We use AI for countless tasks in our daily lives, but different activities have different carbon footprints. Analyzing and creating content uses a lot more energy than a simple internet search, and we’re relying on AI for more of that over time. That isn’t good for our brains or the environment, especially since we’re building more fossil fuel-powered data centers to meet growing demand.
The human race has used cannabis for 5,000 years. But for the last (almost) 100, it has been vilified in the United States as a “gateway drug” that will “fry your brain.” Federal prohibitions have limited opportunities for the scientific community to study the benefits (not just the harms) of this plant, particularly when it comes to stress reduction and a healthier Endocannabinoid System.
Today we are surrounded by more information than we can process, and we are drawn to stories that align with what we want to be true. That has dire consequences during pandemics, when we rely on scientific data to save lives. Unfortunately, most humans don’t change their minds when confronted with facts, which is the primary education tactic for people in the sciences.
I had hoped my first bout with COVID-19 (during 2024’s “FLiRT” variants) would be my last. Unfortunately, 2025’s “Nimbus” caught up with me, landing me on the couch for many hours with nothing to do but research my adversary. It is more important than ever that we understand these increasingly transmissible COVID-19 variants, especially in an age of decreasingly reliable information online.
I’m trying to transition my wardrobe and home goods to all natural fibers, retiring items that have reached the end of their useful lives and buying responsibly to replace what I have to, when I have to. Although I probably could have managed with my uncomfortable pillow for a while longer, political events accelerated my switch to a comfortable and sustainable buckwheat hull pillow.
It’s not the end, but it is an end. The final debrief of our year together in the Climate Lab was bittersweet and carried with it intentions to pay our lessons forward into the world – collaborating with each other, if possible. For my part, I want to continue bridging gaps in knowledge and perspectives to co-create more equitable solutions to the climate crisis.
Rights are like muscles: use them or lose them. There are many reasons to feel apathetic about voting, but that’s no reason to sit it out. With that said, if you feel like voting isn’t making a difference, there are other ways to get involved too: that includes reaching out to your local, state, and federal representatives to let them know your concerns.
The 250th anniversary of the American Revolution (during unprecedented tumult in our democracy) has had many thinking about what it takes to stand up to tyranny. The rise and fall of authoritarian regimes can hinge on outside-the-box thinking and the presence of an educated populace armed with critical thinking skills and knowledge of history – and we saw a call for that this past week.
On this sixth anniversary of Radical Moderate, Pittsburgh’s signature manufacturing industry is at a crossroads. There is a path forward on which we can recognize the need for steel from an infrastructure standpoint, the need for jobs from an economic standpoint, the need for clean air from a public health standpoint, and the need for responsible decision-making to support all of those things.
Whether you love it or roll your eyes, the annual weather prediction from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania has its roots in European traditions marking the halfway point of Winter. Cleaning the house, burning candles, and observing changes in nature are all part of the holidays of Imbolc, St. Brigid’s Day, and Candlemas – a time when we remember that the dark days of winter will not last forever.