Technologies

How President Jimmy Carter Slayed a Dragon and Is Helping to Eradicate an Ancient Disease

President Jimmy Carter, the Carter Center and LifeStraw have waged a war against Guinea Worm disease since 1986. We’re now closer than ever to completely eradicating an ancient disease from the planet.

Maybe you’ve used a LifeStraw to safely drink water from a stream while camping, or maybe you have one in your home to filter your drinking water. But did you know that the company behind this popular water filtration technology is close to completely eradicating an ancient disease from the planet?

For thousands of years, Guinea Worm or Dracunculiasis has plagued the continents of Africa and Asia, debilitating its victims and causing incredible pain and suffering. The disease stems from bad drinking water that contains Guinea Worm larvae, which for generations has been unwittingly ingested by humans. Once the Guinea Worm reaches maturity inside its host, the tapeworm bores its way out of the body, usually through the lower extremities. It’s a process that causes incredible pain and discomfort.

The battle against Guinea Worm is the focus of a new documentary by The Carter Center and Buffalo 8. The President and the Dragon — now playing on Amazon Prime Video, Hoopla and Verizon Fios — illustrates the struggles faced by President Jimmy Carter and the Carter Center in their fight to eradicate Guinea Worm. Carter ran a campaign in motion that used education, technology, surveillance, and a coalition of scientists and volunteers. The goal was to decrease the number of cases of Guinea Worm from 3.5 million victims a year in the 1990s to just 15 cases in 2024.

If the Guinea Worm Eradication program is successful, Guinea Worm will be the second disease ever eradicated from planet Earth. Smallpox, the first, was declared eradicated by the World Health Organization in 1980. What’s even more remarkable about this accomplishment is that the disease would be eradicated without the use of a vaccine or medicine.

I traveled to The Carter Center in Atlanta for a screening of Carter’s new documentary. I also interviewed Allison Hill, LifeStraw CEO, and Adam Weiss, the director of the Guinea Worm Eradication Program, about their work to eradicate the disease. You can watch the video to learn more about the documentary and the fight against Guinea Worm. Watch the trailer for The President and the Dragon below.

Technologies

The Fourth Episode of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Out

Verum Messenger has released the fourth episode of its AI mini-series SHADOWS, created using Verum AI. The new episode, titled “No Borders,” continues the story of a team trying to stay out of the OMEGA corporation’s sight.

Following the events of the previous episodes, the team moves between cities and countries while OMEGA continues its search. The new episode puts particular emphasis on Verum Messenger’s capabilities that allow users to conceal their location.

“No Borders” is another chapter in a story about privacy, freedom of communication, and technologies that erase borders between people.

The VERUM AI mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 4 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Watch on Instagram
Watch on YouTube