Путін знову збільшив чисельність своєї армії Attribution+  — Російський диктатор Володимир Путін підписав указ про збільшення штатної чисельності Збройних сил РФ до 2 389 130 осіб, включаючи 1,5 млн військовослужбовців. Указ опубліковано на порталі правової інформації, пишуть російські ЗМІ. Минулого разу Путін збільшував штатну чисельність російської армії у грудні 2023 року – вона становила 2 209 130 осіб, зокрема 1 320 000 військових. […] Запись Путін знову збільшив чисельність своєї армії впервые появилась InfoResist. ... InfoResist 1 min ⟶
SBB: Oseti slobodu uz EON pakete Attribution+  —  SBB kompanija je danas započela novu marketinšku kampanju kojom predstavlja sve prednosti EON paketa, uz koje korisnici imaju jedinstveno iskustvo gledanja televizije, super brz internet i digitalnu fiksnu telefoniju. Svi oni koji još uvek nisu SBB korisnici, sada imaju jedinstvenu priliku da uz super pogodnosti probaju neki od najtraženijih EON paketa, kao i SBB mobilni telefon. ... Južne vesti 1 min ⟶
Prosvetari sa protesta u Nišu - "Zapiši, državo, da smo ti danas rekli ne" Attribution+  —  Prosvetni radnici sa juga Srbije okupili su se danas u Nišu na protestu zahtevajući veće plate i bolje uslove rada. Nakon što su odbili predlog Vlade Srbije o povećanju plata, prosvetari ocenjuju da u “bogatoj Srbiji nema novca za prosvetne radnike”, a sa skupa u Nišu ujedinjeno su poručili državi “ne”. ... Južne vesti 1 min ⟶
ბელარუსი ჟურნალისტი ქუთაისის აეროპორტიდან, სავარაუდოდ, ვარშავაში გააბრუნეს Attribution+   რადიო თავისუფლება 1 min ⟶
Ukraina i fton OKB-në dhe Kryqin e Kuq Ndërkombëtar në Kursk të Rusisë Attribution+   Radio Evropa e Lirë 1 min ⟶
Զելենսկին շարունակում է արևմտյան զենքով Ռուսաստանի տարածքին հարվածելու թույլտվություն պահանջել Public Domain  — Մոսկվայի և Բաքվի միջև դիվանագիտական սկանդալ՝ երեք ադրբեջանցիների Ուկրաինա՝ մարտական գործողությունների գոտի ուղարկելու պատճառով: ... Ազատ Եվրոպա/Ազատություն 1 min ⟶
Թբիլիսին պատրաստ է իր դերակատարումն ունենալ՝ ապահովելու կայունությունը տարածաշրջանում. Կոբախիձե Public Domain  — Նիկոլ Փաշինյանը պաշտոնական այցով այսօր մեկնել է Թբիլիսի, որտեղ Իրակլի Կոբախիձեի հետ առանձնազրույցից հետո հանդես են եկել համատեղ հայտարարությամբ։ ... Ազատ Եվրոպա/Ազատություն 1 min ⟶
Dosadašnji atentati na američke predsjednike Public Domain  — FBI istražuje, kako je rekao, još jedan pokušaj atentata na republikanskog predsjedničkog kandidata Donalda Trumpa. ... Glas Amerike 1 min ⟶
Earth’s greatest mass extinction 250 million years ago shows what happens when El Niño gets out of c... CC BY-ND  — 252 million years ago, there was only one supercontinent: Pangaea. ManuMata / shutterstockAround 252 million years ago, the world suddenly heated up. Over a geologically brief period of tens of thousands of years, 90% of species were wiped out. Even insects, which are rarely touched by such events, suffered catastrophic losses. The Permian-Triassic mass extinction, as it’s known, was the greatest of the “big five” mass extinctions in Earth’s history. Scientists have generally blamed the mass extinction on greenhouse gases released from a vast network of volcanoes which covered much of modern day Siberia in lava. But the volcanic explanation was incomplete. In our new study, we show that an enormous El Niño weather pattern in the world’s major ocean added to climate chaos and led to extinctions spreading across the globe. It’s easy to see why volcanoes were blamed. The onset of extinction coincides almost perfectly with the beginning of the second phase of volcanism in the region known as the Siberian Traps. This led to acid rain, oceans losing their oxygen and, most notably, temperatures beyond the tolerance levels of almost all organisms. It was the greatest episode of global warming in the past 500 million years. The world 252 million years ago Alex Farnsworth However, there were outstanding questions for proponents of this seemingly simple extinction scenario: when the tropics became too hot, why did species not just migrate to cooler, higher latitudes (as is happening today)? If warming was sudden and rapid, why did species on land die off tens of thousands of years before those in the sea? There have also been many instances of volcanic eruptions of similar scale, and even other episodes of rapid warming, but why did none of these cause a similarly catastrophic mass extinction? Our new study reveals that the oceans rapidly heated up all across the world’s low and mid latitudes. Normally, it gets cooler as you move away from the tropics, but not this time. It simply became too hot for life in too many places. A world prone to extremes Using a state-of-the-art computer program, we were able to simulate what the weather and climate was like 252 million years ago. We found that, even before the rapid warming, the world would have been prone to extremes of temperature and rainfall. That’s a consequence of all the land at the time forming into one large supercontinent, Pangaea. This meant that the climates we see today at the centre of continents – dry, with hot summers and freezing winters – were magnified. Pangaea was surrounded by a vast ocean, Panthalassa, the surface of which would fluctuate between warm and cool periods over the years, much like the El Niño phenomenon in the Pacific today. Yet once the mass Siberian volcanism started and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased, those prehistoric El Niños became more intense and lasted longer thanks to the larger Panthalassa ocean being able to store more heat. An El Niño far stronger than anything today Change in sea surface temperature (SST) compared to the long-term average. El Niño conditions are red, La Niña (or its prehistoric equivalent) is blue. Left = modern day pre-industrial Pacific Ocean. Centre = 252 million years ago, before the Siberian Traps volcanism. Right = at the peak of the mass extinction. Alex Farnsworth These El Niños had a profound impact on life on land, and kicked off a sequence of events that made the climate more and more extreme. Temperatures got hotter, especially in the tropics, and huge droughts and fires caused tropical forests to die off. This in turn was bad news for the climate, as less carbon was stored by trees, allowing more to linger in the atmosphere, leading to further warming, and even stronger and longer El Niños. 