The CFTC, FINRA, and NASAA have jointly warned retirees about precious metals fraud targeting retirement accounts. This checklist provides a structured framework for evaluating any company before transferring savings — and illustrates what credible providers look like across 7 measurable criteria.

Key Takeaways

• Precious metals fraud disproportionately targets retirees. The CFTC has pursued cases involving more than $500 million in overpriced metals sold to consumers over the past decade. A structured due diligence process — not a “best of” list — is the most reliable defense.
• The 7 criteria in this checklist are drawn from CFTC and FINRA investor advisories, BBB evaluation standards, and common patterns in documented fraud cases. Each criterion includes a specific action item and, where relevant, an example of a company that performs well on that measure.
• Among the established providers, Lear Capital (founded 1997), Birch Gold Group (founded 2003), and Rosland Capital (founded 2008) offer the longest operational track records.
• No single company excels on every criterion. The purpose of this checklist is to give retirees a repeatable, evidence-based process for evaluating any provider — including ones not named here.

The Checklist: 7 Criteria That Retirees Should Verify

1. Years in Business and Transaction Volume

Why it matters: Longevity alone doesn’t guarantee quality, but it demonstrates regulatory survival. A company operating for 20+ years has weathered multiple market cycles, changes in IRS rules, and the scrutiny that comes with scale. Firms that routinely defraud customers tend not to last decades.

What to check: Look for the founding year on the company’s website and verify it against BBB accreditation records. Ask about total transaction volume if it’s not published.

Example: Lear Capital has operated since 1997 and has served over 100,000 customers. Birch Gold Group has been in business since 2003 and has served over 39,000 customers 

2. BBB Accreditation and Rating

Why it matters: The Better Business Bureau evaluates companies on 16 variables including complaint history, transparency, and responsiveness. An A+ rating indicates compliance with BBB standards; it does not mean zero complaints. Complaint patterns — and how a company responds — matter more than the rating letter itself.

What to check: Visit bbb.org and search the company name. Review both the letter grade and the star rating (customer reviews), which can diverge. Read the actual complaints, not just the count. Look at whether the company responded and whether resolutions were reached.

Current ratings (as of early 2026):

Sources: Individual BBB business profiles. All seven providers currently hold the same top-level grade, which underscores why looking beyond the letter rating is essential.

3. Third-Party Review Consistency

Why it matters: A company with 4.9 stars on Trustpilot but 2.5 stars on the BBB’s customer review section warrants closer examination. Large gaps between platforms may indicate that positive reviews cluster around the initial sales experience, while negative reviews surface later — around pricing, buyback, or account management.

What to check: Compare ratings across at least three platforms: Trustpilot, Google Reviews, BBB customer reviews, and ConsumerAffairs. Read negative reviews specifically — they reveal the failure modes that positive reviews obscure.

4. Fee Transparency and Written Disclosure

Why it matters: The single most common element in CFTC enforcement cases against precious metals dealers is undisclosed or misleading fee information. A reputable company discloses all fees — setup, annual administration, storage, wire transfer, and dealer markup — in writing before you commit funds.

What to check: Ask every company you’re evaluating to provide a complete, written fee schedule that separates custodian fees, storage fees, and the dealer’s markup over spot price. If a company declines to put its fees in writing before you purchase, treat that as a disqualifying signal.

Example: Birch Gold Group publishes its full fee schedule on its website, including one-time and annual charges. Lear Capital also publishes an itemized breakdown of first-year and recurring fees on its knowledge base, including application fees, maintenance, and storage by type.Both practices exceed the industry norm. 

During research for this article, we attempted to locate published fee schedules on the websites of every company profiled. Priority Gold, Preserve Gold, Rosland Capital, and Noble Gold do not publish itemized fee breakdowns online; each requires a phone consultation for specific numbers. Augusta discloses its setup fee but directs prospective clients to a call for the rest. 

5. Custodian and Depository Partnerships

Why it matters: Your gold IRA company is the dealer — it sells you metals. The custodian holds the account; the depository stores the physical metal. Knowing who these partners are lets you independently verify their credentials.

What to check: Ask for the name of the custodian and depository before opening an account. Verify the custodian is an IRS-approved financial institution. Verify the depository is IRS-approved and carries adequate insurance. Delaware Depository and Brink’s Global Services are the two most commonly used across the industry.

6. Sales Process and Pressure Tactics

Why it matters: The CFTC specifically identifies high-pressure sales tactics and urgency-based messaging as hallmarks of precious metals fraud. A legitimate company gives you time to compare options and never implies that a market crash is imminent or that you must act immediately.

What to check: Pay attention to the initial call. Does the representative ask about your goals and financial situation, or immediately push products? Are they willing to send written information and let you call back? Do they encourage you to consult a financial advisor?

7. Post-Sale Support and Account Access

Why it matters: A gold IRA is a long-term holding. You need ongoing access to account information, responsive support for RMD processing, and assistance if you decide to liquidate, transfer, or add to your holdings years later.

What to check: Does the custodian provide online portfolio access? How are quarterly statements delivered? Is there a dedicated contact person, or will you reach a general call center? 

Applying the Checklist: A Step-by-Step Process

For retirees ready to evaluate providers, here is a practical sequence:

Step 1: Narrow your list to three companies. Request information from each without committing.

Step 2: Request written fee schedules from each remaining company. Compare custodian fees, storage fees, and — critically — the markup on specific products you’ve been quoted, calculated against the same-day spot price.

Step 3: Score each company across all 17 criteria. You may weigh certain criteria more heavily based on your priorities. An investor with a $25,000 rollover might prioritize low minimums and fee waivers; a retiree with a $200,000 account might prioritize long-term support.

Step 4: Consult a fee-only financial advisor or tax professional before finalizing a rollover. Precious metals dealers are not fiduciaries and are not licensed to provide investment advice.

