Browsed by
Month: June 2018

Dirty little secret: synthetic estrogen in our fish runs

Dirty little secret: synthetic estrogen in our fish runs

Comments 0 Comment

Putting a link to this research paper by Canadian scientists studying fish runs after a few folks asked about it. This is one study, there are others you can also find that show how all the synthetic and estrogenic substances in our personal care products, birth control pills, anti-depressants, etc are affecting fish development.

Municipal wastewaters are a complex mixture containing estrogens
and estrogen mimics that are known to affect the reproductive
health of wild fishes. Male fishes downstream of some wastewater
outfalls produce vitellogenin (VTG) (a protein normally
synthesized by females during oocyte maturation) and early-stage
eggs in their testes, and this feminization has been attributed to
the presence of estrogenic substances such as natural estrogens
[estrone or 17-estradiol (E2)], the synthetic estrogen used in
birth-control pills [17-ethynylestradiol (EE2)], or weaker estrogen
mimics such as nonylphenol in the water.

Read more here:
http://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/104/21/8897.full.pdf

Japan closes 80% of AirBnb’s and passes strict new laws

Japan closes 80% of AirBnb’s and passes strict new laws

Comments 0 Comment

Japan is cracking down hard on AirBnB. It just passed a new law to address minpaku (home shares) and 80% of Japan’s listed AirBnB’s have disappeared. As of next week, Japanese hosts have to register for permission to share their home with the federal government under the hotel and ryokan laws that promote fire and emergency safety. Hosts also won’t be able to rent out their homes for more than 180 days a year.

Japan now joins a growing trend from big cities limiting AirBnB as Parisian courts are also about to rule on the legality of more than 40,000 listings later this month.

I think this is a wonderful idea – and I hope it catches on here in the states. The sharing economy is a race to the bottom for workers and AirBnB contributes to already difficult and tight housing situations in major cities.

Futuristic US Currency

Futuristic US Currency

Comments 0 Comment

Andrey Avgust came up with a series of futuristic and beautiful designs for United States’ dollar bills. He came up with designs that utilize multiple layers of plastic, with serial numbers, QR codes and other details that are readable under UV light.

Pretty amazing – give the video a watch.