Category: Science and Stuff,

Sonar Can Literally Scare Whales to Death, Study Finds

On By peanutgallerynhIn Environment,, Military,, Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

Between 2002 and 2014, six mass strandings took place in Greece, the Canary Islands and Almería in southeastern Spain, but the dead whales did not appear to be malnourished or sick. However, they displayed “abundant gas bubbles” throughout their veins, blood clots in multiple organs and microscopic hemorrhages “of varying severity” in body tissues.

Beached whales may have experienced “a fight or flight response” that overrode a key diving adaptation: the lowering of heart rate, which reduces oxygen consumption and prevents nitrogen accumulation. The result was hemorrhages and “massive bubble formation in their tissues,” de Quirós explained.

These symptoms of decompression sickness likely afflicted the whales after they were spooked by sonic blasts, according to the study.

Sonar Can Literally Scare Whales to Death, Study Finds

Jeezus…

Measles outbreaks are spreading. Medical misinformation is too.

On By peanutgallerynhIn Media and Culture,, Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

A recent report suggests that half of parents of young children have been exposed on social media to fake news about vaccination, including ominous advertising on Facebook suggesting their children may die from the supposed toxicity of vaccines. Medical misinformation is so widespread that the World Health Organization has recently declared vaccine resistance one of the top 10 threats to global health in 2019.

…Officials believe groups like these are a reason for the spread of measles: “These outbreaks are due to the anti-vaccine movement,” 

Measles outbreaks are spreading. Medical misinformation is too. – Vox

hmm

European slaughter of Native Americans changed the climate, study says

On By peanutgallerynhIn Environment,, Science and Stuff,, The Americas,Leave a comment

European settlers killed 56 million indigenous people over about 100 years in South, Central and North America, causing large swaths of farmland to be abandoned and reforested, researchers at University College London, or UCL, estimate. The increase in trees and vegetation across an area the size of France resulted in a massive decrease in carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, according to the study.

Carbon levels changed enough to cool the Earth by 1610, researchers found. 

…”The ice cores showed that there was a larger dip in CO2 (than usual) in 1610, which was caused by the land and not the oceans,” said Alexander Koch, lead author of the study.

A small shift in temperatures — about a 10th of a degree in the 17th century — led to colder winters, frosty summers and failing harvests, Koch said.

European slaughter of Native Americans changed the climate, study says – CNN

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The north magnetic pole just changed. Here’s what that means.

On By peanutgallerynhIn Environment,, Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

Magnetic north’s routine plod has shifted into high gear, sending it galloping across the Northern Hemisphere—and no one can entirely explain why.

The changes have been so large that scientists began working on an emergency update for the World Magnetic Model, the mathematical system that lays the foundations for navigation, from cell phones and ships to commercial airlines.

…“Things are acting very strangely at high latitude,” says Livermore, who notes that this increase seemed to coincide with a strengthening jet in the planet’s liquid outer core. Though the events could be linked, it’s not yet possible to say for sure.

… The north magnetic pole seems to be controlled by two patches of magnetic field, he explains, one under northern Canada and one under Siberia. Historically, the one under northern Canada seems to have been stronger, keeping the magnetic pole in its clutches. But recently, that seems to have changed.

“The Siberian patch looks like it’s winning the battle,” he says. “It’s sort of pulling the magnetic field all the way across to its side of the geographic pole.”

…This may be a result of a jet within the core smearing and thus weakening the magnetic field under Canada, he says. The jet’s increase in speed seems to have coincided with the last few decades of the magnetic pole zipping north.

The north magnetic pole just changed. Here’s what that means.

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Eating breakfast is not a good weight loss strategy, scientists confirm – Vox

On By peanutgallerynhIn Media and Culture,, Money, Class, and Poverty,, Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

“Many — if not most — studies demonstrating that breakfast eaters are healthier and manage weight better than non-breakfast eaters were sponsored by Kellogg or other breakfast cereal companies whose businesses depend on people believing that breakfast means ready-to-eat cereal.”

…These observational studies generally took people who were already eating breakfast and then compared them with people who weren’t. They weren’t experiments that randomly assigned people to eat breakfast or not and compared the difference.

That means breakfast itself may not account for differences in bodyweight or disease between the two groups. People who eat breakfast might differ in other ways from those who don’t. Maybe people who exercise are more likely to eat breakfast, and that explains the difference. Or maybe it’s a function of income. It’s hard to tell.

…The BMJ published a systematic review of 13 randomized controlled trials, including the big 2014 study. They concluded that there’s “no evidence to support the notion that breakfast consumption promotes weight loss or that skipping breakfast leads to weight gain.”

Instead, the people who ate breakfast consumed 260 more calories per day and weighed a pound more than the breakfast skippers, so “caution is needed when recommending breakfast for weight loss in adults, as it may have the opposite effect.

…The breakfast studies also don’t pay enough attention to the quality of food people are eating, obesity doctor Yoni Freedhoff has pointed out. “What a person eats for breakfast will matter a great deal, and just studying whether or not a person ate breakfast, will lump together bowls of Froot Loops with almond topped steel cut oats, and Pop Tarts with summer vegetable omelettes.”

