Tag Archives: choices

Minor Menu Changes Can Encourage Climate-Friendly Food Choices

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Recipes don’t necessarily need to be changed to encourage eco-friendly meal choices

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The innovative design of menus available at all times increases the likelihood of selecting healthy, climate-conscious food choices without altering recipes.

This technique lowered the carbon footprint of meals consumed by 300 individuals at the University of Bristol in the UK by a significant 300 people and reduced saturated fat content by 6%.

“We managed to attain these reductions without the consumers realizing it,” states team member Annika Flynn from the university.

Given that students typically received the same 15 meals each week, the only change was in the presentation of the meals. “We haven’t modified the recipes,” says Flynn. “Everything remains consistent; it’s merely about when the orders and meals are served.”

For instance, if beef lasagna is a favored choice and lentil curry is presented as a more sustainable and healthier alternative, many may still opt for the lasagna. However, if the lentil curry is offered alongside a less popular option, diners may be more likely to select the curry.

“Our observations indicate that most interventions encourage consumers to eat slightly more,” Flynn notes. “However, the likelihood of choosing specific foods or dishes primarily relies on the appeal of the options provided.”

The researchers then examined the menus at 12 National Health Services hospitals across the UK. They project that their methods could diminish the carbon footprint of NHS hospital foods by as much as 29% and cut saturated fat content by up to 32%.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjndtjslp4k

This approach to influencing decisions is termed “nudging.” This study was conducted in a subtle manner, without consumer awareness, as part of a larger initiative focused on sustainable nutrition, environment, and agriculture.

A stealthy strategy can complement efforts to motivate individuals to consciously select healthier or more eco-friendly food options, Flynn asserts. “We can implement both approaches.”

“The key is making it all work together,” comments Charlotte Hardman from the University of Liverpool in the UK. Providing an environment conducive to better choices makes it much simpler for people, she adds.

Flynn mentions her considerations for optimizing their approach, stating, “Ultimately, we aim to develop a user-friendly interface that enables catering providers to customize menus.”

Topics:

  • Climate change/
  • Food Science

Source: www.newscientist.com

This Cat-Related Parasite Might Be Influencing Your Poor Choices: Here’s How

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Parasites transmitted by cats may influence the behavior of nearly half of the global population, leading to riskier behaviors and increased aggression.

A recent review article aggregated various studies to emphasize the significance of considering both mental health and the physical consequences of parasite infections.

Reviews published in Frontiers of Psychiatry focus on the most prevalent parasitic infections affecting humans, particularly Toxoplasma gondii.

These parasites can enhance the production of dopamine, a hormone associated with feelings of pleasure, in the brain.

While increased dopamine may seem beneficial, it actually promotes detrimental behaviors, resulting in poor impulse control, heightened aggression, and an increase in risky sexual practices.

“The societal implications of these findings are significant,” the study notes. “The potential for behavioral modifications due to widespread infections of parasites like T. gondii highlights that such infectious diseases can lead to psychological and social challenges in addition to medical ones.”

“Particularly, the likelihood that these infections can intensify aggressive and impulsive behaviors raises vital considerations for understanding and preventing violence and behavioral disorders.”

It is estimated that 30-60% of the global population may be infected with T. gondii, though rates in the U.S. are significantly lower, around 10%.

Most healthy adults do not exhibit obvious physical symptoms, resulting in many infections going unnoticed.

The ultimate target for T. gondii – the cat’s digestive system. Image source: Getty Images/Artmarie

Cats are primary hosts for these parasites as they reproduce within the cat’s digestive system, forming egg-like structures known as oocysts.

Once cats excrete waste, these oocysts can contaminate the environment, infiltrating soil, water, and vegetation. Other animals, including the prey of cats like birds and rodents, may ingest them.

In a bid to return to a cat’s digestive tract, T. gondii has adapted to manipulate the brain chemistry of these prey species, making them less likely to escape and more likely to be consumed.

Humans primarily contract T. gondii through handling cat feces or consuming undercooked foods. Fortunately, there are simple measures to reduce the risk of infection.

  • Thoroughly wash your hands, knives, and cutting boards after handling raw food, especially meat.
  • Ensure that lamb, pork, venison, and other meats are cooked thoroughly.
  • Thoroughly rinse fruits and vegetables under running water.
  • Avoid unpasteurized milk and dairy products, especially goat milk.
  • Wear gloves while gardening.
  • Exercise caution and wash hands after cleaning the cat’s litter box.

