Edition 24 – Lens of Life, Scary Sugar, Phone Passports

Namaste! Introducing a refreshed look and feel for my newsletter and website, with a new home at iKartik.tech. Let me know what you think! Happy 2025!

New on my blog

How Photography Teaches Us to See Life Differently

True photography isn’t about capturing perfection — it’s about learning to see the world differently. Here’s what my lens has taught me about life.

iKartikKartik Chaturvedi

In a world of staged perfection and AI-generated art, what makes a photograph truly meaningful? It's not about rules or gear—it's about learning to see. Read my thoughts on how photography teaches us to find beauty in the mundane and meaning in the waiting.

The big stories

The Paper Passport Is Dying

Smartphones and face recognition are being combined to create new digital travel documents. The paper passport’s days are numbered—despite new privacy risks.

WIREDMatt Burgess

Paper passports, standardized after World War I, are being transformed as airports adopt face recognition and smartphone technology for travel. Singapore and Finland are leading trials of passport-free systems, with Singapore enabling residents to travel without physical documents. Digital travel credentials (DTCs) link passport data to phones, using face recognition to verify identities and potentially cutting airport wait times.

The technology is rapidly expanding beyond airports, with India's Digi Yatra system planning to extend to hotels and historical monuments in 2025. This shift promises more efficient travel, but there are privacy concerns. Therefore, it is important that countries adopt global and open standards to ensure data protection and transparency.

Added Sugar Is Probably a Bigger Problem In Your Diet Than You Think - Triathlete

A look at the science of what added sugar does to your health, plus simple tricks to scale back.

Vegetarian TimesMatthew Kadey

The average American diet gets 17% of its calories from added sugars, surpassing the WHO's 5% recommendation and the U.S. Dietary Guidelines' 10% limit. About 75% of packaged foods have hidden sugars, even in items like pasta sauce and whole-grain bread. Excessive sugar intake is linked to health issues like depression, heart disease, and cancer. The article suggests strategies to reduce sugar intake: check nutrition labels, choose naturally sweet foods, and measure portions carefully.

Elephants talk to family and friends using individual ‘names’

Wild elephants have exhibited a rare ability among animals: communicating with others in their social circle using individual ‘names.’ The new research suggests that their human-like communication may mean elephants are capable of complex thought.

New AtlasGeorge Wittemyer/CSU

Scientists found that wild African elephants use unique vocal labels similar to human names, unlike other animals that simply mimic signature sounds. This points to elephants' sophisticated communication and complex social structures. The discovery suggests elephants have creative, abstract thinking, offering insights into the evolution of complex communication in social species.

Noise from traffic stunts growth of baby birds, study finds

Researchers also find zebra finches 20% less likely to hatch from eggs if exposed to noise pollution

The GuardianSofia Quaglia

Researchers found that traffic noise negatively affects zebra finches, starting before birth and continuing into adulthood. Eggs exposed to traffic sounds were 20% less likely to hatch, and the hatchlings were smaller with increased DNA stress. These birds produced less than half the offspring of birds unexposed to those sounds, suggesting urban noise pollution severely impacts wildlife.

Extended exposure to high noise levels can cause stress, sleep issues, cardiovascular problems, and disrupt development and mental health, lowering life quality. Urban planners and policymakers must urgently prioritize noise reduction to protect human and wildlife health.

More interesting links

Toilet flush tests reveal just how nasty it is to leave the lid up

When it comes to toilet etiquette, do you put the lid down before you flush or leave it up? If you said leave it up, the results of a new study by researchers at the Asan Medical Center in South Korea might have you questioning your practices.

New AtlasDepositphotos

It’s Official: Boring Cities Are Bad for Your Health

Oppressive, unstimulating urban architecture isn’t just about eyesores; there’s evidence that it can cause actual harm to its residents. To fix this in 2025, we must start building for joy.

WIREDThomas Heatherwick

The Magnetic North Pole Has Officially Changed Position

It’s time to recalibrate the navigation systems on ships, airplanes, and (given the time of year) Santa’s sleigh: the position of the magnetic North Pole is officially being changed, continuing its shift away from Canada and towards Siberia.

ScienceAlertDavid Nield

Quote of the week

"A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others."
~ President Jimmy Carter