Tickling the nerves: Why crime content is popular

Why young adults consume media content about serial killers: Evidence from Russia

National Research University Higher School of Economics

Consumers of content about serial killers watch and read it to experience intense emotions that are often lacking in everyday life and to understand the reasons that drive people to commit crimes. However, such content does not contribute to increased aggression. These conclusions were drawn by sociologists from HSE University. The results of their study have been published in Crime, Media, Culture: An International Journal.

Research on the modern media market shows that content about serial killers is popular worldwide, spanning films, true crime series, short videos, and written materials detailing crimes, investigations, and the biographies of those involved.

English sociologist Abby Bentham and Canadian sociologist Kevin Haggerty note that people perceive stories about serial killers as a form of entertainment that allows them to experience intense emotions. Canadian sociologist and philosopher Ryan Broll suggests that this is also a way for individuals to escape their own real-life problems.

However, some have expressed concerns that an obsession with stories about serial killers could lead to increased violence. To explore this question, researchers from HSE—Oksana Mikhailova, Darya Osokina, Lev Lyubich, and Ekaterina Gulina—conducted a series of in-depth interviews to study the motives driving Russian youth to consume crime content. A total of 26 young men and women aged 18 to 36 from 14 Russian cities were interviewed.

The main questions revolved around what type of media content about serial killers they liked, how they discovered it, and what they considered when choosing a film, video, or podcast. The respondents included fans of fictional TV shows, series, documentaries, true crime podcasts, books, popular science articles, videos, and social media posts.

The researchers focused specifically on the motives for consuming media content rather than its impact on the audience. The responses indicate that interest in violent content is not driven by a desire to witness violence itself and does not provoke a desire to commit violence in real life.

The study identified two types of motives driving the consumption of content about serial killers: cognitive and emotional. Cognitive motives involve a desire to understand the motives of criminals, linking their actions to childhood trauma, psychological problems, and other factors. This helps viewers better understand the causes of human behaviour. On the other hand, content about serial killers provides a way to experience intense emotions, often compensating for a lack of excitement in everyday life.

Oxana Mikhaylova

‘Interest in stories about serial killers, whether in the form of series or podcasts, is not a sublimation of cruelty. The respondents did not justify the actions of serial killers. On the contrary, they stated that such crimes should be prevented,’ notes Oksana Mikhailova, Research Fellow at the Centre for Modern Childhood Research at HSE’s Institute of Education.

The researchers emphasise that interest in such narratives is usually driven by curiosity and a search for new experiences. These findings could help psychologists develop support programmes for young people experiencing emotional hunger or stress.

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Journal

Crime Media Culture An International Journal

DOI

10.1177/17416590241290434 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Why young adults consume media content about serial killers: Evidence from Russia

Innovative treatment for parasites affecting 1.5 billion people shows safety and superior efficacy in phase II-III trial

The novel drug, a fixed-dose combination of albendazole and ivermectin, seeks to offer a better tool against soil-transmitted helminths and help endemic countries reach the control goals set in WHO's 2021-2030 Roadmap for Neglected Tropical Diseases

Mundo Sano España

 

video: 

Video animation explains the importance of the results of this phase II/III clinical trial in advacing a novel drug that can help achieve the control goals set by WHO's 2021-2030 Roadmap for the intestinal parasites known as soil-transmitted helminths (STH)

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Credit: STOP2030.org

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Journal

The Lancet Infectious Diseases

DOI

10.1016/S1473-3099(24)00669-8 

Method of Research

Randomized controlled/clinical trial

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Albendazole–ivermectin co-formulation for the treatment of Trichuris trichiura and other soil-transmitted helminths: a randomised phase 2/3 trial

Article Publication Date

10-Jan-2025

New tablet shows promise for the control and elimination of intestinal worms

The ALIVE clinical trial shows that a tablet combining albendazole and ivermectin is safe and more effective than albendazole alone in treating soil-transmitted helminths

Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)

A new tablet combining albendazole and ivermectin is safe and more effective than albendazole alone in treating Trichuris trichiura and other soil-transmitted helminths (STH), according to a clinical trial conducted by the STOP consortium and led by the Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by “la Caixa” Foundation. The findings, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, open opportunities to improve the control of these neglected tropical infections, which affect around 1.5 billion people worldwide.

Soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH) are caused by four species of parasitic worms (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and the hookworms Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus) that are transmitted through contact with contaminated soil or water. They have a significant impact on nutrition and health, particularly in children and women of reproductive age living in endemic areas of Latin America, Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

The current STH control strategy relies on regular deworming treatments with albendazole for at-risk populations, along with improvements in water, sanitation, and hygiene. Albendazole is highly efficient against Ascaris but its efficacy against T. trichiura has been declining, probably due to emerging drug resistance. Additionally, albendazole is not effective against Strongyloides stercoralis, another helminth that has been added to the list of intestinal parasites requiring control measures.

A new tablet

To address these gaps, the EDCTP-funded STOP consortium tested an innovative tablet combining a fixed dose of albendazole and ivermectin. Ivermectin has been shown to be more effective against T. trichiura when combined with albendazole, and is the drug of choice to treat S. stercoralis and other parasitic infections.

“This fixed-dose co-formulation (FDC) has several advantages. It is easy to administer, as it is one single pill and does not require dose adjustments based on the child’s weight,” explains project leader Jose Muñoz, ISGlobal researcher and Head of the International Health Service at Hospital Clinic Barcelona. “Also, we hope that combining two drugs with different mechanisms of action will reduce the risk of the parasites becoming drug-resistant,” he adds.

One clinical trial in three African countries

The ALIVE clinical trial, conducted in Ethiopia, Kenya and Mozambique, tested the safety and efficacy of the FDC in school-aged children (aged 5 to 18 years) infected with T. trichiura, hookworms, S. stercoralis or a combination. The children were randomly divided into three treatment groups: group 1 received a single dose of albendazole; group 2 received one dose of the FDC (FDCx1); and group 3 received three doses of the FDC (FDCx3) over three consecutive days.

Safety first

Phase 2 of the trial focused on safety. A small number of participants were recruited and treated sequentially according to weight, to monitor any adverse effects caused by higher-than-usual doses of ivermectin (above 200 µg/ml). No serious adverse effects were observed, and side effects were similar to those in the albendazole group. This allowed the trial to proceed to phase 3, where efficacy was assessed in a much larger number of participants, alongside continued safety monitoring.

In total, 4,353 children were screened for STH infections and 1,001 were randomised for treatment. Of those infected, 63% were positive for T. trichiura, 36% for hookworms and 10% for S. stercoralis.

Higher efficacy against T. trichiura and hookworms

Treatment efficacy was assessed based on cure rates (absence of eggs in stool samples post-treatment) and reduction in the number of eggs in stool compared to before the treatment. For T. trichiura, the FDC achieved higher cure rates at both regimens (97% for FDCx3, 83% for FDCx1) compared to albendazole alone (36%). For hookworms, the FDCx3 regimen showed a higher cure rate (95%), while the FDCx1 regimen was similar to albendazole (79% and 65% respectively). For S. stercoralis, the sample size was too small to assess efficacy, but the existing evidence suggests that the FDC would also be more effective, since ivermectin is far more effective than albendazole against this parasite.

Although most infections were classified as light, both FDC regimens achieved higher egg reduction rates than albendazole alone.

Implications for public health

“This is a pivotal trial that opens up the possibility of controlling all species of STH, including Strongyloides, and may lead to reconsider elimination goals that were deemed unattainable with albendazole alone,” says Alejandro Krolewiecki, clinical trial coordinator. The next step is to conduct larger-scale studies, such as the ongoing trial led by STOP2030, to further evaluate the safety of the FDC in the context of mass deworming campaigns.

Defining optimal implementation strategies will also be essential if the FDC is to be adopted by national programmes. The trial findings suggest that a single-dose regimen of the FDC may be simple to apply in mass deworming activities, while the three-day regimen, which offers superior efficacy, may be better for individual treatment decisions, or for programmes aiming to completely eliminate STH from the population.

"With its child-friendly formulation – orodispersable and mango-flavored - and its high acceptance, this tablet holds great potential for advancing health outcomes in regions affected by these diseases," says Stella Kepha, researcher from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI).

