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AI use cases are going to get even bigger in 2025

Over the past two years, generative AI has dominated tech conversations and media headlines. Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Midjourney, and Sora captured imaginations with their ability to create text, images, and videos, sparking both excitement and ethical debates. However, artificial intelligence goes far beyond generative AI—which is just a subset of AI—and its associated models. AI’s real promise lies in its ability to address complex challenges across diverse industries, from military technology to cybersecurity, medicine, and even genome sequencing. As we move into 2025 and beyond, the question isn’t whether AI use cases will expand—it’s how big and transformative they’ll get. MILITARY TACTICS AND INTELLIGENCE Few sectors stand to gain more from AI advancements than defense. “We are witnessing a surge in applications like autonomous drone swarms, electronic spectrum awareness, and real-time battlefield space management, where AI, edge computing, and sensor technologies are integrated to enable faster responses and enhanced precision,” says Meir Friedland, CEO at RF spectrum intelligence company Sensorz. Friedland notes that recent conflicts, particularly in Ukraine and across the Middle East, have highlighted critical vulnerabilities in military operations, from tactical to strategic levels—a factor he says will drive the adoption of AI use cases in the military. While Axios said in April that AI hit trust hurdles with the U.S. military, Friedland notes that with the rise of global tensions and defense budgets at an all-time high, “we can expect significant investment in AI to maintain a combat edge.” For Friedland, the defense sector’s growing embrace of innovation from startups like Palantir and Anduril reflects how AI is going to increasingly change things across the global defense sector. CRACKING THE CODE OF LIFE The healthcare sector is witnessing a sharp rise in AI-driven innovation, especially in precision medicine and genome sequencing, transforming how diseases are understood and treated. For many years, scientists and medical professionals have been trying to understand human DNA in an attempt to crack the code that powers life as we know it. Now, with new AI models like GROVER, they have a real chance at getting closer to that goal, Science Daily reports. “AI is transforming genome sequencing, enabling faster and more accurate analyses of genetic data,” Khalfan Belhoul, CEO at the Dubai Future Foundation, tells Fast Company. “Already, the largest genome banks in the U.K. and the UAE each have over half a million samples, but soon, one genome bank will surpass this with a million samples.” But what does this mean? “It means we are entering an era where healthcare can truly become personalized, where we can anticipate and prevent certain diseases before they even develop,” Belhoul says. Genome banks, powered by AI, are facilitating the storage and retrieval of vast amounts of genetic data, which can be analyzed to identify patterns and predispositions to certain diseases. Beyond diagnostics, AI is playing a pivotal role in drug development, accelerating the discovery of therapies for complex diseases. By analyzing genetic mutations and environmental factors, AI enables researchers to design treatments tailored to individual patients. “These tools are not only improving outcomes but also reducing costs and timelines associated with traditional medical research,” says Belhoul. BUSINESS COMMUNICATION INTELLIGENCE Today, businesses swim in a vast ocean of applications—spanning email, messaging apps like WhatsApp and iMessage, and collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams—that eventually make communication fragmented and often get important details lost in silos. But AI agents like LeapXpert’s patented Maxen are solving this challenge by combining external messaging channels with enterprise platforms to deliver what Dima Gutzeit, founder and CEO at LeapXpert, describes as “communication intelligence.” While Maxen is similar to Microsoft Copilot—which works only within the Microsoft product suite for now—it’s differentiated in its ability to integrate with multiple communications platforms, including WhatsApp, iMessage, and Microsoft Teams. Gutzeit explains that Maxen is an extension of the LeapXpert Communications Platform (which unifies and governs communication channels) and uses AI to provide relationship managers with real-time insights into client interactions. While that’s commendable, he notes that we haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of