Scientists discover concerning new phenomenon that may impact the intensity of hurricanes: 'Might get stronger'
According to New Scientist, a team of researchers raised a serious concern tied to less effective "cold wakes." The combination of cloud cover, evaporative cooling, and the stirring up of ocean waters in the wake of tropical cyclones can cool the ocean's surface, inhibiting the growth of subsequent storms.
Research from the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory revealed in a recent study that these cold wakes aren't lasting as long as they used to. The water temperature in these massive pools of relatively cool water is bouncing back more quickly.
It is just underway, and there is already a growing list of concerns about this year's Atlantic hurricane season. A couple of weeks before the start of the season, the Federal Emergency Management Agency disclosed that it's stepping away from its broader framework for disaster relief operations. Also, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued its forecast for an above-normal season for tropical activity in the Atlantic basin.
Combined with the news about cold wakes, the potential for serious issues seems high.
"We think in the future cyclones might get stronger due to a general increase in sea surface temperature," associate professor Shuai Wang of the University of Delaware told New Scientist. "If the recovery time of the cold wake decreases, that can definitely be a secondary effect. This shortening of cold wake recovery time can give a second boost to hurricane intensity."
Tropical cyclones draw their energy primarily from warm ocean water. The scientists' study, published in Nature, noted that cold wakes are recovering faster because of weakening North Atlantic trade winds, which can limit the ocean's ability to cool through the evaporation process. Background ocean warming is occurring, too, as the world warms. This study suggests that we can't rely on cold wakes as much to act as a natural buffer and prevent future tropical cyclones from forming.
NOAA's forecast cited warmer than average ocean temperatures as one of the reasons to expect above-normal tropical cyclone activity this year. Nonprofit Climate Central's analysis of last year's season found that the overheating planet supercharged all 11 hurricanes in the Atlantic basin.
Curbing carbon pollution from dirty energy sources — the burning of which has a steroid-like effect that is fueling more frequent and severe extreme weather — can help cool our planet's oceans. Engineers are finding ways to transform old dirty energy projects into clean energy production. Recently, engineers announced that they are on track to field-test new technology that could unlock a more affordable power source.
Becoming an advocate in the fight to protect the future of the planet requires exploring critical climate issues and sharing the information with family and friends. Supporting pro-climate action candidates and taking local action are other important ways you can help make a difference.
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Associated Press
5 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Measles Cases Increasing Worldwide, Need the New NV-387 Broad-Spectrum Antiviral to Combat, Says NanoViricides
SHELTON, CT / ACCESS Newswire / July 30, 2025 / NanoViricides, Inc., a publicly traded company (NYSE Amer.:NNVC) (the 'Company'), and a clinical stage, leading global pioneer in the development of broad-spectrum antivirals based on host-mimetic nanomedicine technology that viruses cannot escape, announced that its drug candidate NV-387 is the weapon necessary for combatting growing cases of measles worldwide, especially in the industrialized world including, USA, Canada, UK, and European Union. NV-387 is possibly the only drug candidate that has been shown to be effective and safe in animal model studies of Measles virus in humanized h-CD150+ knock-in mice, as reported previously by NanoViricides. NV-387 has completed a Phase I clinical trial with no reported adverse events, indicating excellent safety and tolerability in humans. The development of NV-387 as a treatment for Measles can be accelerated under the US FDA programs. Measles is considered a rare orphan disease in the USA. As such, NV-387 for the treatment of Measles would qualify for an Orphan Drug Designation. Orphan drug designation qualifies sponsors for incentives including tax credits for qualified clinical trials, exemption from user fees, and potential seven years of market exclusivity after approval[1]. The Company also plans to explore a 'Fast Track' designation for the NV-387 Measles indication. If granted, a drug approval can occur on the basis of a successful Phase II clinical trial without requiring a Phase III clinical trial, which significantly reduces the timeline to approval. Measles has become an important disease of concern globally in the recent years for several reasons. Most importantly, Measles disease can wipe out the previously learned immunity of the patient against many infections, including from prior infections, and non-live virus vaccines, making the population vulnerable to viruses that were encountered previously. This is because Measles virus attacks the CD150-bearing immune cells that are responsible for memorizing the prior infections and mounting defenses against them later. Measles is possibly the most communicable diseases, spreading through aerosol, that is known to humans. In patients, it produces severe morbidity with skin rash, pain, fatigue, and other syndromes. Rarely it can cause a brain disease. Measles mostly affects children. There were a total of 1,319 confirmed measles cases reported in the USA as of July 22, breaking the most recent record of 1,274 cases in 2019. Hospitalization rates for measles in the USA are about 13%, and fatalities are rare, although in 