Reference

Krolewiecki A, Kepha S, Fleitas PE et al. Albendazole–ivermectin co-formulation for the treatment of Trichuris trichiura and other soil-transmitted helminths: a randomised phase 2/3 trial. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(24)00669-8 

Funder

The STOP project was supported by the EDCTP2 program (grant number RIA2017NCT-1845 and PSIA2020-3072) www.stoptheworm.org

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Journal

The Lancet Infectious Diseases

DOI

10.1016/S1473-3099(24)00669-8 

Method of Research

Randomized controlled/clinical trial

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Albendazole–ivermectin co-formulation for the treatment of Trichuris trichiura and other soil-transmitted helminths: a randomised phase 2/3 trial

Article Publication Date

10-Jan-2025

COI Statement

JA is an employee of Laboratorios Liconsa. All other authors declare no competing interests.

 21st CENTURY ALCHEMY

$1.9M NIH grant will allow researchers to explore how copper kills bacteria

With antibiotic resistance on the rise, a University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson laboratory is on a mission to discover new ways to neutralize harmful microorganisms.

University of Arizona Health Sciences

 

image: 

University of Arizona Health Sciences researcher Michael Johnson, PhD, an associate professor of immunobiology, said he hopes his work on how copper interacts with bacteria could someday lead to a next-generation antibiotic.

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Credit: Photo by Nicole Swinteck, U of A College of Medicine – Tucson Department of Immunobiology

TUCSON, Arizona — A researcher at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson received a $1.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue his research into uncovering the mysteries of copper – specifically, how it can be harnessed to kill harmful bacteria and other microorganisms.
 
“We started using copper tens of thousands of years ago to cut down on bacterial infections,” said Michael D.L. Johnson, PhD, an associate professor of immunobiology. “People used to store their food in copper pots, which helped cut down on spoilage. Copper doorknobs have been shown to cut down on hospital-acquired infections. We’re still finding more things it can do.”
 
Johnson said he hopes one of these potential new uses could form the backbone of a next-generation antibiotic; however, to build a solid foundation for the pharmaceutical research, his lab aims to learn more about what makes copper toxic to bacteria in the first place. The research is being made possible by an R35 grant, which is reserved for scientists with outstanding research records and the potential to make major contributions to their fields.
 
Using Streptococcus pneumoniae as a model organism, Johnson and his team will attempt to learn what makes bacterial cells vulnerable to copper.
 
“It’s a pretty prominent pathogen. More than a million people die per year because of these bacteria,” he said, referring to the bacteria that can cause infections in the lungs, brain, nose and blood. “Our laboratory is interested in trying to figure out how it ticks. Our way of doing that is to understand how it gets its nutrition.”
 
The human body uses minerals such as iron and calcium, which we get from our diets, to keep bodily processes running. Bacteria are no different in that they need minerals to function, but copper, which is essential in the human diet, can be toxic to bacteria.
 
“There are certain minerals that bacteria don’t want in excess, and that’s where copper comes into play,” said Johnson, who is a member of the BIO5 Institute. “There are a lot of ways we can weaponize copper. We’re trying to study how our body uses copper as a mechanism to kill pathogens.”
 
Johnson believes that by flooding bacteria’s environment with excess copper, researchers may be able to trick them into building essential proteins with the wrong materials.
 
“Copper can displace iron, manganese or other metals and inactivate the protein,” he said. “It would be like me trying to start my wife’s car with my key. It doesn’t work.”
 
Johnson will build on his previous studies investigating how S. pneumoniae reacts to copper and complement parallel studies performed in his lab to learn more about copper as an antimicrobial. He said his goal is to untangle exactly what makes copper toxic to S. pneumoniae and use that information to draw conclusions about similar bacteria.
 
“All bacteria are different, but there are some mission-critical systems that are the same from bacteria to bacteria. How they process some of these metals is almost identical,” he said. “What I’m studying can be applied to other bacteria, but first we need to understand the basic mechanism of how these things work.”
 
Johnson said that while new antibiotics are slow to be developed and approved, antibiotic resistance is on the rise among pathogens, meaning that infections that were once easily cured with medicine could someday be deadly again. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers antibiotic resistance a danger to public health, with drug-resistant S. pneumoniae classified as a “serious threat.”
 
