Daily Archives: February 1, 2020

10 Best CBD Gummies And Why Athletes Are Using Them – Forbes

Posted: February 1, 2020 at 2:45 pm

From the beginning of 2019, there has been an influx of discussion regarding Cannabidiol, the oil-based product that is derived from cannabis, and its effects in how professional athletes are beginning to use it.

Across multiple industries and among a number of age groups, Cannabidiol (CBD) has planted its roots nearly everywhere - including with athletes. In fact, in 2020 CBD will become one of the biggest growing topics when it comes to the sports industry and, in particular, when discussing the best, legal ways to recover and reduce stress as an athlete.

In the past year alone, soccer players have become vocal about their usage of CBD, including American national figures like Megan and Rachael Rapinoe. This has led to the World Anti-Doping Agency announcing that players are permitted to use CBD, which shows that it is here to stay to enhance the longevity of professional careers.

While the verdict on CBDs overall impact is still out, regulations around the product in the sports industry are changing.

In 2019 alone, CBD allowance has been one of the most talked about topics in soccer. Players have advocated for its use as an anti-inflammatory aid and pain reliever especially with the increase on the number of matches per-season and a lack of a true winter break in certain countries (the Premier League being one of those).

In examining what type of CBD is best for not only athletes but for the everyday person as well, there are certain elements to consider.

Heres a breakdown of the latest CBD gummies that soccer athletes have mentioned as working for them in a variety of different capacities:

Various teas containing nano-particles of Cannabidiol or CBD, derived from the Cannabis plant, are ... [+] displayed on the shelf of a store in Walnut Creek, California, April 26, 2019. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

Verma Farms

The most popular CBD gummy on the market. Verma Farms produces some top-tier product, according to a number of professional soccer players.

Although a relative newcomer to the industry, Verma has held solid with their offerings, having a lineup of products that all aim to be towards the top of their class. In particular, their gummies consistently have had not only a solid flavour but also sourced from properly grown CBD; putting it at the top of the list in terms of quality.

Based out of Maui, Hawaii, the company is in located in an area where CBD for athletes is going to be prominent. Hawaii has produced all types of great athletes from MMA fighters to American football players, so the State is a prime spot for CBD growth among soccer athletes.

Sunday Scaries

If you are not familiar with the Sunday Scaries, it is not only a term for the dread felt about Monday morning, but also the name of a stellar CBD company. With Sunday Scaries, their mission is to deliver a lineup of products that help maintain the athletes day-to-day wellbeing when undergoing the stresses of a professional career.

The company is also actively targeting the sports world, even coming up with its own energy drink called the YOLO Shot.

Lord Jones

One of the more high-end purveyors of CBD goods, Lord Jones refers to their offerings as confections.

Known for making high-end CBD candy, Lord Jones is one of a lot of athletes favourite companies for high-quality products.

Although they dont hide from being a premium company, they still are very much active within the community and one of the primary sellers to the top-tier soccer brand that can help reduce inflammation and muscle soreness.

CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 24: CBD cannabis oil for sale in a health store on June 24, 2019 in ... [+] Cardiff, United Kingdom. (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)

CBDfx

Providing a few different options for CBD gummies, CBDfx offers athletes a few top-quality choices dependent on their lifestyle. This includes not only regular CBD gummies, but also the option to have melatonin and turmeric in your mix as well.

The company also offers capsules and pills, which is a product that should raise in popularity among athletes in 2020 as regulations around CBD and dose loosen up.

Charlottes Web

With a name that originates from the basic foundation of CBD, Charlottes Web has been a go-to company used by professional athletes.

By keeping up with national expectations based on the story of Charlotte, Charlottes Web has absolutely been answering the call, coming complete with gummies that are plant-powered as well as in a mix of different effects.

Charlottes Web has a mix of CBD offerings that all are directed towards an intended purpose, and definitely a combination you should consider worth exploring.

Joy Organics

Joy Organics is considered one of the trusted premium brands for CBD. Offering two different flavours of either Strawberry Lemonade or Green Apple, their 30 pack of 10mg gummies are designed for the CBD veteran and newcomer alike.

As a Broad Spectrum product, their consistency and quality are top-tier, and is used primarily in the recovery process by top-level soccer athletes.

CBD Infusionz

Offering a classic lineup of candies, CBD Infusionz has a wide variety to pick from flavouring. From Cherry Rings and Sours to Fruit Snacks and Worms, CBD Infusionz has athletes covered.

07 January 2020, Berlin: Nico Schack dribbles CBD oil into a cappuccino at the CBD Caf "Canna". ... [+] Photo: Britta Pedersen/dpa-Zentralbild/ZB (Photo by Britta Pedersen/picture alliance via Getty Images)

PureKana

As one of the most popular names in CBD, PureKanas offering to the gummys world is a vegan gummy that are 25mg each.

Offering 20 for $40, their edibles are some of the best quality on the market, and definitely give the same appeal of other PureKana products. Soccer athletes who have used this product have remained loyal to them due to the positive effects it has had on their wellbeing.

JustCBD

With a name like JustCBD, their gummies have gained popularity for not only their variety in flavours but dosages too. Showing a heavy range in sizes for dosages, JustCBD has some of the more customisable options on the market, as well as are priced pretty competitively to the rest of the market.

Premium Jane

Another noteworthy name in CBD, Premium Jane has a single offering of gummies but does a stellar job of how much love they put into their product.

Only sourcing organic ingredients, which is why certain athletes prefer this type of gummy, their 25mg product offers one of the cleanest experiences in CBD with regards to soothing the body if the athlete has a period of fixture congestion.

While the CBD industry and its effect on sports is still new, 2019 showed the sports world that there is real innovation happening in the marketplace that excites soccer players.

The brands above have created, altered, and expanded their product lines to go after professional athletes. As this trend continues to grow at an alarming rate for soccer players especially, expect the interest in CBD to skyrocket over the next 12 months.

Read more here:

10 Best CBD Gummies And Why Athletes Are Using Them - Forbes

Posted in Cbd Oil | Comments Off on 10 Best CBD Gummies And Why Athletes Are Using Them – Forbes

Drinks with CBD: Are they safe and are they legal? – CNET

Posted: at 2:45 pm

Getty Images

CBD: It can cure migraines, eliminate anxiety, help you sleep at night and even prevent cognitive decline -- or so the manufacturers of CBD-infused food and drinks say. The FDA, on the other hand, is not so sure.

As CBD continues to gain popularity as the ostensible token to perfect health, more and more startups are producing their own versions of CBD seltzers, snack bars, chocolates and gummies. While these CBD-infused products might taste good, without FDA approval as a food ingredient, there's no way to truly know if what you're consuming is safe -- or if the product label is even accurate.

Here's what you should know about those CBD beverages and snacks you might see at your local drug store or supermarket.

This story discusses substances that are legal in some places but not in others and is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You shouldn't do things that are illegal -- this story does not endorse or encourage illegal drug use.

CBD stands for cannabidiol, a chemical compound that comes from the cannabis plant. It's not the only cannabinoid -- scientists know of more than 100 compounds from the cannabinoid family -- but it certainly seems to be the most popular. Other than delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, of course: the one that provides a "high."

You can now find CBD in all sorts of beverages, from soda and coffee to tea and beer.

Read more: What is CBD, how does it work inside our bodies, and what are the benefits?