how AI will transform business communication. “2025 will see the rise of AI assistants tailored for enterprise needs, focusing on unifying communication data and driving actionable insights. Compliance and security AI will evolve further, flagging suspicious activity in real time and reinforcing trust in digital interactions,” Gutzeit says. AI’s role in business communication isn’t just about boosting efficiency. It’s also helping enterprises navigate the growing complexity of data governance and regulatory compliance. For Gutzeit, the future of AI in communication will combine privacy-first AI, compliance, and actionable insights, enabling businesses to thrive in a digitally interconnected world. AI-POWERED CYBERSECURITY OPERATIONS AI operates on both the offensive and defensive sides of the cybersecurity equation. One classic example is how cybercriminals used AI-generated deepfake technology to impersonate a company executive in Hong Kong, tricking him into transferring several millions of U.S. dollars. But in response to such threats, companies are deploying AI-driven anomaly detection tools like Darktrace and Vectra AI that monitor network traffic to detect and respond to irregular patterns. Alex Yevtushenko, CEO at Salvador Technologies, highlights the dual nature of AI in this space: “On the one hand, AI enables expansive behavioral analysis and anomaly detection, improving efficiency and speeding up threat detection. On the other, cybercriminals are leveraging AI to launch more sophisticated attacks.” A growing and worrisome trend is the use of AI for polymorphic malware—a type of malware that shapeshifts its codes, making it difficult to detect. Attackers are also deploying AI for large-scale phishing campaigns, voice cloning, and social engineering attacks. “National and other critical infrastructures, often reliant on legacy systems, are particularly vulnerable,” Yevtushenko warns. AI’s ability to automate malicious code generation and exploit vulnerabilities amplifies these risks. Yevtushenko emphasizes the importance of resilience strategies to combat these threats, noting that organizations, especially critical infrastructure operators and industrial enterprises, must invest in robust recovery systems that enable rapid restoration of operations. Salvador Technologies, for example, offers a platform that ensures operational continuity and facilitates rapid recovery, bypassing traditional protocols to minimize downtime. Speaking about major AI trends to expect in the coming year, Yevtushenko says that 2024 has illustrated that “AI, although not a technology that just emerged, is a hugely useful tool that can become a ‘game changer’ in many fields.” He says that in 2025 “we will see more and more AI-based systems and tools in everyday cybersecurity-based operations, empowering business decision-makers to make the right kind of decisions with the ultimate goal to increase overall security.” WHAT LIES AHEAD? The potential for AI extends far beyond the use cases dominating today’s headlines. As Friedland notes, “AI’s future lies in multi-domain coordination, edge computing, and autonomous systems.” These advancements are already reshaping industries like manufacturing, agriculture, and finance. In manufacturing, for example, AI-powered robotics is enhancing productivity and reducing waste by optimizing workflows. Take Machina Labs, which uses the latest advances in robotics and AI to build the next generation of factories for the manufacturing industry. Meanwhile, in the agricultural field, precision AI tools are helping farmers monitor crop health, predict yields, and conserve resources. A great example is CropX, which uses AI-powered algorithms to aggregate data from the soil and sky, then transform it into useful insights that help farmers monitor the health of their fields and crops. In finance, AI is improving fraud detection, enabling smarter investment strategies, and automating routine tasks, with companies like CertifID, Hawk AI, Riskified, and others using AI to detect and mitigate fraud at scale. As we move further into the decade, the consensus by many experts is that AI will increasingly take over routine tasks, freeing human experts to focus on complex challenges that require nuanced decision-making. Emerging technologies like quantum computing and hardware acceleration are also expected to supercharge AI’s capabilities, enabling more powerful models and faster decision-making processes. “AI will become more useful for decision-making in the C-suite,” says Belhoul, who also predicts that “we may see the first AI board member of a Fortune 500 company next year.”