252 million years ago, pre crisis: Before the Siberian Traps volcanism 252 million years ago, the world was slightly hotter than today. (Animation shows average monthly temperatures according to the authors’ climate model). Alex Farnsworth These stronger El Niños caused the extreme temperatures and droughts to push outside of the tropics towards the poles, and more vegetation died off and more carbon was released. Over tens of thousands of years, extreme temperatures spread over much of the world’s surface. Eventually, the warming began to harm life in the oceans, particularly tiny organisms at the bottom of the food chain. …and at the peak of the extinction: At the peak of the extinction, temperatures regularly soared far above 40°C. Alex Farnsworth During the peak of the crisis, in a world that was already warming thanks to volcanic gases, an El Niño would boost average temperatures by a further 4°C. That’s more than three times the total warming we have caused over the past few centuries. Back then, the El Niño-charged climate would have regularly seen peak daytime temperatures on land of 60°C or more. The future of El Niño In recent years El Niños have caused major changes to rainfall and temperature patterns, around the Pacific and even further afield. A strong El Niño was a factor in record-breaking temperatures through 2023 and 2024. Fortunately, such events typically only last a few years. However, on top of human-caused warming, even these smaller scale El Niños of the present day may be enough to push fragile ecosystems beyond their limit. El Niño is predicted to become more variable as the climate changes, though we should note that the oceans are still yet to fully respond to current warming rates. At present, nobody is forecasting another mass extinction on the scale of the one 252 million years ago, but that event provides a worrying snapshot of what happens when El Niño gets out of control. Alex Farnsworth receives funding from UKRI and the Levrehulme Trust David Bond receives funding from the Natural Environment Research Council. Paul Wignall receives funding from NERC. ... The Conversation 1 min ⟶
Online news consumption has surpassed television – but broadcasters are still the most widely truste... CC BY-ND  — More people in the UK now access news online than on television, according to new survey data from the media regulator, Ofcom. This is the first time Ofcom’s annual news consumption poll found online media use ahead of TV news. The immediate press reaction to the survey suggested television is in terminal decline, with online media replacing TV news. Ofcom itself pitted one format against another by declaring in the study’s headline: “TV loses its crown as main source for news.” Yet rather than the survey reflecting a “generational shift” in audience behaviour, the truth is it has been going on for decades. The rise of smartphones has fuelled more consumption of news directly on apps, including social media. This is part of a broader trend in how media has permeated our lives. Where once people slept more than they used media, today they spend more time – estimated at well over eight hours per day – consuming a wide of range of new and old media. But as opposed to greater online media consumption signalling the death of television news, the box in the corner has proved highly resilient. In 2024, Ofcom’s survey showed 70% of people said they used TV to access news, a fall of just 5% since 2019. By contrast, two-thirds of respondents used online media to access news five years ago, compared with 71% in the latest survey. The numbers suggest that many people have not given up on TV news, but rather have gone online in addition to watching television. The concept of “dual screening” – simultaneously watching television while tweeting views on political events or scrolling social media – has been around for years. In the first ever televised UK leaders’ election debate in 2010, a quarter of young people in a survey revealed they had posted election-related comments on Facebook and Twitter while watching the debate. This shows that, for some time now, watching TV or scrolling through social media platforms is not just about consuming media, but about participating in a shared conversation. The shift towards online news use is far greater among younger than older age groups. But suggestions that young people are collectively turning away from traditional media in favour of relying exclusively on TikTok can be misleading. Often, what they are consuming – even on newer platforms – is still produced and posted by traditional media. For example, it is estimated that half of the BBC’s young audiences accessed election coverage through social media. This could be anything from 30-second videos to longer explainers of topics in the news. Trustworthy sources at critical moments Ofcom’s research also shows television’s influence