After the 2018 US Farm Bill made hemp farming legal as long as plants contain less than 0.3% THC, products with CBD began flooding both virtual and brick-and-mortar shelves. Tinctures, capsules, snack bars, beverages, body oils, pain-relief salves and more -- all infused with CBD -- soared in popularity.

CBD became so popular because of its purported health benefits. Here are some of the claims:

As you may have picked up yourself, some of those claims sound pretty outrageous. Well, as it turns out, there's very little -- and in some cases, zero -- valid scientific evidence to support them.

Despite that, companies are aware of consumers' desire for natural, plant-based remedies to health concerns like anxiety and insomnia. And so CBD-infused food and drinks became a thing.

Read more: Yes, using CBD products can make you fail a drug test

Orally ingesting CBD may be more dangerous than people think.

As of yet, there is no definitive answer as to whether it's safe to consume CBD. And because there's no definitive answer, the FDA's stance on CBD as a food additive is just plain "no."

The FDA has only approved one CBD product for oral consumption, -- a prescription-only drug to treat two rare and serious forms of epilepsy. CBD is not approved as a food additive, and it's illegal to market any food products or dietary supplements with CBD. This includes the oodles of CBD-infused seltzers that have become so popular in the last couple of years,

The FDA has taken this stance on CBD food and drinks because there's a lack of scientific data on whether or not CBD is safe to consume. The agency says it's only seen limited data and the data that does exist actually "point to real risks that need to be considered before taking CBD for any reason." Health officials are concerned that CBD has long-term health effects that might not show symptoms for years, and thus the FDA has not added it to the "generally recognized as safe" list of food additives.

What's more, because CBD is currently a relatively unregulated ingredient (other than, you know, the fact that it's illegal to market), some products make health and medical claims that may not be true and may use ingredients of unknown quality.

The bottom line: CBD food and drinks are not known to be safe, and consuming them before there's valid data available could result in health complications later in life.

Some health issues that the FDA is worried about include:

Read more: Is CBD safe for pets?

Adding CBD oil to drinks isn't proven to be safe, and is currently illegal under the FDA's rules.

Just to clarify: No. CBD is illegal in foods, drinks, capsules, ingestible oils and any other form of consumable product. Until the FDA adds CBD to the "generally recognized as safe" list, it will remain illegal to market and sell CBD-infused products as foods, drinks and supplements.

In 2019 alone, the FDA sent warning letters to more than 20 companies selling CBD products, demanding that they remove or remedy their various health and medical claims. Despite all this, CBD companies and industry experts don't expect CBD products to go anywhere.

As for the legality of CBD ointments, topical oils and other products -- as well as the geographical legality of CBD -- well, it's all a big, fuzzy gray area.

Read more: CBD-infused activewear doesn't have science on its side -- yet

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

Visit link:

Drinks with CBD: Are they safe and are they legal? - CNET

Posted in Cbd Oil | Comments Off on Drinks with CBD: Are they safe and are they legal? – CNET

Although the effects of CBD have not been validated in humans, anecdotal evidence abounds – Tampa Bay Newspapers

Posted: at 2:45 pm

Its no secret: The popularity of CBD has grown exponentially in recent years, and a significant part of the boom comes from seniors.

CBD which stands for cannabidiol is the second most prevalent of the active ingredients of cannabis (marijuana). While CBD is an essential component of medical marijuana, it is derived directly from the hemp plant, which is a cousin of the marijuana plant. Conventional CBD products include oils to take internally or vape, as well as topical creams, balms and lotions.

Faced with arthritis, back pain and other health issues, baby boomers are turning to CBD oil in their search for potential relief. But does CBD actually provide any health benefits?

Officially, the answer is no. To be clear, many of the CBD products being sold in Florida are unregulated, untested and without standards, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. On its website, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that: Other than one prescription drug product to treat two rare, severe forms of epilepsy, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved any other CBD products, and there is very limited available information about CBD, including about its effects on the body.

So, what is fueling the popularity of CBD?

Chances are someone in your circle of acquaintances has used CBD: a co-worker, a family member or a friend. And chances are theyve shared stories about how well it works for whatever ails them. Word of mouth, it turns out, has been a boon for CBD especially among seniors.

We have seen an increase in active seniors interested in CBD, said Bob and Beth Maynard, owners of Your CBD Store on Seminole Boulevard in Seminole. Most of our customers come in from referrals by their friends who are taking CBD and sharing with them the results and benefits they are getting.

The Maynards also say that some seniors pay them a visit after consulting with their doctor.

Increasingly, we are also seeing seniors come in on the recommendation of their health care provider, directing them to us for the education we provide, they explained. Seniors are becoming more educated about their physical health as they age. They are actually looking more into alternatives to their prescription medications for a variety of reasons.

In accordance with FDA regulations, the Maynards do not make any medical claims when offering guidance about CBD products. In other words, because they are very focused on following and complying with all FDA regulations, they will not provide a laundry list of conditions or ailments whose sufferers might benefit from CBD products.

There are many companies out there that do, in fact, in their advertising, list conditions and make claims about the ability of their products to treat or help with these conditions, the Maynards said. This is in direct violation of FDA regulations, and should be considered when one is looking for a reputable company to buy their products from. Each consumer needs to do their due diligence and research and we also recommend they speak with their physician prior to starting with CBD oils, as their physician knows their entire medical history.

Those FDA regulations are in place for good reason. According to the FDA, unsubstantiated therapeutic claims such as claims that CBD products can treat serious diseases can lead consumers to put off getting important medical care. Furthermore, questions remain regarding its safety. Studies are underway that will eventually shed more light on CBD and its effect on users. The FDA lists a number of questions that have yet to be answered clinically:

How much CBD is safe to consume in a day?

How does it vary depending on what form its taken?

Are there drug interactions that need to be monitored?

What are the impacts to special populations, like children, the elderly, and pregnant or lactating women?

What are the risks of long-term exposure?

Along with the spread of CBD in the marketplace, there has been a proliferation of misconceptions about it.

People unfamiliar with CBD may assume it gets users high like marijuana. However, CBD doesnt get users high, as another cannabinoid a psychoactive part of the marijuana plant known as THC is responsible for that effect.

Everyone, not just seniors, needs to understand that CBD is not marijuana, the Maynards said. The marijuana plant and the hemp plant are both cannabis plants, however people assume that when they hear cannabis, we mean marijuana. These plants are cousins. Our CBD products are derived from industrial hemp.

According to Your CBD Store, it all goes back to the consumer doing their due diligence and research. Consumers today are being bombarded with plenty of options, and it can be very confusing, they admitted. At Your CBD Store Seminole, we are a forum for education first, and retail second.

Some nonprofit organizations appear to have adopted an optimistic view of CBD.

On its website, the Arthritis Foundation points out that animal studies have suggested that CBD has pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties, but these effects have not been validated in quality studies in humans. The organization goes on to state that, anecdotally, some people with arthritis who have tried CBD, but not all, report noticeable pain relief, sleep improvement and/or anxiety reduction.

On its website, the American Cancer Society reports that cannabinoids such as CBD have been shown to slow growth and/or cause death in certain types of cancer cells growing in lab dishes. The organization also points to animal studies that suggest certain cannabinoids may slow growth and reduce spread of some forms of cancer.