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Researchers suggest that AI tools may soon have the ability to control individuals’ online choices

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Researchers at the University of Cambridge have found that artificial intelligence (AI) tools have the ability to influence online viewers into making decisions, such as what they purchase and who they vote for. The researchers from Cambridge’s Leverhulme Center for the Future of Intelligence (LCFI) are exploring the concept of the “intention economy,” where AI assistants can understand, predict, and manipulate human intentions, selling this information to companies for profit.

According to the research, the intention economy is seen as a successor to the attention economy, where social media platforms attract users with advertising. The intention economy involves technology companies selling information about user motivations, from travel plans to political opinions, to the highest bidder.

Dr. Johnny Penn, a technology historian at LCFI, warns that unless regulated, the intention economy will turn human motivation into a new form of currency, leading to a “gold rush” for those who sell human intentions. The researchers emphasize the need to evaluate the impact of such markets on free and fair elections, freedom of the press, and fair market competition.

The study highlights the use of large-scale language models (LLMs) in AI tools like ChatGPT chatbots, which can predict and guide users based on behavioral and psychological data. Advertisers in the attention economy can buy access to user attention through real-time bidding on ad exchanges or future advertising space on billboards.

In the intention economy, LLMs work with brokered bidding to leverage user data for maximum efficiency in achieving objectives, such as selling movie tickets. Advertisers can create customized online ads using generative AI tools, with AI models driving conversations across various platforms.

The research suggests a future scenario where companies like meta may auction off users’ intentions for activities like booking restaurants and flights to advertisers. AI models will adapt their output based on user-generated data, providing highly personalized formats. Tech executives have discussed the potential of AI models to predict user intent and behavior, highlighting the importance of understanding user needs and desires.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Improving the Outcomes of Life’s Big Choices: A Guide to Decision Making

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You could argue that LIFE is like a long game of blackjack. A common version of this is that each person is first dealt her two playing cards. The goal is to increase your hand to 21, or as close to this as possible without bursting. Players can either “stick” with their existing hand or “twist” it by requesting that they be dealt another card to add to their total. Of course, going over 21 risks being eliminated.

This may sound far from an everyday choice, but many of the most important decisions in our lives end up in dilemmas like this. Should I stay like this or should I take the plunge and move house? Should you keep your job or start your own business? Should you put up with an unsatisfactory relationship, or try your hand at love another time? In each case, we have to weigh the safety of what we have against riskier but potentially more valuable alternatives.

The uncertainty inherent in these dilemmas causes many of us to become paralyzed and stagnant in our analysis, ending up staying where we are and not giving ourselves a chance to win big. In contrast, some people are easily swayed by the lure of new things. They quickly turn to gambling until they lose everything due to impulsive behavior. If any of these scenarios sound familiar, help may be on the way. Thanks to a greater understanding of our underlying cognitive biases and how to escape them, we now have evidence-based strategies to think more rationally about these challenges, so we can put our lives on the line. Playing the game gives us the most benefit.

Source: www.newscientist.com

Top funding choices for mature startups

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“Entrepreneurs navigating the later stages of startup are faced with a mine of funding options, not all of which are suitable for their business,” said David Spreng, Founder and CEO of Runway Growth Capital. is writing.

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While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to financing, David explains some options to help you choose the right one for your business. For example, a strategic partnership may be a better fit and can often drive business growth. You also have the option of applying for government grants if it makes sense for your company.

thank you for reading!

Karin

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Image credits: Bryce Durbin/TechCrunch

Dear Sophie

My colleagues and I work at a large technology company. We have an idea that we would like to pursue for a startup. We both have H-1B visas. Our I-140 EB-2 green card petition has been approved, but we are waiting for our green card priority date to become current. How do I transfer my H-1B to a new startup? Can I transfer our green card to a new startup as well?

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Our resident pitch expert, Haje-Jan Kamps, trained an AI model on thousands of pitch decks. This tool analyzes your pitch deck and provides feedback. Of all the decks the tool analyzed, only 6% contained all the information the AI ​​robot was looking for. Haje offers some tips on how to fix common mistakes when putting together slides.

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Champ Suthipongchai, co-founder and general partner at Creative Ventures, writes that more conventional investors are starting to call themselves deep tech investors. Before choosing a deep tech fund manager, it’s a good idea to answer a few questions, such as: Does their investment approach make sense?

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CRM isn’t just for sales teams. Founders can use these tools to streamline their relationships with investors. A good CRM will help you track interactions, remind you to follow up, and generate detailed reports.

Source: techcrunch.com