Over the past two years, generative AI has dominated tech conversations and media headlines. Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Midjourney, and Sora captured imaginations with their ability to create text, images, and videos, sparking both excitement and ethical debates. However, artificial intelligence goes far beyond generative AI—which is just a subset of AI—and its associated models. AI’s real promise lies in its ability to address complex challenges across diverse industries, from military technology to cybersecurity, medicine, and even genome sequencing. As we move into 2025 and beyond, the question isn’t whether AI use cases will expand—it’s how big and transformative they’ll get. MILITARY TACTICS AND INTELLIGENCE Few sectors stand to gain more from AI advancements than defense. “We are witnessing a surge in applications like autonomous drone swarms, electronic spectrum awareness, and real-time battlefield space management, where AI, edge computing, and sensor technologies are integrated to enable faster responses and enhanced precision,” says Meir Friedland, CEO at RF spectrum intelligence company Sensorz. Friedland notes that recent conflicts, particularly in Ukraine and across the Middle East, have highlighted critical vulnerabilities in military operations, from tactical to strategic levels—a factor he says will drive the adoption of AI use cases in the military. While Axios said in April that AI hit trust hurdles with the U.S. military, Friedland notes that with the rise of global tensions and defense budgets at an all-time high, “we can expect significant investment in AI to maintain a combat edge.” For Friedland, the defense sector’s growing embrace of innovation from startups like Palantir and Anduril reflects how AI is going to increasingly change things across the global defense sector. CRACKING THE CODE OF LIFE The healthcare sector is witnessing a sharp rise in AI-driven innovation, especially in precision medicine and genome sequencing, transforming how diseases are understood and treated. For many years, scientists and medical professionals have been trying to understand human DNA in an attempt to crack the code that powers life as we know it. Now, with new AI models like GROVER, they have a real chance at getting closer to that goal, Science Daily reports. “AI is transforming genome sequencing, enabling faster and more accurate analyses of genetic data,” Khalfan Belhoul, CEO at the Dubai Future Foundation, tells Fast Company. “Already, the largest genome banks in the U.K. and the UAE each have over half a million samples, but soon, one genome bank will surpass this with a million samples.” But what does this mean? “It means we are entering an era where healthcare can truly become personalized, where we can anticipate and prevent certain diseases before they even develop,” Belhoul says. Genome banks, powered by AI, are facilitating the storage and retrieval of vast amounts of genetic data, which can be analyzed to identify patterns and predispositions to certain diseases. Beyond diagnostics, AI is playing a pivotal role in drug development, accelerating the discovery of therapies for complex diseases. By analyzing genetic mutations and environmental factors, AI enables researchers to design treatments tailored to individual patients. “These tools are not only improving outcomes but also reducing costs and timelines associated with traditional medical research,” says Belhoul. BUSINESS COMMUNICATION INTELLIGENCE Today, businesses swim in a vast ocean of applications—spanning email, messaging apps like WhatsApp and iMessage, and collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams—that eventually make communication fragmented and often get important details lost in silos. But AI agents like LeapXpert’s patented Maxen are solving this challenge by combining external messaging channels with enterprise platforms to deliver what Dima Gutzeit, founder and CEO at LeapXpert, describes as “communication intelligence.” While Maxen is similar to Microsoft Copilot—which works only within the Microsoft product suite for now—it’s differentiated in its ability to integrate with multiple communications platforms, including WhatsApp, iMessage, and Microsoft Teams. Gutzeit explains that Maxen is an extension of the LeapXpert Communications Platform (which unifies and governs communication channels) and uses AI to provide relationship managers with real-time insights into client interactions. While that’s commendable, he notes that we haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of how AI will transform business