The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation reports that while clinical trials are still in the early stages, there is emerging evidence that suggest some strains and dosages of CBD can be effective in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis, neuropathic pain, Type 1 diabetes, cancer and cognitive symptoms associated with HIV and Alzheimer's disease. The organization goes on to say that CBD does not appear to be addictive, although it points out that the challenge is knowing that you're purchasing from reputable retailers and suppliers.

An August 2019 article posted on the Mayo Clinics website echoes the advice of the Maynards at Your CBD Store: Before considering CBD, its crucial that you speak with your health care provider. Thats because CBD may interact with other medications you are taking, such as blood thinners.

According to September 2019 AARP story, as many as 64 million Americans have tried CBD and that figure includes more than 1 in 6 boomers. Reasons for trying it range from anxiety and depression to chronic pain and serious health conditions. The story quotes a recent study that found two-thirds of those surveyed claimed CBD helped with their health issue while 30% said it helped when combined with conventional medications.

Once again, it boils down to anecdotal evidence with little science to support most of the claims at least, not yet. But CBD is being studied as a treatment for a wide range of conditions, including Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and anxiety. The research supporting the drug's benefits is still limited, but that may change in the future. In the meantime, those interested in CBD can discuss it with their primary healthcare provider and educate themselves.

All our locations provide free samples, without obligation, the Maynards said, speaking about Your CBD Store. Our goal is to be a compliant, pillar of the community. Seniors and others alike can feel comfortable coming into our store at any time to get the education they are seeking about hemp extracts (CBD oil).

Continued here:

Although the effects of CBD have not been validated in humans, anecdotal evidence abounds - Tampa Bay Newspapers

Posted in Cbd Oil | Comments Off on Although the effects of CBD have not been validated in humans, anecdotal evidence abounds – Tampa Bay Newspapers

Pressure BioSciences Accelerating Rollout of Proprietary UST Platform for Water-Soluble CBD with Planned Release of Additional BaroShear Instrument -…

Posted: at 2:45 pm

SOUTH EASTON, Mass., Jan. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Pressure BioSciences, Inc. (OTCQB: PBIO) ("PBI" or the "Company"), a leader in the development and sale of broadly enabling, pressure-based instruments, consumables, and platform technology solutions to the worldwide life sciences and other industries, today announced that the Company plans to release a benchtop, R&D scale, Ultra Shear Technology ("UST")-based BaroShear instrument to the market in the third quarter of 2020. The Company believes this new instrument will address a significant un-met need in product formulation and development laboratories in the cannabis, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and other large and diverse markets for processing CBD and other oils into stable, effectively water-soluble, highly absorbable nanoemulsions of oil in water.

CBD and other cannabinoids are extracted from the hemp plant in an oil form. The water-based biology of human bodies has difficulty accessing and absorbing oily molecules from the surface of ingested or topically applied hemp oil droplets. The ultra-low droplet sizes created by UST in nanoemulsions are designed to deliver levels of bioavailability and effectiveness that far exceed the dosing efficiencies achieved from today's macro or microemulsions of CBD Oil.

Kenneth F. Micciche, Director of PBI's UST Program, said: "We are very excited about the planned release later this year of the third instrument in the BaroShear product family. The aggressive marketing campaign we have underway for the pre-sale of our BaroShear K45 system and for the 2021 release of our industrial-scale BaroShear Max instrument has been well received by manufacturing laboratories. However, it has become apparent that product research and development labs prefer a smaller, bench-top, lower price-point, minimal throughput UST-based instrument. The BaroShear Mini clearly answers that need and will do so without cannibalizing sales to larger manufacturing facilities. We believe this new instrument will add significantly to PBI's revenue in 2020."

Richard T. Schumacher, President and CEO of PBI commented: "It has become apparent that Pressure BioSciences' breakthrough UST platform is a potential market-changing technology enabling a new generation of CBD and other cannabinoid products to more effectively meet consumer and supplier objectives. By delivering effective water solubility of cannabinoids, PBI's UST offers the promise of high absorption rates and bioavailability from ingestion or topical application of cannabinoid products. Most importantly, this delivers new confidence in controlled, safe and effective dosing for consumers. It also offers substantial cost reductions achieved as suppliers can eliminate the overloading of CBD and other cannabinoids into products, previously required to achieve targeted dosing levels."

Jeffrey N. Peterson, PBI Board Chairman, said: "Our innovation of the UST platform offers the potential to allow a universe of valuable materials that exist as oils (and thus do not naturally mix with water) to be delivered in effectively water-soluble preparations that can be easily absorbed by the water-based biology of humans and other animals, or applied in industrial and consumer applications, without requiring heavy use of undesirable chemical additives."

Mr. Peterson continued: "We believe that PBI will transform a vast range of applications with UST, that extend across multiple very large markets from dairy and other foods/beverages, to pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and industrial applications. This is the technology platform that we believe will propel PBI into multi-billion dollar market opportunities, with resulting market value realization for our shareholders."

About Pressure BioSciences, Inc. Pressure BioSciences, Inc. (OTCQB: PBIO) is a leader in the development and sale of innovative, broadly enabling, pressure-based solutions for the worldwide life sciences and other industries. Our products are based on the unique properties of both constant (i.e., static) and alternating (i.e., pressure cycling technology, or PCT) hydrostatic pressure. PCT is a patented enabling technology platform that uses alternating cycles of hydrostatic pressure between ambient and ultra-high levels to safely and reproducibly control bio-molecular interactions (e.g., cell lysis, biomolecule extraction). Our primary focus is in the development of PCT-based products for biomarker and target discovery, drug design and development, biotherapeutics characterization and quality control, soil & plant biology, forensics, and counter-bioterror applications. Additionally, major new market opportunities have emerged in the use of our pressure-based technologies in the following areas: (1) the use of our recently acquired, patented technology from BaroFold, Inc. (the "BaroFold" technology) to allow entry into the bio-pharma contract services sector, and (2) the use of our recently-patented, scalable, high-efficiency, pressure-based Ultra Shear Technology ("UST") platform to (i) create stable nanoemulsions of otherwise immiscible fluids (e.g., oils and water) and to (ii) prepare higher quality, homogenized, extended shelf-life or room temperature stable low-acid liquid foods that cannot be effectively preserved using existing non-thermal technologies.

Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our or our industry's actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed, implied or inferred by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "could," "would," "expects," "plans," "intends," "anticipates," "believes," estimates," "predicts," "projects," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of such terms and other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. In evaluating these statements, you should specifically consider various factors. Actual events or results may differ materially. These and other factors may cause our actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement. These risks, uncertainties, and other factors include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, and other reports filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the information included in this release, except as otherwise required by law.

For more information about PBI and this press release, please click on the following website link:

http://www.pressurebiosciences.comPlease visit us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pressure-biosciences-accelerating-rollout-of-proprietary-ust-platform-for-water-soluble-cbd-with-planned-release-of-additional-baroshear-instrument-300996081.html

SOURCE Pressure BioSciences, Inc.

Here is the original post:

Pressure BioSciences Accelerating Rollout of Proprietary UST Platform for Water-Soluble CBD with Planned Release of Additional BaroShear Instrument -...

