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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded to criticism about AI's environmental footprint by claiming roughly 38,000 ChatGPT queries use about as much water as growing a single almond. The comparison quickly went viral, with users mocking him online and dubbing him 'Sam Almond' as they debated the accuracy and intent behind the figure.
A Denver resident filmed a newly built AI data center running its lawn sprinklers heavily enough to create standing puddles, even as Denver Water's Stage 1 drought restrictions limit residential and commercial lawn watering to twice a week through September, with a full ban starting October 1. The footage went viral and fueled anger, though it remains unclear whether the facility violated the rules, since the timing of the video, use of recycled non-potable water, or a special variance could all justify the watering.
At an event near IFA, Dyson unveiled the CameraJet, a combined toothbrush and water flosser equipped with a built-in camera that captures 28 images per second to locate gaps between teeth and gums. Engadget's Mat Smith tried the device on fake teeth at the show, since testing it on real mouths wasn't feasible at a trade event, and found it could complete multiple passes without refilling its notably small water tank.
Bluetooth speakers are commonly rated for durability using an Ingress Protection (IP) scale, which combines a dust-resistance number (0-6) with a water-resistance number (0-9). Buyers looking for speakers that can survive beach trips, rain, or spills should check this two-digit rating before purchasing, since higher numbers indicate stronger protection against both dust and water exposure.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman pushed back on claims that ChatGPT usage consumes excessive water, comparing it to a viral claim that a single query uses as much water as running a shower for six hours. Speaking on the Sources Podcast, he said 38,000 queries equate to the water needed to grow one almond in California, and argued modern data centers no longer rely on evaporative cooling, instead using water similar to an office building.
California's Proposition 65, the 1986 law requiring warnings on products that may expose consumers to chemicals linked to cancer or reproductive harm, is marking its 40th anniversary this year even as many consumers remain confused by its labels. The law does not ban the chemicals in question but forces businesses to disclose their presence above certain thresholds, leaving buyers to decide for themselves whether to avoid a product.
A survey of recent research consolidates evidence on how electrical double layers at charged interfaces behave when driven away from equilibrium, drawing on decades of double-layer theory alongside newer studies of cation effects in CO2 reduction and fuel-cell electrocatalysis. The compiled literature spans classic Gouy-Chapman-Stern-Grahame models through modern spectroscopic and computational probes of interfacial water and ion behavior under applied current.
A CNET writer shares a simple method for poaching eggs using only a bowl of salted water and a microwave, skipping the stovetop entirely. The process involves cracking an egg into a water-filled ramekin and microwaving it for roughly 40 to 60 seconds depending on desired yolk firmness, then lifting it out with a slotted spoon.
A CNET editor recalls testing the iPhone 7's IP67 water resistance rating a decade ago by submerging it in a swimming pool beyond Apple's recommended limits. The phone largely survived the dunk with minor cosmetic damage, marking a major shift from earlier iPhones that could be ruined by any water exposure.
Communities in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona are protesting new AI data centers over concerns about water consumption, energy use and pollution. Data centers use water for cooling systems that manage heat generated by processors, which can reach internal temperatures near 176 degrees Fahrenheit. While estimates suggest data centers consumed about 66 billion liters of water in 2023—under 1 percent of total U.S. water use—that figure could grow sharply as AI infrastructure expands.
Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese artist famous for polka-dot patterns and pumpkin sculptures, died on the 14th at a Tokyo hospital due to multiple organ failure. She was 97 and a recipient of the Order of Culture. A private funeral was held with close family, and a public memorial is planned later.
CISA disclosed that hackers breached more than 100 internet-exposed water and wastewater systems across the U.S. during July, expanding the known scope of an ongoing campaign already reported in Michigan, Minnesota and other states. The attackers primarily targeted programmable logic controllers from vendors like Rockwell, Schneider Electric and Siemens, in some cases disabling shutdown alarms and safety processes without alerting operators.