All posts tagged: Consumption

Singapore’s public sector to reduce electricity consumption at government facilities amid Middle East crisis

Singapore’s public sector to reduce electricity consumption at government facilities amid Middle East crisis

Published by Sam Flores

In a ministerial statement in parliament on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong noted the impact of the Middle East conflict on energy supplies and global trade. While Singapore’s GDP growth in the first three months of the year was resilient, Mr Gan said, growth will likely be affected in the coming quarters. Due to the increased oil and natural gas prices, a sharper increase in the regulated electricity tariff is also expected next quarter. In a video message last week, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong urged businesses and households to play their part by conserving energy and reducing unnecessary consumption and waste, stressing that national resilience depends not just on government action but also on collective effort. “For businesses, this means reviewing operations and improving energy efficiency. For households, it means being mindful of daily energy use,” he said. “These may seem like small steps, but taken together, they make a real difference. The government will support you. But our collective response will be far stronger if each of us plays our part too.” MSE …

Smoked cannabis reduces immediate alcohol consumption in controlled laboratory trial

Smoked cannabis reduces immediate alcohol consumption in controlled laboratory trial

Published by José Betancourt

Smoked cannabis directly reduced the amount of alcohol heavy drinkers consumed during a controlled laboratory experiment. The research indicates that acute marijuana intoxication may decrease the immediate urge to drink and delay the onset of alcohol consumption. These findings were published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. Public health experts track the concurrent use of alcohol and cannabis closely. Across the country, expanding legalization has made cannabis the most popular psychoactive substance after tobacco for people who consume alcohol. Many individuals engage in both habits, and a strong overlap exists between those who struggle with alcohol use and those who face challenges regulating their cannabis intake. In recent years, a social trend has emerged where people attempt to manage their alcohol habits by substituting cannabis instead. Pop culture sometimes refers to this practice as becoming “California sober.” This movement aligns with a broader push toward harm reduction, and it has fueled a rapid expansion in the market for cannabis-infused beverages marketed as alcohol alternatives. Despite this cultural shift, previous observational studies produced conflicting results regarding …

High meat consumption may protect against cognitive decline in people with a specific Alzheimer’s gene

High meat consumption may protect against cognitive decline in people with a specific Alzheimer’s gene

Published by José Betancourt

Older adults carrying a specific genetic variation linked to Alzheimer’s disease might actually protect their brain health by eating a diet high in meat. A recent study published in JAMA Network Open suggests that personalized dietary recommendations based on genetics could help prevent cognitive decline in a large portion of the global population. Every person carries a gene called APOE, which provides instructions for making a protein that helps carry fats and cholesterol through the bloodstream. This gene comes in three main versions, known as variants, named e2, e3, and e4. A person inherits one variant from each parent, creating different genetic combinations. Apolipoproteins are a family of proteins that bind to fats, playing a major role in cholesterol metabolism in the liver and the brain. The APOE e4 variant is the oldest form of the gene in human evolutionary history. It first appeared millions of years ago, around the time our early ancestors transitioned to hunting and began consuming large amounts of meat. Some anthropologists propose that human ancestors went through a period a …

Dark personality traits are linked to the consumption of violent pornography

Dark personality traits are linked to the consumption of violent pornography

Published by José Betancourt

People who exhibit certain negative personality traits tend to spend more time consuming violent pornography and engaging in problematic online sexual behaviors. This pattern suggests a reinforcing cycle where people drawn to aggressive content may further normalize their own antisocial tendencies. These results were recently published in the journal Sexual Health & Compulsivity. The internet is an essential part of modern life, but its overuse can lead to serious public health concerns. When online engagement becomes excessive, it can cause functional difficulties resembling substance addiction. This includes symptoms like withdrawal, mood changes, and a persistent loss of control over digital habits. Adolescents and young adults are especially vulnerable to these issues during their critical periods of personality formation. Driven by a need to remain connected, young people face a heightened risk of internet addiction. This excessive online engagement can take many forms, including gaming, gambling, and sexual activities. One specific area of concern is the excessive consumption of online sexual content. While many online sexual behaviors are completely harmless, they can become an issue for …

Daily soda consumption linked to cognitive difficulties in teens

Daily soda consumption linked to cognitive difficulties in teens

Published by José Betancourt

New research indicates that daily consumption of sodas and sports drinks may hinder the cognitive abilities of adolescents. A recent analysis suggests that these sugary beverages disrupt sleep patterns, which in turn leads to difficulties with memory, concentration, and decision-making. These findings were published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience. The adolescent brain undergoes a period of rapid development and reorganization. This phase is characterized by changes in the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for planning and impulse control. Because the brain is still maturing, it is particularly sensitive to dietary inputs and environmental factors. Researchers have previously identified links between high sugar intake and various health issues. However, the specific relationship between different types of sugary drinks and mental clarity in teenagers has remained less defined. Shuo Feng, a researcher at the Department of Health Behavior at Texas A&M University, sought to clarify this connection. Feng designed the study to look beyond a simple direct link between sugar and brain function. The investigation aimed to determine if sleep duration acts as a …