Posted in Cbd Oil | Comments Off on Pressure BioSciences Accelerating Rollout of Proprietary UST Platform for Water-Soluble CBD with Planned Release of Additional BaroShear Instrument -…

Can crypto disrupt the CBD oil industry? – TechBullion

Posted: at 2:45 pm

Share

Share

Share

Email

It is now the year 2020. We have officially entered the future. So many things that are going on nowadays were the hallmarks of science fiction just a few decades ago. Two of the most futuristic trends in 2020 are cryptocurrency and CBD oil. One is a completely digital form of currency and the other is an oil extracted from Cannabis that harness the amazing healing power of the plant. Individually, these two separate entities are in their early days and the potential of both has yet to be harnessed. However, they are both disruptive forces in numerous industries. So, do these two forces complement each other? Or, is one bad for the other? Here we will try and answer the questions, can crypto disrupt the CBD oil industry?

CBD oil industry vs. crypto

As we stand in 2020, the CBD oil industry is slightly more developed and more mainstream than the cryptocurrency market. The last few years have seen either all cannabis-based products or at least hemp-derived CBD oil legalized throughout North American and Europe. This has led to an explosion of CBD brands and companies as CBD oil is now hitting the virtual shelves and the physical ones at traditional retailers ever. To get an idea of how many different companies there are, check out this Cool Things Chicago article which ranks just a small sliver of the best CBD oils on the market.

In comparison, while there is also a lot of money to be made on speculative investments in the crypto market, it has not yet gained the mainstream acceptance that CBD oil has. The most famous cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, has made strides towards more mainstream acceptance and is being accepted at more places all the time. Until it is used on a larger scale though which does seem like it is coming the industry will still be somewhat niche.

What CBD and crypto have in common

While both these budding markets are new, innovative, and somewhat unknown to many, what they really share is that they are disrupting long-standing institutions who have lost the trust of the general public. CBD, in many ways, is a direct response to the pharmaceutical industry. For years, Big Pharma has worked to keep marijuana and cannabis-derived products illegal. This is because they saw (and still see) these products as a threat to their business. These products are an all-natural, non-addictive, little to no side effect alternative to the drugs that make Big Pharma billions of dollars. As the population begins to see through Big Pharma talking points, CBD oil and other products, such as the ones in this CBDKyro piece, gain momentum.

Similarly, the rise of cryptocurrencies is related to the failures and growing mistrust both of governments and banks. This decentralized form of currency allows for quick, private, secure transactions that cost much less than traditional ones because the financial institutions are not all taking their cut. They also cannot be manipulated by governments for political gain like traditional currency.

Why CBD and cryptocurrency are a great pairing

As both of these disruptors try to grow from niche product to a full-blown global phenomenon, each faces their own challenges. One of the biggest challenges in the CBD industry is that both the legal status and their status as medicinal products exist in a gray area in many places throughout the world. Because of this, many CBD companies are finding it hard to get financing and merchant services from big-name, established sources.

This is where CBD and crypto are made for each other. Being a new thing of its own, cryptocurrencies have embraced CBD and other cannabis-related companies and have given these companies the resources they need to accept payments and get financing. Using cryptocurrency also allows many of these start-up companies to avoid many of the banking fees and some of the taxes associated with traditional currencies.

Most common types of cryptocurrency in the CBD space

There are currently more than 2,000 forms of cryptocurrencies out there today. Some have real legs and staying power for the future while others are more of a flash in the pan. In the CBD oil industry, there are a few cryptocurrencies that you will see pop up over and over again. Here are the biggest ones for CBD:

PotCoin

This is a Canadian cryptocurrency that has been around since 2014. As the name suggests, it was created specifically to help cannabis-related businesses start their companies. Back when it was introduced, less than 300 banks in the U.S. would even let cannabis-related companies open accounts. This form of crypto aimed to solve that. It is still the crypto most associated with CBD and has experienced an explosion along with CBDs success.

ParagonCoin (PRG)

Three years after PotCoin, Paragon came along to take crypto for cannabis companies to the next level. Their goal is aimed at organizing, systematizing, and creating easily verifiable and transparent cannabis industry solutions. They work seamlessly with CBD companies supply chain to help maximize their effect at all levels of the CBD producing process.

Litecoin and Bitcoin

While these are not cannabis-based crypto, they are still a very popular choice with companies in the industry. Both these cryptocurrencies were early to the CBD party and have allowed CBD companies to manage their finances and accept payments from the beginning, even when CBD was less legal than it is now. In the last 3 years, the amount of CBD companies using and accepting these two currencies has increased dramatically. While Bitcoin is number one by far because of its popularity and liquidity, Litecoin has plenty of fans as well because of its lower fees.

Conclusion

The answer to the question, can crypto disrupt the CBD oil industry is slightly more complex than just yes or no. This is because while crypto will continue to disrupt every industry it interacts with as it gains widespread acceptance, it will disrupt the CBD oil industry less than any other because they have already been working in harmony for years. Instead of disrupting each other, it is more apt to say that these two disruptors will continue to complement each other and grow together as each becomes more and more popular in the 2020s.

Here is the original post:

Can crypto disrupt the CBD oil industry? - TechBullion

Posted in Cbd Oil | Comments Off on Can crypto disrupt the CBD oil industry? – TechBullion

CBD Is Booming Right Now But What Sets Superflower Apart From The Competition – Forbes

Posted: at 2:45 pm

Superflower The Everyday Serum & Carton (Lifestyle)

An indispensable element of grooming is facial serum. An altogether elegant as well as ecologically sound option is the most sought after product in todays market. Consumers are seeking product where just a small amount of serum is sufficient enough to fulfill the need and will be a relatively rare occurrence - meaning once or twice per day. In the past, applications of serum often caused painful stinging. Nowadays, modern grooming products have a pleasant cooling and soothing effect on the skin. In fact, these serums which are specifically formulated to soothe the skin and produce a velvety smooth finish. So now, lets talk about the benefits of CBD when formulated into its ultimate use-you.

Founders Cary Leitzes and Olivia Combemale launched Superflower in September 2019 because as two workingwomen in their 20s and 40s, they couldnt find asingle skincare brand that was easy-to-use andmaximized the benefits of CBD with really great,clean, and effective formulas. They didnt feel theCBD products out there were safe and they didntfeel that clean beauty products/brands understood howto properly use CBD.

Cary and Olivia initiallybecame obsessed with CBD because of its incrediblepotential. But they quickly learned that not all CBD iscreated equal. Therefore, they tested everything tinctures, balms, flower, edibles, oils, scrubs, andmore to make sure they felt confident about usingan oil extract that they felt could make luminous, calmskin a reality. After two years of formulation and testing,Superflowers Everyday Serum was launched.

Superflower The Everyday Serum

Will there be more products to come? Yesbutonly if they further their mission to bridge the gapbetween clean beauty and CBD ingredients andonly if anyone, at any age, can share in thebenefits.

The Everyday Serumis for anyone who wants tocalm, soothe, hydrate and replenish tired skin. Theunique emulsion defends against the loss ofmoisture, leaving skin absolutely radiant and glowing. From CBD,hyaluronic acid, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil and vitamin C; Every ingredientis included for a reason. No extra additives. Wear it alone or layer it under your favoritemoisturizer.

Superflower The Everyday Serum (Lifestyle - 3)

As we are all aware, CBD is booming right now but what sets Superflower apart from the rest is the immense amount of time and research that the two put into making sure that Superflower iscleanCBD accompanied with the right, pure ingredients to deliver actual results.