…There was some compelling evidence to suggest undernourished kids perform better at cognitive tests when enrolled in a breakfast program. But it wasn’t clear that the breakfast itself was doing the trick — it might have been the fact that the program led to increased school attendance. 

Eating breakfast is not a good weight loss strategy, scientists confirm – Vox

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This Nurse Created A Protocol To Identify Human Trafficking Victims In The ER

On By peanutgallerynhIn Chick Stuff,, Media and Culture,, Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

Her screening tool looks for patterns of inconsistencies in the patient’s story, abuse, torture, or neglect signs, and other behaviors consistent with trafficking victims, such as if they aren’t holding their own ID or money, or if the person they are with is answering questions for them and refuses to leave or let them be alone. 

This Nurse Created A Protocol To Identify Human Trafficking Victims In The ER

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A controversial bill aimed to block protests like Standing Rock is back in the Wyoming Legislature | Local News | trib.com

On By peanutgallerynhIn American Injustice System,, Environment,, Local Interest,, Media and Culture,Leave a comment

After a veto by then-Gov. Matt Mead at the close of the 2018 budget session, legislation that would create criminal charges for impeding fossil fuel facilities and pipelines during protests is back in the Wyoming Legislature.

Similar in scope to bills introduced in statehouses across the country following the Dakota Access pipeline protests, Rep. Lloyd Larsen’s Crimes Against Critical Infrastructure bill was written with numerous fixes to address questions raised last year.

However, critics told lawmakers at a packed committee hearing Monday that the bill would still restrict people’s lawful right to protest.

A controversial bill aimed to block protests like Standing Rock is back in the Wyoming Legislature | Local News | trib.com

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We may finally know what causes Alzheimer’s – and how to stop it

On By peanutgallerynhIn Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

A drug that blocks the main toxins of P. gingivalis is entering major clinical trials this year, and research published today shows it might stop and even reverse Alzheimer’s. There could even be a vaccine.

…The disease often involves the accumulation of proteins called amyloid and tau in the brain, and the leading hypothesis has been that the disease arises from defective control of these two proteins.

But research in recent years has revealed that people can have amyloid plaques without having dementia. So many efforts to treat Alzheimer’s by moderating these proteins have failed that the hypothesis has been seriously questioned.

…Bacteria involved in gum disease and other illnesses have been found after death in the brains of people who had Alzheimer’s, but until now, it hasn’t been clear whether these bacteria caused the disease or simply got in via brain damage caused by the condition.

…Multiple research teams have been investigating P. gingivalis, and have so far found that it invades and inflames brain regions affected by Alzheimer’s; that gum infections can worsen symptoms in mice genetically engineered to have Alzheimer’s; and that it can cause Alzheimer’s-like brain inflammation, neural damage, and amyloid plaques in healthy mice.

…The bacteria and its enzymes were found at higher levels in those who had experienced worse cognitive decline, and had more amyloid and tau accumulations. The team also found the bacteria in the spinal fluid of living people with Alzheimer’s, suggesting that this technique may provide a long-sought after method of diagnosing the disease.

We may finally know what causes Alzheimer’s – and how to stop it | New Scientist

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Iraq says goodbye to its beloved archaeologist al-Gailani – ABC News

On By peanutgallerynhIn Media and Culture,, Middle East,, Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

Iraq on Monday mourned the loss of Lamia al-Gailani, a beloved archaeologist who helped rebuild the Baghdad museum after it was looted following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion to oust Saddam Hussein.

Al-Gailani, who died in Amman, Jordan, on Friday at the age of 80, was one of Iraq‘s first women to excavate the country’s archaeological heritage.

…”She was very keen to communicate on the popular level and make archaeology accessible to ordinary people,” said her daughter, Noorah al-Gailani, who curates the Islamic civilizations collection at the Glasgow Museum in Scotland.

Iraq says goodbye to its beloved archaeologist al-Gailani – ABC News

Sounds like an incredible lady. R. I. P.

The End Of Plastic Cutlery, Plates And Straws: EU Market Says Goodbye To Single-Use Plastic Products

On By peanutgallerynhIn Environment,, Europe,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

The aim of the directive, which is part of the European Plastics Strategy, is to protect the environment and reduce marine litter by avoiding the emission of 3.4 million tonnes of CO2. However, it should be noted the importance of the economic benefits that the new regulation will bring: the directive may avoid environmental damages which would cost the equivalent of €22 billion ($24.9 billion) by 2030 and save consumers a projected €6.5 billion ($7.38 billion). 

…The measures discussed are closely related to the latest estimates on marine litter, according to the European Commission, plastics make up 85% of beach litter, which is causing catastrophic consequences on the environment. The organization WWF has already pointed out the dramatic effects that the excessive use of plastics, poor management of waste and mass tourism are having in the Mediterranean Sea, the most visited sea in Europe.