communication. “2025 will see the rise of AI assistants tailored for enterprise needs, focusing on unifying communication data and driving actionable insights. Compliance and security AI will evolve further, flagging suspicious activity in real time and reinforcing trust in digital interactions,” Gutzeit says. AI’s role in business communication isn’t just about boosting efficiency. It’s also helping enterprises navigate the growing complexity of data governance and regulatory compliance. For Gutzeit, the future of AI in communication will combine privacy-first AI, compliance, and actionable insights, enabling businesses to thrive in a digitally interconnected world. AI-POWERED CYBERSECURITY OPERATIONS AI operates on both the offensive and defensive sides of the cybersecurity equation. One classic example is how cybercriminals used AI-generated deepfake technology to impersonate a company executive in Hong Kong, tricking him into transferring several millions of U.S. dollars. But in response to such threats, companies are deploying AI-driven anomaly detection tools like Darktrace and Vectra AI that monitor network traffic to detect and respond to irregular patterns. Alex Yevtushenko, CEO at Salvador Technologies, highlights the dual nature of AI in this space: “On the one hand, AI enables expansive behavioral analysis and anomaly detection, improving efficiency and speeding up threat detection. On the other, cybercriminals are leveraging AI to launch more sophisticated attacks.” A growing and worrisome trend is the use of AI for polymorphic malware—a type of malware that shapeshifts its codes, making it difficult to detect. Attackers are also deploying AI for large-scale phishing campaigns, voice cloning, and social engineering attacks. “National and other critical infrastructures, often reliant on legacy systems, are particularly vulnerable,” Yevtushenko warns. AI’s ability to automate malicious code generation and exploit vulnerabilities amplifies these risks. Yevtushenko emphasizes the importance of resilience strategies to combat these threats, noting that organizations, especially critical infrastructure operators and industrial enterprises, must invest in robust recovery systems that enable rapid restoration of operations. Salvador Technologies, for example, offers a platform that ensures operational continuity and facilitates rapid recovery, bypassing traditional protocols to minimize downtime. Speaking about major AI trends to expect in the coming year, Yevtushenko says that 2024 has illustrated that “AI, although not a technology that just emerged, is a hugely useful tool that can become a ‘game changer’ in many fields.” He says that in 2025 “we will see more and more AI-based systems and tools in everyday cybersecurity-based operations, empowering business decision-makers to make the right kind of decisions with the ultimate goal to increase overall security.” WHAT LIES AHEAD? The potential for AI extends far beyond the use cases dominating today’s headlines. As Friedland notes, “AI’s future lies in multi-domain coordination, edge computing, and autonomous systems.” These advancements are already reshaping industries like manufacturing, agriculture, and finance. In manufacturing, for example, AI-powered robotics is enhancing productivity and reducing waste by optimizing workflows. Take Machina Labs, which uses the latest advances in robotics and AI to build the next generation of factories for the manufacturing industry. Meanwhile, in the agricultural field, precision AI tools are helping farmers monitor crop health, predict yields, and conserve resources. A great example is CropX, which uses AI-powered algorithms to aggregate data from the soil and sky, then transform it into useful insights that help farmers monitor the health of their fields and crops. In finance, AI is improving fraud detection, enabling smarter investment strategies, and automating routine tasks, with companies like CertifID, Hawk AI, Riskified, and others using AI to detect and mitigate fraud at scale. As we move further into the decade, the consensus by many experts is that AI will increasingly take over routine tasks, freeing human experts to focus on complex challenges that require nuanced decision-making. Emerging technologies like quantum computing and hardware acceleration are also expected to supercharge AI’s capabilities, enabling more powerful models and faster decision-making processes. “AI will become more useful for decision-making in the C-suite,” says Belhoul, who also predicts that “we may see the first AI board member of a Fortune 500 company next year.”