FAQ

Q: Which precious metals company is best for retirees? There is no universal answer. Lear Capital combines the longest operating history (since 1997) with a $10,000 minimum, published fee disclosures, and a dedicated IRA processing team. Birch Gold Group offers the lowest entry point at $5,000 with transparent published fees. Priority Gold (founded 2001) earns strong marks for patient, non-pressured service and first-year fee waivers on larger rollovers. Evaluate each against the 7 criteria in this checklist.

Q: Should I worry about a company that has had BBB complaints? Not necessarily. Every high-volume company receives complaints. What matters is the pattern and the response. A company with dozens of resolved complaints over 25 years of operation and thousands of transactions has a different profile than a company with the same number of complaints over two years. Read the specific complaints to understand whether they reflect systemic issues or isolated incidents.

Q: Can I use this checklist for companies not named in this article? Yes. The checklist is designed to be applied to any precious metals company. The companies referenced here are illustrative examples, not an exhaustive list.

This article reflects publicly available information as of February 2026 and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Regulatory records, fees, ratings, and company policies can change. Always verify current information directly with the company and relevant regulatory bodies before making investment decisions.

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A vast and largely untapped lithium reserve may be hiding beneath one of North America’s oldest landscapes, the Appalachian Mountains, offering a surprising twist in the global race for clean energy materials. According to new findings from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), as much as 2.5 million tons of lithium could be buried across the region, stretching from the Carolinas up through New England.

For a world scrambling to electrify everything from cars to power grids, that number is staggering. At current consumption levels, this reserve could replace more than 300 years of US lithium imports, which is used in the energy sector for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries in electric cars, future Tesla freight trucks, in battery storage systems and in laptops.

Scientists estimate it could supply enough material for millions of grid-scale batteries or tens of millions of electric vehicles; these are technologies essential for transitioning away from fossil fuels.

What makes this discovery particularly compelling is its origin story. The Appalachian Mountains formed roughly 480 million years ago during ancient continental collisions that created intense heat and pressure deep underground. These conditions gave rise to pegmatites which are coarse-grained rocks known to host lithium-rich minerals such as spodumene and lepidolite, widely used in modern battery production.

Researchers have identified up to 18 lithium-rich districts along the mountain chain. Some areas are already known, like the Carolina tin-spodumene belt, while others such as deposits in Maine, contain massive crystals and show strong potential for future extraction. The study also divided the region into three “domains,” with one standing out as especially promising due to its high likelihood of undiscovered deposits.

But while the scale of the resource is exciting, the path forward we know will not be simple. It took Sunzia years to get approvals for their wind turbines mapped out. Indiginous tribes, animal rights organisations, ecologists.  Mining lithium, especially in ecologically sensitive and densely populated regions like the Appalachians, raises serious environmental questions. No one wants mining in their backyard or running close to their streams or groundwater. Water use, land disruption, and the impact on local communities will all need to be weighed carefully against the benefits of domestic supply.

Lithium is entering our food chain with untold future consequences. Lithium batteries are a growing source of pollution in the US.

There’s also a broader geopolitical angle. Today, China dominates much of the global lithium processing and battery supply chain. A significant US discovery could shift that balance once and for all, strengthening domestic energy security and reducing reliance on foreign sources.

Up until now this is just a promise and a bargaining card the US can wager in future car manufacturing and energy negotiations. For now, the Appalachian Mountains, the ones John Denver sang about, and known for coal and timber, may be quietly holding the keys to a cleaner energy future.

Meanwhile Afghanistan is holding a large reserve of lithium.

The post Appalachian lithium could supply America with EV batteries for 300 years appeared first on Green Prophet.

The recent rise in Abu Dhabi-listed energy stocks reflects growing investor confidence in the UAE’s increased strategic flexibility following its exit from OPEC, according to Sam North, Market Analyst at eToro. Iran has blocked oil exports so the UAE has gone around the OPEC block to make a clean exit and ship oil via its own pipeline.

Despite a month or so of missiles and expats fleeing Dubai and Abu Dhabi, confidence in the Emiratis is back. North explained that markets are not pricing in an immediate surge in oil production, but rather a longer-term shift in optionality. “The move is being interpreted as a structural change that allows the UAE to monetise its expanded production capacity more efficiently,” he said. “This creates a clearer growth narrative across upstream activity, drilling, infrastructure, gas processing and dividend potential.”

He cautioned that higher output is not guaranteed in the near term. “Production cannot simply ramp up overnight. Logistics, regional security risks and the broader oil price reaction remain critical constraints. If additional supply materially lowers crude prices, it could offset gains from higher volumes,” he added.

While the UAE’s departure raises questions about OPEC’s long-term cohesion, eToro noted, markets are not yet pricing in a full breakdown of the cartel’s pricing power. Instead, North noted a gradual shift. “This is more than a short-term disruption, but it is not the end of OPEC. The real risk is fragmentation over time if members prioritise individual revenue over collective discipline.”

Investors are increasingly monitoring key indicators to assess whether market control is shifting. These include compliance levels among remaining OPEC+ members, rising supply from non-OPEC producers such as the US, Brazil and Guyana, as well as inventory builds and oil futures pricing trends.

“OPEC’s influence is ultimately measured by whether its decisions continue to move physical barrels and prices, not by official statements,” North said.

Despite expectations of increased supply, oil prices remain supported by geopolitical tensions, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude trading near elevated levels reflects this balance between supply expectations and risk premiums.

“The UAE’s potential output acts more as a stabilising force preventing extreme price spikes, rather than driving a sustained sell-off,” North noted. “Around a quarter of global seaborne oil passes through Hormuz, so any disruption continues to embed a premium in prices.”

