically sourced’ products. The global coffee giant Starbucks is under fire from a U.S. consumer group, which alleges that the company's claims of ethically sourced coffee are deceptive and untrue. The National Consumers League filed legal action in court in Washington DC. It cited several media reports which detail human rights and...
South Africa accuses Israel of genocide in international court
Providng a compelling case in the International Court of Justice, South Africa has accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinian people. What is the goal and what could the outcome be? Today marks the start of a two-day hearing at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in which Israel is accused of committing genocidal acts against the Palestinian people of Gaza. South Africa filed the motion on December 29th, prompting...
Why is Norway’s deep-sea mining plan so controversial?
This week, Norway became the world’s first country to give commercial-scale deep-sea mining the green light. Although some purport the practice will be essential to bolstering clean energy in the future, is this a major environmental disaster waiting to happen? On Tuesday, Norway’s parliament voted to open its waters for deep-sea-mining exploration. The goal is to obtain precious metals and mineral reserves from the ocean floor, including lithium, scandium, and cobalt,...
Bottled water contains as many as 250,000 plastic nanoparticles
Scanning bottled water with a newly invented electron microscope, scientists have discovered an alarming number of plastic nanoparticles floating inside. These virtually invisible particles pose a risk to human health once ingested. Plastic is here, plastic is there, plastic is everywhere. Yep, even inside you. Those startled by the recent news that Britain’s tap water contains carcinogenic PFAs and other toxic ‘forever chemicals’ may have promptly started swapping a quick...
Camera manufacturer Canon donates equipment to coral reef lab
Leveraging the mission to save coral reef species, Canon has donated high-end image capturing equipment to London-based Coral Spawning Lab. Though virtually all life on Earth is under threat from climate change, the most fragile ecosystems by far are coral reefs. Hoping to ensure their future survival, laboratories around the world are growing and breeding a diverse range of heat-resistant corals inside environmentally controlled tanks. In these labs, scientists closely monitor and...
The implications of a male-dominated fashion industry
Hyper-femininity is one of the dominating forces in fashion right now. But women are not well-represented in top positions at most major brands – meaning that those dictating trends in women’s fashion are ultimately men. Considering that the fashion industry has long been viewed as catering significantly more to the female portion of the population, its offices are surprisingly void of women employees. In 2018, it was reported that there...
