TikTok and AI are junk food — start dieting
A few weeks ago a widely circulated blog by an anonymous university professor featured the discouraging observation that 'most of our students are functionally illiterate'. 'This,' the writer added, 'is not a joke.'
Literacy, one might optimistically have assumed, is a basic consequence (or even cause) of a university education. But this is the age of universal, non-stop digital distraction. A similar report in the Atlantic magazine found that many undergraduates at even prestigious institutions are incapable of reading books all the way through (a complaint regularly echoed by acquaintances working in academia). And last week an investigation into students using ChatGPT to write their essays (the practice is now basically ubiquitous), published in New York magazine, quoted the opinion of one professor that 'massive
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
In wake of deep cuts, NOAA says it will hire for 'mission-critical' weather service positions
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Monday it will hire for 'mission-critical field positions' amid expert warnings that the National Weather Service has been cut too sharply just as hurricane season arrives. An agency spokesperson said in a statement the positions will be advertised under a temporary reprieve from the federal government's widespread hiring pause 'to further stabilize frontline operations.' NOAA also said they are filling some field office openings by reassigning staff, including some temporary hires. The agency didn't say how many jobs would be posted and refused to provide more details. Elon Musk 's Department of Government Efficiency cuts gutted NWS and NOAA — which provide daily weather forecasts, up-to-the-minute severe storm warnings, climate monitoring and extreme weather tracking — earlier this year. Hundreds of weather forecasters were fired and other federal NOAA employees were put on probationary status in February, followed by a later round of more than 1,000 cuts at the agency. By April, nearly half of NWS forecast offices had 20% vacancy rates. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has also been affected. The new hires would be seen by the scientific community as especially imperative as the agency predicts a busy hurricane season and more tornados. In recent years, greenhouse gas emission-driven climate change has fueled more frequent, deadly, costly and increasingly nasty storms. The weather service's mission includes warning people in danger with enough time to evacuate or find safe shelter. The cuts forced weather forecast offices to reduce their hours or no longer staff overnight shifts in less critical periods. Insiders and experts have warned of the consequences that a staffing shortage would mean for weather forecasting amid extreme weather and the U.S. economy. 'In 2024, NOAA was able to offer some of its most accurate weather forecasting to date for active hurricanes," said Union of Concerned Scientists science fellow Marc Alessi. "These incredibly accurate forecasts were made possible by a fully funded NOAA. 'Despite the worsening climate and extreme weather impacts being felt across the country, the Trump administration has proceeded with its inhumane agenda that will leave people on the frontlines of disasters at greater risk,' Alessi added. ___ Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ___ ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Eating this kind of bread can raise colon cancer patients' risk of death
Eating white bread and other foods considered to be proinflammatory can raise colon cancer patients' risk of death from the disease, researchers said this week. Of a study of more than 1,600 patients with stage III colon cancer, people who consumed the most of those foods — also including french fries, hot dogs, and soda — during a phase 3 clinical trial showed longer overall survival post-treatment compared to those on a proinflammatory diet. The patients who ate a proinflammatory diet had an 87 percent higher risk of death than those who consumed the least proinflammatory food. Inflammation is the body's immune response to stimulus, such as falling down or burning your finger. Both too little and too much inflammation can cause problems, and most chronic diseases are believed to be rooted in inflammation that lasts over time. Some of the foods that can contribute to inflammation have been linked to cancer risk. 'One of the most common questions that patients ask is what they should do after treatment to maximally reduce their risk of cancer recurrence and improve survival,' Dr. Sara Char, a clinical fellow in hematology and oncology at Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, said in a statement. 'These findings add to the published literature about the importance of dietary patterns and physical activity in outcomes of patients with colorectal cancer.' Char was the first author of the research which was presented on Sunday at this year's American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. 'This study provides additional evidence that diet may be important for improving outcomes and survival in patients with stage III colon cancer,' co-author Dr. Kimmie Ng, also of Dana-Farber, said. 'Further studies are needed to tailor specific dietary recommendations for patients with colon cancer, and to understand the biological mechanisms underlying the relationship between proinflammatory diets and survival.' The use of the anti-inflammatory drug in the participants' trial, which is known as celecoxib, did not have a significant influence on the relationship between diet and survival, but the authors also noted that those who engaged in higher levels of physical activity had the best overall survival outcomes. Their findings come following previous research that showed systemic inflammation can increase the risk of colon cancer development and progression. Using anti-inflammatory drugs can reduce the risk of recurrence in selected patients with stage III colon cancer, the Dana-Farber researchers said. It remains unclear how much diet could affect cancer outcomes after treatment, but these findings add to a growing body of knowledge that could affect tens of thousands of Americans with colorectal cancer. Some 150,000 people are diagnosed with colorectal cancer each year in the U.S. It is the second-most common cause of cancer deaths for men and women in the U.S., and is expected to cause about 52,900 deaths this year. The average five-year survival for patients with stage III colon cancer is around 80 percent, although between 25 and 35 percent of patients experience a recurrence of cancer during that time. The researchers say that they plan to conduct more detailed investigations of the biological effects of diet and lifestyle on colon cancer outcomes, including those with metastatic colon cancer and those diagnosed at younger ages, under age 50. The majority of Americans — as many as 57 percent — may be eating a diet that promotes inflammation, researchers at the Ohio State University found last year. In 2018, a Harvard study found that people who ate foods that promoted inflammation had a higher rate of colorectal cancer compared with people who ate the least foods, with a 22 percent higher risk for men than women. Eating white bread and drinking alcohol are linked to an increased risk for developing colorectal cancer. Whole grains have anti-cancer properties and eating fiber helps to reduce colorectal cancer risk, researchers told Fox News Digital in 2023. The next year, a study found potential risk for white bread intake. Alternatively, consuming more dark leafy greens, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and protein sources that are high in omega-3 fatty acids can help fight inflammation, according to UCLA Health. The Mediterranean diet may be the most beneficial, Johns Hopkins Medicine notes. 'I want to emphasize that people really need to focus on their pattern of eating — as opposed to eating a few particular foods — to reduce inflammation,' Dr. Edwin McDonald, a gastroenterologist at UChicago Medicine, wrote. ' There's no miracle food out there that's going to cure people with chronic inflammation. You need to have an anti-inflammatory lifestyle and diet.'
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Where you could spot the Northern Lights in parts of the US
Following weekend solar storms, the Northern Lights may be visible in parts of the U.S. A coronal mass ejection from the sun prompted a rare, severe solar storm alert, though it was not as strong as last year. Authorities are monitoring for possible disruptions to high-frequency radio, but the worst is over. Auroras could be visible in darker, rural areas of Alaska, Washington, Montana, and other northern states. The sun is at the maximum phase of its 11-year activity cycle, making light displays more common; this active spurt is expected to last through the end of the year.