Superflower The Everyda Serum Carton

I recently had the privilege of speaking with Superflower Co-Founders Cary Leitzes & Olivia Combemale about how Superflower is a part of a larger mindset and lifestyle that empowers and values a holistic approach to self-love and care, how CBD is a cannabinoid derived from hemp that interacts with our endocannabinoid system to help bodies maintain homeostasis, by regulating a range of physiological processes and why they manufacture in the US to ensure we produce our product with the best manufacturing practices and labor standards!

Cary & Olivia, Co Founders

Joseph DeAcetis: Talk to Forbes about the history, and development of Superflower andyour personalbackground?

Cary Leitzes, Co-Founder:

I have a creative agency, LEITZES&CO, that specializes in partnerships between brands and creatives to drive cultural relevancy. Current and past clients include Target, Tiffany & Co, Barneys, Coca-Cola, and more. Prior to that, I was an editor at W Magazine and the Director of Photography at Harpers Bazaar. Olivia, my Co-Founder and Partner, and I work together at the agency and over the years, weve done a lot of work together some of which connected to beauty, but through a marketing lens, for established leading beauty brands such as MAC, Este Lauder and Sephora. About 3 years ago, we took on a project where we helped bring a beauty brand to life, from start to finish. We brought in the experts and learned the entire supply chain. We fell in love with the process. What was disheartening and enlightening, was the toxic materials that we saw being put into the products and industry as a whole. Simultaneously, a few other things fell into place, and it became clear that we really wanted to build something of our own in the beauty landscape Were builders by nature and find immense enjoyment in process and learning.With our work in partnerships AND trend forecasting already in our wheelhouse we knew we would be able to bring this idea to life. We were passionate about cannabis, skincare, and health/wellness; a trifecta of three booming industries.Im in my 40s, Olivias in her 20s and while theres a big age difference between us we share the same values, work ethic, holistic, health-conscious mindset and wanted to build a brand and product that embodied that same intention. From there, Superflower was born

Joseph DeAcetis: In your words, what is your competitive advantage in the development of this specialized grooming product?

Olivia Combemale, Co-Founder:

There are very few brands who put equal weight on understanding how to develop products for both the clean beauty, natural ingredient space, and the cannabis industry. We worked with a chemist who has years of experience in both disciplines. A rare combo. It was two years of back-and-forth about ingredients (for efficacy and quality), texture (the perfect emulsion versus an oil), dry-down (soaking into your skin, but still leaving you glowing) and scent (custom blended and hand selected). Incredible diligence went into the CBD sourcing interviewing 20+ farms and committing to one of the few who had both the type of CBD and the quality control our customer deserves.

Joseph DeAcetis: How do you intend tomarketto your target audience? What is your message?

Olivia Combemale, Co-Founder:

"Superflower is a part of a larger mindset and lifestyle that empowers and values a holistic approach to self-love and care. Superflower was created to be the healthier choice when it comes to skin, but our core values and brand ethos lay the foundation for how we speak to our consumer whether through social, digital marketing, email marketing, in real life, and so on. While we are advocates of non-toxic and synthetic-free beauty, we dont encourage an extreme approach to wellness, as we believe an obsessive mindset around health can do more harm than good. Instead, its about living consciously and making decisions that make you feel like the healthiest and happiest version of you. We believe clean beauty is one easy way to feel empowered by your choices and embody self-love."

Joseph DeAcetis: In your words, what are consumers seeking today in a lifestyle grooming regime.

Cary Leitzes, Co-Founder:

In todays world where immediacy often supersedes excellence consumers are searching for healthy alternatives that will not interrupt their busy lifestyles; alternatives that contain all-natural ingredients that will allow them to feel good about themselves while also physically feeling the best they can. They want simplicity, transparency & results. Consumers want a product thats trustworthy and easy-to-use, while helping to achieve their skin goals. Who has time a 12-step Korean regime?They want a great multipurpose product at a great value.

Joseph DeAcetis: Talk to Forbes in detail about thecurrent product offerings and why it isimportant forconsumers to be aware of this brand?

Cary Leitzes, Co-Founder:

Simply put, our formula. At the moment we have one hero product, a face serum that we spent 2 years developing and we think is worthy of the title The Everyday Serum. We believe in the Steve Jobs model - starting with one product and doing it really really well.

Olivia Combemale, Co-Founder:

A serum is the workhorse of your beauty bag and the market lacks clean, effective, quality serums for a valuable price point. We began with an Everyday Serum, made up of natural ingredients including CBD as a key active, as well as Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C, Grapeseed and Jojoba Oils. The Everyday Serums essential oils and scent was carefully and whole heartedly sourced ourselves, creating a unique blend with aromatherapy benefits that go beyond the skin.

Joseph DeAcetis: If you could choose one celebrity to represent your brand, whowould it be and why?

Olivia Combemale & Cary Leitzes, Co-Founders:

We could never have one face or celebrity represent our brand. We created Superflower for everyone. Its the characteristics that we identify with these personas that are important to us spirit, strength, unbridled passion, tenacity, empowerment and authenticity. Some individuals we really admire and possess these qualities are Maggie Rodgers, Serena Williams and Oprah, to name a few.

Joseph DeAcetis: Talk to Forbesabout what is unique about your brand?

Olivia Combemale, Co-Founder:

First, our age span. Cary and I being 20 years apart is a key differentiator in our brand ethos and product approach. We use our shared mindset as a foundation for brand decisions, but the truth is we are at different stages in our lives and not only have different skin needs, but different skin types as well. It takes immense energy and patience to learn and experiment with clean ingredients that can garner great results at any age. In developing products, a key question given the ingredient passes our standards for clean has been, is this effective for people of all ages?

Second, our dedication to education and transparency. We feel strongly about spending time researching and vetting so our customer doesnt have to. Our website includes a detailed ingredient glossary, a page dedicated to CBD education, and clarifies how we define clean a very gray area in the industry. Our Everyday Serum carton also includes a scannable QR code that takes you to a PDF of our third-party test results for our CBD. This shows that our CBD has no THC, heavy metals, residual solvents, or pesticides.

Joseph DeAcetis: What are your day-to-dayresponsibilities?

Cary Leitzes, Co-Founder:

Each day is different. We built this from the ground up and its been a huge learning experience and labor of love. One day were planning a dinner with Gossamer and the next were becoming experts on the FDAs latest CBD regulations or trademark. From the jump, many unexpected hurdles were thrown our way on a daily basis. The barrier to entry in the CBD space is high if you are making long term decisions setting up the foundation in the right way.

Olivia Combemale, Co-Founder:

Im more on the ground, running the day-to-day and anything thats consumer-facing from the brand voice, product, social media presence, e-commerce and so on. Cary handles the finances, budget allocation, high-level networking and adds the creative magic that we need to really take things to the next level. Weve naturally taken on different roles based on our strengths, but bounce things off of each other all the time. We work very collaboratively and are dividing and conquering as we grow.

Joseph DeAcetis: Where is theproduct made andwhy?

Olivia Combemale & Cary Leitzes, Co-Founders:

Finding a manufacturer with a track record in clean skin care AND experience with CBD was a Herculean task. Our product is made in California chemist in Marin County and our Manufacturer in Anaheim. We vetted multiple chemists and several manufacturers before we found a fit. It was important for us to work with individuals and companies who had knowledge and expertise far beyond ours, as well as respected the level of transparency we required. We were very lucky to have Susan Griffin-Black, Co-Founder of EO, who was at the forefront of the clean space for the last 3 decades, an extraordinary human and mentor, as an advisor.