Hurricane-Force Winds Bear Down on California, Latest in Stretch of Extreme Weather

California has been hit hard by extreme weather over the past several weeks

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Record-setting flooding over three days dumped more than a foot of rain on parts of northern California, a fire left thousands under evacuation orders and warnings in Los Angeles County, forecasters issued the first-ever tornado warning in San Francisco and rough seas tore down part of a wharf in Santa Cruz.All of this extreme weather has hit California in the past several weeks, showcasing the state’s particular vulnerability to major weather disasters. Strong storms Tuesday produced waves that forecasters said could reach 35 feet (10.7 meters) around Santa Cruz. The National Weather Service issued a high surf warning until early evening, cautioning people to stay out of the ocean and away from piers. For Chandler Price, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego, these extreme weather events are both typical and unusual for a La Niña winter, a natural climate cycle that can cause extreme weather across the planet. In California, it means a wetter than average northern region and a drier south. “So far we’ve seen that pattern play out pretty well,” he said, but added, “obviously, you know, the tornado in the Bay Area was atypical. ... We haven’t seen that before, at least not for a very long time.”A storm and wind gusts of up to 60 mph (96 kph) prompted the San Francisco tornado warning that extended to neighboring San Mateo County, which went out to about 1 million people earlier this month. The tornado overturned cars and toppled trees and utility poles near a mall in Scotts Valley, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) south of San Francisco, injuring several people. Tornadoes do occur in California, but they rarely hit populated areas.In San Francisco, local meteorologists said straight-line winds, not a tornado, felled trees onto cars and streets and damaged roofs. The storm also dumped significant snow across the northern Sierra Nevada. F. Martin Ralph, director of the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, said climate change means that atmospheric rivers, long stretches of wet air that can produce heavy rains, will be responsible for a greater share of California’s yearly precipitation and the periods in between those big events will be drier. These storms are essential for the water supply but can also be dangerous.“When they are too strong and too many in a row, we end up getting floods,” he said, adding that they drive California’s weather extremes.During storms this week around Santa Cruz, one man was trapped under debris and died and another person was pulled into the ocean. The surf also splintered off the end of a Santa Cruz municipal wharf that was under construction, plunging three people into the ocean. One swam to shore and the other two were rescued. A series of atmospheric rivers are expected through the rest of the week. Overall, this pattern is not unusual — these storms regularly produce high winds, heavy snow in the mountains and torrential rain this time of year.“What’s a little unique about this setup is how closely spaced they are, so there’s not much of a break between them,” said David Lawrence, a meteorologist and emergency response specialist with the National Weather Service.But these storms haven’t stretched very far south, creating dry weather in Southern California that increases fire risk.One of the state’s most recent blazes, the Franklin Fire left some 20,000 people under evacuation orders and warnings and forced students at Pepperdine University to shelter in place. The blaze was fueled by the Santa Anas, the notorious seasonal winds that blow dry air from the interior toward the coast, pushing back moist ocean breezes.Most of the destruction occurred in Malibu, a community on the western corner of Los Angeles known for its beautiful bluffs and the Hollywood-famous Zuma Beach. The fire damaged or destroyed 48 structures and is one of nearly 8,000 wildfires that have scorched more than 1 million acres (more than 404,685 hectares) in the Golden State this year. The Santa Ana winds, which peak in December, have also contributed to warmer-than-average temperatures in parts of the southern state, said Price with the National Weather Service. “Eighty-degree (26.7 Celsius) Christmases are not entirely uncommon around here,” he added, but “there was a couple of high temperature record breaks in the mountains, which are usually less affected by the Santa Anas, and so those were a little unusual.” Phillis reported from St. Louis.Associated Press writers Martha Mendoza and Stefanie Dazio contributed to this story.The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment.Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See - Sept. 2024

