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Medscape
04-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Think Glass Bottles Are Safer? Think Again
• A study by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) measured microplastics (MPs) in various beverages sold in France. • Contamination was found in all drinks, including those in glass bottles. • Without toxicological data, the health risks associated with the consumption of MPs remain unclear. Since the 1950s, plastic production has soared, and single-use plastics have driven pollution in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. As they degrade, they form micro- and nano-plastics that permeate every ecosystem — from 10,000 m beneath the ocean surface to Himalayan glaciers and even clouds. A French national study by the MICROSOF project — led by National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment and Institute for Research in Materials — found MPs in 75% of soil samples across 33 sites. The findings highlight the widespread presence of MP pollution in French soils and its potential risks to ecosystems and agriculture. Health Risks Although quantifying MPs in the environment and human samples is challenging, micro- and nano-plastics can penetrate organs of exposure, such as the lungs, colon, and skin, and reach distant organs, such as the testes, placenta, kidneys, and brain. A report by the Parliamentary Office for Scientific and Technological Assessment stated that 0.5% of the brain mass is made up of plastic. Moreover, the number of MPs in the lungs increases with age, suggesting long-term persistence in the body. Data indicate that MP exposure may increase the risk for conditions such as stomach cancer, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Their toxicity is also linked to the chemical substances they contain or can absorb from the environment; over 4000 are classified as hazardous to human health. Contamination Levels Humans primarily ingest MPs through contaminated food and drinks. Numerous studies have noted the presence of MPs in bottled and tap water and in certain foods, such as vegetables, fruits, meat, eggs, tea, and rice. ANSES researchers recently measured MP counts in bottled water, soft drinks, iced teas, lemonades, beers, and wines. They detected MPs measuring 30 μm to 500 μm in every beverage, with levels varying by beverage type. Bottled water showed relatively low concentrations (2.9 MPs/L compared to the results already published in the literature. Sodas and lemonades registered 31.4 MPs/L and 101.5MPs/L, respectively; iced teas, 14.6 MPs/L; and beer, 84 MPs/L, with no notable difference between the varied brands evaluated. Wine in glass bottles averaged 12.0 MPs/L, although other studies have reported higher levels. The authors caution that comparing studies is challenging given the variations in standards, the variability in the size of the particles considered, the samples, and the volumes taken. Glass Bottles Beverages in glass bottles contained higher levels of MPs than those in plastic bottles or cans. The MPs matched the colour and polymer composition of the cap materials, suggesting that cap abrasion during large-scale storage drives contamination. Washing caps before sealing can significantly reduce MP levels. Within the glass bottle category, only wine stands out because of the use of cork stoppers.
RNZ News
18-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Papua New Guinea's electoral integrity under scrutiny ahead of 2027 polls
Papua New Guinea will hold its National General Election in 2027. Photo: Supplied A new report from Papua New Guinea's National Research Institute (NRI) has called for immediate reforms of electoral boundaries before the 2027 National General Election after identifying significant breaches of law. The central concerns are three glaring breaches of the Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Government Elections (OLPLLGE): inaccurate provisional number of electorates, flawed determination of the size of electorates, and overlapping maps of some electorates. The NRI says the integrity of Papua New Guinea's electoral process is at stake as it specifically pointed to the 2021 electoral boundaries review. This review controversially used a provisional number of 96 electorates. This figure, the NRI argues, is a direct violation of the Organic Law on National and Local-level Government Elections (OLNLLGE), PNG's foundational electoral legislation. The OLNLLGE clearly mandates a minimum of 110 and a maximum of 120 electorates. The NRI asserts that this breach of a fundamental legal requirement significantly undermines the integrity of PNG's entire electoral system. "The current electoral boundaries and the review that was done in 2021 is outdated as population has changed over the last 13 years," NRI researcher and author of the report Wilson Kumne said. "The new electorates to be implemented in 2027 should consider the changes in the population of the electorates over the 13 years." The NRI report points to the fact that any change in the electoral boundaries hinges on data from 2024 National Census which is yet to be published. But looking at the