Joseph DeAcetis: You havethefloor: Talk to my viewers about why they should try Superflower now?

Cary Leitzes, Co-Founder:

Its a beautiful thing. The scent, the texture, the simplicity.We didnt just white label or throw CBD into a formula and expect it would be great. It dries down fast yet stays super hydrating and dewy (but notsticky!). Its synthetic-free, non-toxic, and cruelty free while fueling your skin with the highest quality ingredients it needs to maintain balance. We committed to care andtenacityto push through when we knew in our hearts it could be better.

Joseph DeAcetis: What are the key ingredients and the properties that Superflowers Everyday Serum carry?

CBD: We cant make medical claims (thats a big FDA no no) butCBD has been shown, through various scientific studies, to have a host of benefits and we encourage everyone to look into them. Big picture, CBD is a cannabinoid derived from hemp that interacts with our endocannabinoid system to help bodies maintain homeostasis, by regulating a range of physiological processes.

Grapeseed Oil: A great antioxidant packed oil for acne-prone skin that absorbs easily and creates a protective barrier while hydrating and healing. Its non-comedogenic, which means it wont clog pores.

Jojoba Oil: Soothing, softening, and hydrating, Jojoba Oil helps give skin that extra glow. Super lightweight like our skins natural oils, it penetrates the skin nicely. Full of antioxidants and nutrients like Vitamin E and B, its suitable for all skin types and also non-comedogenic, so it doesnt clog pores.

Hyaluronic Acid: Naturally occurring in our skin tissue, think of hyaluronic acid as a magnet for moisture. The molecule holds 1000x its weight in water to retain moisture, hydrate, plump skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It also creates a barrier that can act as an antioxidant against free radicals in the environment.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C is well known for brightening, evening out skin tones and also acting as an antioxidant against free radicals in the environment. We use a non-acidic, highly stable form of Vitamin C, specifically known for its high efficacy over time and collagen synthesis stimulation for anti-aging.

Joseph DeAcetis: How are you making sustainable efforts in both product and packaging?

Olivia Combemale, Co-Founder:

We manufacture in the US to ensure we produce our product with the best manufacturing practices and labor standards. Our ingredients are synthetic-free, and dont support the use of any harsh chemicals in an effort to protect our environment.

Our frosted glass bottles come from Italy and are fully recyclable. Our paper cartons are also certified by the Sustainable Forest Initiative, which means theyuseforestry best management practices to protect water quality and take care of the environment when sourcing our fiber. Sustainability is important to our ethos and long-term commitment. Were actively seeking new ways to implement sustainability programs and improve our packaging and best practices. My generation in particular will stand for nothing less than a commitment to change in this area. Myself included.

Joseph DeAcetis: How many milligrams of CBD is in your Everyday Serum? Can you expand on why you chose to use a distillate form of CBD?

Olivia Combemale, Co-Founder:

There are ~200MG of CBD in our Everyday Serum. We say about because its hard to get an exact amount when the concentration of CBD will vary from batch to batch. We are committed to always having at least 200MG per bottle. We chose a distillate for a couple reasons. First, because you get the benefits of the entourage effect, without the THC. The entourage effect reflects the fact that the whole plant is better than any isolated part alone. The cannabinoids and terpenes work together synergistically to create a greater impact than any single molecule would on its on.Second, because its still in an oil form (vs a powder like a CBD isolate), which gives you the hydration and natural vitamins you want for your skin.

Superflower The Everyday Serum (Lifestyle - 1)

See the original post:

CBD Is Booming Right Now But What Sets Superflower Apart From The Competition - Forbes

Posted in Cbd Oil | Comments Off on CBD Is Booming Right Now But What Sets Superflower Apart From The Competition – Forbes

SpaceX just destroyed a huge tank for its Starship on purpose. Here’s the video! – Space.com

Posted: at 2:44 pm

A prototype of SpaceX's Starship Mars-colonization spacecraft blew its lid in a crucial pressure test late Tuesday (Jan. 28) in a big test for the private spaceflight company.

During a cryogenic strength test at the company's South Texas facility near the village of Boca Chica, SpaceX filled the prototype's 30-foot (9 meters) test tank with ultracold liquid nitrogen and pressurized the tank until it "popped."This video was captured by Spadre.com, a tourism information site for the nearby South Padre Island that offers live camera views of SpaceX's Starship work.

While the destructive test may not look like good news for the private spaceflight company, this event actually represents a major milestone for Starship. It demonstrated that the fuel tank can withstand the pressure it would experience on future human missions to the moon and Mars.

Video: Watch SpaceX destroy a Starship tank in pressurization testRelated: SpaceX's Starship and Super Heavy in Images

The Starship's test tank reached an internal pressure of 8.5 bar, or about 8.5 times the pressure of Earth's atmosphere at sea level, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk tweeted after the test. And that's exactly how much pressure Starship will need to be able to endure to be considered safe for astronauts.

Earlier this month, Musk tweeted that the spacecraft would need to withstand a pressure of 6 bar for an orbital flight without humans onboard. For safety reasons, a crewed mission would raise that requirement by a factor of 1.4, which is why the spacecraft needs to endure a pressure of 8.5 bar to safely fly astronauts.

Tuesday's test follows a similar evaluation SpaceX performed earlier this week, when the spacecraft's tank reached a pressure of 7.5 bar before springing a leak, Musk tweeted on Monday (Jan. 27). "Small leak at a weld doubler. Will be repaired & retested at cryo," he said.

SpaceX still has a lot of work to do before it can launch people to space on its new Starship. The company is currently building its newest Starship prototype, the SN1, at its Boca Chica facility. An earlier version, a fully assembled rocket prototype called Mk1, was destroyed in a cryogenic test in November. After that anomaly, SpaceX discontinued the development of Mk1 and a nearly identical prototype called Mk2, which was being built on Florida's Space Coast.

"We're now building flight design of Starship SN1, but each SN will have at least minor improvements, at least through SN20 or so of Starship V1.0," Musk tweeted on Dec. 27, 2019, adding that the SN1 could be ready for its first test flight in just a few months.

If all goes according to plan, SpaceX could start launching satellites as early as 2021, followed by uncrewed moon missions for NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program in 2022. The company also plans to launch a private crewed mission called "#dearMOON" on a flight around the moon in 2023. SpaceX has not offered an official timeline for Starship's Mars missions, but Musk has suggested that the spacecraft could help establish a human Mars base by 2028.

Email Hanneke Weitering at hweitering@space.com or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us on Twitter@Spacedotcom and onFacebook.

View post:
SpaceX just destroyed a huge tank for its Starship on purpose. Here's the video! - Space.com

Posted in Mars Colonization | Comments Off on SpaceX just destroyed a huge tank for its Starship on purpose. Here’s the video! – Space.com

Why Mars is a lovely dream that will also probably kill anyone who goes – CityNews Calgary

Posted: at 2:44 pm

In todays Big Story podcast, were not the first generation to dream of colonizing Mars. Not even close. But we are the first to at least theoretically have the technology to reach the red planet. And were not doing so great with the only planet we currently have, so letting billionaires make promises of populating a backup home seems like a pretty good idea. We might as well be ambitious, right? About that

Mars is hard to live on. Like, harder-than-the-Earth-after-nuclear-winter hard to live on. And even in the very best scenarios dangled in popular culture, there are a few things that always get left out. It doesnt mean it will never happenand well send at least a few people, eventuallybut it does mean the image of a Mars colony thats in your head is, well, something put there by Hollywood.