at critical points in time. Another survey conducted by the regulator found that television was the most popular way people consumed news and information during the 2024 UK general election. During the pandemic, surveys consistently showed a majority of people turned to television to understand the latest guidance. In the opening weeks of the health crisis, the BBC News at Six and Ten were together attracting 20 million viewers per week. At the same time, people questioned the credibility of online and social media sources. During the start of the pandemic, our research at Cardiff University examined people’s news diets. We found almost all participants trusted and valued broadcasters’ impartiality, including their online and social media coverage. Again, this tells us that people are using online formats to access the same, traditional sources of media. Much of the reaction to Ofcom’s recent survey has conflated a rise in online news with the public being more exposed to conspiracy theory websites, or false and misleading disinformation from social media. Many people have invested their trust in broadcasters’ online news services. But, in doing so, they may be more likely to encounter false or misleading information when scrolling through social media sites. Ofcom’s survey found that audiences ranked TV, radio and public service media generally the highest in terms of trust, accuracy and usefulness. This shows how important broadcast media still is, despite the shift in people accessing news online and being exposed to unregulated sources across social media platforms. Changing habits This is not to say that people’s engagement and trust in news is not changing. Ofcom’s election survey revealed that the oldest respondents were more likely to turn to news providers and official sources to help them make decisions about where to cast their vote. On the other hand, 18- to 24-year-olds relied more on the opinions of those around them. Such disparity hints at different generational perceptions of authority. This was also the case for Reform and Green Party voters, suggesting that the more ideologically distant respondents were from the mainstream political consensus – from either a right- or left-wing perspective – the more they distrusted traditional media. Television news is still important to consumers at critical moments like elections. India Picture/Shutterstock Moving forward, Ofcom has promised to review public service broadcasters’ news output, particularly what they produce and share online. This review appears to be more focused on audience perceptions than the nature of journalism produced. But without interpreting the editorial value of news, it will prove difficult to make judgments about how public service broadcasters inform people’s understanding of the world online. In my view, we need more research examining the editorial content of public service media – to assess what kind of information and analysis they are producing for audiences across social media platforms and online news sites. Stephen Cushion has received funding from the BBC Trust, Ofcom, AHRC, BA and ESRC ... The Conversation 1 min ⟶
The silent conversations of plants CC BY-ND  —  Robsonphoto/ShutterstockThis morning, my six-year-old came into our bedroom and started reading a story from a book. She followed each word on the page, slowly forming full sentences. Sometimes she stumbled and asked for help with some “funny words,” but by the end of the book, she had told us a story about a bear in the snow. Verbal communication is one of the many reasons why humans have become so successful as a species. From warning each other of danger to communicating complex information, our ability to speak has been crucial. But it’s not just humans and other animals who developed sophisticated communication. A lot of people think of plants as passive but they have their own way of interacting with each other. The idea has been around for a while, even inspiring Hollywood movies like Avatar. But recent science is showing plant communication systems may be more complex than we imagined. These communication networks are sensitive and in balance. Imagine how disrupted our world would be if global network systems suddenly broke down. The recent CrowdStrike IT outages are just one example of how delicate these systems are and how important communication is – and that’s the case for plants too. To grasp how organisms who can’t speak pass on information to each other, it’s important to understand humans also have a non-verbal communication system. This includes our sense of sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch. For example, natural gas companies add a chemical called mercaptan to natural gas, giving it that distinctive “rotten egg” smell to warn us of leaks. Think also of how we have developed sign language, while many people are skilled lip readers. In addition to these senses, we also have equilibrioception (the ability to maintain balance and body posture), proprioception (the sense of the relative position and strength of our body parts), thermoception (sense of temperature changes), and nociception (ability to sense pain). All these abilities have enabled humans to become highly sophisticated in communication and engagement with the natural world. Other species, particularly plants, use their senses to spread information in their own way. What are the neighbours up to? Most of us are familiar with the smell of freshly cut grass. The volatiles, or chemical substances, released by the grass plants, which we associate with that smell, are one way they