data from 2021 is already an indication of the challenges Papua New Guinea faces as a country. PNG's population grew from approximately 7.3 million in 2011 to an estimated 11.8 million by 2021. Photo: Supplied PNG's population grew from approximately 7.3 million in 2011 to an estimated 11.8 million by 2021. This significant demographic shift, represents a more 62 per cent increase in a decade, means current boundaries are out of sync with present-day realities. Adding to the complexity are issues with the physical demarcation of electorates. The OLNLLGE strictly prohibits open electorate boundaries from cutting across provincial boundaries. Yet, the report highlights examples, some in very remote locations, where electoral boundaries straddle multiple provincial boundaries creating administrative difficulties. Delaying any work on this reform could result in another chaotic election in 2027.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
AI in the workplace is nearly 3 times more likely to take a woman's job as a man's, UN report finds
As AI transforms workplaces, the technology has an outsized impact on women's jobs, according to new data from the United Nations' International Labour Organization and Poland's National Research Institute. To help future-proof their careers, women can use AI to augment their jobs, but are less likely to engage with the technology than their male counterparts, according to Harvard Business School professor Rembrand Koning. As workers grapple with anxiety around artificial intelligence replacing them, women in the workplace may have extra reason to fear. Jobs traditionally held by women are much more exposed to AI than those traditionally held by men, according to new data from the United Nations' International Labour Organization (ILO) and Poland's National Research Institute (NASK). In higher income countries, jobs with the highest risk of AI automation make up about 9.6% of women's jobs, compared to 3.5% of jobs among men, the report released Tuesday found. More broadly, 25% of global jobs are potentially exposed to generative AI, a percentage that increases to 34% among higher income countries. The report notes clerical and administrative jobs have the highest exposure to AI, which could be one reason why AI poses an outsized risk to women workers. Between 93% and 97% of secretary and administrative assistant positions in the U.S. were held by women between 2000 and 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Comparatively, women made up between 40% and 44% of the workforce in the same 20-year period. Secretaries and administrators are the fifth most common professions for women in the U.S., according to the Department of Labor. Notably, the study does not mention caretaker jobs such as health aides that require emotional labor and are more likely to be held by women; they are considered more AI-proof. While AI has shown potential to gobble up jobs like software engineers and computer programmers, the technology may also threaten entry-level positions across white-collar industries beyond administrative roles. A Bloomberg report in April found AI could replace more than half the tasks performed by market research analysts and two-thirds of tasks done by sales representatives. The technology could perform only 9% and 21% of the respective tasks of those positions' managers. The ILO-NASK report isn't meant to say that AI will eliminate clerical or entry-level jobs. Rather, these jobs still require human involvement in some capacity, and identifying jobs that AI can partially complete can help prepare the workforce in those industries for technological changes. 'This index helps identify where GenAI is likely to have the biggest impact, so countries can better prepare and protect workers,' Marek Troszyński, senior expert at NASK, said in the report. Rembrand Koning, associate professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, believes one key to women future-proofing workplace roles that may be more exposed to AI is to follow the framework of viewing AI as a tool, not a threat. 'This goes back to the distinction between automation versus augmentation when we think about AI,' Koning told Fortune. 'We can think of this as a threat, which is that it's going to automate away a lot of these clerical jobs that might be held more by women. On the other hand, we can think of AI as automating a lot of this work, of allowing [workers] to take on tasks that might be higher paying, or that there might be more competition.' While Koning sees a path forward for workers to use AI to their benefit, he also sees a gender barrier: Women are using AI tools at an average 25% lower rate than men, his research found. There's not one clear reason for this disparity, Koning said, but one explanation outlined in a working paper co-authored by Koning is women are more concerned about the ethics of AI. Some fear they will be judged as cheating for using the technology or that leaning on AI tools will cause male colleagues to question their intelligence. 'Men seem to be much more confident—shall I say, overconfident—that, if they use AI, they'll still get all the benefits,' Koning said. The onus of changing who feels comfortable accessing AI falls not on the women workers, but on leaders in the workplace, Koning said. In many workplaces, workers, usually men, experiment with AI tools in the shadows. Even if an office doesn't have a license for or partnership with an AI company, its management should still set clear expectations and resources on how to use the technology, Koning suggested. 'If we want to make sure it's inclusive, it includes all workers, it's the job of a leader to bring everybody in,' he said. This story was originally featured on