2025 there were three deaths to date. Canada is having a much worse Measles season than the USA, with more than 3,800 cases[2] to date in 2025. A Measles holiday warning has been issued in the UK this year[3]. England itself had more than 3,000 cases of Measles in 2024. In the European Region, 127,350 measles cases were reported for 2024, double the number of cases reported for 2023 and the highest number since 1997, according to an analysis by WHO and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)[4] . Worldwide, Measles cases continue to occur every year. Globally, there have been about 108,000 confirmed measles cases in 2025 to date, while in 2024 there were about 360,000 confirmed cases, according to the WHO[5]. A sustained measles vaccination rate of at least 95% is estimated to be required to maintain community immunity ('herd immunity'). Such a high rate is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve even in developed countries where access to vaccination is not an issue. While growing vaccine hesitancy is considered an important reason for the fall in Measles vaccination rates, two other factors are of importance as well: (i) The overall population in the industrialized world, as well as in developing world, has increased frequency of immune dysfunction, obesity, and diabetes. The people with immune dysfunction or immune compromise are less likely to benefit from almost any standard vaccination as compared to healthy people and are likely to result in breakthrough infections. (ii) Additionally, the current vaccine for Measles is a live attenuated vaccine of the 1968 era, and the virus has evolved well past that, although so far the Measles virus strains continue to be susceptible to antibodies produced from the standard vaccine; this can change with continuing circulation of the virus in vaccinated persons and can result in a virus that can substantially defeat the vaccine[6]. Further, vaccine hesitancy itself is not irrational because the standard Measles vaccine is a live attenuated vaccine to be given to infants at early age; it is a virus infection that continues to remain in the subject, which is why it provides lifelong immunity. Measles infection itself also provides lifelong immunity that includes the current strains of the virus. Thus, the Company projects continuing Measles cases worldwide, that require a drug to control the disease in the patient and its spread to others. We believe NV-387 fills this important medical need. There is no approved drug for treatment of Measles at present. ABOUT NANOVIRICIDES NanoViricides, Inc. (the 'Company') ( ) is a publicly traded (NYSE-American, stock symbol NNVC) clinical stage company that is creating special purpose nanomaterials for antiviral therapy. The Company's novel nanoviricide™ class of drug candidates and the nanoviricide™ technology are based on intellectual property, technology and proprietary know-how of TheraCour Pharma, Inc. The Company has a Memorandum of Understanding with TheraCour for the development of drugs based on these technologies for all antiviral infections. The MoU does not include cancer and similar diseases that may have viral origin but require different kinds of treatments. The Company has obtained broad, exclusive, sub-licensable, field licenses to drugs developed in several licensed fields from TheraCour Pharma, Inc. The Company's business model is based on licensing technology from TheraCour Pharma Inc. for specific application verticals of specific viruses, as established at its foundation in 2005. Our lead drug candidate is NV-387, a broad-spectrum antiviral drug that we plan to develop as a treatment of RSV, COVID, Long COVID, Influenza, and other respiratory viral infections, as well as MPOX/Smallpox infections. Our other advanced drug candidate is NV-HHV-1 for the treatment of Shingles. The Company cannot project an exact date for filing an IND for any of its drugs because of dependence on a number of external collaborators and consultants. The Company is currently focused on advancing NV-387 into Phase II human clinical trials. The Company is also developing drugs against a number of viral diseases including oral and genital Herpes, viral diseases of the eye including EKC and herpes keratitis, H1N1 swine flu, H5N1 bird flu, seasonal Influenza, HIV, Hepatitis C, Rabies, Dengue fever, and Ebola virus, among others. NanoViricides' platform technology and programs are based on the TheraCour® nanomedicine technology of TheraCour, which TheraCour licenses from AllExcel. NanoViricides holds a worldwide exclusive perpetual license to this technology for several drugs with specific targeting mechanisms in perpetuity for the treatment of the following human viral diseases: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Rabies, Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1 and HSV-2), Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV), Influenza and Asian Bird Flu Virus, Dengue viruses, Japanese Encephalitis virus, West Nile Virus, Ebola/Marburg viruses, and certain Coronaviruses. The Company intends to obtain a license for RSV, Poxviruses, and/or Enteroviruses if the initial research is successful. As is customary, the Company must state the risk factor that the path to typical drug development of any pharmaceutical product is extremely lengthy and requires substantial capital. As with any drug development efforts by any company, there can be no assurance at this time that any of the Company's pharmaceutical candidates would show sufficient effectiveness and safety for human clinical development. Further, there can be no assurance at this time that successful results against coronavirus in our lab will lead to successful clinical trials or a successful pharmaceutical product. This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current expectation regarding future events. Actual events could