Moderate coffee and tea consumption linked to lower risk of dementia

Moderate coffee and tea consumption linked to lower risk of dementia

Published by José Betancourt

A new analysis of long-term dietary habits suggests that your daily cup of coffee or tea might do more than just provide a morning jolt. Researchers have determined that moderate consumption of caffeinated beverages is linked to a lower risk of dementia and better physical brain function over time. These results were published in the journal JAMA. Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease represent a growing health challenge as the global population ages. Current medical treatments offer limited benefits once symptoms appear, and they cannot reverse the condition. This reality has prompted medical experts to look for lifestyle habits that might delay the onset of cognitive decline. Diet is a primary area of focus because it is a factor that individuals can control in their daily lives. Coffee and tea are of particular interest to nutritional scientists. These beverages contain chemical compounds that may protect brain cells from damage. These include caffeine and polyphenols, which are plant-based micronutrients with antioxidant properties. Prior attempts to measure this potential benefit have yielded mixed results. Some earlier inquiries relied on …

Neuromorphic computer promises to slash AI energy consumption

Neuromorphic computer promises to slash AI energy consumption

Published by skeptic

The Nitride Technology Centre (NTC), a microelectronics consortium led by Technische Universität Braunschweig, is pioneering a new era in computing. Supported by the state of Lower Saxony and the Volkswagen Foundation with €15m in funding, the initiative – titled “Bringing Light to Microelectronics” (BRIGHT) – aims to create a neuromorphic computer using microscopically small LEDs. The project begins on 1 April 2026 and will run for five years, through 2031. Cutting AI energy consumption Researchers from Technische Universität Braunschweig, Leibniz University Hannover, Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences, and the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) are working to tackle one of modern technology’s biggest challenges: the soaring energy demand of AI systems. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), data centres could consume 3% of global electricity by 2030 – roughly double Germany’s current total electricity use – primarily due to the massive computational effort required to simulate neural networks. How neuromorphic computers work Unlike traditional computers that simulate neural networks using sequences of 0s and 1s across multiple processing stages, neuromorphic computers implement these networks directly in …

11 Completely Unnecessary Everyday Items That Most People Can’t Stop Spending Money On

11 Completely Unnecessary Everyday Items That Most People Can’t Stop Spending Money On

Published by Jenni Sidey

While stress in daily life tends to urge people into a survival mindset and conserve their resources — saving more and spending less on non-necessities — there are certain products most people can’t help but purchase over and over again. Whether it’s seasonal decor or overpriced greeting cards, there are many completely unnecessary everyday items that most people can’t stop spending money on. No matter how we try to rationalize and control our spending habits, many are rooted in inherent emotional and social experiences. We spend on things to cope, find comfort, seek community, feel like we belong, or even to grasp on a sense of control we’re missing. It’s more nuanced than “financial irresponsibility,” especially when it comes to these seemingly harmless everyday purchases. Here are 11 completely unnecessary everyday items that most people can’t stop spending money on 1. Candles they’ll never burn DimaBerlin | Shutterstock So many people spend money on nice things and make investments into material goods, only to keep them tucked away from the light of day forever. They …

The Consumption Conundrum | ZeroHedge

The Consumption Conundrum | ZeroHedge

Published by Jenni Sidey

GDP, released last week, showed that the economy grew by a larger-than-expected 4.3%. Powering the strong economic growth was personal consumption, which rose by 3.5%. Consumers are spending!… What’s unusual about that statement is that consumer sentiment remains historically weak. Typically, there is a strong correlation between personal consumption and consumer sentiment. As RealInvestmentAdvice.com shares below, the University of Michigan and the Conference Board consumer sentiment indexes are at or near 10-year lows. Moreover, they are generally worsening, yet personal consumption continues to grow strongly. Can such a divergence continue? To help answer that, consider the five bullet points below, which explain why personal consumption has been strong. Wealth Effect: U.S. stock markets will post their third 20%+ increase in a row. Non-discretionary Spending: The mix of spending is leaning towards non-discretionary items. For instance, spending on housing, healthcare, insurance, and travel is increasing as a share of total spending. Many of these expenditures are unavoidable, not confidence-driven impulse purchases. For example, healthcare spending accounted for nearly 20% of consumption. Credit: Rising use of credit …

Survey Reveals High Consumption of Christian Media by Americans – OpentheWord.org

Survey Reveals High Consumption of Christian Media by Americans – OpentheWord.org

Published by Sam Flores

Credit Austin Distel, unsplash.com A survey conducted by the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) discovered that a significant percentage of Americans use Christian news sites, Faithwire reports. According to NRB CEO, Troy Miller, the organization was surprised by the results as they tried to find out how much people were using Christian media outside a church setting. The NRB specifically didn’t want the results tainted “by their church activity,” Miller added. The survey which was conducted by the Barna Group uncovered three significant findings. First it found that 60% of Americans use Christian or Bible-based media. This comes in a variety of forms, Miller said, including “television, radio, podcasts, news websites, social media, or YouTube.” “I think the big lesson for Christian outlets — Christian media — is that people are paying attention,” Miller added. “They’re really paying attention to what’s going on, and they’re looking for something.” Secondly, when asked why they consumed Christian media, the survey found that people were “looking for encouragement and for hope,” Miller said. Miller added that this seems to …