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Poland detects foreign-funded election ads amid fears of Russian interference
Poland's National Research Institute (NASK) has detected an alleged attempt to influence the upcoming presidential election through political advertisements on Facebook, the agency said in a May 14 statement. The disclosure follows a warning from Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski, who on May 6 said Moscow was carrying out an "unprecedented" interference campaign. According to NASK, the political ads appear to be funded from abroad and were not linked to any registered election committee. Over the past week, the accounts behind these ads reportedly outspent all official campaign teams, targeting candidates across the political spectrum. "The actions were ostensibly to support one candidate and discredit others... The analysis indicates a possible provocation," NASK said. Investigations into the origin and financing of the ads are ongoing. The discovery adds to mounting concerns that Russia is executing a broad interference campaign in Poland's May 18 election, echoing similar efforts seen in Romania's 2024 vote. The election pits a range of candidates against each other, including Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, Poland 2050 leader Szymon Holownia, ruling Law and Justice party-backed Karol Nawrocki, and far-right candidate Slawomir Mentzen. Some contenders have been criticized for remarks or positions seen as aligning with Moscow's interests. Mentzen has ties to nationalist circles known for opposing Poland's pro-Western trajectory. Poland has been a frontline supporter of Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, providing Kyiv with military equipment, economic aid, and logistical support. Its firm pro-Ukrainian stance has made it a consistent target of Russian cyberattacks, propaganda, and sabotage operations. Read also: Exclusive: Ukraine eyes new sanctions on China, but Kyiv wary of peace talks fallout We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Times
14-05-2025
- Times
Is it safe to travel to Crete? Advice after Greece earthquake
An earthquake of magnitude 5.9 struck off the island of Crete in Greece — and was felt as far away as Egypt — in the early hours of Wednesday, May 14. No serious property damage was reported but the quake has prompted Greek authorities to issue a temporary tsunami warning. The quake was at a depth of 35 km (22 miles) near the island of Karpathos in the Mediterranean Sea, the Athens Geodynamic Institute said. Greece's Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection posted on X: ' … Move away from the coast immediately. Follow the instructions of Local Authorities.' Greece is one of Europe's most earthquake-prone countries and an unprecedented level of seismic activity shook the popular tourist island of Santorini for weeks earlier this year. If you have a trip planned, here's everything you need to know. The earthquake struck off the island of Crete in Greece on the early hours of Wednesday, May 14, with tremors also felt on the island of Rhodes. Greek authorities subsequently issued a temporary tsunami warning. Residents in Egypt also felt the quake, with the country's National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics reporting no casualties or property damage. Tremors were reportedly also felt in Cyprus, Israel, and Syria. The institute said it recorded a quake of 6.4 magnitude 431 km off Egypt's northern coasts. • Discover our full guide to Greece Greece's Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection advised residents and visitors to act in accordance with information from local authorities and to move away from the coast, although they did not specify which part of the coastline. While flights are still operating to Crete as usual, travellers should keep updated on the latest developments. At the time of writing, the UK Foreign Office has not updated its travel advice for Greece in light of the earthquake. In the absence of Foreign Office advice against non-essential travel, you are not automatically entitled to a refund under the Package Travel regulations. If you have booked with a travel agent or tour operator, you should call them to discuss your options. If you have booked directly, a refund is likely only if the flight is cancelled or your accommodation is closed. The more you paid for your insurance, the more likely it is that the policy includes cover for cancellation and curtailment due to natural disasters. Check your documents for more details. • Travel insurance guide: everything you need to know
