Keepin' it hot, keepin' it cold

Back in the day your lunchbox was the messenger that told the world what you liked. They were all groovy in their own way, but the coolest was when your lunchbox came with a matching thermos. Nothing beats tomato soup on the go, in style 😎

Fast forward to the present and thermoses still seem to be a major concern for many a Staker…at least indirectly. A recent study revealed that the feature that makes a car most desirable is its cupholders.

It’s a must! Cars gotta hold cups now ;)

(Love nostalgia? Play today’s trivia below for a chance to win a $25 Amazon eGift Card!)

WEEKLY POLL

What are we thinking?

THIRSTY THURSDAYS

Non-alcoholic spirits surge

As lots of folks continue to pursue a dry or sober-curious lifestyle, bars and restaurants are increasingly expected to have alcohol-free options on their menus—especially zero-proof cocktails, where the spirit (no pun intended) of happy hour remains but the alcohol is evaporating.

Several years ago, when zero-proof spirits came on the market, they just tasted like sugary water, with little else going for them and little ability to use them for mocktails.

Today the growth of the subcategory is on full display, most recently at the Bar Convent Brooklyn convention, where mixologists and sommeliers showed off the fruits of their years of labor, including Mehmet Ünlü, Co-Founder, CEO, Undone, which produces premium nonalcoholic spirits.

“The cost of quality ingredients, production, packaging, and flavor development is very real—excise tax aside, non-alc doesn’t necessarily mean cheap to make,” he said. “We preserve the spirit’s original flavor profile through careful dealcoholization and flavor layering, which means we don’t have to fake it—we just elevate it.”

The resulting product has led to blossoming subcategories like “zero-proof aperitivo” and “non-alc amaro,” both of which and others have been crafted for use in cocktails that even the most pretentious of sippers have taken a liking to.

SCIENCE

Gut microbes battle forever chemicals

Toxic PFAs—colloquially referred to as forever chemicals—are everywhere, including in the human body at this point, but a new study found certain microbes in the gut microbiome are capable of absorbing and purging PFAs from the body.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge found these microbes are able to attack 75% of the PFAs that enter the body. The study also focused on ways to craft a probiotic diet that can boost the effectiveness beyond 75%.

“If this could be used in humans to create probiotics that can help remove Pfas from the body then this would be a nicer solution in that it wouldn’t have so many side effects,” said Anna Lindell, Cambridge doctoral student and a co-author of the study.

Like microplastics, PFAs eventually become so miniscule that they can’t be broken down further, but the risks they pose include cancer, kidney disease, birth defects, high cholesterol, and decreased immunity.

Lindell says the findings could be revolutionary for general human health, but noted that shouldn’t minimize the importance of eradicating the use of forever chemicals, which consist of 15,000 different compounds most often used to make products water, grease, and stain-resistant.

AI

Humans starting to mimic ChatGPT

A study conducted by researchers at the Max Planck Institute analyzed 700,000 hours of podcasts and YouTube videos published before and after ChatGPT went live in late 2022, and found statistically significant increases in the use of certain words.

Words such as “delve,” “tapestry,” “nuance,” “explore,” “compelling,” and “robust” are all typically used by ChatGPT, particularly when prompted to rewrite something to make it sound more academic or authoritative on a topic.

One example covered by the Planck researchers found uses of the word “delve” rose 51%.

Advocates for this potentially paradigm-shifting transformation say it’s a good thing, allowing for stronger and more persuasive communication between people—particularly those with a subpar grasp of the language.

On the other hand, there could come a point at which ChatGPT is no longer amplifying or enhancing the human voice, but becomes the dominant voice as humans lose theirs.

GOLF

Scottie Scheffler: golfer by day, existentialist by life

Scottie Scheffler went viral on social media the other day, and interestingly enough, it wasn’t because of a golf accomplishment; rather, it was because of his take on the fleeting and perhaps meaningless nature of golf accomplishments in general.

“Is it great to be able to win tournaments and to accomplish the things I have in the game of golf? Yeah, it brings tears to my eyes just to think about because I’ve literally worked my entire life to be good at this sport,” Scheffler said, speaking from The Open Championship in Northern Ireland.

“But at the end of the day, I’m not out here to inspire the next generation of golfers,” he said. “I’m not out here to inspire someone to be the best player in the world because what’s the point? This is not a fulfilling life. It’s fulfilling from the sense of accomplishment, but it’s not fulfilling from a sense of the deepest places of your heart.”

This may sound depressing and evoke the type of angst and malaise typical of the history’s saddest existentialists.

However, it’s important to note the other parts of Scottie’s life—the parts he says give it true meaning: his wife, his son, and his faith.

Purpose can often make everything outside its scope seem banal, and apparently that also applies to professional golfers playing their sport at the highest level.

STAKE TRIVIA

Guess again!

It’s time for another round of guess the lyric! 🎤 🥳 

Test your knowledge of the lyrics to the biggest bangers of the ’70s and ’80s with today’s trivia! Complete the game and earn a shot at a $25 Amazon eGift Card ;)

Winner will be notified tomorrow afternoon—keep an eye on your inbox!*

Have a great day ahead Staker!

Today’s issue written by Michael Cowan, Joey Cowan, and Maureen Norman.


*SEE FULL STAKE TRIVIA CONTEST RULES HERE.