Energy equities are responding unevenly to the evolving landscape. Companies with direct exposure to UAE production growth and infrastructure are benefiting from increased activity expectations, while global oil majors face a more mixed outlook.

“Higher volumes support services and investment, but a weaker OPEC framework could lower long-term price floors,” North said. “Investors are rewarding firms tied to UAE expansion while becoming more selective toward producers reliant on high crude prices.”

Lower oil prices, if sustained, could provide support to global equity markets, particularly in oil-importing economies such as India. Cheaper crude typically improves trade balances, reduces inflationary pressure and supports consumer demand.

At a macro level, increased supply could help ease global inflation, though central bank responses will remain cautious. “Lower energy costs are disinflationary, but policymakers will look for sustained trends and broader indicators such as wages and core inflation before adjusting rates,” North said.

The post OPEC and energy stocks in the UAE – insight from eToro appeared first on Green Prophet.

All air conditioners release water. That’s Physics. Cities like Los Angeles pour billions of water down the drain every year. And while home owners who are savvy to water reuse are finding ways to use AC water in the garden (here are 5 ways to use air con water at home), or in art studios (it’s basically free distilled water), cities could save water in meaningful ways by using creative ideas. These are solutions you can send to urban planners and those running smart city accelerator programs. Pick one of them and you might win the grant!

AC condensate for public urinals and washrooms

In high-traffic areas of parks, beaches, and transit hubs, air con condensate can feed overhead tanks for continuous urinal flushing. Or imagine a new kind of urinal that connects to condensate and greywater ponds? It’s a perfect non-potable use for air con water and pairs naturally with greywater systems. In hot climates, the flow is steady enough to make a real dent in municipal water use.

AC water for street cleaning crews

Why are we washing sidewalks with drinking water? I see street cleaners in my town connecting to fire hoses to fill up the tanks they are using for street washing. Condensate can be captured at the building level and fed into local tanks for street cleaning and sanitation. It’s low-cost, decentralized, and immediately deployable in dense neighborhoods. I bet it’s healthier to add to machines than tap water full of calcium carbonate.

AC-powered street cooling in heat zones

This is my idea and you can credit Green Prophet on pitch day: On extreme heat days, cities could release stored condensate onto pavement or through cooling strips along sidewalks. As it evaporates, it drops surface temperatures and makes streets more livable. Think of it as micro-climate management, not just water reuse.

Public misting systems using AC water
You see this in Paris on hot summer days: the city sprays a fine mist, cooling people in public squares. Condensate can power these systems without touching potable supply. In a heatwave, this becomes a public health tool, not a luxury. We bet it could also be used in splash pads, which anyway are full of chlorine.

AC condensate in urban irrigation networks
Trees, medians, and rooftop gardens really don’t need drinking water. Just imagine in dry cities like Amman where people get their household water delivered by truck every week. Condensate can be integrated into drip irrigation systems, especially in commercial zones where AC output is highest. It’s a quiet way to green cities without increasing water demand at all. And more green makes cities cooler.

Building-scale greywater integration
Condensate should be treated as part of a broader greywater mix. Combined with shower and sink runoff, it can supply flushing, irrigation, and cooling systems in cities and regions where these kinds of water may be seperated. Smart buildings can manage this automatically with minimal retrofitting. Can AC water generate energy as it’s running down the pipes of huge apartment buildings? We bet it can.

Cooling towers topped up with AC water

Think Desert Coolers meet the Wind Catchers of Yadz. Large buildings already use water for cooling towers. Feeding them with condensate closes the loop within the HVAC system itself. It’s one of the easiest wins for commercial properties.

Free distilled water for municipal maintenance
Condensate is low in minerals, which makes it ideal for cleaning glass, equipment, and vehicles without leaving residue. Cities could use it for maintenance fleets or public infrastructure cleaning. It’s a small shift with instant efficiency gains.

Wildlife hydration in urban heat zones

Cities get brutally dry during heat waves. Redirecting condensate into small basins or green corridors can support birds, street cats, pollinators such as bees, and urban wildlife. It’s a low-cost biodiversity intervention that fits naturally into park design.

AC water for eco-materials and circular construction

Condensate can be used in mixing lime plasters, clay, and other low-impact materials. Any potter knows that glazes and terra sigalattas are best made with distilled water. Using it, connects modern buildings with older, more sustainable construction methods. In large projects, even this small substitution adds up to quality and results.

The post 10 Surprising AC Water Uses Cities Are Ignoring appeared first on Green Prophet.

As tensions rise in one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, the ripple effects go far beyond oil—touching food systems, climate pressures, and regional stability

By Dr. Osama Moh’d Gazal, Environmental and Climate Change Advisor, Jordan

The Arabs have controlled the region (The Gulf of the black gold oil), for a longer period, especially considering the spread of Islam and modern Arab states’ establishment. Persians, then known as the Sassanids, controlled it for about 1000 years before the Arab conquest. The term “Persian Gulf” was commonly used historically, while “Arabian Gulf” is often used by Arab states. The name reflects the region’s complex history and competing claims. Returning to the Historical overview of the strait we can find that Persians were the first major power to control the Gulf (definitely with the Strait of Hormuz), but Arabs have had a longer stretch of influence overall.

Historically, the name “Persian Gulf” stuck in Western maps, but Arab states prefer “Arabian Gulf” or “Gulf”. The modern geopolitics of the Gulf involves complex regional dynamics, with Arab states like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar playing key roles. Iran’s influence and tensions with Arab states, especially over issues like nuclear deals and regional power struggles, are significant factors. However, in the last 20 years, after the Iraqi regime of Saddam was destroyed, the conflict between Arab and Iran escalated into three main dimensions (Iran-Arab tensions: Proxy conflicts in Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon, Competition for resources and influence, lastly, and the most important, the Security pacts where US and European alliances with Gulf states). The Gulf has been a contested region, with various empires vying for control.

