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KeyPoint News – December 2024 Edition

Updated: Dec 27, 2024

Welcome to the December 2024 Edition of KeyPoint News, where we bring you the KeyPoints about the latest breakthroughs, challenges, and innovations shaping global industries, our daily lives, and our futures.


This week, we dive into 21 KeyPoints, including advancements in quantum teleportation, AI-powered avatars, and sustainable energy solutions. From the new season of Squid Games to a major decline in teen drug use, our stories highlight key moments and pivotal current events in culture, technology, healthcare, finance, and more.

Entertainment

  • Squid Game Season 2 Released: "Squid Game" Season 2 has arrived with an 86% critic score and 64% audience score, lower than the first season's 95% and 84%. The shortened episode count and long production delays have contributed to some of the negative feedback. Despite the mixed reception, Season 2 still boasts 2.2 billion hours viewed, but it may not reach the viral success of the original.


  • Nosferatu Reimagined Launches in Theaters: Robert Eggers brings a fresh take to the classic horror film Nosferatu, set in the 1800s and starring Bill Skarsgård as Count Orlok. The film, inspired by the 1922 silent movie and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, embraces Eggers' signature aesthetic. Skarsgård's portrayal, including a unique, gravelly voice, captures the dark essence of the character. The film's practical sets, including a restored Transylvanian castle, further immerse audiences in its Gothic atmosphere. 


  • IMAX Unveils New Cameras for The Odyssey: IMAX has developed new 70mm film cameras for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, a mythic action epic set to release in 2025. These cameras will be 30% quieter and lighter, thanks to a carbon fiber construction. The cameras maintain the original film movement design but promise greater reliability and exposure stability.

Technology & Energy

  • First Quantum Teleportation via Internet: Researchers in the US have achieved a breakthrough by teleporting a quantum state of light through more than 30 kilometers of fiber optic cable, even amidst active internet traffic. This milestone demonstrates the potential for quantum communications to coexist with classical networks, paving the way for quantum-connected computing, secure encryption, and new sensing methods.


  • AI Avatars & Body Language: AI-powered avatars can now be trained to move naturally by mimicking human body language, speech, and emotion, offering a major leap in realism.

  • Heightening Emphasis on AI Ethics: Concerns over AI ethics are causing more than half of businesses to delay investments, with a growing emphasis on involving diverse, non-technical stakeholders in AI design to ensure responsible, competitive, and innovative outcomes.


  • Energy-Hungry AI Firms Bet on Moonshot Tech: As AI companies struggle to meet the enormous energy demands of their data centers, they are investing in revolutionary energy projects, including green hydrogen, fusion power, and advanced nuclear reactors. Data centers in the US are projected to consume 17% of all energy by 2030. These technologies aim to provide sustainable, 24/7 power for data centers while tackling climate concerns.


  • New Hybrid Nanoreactor for Hydrogen Fuel: The University of Liverpool has created a groundbreaking hybrid nanoreactor that uses sunlight to produce hydrogen efficiently, merging biological processes with synthetic design to offer a sustainable alternative to traditional photocatalysts. By combining recombinant α-carboxysome shells and a synthetic microporous organic semiconductor, this system achieves higher efficiency than previous systems without needing expensive precious metals.


  • Laser Technology Could Revolutionize Paper and Pulp Industry Emissions: Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute have developed a laser drying technology that could significantly reduce toxic emissions in the paper and pulp industry. This breakthrough has the potential to cut carbon pollution while maintaining economic stability by retrofitting existing commercial-scale equipment, with promising tests on food products ensuring minimal impact on quality.

Healthcare

  • Unexpected Decline in Teen Drug Use: In a surprising shift, teens are abstaining from drugs more than ever before. The study, which surveyed over 24,000 high school students across 270 schools, found that 67% of high school seniors abstained from drugs, alcohol, and nicotine, up from 53% in 2017. For sophomores and eighth-graders, the numbers were even higher. This post-pandemic trend marks the lowest rates of substance use in decades, sparking interest in the factors driving the change.


  • Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Treatment-Resistant Depression: A national clinical trial led by Washington University School of Medicine showed that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) significantly improved symptoms, quality of life, and daily functioning in people with severe, treatment-resistant depression. The trial involved 493 participants, and those with activated VNS devices experienced measurable improvements after one year. 


  • Cancer Biomarkers in Healthy Cells: A study from the University of Texas and Baylor College of Medicine found that aneuploid cells, previously thought to be specific cancer markers, are also present in healthy tissue, potentially altering the way breast cancer and other cancers are diagnosed. 


  • Future Of Digital Healthcare Platforms: The digital healthcare market is set for rapid growth, driven by AI-powered diagnostics, telehealth integration, personalized care, and blockchain for data security, with a focus on patient empowerment and protection. 


  • FDA Escalates Recall of Costco Eggs Due to Salmonella Risk: The FDA has raised its alert level for certain Costco eggs to the highest Class 1 recall, citing a significant risk of severe illness or death from possible salmonella contamination. The affected eggs, sold under the Kirkland Signature Organic Pasture Raised 24-Count brand by Handsome Brook Farms, were distributed to stores in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Initially recalled in late November, the eggs are now under a Class 1 designation, indicating a high likelihood of adverse health consequences. Consumers are advised to discard any affected eggs immediately.

Finance & Real Estate

  • Federal Reserve Predicts Inflation Rise in 2024: Latest projections indicate a rise in inflation, with core inflation expectations for 2024 revised upward to 2.8%–2.9%. This suggests that inflationary pressures may resurface, impacting interest rates and borrowing costs.


  • Retail Investors Struggling: Retail investors are up only 9.8% year-to-date, significantly lagging behind the S&P 500's 26.6% gain. Many have sold top-performing assets like Nvidia and Tesla during market pullbacks, marking their 4th consecutive year of underperformance.


  • Shifting Focus in Economic Research: A recent study reveals a significant shift in economic research from market and state-related topics to the growing importance of civil society, including firms, families, NGOs, and social movements, since the 1970s. This shift reflects a broader understanding that economic interactions are influenced by social structures beyond formal markets and governments.


  • Existing US Home Sales Hit Lowest Levels Since 1995: US existing home sales are projected to reach just 4.04 million in 2024, marking the lowest figures since 1995, and even falling below levels seen during the 2008 financial crisis. The sharp rise in home prices, up 50% since 2020, combined with mortgage rates nearly tripling, has severely impacted affordability. The average 30-year mortgage rate is at 7.1%, despite the Fed's 100 basis point rate cut.


  • US Industrial Production Declines: US industrial production continued its slump in November, marking a third consecutive month of contraction, according to the Federal Reserve. The report revealed a 0.1% decline in industrial output, defying expectations of a 0.3% increase. A significant drop in utilities production was the primary contributor to this downturn, reversing the prior month's spike driven by unusually warm weather and increased air conditioning demand. While manufacturing output showed a slight rise, mining and utilities both experienced declines.

Space

  • Drone Mania Fuels Conspiracy Theories From Alien Orbs to Dirty Bombs: Residents in the northeast and mid-Atlantic U.S. are reporting a surge in drone sightings, triggering robust speculation about their origins and purpose. Despite government reassurances that the objects are mostly commercial, hobbyist, and law enforcement drones, the public’s imagination runs wild, with some speculating the drones are seeking radioactive material, chasing unidentified aerial phenomena, or beaming holographic projections.


  • Kessler Syndrome and the Growing Threat of Space Junk: Space junk, or space debris, is a significant concern as defunct satellites and other human-made objects continue to orbit Earth. Kessler Syndrome, a theoretical scenario, describes a chain reaction of collisions that could lead to a point where Earth's orbit becomes too hazardous for space travel. With more than 13,000 tons of debris in orbit, the risk of collisions is rising, and measures are being taken by organizations like NASA and the European Space Agency to track and remove space junk.



Stay informed with the stories that matter most, as we explore the pulse of progress!
Stay informed with the stories that matter most, as we explore the pulse of progress!

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