Latest Stories from Jessica
You decide β is McDonaldβs βnet zeroβ restaurant greenwashing?
The worldβs largest fast-food chain has opened its first βnet zeroβ branch in Shropshire, England. But when a majority of the products contain meat, is this just another case of greenwashing? Itβs no secret that McDonaldβs isnβt the best thing to put into our bodies, but is there any possibility the golden arches could improve its impact on planet? In recent weeks, it has certainly attempted to do so. The UKβs...
Rare deep-sea fish mysteriously washes ashore once again
Last week, a surfer spotted a strange black blob on rocks near the shorelines of San Diego. What he later discovered was fascinating, if not frightening. Youβll probably recognise this creature from one of Pixarβs most aesthetically captivating animated films, Finding Nemo. Or maybe youβve reeled one out of the digital ocean yourself while playing a few hours of Animal Crossing. But itβs likely youβve never spotted this fish in real...
Sexual harassment is already plaguing the metaverse
In only its early days of beta testing, a woman reported being groped in a metaverse called 'Horizon Worlds'. Immersive VR on the platform makes such experiences all too real, generating calls for stronger safety features. Recently, the term βmetaverseβ has become unavoidable, whether youβve got a keen eye for keeping up with the latest tech and gaming trends or not. The metaverse is a rapidly growing, virtual reality world where...
Gen-Z mocks news misinformation with conspiracy theory satire
Promoting a far-fetched theory that birds are government spies, young people are poking fun at conspiracy theory groups to cope with living in an age of endless misinformation.Β A movement called Birds Arenβt Real is picking up serious traction with Generation Z, particularly in the United States. Its members claim that birds do not exist and are instead drone replicas designed by the government to spy on national citizens. Massive billboards...
California is trading food landfills for composted green energy
Next month, a new mandatory food waste recycling program will be implemented in California. All food scraps will be collected from homes by the state, then composted or turned into renewable energy. New yearsβ resolutions are typically personal goals we set to try to get a little closer to being the best version of ourselves. But the state of California is introducing a new law for its residents starting in...
Earthβs tiniest bugs are officially evolving to eat plastic
In the first large-scale study of its kind, researchers have found that microbes living in oceans and soils around the world have learned to eat at least ten different types of plastic. Plastic is by far the worldβs biggest issue when it comes to pollution. Most types are notoriously hard to recycle and even single-use plastics can remain in-tact for 500 years once thrown out. Although human led clean-up efforts are commendable,...
Banksy pledges Β£10million to transform Reading prison
The prison was shut down in 2013 and plans to revamp the space have continuously fallen through. World renowned street artist Banksy is pledging money to transform it into a positive space for art and culture. What happens to prisons once they shut down indefinitely? In the case of Englandβs Reading Prison, the massive building became derelict, sitting empty for almost a decade. The Ministry of Justice put the prison up...
Earthβs Black Box will record climate research for future beings
Located in Tasmania, the Black Box - similar to mechanisms found on planes - will outlive humankind and hold all the information weβve gathered about climate change. Getting real about climate change means accepting that a global failure to meet net zero goals could mean the end of our current civilisation - but that doesnβt mean there wonβt be survivors or other intelligent beings inhabiting our world shortly after. Failing to...
Seaweed film could be the future of single use plastic packaging
London-based company Notpla was granted $13 million to boost sustainable packaging using seaweed. It hopes to replace hard-to-recycle plastic films used for food and clothing wrapping. The magical plant that holds together sushi rolls, adds flavour to our ramen bowls, and grows abundantly in the ocean has become an unlikely, yet perfect alternative to plastic film. Notpla, short for βnot plasticβ, is based in London. The company started its venture...
Steve McQueenβs new film sheds light on cancer rates in Black men
The director, well-known for his Oscar winning film β12 Years a Slaveβ, aims to remove the stigma around prostate cancer and the risk it poses for Black men in particular. Steve McQueen's new short film stars Morgan Freeman, Idris Elba, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Michael Ward. Titled Embarrassed, it sets the goal of increasing awareness about high rates of prostate cancer in the Black male community. According to research, 1 in 4...