Amid the repercussions of war, the struggle for control, the imposition of influence, and the assertion of dominance by the strongest power in the region, the most potent leverage has emerged in the hands of the Persians, for now, the Hormuz. Whether this leverage remains in their grasp or is lost will depend on the unfolding course of the conflict. The Persian/Arabian Gulf has been strategically significant since ancient times, though it has experienced prolonged periods of Arab control, particularly following the collapse of the Persian Empire during the era of Caliph Omar ibn al-Khattab. With the decline of the Arab Caliphate and the rise of the Ottoman Empire, Persian influence over the region was reasserted.

Today, we are witnessing a renewed struggle for dominance and control over one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints. The Strait of Hormuz represents a formidable asset for the Persians, who seek to leverage it to exert pressure on the global stage, particularly by influencing oil prices.

As one of the eight most strategically significant straits worldwide, it facilitates the transit of approximately 90% of globally traded petroleum fuels. More specifically, it ranks as the second most vital maritime passage, governing over 26% of the world’s seaborne petroleum trade. Any sustained disruption or restriction of maritime movement through this strait would not only jeopardize oil and natural gas supplies. Still, it would also have profound implications for food security, both regionally and globally.

From the outset, international warnings have emphasized the necessity of maintaining the unimpeded functionality of this critical waterway through diplomatic engagement and commitment to peaceful conflict resolution. The focus has been on upholding humanitarian considerations and ensuring that the strait continues to serve its vital role in global trade. However, amid escalating military tensions and intensifying geopolitical rivalries, diplomatic channels and multilateral agreements have collapsed, and the security of international maritime routes has been severely compromised. The prevailing dynamic is now dictated by the logic of military force.

We must broaden our assessment of the potential consequences beyond the prevailing discourse centered on oil. While economists and military analysts have naturally concentrated on the hydrocarbon sector given its strategic importance and the immediate disruptions to energy markets caused by deteriorating security in the Strait of Hormuz, the repercussions extend far beyond petroleum. Despite the overwhelming military superiority of the primary adversary of the Persians, an ally of Arab states in this confrontation, the strait remains a highly advantageous asset for the Persians in this struggle. Even if the conflict remains confined to sporadic threats and patrols by small naval vessels, the strategic value of this chokepoint endures. However, the current reality involves more than posturing; it includes the mining of waters and tangible measures to maintain control over this historically contested passage.

Now we can’t understand issues related to the Oil-Food Security Nexus without returning to the recent Oil Price Shocks and Food Security in the region, recognizing that these are food-import-dependent nations. The 1991 Gulf War led to a sharp increase in oil prices, which in turn raised transportation and production costs for food commodities. This resulted in higher food prices, disproportionately affecting low-income households. Countries in the Arabian Gulf region, already reliant on food imports, faced exacerbated food insecurity due to increased costs and disrupted supply chains. The current crisis calls for global food price volatility. The war-induced oil price spike contributed to global food price instability, emphasizing the vulnerability of food systems to energy market shocks.

Current oil prices already offer a glimpse into the potential impact of a full-scale closure of the strait. Yet, the threat to global food security is equally dire and will become increasingly evident over time, affecting both the region and the world at large.

Furthermore, the environmental toll is mounting, with elevated greenhouse gas emissions resulting from military operations, the destruction of vast fuel storage facilities, and the potential ignition of oil wells should the conflict escalate. (The consequences will not be confined to the Gulf states and Iraq, affecting tens of millions of people, but will reverberate across the interconnected global system. Food security is at risk, agricultural productivity will decline, and production costs will surge. Farmers will face increased operational expenses and greater difficulties in exporting goods, all of which will contribute to rising prices and exacerbate food insecurity. This raises a critical question: Are the countries in the region prepared to withstand these far-reaching and debilitating indirect consequences should the conflict persist? This burden will weigh most heavily on nations with fragile economies and vulnerable food systems.

Natural disasters caused by climate change were historically several times more devastating than those caused by other factors, but the impact of these disasters has now become more balanced as a result of humanity’ ability to adapt to climate change and lessen loss of life. However, the impact of these calamities on food security remains significant due to the lack of sustainable human agricultural systems. Military conflicts and wars related to the control and expansion of influence, such as those currently taking place in the Middle Eastern Gulf region, known as the Arabian or Persian Gulf today, are among the most significant human-related activities contributing to climate change, given their link to emissions that exacerbate this phenomenon.

Despite my scientific perspective and in-depth understanding of climate change, which is regarded as a natural periodic phenomenon on Earth that existed before humans and their activities, human-caused pollution has piqued the interest of numerous experts. They investigated the potential influence of higher concentrations of specific human-caused emissions on climate change using mathematical and statistical models. And because many activists in this field are not specialists but merely amateurs in the world of climate change, participating in workshops, traveling, and gaining fame, the idea of real climate change has shifted to be associated only with the gas emissions resulting from direct human activities, such as energy production from fossil fuels, or indirect activities, such as livestock and poultry farming, among other activities that many accuse of causing climate change.

Climate change is a reality, despite mistakes in mathematical and statistical models that underpin all scenario forecasts based on carbon dioxide levels, despite studies showing that carbon dioxide concentrations were far higher during ice ages. These errors result from assigning scientific topics to unqualified individuals who are only interested in money and fame and do not delve into understanding the meanings of the phenomenon of climate change in a scientifically precise manner, rather than going beyond logic and science in terms of Earth’s climate history. Although their violations of logic have become sophisticated and presented through statistical and mathematical models that astonish people and even impress those managing these models into believing results that are built on non-scientific foundations, without considering a scientific historical study of Earth’s climate and the real factors influencing this climate, and excluding factors related to the primary energy source for the planets of the solar system and the changes occurring in this system.