“Bacteria are quite crafty. They will mutate to overcome antibiotics,” Johnson said.
 
“Our bodies have evolved to use copper to kill bacteria, and to this day, copper is still toxic. We want to take advantage of that to help people with life-threatening infections.”
 
This research is supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, a division of the National Institutes of Health, under award no. R35GM128653.

 

Dangerous bacterial biofilms have a natural enemy

Discovery could help prevent infections

University of California - Riverside

 

image: 

Microscopy images of bacteria strains, one, top, producing fimbriae as normal and one with high level of MEcPP unable to produce the fimbriae. 

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Credit: Jingzhe Guo/UCR

If your teeth have ever felt fuzzy after skipping a brushing, you’ve encountered biofilm—a slimy bacterial layer that clings to surfaces. In medical settings, biofilms make infections harder to treat when they form protective shields for bacteria on devices like catheters and implants. 

UC Riverside scientists have now discovered a chemical that plants produce when they're stressed prevents biofilm from forming. The breakthrough offers potential advances in healthcare as well as preventing equipment corrosion in industrial settings. 

“In simple terms, biofilms are communities of microorganisms, like bacteria or fungi, that stick together and form a protective layer on surfaces,” said Katayoon Dehesh, distinguished professor of molecular biochemistry at UCR, and corresponding author of a study about the discovery. 

“You’ve probably seen them as the slimy layer on river rocks or the plaque on your teeth. While they’re a natural part of many ecosystems, biofilms can cause big problems.”

The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, highlights the importance of a particular metabolite, which is a molecule produced during life-sustaining chemical reactions inside plants, as well as bacteria and even some parasites, like the one that causes malaria.

In plants, this metabolite, MEcPP, plays a critical role not only in producing essential compounds but also in stress signaling. For example, when a plant is damaged in some way and too much oxygen enters its cells, it accumulates MEcPP. This molecule then triggers protective responses within the plant. The researchers discovered that this same molecule has a surprising effect on bacteria like E. coli: it disrupts biofilm development by interfering with its ability to attach to surfaces.

In medical settings, biofilms grow on devices like catheters, stents, or implants, making infections harder to treat because the microbes in biofilms are highly resistant to antibiotics. In industrial contexts, they clog pipes, contaminate food processing equipment, and cause corrosion.

“By preventing the early stages of biofilm development, this molecule offers real potential to improve outcomes in any industries reliant on clean surfaces,” Dehesh said.

Bacteria rely on hair-like structures called fimbriae to anchor themselves to surfaces, a critical step in biofilm initiation. Fimbriae help bacteria latch onto medical implants, pipes, or even teeth, where they secrete a protective matrix that shields them from antibiotics and cleaning agents. Without fimbriae, biofilm formation cannot begin.

“Biofilms are like fortresses for bacteria,” said Jingzhe Guo, UCR project scientist and first author of the paper. “By disrupting the initial phase of attachment, MEcPP essentially disarms the bacteria’s ability to establish these fortresses.”

Through genetic screenings of more than 9,000 bacterial mutants, the research team identified a key gene called fimE, which acts as an "off switch" for fimbriae production. MEcPP enhances the activity of this gene and increases the expression of fimE. This, in turn, prevents the bacteria from producing fimbriae and forming biofilms.

“Our discovery could inspire biofilm prevention strategies across a wide range of industries,” Guo said. “From cleaner water systems to better dental care products, the possibilities are immense.”

Biofilms are not only a medical concern but also a costly problem in industrial settings. They contribute to clogged pipelines, corroded machinery, and contamination in food processing facilities. Traditional methods for managing biofilms often rely on harsh chemicals or expensive treatments, which can be harmful to the environment or ineffective over time as bacteria adapt.

“This study is a testament to the unexpected connections between plant biology and microbiology,” Guo said. “It’s thrilling to think a molecule that plants use to signal stress might one day help humans combat bacterial threats.”