communicate to other nearby plants that a predator – or in this case a lawnmower – is present, prompting an adjustment in plant defences. Rather than using auditory cues, plants use chemical-induced communication. However, plant communication doesn’t end with volatiles. Recently, scientists discovered just how well-connected plants are and how efficiently they can send messages to their peers via their roots, electrical signals, a network of underground fungi and soil microbes. The nosy plant neighbourhood watch was discovered. For example, electrophysiology is a relatively new scientific discipline that studies how electrical signals in and between plants are communicated and interpreted. With major advances in technology and artificial intelligence (AI), we have seen significant accelerated growth in this area of research in the past few years. Scientists could be on the verge of remarkable discoveries, with recent advances integrating electrical signal communication within and between plants into modern greenhouses to monitor and control crop watering or detect nutritional deficiencies. Scientists achieve this by inserting small electrical probes, similar to acupuncture needles, to test how changes in electrical signals relate to plant performance such as transporting water, nutrient and converting light into important sugars. Researchers have even influenced plant behaviour by sending electrical signals from mobile phones, making them perform basic responses like opening or closing leaves in a Venus flytrap. Soon we may be able to fully translate the language of our crops. A great deal of plant-to-plant communication happens below ground, facilitated by large fungal networks known as the “wood wide web”. This network of fungi connects trees and plants underground, allowing them to share resources like water, nutrients and information. Through this system, older trees can help younger ones grow, and trees can warn each other about dangers such as pests. It’s like an underground internet for trees and plants, helping them support and communicate with each other. The network is extensive, with over 80% of plants believed to be connected, making it one of the oldest communication systems in the world. Just as the internet enables us to connect, share ideas, knowledge and information that can influence decision-making, the “wood wide web” allows plants to use symbiotic fungi to prepare for environmental changes. However, disturbing the soil through chemicals, deforestation or climate change can disrupt the communication nodes through affecting water and nutrient cycles in these networks, making plants less informed and connected. Not much research has yet been carried out into the effects of disrupting these networks. But we know that plants responsive behaviour, such as defence responses and gene regulation, can be altered by their fungal network if they are connected to one. So this communication-disconnect might make them more vulnerable, making it more difficult to protect and restore ecosystems around the world. There is still a lot scientists have to learn about these highly complex networks We know it’s important to help children learn to read so that they can navigate the world around them. It is just as important as to ensure we do not disconnect plant communication. After all, we depend upon plants for our wellbeing and survival. Sven Batke does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. ... The Conversation 1 min ⟶
Agatha All Along: the Marvel comics witch who broke societal barriers and left superheroes powerless CC BY-ND  — The witch Agatha Harkness, played by Kathryn Hahn, was the breakout character of the Disney+ Marvel miniseries WandaVision in 2021. The series ended with Harkness trapped inside the disguise of nosy neighbour “Agnes” and cut off from her magic – but she is about to return in her own spin-off series, Agatha All Along on September 18. However, Harkness has a longer history than some fans of the show might realise. Created by Marvel’s Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1969, Harkness was, until recently, portrayed as an old woman whose age was impossible to guess. She has been an ally to the Fantastic Four and the Avengers. She also appeared during quite a fraught time in US comics history. Following a moral panic about the “immorality” of comic books, the US comics industry attempted to mollify their critics through self-regulation, establishing a code for content in 1954. This code, to which publishers had to adhere to protect their sales figures, prohibited vampires, ghouls, werewolves and horror content in general. Witches were not specifically mentioned among the prohibited stock characters (perhaps due to the legacy of “good witches” in US media, such as The Wizard of Oz and Bewitched), but they had to be on their best behaviour – comedic rather than creepy. Harkness was introduced as a nanny for Franklin Richards, infant son of Mr Fantastic and the Invisible Woman, in Fantastic Four #94 (October 1969), a lighthearted Halloween special. In this issue, she lives in a spooky mansion on Whisper Hill and is only known as a childminder. Her true nature is revealed to the reader in a later comic, when the Frightful Four try to kidnap baby Franklin, provoking a magical response. The Fantastic Four, meanwhile, are none the wiser, having been trapped in their rooms throughout the ordeal. Harkness’s powers are finally revealed to her employers in Fantastic Four #110 (February 1971). The escalation of Harkness’s powers, and her openness about her witchy nature, came just before a change