Patagonia’s Ties to a Dark-Money Operation Bankrolling Democratic Candidates

A mysterious group linked to Patagonia has been accused of making what appear to be illegal “straw donor” contributions. The post Patagonia’s Ties to a Dark-Money Operation Bankrolling Democratic Candidates appeared first on The Intercept.

The newest front in dark money’s war on election transparency shares an address with Patagonia, according to a new complaint. The outdoor clothing company known for its high quality, high prices, and liberal leanings may have funded illegal campaign donations over the summer, a watchdog group alleged this month. The Campaign Legal Center has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging that a mysterious corporation made $1.4 million in what appear to be illegal “straw donor” contributions to funds supporting Democratic candidates within days of its creation. The ultimate source of the money was likely Patagonia, the Campaign Legal Center says. The complaint is the second of its kind this year involving Patagonia, raising fresh questions about whether left-leaning donors at ideological odds with “dark-money” groups on the right should resort to similar tactics. For Saurav Ghosh, the director of federal campaign finance reform at the nonpartisan, nonprofit Campaign Legal Center, the donations also highlight the need for swifter action from the FEC, which has yet to take action against another alleged “straw donor” that made donations to a right-wing Senate candidate two years ago. “The amounts of money involved, the brazenness of setting up a company and making a seven-figure contribution almost immediately — it shows that this tactic is alive and well, and I don’t see any reason for that to change unless the FEC starts enforcing the law and dishing out penalties,” Ghosh said. Ties to Patagonia Neither Patagonia nor the entity in question, Save our Home Planet Action, responded to requests for comment. But to hear the Campaign Legal Center tell it, linking them together was a straightforward detective job. Save Our Home Planet Action was incorporated in Delaware on August 6. Within 10 days, it began doling out money to campaign organizations: $450,000 to the Senate Democratic campaign fund, $425,000 to the League of Conservation Voters Victory Fund, $450,000 to House Democrats, $50,000 to a super PAC supporting Kamala Harris, and $50,000 to a committee supporting Democrats in state races. Why would a newborn company go on a campaign spending spree? Ghosh alleges that the answer lies in a web of evidence tying Save Our Home Planet Action to Patagonia. Save Our Home Planet Action uses the same mailing address, and its name also matches a slogan that Patagonia has used in marketing materials and on clothing for years. “These circumstances plainly suggest that Patagonia and/or one or more of its owners, executives, or employees may, in fact, be the unknown true source(s) that provided sufficient funds to SOHPA for it to contribute over $1.4 million while concealing their identities,” the Campaign Legal Center complaint states. Corporate filings in California unearthed by The Intercept indicate that Save Our Home Planet Action has the same CEO, Greg Curtis, as the Holdfast Collective, a nonprofit organization that owns 98 percent of Patagonia. Curtis, who did not respond to a request for comment, previously worked as corporate counsel for Patagonia. The Holdfast Collective was created under the direction of Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard in 2022. Using what the trade publication Inside Philanthropy called “a complex and unconventional structure,” Holdfast and a network of affiliated trusts redistribute money earned from Patagonia sales to environmental causes. “That might work for environmental causes, but it undermines the transparency the law requires for money spent influencing elections.” The California filings reinforce the theory that Patagonia is the ultimate source of the contributions, Ghosh said. “Curtis’s involvement here, alongside his role as the CEO of the Holdfast Collective, is interesting, since it suggests that SOHPA was designed to operate in a similar vein — namely, the distribution of corporate profits to finance philanthropy. That might work for environmental causes, but it undermines the transparency the law requires for money spent influencing elections,” Ghosh said. Steering corporate profits to super PACs and campaign committees aimed at boosting environmental causes would not run afoul of federal laws. The nonprofits associated with Patagonia, which are known as social welfare groups and are legally allowed to make campaign donations, have disclosed spending money on conservation projects and even on a Democratic super PAC before. But using what are known as “straw donors” — people or corporations designed to mask the original source of funds — to make campaign contributions would be illegal. Such entities often argue that they are legitimate corporations that just happened to have enough money to make big donations, Ghosh said. According to the complaint, there is “reason to believe” that “unidentified person(s)” violated straw donor laws, and that Save Our Home Planet Action did the same when it “knowingly permitted its name to be used to effect contributions of one or more other persons in its own name.” The complaint says the FEC “should find reason to believe” that straw donor laws were violated “and conduct an immediate investigation” under its enforcement powers. A Growing Pattern? In its complaint with the FEC, the Campaign Legal Center notes that Save Our Home Planet Action does not appear to maintain a website or a social media presence, leaving the reason for its creation something of a mystery. Patagonia has long worn its politics on its sleeves — and once on a tag stitched into the rear of a pair of shorts, which read “Vote the assholes out.” In the case of Save Our Home Planet Action, however, much of the money went to committees such as the House Majority PAC and the Senate Majority PAC, which supported some candidates with views at odds with the environmental movement, such as supporters of fracking in Pennsylvania and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Meanwhile, the nonprofit that owns most of Patagonia, the Holdfast Collective, was already under scrutiny in the form of a February FEC complaint from the conservative group Americans for Public Trust for allegedly misidentifying the source of political contributions. Patagonia has previously stated that the errors in that case could have been on the part of the entities that received the money. Caitlin Sutherland, that group’s executive director, told The Intercept she was still waiting for a determination from the FEC. The election commission, which is supposed to act as watchdog for violations of campaign finance law, is deadlocked along partisan lines and notoriously reluctant to take action. These days, many of the biggest donations to federal campaigns are routed through what are known as “dark-money” groups, which take advantage of the federal tax code to wrap their donors in anonymity. Although liberals have been far more critical of developments in campaign finance that opened the spigots on corporate spending, there are dark-money groups operating from both the left and the right to influence American politics, ranging from the Koch brothers network to George Soros. “These corporate entities and other ‘social welfare’ nonprofits have extremely smart lawyers to figure out how to game the system,” said Aaron Scherb, the senior director of legislative affairs at Common Cause, a nonprofit group pushing for more disclosure. “That, combined with an FEC in which half the commissioners refuse to enforce disclosure laws, ends up yielding a very unhealthy system in which voters can’t fully understand in many cases who is trying to influence their votes.” While the Campaign Legal Center believes alleged “straw donor” groups should be investigated because the donations appear to be illegal, the FEC has been slow to crack down on them. Two years ago, Ghosh’s group filed an FEC complaint against an alleged straw donor called the Leadership Action Fund, which sent more than $600,000 to a Republican Senate candidate in Oklahoma. The Campaign Legal Center is still waiting on a response, Ghosh said. Increasingly, he believes, corporations are making a “risk calculation” of whether to follow the law or to violate it. “There’s the upside, in their mind, of not disclosing their political spending, and then the potential downside, which is really quite minimal. These schemes in most cases will either go undetected or unpunished,” he said. The post Patagonia’s Ties to a Dark-Money Operation Bankrolling Democratic Candidates appeared first on The Intercept.

Toxic “forever chemicals” could be entering your body from smart watch bands, study finds

New research finds toxins used to make some brands of smart watch wrist straps are able to seep through the skin

