Latest Stories from Jessica
Concerns about user privacy in the metaverse continue to grow
Tech giant Meta is working on body pose tracking technology, clothing that detects movement, and in-home sensor devices to enhance the metaverse experience - but has yet to outline any details of data privacy and user safety. As the digital and physical world have become increasingly interwoven, weβve become accustomed to having our everyday habits tracked, collected, and stored as data by the worldβs biggest tech companies. We wear watches that...
Sustainable desk accessory line bFRIENDS mixes practicality with style
Office furniture brand Bene has partnered with design and sustainability pioneers in both London and Amsterdam to bring us a fun, eco-friendly alternative to plastic desk organisers. Oh, the joys of being organised. Itβs a quality most people strive to improve at in their day-to-day life, but without the right tools and storage, tidying up can become an endless chore β even at work. Weβve all heard the saying βa cluttered desk...
Maya Angelou becomes the first Black woman to appear on a US quarter
The legendary writer and activist passed away in 2014 and is now being paid tribute by having her image depicted on Americaβs brand new 25 cent coins. How can one begin to describe the late Maya Angelou? One might start with her accomplishments as an inspiring poet and novelist, whose books lifted her to fame for discussing subject matter so challenging that some have been banned in certain parts of America,...
Online scammers have earned billions through shoddy pandemic services
From unverified testing labs and fake vaccination appointments to the more recent forged COVID travel passes β the pandemic has presented endless opportunities for digital scammers to profit. Scamming, an illegal activity once limited to oneβs immediate community, has been amplified by the wonders of the online world in recent years. Digital communication has enabled fraud perpetrators to operate without borders, targeting groups most vulnerable to falling for false offers and...
Honduras sanctuary protects women fighting for gender equality
La Siguata, which translates to βthe womanβ in Uto-Aztecan Nahuatl language, is a safe haven for those campaigning for equality in one of the most dangerous places on Earth. No matter where you are in the world, committing to a life of activism requires going against the grain, challenging the status quo, and taking action that has potential to frustrate local communities and policy makers. But in certain parts of Central...
Clean energy is now cheaper than all other alternatives
Last year, world leaders pledged to phase out fossil fuels at COP26. Improving green energy policies will not only save the planet β it will save future governments a lot of cash, too. Currently, burning fossil fuels accounts for 79 percent of the worldβs energy production. But as the majority of the world knows by now, using these limited natural resources comes at an incredible cost to the planet. Fossil fuels...
Four noteworthy global achievements of 2021
As the countdown to the new year begins, weβre taking a look back at some of the most notable achievements throughout the last twelve months. Itβd be an understatement to say that 2021 has provided us with nonstop chaos and unpredictable world events. On top of juggling new variants of the not-so-novel-anymore coronavirus, weβve witnessed one of the most crucial decision-making periods for the wellbeing of our planet at COP26. In some...
Climate change will soon affect Champagne supply
Changes in weather patterns are momentarily improving the quality and taste of the world's favourite party drink, but the future of Champagne grapes is not looking so bright. At the stroke of midnight, millions of people around the world will be popping a bottle of golden bubbly β more specifically, Champagne. It is the drink of choice during many celebratory moments such as birthdays, graduations, and weddings. But this fizzy delightβs...
Plastic beaded fishing nets could prevent dolphin bycatch
Threading tiny plastic beads onto fishing nets has potential to prevent thousands of small whales, dolphins, and porpoises from drowning each year. Itβs rare to hear that adding plastic to our oceans could actually solve environmental issues, but when 300,000 cetaceans die after getting stuck in fishing nets each year, ocean scientists have become desperate for a solution. Brainstorming began with acknowledging the echolocation that dolphins and other small whales use...
Five positive news stories to boost your mood
In the wake of another βunprecedentedβ period of the global pandemic, the team at Thred is striving to bring you some positive news. Like most people, weβre a little exhausted from looking at articles about government slip ups, rising COVID infection rates, and other generally upsetting news events. This is supposed to be the most wonderful time of year, after all, so weβve decided to bring you five bite sized snippets...