In my opinion, any model intended to imitate reality and predict the future is a failure if it does not account for sun-related phenomena and their impact on Earth’s climate. However, as scientists, we must acknowledge that climate change is a reality that we face, and we must adapt as humans to the dangers of climate change, particularly during periods of drought and rainfall scarcity, as well as seasonal overlap and irregular rainfall distribution in comparison to what we and the Earth’s biosphere are accustomed to. And let us not forget the risk that has gone unnoticed due to the focus on global warming and the greenhouse effect, which is associated with a fall in temperature as well as a reduction in carbon dioxide levels, resulting in reduced agricultural production and affecting food security.

Interestingly, this more genuine hazard, from which we are now clearly experiencing, demonstrates that death rates from severe cold waves greatly outnumber those from heat waves. Many specialized scientists have written on the subject, and their studies have demonstrated that the future will be worse, especially as the current solar cycle brings us into a period of low solar activity, increasing the risk of the Earth entering a little ice age.

Our readiness for food security concerns is inadequate and has not been thoroughly investigated, as we continue to rely on investment strategies in four key crops: wheat, rice, corn, and soy, to assure more efficient production, but with less diversification and greater fragility. Our agricultural policies have utterly overlooked the value of crop diversity in ensuring a more resilient and sustainable food system in the face of climate change and the hazards of disrupted supply chains, as is currently occurring because of the Strait of Hormuz issue.

With great thankfulness, the focus and debate were on human activities that produce gas emissions that are thought to exacerbate or accelerate climate change on Earth. However, there has been only timid discussion of the impact of wars in this equation, as they are regarded as one of the most prominent and dangerous reasons, not only for the direct suffering of peoples involved in conflicts or forced to participate in bitter wars between great powers seeking control and extending influence, but also for the indirect effects, which are regarded as the most difficult and dangerous in the long run.

Conflicts, the desire for control, and the expansion of influence, away from the meanings of humanity and the spirit of sharing in the Earth’s resources, and prioritizing the principles of diplomacy and agreements that guarantee everyone’s rights, lead to an increased focus on heavy military industries and the pollution and gas emissions they produce, which are accused by mathematical and statistical model studies of causing climate change, global warming, and extreme events related to heat waves or extreme cold periods or heavy rain and hard drought periods.

The Gulf War and subsequent conflicts underscore the intricate relationship between oil prices and food security. Policymakers must consider the food security implications of oil price volatility when addressing regional stability and global food systems. Representing Jordan, our recommendations include:

1. Diversify energy sources to reduce dependence on oil.

2. Enhance regional food production and trade cooperation.

3. Implement policies to mitigate the impact of oil price shocks on vulnerable populations.

4. To address future challenges following the escalation of global food insecurity risks as a result of the Strait of Hormuz crisis, it is critical to first defuse the crisis and develop plans to prevent vital waterways for global food and energy supply chains from becoming threats and tools in the hands of regimes that disregard international law and respect for the integrity of global trade, exploiting such situations to exert pressure and control. Perhaps the solution is to put these critical waterways under international supervision.

5. Furthermore, it is critical to expand efforts to urge countries to strengthen their food security strategy and prepare for emergencies, whether natural disasters caused by climate change, such as droughts, or by conflict.

The Persians are known for wisdom, civilization, legacy, and a worldview with deep roots in administration and the capacity to govern and expand their power. But the problem with the Persians is not with the people who carry on this great heritage, which I personally respect and admire; rather, the problem is with the system that uses religious beliefs to control and be hostile to others, not with the ancient Persian civilization. Despite America’s vast dominance, there have been several studies and projections, but has Iran opted to commit suicide? And will it take positive steps for the benefit of its people and the region, as Japanese Emperor Hirohito did after World War II, adopting a peace, development, and renunciation of foreign interventions and the nuclear issue to save the country (similar to Japan’s renaissance), because continuing on the path of confrontation is very costly and will lead to Iran’s destruction and return to the Stone Age.

The Middle East, particularly Jordan, faces significant food security challenges exacerbated by regional conflicts, economic vulnerabilities, and climate-related stressors. Key factors complicating food security in Jordan include:

1. Trade Disruptions: Jordan’s reliance on imports for staple foods (e.g., wheat, sugar) makes it vulnerable to trade disruptions in neighboring countries, especially given the current regional instability.

2. Economic Pressures: High unemployment, inflation, and a substantial public debt burden strain household purchasing power, limiting access to food.

3. Water Scarcity: Jordan’s severe water scarcity impacts agricultural production, increasing dependence on imports and vulnerability to global price shocks.

4. Refugee Crisis: Hosting a large refugee population (e.g., Syrians) strains food systems and increases demand for limited resources.

5. Climate Change: Decreasing rainfall and increasing temperatures threaten agricultural productivity, further straining food availability.

6. Global Price Volatility: Jordan’s import-dependent food system is exposed to international price fluctuations, particularly for staples like wheat and oil.

Jordan’s food security is intricately linked to regional stability, global market trends, and climate resilience. Addressing these challenges requires, enhancing regional trade cooperation, investing in water-efficient agriculture, implementing social protection programs for vulnerable populations, diversifying energy sources to reduce import bills. We pray for a peaceful resolution to this conflict and an end to power struggles that come at the expense of peaceful nations.

May God grant the peoples of this region the strength to overcome these tribulations and crises, and to transcend the sectarian divisions and animosities that have plagued them for decades. We also pray for the protection of our leadership, our people, and our nation, Jordan, as an oasis of security, peace, love, and coexistence in a region that has long endured more than its share of global conflicts.