GUEST: Dr. Katie Mack, theoretical cosmologist, assistant professor, NC State University

You can subscribe to The Big Story podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google and Spotify

You can also find it at thebigstorypodcast.ca.

More here:
Why Mars is a lovely dream that will also probably kill anyone who goes - CityNews Calgary

Posted in Mars Colonization | Comments Off on Why Mars is a lovely dream that will also probably kill anyone who goes – CityNews Calgary

The Expanse: 10 Reasons It’s The Best Sci-Fi On TV Right Now – Screen Rant

Posted: at 2:44 pm

The Expanse is a science fiction television show based on the novels by James S. A. Corey. It ran on SyFy for three seasons starting in 2015 but was canceled. Luckily, it was picked up by Amazon, and the fourth season came out on Prime in December.

RELATED: 5 Sci-Fi Series We're Looking Forward To In 2020 (& 5 We're Not)

It features our solar system hundreds of years in the future. Humanity has colonized Mars, several moons, and the Asteroid belt, eventually developing different governments and cultures for each. The show follows characters from each of the three big powers as they navigate intra-system politics on levels both grand and small. Here's why you need to start watching it immediately.

Over its four seasons, The Expanse follows seven main protagonists. Each of them has an important role in the plot, but each of them has their personal demons to battle as well. James Holden (Steven Strait) is the main protagonist. He's inadvertently thrust into a leadership position both in the solar system and of the three-person crew of his ship, the Rocinante. He struggles with the belief that he's not good enough. One of his crewmen, Amos (Wes Chatham) is borderline sociopathic, but somehow is also one of the most loyal, protective, and kind characters.

Bobby (Frankie Adams) is a Martian Marine who struggles with her anger. Naomi (Dominique Tipper) is a Belter whose political opinions are always evolving. Chrisjen Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo) is the leader of Earth who struggles with her love of power. Alex (Cas Anvar) is the Martian pilot of the Rocinante whose guilt over leaving his family to travel the stars can be overwhelming. We could go on, but the point is that each of the protagonists has their flaws that make them interesting and nuanced characters.

Race doesn't seem to be a factor in the future that The Expanse depicts. The crew of the Rocinante includes a man of South Asian heritage (with a Southern accent!), a Black British woman, and two white men. Additionally, Bobby is played by a New Zealand-Samoan woman, and Chrisjen Avasarala is meant to be South Asian but is played by an Iranian woman. There is also a First Nations woman with a supporting role (Cara Gee)!

The crew behind the camera has its moments too. The Expanse features a few female directors and writers. Most notably, both the show's co-creator (Hawk Otsby) and its showrunner (Naren Shankar) are men of Indian descent. These men and women are doing their jobs, but their presence means a lot to other people, to the stories they tell, and the future of television.

The Expanse has a different storyline for each season that ties beautifully into the show as a whole. Some of these are grand, sweeping political issues while others are simple, like a missings person case, or personal, like a man searching for his daughter. But they're always tied back into the main storyline somehow.

RELATED: Saga Of A Star World: 10 Best Sci-Fi Pilot Episodes Ever

Take, for example, Naomi's first trip to a planet in season four. She's a Belter who has lived her entire life in space. She had to physically prepare for planet landing through exercise and medical intervention. This is a personal storyline that ties into the larger narrative of both Belter physiology and season four's new planet.

Chrisjen Avasarala is one heck of a character. She's a tough, f-word-loving politician on Earth, and she has the voice of a goddess. Chrisjen works with Holden and his crew to protect Earth from the protomolecule as best as she can. However, sometimes that means going against the rules.

Chrisjen's outfits are the unofficial star of the show. She wears ornate, detailed saris and other South Asian-inspired suits and dresses. She pairs them with lavish jewelry and perfectly matched lipstick. Chrisjen is stunning in every scene.

Science fiction falls into two general categories: "hard" and "soft." Soft sci-fi leans more towards fantasy and is more interested in digging into the "soft" sciences like anthropology and psychology. Hard sci-fi bases itself in the "hard" sciences like biology, physics, and chemistry.

RELATED: 10 Most Underrated Sci-Fi TV Shows From The Past 5 Years

The Expanse works hard to depict the science of our universe. Ships move at scientifically plausible speeds and in realistic directions. The characters receive an infusion of medicine during takeoff that keeps them conscious despite the extreme G-forces. There's a communication delay based on the distance between the parties, so the characters use video messages to talk. There are many more examples of the ways The Expanse respects the laws of our known solar system than just these.

The Expanse also accurately depicts gravity, for the most part. They try their best, at least. There are no artificial gravity machines onboard ships (unless they're spinning to created their own gravity). The crews are weightless unless using their gravity boots, which use magnets to adhere to the floors of the ship.

The ships- and, importantly, asteroids- that spin to create gravity are shown as having different levels of gravity depending on one's relative location to the core. This has affected the Belters' physiology, which is also depicted in the show.

The three main powers in the show are Earth, run by the United Nations, Mars, which has a military-based culture, and the Asteroid Belt, run by a loose network of leaders called the Outer Planets Alliance (OPA). Earth and Mars are at each other's necks, and both consider the OPA to be a terrorist organization.

It would be overly simplistic to assign specific countries to each player. However, the two centralized powers' reaction to the Belt can be likened to many stories of statewide oppression in history. The Earth and Mars mine the Belt for important minerals, using the Belters as labor. Meanwhile, the Belters get no political representation and suffer many health consequences living in low gravity. Sound familiar?

Not only does the Expanse closely adhere to the principles of hard science, but it also does extra work depicting other details. Its interest in anthropology becomes clear when one looks at the Belters. They have their own culture, developed over years of living in the Belt.

RELATED: The 10 Best Sci-Fi TV Episodes Of The 2010s (According To IMDb)

One of the most unique details the show presents about the Belters is their language. They speak a Belter creole, that has elements of all the different languages that were spoken by the first inhabitants of the Belt. While the actors' interpretations of this accent vary, the fact that there is a noticeable difference at all is astounding in a TV show.

If you're tired of seeing alien species differentiated from humans by nothing more than a wrinkle on the bridge of their noses, then this is the show for you. The alien presence in The Expanse takes the form of the proto-molecule, a substance that defies the laws of physics but is not exactly alive.

As of season four, there is no humanoid life to be found. There are some poisonous slugs, some toxic microorganisms, and a hint of larger fauna. It's refreshing to see life evolving at a commensurate rate to the science we know at the present.

Season four was released in its entirety on December 13th of last year. It was the first seasondistributedby Amazon Studios and it was just as good, perhaps better, than the three seasons that came before.

With each new season, the Expanse has added beloved new characters and exciting new storylines. At the end of each season, there's been a heart-wrenching cliffhanger that indicates where the next season will start and leaves the audience hungering for more.

NEXT: 10 Best Sci-Fi TV Shows Everyone Should Watch

NextStar Wars: 10 Force Powers That Came Out Of Nowhere

Katarina writes and lives at the intersection of mental health, media, and hope. She has written for National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Women Write About Comics in the past. Currently she serves as editor for The Future of the Force and writes lists for CBR & ScreenRant. Film, writing, people, and nature are Katarinas four favorite things. Her passion lies in using writing to help people understand and experience the world and its media more vividly. A new resident of LA, Katarina is probably crying about something nerdy at this very moment.