…The new rules aim to stop the use of throwaway plastic products and packaging for which alternatives exist and is focused on the most frequently found items polluting European seas: plastic cutlery (forks, knives, spoons, and chopsticks), plastic plates, plastic straws, cotton bud sticks made of plastic, beverage and food containers made of expanded polystyrene (such as fast food and takeaway boxes), and products made from oxo-degradable plastic, which contributes to microplastic pollution.  According to the European Commission, together these products constitute 70% of all marine litter items.

…The global production of plastics has not stopped to increase since 1960. According to the European Commission, in 2015 the global production reached 322 million tonnes and it is expected to double over the next 20 years. In Europe, around 25.8 million tonnes of plastic waste is generated every year and less than 30% of such waste is collected for recycling. 

The End Of Plastic Cutlery, Plates And Straws: EU Market Says Goodbye To Single-Use Plastic Products

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Berkeley City Council unanimously passes disposable foodware and litter ordinance

On By peanutgallerynhIn Environment,, Local Interest,Leave a comment

The ordinance’s lead author City Councilmember Sophie Hahn said in a statement, “Single-use disposable foodware is a local and global problem, one with enormous financial and environmental costs.”

….”Most of the single-use plastic foodware has no value in today’s recycling markets. With China’s ban on importing plastic scrap, cities are actually paying to get rid of it.”

Bourque said, “We cannot recycle our way out of the disposable foodware problem. We have to focus on reduction.”

Upstream Policy Director Miriam Gordon said, “Our throw-away culture is leading to a proliferation of plastics in our food, air, and drinking water, which threatens human health and all ocean life. Disposable food packaging is the biggest contributor to the problem.”

Berkeley City Council unanimously passes disposable foodware and litter ordinance | abc7news.com

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez claps back at Sarah Huckabee Sanders – Business Insider

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Environment,, Media and Culture,, Religion,Leave a comment

The 29-year-old New York Democrat, who was raised Catholic, retweeted a story about Sanders’ remarks and cited the Bible in her counterargument.

“‘Genesis 1: God looked on the world & called it good not once, not twice, but seven times. Genesis 2: God commands all people to “serve and protect” creation. Leviticus: God mandates that not only the people, but the land that sustains them, shall be respected,'” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted.

She went on: “You shouldn’t need a Bible to tell you to protect our planet, but it does anyway.”

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez claps back at Sarah Huckabee Sanders – Business Insider

heh

Transcript: The Vaccine War

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Media and Culture,, Modern Parenting,, Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

The hypotheses continue to shift. The first hypothesis, which, you know, people bought into long and hard, is that the combination measles, mumps, rubella, or MMR vaccine, cause autism. Twelve epidemiological studies showed that that wasn’t true.

Then the hypothesis shifted to thimerosal, an ethylmercury-containing preservative that was in vaccines, that’s no longer in vaccines, except for some multi-dose preparations of flu vaccine, that that caused autism. And that clearly has been shown not to be true.

So now this is classic for pseudo-science, is you just keep moving the goalposts. So now the goalpost is, “No, we didn’t mean actually MMR caused autism or thimerosal caused autism, we just meant vaccines in general cause autism.”

…These students who sat in that room were much more likely to believe something they had seen on YouTube from a Washington Redskins cheerleader than they would have believed something that they would have heard from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the American Academy of Pediatrics. That’s a little frightening.

…If a certain percentage of the population is vaccinated, that will stop infections from spreading because most of the people around that child are vaccinated, so therefore, the virus can’t really spread. However, when a critical number of people aren’t vaccinated, when there’s a critical drop in herd immunity, then the viruses can spread. And not only are those children who aren’t vaccinated at risk, but those who can’t be vaccinated are at risk.

…When enough people don’t vaccinate, herd immunity begins to crumble. The first to suffer are vulnerable populations, those who because of age or illness can’t be vaccinated. 

…The more immunity we have in a community, the better it is. Fifty percent is better than nothing, and 100 percent— it’s like building a brick wall around a city and protecting it against an enemy. It’s excellent protection against something entering our community that could cause illness.

…Parents don’t have unlimited rights with respect to the welfare of their children. You can’t put them at risk of fatal disease. You can’t put them at risk of devastating disability.

You know, the ethics isn’t just on the side of the critics. The ethics is also on the side of those who say, “Do good in the name of children. Do good in the name of public health.”

The Vaccine War – Transcript | FRONTLINE

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Dr. Gladys West, mathematician and woman behind GPS, inducted into Air Force Hall Of Fame

On By peanutgallerynhIn Chick Stuff,, Military,, Race,, Science and Stuff,Leave a comment

She was also publicly recognized for her work as a member of a team of all black female professionals who did computing for the U.S. military before electronic systems were even available to the public. West also excelled during the midst of the Jim Crow segregation and among an industry predominantly ran by white men. 

Dr. Gladys West, mathematician and woman behind GPS, inducted into Air Force Hall Of Fame – KRDO

A superior intellect to e sure, but what a spine that woman must have to have contributed so much under those conditions….