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Journal

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-024-54501-w 

Article Title

An evolutionarily conserved metabolite inhibits biofilm formation in Escherichia coli K-12

 

New fossil discovery sheds light on the early evolution of animal nervous systems

Groundbreaking research uncovers the origins of the ventral nerve cord in early moulting animals

Queen Mary University of London

An international team of scientists has uncovered a fascinating piece of the evolutionary puzzle: how the ventral nerve cord, a key component of the central nervous system, evolved in ecdysozoan animals, a group that includes insects, nematodes, and priapulid worms. Their findings, published in Science Advances, provide valuable insights into the origins of these structures in the basal Cambrian period. 

The research team, comprising Dr Deng Wang (Northwest University), Dr Jean Vannier (Université de Lyon), Dr Chema Martin-Durán (Queen Mary University of London), and Dr María Herranz (Rey Juan Carlos University), analysed exceptionally well-preserved fossils from key Cambrian deposits. These fossils include representatives of the early-evolving Scalidophora, a subgroup of Ecdysozoa, offering a rare glimpse into the nervous system architecture of ancient animals. 

Ecdysozoans include arthropods (such as insects and crabs), nematodes (roundworms), and smaller groups like kinorhynchs (“mud dragons”) and priapulids (“penis worms”). Their central nervous systems, which include the brain and ventral nerve cord, have long intrigued scientists seeking to understand the evolutionary relationships between these groups. 

For example, priapulids exhibit a single ventral nerve cord, while loriciferans and kinorhynchs have paired nerve cords, with kinorhynchs also developing paired ganglia. Did the ancestral ecdysozoan have a single or paired ventral nerve cord? Furthermore, while loriciferans and kinorhynchs share a similar nervous system design with arthropods, they are phylogenetically distant. Are these similarities the result of convergent evolution, or do they reflect a shared evolutionary origin? 

Scalidophorans, which include priapulids, loriciferans, and kinorhynchs, first appeared in the early Cambrian. They represent a crucial lineage for investigating the evolutionary trajectory of the ventral nerve cord in ecdysozoans. By studying fossils from the Fortunian Kuanchuanpu Formation (e.g., Eopriapulites and Eokinorhynchus), the Chengjiang Biota (e.g., Xiaoheiqingella and Mafangscolex), and the Wuliuan Ottoia prolifica, the researchers identified elongate structures running along the ventral side of these ancient organisms. 

“These structures closely resemble the ventral nerve cords seen in modern priapulids,” explained Dr Deng Wang and Dr Jean Vannier. Their analysis indicates that these fossils preserve impressions of single ventral nerve cords, shedding light on the likely ancestral condition for scalidophorans. 

Phylogenetic analysis supports the hypothesis that a single ventral nerve cord was the ancestral condition for scalidophorans. Moreover, the evolutionary grouping of nematoids and panarthropods (a clade that includes arthropods, tardigrades, and onychophorans) suggests their common ancestor also likely had a single nerve cord. 

“This leads us to propose that the common ancestor of all ecdysozoans possessed a single ventral nerve cord,” said Dr Chema Martin-Durán. “The paired nerve cords observed in arthropods, loriciferans, and kinorhynchs likely evolved independently, representing derived traits.” 

The study also highlights a connection between the evolution of paired ventral nerve cords, ganglia, and body segmentation. Loriciferans, kinorhynchs, and panarthropods exhibit varying degrees of body segmentation, suggesting that these structural changes may have co-evolved with nervous system modifications. 

Dr María Herranz noted, “The emergence of paired nerve cords likely facilitated greater coordination of movement, particularly in segmented animals. During the Precambrian-Cambrian transition, changes in the nervous and muscular systems were likely tied to the development of appendages, enabling more complex locomotion.” 

This groundbreaking discovery enriches our understanding of ecdysozoan evolution and underscores the role of the fossil record in addressing key questions about early animal development. By linking nervous system structures to broader evolutionary trends, the study provides a clearer picture of how the diverse ecdysozoan lineages arose and adapted to their environments. 

ENDS  

This press release is based on an article 'Preservation and early evolution of scalidophoran ventral nerve cord', published in Science Advances.   
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adr0896 
URL: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adr0896  

For more information on this release, to receive a copy of the paper or to speak with Dr Chema Martin-Durán, please contact Ilyana Zolotareva at Queen Mary University of London at i.zolotareva@qmul.ac.uk.  