differ materially and substantially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors. Certain statements in this release, and other written or oral statements made by NanoViricides, Inc. are 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the company's expectations include, but are not limited to, those factors that are disclosed under the heading 'Risk Factors' and elsewhere in documents filed by the company from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory authorities. Although it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors, they may include the following: demonstration and proof of principle in preclinical trials that a nanoviricide is safe and effective; successful development of our product candidates; our ability to seek and obtain regulatory approvals, including with respect to the indications we are seeking; the successful commercialization of our product candidates; and market acceptance of our products. The phrases 'safety', 'effectiveness' and equivalent phrases as used in this press release refer to research findings including clinical trials as the customary research usage and do not indicate evaluation of safety or effectiveness by the US FDA. FDA refers to US Food and Drug Administration. IND application refers to 'Investigational New Drug' application. cGMP refers to current Good Manufacturing Practices. CMC refers to 'Chemistry, Manufacture, and Controls'. CHMP refers to the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, which is the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) committee responsible for human medicines. API stands for 'Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient'. WHO is the World Health Organization. R&D refers to Research and Development. Contact: NanoViricides, Inc. [email protected] Public Relations Contact: [email protected] press release
Associated Press
5 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Lilly's Kisunla (donanemab-azbt) showed growing benefit over three years in early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease
Findings from the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 long-term extension study highlight Kisunla continued to demonstrate slowing of decline, with most participants having completed treatment Data underscores the value of early intervention and supports a limited duration dosing approach with sustained long-term benefits INDIANAPOLIS, July 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced results from the long-term extension (LTE) of the Phase 3 TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 study showing that participants treated with Kisunla (donanemab-azbt) demonstrated slowing of decline, a benefit that continued to grow over three years compared to an untreated external cohort from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI).1 Participants in the study who started treatment later still saw benefit. However, earlier initiation of Kisunla in study participants significantly reduced the risk of progression to the next stage of the disease compared to those who received Kisunla treatment later.1 These data were shared as a late breaking 2025 Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) presentation in Toronto. 'The TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 long-term extension reaffirms that Kisunla delivered sustained clinical benefit that continued to increase over three years and a consistent safety profile,' said Mark Mintun, M.D., group vice president, Neuroscience Research & Development, Eli Lilly and Company. 'Participants continued to show meaningful outcomes, reinforcing the long-term value of early intervention.' The TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 LTE study was a Phase 3, double-blind extension of the original TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 trial, evaluating the efficacy and safety of Kisunla in individuals with early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease.1 Participants originally treated with Kisunla either continued treatment or were switched to placebo, while those initially on placebo began Kisunla in a blinded manner. An external comparator group from ADNI was used to assess outcomes against a matched, untreated population. Key preliminary results from the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 LTE study include: Amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) with edema/effusion (ARIA-E) and with hemorrhage/with hemosiderin deposition are side effects within the class of amyloid targeting therapies that do not usually cause any symptoms, but serious and life-threatening symptoms can occur. ARIA can be fatal. Carriers of one or two copies of the apolipoprotein E ε4 (ApoE4) gene may be at higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and experiencing ARIA. Patients should discuss any safety concerns with their healthcare providers. Kisunla can also cause certain types of allergic reactions, some of which may be serious and life-threatening, that typically occur during infusion or within 30 minutes post-infusion.2,3 Headache is another commonly reported side effect. See the Indication and Safety Summary with Warnings below for additional information. About TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 Long-Term Extension (LTE) Study Participants in the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 (core) study who completed the 76-week placebo-controlled period were eligible to continue into the participant- and investigator-blinded LTE period, lasting an additional 78 weeks. The LTE study included multiple treatment arms: About TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 Study and the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ Program TRAILBLAZER‐ALZ 2 ( NCT04437511 ) is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled (PC) Phase 3 trial designed to