Blockchain
The Most Famous Artist Mints First NFT from Human Fecal Matter to Fund Gut-Brain Research Grant
The Most Famous Artist, Matty Mo, infamous for his studio’s part in the monolith stunt in 2020, has dropped “The Most Sh*ttiest NFT”, the first non-fungible token (NFT) made with human fecal matter (his own, to be exact). Minted on OpenSea, this edition of one is a 360 degree video capture of an FMT¹ “crapsule” encased in a museum-quality glass cube auctioned as an NFT paired with the physical sculpture. Commissioned by microbial sciences company, Seed Health, all proceeds of the NFT will fund a gut-brain research grant for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Grant recipients will be selected by world-renowned microbiome researchers, Sarkis Mazmanian, Ph.D. and Christopher Mason, Ph.D.
“From Piero Manzoni to Chris Ofili and Andres Serrano, the use of human biomass in art has long sparked controversy around what should be considered “art,” and consequently, what is valuable. Today, NFTs are now in the cross hairs of this value system, disrupting a market that has been reserved for the curated few,” quipped Matty Mo. “By taking the taboo topic of human excrement and assigning it value, we are sending an important message that the very things that disgust us, may actually be what’s most valuable—in this case, for the future of health.”
As the science of stool has advanced, microbiome research is expanding beyond the gut and gastrointestinal (GI) conditions to this new frontier of the gut-brain axis—the communication between the GI tract, our gut microbiome, and the central nervous system.
“Our work demonstrates that stool is so much more than waste. It is a diagnostic tool containing microbial, chemical, physiological and functional indicators of human health,” stated Dr. Christopher Mason. “Decoding the components of stool helps us understand the behaviors and prevalence of diseases such as cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, even ASD, further illuminating the interwoven relationship between our gut microbiome and brain.”
Human ‘poop’ is also now prospected for its therapeutic potential. For example, FMT, or Fecal Microbiota Transplant, takes a microbial sample from the stool of a healthy donor and administers it to individuals suffering from certain diseases. New FMT research has also shown promise in dramatically improving behavior and gut symptoms among children with ASD.2
“This NFT draws attention to a new and disruptive view of medicine: that cures are already inside of us, optimized by nature and evolution. The funds from the NFT will go a long way in pushing the frontiers of biomedical research, particularly in ASD, toward microbiome-derived approaches such as FMTs that optimize health,” stated Dr. Mazmanian.
“We are now at a critical inflection point in gut-brain research. With new mechanistic discoveries in this field, we can move beyond correlation and characterize the critical functions microbes perform and how we may harness specific strains to develop breakthrough treatments for neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental conditions,” stated Raja Dhir, Seed Health co-founder and co-CEO.
As part of its mission to pioneer new microbial applications, Seed Health has created provocative moments to engage the public and propel the microbiome into the zeitgeist with award-winning campaigns like the 2020 #GIVEASHIT Citizen Science initiative, which successfully crowdsourced the world’s first and largest database of stool images for use in academic research and in the development of novel digital health tools.
“Inspired by the disruptive spirit of the NFT community, we want to ignite a dialogue around this new frontier of gut-brain research,” stated Ara Katz, Seed Health co-founder and co-CEO. “We hope this inspires new opportunities for art to catalyze broader public engagement with areas of science that have the potential to impact the health of millions globally.”
The Most Sh*ttiest NFT will be offset using Aerial, a sustainability platform that sums the Ethereum gas used and calculates the carbon emissions based on the associated energy use. The net estimate for offsets is 15-20 tonnes, which Seed Health and Aerial will round to 25 tonnes for any future reselling, wallet transfers, and to maintain carbon negativity.
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Disclaimer: Should you experience disgust, hatred, or confirmation bias, kindly close your browser. However, should you experience symptoms of perspective shifting, questioning, or a wry smile in the face of irony, congratulations—the world needs more humans like you.