About Queen Mary University of London    

At Queen Mary University of London, we believe that a diversity of ideas helps us achieve the previously unthinkable. Throughout our history, we’ve fostered social justice and improved lives through academic excellence. And we continue to live and breathe this spirit today, not because it’s simply ‘the right thing to do’ but for what it helps us achieve and the intellectual brilliance it delivers. 

Our reformer heritage informs our conviction that great ideas can and should come from anywhere. It’s an approach that has brought results across the globe, from the communities of east London to the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. We continue to embrace diversity of thought and opinion in everything we do, in the belief that when views collide, disciplines interact, and perspectives intersect, truly original thought takes form. 

Visit qmul.ac.uk to find out more. 

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Journal

Science Advances

DOI

10.1126/sciadv.adr0896 

Method of Research

Imaging analysis

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Preservation and early evolution of scalidophoran ventral nerve cord

Article Publication Date

10-Jan-2025

 

Breakthrough study reveals unexpected cause of winter ozone pollution

Eurasia Academic Publishing Group

Researchers from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, alongside mainland collaborators, have uncovered an unexpected phenomenon: severe wintertime ozone (O₃) pollution in Lanzhou, China, driven primarily by alkene emissions from local petrochemical industries. Traditionally associated with warm weather and strong solar radiation, hourly O₃ levels exceeding 100 ppbv were recorded during cold January days in 2018, peaking at an alarming 121 ppbv.

 

Using an advanced photochemical box model, the study identified alkene ozonolysis as the dominant driver of O₃ formation, rather than the traditional radical sources initiated by photolysis. This chemical reaction occurs without sunlight and produces Criegee intermediates that rapidly generate reactive radicals (OH, HO₂, and RO₂), which then accelerate O₃ production. Ultimately, alkenes contributed to nearly 90% of the O₃ during the episodes.

 

The research highlights key alkene species—trans/cis-2-butene and propene—as major contributors to this unusual pollution. Importantly, the study proposes actionable mitigation strategies: reducing alkene levels by 28.6% or nitrogen oxides by 27.7% during early afternoon hours could significantly reduce O₃ levels.

 

“This study updates how we understand O₃ pollution, proving that intense O₃ formation can occur in cold, low-light conditions,” said the authors Jin Yang and Yangzong Zeren. “Our findings complement conventional views and call for targeted action in industrial regions.”

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Journal

Environmental Science and Ecotechnology

DOI

10.1016/j.ese.2024.100477 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Wintertime ozone surges: The critical role of alkene ozonolysis

 

Generative AI: Uncovering its environmental and social costs

Eurasia Academic Publishing Group

A recent commentary article by researchers from Northwestern University, Harvard University, and The University of Texas at San Antonio highlights the significant but overlooked environmental and social impacts of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). Published in Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, the research underscores the urgent need for sustainable practices and ethical governance as GenAI technologies proliferate.

 

The study reveals the environmental toll of GenAI development, with hardware production such as GPUs and data centers consuming vast resources. Mining rare metals like cobalt and tantalum for these systems contributes to deforestation, water pollution, and soil degradation. Data centers, essential for GenAI operations, are projected to consume over 8% of U.S. electricity by 2030, further straining energy grids. Additionally, GenAI systems generate substantial e-waste, exacerbating global pollution challenges.

 

On the social front, the study highlights inequities in GenAI’s production and use. Labor concerns range from child exploitation in cobalt mining to underpaid workers training AI systems under precarious conditions. Unequal access to GenAI deepens the global digital divide, privileging industrialized nations and English speakers over marginalized communities.

 

The researchers advocate for immediate action to mitigate these impacts. Proposed measures include energy-efficient AI training, sustainable hardware designs, improved labor conditions, and inclusive governance frameworks. Transparency from developers and policymakers is essential, with recommendations for mandatory reporting of GenAI’s environmental and social footprint.

 

“This study sheds light on the hidden costs of GenAI and calls for collective action to address them,” said lead author Mohammad Hosseini. The findings provide a roadmap for fostering responsible and equitable AI development globally.

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Journal

Environmental Science and Ecotechnology

DOI

10.1016/j.ese.2024.100520 

Method of Research

Commentary/editorial

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

A social-environmental impact perspective of generative artificial intelligence