assess the efficacy and safety of donanemab in participants with early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease. Lilly continues to study donanemab in multiple clinical trials, including TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 3, which is evaluating the safety and efficacy of donanemab in patients with preclinical Alzheimer's disease to determine if it reduces risk of progression to symptomatic Alzheimer's disease. TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 5 is a registration trial for early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease currently enrolling in China, Korea, Taiwan, and other geographies. The TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 6 study recently completed the 18-month final study endpoint. Data from the study showed that a modified titration dosing schedule reduced the risk of ARIA-E compared to the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 dosing regimen. These findings supported the FDA approval of an update to the U.S. prescribing information for Kisunla. This data was also presented at AAIC. INDICATION AND SAFETY SUMMARY WITH WARNINGS Kisunla (donanemab-azbt), pronounced kih-SUHN-lah, is used to treat adults with early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease (AD), which includes mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia stage of disease. Warnings - Kisunla can cause Amyloid-Related Imaging Abnormalities or 'ARIA.' This is a common side effect that does not usually cause any symptoms, but serious symptoms can occur. ARIA can be fatal. ARIA is most commonly seen as temporary swelling in an area or areas of the brain that usually goes away over time. Some people may also have spots of bleeding on the surface of or in the brain and infrequently, larger areas of bleeding in the brain can occur. Although most people do not have symptoms, some people have headaches, dizziness, nausea, difficulty walking, confusion, vision changes and seizures. Some people have a genetic risk factor (homozygous apolipoprotein E ε4 gene carriers) that may cause an increased risk for ARIA. Talk to your healthcare provider about testing to see if you have this risk factor. You may be at higher risk of developing bleeding in the brain if you take medicines to reduce blood clots from forming (antithrombotic medicines) while receiving Kisunla. Talk to your healthcare provider to see if you are on any medicines that increase this risk. Your healthcare provider will do magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans before and during your treatment with Kisunla to check you for ARIA. You should carry information that you are receiving Kisunla, which can cause ARIA, and that ARIA symptoms can look like stroke symptoms. Call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away if you have any of the symptoms listed above. There are registries that collect information on treatments for Alzheimer's disease. Your healthcare provider can help you become enrolled in these registries. Warnings - Kisunla can cause serious allergic and infusion-related reactions. Do not receive Kisunla if you have serious allergic reactions to donanemab-azbt or any of the ingredients in Kisunla. Symptoms may include swelling of the face, lips, mouth, or eyelids, problems breathing, hives, chills, irritation of skin, nausea, vomiting, sweating, headache, or chest pain. You will be monitored for at least 30 minutes after you receive Kisunla for any reaction. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have these symptoms or any reaction during or after a Kisunla infusion. Other common side effects Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any side effects. These are not all of the possible side effects of Kisunla. You can report side effects at 1-800-FDA-1088 or Before you receive Kisunla, tell your healthcare provider: How to receive Kisunla Kisunla is a prescription medicine given through an intravenous (IV) infusion using a needle inserted into a vein in your arm. Kisunla is given once every 4 weeks. Each infusion will last about 30 minutes. Learn more For more information about Kisunla, call 1-800-LillyRx (1-800-545-5979) or go to This summary provides basic information about Kisunla. It does not include all information known about this medicine. Read the information given to you about Kisunla. This information does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about Kisunla. Your healthcare provider is the best person to help you decide if Kisunla is right for you. Please see full Prescribing Information including boxed warning for ARIA and Medication Guide for Kisunla. Trademarks and Trade Names All trademarks or trade names referred to in this press release are the property of the company, or, to the extent trademarks or trade names belonging to other companies are references in this press release, the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this press release are referred to without the ® and ™ symbols, but such references should not be construed as any indicator that the company or, to the extent applicable, their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, the company's or their rights thereto. We do not intend the use or display of other companies' trademarks and trade names to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies. About Lilly Lilly is a medicine company turning science into healing to make life better for people around the world. We've been pioneering life-changing discoveries for nearly 150 years, and today our medicines help tens of millions of people across the globe. Harnessing the power of biotechnology, chemistry and genetic medicine, our scientists are urgently advancing new discoveries to solve some of the world's most significant health challenges: redefining diabetes care; treating obesity and curtailing its most devastating long-term