Editor’s note: Green Prophet, founded by Karin Kloosterman, has been a leading voice on ecological issues in the Middle East for 20 years, while following Hormuz, Iran, water, war, freight, food security and climate resilience across the region. For related reading:

A Fact-Based Reflection on Sustainability and Tourism in Hormuz

The Aga Khan is greenwashing their awards

Design a Bridge for the Strait of Hormuz

Electric and hydrogen long-haul trucks are finally leaving the prototype era

The future of trucking and freight is electric and hydrogen

Tesla Semi, electric road trains and the safer freight future

From “Water Terrorist” to Global Laureate: Iran’s Kaveh Madani Wins the Nobel of Water

Renewables hit 5149 GW in 2025 as the world edges away from oil shocks and fossil-Iran’s water mafia and thirst for war leaves the country on brink of being dry.

The post Hormuz 2026 Conflict Poses an Energy and Food Security Dilemma in a Warming World appeared first on Green Prophet.

“The future,” says Elon Musk, “is going to be weird.”

Sounds logical, given the billionaire entrepreneur’s typical far-seeing plans, like creating a station on the moon.

But now Neuralink, a company founded by Musk in 2016, has successfully implanted a chip in a human brain. It’s a brain-to-computer interface technology (BCI) called “the Link.” It records and decodes brain activity, passing neural signals on to devices.

Current goals are to treat neurological disease like Parkinson’s and restore autonomy to people with severe physical limitations by controlling exoskeletons and prosthetics. There’s also huge potential to improve cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, and languages.

Even the power to communicate silently via thought alone isn’t out of vision: telepathy, in other words.

The Link has already granted speech to a man made mute by ALS; allowed people paralyzed by spinal cord injury to control a cursor and use their computer to not only play video games but also to study and work, or manipulate a robotic arm – by power of their thought.

Musk foresees a BCI placed in the visual cortex that will allow the blind to “see” their surroundings in real time. The project is called “Blindsight.” Theoretically a blind person will be able to see at high resolution at multiple wavelengths.

Musk says, “You can be like Geordi La Forge in Star Trek and see in radar, infrared, and ultraviolet. Superhuman capabilities. Cybernetic enhancement, essentially.”” He also sees a time when, thanks to BCIs implanted in a person’s brain and spinal cord, corresponding Optimus robotic devices developed by Tesla will replace the functions of missing limbs.

Tesla has already developed a functioning robotic hand whose appearance is designed to mimic the human hand. Potentially, an Optimus robot may restore full body functionality, such that a person will “inhabit” the robot.

Yes, the future does look weird.

How it works

The link between brain and computer is a coin-sized implant. It records neural activity via 1,024 thin, flexible electrode threads inserted into the brain. Neurons are the nerve cells that send messages all over the body to drive nearly all human functions. Where there’s neural damage due to ALS, stroke, or injury, the brain’s signals to, for example, pick up a cup, don’t transfer to the muscles. One of the Neuralink engineers, Skylar Granatir, compares this to a severed internet cable.

“With the BCI, you bypass this (interrupted) pathway completely. You can read directly from your brain to a device that will do the thing you want to do.”

In other words, the BCI makes a bridge that goes past damaged brain areas to the computer or other device that serves you in real time.

The United States Artificial Intelligence Institute defines how a Neuralink BCI works:

“The fundamental principle of Neuralink’s brain-implant technology is a mixture of neuroscience, robotics, and artificial intelligence.

The implant has over 1,000 electrodes linked by ultra-thin threads, which are implanted in the motor cortex of the brain. These threads pick up the electrical activity of the neurons and relay it to the external devices.

How The System Works

When one wants to move or do something, the brain triggers electric signals.The Neuralink implant identifies these signals by using electrodes.The neural data gets transmitted wirelessly to a computer. The commands are decoded by machine learning algorithms. Those commands are then able to govern digital systems such as a cursor, keyboard, or robotic device. Since the implant is far too dependent on AI models and AI algorithms, the system gets better as it becomes accustomed to trends in the neural activity, and the interaction becomes smoother over time.”

The electrode threads are too fine for human hands to handle without damage. To ensure their precise precise placement in the brain, Neuralink developed a specialized robotic surgeon that inserts these micro-threads into the cerebral cortex, the area of the brain containing functions like learning and emotion.

A chip within the implant processes thought signals and transmits them to a digital device through a standard Bluetooth connection.

Currently 21 humans with limited, some with even no physical functionality, are undergoing clinical trials. Surgery – implanting the BCI in the brain – requires only minutes, and causes almost no discomfort. The patient goes home the next day. Neuralink claims there has been no sign of damage to the brain since clinical trials began.

Competition

Neuralink has competitors. Several other companies have been developing surface electrodes offering similar technology for decades. One in particular, Paradromics, uses platinum-iridium microwire electrodes and a hermetically sealed titanium alloy body, as opposed to the flexible polymer threads and plastics in Neuralink’s implant. We have a post on Neuralink’s rival here.

For the love of everything, make it so it can NEVER. EVER. stream ads directly into our brains.

Called “Connexus,” the Paradromics BCI is water tight, which is critical for the salty and warm environment of the body. Neuralink doesn’t claim that advantage. In addition, the Connexus electrodes have a longer longevity as compared to Neuralink’s.

On their website, Pardomics states,

“Platinum-iridium is a medical-grade metal alloy that has been used in implants (like pacemakers and deep brain stimulators) for decades without corrosion or significant degradation. By choosing robust materials, Paradromics aims for its electrodes to last for many years or even decades inside the brain. This focus on durability directly tackles the implant lifespan issues, giving Paradromics an edge in achieving the 10+ year functional lifetime that many BCI users expect.”

The goals of these breakthrough technologies are to reduce suffering and enhance human capabilities. Musk even hopes to explore and expand consciousness. Another of Musk’s concerns is to mitigate the risks of unchecked AI.

