#EnvironmentalImpact

As artificial intelligence reshapes work, learning, and everyday life, a notable segment in Thailand questions or limits its adoption. AI tools, from chat assistants to smart recommendations, are increasingly influential. Yet many Thai readers see value in preserving human creativity, mindful energy use, and genuine social connections. This perspective reflects broader concerns about automation’s impact on jobs and culture, and how technology fits Thailand’s unique society.

Global momentum around AI is clear. Generative AI now attracts billions of monthly interactions, signaling a rapid shift in how people access information and craft content. For Thailand, the reach of digital technology—from Bangkok’s smart-city ambitions to remote-commerce—means AI is familiar but carries distinctive implications for local livelihoods and daily life.

In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT and their rivals are reshaping the workplace, education, and even leisure activities, a notable segment of individuals are actively choosing to resist – or at least question – this digital transformation. As AI becomes an invisible hand guiding everything from web searches to music recommendations, the reluctance to embrace it reflects deeper concerns about human creativity, environmental costs, and the fabric of genuine social connection BBC News.

Recent research from an Arizona State University computer science expert has sparked new discussion over the hidden costs of interacting politely with artificial intelligence platforms like ChatGPT—raising questions that resonate beyond the United States, especially as Thailand increasingly embraces AI technologies in education, customer service, and public administration. According to an associate professor at the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence at Arizona State University, every seemingly simple interaction with a chatbot—whether it involves typing “please,” “thank you,” or engaging in more elaborate exchanges—triggers complex computations within vast neural networks, consuming significant resources and energy (KTAR News).

Recent research from a computer science expert at Arizona State University highlights a surprising fact: polite interactions with AI chatbots consume real resources. This insight matters beyond the United States as Thailand expands AI in education, customer service, and public administration. The researcher explains that even simple prompts—such as “please” or “thank you”—trigger complex computations in large neural networks, driving energy use and environmental impact. The finding comes as global tech leaders stress the need for sustainable AI practices.

A recent study from a leading university reveals a startling estimate: the average human brain may contain microplastics comparable to five plastic bottle caps. The discovery raises urgent questions about health risks as tiny particles increasingly permeate environments and human bodies.

Researchers report that brain samples collected in 2024 contained nearly 50% more microplastics than samples from eight years earlier. On average, about seven grams of plastic—roughly the weight of a disposable spoon—was found in brain tissue. Notably, individuals with dementia showed higher levels, suggesting a possible link with a more permeable blood-brain barrier that struggles to remove toxins.

In an unsettling revelation, a recent study by the University of New Mexico has uncovered that the average human brain may now contain microplastics equivalent to five plastic bottle caps. This discovery has sparked significant concern about potential health implications as these tiny plastic particles increasingly permeate our environment and, disturbingly, our bodies.

The groundbreaking study revealed that brain samples taken in 2024 contained nearly 50% more microplastics than those found just eight years earlier. On average, an astonishing seven grams of plastic, roughly the weight of a disposable spoon, was discovered in human brain tissue. Of particular concern is the finding that individuals with dementia had higher microplastic levels in their brains, potentially due to a more porous blood-brain barrier that is less effective at removing toxins.

Microplastics are tiny plastic fragments smaller than 5 millimeters that pervade our environment and increasingly enter human bodies. Recent research in the United States found microplastics in autopsy brain tissue, highlighting the particles’ ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in organs. While the full health impact remains under study, these findings add to growing evidence of widespread exposure since earlier research in 2016.

The relevance for Thailand is clear. As Thai consumers increasingly enjoy processed foods and rely on plastic packaging, the risk of microplastic contamination rises. Data from various international studies indicate that a large share of protein-rich foods, including seafood popular in Thai cuisine, contain microplastics, with processed products showing higher levels. Given Thailand’s long coastline and seafood-centric diet, this issue has local resonance. Breaded shrimp and other commonly eaten items have shown notable microplastic presence in some analyses.

Microplastics, the tiny plastic fragments under 5 millimeters in diameter, have emerged as pervasive pollutants in our ecosystem, infiltrating even human bodies. Recent studies in New Mexico have discovered microplastics in autopsy samples from human brains, revealing an alarming capacity to breach the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in our tissues. This breakthrough, initially reported on in 2024, underscores the escalating presence of microplastics, which has significantly increased compared to studies conducted in 2016. Despite the omnipresence of these particles, which originate from the breakdown of larger plastic items and are distributed through environmental pathways such as landfills and water systems, the full extent of their impact on human health remains uncertain.

As climate change intensifies its grip on our planet, it brings with it an unexpected and potent consequence for millions worldwide: the exacerbation of pollen allergies. The recent article from BBC Future delves into how climate-driven thunderstorms are enhancing these allergies, posing a significant threat to public health. This alarming trend, highlighted by experts, is not just a seasonal inconvenience but a potential catalyst for extreme allergy events that affect vulnerable populations globally.

Allergic sufferers face a mounting challenge as climate change drives longer, more intense pollen seasons. A recent examination of the topic explains how weather changes—especially thunderstorm events—can fragment and intensify pollen, increasing respiratory risks for vulnerable populations. This is not merely a seasonal nuisance but a public health concern requiring attention from health authorities and communities alike.

The most well-known example dates to Melbourne in November 2016, when a thunderstorm burst released trillions of pollen particles into the air. Rain and lightning broke pollen into smaller, more potent fragments, which returned to earth and overwhelmed many people’s lungs. Emergency services were stretched thin, and ten lives were lost. This event underscored the clear link between climate dynamics and respiratory health. Experts from reputable institutions have emphasized that such events may become more common as weather patterns shift.

A new scientific breakthrough shows Spirulina can be bioengineered to produce biologically active vitamin B12, a nutrient previously limited to animal-based foods. The study, led by Dr. Asaf Tzachor of Reichman University and supported by Discover Food, involves a collaboration with researchers from Iceland, Denmark, and Austria. They cultivated a photonic process that yields a photosynthetically controlled Spirulina biomass rich in active vitamin B12, offering a carbon-neutral, plant-based source with levels comparable to beef.

In a groundbreaking development with vast potential to reshape global nutrition and food sustainability, a team of scientists has successfully bioengineered Spirulina to produce biologically active vitamin B12, typically found only in animal products. This advancement is highlighted in new research from Discover Food and spearheaded by Dr. Asaf Tzachor from Reichman University in collaboration with scientists from Iceland, Denmark, and Austria. This coalition has effectively cultivated a photosynthetically controlled form of Spirulina that provides a carbon-neutral, nutrient-rich biomass with active vitamin B12 levels comparable to those in beef.

A new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health reveals that wildfire smoke affects mental health beyond its known respiratory risks. Researchers report a clear link between exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from wildfires and more emergency department visits for mental health conditions. The finding arrives as wildfires become more frequent and severe worldwide, highlighting a complex public health challenge.

Published in JAMA Network Open, the study breaks new ground by examining short-term mental health effects of wildfire-specific PM2.5. While past research has focused on lungs and heart, this work shows that mood disorders, anxiety, and depression can worsen with wildfire smoke exposure. Lead author Kari Nadeau, a Harvard professor, notes that smoke itself contributes to mental health struggles, beyond the trauma of fires.