effects; advancing the fight against Alzheimer's disease; providing solutions to some of the most debilitating immune system disorders; and transforming the most difficult-to-treat cancers into manageable diseases. With each step toward a healthier world, we're motivated by one thing: making life better for millions more people. That includes delivering innovative clinical trials that reflect the diversity of our world and working to ensure our medicines are accessible and affordable. To learn more, visit and or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. P-LLY Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements (as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) about Kisunla (donanemab-azbt) as a treatment for people with early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease, and regulatory approval and other milestones relating to Kisunla and reflects Lilly's current beliefs and expectations. However, as with any pharmaceutical product, there are substantial risks and uncertainties in the process of drug research, development, and commercialization. Among other things, there is no guarantee that planned or ongoing studies will be completed as planned, that future study results will be consistent with study findings to date, that Kisunla will receive additional regulatory approvals or that Kisunla will be commercially successful. For further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see Lilly's Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Lilly undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release. References View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company
Forbes
5 minutes ago
- Forbes
How AI Could Spark A Jobs Revolution In Africa: Sam Alemeyahu's Vision
While the world debates whether AI will destroy jobs, Sam Alemayehu wants to talk about the ones that never existed in the first place. The Ethiopian-American investor and entrepreneur has built his career around challenging assumptions — whether by turning landfills into power plants or by turning scarcity into opportunity. Known as 'Garbage Sam' for his pioneering work on Africa's first waste-to-energy facility, Alemayehu is now applying that same systems lens to a broader question: How do we design abundance? In a recent essay for Rest of World, Alemayehu introduced the provocative concept of 'latent jobs' — roles that should exist but don't, because legacy systems made them economically impossible. He argues that AI, far from being a threat, could finally unleash a new tier of professionals across Africa — if we let it. We spoke about waste, imagination, and what it means to build systems designed for as 'Garbage Sam' for his pioneering work on Africa's first waste-to-energy facility, Sam ... More Alemayehu is now applying that same systems lens to a broader question: How do we design abundance? Q&A Sylvana Q. Sinha: In your recent piece for Rest of World, you argue that AI could help create new jobs across Africa — roles that never existed before. What kind of jobs are you talking about, and why do they matter? Sam Alemayehu: I call them 'Latent Jobs.' They are essential roles that have never emerged — not because there's no demand, but because the cost of creating and sustaining them under our traditional systems is too high. We don't just have a shortage of professionals in Africa; we have a shortage of affordable access to expertise. Take healthcare. Ethiopia has fewer than 10,000 physicians for over 120 million people. But there are more Ethiopian-trained doctors in places like D.C. and Chicago than in the country itself. It's not a talent shortage — it's a system failure. AI changes that. It breaks the cost structure. A radiologist's expertise can be delivered, in part, by an AI diagnostic tool for a fraction of the price. Suddenly, that 'latent job' — a role that previously didn't exist because it was economically unviable — becomes real. And not just one job, but Q. Sinha: Fascinating! What's another example of a latent job? Sam Alemayehu: It's a pattern that's emerging everywhere, creating an entirely new class of tech-enabled professionals. Think of a community health worker in Lusaka using an AI that analyzes a baby's cry to detect birth asphyxia instantly. Picture an agronomist in Ethiopia using a drone to guide a hundred farms at once, stopping crop disease in its tracks. Imagine a paralegal in Lagos delivering affordable, AI-vetted contracts to small businesses right through WhatsApp. Or a surveyor in rural Peru using AI to map a ravine and design a safe footbridge in an afternoon, a study that once took months and was prohibitively expensive. Each of these was a 'latent job.: The need was immense, but the old model was too slow and too costly. Technology is the catalyst that finally makes these essential roles real, affordable, and Q. Sinha: I love this framing. It reminds me of Nobel laureate Amartya Sen's insight from his work on famines, especially in Poverty and Famines (1981): People don't starve because there's no food — they starve because they can't access it. It's not about scarcity, but about systems. You call this systemic failure the 'Scarcity Tax.' What do you mean by that? Sam Alemayehu: The Scarcity Tax is the invisible, uncounted cost of a system that fails to make expertise accessible. It's a price paid daily by citizens, farmers, and entrepreneurs, particularly in the Global South. It's the crop lost because a farmer couldn't get an agronomist's advice. It's the failed business because a founder couldn't afford a lawyer. It's the child who dies from a treatable illness because a doctor wasn't nearby. What's tragic is that this tax isn't necessary. It's not about lacking intelligence or motivation. It's about a broken system for distributing knowledge. AI gives us a chance to redesign that system — and finally make expertise Q. Sinha: You've been called 'Garbage