Criticism

From Wikipedia: “Neuralink has faced substantial criticism over its animal testing practices. Between 2018 and 2022, at least 1,500 animals—including monkeys, pigs, and sheep—were used in experiments, with reports of complications leading to euthanasia in some cases. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine filed complaints with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, prompting an investigation.”

Neuralink has said that animal testing followed regulatory standards and was necessary for development.

In human trials, the first patient’s implant experienced partial thread retraction in 2024, reducing the number of functional electrodes, though software updates restored much of the lost performance.

Bioethicists have raised concerns about informed consent, long-term patient support, and the absence of trial registration on ClinicalTrials.gov for some studies.

Broader ethical debates include risks of hacking, loss of privacy, and potential misuse of neural data. One person left a cry from the heart under the YouTube Neuralink update: “For the love of everything, make it so it can NEVER. EVER. stream ads directly into our brains.”

Altogether, it’s clear that the lives of clinical trial participants have improved amazingly. One participant, disabled by ALS and unable to communicate for four years movingly says, “Neuralink has given me a purpose. We work together to make this thing (the BCI) better. Maybe I can’t cure ALS, but I can participate in research, I can give feedback. It will give us back a voice.

“It would be a total waste of who I am if I didn’t do all the good I possibly could before I check out to be with the Lord. That’s the number one reason I’m doing this – because I’m doing good for others, and that’s the best thing of all.”

Others, who have regained a part of independence via their computers, are returning to studies and work abandoned when paralysis set in. Some mention the joy of having a purpose again.

So how about this weird future? Are you optimistic about the advances in medicine, health care, and disabled people’s quality of life that BCI offers, or are you worried that cyborgs will overtake control of the planet? I confess to both.

The post How does Neuralink work? appeared first on Green Prophet.

Hair loss is one of those problems that creeps up slowly. You notice a little extra on your pillow, a bit more in the drain, and suddenly you’re wondering what changed. For many people, the answer — or at least part of it — lies in what their body is or isn’t getting nutritionally.

Hair vitamins have become a popular topic in this space. But there’s a lot of noise around them, and it’s worth understanding what they actually do, when they help, and when they don’t.

What Hair Vitamins Actually Do

Your hair follicles are living structures. They need a steady supply of nutrients to go through their growth cycles properly. When certain vitamins or minerals are missing — even slightly — the follicles can shift into a resting or shedding phase earlier than they should.

Hair vitamins don’t create hair out of nothing. What they do is support the internal environment that makes healthy hair growth possible. Think of it like soil quality. The seeds might be fine, but if the soil lacks nutrients, the plants won’t grow well.

The Key Vitamins That Actually Matter

Not every supplement label is created equal. A few nutrients have solid, repeated evidence behind them when it comes to hair health.

• Biotin (Vitamin B7): Plays a role in keratin production — the protein that makes up hair. Deficiency is linked to brittle hair and hair thinning, though deficiency itself is less common than supplement marketing suggests.
• Vitamin D: Receptors for Vitamin D exist in hair follicles, and low levels have been associated with hair loss in several studies. Many urban Indians are deficient without knowing it.
• Iron: Not a vitamin, but critical. Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional causes of hair fall, especially in women. It affects how much oxygen your follicles receive.
• Zinc: Supports follicle repair and regulates oil glands around the hair root. Both deficiency and excess can disrupt hair growth.
• Vitamin E and C: Help protect follicles from oxidative stress, which can damage them over time.

When Supplements Help — and When They Don’t

This is the part most people miss. Hair vitamins are genuinely useful when you have an actual deficiency. If your iron is low, your Vitamin D is depleted, or your diet has been poor for a long period, supplementing these can make a noticeable difference over a few months.

But if your nutrient levels are already adequate, adding more won’t speed up growth or make hair thicker. The body doesn’t work that way. Excess water-soluble vitamins simply get excreted. Some fat-soluble ones, taken in high doses, can even be harmful.

The honest answer is: supplements are a piece of the puzzle, not the whole picture. Hair fall triggered by stress, hormonal shifts, scalp conditions, or genetics won’t be fixed by biotin alone.

Food First: Why Diet Is the Foundation

Before reaching for a supplement bottle, it’s worth looking at what’s on your plate. Whole foods provide nutrients in forms that your body absorbs more efficiently, along with co-nutrients that help with that absorption.

• Eggs are a strong source of biotin and protein
• Leafy greens like spinach provide iron, folate, and Vitamin C together
• Nuts and seeds offer zinc and Vitamin E
• Fatty fish like salmon provides Vitamin D and omega-3s
• Lentils and beans give both protein and iron

Supplements can help bridge gaps, but they work better on a foundation of real nutrition.

Why Root Cause Matters More Than Any Supplement

Hair fall rarely has a single cause. It’s usually a combination — nutritional gaps, hormonal imbalance, scalp health, stress, and sometimes genetics. This is why the same supplement works well for one person and does nothing for another.

Some treatment approaches like Traya hair vitamins are formulated with this in mind — combining nutrients that support hair growth internally while also addressing the broader reasons hair might be thinning in the first place.

Final Thoughts

Hair vitamins can be a meaningful part of strengthening hair naturally, but only when used with the right understanding. They’re not magic capsules, and they’re not useless either. The key is knowing what your body actually needs, addressing real deficiencies, and supporting that with good nutrition and a clear picture of what’s driving your hair fall.

Understanding the root cause is always the better starting point.

The post Role of Hair Vitamins in Strengthening Hair Naturally appeared first on Green Prophet.

If you’re anywhere near Sri Thanu on Koh Phangan, Thailand, around the yoga centers: Zen Beach, Haad Yao, or Salad Beach—make time for Street Vegan. It’s vegan and so satisfying that one meal might convince you that eating plant-based is not a compromise. I suggest for any vegan restaurant owner or chef to come to this modestly-priced venue to learn from a master.