in comics regulation. In the same month, a story featuring drug abuse in Amazing Spider-Man issues 96-98 meant these issues had to be distributed without the Comics Code Authority (CCA) stamp of approval. However, the story was very positively received by parents’ and teachers’ groups, and reported favourably in the news media, prompting the CCA to update its code. As part of that update, the prohibition on horror and occult tropes was rescinded in 1972. More of Harkness’s personal history is revealed in issues 185 and 186 (May 1977) when the Fantastic Four uncover a secret community of witches named New Salem, which Harkness used to lead. Harkness’s power-hungry son Nicholas Scratch kidnaps her, believing that she has betrayed the secret town to the outside world, but thanks to the Four’s intervention, the witches of New Salem turn against him and banish him to another dimension. The trailer for Agatha All Along. Scratch’s super-villain team, Salem’s Seven, try to return him to Earth, but are foiled by Harkness and Richards once more in Fantastic Four Annual #14 (October 1979). In his next attempt to return, in issues 222-223 (June-July 1980), Scratch possesses Richards to incapacitate the Four and enact a ritual to remove the barrier between Earth and the Dark World. Harkness defeats her son, strips him of his powers and disowns him, thereafter deciding to remain in New Salem. Dangerous liaisons It’s clear that Harkness was sometimes a difficult guest character for her creators. There were few limits on her arcane power and she overshadowed headline characters in their own comics. It seems that for Harkness to work as a protagonist, the heroes around her had to be disempowered somehow – locked in rooms, possessed, mind-controlled or otherwise taken out of commission. This works for a comedic story like her first appearance, but not so much for arcs with serious, high-stakes conflict. In Vision and the Scarlet Witch Vol. 2 #3 (September 1985), we learn that Salem’s Seven have finally killed Harkness. However, when she shows up in person and very much alive in Avengers West Coast #51 (August 1989), she brushes off mentions of her death as if they were of no consequence. Harkness’s most significant associate is Wanda, aka the Scarlet Witch, whom she starts training in Avengers 128 (July 1974). Their tumultuous relationship again revolves around children. Harkness tells Wanda how to use magic to conceive children with her android husband, Vision (Vision and the Scarlet Witch Vol. 2 #3), and she later messes around with Wanda’s memories of those children. She erases memories of them to spare Wanda the trauma of losing them in Avengers West Coast 52 (September 1989), but undoes this ten issues later to try to release Wanda from mind control (July 1990). Agatha Harkness was a key character in WandaVision thanks to her longstanding connection with Wanda. As revealed in The Avengers 503 (November 2004), this manipulation drives Wanda to kill Harkness. Her ghost returns in Wanda’s own series, Scarlet Witch (December 2015 onwards), eventually being resurrected for a second time in issue 14 (January 2017). The version of Harkness we see in WandaVision is an outright villain, which raises questions about what we can expect from Agatha All Along. So far, all we know of the premise is that Harkness escapes Westview with the help of a teen fan (rumoured to be the magic-wielding hero Wiccan), and assembles a new coven. It will be interesting to see if more elements from Harkness’s past are introduced. New Salem would be fun to see on TV, in all its gargoyle-infested glory, and Scratch would make an interesting adversary. With such a lengthy history to draw upon and reinvent, there’s a wealth of storytelling potential in Madame Harkness. From enigmatic ally to compelling villain to sarcastic antihero, she is as changeable as a witch ought to be. Let chaos reign. Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here. Jack Fennell does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. ... The Conversation 1 min ⟶
John Lewis is using AI to renew its famous price pledge, which might just improve sales CC BY-ND  — Price matching is back. Richard M Lee/ShutterstockIt was always a brave promise. But John Lewis’s pledge to be “never knowingly undersold” – that it wouldn’t be beaten on prices – lasted for almost a century until it was dropped by the British department store in 2022. Now it’s back. And the company is hoping that those three familiar words will help boost its performance in a tough economic climate which has previously led to store closures and job cuts. Commenting on the John Lewis Partnership’s latest results, which show that it halved its losses over the first six months of this year, CEO Nish Kankiwala claimed the recovery plan is working. And a key part of that continuing plan is the “never knowingly undersold” slogan, which officially reappeared on September 9, ahead of the most important three months in British retail running up to Christmas, the so-called “golden quarter”. But will the price promise, which has long been an integral part of John Lewis’s brand identity and culture, bring customers through its doors, or persuade them to click on its website and app? Certainly, the slogan has proved popular in the past, helping to build customer loyalty among shoppers who felt that John Lewis’s prices were fair. And for a long time the store relied almost exclusively on the phrase, which adorned shopping bags and signs, as an advertising strategy. (The company didn’t even have a marketing director until 2002.) Competitive price