Most people who own a smart watch or fitness watch use a band made of synthetic rubber to hold the device on their wrist. Although the bands are designed to feel comfortable against the skin, a recent study in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters found that they may be harmful. This is due to the substances they are made from — known as fluoroelastomers — which can contain large quantities of a dangerous so-called “forever chemical” known as perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA); it is unclear the extent to which this can be absorbed through the skin. PFHxA belongs to a classification of industrial products known as per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which do not biodegrade and resist breaking down after exposure to water and light, hence the nickname forever chemicals. They have been linked to extreme health problems like cancer, high blood pressure and infertility. Despite these risks, PFAS are widely used in products like non-stick cookware, umbrellas, cosmetics, furniture, cleaning chemicals, water-resistant fabrics and stain-resistant coatings. PFHxA specifically is commonly used in pizza boxes, rain jackets, firefighting foam and waterproofing sprays. While the scientists behind the study weren’t originally looking for PFHxA, the forever chemical “was the most frequently detected compound” within the 22 watch bands analyzed across numerous brands and price points. Lead author Graham F. Peaslee, a physicist at the University of Notre Dame, told Salon that the researchers had not even been aware that PFAS were used in the watch bands until they saw a full-page ad touting them for being made of fluoroelastomer. "The good news is that the consumer can opt for alternative wrist bands to avoid potential PFAS exposure risks." “We realized that the general public didn't recognize fluoroelastomers as a type of PFAS,” Peaslee said. “Like all other forms of polymeric PFAS, we suspected that these materials would also have ‘other’ PFAS readily available together with the fluoropolymer, and we searched for 20 common PFAS.” That’s when they found the surprisingly high concentrations of PFHxA, a forever chemical that can enter the body after being eaten, inhaled, consumed through drinking or absorbed through the skin. “This was unique in the sense that it was the first time we had found only one PFAS, and that it was at such high concentrations — much higher than we typically find in consumer products,” Peaslee said. While the scientists didn’t test this with humans, they still reported that the high levels of PFAS in these products “poses an opportunity for significant transfer to the dermis [skin] and subsequent human exposure. Additionally, several of these watch bands were advertised as ‘sports and fitness’ monitors, implying that the wearer may be exercising with them, which means additional sweat contact and open skin pores.” Want more health and science stories in your inbox? Subscribe to Salon's weekly newsletter Lab Notes. Importantly, Peaslee noted that this is one instance in which a forever chemical was not necessary to include as an ingredient. “There were many wrist bands available that don't use PFAS and without concern for the toxic shorter-chain PFAS that can be in direct contact with the consumer's skin,” Peaslee said. “The good news is that the consumer can opt for alternative wrist bands to avoid potential PFAS exposure risks.” He added, “It is just a question of knowing that they are present — and it is possible to avoid those with fluoroelastomer materials.” In addition to PFHxA, the nearly endless varieties of PFAS include perfluorooctanoic sulfonic acid (PFOS), hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA, commonly known as GenX Chemicals), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). As of 2019, there were more than 4,700 documented PFAS, even though most of them perform the same basic function — making products more resistant to stains, grease and other kinds of damage. According to Dr. Anna Reade, senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), chemical engineers have created this wide variety of forever chemicals to engage in a practice known as “regrettable substitution.” When certain forever chemicals face increased regulation or notoriety, manufacturers try to have their cake and eat it too (often successfully) by swapping out the specifically banned compound for a slightly different alternative. "There are two really good examples that are supported by just a ton of evidence now," Reade told Salon in July, mentioning the two different PFAS known as PFOA (which was used to make teflon) and PFOS (which was used to make Scotchgard). "When those came under scrutiny, one of the big substitutions was to use a four-carbon version of PFOS instead,” Reade said. “What they did was they just used a different chain length, exactly the same molecule, but just a shorter version of it, a smaller version." The final result was that "they switched to that and said it was safe because there wasn't any data on it," Reade said. The practice of engaging in regrettable substitution is still prevalent today.

EPA approves pilot project to make road out of radioactive material in Florida

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a pilot project that would allow a company to build a small road made out of a radioactive fertilizer byproduct — drawing environmentalist ire. The Biden administration's approval allows Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC to construct a road made of phosphogypsum on its property in New Wales, Fla.  Phosphogypsum contains...

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a pilot project that would allow a company to build a small road made out of a radioactive fertilizer byproduct — drawing environmentalist ire.  The Biden administration's approval allows Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC to construct a road made of phosphogypsum on its property in New Wales, Fla.  Phosphogypsum contains radium, which decays to form radon gas, both of which are radioactive and can cause cancer, according to the agency. In the past, the agency has raised concerns about the use of this material in road building. It said in 1992 that use of phosphogypsum in road construction created risks for both construction workers and also anyone who later builds a home where the phosphogypsum road had once been.  The agency now says that members of the public are not expected to come into contact with the road. However, Mosaic, which will build the road, has described the effort as part of a pilot project that will “demonstrate the range of … road construction designs.” It’s not clear if additional road construction will follow — though doing so would likely require further approvals.  Ragan Whitlock, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a written statement that the EPA’s decision was “mind-boggling.” “That dramatically increases the potential for harm to our road crews and water quality,” Whitlock said. “The EPA has bowed to political pressure from the phosphate industry and paved the way for this dangerous waste to be used in roads all over the country.” In 2020, under the Trump administration, the EPA approved the use of phosphogypsum in government road construction.  That approval was withdrawn under the Biden administration, which described it as a broad, generalized request. It’s not clear whether the incoming Trump administration will seek to reinstate it.  Typically, phosphogypsum is held in “stacks” as part of an attempt to limit public exposure, though this approach has also spurred environmental concerns — particularly in states like Florida that are prone to storms. In approving the road plan, the EPA said that it was "as protective of human health as placement in a stack."