Sam' — a nickname that started at a landfill in Addis Ababa. How did waste become your life's lens? Sam Alemayehu: I got that name when I led the team that built Africa's first major waste-to-energy facility. I spent a lot of time at the landfill — and what I saw shocked me. It wasn't trash; it was a graveyard of value. Plastics, metals, nutrients, energy — all of it buried. Nature doesn't waste anything. Everything gets reused. So when we treat resources as disposable, that's not a garbage problem — it's a design problem. The same thinking that leads us to bury useful materials is what leads us to waste land, water, and human potential. That's the war I've committed to fighting: the war on waste in all its Q. Sinha: You've also written about the waste embedded in how we make things — from food to steel to cement. What gives you hope that we can build differently? Sam Alemayehu: Once you put on the 'anti-waste' lens, you see how inefficient our physical economy is. Food production alone is the leading driver of deforestation, land degradation, and wildlife extinction. The FAO projects that by 2050, just to meet protein demand, we'd need to deforest an area twice the size of India. That's not just unsustainable — it's apocalyptic. But we now have tools to break that pattern. Synthetic biology can grow proteins with a fraction of the land and water. New chemical processes can produce cement or textiles with near-zero emissions. Innovation becomes the engine for deconstructing waste — not just at the end of the supply chain, but at the Q. Sinha: What does your vision of an AI-powered, waste-free Africa look like in 20 years? Sam Alemayehu: It's a world where waste — of talent, resources, and opportunity — is no longer the default. A world where a mother in Kampala can access high-quality care, a farmer in Ethiopia can access agronomic advice, and a young entrepreneur in Lagos can get legal support — all augmented by AI. It's also a world where we rewild vast areas of land, because we've finally decoupled economic growth from physical extraction. Where technology doesn't replace nature, but learns from it — circular, adaptive, and efficient. That's the future I'm building toward. A world designed for abundance — not for the privileged few, but for Q. Sinha: What would it take to actually realize this vision — of millions of AI-augmented jobs and a waste-free economy? Who needs to act, & how? Sam Alemayehu: This future isn't inevitable; it has to be built. It requires a coordinated effort from three groups: First, entrepreneurs and innovators. They are the ones on the ground, building the tools, training the new workforce, and fine-tuning these models for local languages, cultures, and realities. This is a bottom-up revolution. Second, largest corporate champions. Companies like MTN, Safaricom, and big regional banks in Africa have a historic opportunity. They need to become the first customers and partners for this new wave of innovation. By integrating these AI-augmented services into their vast distribution networks, they can create the market and accelerate adoption overnight. Finally, policymakers. We need a new regulatory imagination. The old rules for credentialing and liability were designed for a world of scarcity. We must build modern frameworks that judge innovation based on its effectiveness, not just on traditional credentials. We need faster, clearer pathways to professional legitimacy for this new, AI-augmented workforce. It's symbiotic — entrepreneurs build, corporations scale, and policymakers clear the path. If those three groups act in concert, this vision becomes a reality much faster than anyone can Q. Sinha: Do you see opportunities for investors in this space? What kinds of investors can be part of this future? Sam Alemayehu: The opportunity is massive — it fights waste on two critical, parallel fronts: On one side, you have the chance to finance the redesign of our industrial economy — food and materials that are cleaner, cheaper, and superior to legacy models. On the other side, you have the Latent Jobs revolution — unlocking the 'old world's' advantages in high value skills in healthcare, law, engineering through AI. That's how we can build a workforce for a world of abundance. This isn't just theory — it's what we are building. Through Cambridge Industries Ventures (CI Ventures), we are backing businesses that are building the "manufacturing of the future". Through our Latent Jobs Fund, we are building and scaling the platforms that unleash that AI-augmented workforce. It will take a whole ecosystem of capital to build this future — and we are committed to being a catalyst in that Q. Sinha: Your work often focuses on Africa — but isn't the potential here much broader? After all, emerging markets account for 80% of the global population, and more than 70% of that is in Asia. Why limit this opportunity to Africa? Sam Alemayehu: You're right, this is a global opportunity. The 'Latent Jobs' thesis applies anywhere human potential is stifled by outdated systems. My focus often begins in Africa because it's personal, but more importantly, I see it as the ultimate proving ground. With the youngest and fastest-growing population, the need is most acute, which forces the most resilient and scalable solutions. However, I don't see this as a one-way street where innovations flow from Africa outward. The transformation will be shared, with innovation happening simultaneously across the Global South. The key will be to build partnerships and strong collaborations between these emerging innovation hubs in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa to accelerate this new future Q. Sinha: Thank you. In a world obsessed with what AI might take away, Sam Alemayehu invites us to see what it can finally make possible. The future of work, it turns out, may begin where the world never thought to look.