matching was also popular with staff – who are “partners” rather than employees – as they were paid extra if they tracked down examples of stock being cheaper elsewhere. But in 2022, for commercial reasons, John Lewis said the promise had to go. It mentioned online competition, stating that just 1% of its customers had made price match requests in 2021, and that it would instead be investing £500 million into lower prices. It was a compelling argument. But the decision, along with recent store closures and speculation about changing the employee ownership model by selling part of the business, may have damaged the brand, and dented consumer confidence. In a recent poll of 5,000 customers, three quarters agreed that a modernised version of the price promise would improve their perception of John Lewis. And the reboot of the promise appears more workable now than when it was ditched two years ago. Until then, believe it or not, information about competitors’ prices was predominantly a manual process reliant on pencils, spreadsheets and visits to competitor stores. It was difficult to be agile enough to respond to price fluctuations. The business just could not keep up. But the new iteration of the price promise will use AI to track and adjust pricing, making better use of the technology now available. This is a savvy strategic move which will allow John Lewis to keep a close eye on the competition across the fashion, beauty, technology and home sectors – in real time. It will then match the prices of “thousands” of products from 25 specified retailers including e-commerce specialists AO.com and Amazon. If customers can prove they could have bought a product for less at one of those retailers, they will be offered the difference within seven days of their purchase. AI for agility This use of AI is part of a reported £500 million investment into the business, particularly in technology, which happened during the tenure of the outgoing John Lewis chairman, Sharon White. The business has benefited from comparable innovations in the past, with things like state-of-the-art warehousing and being the first major UK retailer to offer equal parental leave to all staff. John Lewis is also well known for spending big money on turning Christmas TV advertising into a one of the most anticipated events of the festive period. This year, that Christmas ad will be preceded by, a September marketing campaign under the tagline “Live Knowingly”, a nod to the slogan’s return. Of course, whether any of this push works will be down to the customers and their willingness to shop at John Lewis. Shoppers are more discerning and have access to more information and choice than ever, so attempts to attract them will need to strike the right balance between aspiration and accessibility, especially when rising living costs are factored in. And slogans are not a magic fix. Debenhams, which closed its doors for good in May 2021, once claimed to be “Britain’s favourite department store”. So beyond the slogans and glossy ads, John Lewis will probably need to stay true to the retail philosophy of its founder John Spedan Lewis, who championed “value” and “assortment” – and who paved the way for the democratic ownership and customer-focused approach which has proved key to the business’s success. Tamsin McLaren does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. ... The Conversation 1 min ⟶
Chroming, choking and skull-breaking – TikTok challenges can come with deadly consequences CC BY-ND  —  Luiza Kamalova/Shutterstock“Chroming”, also known as “huffing” or “bagging”, has become a notorious – and potentially fatal – trend. Chroming is a form of recreational drug use that involves inhaling cheap and accessible but highly dangerous substances and solvents, such as deodorant aerosols, paints and permanent markers. Sniffing the chemicals gives an immediate euphoric high – but it comes at enormous risk. In March 2024, Tommie-Lee Gracie Billington, an 11-year-old boy, died in the UK after inhaling toxic chemicals in aerosols. His grandmother, Tina Burns, blamed the chroming craze for his death. In August, 12-year-old Cesar Watson-King survived a cardiac arrest during a chroming challenge for social media. In Australia, 13-year-old Esra Hayes died last year after inhaling chemicals from an aerosol deodorant can while at a friend’s sleepover. As well as inducing a fast high, chroming can cause sudden death. Inhaling chemicals can lead to cardiac sensitisation, when the heart becomes more sensitive to adrenaline and other catecholamine compounds – hormones that help your body deal with stress. This can lead to life-threatening changes to the heart’s rhythm, causing it to beat irregularly (ventricular tachycardia) or abnormally fast (fibrillation). Resuscitation is rarely successful in these cases. But that’s not all. Chroming can also lead to unintentional toxicity and asphyxiation, where the molecules of the chemical being inhaled displace oxygen from the lungs, or prevent oxygen crossing into them. This can also prove fatal. Inhaling dangerous substances is a terrible idea. Even if users survive the short-term risks, there are longer-term dangers from the lipophilic (fat-loving) properties of hydrocarbons in the inhalants, which can cross the blood-brain barrier. As use continues, hydrocarbons can accumulate in the body and cause damage to the brain (neurotoxicity), which can lead to degeneration of brain cells and nerves. Skull-breaking Chroming isn’t the only potentially deadly social media craze. The aptly named “skull-breaker challenge” – when two people kick the legs