What should we eat to give us better, healthier skin

From carotenoids to vitamins C and E and minerals such as selenium, here are the most important nutrients to slow skin damage

A multicoloured diet can lead to a brighter complexionColdsnowstorm/Getty Images Your skin is under constant assault. Exhaust fumes, cigarette smoke, particulate pollution, heavy metals and ozone can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that attack DNA, rupture cell membranes and unravel life’s essential proteins. Perhaps the most harmful are UV rays, which generate ROS as well as disrupting DNA directly. The human body can mop up ROS and neutralise them, but it needs molecules found in fruit, vegetables and leafy greens to do so. Carotenoids are among the nutrients that have been most extensively studied for these benefits. These are the pigments that give the likes of pumpkins their bright colour. “They are very good antioxidants and they are particularly good at neutralising singlet oxygen [a type of ROS],” says Jean Krutmann at the Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine in Düsseldorf, Germany, who recently analysed 50 years of data from human clinical trials involving carotenoid supplements. “The carotenoids catch them and neutralise them before they can do damage.” These substances are best at protecting against longer wavelengths found in UVA light. UVA penetrates the deepest layers of the skin, generating ROS that can cause skin ageing, wrinkling and cancers. Carotenoids can’t prevent the direct DNA damage caused by the rays themselves though, meaning they can’t be considered a replacement for sunscreen. Good dietary sources include carrots and tomatoes. To get the greatest benefits, however, Krutmann recommends taking carotenoids as a nutritional supplement, especially if you drink alcohol, which depletes antioxidants in your skin. Nutrients for skin Besides carotenoids,…

El Salvador overturns metals mining ban, defying environmental groups

President Nayib Bukele pushed for the legislation that will grant government sole authority over mining activitiesEl Salvador’s legislature has overturned a seven-year-old ban on metals mining, a move that the country’s authoritarian president, Nayib Bukele, had pushed for to boost economic growth, but that environmental groups had opposed.El Salvador became the first country in the world to ban all forms of metals mining in 2017. Bukele, who took office in 2019, has called the ban absurd. Continue reading...

El Salvador’s legislature has overturned a seven-year-old ban on metals mining, a move that the country’s authoritarian president, Nayib Bukele, had pushed for to boost economic growth, but that environmental groups had opposed.El Salvador became the first country in the world to ban all forms of metals mining in 2017. Bukele, who took office in 2019, has called the ban absurd.All 57 of Bukele’s allies in the Central American country’s 60-seat legislature voted for the president’s legislation to overturn the ban.The legislation will grant the Salvadoran government sole authority over mining activities within the country’s land and maritime territory.“By creating a law that puts the state at the center, we are guaranteeing that the population’s wellbeing will be at the center of decision making,” the lawmaker Elisa Rosales, from Bukele’s New Ideas party, said in a speech to the legislature.The legislation does prohibit the use of mercury in mining, and seeks to declare some areas incompatible with metals mining as protected nature reserves.El Salvador’s economy is expected to grow 3% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund, but it has a heavy debt burden that hit a level of around 85% of gross domestic product earlier this year.Bukele, who enjoys wide popularity among voters after a sweeping gang crackdown, has touted mining’s economic potential for the country of roughly 6 million people.By locking up more than 1% of the population, Bukele has turned one of Latin America’s most violent countries into one of its safes – but human rights organisations have documented arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, torture and massive violations of due process.The president shared on social media last month that studies conducted in just 4% of Salvadoran territory where mining is possible had identified gold deposits worth some $132bn, equivalent to about 380% of El Salvador’s gross domestic product.“This wealth, given by God, can be harnessed responsibly to bring unprecedented economic and social development to our people,” Bukele wrote at the time.Dozens of people protested on Monday near Congress against the reauthorization of mining, arguing that future projects could affect the communities and ecosystem of the smallest country in Central America.“We oppose metals mining because it has been technically and scientifically proven that mining is not viable in the country,” the environmentalist Luis Gonzalez told reporters.“The level of contamination that would be generated in the water, soil and biodiversity is unacceptable for life as we know it.”

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