I’ve been to Koh Phanghan a handful of times but things there change fast. Street Vegan was recommended through our musician friend Harel Shachel, who spends a lot of time on the island performing (and eating), and it turned out to be one of those easy, memorable family meals you don’t overthink, you just go back.

Street Vegan is right on the main road and easy to reach by car, scooter or the shared taxi trucks. Inside, the vibe is relaxed but special. The upper floor feels like a treehouse, looking down onto the kitchen and you can actually see the food being prepared, which gives you confidence that nothing rushed, and everything made with care. You can say that about Thai food in general but this place is a cut above.

We went around midday, the hottest month of the year, with the kids and ordered a mix from the menu to share.

The tofu cubes topped with fried onions were a hit—crispy, savory, simple but really well done. Another standout was the sautéed tofu served in cabbage leaves, fresh and nicely balanced. My daughter ordered dim sum, which was light and well made and filled with mushrooms I believe, and we also tried the sweet potato gnocchi with pesto which surprisingly good. Everything in the restaurant is gluten-free and meat and animal-product free.

The highlight for everyone was the chocolate cake. Which I do have have a picture of, sadly because we attacked it.

I’ve made vegan cakes with coconut butter and tofu but this was hand-down taking the cake. I might reach out for the recipe. The cake was creamy, rich, with a delightful crust made from coconut and nuts, and honestly hard to believe it was vegan. One of those desserts you end up finishing even when you’re full.

The guy beside us ordered the Buddha bowl and he looked like a satisfied regular.

What stands out at Street Vegan is the quality of ingredients. Thailand has incredible produce—fresh fruits, vegetables, coconut oil, palm sugar—and you can taste it here. But it’s also the effort behind the food. You can see the kitchen working, step by step, and it shows in the final dishes. The chef told me it’s endless work when I thanked her.

Street Vegan not trying to be fancy or trendy. Just solid, flavorful vegan food in a great setting. It’s open many hours until the night. I hope the owner can hold her stamina because it’s a place worth protecting and sharing. I remember years ago telling everyone to eat at Mama Poos. Now it’s the mama at Street Vegan.

If you’re on Koh Phangan, especially around Sri Thanu, this is a must-stop.

Getting to Street Vegan

Street Vegan House is located on the west coast of Koh Phangan in the Hin Kong area (near Sri Thanu), known as a major vegan hub. It is situated along the main road, easily accessible by scooter or songthaew taxi from Thong Sala or Sri Thanu and offers Vietnamese-style plant-based street food (open Mon-Sat, 1 PM-10 PM).

The post Street Vegan in Sri Thanu is a must-stop family lunch spot on Koh Phangan, Thailand appeared first on Green Prophet.

An argument for not dusting the house – ever. It might actually make your plants healthier.

New research published in New Phytologist shows that plants can acquire nutrients not only from the soil but also from atmospheric dust that settles and dissolves on their leaves, releasing elements such as phosphorus and iron. This goes against what many plant owners assume: that dusty leaves impair respiration and growth.

In a Mediterranean field study simulating dust events—common during dust storms—dust application increased plant macronutrient and micronutrient concentrations through the plants’ mildly acidic leaves.

By integrating field observations with dust-deposition estimates and soil nutrient data from different regions, investigators found that during dust events, daily nutrient inputs via foliar uptake can match or even exceed soil-derived inputs.

“This suggests a shift from the traditionally soil-centric view of nutrient acquisition toward a vegetation-mediated pathway, where the plant canopy acts as an active interface for capturing and processing atmospheric particles,” said Dr. Anton Lokshin, a postdoctoral researcher at BGU where the research took place. “In nutrient-limited ecosystems, this leaf-based nutrient pathway may represent an important and currently overlooked contribution to plant nutrition and ecosystem functioning.”

The study was conducted by Anton Lokshin in the laboratory of Dr. Avner Gross, in collaboration with Dr. Daniel Palchan (Ariel University), Prof. Marcelo Sternberg (Tel Aviv University), Tom Goren (Bar Ilan University), and Andre (Mahdi) Nakhavali (IIASA).

The post Plants can eat dust and grow – should we stop dusting them? appeared first on Green Prophet.

Paris has long dictated what the world wears. But a quieter movement is reshaping that influence — one that covers more, not less. Paris Modest Fashion Week is part of a growing global shift toward clothing that balances style with cultural, religious, or personal values of modesty. Designers from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe, and beyond are using the Paris platform to show that fashion doesn’t have to rely on skin to be expressive.

France is home to around 5 to 7.5 million Muslims according to estimates, and Özlem Şahin, head of the organization behind Modest Fashion Week, has described Paris as “one of the leading modest fashion capitals in Europe”.

Flowing silhouettes, layered textures, structured tailoring, and inventive fabrics dominate the runway. The aesthetic is less about concealment and more about how fabric moves, how it frames the body, and how identity is communicated.

For some, modest fashion is rooted in faith: Islamic, Jewish, or Christian traditions. For others, it’s about autonomy: rejecting fast-fashion norms that equate confidence with revealing clothing. In a world saturated with hyper-sexualized imagery, modest fashion offers an alternative language. I can relate. In my early 20s I went through a hyper modesty stage to avoid the male gaze.

There’s also a sustainability angle because modest fashion made from hemp and linen often leans toward longer-lasting garments such coats, abayas, tailored pieces which are designed for repeat wear rather than seasonal disposal. Many designers in the space are also experimenting with natural fibers, ethical production, and slower design cycles.

As luxury brands begin to tap into modest markets, questions arise about authenticity and cultural appropriation. Who is telling the story — and who profits from it? Paris Modest Fashion Week sits at that intersection: culture, commerce, and changing values.

Same is true for Saudi Arabia, which in 2024, held its first “immodest” fashion runway, featuring bathing suits.

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