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#TheMostShittiestNFT #GiveAShit
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¹ Kang, D. W., Adams, J. B., Coleman, D. M., Pollard, E. L., Maldonado, J., McDonough-Means, S., Caporaso, J. G., & Krajmalnik-Brown, R. (2019). Long-term benefit of Microbiota Transfer Therapy on autism symptoms and gut microbiota. Scientific reports, 9(1), 5821. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-42183-0
2 Svoboda, E. Could the Gut Microbiome Be Linked to Autism? Nature, vol. 577, no. 7792, 2020, doi:10.1038/d41586-020-00198-y
Blockchain
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Blockchain
This Week in Finance News: 11 Stories You Need to See
With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire. To help finance journalists and consumers stay on top of the week’s most newsworthy and popular releases, here’s a recap of some major stories from the week that shouldn’t be missed.
The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story. Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.
- Prosperity or catastrophe: #Insurance2040 study reveals four possible futures for the industry
By 2040, technological innovation driven by customer centricity could pave the way to greater climate resilience and more personalized offerings by the insurance industry. Alternatively, insurance could become a luxury afforded only to the wealthiest few. - Cardinal Health announces two strategic additions to its portfolio
Cardinal Health will acquire a majority stake in GI Alliance (GIA), the country’s leading gastroenterology (GI) management services organization (MSO), from a combination of GIA physician owners and funds managed by affiliates of Apollo. Cardinal Health will also acquire the Advanced Diabetes Supply Group (ADSG), one of the country’s leading diabetic medical supplies providers, for approximately $1.1 billion in cash. - BlackRock Launches New BUIDL Share Classes Across Multiple Blockchains to Expand Access and Potential of BUIDL Ecosystem
This initiative represents the next step in the evolution of the tokenization market, by enabling BUIDL to be used within leading blockchain-based financial products and infrastructure across ecosystems. - Primo Brands Corporation Announces Successful Completion of Merger of Primo Water and BlueTriton Brands
“I believe Primo Brands is positioned to be a leader in the healthy hydration beverage category, thanks to the strength of its iconic, sustainably-sourced brands, its robust operations and extensive North American network, and its responsible operation of numerous springs across the country,” said Dean Metropoulos, Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Primo Brands. - Jackson Hewitt Tax Services Expands Workforce, Offering Job Opportunities Nationwide for Upcoming Tax Filing Season
The week-long event will launch the combined hiring of 18,000 employees to prepare for the upcoming tax filing season. The Jackson Hewitt hiring events are open to the public and include on-site interviews. Qualified candidates could receive a job offer immediately. - PNC Bank to Double Planned Branch Openings to More Than 200 Across Six States This announcement brings the bank’s total investment to approximately $1.5 billion to open more than 200 new branch locations in 12 cities across the U.S. over the next five years, while completing the renovations of 1,400 existing branches during the same time period.
- Alchemy Pay Expands Virtual Card Functionality with Google Pay Support The new card BINs added will significantly enhance the capabilities of crypto cards, expanding their support for a broader range of payment scenarios and improving transaction success rates. This advancement is particularly impactful when paired with Google Pay, one of the most popular and widely used digital payment platforms, trusted by millions for its convenience and security.
- Finaya Unveils Nationwide Homeownership Platform
From providing rich and current information about home values and property conditions, to finding helpful repair and remodeling providers, to shopping for and securing the right insurance, the platform simplifies the homeownership process, making it more accessible, convenient and efficient. - GenAI predicted to inspire revenue growth in 76% of businesses, but only 4% qualify as “leaders” in AI and analytics
Kearney’s report confirms that businesses are not only aware of how big data, AI, and analytics will impact revenue generation and enhance business strategies, but they are investing to stay ahead of the curve, too. - GameAbove Sports Acquires Meaningful Ownership Stake in Brisbane Bullets with NBA Legend George Gervin as Part of Ownership Team
This move marks a significant milestone for GameAbove Sports, a CapStone Holdings Inc. company, as it expands its influence on international basketball ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics. - Most US shoppers are encountering generative AI while shopping without realizing it
A survey of 700 online shoppers in the US shows 71% are unaware of having used generative AI while shopping online even though most had recently shopped at retailers currently using it. 41% of customers say they would feel comfortable using a generative AI tool from a brand they trust.
For more news like this, check out all of the latest finance-related releases from PR Newswire.
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