from under a third person to make them fall over – has caused serious injuries in the US and UK. Our skull has a unique construction, with flat bony plates protecting the brain. At the front there is a “crumple zone” of many smaller bones or parts of bones that absorb facial impacts to protect the brain. Trauma to the face is not usually fatal, unless the airway is compromised or important blood vessels are damaged. But if someone falls and hits the back of their head, then there is only a relatively thin, flat bone protecting the brain. The impact of a fall isn’t usually immediately fatal – but the risks can come later. Delicate vessels inside the skull can rip and tear, causing internal bleeding. Over a few hours, as the size of the bleed increases, it can begin to compress the brain. If not diagnosed and treated, the brain bleed can cause the person to slip into a coma, suffer paralysis and potentially die. Blackout The blackout challenge is a potentially fatal social media craze where people try to choke themselves until they pass out. This trend has claimed the lives of at least two children. In 2019, 15-year-old Mason Bogard died after attempting the blackout challenge. In 2021, nine-year-old Arriani Arroyo also died after participating in the challenge on TikTok. Choking limits blood supply to the brain and deprives the brain of oxygen, which causes people to blackout. But not everyone is able to re-open this blood supply after passing out. People have different anatomical variations in their blood supply and, when passing out, there is no guarantee that the blood and oxygen supplies will be reinstated. This challenge can cause irreversible brain damage in minutes. Unfortunately, despite the casualties, these trends keep cropping up on social media. It’s a good idea to educate children and teens about the harms of attempting them, so they don’t find out the risks for themselves. Adam Taylor does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. ... The Conversation 1 min ⟶
Ocean governance: Seychelles' government officials undertake training with Chinese experts Attribution+  — A group of 15 Seychellois from government departments are participating in the first training programme organised by China focusing on the policies, regulations and management of ocean governance.  The seminar, which is being held at the Seychelles Maritime Academy, started on Monday, September 16, and will end on Tuesday, September 24. It is part of the human resources cooperation programme under the framework of China's international development cooperation proposed by Seychelles' government. It is co-organised by the Chinese Embassy in Seychelles and the Academy for International Business Officials (AIBO). In her address at the launch of the seminar, the Chinese Ambassador to Seychelles, Lin Nan, spoke about the discussions and commitments made during the Ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). "We have a very comprehensive cooperation relation, covering a wide range of areas, especially in Blue Economy and human resources. We warmly welcome more excellent Seychelles students to study in China. We also feel glad to see Chinese experts and teachers arrive at Seychelles to implement courses, helping Seychelles improve its capacity building in the Blue Economy," said the ambassador. Emphasising the importance of capacity building for Seychelles, the principal secretary for the Blue Economy, Phillianne Ernesta, talked about the 'Joint Statement on Blue Economy Development Cooperation of the China-Indian Ocean Region' issued in December 2023 during the Second China-Indian Ocean Region Forum. She said the statement reaffirmed the commitment of all parties to advance marine development cooperation and to fostering a sustainable Blue Economy as essential pathways to jointly address regional challenges and ensure stability and development. "China's willingness to enhance South-South cooperation with Seychelles is both timely and invaluable. For Seychelles, a nation endowed with abundant marine resources and an economy largely driven by tourism and fisheries, the sustainable management of ocean resources and the establishment of sound policies and regulations are crucial for its sustainable development aspirations," said Ernesta. She added that the benefits of the course extend far beyond immediate knowledge gains; they represent an investment in our human capital, the sustainable development of our country, and the broader objective of shared progress. The goal is to equip participants with the knowledge and skills needed to address challenges facing our oceans and work towards creating a more sustainable future. The vice-president of the Academy for International Business Officials (AIBO) of the Ministry of Commerce China, Zou Chuanming, said, "As the specialised institution authorised by the Chinese government to manage China's training programmes, AIBO is willing to work with relevant parties of Seychelles and the Chinese Embassy in Seychelles under the framework FOCAC, to enhance the development training cooperation and to assist Seychelles in improving the development capacity and finally to contribute to the modernidsation process." He added that Seychelles is welcome to propose more bilateral training programmes that meet national development priorities and demand. "At the same time, may this seminar be a start of deeper, high-quality cooperation in development training, especially in prospective planning and effectiveness analysis to provide knowledge and expertise needed to build our all-weather China-Seychelles community with a shared future," said Chuanming. ... Seychelles News Agency 1 min ⟶
