Charles Darwin and conspicuous consumption: Why bling is blingy
Luxury brands are a prominent feature of modern society. Thorstein Veblen coined the term "conspicuous consumption" to describe how the upper classes showcased expensive goods without inherent practical benefits to demonstrate their economic power......»»
More consumption, more demand for resources, more waste: Why urban mining"s time has come
Pollution and waste, climate change and biodiversity loss are creating a triple planetary crisis. In response, UN Environment Program executive director Inger Andersen has called for waste to be redefined as a valuable resource instead of a problem......»»
Opinion: Enough, already—why humanity must get on board with the concept of "sufficiency"
Humanity's rapacious consumption is more than Earth and its climate can handle, which is driving an ecological crisis. Australians are the worst offenders per person due to our excessive resource use......»»
Study finds about 40% of public supports rationing measures to fight climate change
Rationing of goods such as meat and fuel can both effectively and fairly reduce consumption with high climate impact. Almost 40% of the public say they could accept such measures. These are the findings of new research from the Climate Change Leaders.....»»
14 Darwin Award Winners Whose Days Are Numbered (If They’re Not Already Over)
14 Darwin Award Winners Whose Days Are Numbered (If They’re Not Already Over).....»»
iOS 18 is out, iPhone 16 and Apple Watch Series 10 reviewed
iOS 18, macOS Sequoia, watchOS 11 and tvOS 18 are finally out for public consumption. Benjamin and Chance go through some of their favorite features from this OS cycle, and initial impressions on how the changes are being received. Plus, they react t.....»»
Scientists have found evidence of past extreme solar storms—they could be disastrous for technology-based society
In September 1859, the same year that Darwin published "On the Origin of Species," telegraph systems across Europe and North America stopped working and started sparking, leading to fires in some cases......»»
Will customers accept less meat in their cafeteria meals?
Meat consumption in industrial nations is much too high and this not only increases the risk of e.g. cardiovascular diseases. Increasing levels of animal husbandry also aggravate the global food problem because the cultivation of animal feed uses val.....»»
Online news consumption has surpassed television, but broadcasters are still the most widely trusted in the UK
More people in the UK now access news online than on television, according to new survey data from the media regulator Ofcom. This is the first time Ofcom's annual news consumption poll has found online media use ahead of TV news......»»
Global warming"s economic blow: Risks rise more rapidly for the rich, study finds
In a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), researchers analyzed how erratic weather events, increasingly intensified by global warming, affect global production and consumption across different income groups. The paper.....»»
Future foods: How non-thermal tech could transform starch consumption
Starch is a vital component of the human diet, serving as a primary energy source. However, high-glycemic starches are linked to the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes. Traditional starch modification methods, such as.....»»
Gen Zers who follow politics and media trend toward Kamala Harris, study finds
Today's young people are chronically online, and it appears that their media consumption is having an impact on their political views and likelihood to vote, according to a new study released by the UCLA Center for Scholars & Storytellers......»»
Boosting particle accelerator efficiency with AI, machine learning and automation
As particle accelerator technology moves into the high-luminosity era, the need for extreme precision and unprecedented collision energy keeps growing. Given also the Laboratory's desire to reduce energy consumption and costs, the design and operatio.....»»
Researchers reveal the mechanisms behind cobalt X-ide electrocatalysts
The unsung heroes of electrochemical reactions—electrocatalysts—can assist in optimizing factors such as the reaction's speed, yield, and energy consumption. As such, these electrocatalysts are crucial for optimizing large-scale production in the.....»»
AI boosts indoor food production"s energy sustainability
Integrating artificial intelligence into today's environmental control systems could reduce energy consumption for indoor agriculture by 25%—potentially helping to feed the world as its population rises, Cornell engineers have found......»»
Column: Digital retailing transformation means some will lose, disappear as efficiencies grow
St. Charles Toyota is all in on Toyota's SmartPath digital retailing system, and it's transforming the dealership's relations with outside vendors......»»
MPA says no more “Whac-a-Mole” with pirate sites, claims it took down “mothership”
Fmovies takedown "is a stunning victory," MPA CEO Charles Rivkin said. Enlarge / Motion Picture Association CEO Charles Rivkin speaks onstage during CinemaCon, a convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners, at Caesar.....»»
Exploring Darwin"s longstanding interest in biological rhythms
A close reading of Darwin's work suggests a deep interest in cyclical events. Rhythmic phenomena in nature—today the subjects of the field of chronobiology—have been studied since at least the 18th century. In a perspective, Tiago Gomes de Andrad.....»»
Darwin"s fear was unjustified: Study suggests fossil record gaps not a major issue
Fossils are used to reconstruct evolutionary history, but not all animals and plants become fossils and many fossils are destroyed before we can find them (e.g., the rocks that contain the fossils are destroyed by erosion). As a result, the fossil re.....»»
Scientists propose gliding arc discharge plasma seawater sterilization technology for mariculture
Atmospheric pressure plasma technology has demonstrated vast potential in microbial inactivation due to its unique advantages, including no chemical residue, environmental friendliness, high treatment efficiency, low energy consumption and ease of us.....»»
Why do plants wiggle? New study provides answers
In a new study, physicists from the United States and Israel may have gotten to the bottom of a quirky behavior of growing plants—and a mystery that intrigued Charles Darwin himself during the later decades of his life......»»