Feedback brings the latest science and technology updates from New Scientist, covering cutting-edge developments. To share items that might captivate our readers, email Feedback@newscientist.com.
Ring of Power
Feedback often seeks the perfect gift for Mrs. Feedback, a challenging endeavor considering her penchant for ordering books before discovering they even exist.
This is why I found myself momentarily fascinated by what’s referred to as “smart jewelry.” Picture wearable tech like Fitbit or Apple Watch that tracks heart rates and more.
Recently, South China Morning Post noted: luxury brands such as Gucci, Hermès, Tag Heuer, and Vertu are merging Silicon Valley technology with exquisite European craftsmanship. For instance, there’s the Gucci×Ouura Ring, which elegantly incorporates health-monitoring tech to track sleep, heart rate, temperature, activity, and more. However, it’s a limited edition, with used items on eBay starting at £390 and going up from there.
Feedback might suggest that at least one method is misdirected. As blue sky user Zack Pizzaz highlighted on social media, wedding rings that monitor every emotion and movement of their wearers could very well belong in the realm of dystopian fiction—something reminiscent of a Margaret Atwood story. However, is there really a business proposing that couples exchange smart rings to keep tabs on each other?
Ah, perhaps it’s not a mistake; a company is indeed suggesting just that. Based on your relationship dynamics, you may or may not have heard of the dating app RAW, which encourages users to send only unfiltered photos to fend off catfishing. Now, they are launching a spinoff called Raw Ring, which features AI with a heart rate and temperature sensor, plus audio tracking.
According to co-founder Marina Anderson, the ring “functions like a fingertip vest, tracking heart rate, temperature, and connection levels with your partner. When something happens, you’re in the know.” As reported on her profile, she believes that such emotional surveillance could enrich relationships.
Or as the Raw Ring website boldly states, “Marriage will evolve, and so will loyalty. Sacred vows will become digital. Raw’s mission? To make true love traceable.”
We mentioned this to Mrs. Feedback, who firmly stated that purchasing one of these items would lead to divorce and leave you to seek comfort elsewhere—perhaps a book token will suffice.
Think Big
Here’s another headline, this time from the UK talk radio station LBC: ‘Green Party Deputy Leader Zack Polanski admitted to using hypnosis in the past to “enhance” women’s breasts. Apparently, back in 2013, Polanski worked at a hypnotherapy clinic in London where hypnosis was employed to assist women in acquiring larger breasts, as reported by the Sun under their sensational headlines: Tit-Notised. Polanski has since apologized for this portion of his career.
Aside from tackling the ethics of this practice, neuroscientist Dean Burnett expressed his intrigue on the matter, wondering if there are potential mechanisms within the psyche—akin to how drivers can’t help but be fascinated by accidents. After all, the link between mind and body is so profound that our mental state can influence our immune response and gut health. Burnett referenced cases such as pseudocyesis, where a woman genuinely believes she is pregnant, displaying symptoms without being so.
If you think Polanski might be onto something, think again. Burnett points out that this reasoning is a prime example of “how easy it is to construct a compelling claim through selective cherry-picking of data.” He continues to explain that hypnosis is not powerful enough to serve as a reliable method for breast augmentation.
Additionally, if hypnosis were genuinely so effective, wouldn’t women with new breasts also produce milk?
Heroin and Chips
On the theme of dubious correlations (as discussed in Feedback, July 5th), Martin Kautchmann has spotlighted Tyler Bigen’s entertaining site, tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations, which catalogues correlations that lack real significance. For instance, UFO sightings in Rhode Island correlate beautifully with the success rates of climbing Mount Everest, while Iowa City’s air quality saw a decrease in lockstep with the number of library technicians.
Such correlations may seem absurd, but they can be amusing. Barry Dexter recalls a statement he used in his teaching: “All heroin addicts started with milk.”
Lastly, Dan Salmons shares his experience working with a “well-known credit card company” during the introduction of Chip and Pin technology, stating, “I demonstrated to my colleagues that the quantity of cards in circulation correlated strongly with the prices of potatoes and steel,” says Dan. “Naturally, this is precisely what one would anticipate.”
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