Nanoplastics, OpenAI+Pentagon, AGDQ Gamers donating Millions of dollars
Vol. 1 of A Quick Byte - 1/21/24
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Are nanoplastics harmful to us?
A few news sources have cited that our plastic bottles contain hundreds of thousands of #nanoplastics per liter. So, what does this mean? Are we slowly dying from drinking all of these particles? I mean, how many bottles of water have we drank in our lifetime?
According to the NY Times article:
“A handful of small studies have found that they can cross the blood-brain barrier, enter the placenta and show up in our urine.” That doesn’t sound good.
Scientists and researchers do not have enough data on this yet to say if it impacts our health at the moment. Advances in microscopic techniques are now allowing scientists to zero in on the world of nanoplastics, which were previously difficult to study due to their extremely small size. These techniques are crucial in understanding how nanoplastics interact with biological systems.
Specialists in gastroenterology suspect that there may be correlation to people who may have genetic predispositions as well as an uptick in “colorectal cancers among young people, or the uptick in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. But studies are far from conclusive.”
While the full extent of these impacts is still under investigation, studies have started to link nanoplastics to various health issues. For example, research from Duke University Medical Center suggests that nanoplastics may promote conditions conducive to Parkinson's disease in various lab models
It’s not just water bottles that we use plastic for. Think of all of the sauces and liquids that we use on a daily basis that are contained in plastics.
Minimizing exposure to plastics is probably the best solution until we find out more!
Use glass or stainless steel containers
Keep bottle degradation low by keeping out of sunlight and direct heat
Using ceramic or carbon filters of “1 micron or less can reduce can help reduce microplastics in your water”
Use less single use plastic bags and containers
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/11/well/live/bottled-water-nanoplastics.html
Pentagon + OpenAI = Danger?
Source: Yahoo News
The Pentagon and OpenAI are now partnering. In a wild reversal of their original core beliefs to not allow the use of OpenAI in conjunction with military applications and the weaponization of it. Thankfully the pentagon will just be using them for “software projects, including ones related to cybersecurity” says OpenAI. They removed the ban by changing the language in their usage policy against “military and warfare”. This should spark some concern though and seems like we may be opening the doors to more government partnerships and AI. Currently they are still holding the ban on developing weapons with the use of OpenAI. What new threats does this present to the future of our safety? Cyberdyne systems activated. Sound familiar?
Read more about it: OpenAI drops ban on military tools to partner with the Pentagon (yahoo.com)
Watch Twitch gamers absolutely destroy your childhood video games while raising Millions of dollars for charity!
If you aren’t familiar with Twitch, it is a massive live streaming platform mainly for gamers, musicians, and artists. But lately they have been going through some controversy about their new Terms of Service and what sort of content they are allowed to stream. For example, girls in hot tubs wearing skimpy outfits for subscribers. But aside from all the drama, there is a real community of amazing gamers that unite for two yearly events that raise money for different charity foundations each year. One in the summer that is called Summer Games Done Quick!, and the winter event called Awesome Games Done Quick! They are held at convention centers so people can watch all of the games being played live and interact with each other as well as live stream it via their channel.
Amount raised by Games Done Quick from 2019-2021:
Summer Games Done Quick 2021: $2,897,704!
Awesome Games Done Quick 2021: $2,758,847!
Summer Games Done Quick 2020: $2,340,668!
Awesome Games Done Quick 2020: $3,131,475!
Summer Games Done Quick 2019: $3,003,889!
Awesome Games Done Quick 2019: $2,425,790!
Thats how much they raise in 152 hours. Each event.
This year, Games Done Quick partnered with the Prevent Cancer Foundation. These events go on for a WEEK straight of non-stop “speedrunning” of video games. And when I mean a week straight, I mean that it is going 168 hours non-stop. They have gamers going back to back and just beating games as fast as possible using crazy glitches and just pure skill. They even had a guy who programmed his drum set to control a Mario64 run!
The event ends this Sunday but they have already raised over $1.279 MILLION dollars! It really shows the support and size of the gaming community.
Check it out and donate to a great cause! Games Done Quick
Restaurant Bytes
Predicted Food Trends of 2024
Remixed French classic pastries. TikTok did it.
Countertop Ovens. More multi functional ovens that can do everything! Bake, broil, fry, roast, etc… Around $200.
More authentic Asian flavors and cuisines. Ube, milk teas, cheese foam, crickets.
Sustainable packaging and ingredients. Definitely more hemp products.
Functional and botanical beverages. Get your herb on
Tech Bytes
Keep your eye on Qualcomm stocks QCOM 0.00%↑ . They are the frontrunner when it comes to AI mobile chips.
NVDA 0.00%↑ is also on a crazy breakaway because of its sales in the AI market.
Have you heard of the Rabbit R1? It is a gadget that’s been grabbing a lot of attention in the techie sector. rabbit — home