Dear Reader,

Welcome to Between Calls, your weekly dose of hand-picked stories from the worlds of digital marketing, wellness and science. Blending commerce, consciousness and curiosity, Between Calls brings you insights to make you think and think again.

This week we explore what's making social media tick, an ingenious solution to counter the microplastics we consume and a scientific explanation to what octopuses' arms really do. First up, social media trends in 2025 range from social listening to adopting AI to micro virality. Then, we dive into some innovative ways to use probiotics and combat microplastic ingestion. Finally, we look at the remarkable precision of octopus arm coordination. So, we have social media trends, combating microplastics & fascinating octopuses this week. Happy Reading!

Kabir says : A social media expert, a gut health specialist, and a teuthologist walk into a bar. The social media expert sighs, “My audience engagement just tanked, no one's watching reels longer than 6 seconds anymore.” The gut health specialist nods, “Sounds familiar. Human attention spans are like their microbiomes nowadays, easily disrupted and chronically inflamed.” The teuthologist chuckles, “You’re marketing to the wrong species. I study octopuses, they have nine brains, three hearts and eight arms, just hand them a bloody phone.”

DIGITAL MARKETING

Social Media Trends in 2025

2.5 hours, that's the time users spend on an average on social media every day. That's why there is nothing like active social media channels for brands aiming to connect with audiences. According to Hootsuite's latest report, marketers are leveraging content experimentation, using long-term social listening tools and focusing on audience-targeted virality instead of simply riding the latest "viral trend" to refine their strategies

Another trend is the increasing adopting generative AI to enhance content creation, with 83% marketers stating it significantly boosts their output. While tactics might change but the fundamentals don't. Brands need to continually focus on building genuine relationships with audiences, moving beyond mere transactional interactions to foster long-term brand loyalty. This report does a great job of breaking down strategies you need to succeed with social media.  

WELLNESS

Probiotics vs Microplastics

It is no secret that we are ingesting microplastics through our food, breathing it in the air & drinking it from water. It's just a sign of the times. In a groundbreaking study published in 'Frontiers in Microbiology', a novel approach to addressing the health risks associated with microplastic ingestion has been proposed. Researchers have identified specific probiotic strains, such as the DT66 and the DT88, that can adsorb and excrete microplastics within the human gut. 

Researchers tested this with animals where these probiotics demonstrated a 34% increase in microplastic excretion and a 67% reduction in intestinal microplastic accumulation. Furthermore, DT88 was shown to alleviate microplastic-induced intestinal inflammation as well. This innovative strategy offers a potential therapeutic and non-invasive solution to the growing concern of microplastic exposure. 

SCIENCE

Octopus In Arms

Who lives on the ocean floor under the sea? As per the Spongebob Squarepants theme song it's octopuses! These are fascinating invertebrates with three hearts and blue blood, they're best known for having eight arms. But exactly what can those arms do? A recent study by Florida Atlantic University has provided new insights into the complex motor control of octopus arms. 

Observing nearly 7,000 arm movements across various habitats, researchers discovered that octopuses utilize their arms with remarkable precision, front arms are primarily used for exploration, while back arms assist in locomotion. Each arm is capable of bending, elongating, shortening, and twisting independently, allowing for sophisticated behaviors such as camouflage and cooperative hunting. This has many lessons for robotics and neuroscience. And if you are interested in this, you might also like 'My Octopus Teacher', I'll leave you to research that on your own :) 

PROMPTITUDE

Ignite Ideas, One Prompt at a Time: Use this with any LLM and learn more about Teuthology.

Assuming the role of a marine biologist with expertise in science communication, create a detailed beginner's guide on teuthology, the study of cephalopods. Begin with a clear definition of teuthology and its significance in marine research, then methodically break down key areas: major cephalopod groups (squids, octopuses, cuttlefish, nautiluses), their unique biological features like camouflage and intelligence, their ecological roles, and current research methods. Ensure each explanation is simple, relatable and free of scientific jargon. Use analogies or everyday examples where possible to illustrate complex concepts. The objective is to make teuthology accessible and engaging for anyone regardless of their scientific background, inspiring curiosity about these fascinating marine creatures and the scientists who study them.

FROM THE BOOKSHELF

To do this week: There is a microplastic crisis and the world needs to find a solution to it. But what if the solution lay with AI?

Watch Here

Stay Informed, Stay Ahead!

About the author: abhinavchetan.com

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