We’re living through boom-times for Artificial Intelligence, with more and more of us using AI assistants like ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Grok and Copilot to do basic research and writing tasks.
But what is the environmental impact of these technologies?
Many listeners have got in touch with More or Less to ask us to investigate various claims about the energy and water use of AI.
One claim in particular has caught your attention - the idea that the equivalent of a small bottle of drinking water is consumed by computer processors every time you ask an AI a question, or get it to write a simple email.
So, where does that claim come from, and is it true?
Reporter: Paul Connolly
Producer: Tom Colls
Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown
Sound mix: Donald McDonald
Editor: Richard Vadon
Matt Wraith, CTO of Bitnomial, breaks down Bitcoin futures markets, fork futures trading, and quantum computing risks. Deep dive into physical delivery, market mechanics, and how chain splits create unique trading opportunities.
Matt Wraith, CTO of Bitnomial, joins us to talk about the intricate world of Bitcoin futures trading. From explaining physical delivery vs cash-settled futures to exploring the wild possibilities of fork futures markets, Matt breaks down complex market mechanics with real-world examples. We dive into how chain splits could be traded, the quantum computing threat to Bitcoin, and why having oil storage matters when futures go negative.
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Notes:
- Bitnomial founded 2014, launched futures 2020
- Oil futures went negative in March 2020
- Bitcoin Cash hashrate flipped BTC post-fork
- Quantum computer threat "5 years away for 30 years"
- Physical delivery requires actual BTC transfer
- Fork futures first appeared during SegWit debate
Timestamps:
00:00 Start
01:09 Founding Bitnomial
03:32 Regulatory changes
05:16 CTO role
06:09 Multiple hats
07:29 Futures
10:08 History of futures
12:38 Physical delivery
14:48 Storage costs
17:25 Clearing house
18:27 Cash settled
21:22 Bitcoin futures history
25:23 Forks & futures
37:02 Assets on Bitcoin
41:22 Restrictions on futures
45:04 Black Swan pricing
48:18 Quantum
52:52 Presidio Bitcoin Quantum Conference
55:36 Futures as governance
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Did you know floods are the most common and costly natural disaster in the U.S.? Many homeowners and renters insurance policies don't cover flood damage, yet only about 4% of Americans have flood insurance. Join Laura as she explains what flood insurance is, who needs it, and how to protect your property from devastating flood-related losses.
An executive order could be on the way as early as today to push regulators to investigate whether banks discriminate against customers based on politics. The order would follow years of complaints by some conservatives, who claim banks turned them down over their political or religious views. We'll hear more. Plus, we'll learn how compounding pharmacies are competing with brand-name weight loss drugmakers. And, should investors be extra nervous in the month of August?
CBS News has learned Ghislaine Maxwell did not implicate President Trump in her jailhouse interview. Defunding vaccine research. Violent crime rates drop. CBS News Correspondent Steve Kathan has today's World News Roundup.
From the BBC World Service: The Trump administration's steepest tariffs yet take effect against Brazil today. A raft of Brazilian goods, including coffee, will face a 50% import tax in response to what Trump calls a "witch hunt" against the country's former president. We unpack the impact. Then, Thailand managed to dodge the worst of Trump's tariffs, but the lower levies are still going to pack a punch.
We’ll hear movie buffs’ reviews of summer hits and get recommendations for films and local festivals to check out. We’ll check in with Rebecca Fons, director of programming at the Gene Siskel Film Center, Michael Phillips, film critic for the Chicago Tribune and Jeremy Marder, programmer and manager at the Music Box Theatre.
For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
The recent attack by Israeli setters on the village of Taybeh in the West Bank has brought attention to the conflicts between Israel and the Christian population in Palestine. American Christians who uncritically support Israel should take a harder look at what is happening.
Plus: Sales of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy soar despite more Americans opting for generic weight-loss drugs. And, the NFL agrees to a tie-up that would see it take a 10% stake and Disney’s ESPN. Azhar Sukri hosts.
White House envoy Steve Witkoff is in Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin, days before President Trump's deadline for Russia to end the war in Ukraine or face sanctions. Some of the President's core supporters are expressing disagreement with President Trump on issues from Gaza to Jeffrey Epstein, and the Justice Department has reportedly set up a grand jury investigation into the Obama administration's handling of the 2016 Presidential election.
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Today's episode of Up First was edited by Ryland Barton, Roberta Rampton, Megan Pratz, Janaya Williams and Ally Schweitzer. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