Original post:
The Expanse: 10 Reasons It's The Best Sci-Fi On TV Right Now - Screen Rant

Posted in Mars Colonization | Comments Off on The Expanse: 10 Reasons It’s The Best Sci-Fi On TV Right Now – Screen Rant

5 Reasons Why The Expanse Is The Sci-Fi Show Of The 2000s (& 5 Why It’s Still Star Trek) – Screen Rant

Posted: at 2:44 pm

Hailed by some fans asthebest science fiction series ever,The Expanse(based on a series of books by James S.A. Corey) focuses on humankind several hundred years in the future, when Mars has been colonized and miners extract precious ore from a region of asteroids known as The Belt. As Mars becomes a bigger military power than Earth, the two fight over resources, while a renegade ship's captain and a police investigator are brought together over a missing girl that may be the link to civilization's collapse.

RELATED:The Expanse: 10 Reasons It's The Best Sci-Fi On TV Right Now

Due to its recent accolades and growing fanbase,The Expansehas been brought up against the heaviest hitter of science fiction television,Star Trek.Is it the best sci-fi show of the 2000s? The two most recent series in the franchise,Star Trek: DiscoveryandStar Trek: Picardhave taken a Utopian vision of the future and applied some of the gritty, hard science practicalityThe Expanseis known for, so the decision isn't easy. Here are 5 reasons why The Expanse is the sci-fi show of the 2000s (& 5 why it's still Star Trek).

The Expanseputs the "science" in science fiction, and the genre is all the better for its accurate showcasing of many of its practical concepts rooted in real physics. You won't find any ray-guns or warp cores in it, because it depends on extrapolations from real-world scientific things.

For instance, characters that exist on a planet with gravity versus one without have physiological differences. High G-burns actually affect the human body.The Expanseoffers a realistic reflection of interstellar society 250 years in the future that seems plausible.

When Gene Roddenberry first created theStar Trek: The Original Series,it was meant to showcase a better future with a Utopian society, where war, famine, and disease had been eradicated and humankind worked together with alien cultures in the pursuit of noble concepts like education and exploration.

The franchise continues into the 2000's with series likeStar Trek: DiscoveryandStar Trek: Picard,where the moral lessons of the original series are influenced by the new era in which they're made. Viewers watch Star Trek for the better tomorrow it promises, even in the most difficult of times.

When you first start viewingThe Expanse,you're thrown into a world you may not altogether understand. There'sgeographic factions at war, politicking on an interstellar scale, and a missing persons mystery all woven together to create an intricate and complex plot.

It's unapologetic in its denseness, and provides very little in the way of hand holding. The audience is expected to follow along and expend lots of brain cells in the watching, without a lot of exposition to guide them. They learn things in the same way and at the same time that the characters do in many cases.

The Star Trek franchise has long been celebrated for its diversity. Not only did the original series have things like interracial couples and Russians working alongside Americans before the Cold War was over, it also had a wide variety of alien beings to analyze the human condition through the lens of different civilizations.

RELATED: Picard: 5 Classic Star Trek Characters We Hope To See (& 5 We Don't)

Star Trek: Discoveryhas continued that tradition with a serialized story starring a woman of color, a balanced cast of male and female actors, and normalized same-sex relationships.Star Trek: Picardhas also given us in its preliminary episodes a focus on political refugees.

The Expansehas introduced a myriad of complicated characters who are given a wide range of motivations and personal history. Its characters make difficult decisions with morally ambiguous consciences, and it asks that audiences understand, if not fully empathize with them.

Because it doesn't take place solely on a starship, or in a space station, but on different planets and in different atmospheres, it shows you a wide range of characters not all hard-wired to simply serve one captain or one crew. And their characters develop and progress over the series with their own agendas.

Every single series in the Star Trek franchise has given sci-fi a plethora of memorable characters that individually have come to be considered iconic in their own right. The original series had Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Scotty, and the rest of the crew, whileStar Trek: The Next Generationhad Captain Picard, Data, Riker, and others.

RELATED: 10 Dangling Subplots From Star Trek: TNG That Picard Could Finally Wrap Up

It'sbecauseof the iconic status of a character like Jean-Luc Picard that over twenty years afterTNGhas gone off the air, Patrick Stewart has returned to reprise his famous role. Even people that never watched him in his debut performance demonstrate curiosity about seeing him inStar Trek: Picard.

The tension that exists between Earth, Mars, and the Belt is palpable from the first episode of the series. It only continues to grow, and as viewers bounce from environment to environment, and every character that lives there, they begin to feel the sense of a very lived-in world.

The Expansereally doesexpand with every episode and every season. New technology is introduced along with new characters and new environments, and each time it's done in a way that doesn't feel too smooth, too perfect, or too sterile.

As a soft science franchise, Star Trek series are good plainfun.Harrowing situations are saved by particle accelerators, enemies are vanquished with proton torpedoes, and the solution to a perplexing problem is provided by the rapid-fire delivery of a line of technobabble.

RELATED:Star Trek: Picard: 10 Questions We Want Answered About The Trek Universe

Like good space operas,Star Trek: DiscoveryandStar Trek: Picard,the most recent series in the franchise, provide majestic over-arching plots that focus on larger-than-life concepts without the need to be grounded in reality. There is often mysticism, wonder, and whimsy attached to them to balance out the practicality.

There's no denying that the visuals inThe Expanseare nothing short of stunning. Not every scene is beautifulbecauseit's aesthetically pleasing in a traditional sense, but because nothing is sterile and smooth, rather everything is tangible and visceral.

The budget forThe Expansehas only increased with each season, and from beginning as a Sy-Fy channel program to becoming an Amazon produced series, it has taken advantage of the upgrade to its visual effects. It has it's own dynamic look that doesn't imitate any other sci-fi show.

SinceStar Trek: The Original Series,sci-fi fans have fondly recalled episodes of their favorite Star Trek show, able to remember exact lines of dialogue, singular scenarios, andparticular circumstances that coalescedinto one timeless hour of television.

Though bothStar Trek: DiscoveryandStar Trek: Picardare serial television, and depart from the traditional episodic programming all other Star Trek series were known for, they still have episodes that contain timeless qualities that areintrinsicallyStar Trekin nature, and give viewers a certain benevolent, nostalgic feeling every time they watch them, like the introduction of Captain Pike or an exchange between Picard and Data.

NEXT:10 Sci-Fi Shows From Last Decade That Will Stand The Test Of Time

NextStar Wars: 10 Force Powers That Came Out Of Nowhere

Kayleena has been raised on Star Wars and Indiana Jones from the crib. A film buff, she has a Western collection of 250+ titles and counting that she's particularly proud of. When she isn't writing for ScreenRant, CBR, or The Gamer, she's working on her fiction novel, lifting weights, going to synthwave concerts, or cosplaying. With degrees in anthropology and archaeology, she plans to continue pretending to be Lara Croft as long as she can.

Read more here:
5 Reasons Why The Expanse Is The Sci-Fi Show Of The 2000s (& 5 Why It's Still Star Trek) - Screen Rant

Posted in Mars Colonization | Comments Off on 5 Reasons Why The Expanse Is The Sci-Fi Show Of The 2000s (& 5 Why It’s Still Star Trek) – Screen Rant