İvanişvilinin bəyanatından sonra Gürcüstan şəhərlərində etirazlar başlayıb Public Domain  — Hakim “Gürcü arzusu” partiyasının yaradıcısı Bidzina İvanişvili 2008-ci il Rusiya-Gürcüstan müharibəsinə görə Tbilisini ittiham edib və “osetin qardaş və bacılardan” üzr istəyəcəyini vəd edib ... Azad Avropa/Azadlıq Radioları 1 min ⟶
JD Vance oo ku adkeystay hadalkiisa ka dhanka ah Muhaajiriinta Haiti Public Domain  — Washington — DJ Vance oo ah ninka uu usoo xushey musharaxa xisbiga Jamhuuriga Donald Trump inuu noqdo madaxweyne ku-xigeenkiisa ayaa difaacay hadalkiisii ahaa in dadka soo galootiga ah ee u dhashey dalka Haiti ee degan gobolkiisa Ohio ay cunaan Eeyaha iyo Mukulaalaha halka ay ka dilaan oo ay afduubtaan dadka deriska la noqdo.   Warbixintan waxaa soo koobaysa Sahra Cabdi Axmed.   ... Codka Mareykanka 2 min ⟶
Aragtida kala duwan ee Trump iyo Harris ee ku aadan IRAN Public Domain   Codka Mareykanka 2 min ⟶
Aragtida kala duwan ee Trump iyo Harris ee ku aadan IRAN Public Domain  — Labada tartame ee xilka madaxtinimo ee dalka Maraykanka ayaa illaa iyo hadda aan wax badan ka oran siyaasadahooda arrimaha dibadda ee ku aaddan dalka Iran, intii ay ololaha doorashada ku jireen. ... Codka Mareykanka 2 min ⟶
ILEYSKA VOA: Xiisadda Soomaaliya iyo Itoobiya iyo yabooha Jabuuti Public Domain   Codka Mareykanka 2 min ⟶
ILEYSKA VOA: Xiisadda Soomaaliya iyo Itoobiya iyo yabooha Jabuuti Public Domain   Codka Mareykanka 2 min ⟶
Pháp: Ngành rượu vang Bordeaux bị khủng hoảng triền miên ? Attribution+  —  Đầu mùa thu là mùa hái nho tại Pháp và cũng là mùa của các hội chợ rượu vang. Hầu hết các siêu thị Pháp nhân dịp này đều có các đợt khuyến mại. Tuy nhiên, theo ghi nhận của báo Le Figaro, hội chợ rượu vang năm nay mở ra trong bối cảnh không mấy thuận lợi. Khủng hoảng của ngành sản xuất rượu vang nói chung, rượu Bordeaux nói riêng, vẫn tiếp diễn. ... Radio France Internationale 3 min ⟶
В Украине будут судить участника НВФ «Самооборона Крыма» по нескольким статьям УК – Прокуратура АРК Attribution+  — «В феврале 2014 года гражданин Украины вступил в ряды координированного Вооруженными силами РФ незаконного вооруженного формирования «Самооборона Крыма», вступив в должность «командира 1 взвода 1 роты» ... Радио Свобода 3 min ⟶
Новый «тамиздат». Книгоиздание на русском снова эмигрирует из России Attribution+  — По мере того, как режим Путина вводит все новые цензурные запреты внутри страны, возрождается издание русскоязычных книг за рубежом ... Радио Свобода 3 min ⟶
Путин довёл штатную численность военнослужащих до 1,5 миллионов Attribution+  — Всего в Вооружённых силах будет почти 2,4 млн служащих ... Радио Свобода 3 min ⟶
时事大家谈：美众院通过《台湾冲突遏阻法》北京若攻台冻结中共高官资产 Public Domain   美国之音 3 min ⟶
时事大家谈：华为MateXT“强碰”苹果iPhone16 中美手机大战谁占上风？ Public Domain   美国之音 3 min ⟶
意大利外长面告中国商务部长：罗马支持欧盟加征中国产电动车反补贴关税 Public Domain  — 意大利副总理兼外长安东尼奥·塔亚尼（Antonio Tajani）星期一（9月16日）在罗马会晤到访的中国商务部长王文涛时明确表示，意大利支持欧盟对中国产电动车加征反补贴关税。 ... 美国之音 3 min ⟶
Gisèle Pelicot, a las víctimas de violencia sexual: "No estáis solas" CC BY-NC  — En una breve declaración antes del inicio de la audiencia en Aviñón en la que se juzga a su exmarido y a otros 50 hombres por haberla violado, la mujer francesa ha agradecido el apoyo recibido desde el inicio del proceso Miles de personas se manifiestan en toda Francia contra la violencia sexual tras el caso Pelicot: “La vergüenza debe cambiar de bando” Gisèle Pelicot, la mujer a la que su marido estuvo drogando durante casi diez años para ofrecerla a decenas de hombres que la violaron en estado inconsciente, envió este lunes un mensaje a otras víctimas de violencia sexual en todo el mundo para decirles: “No estáis solas”. En una breve declaración a la prensa antes del inicio de la audiencia en Aviñón (sureste de Francia) en la que se juzga a su ahora exmarido y a otros 50 hombres por haberla violado, Gisèle Pelicot quiso agradecer las muestras de apoyo que ha recibido desde el inicio del proceso, y en particular las manifestaciones organizadas en Francia este sábado. “Gracias a todos vosotros tengo fuerzas para llevar esta lucha hasta el final. Esta lucha que dedico a todas las personas, mujeres y hombres que en el mundo son víctimas de violencia sexual. A todas esas víctimas, quiero decir hoy, mirad a vuestro alrededor, no estáis solas”, ha manifestado Pelicot. Estas palabras las pronunció minutos antes de la hora programada para el inicio de una vista a la que no acudió el que es el principal acusado, Dominique Pelicot, porque como contó su abogada, Béatrice Zavarro, se le ha detectado una piedra en la vesícula y tiene una infección renal. La vista debe servir, precisamente, para evaluar las consecuencias de la enfermedad del principal acusado y eso podría conducir a que el presidente del tribunal, Roger Arata, decida suspender el juicio durante unos pocos días o un aplazamiento de largo plazo. ... eldiario.es 4 min ⟶
Report: Louisiana scores poorly in migration and gross income loss Attribution+  —  (The Center Square) — Louisiana ranked 44th worst in state population changes attributable to interstate migration in a study of the 2021-2022 timeframe. The Tax Foundation used the IRS and some other non-governmental data to grade each state and county or parish. The Pelican State's net loss of residents relative to the population was 0.57%, or over 26,000. For comparison, every other state in the Southeast had a population gain except Mississippi, which ranked 26th with only a 0.02% loss, or 512 residents. South Carolina was first with a 1.36% gain, Florida second with a 1.12% gain and Texas 10th with a 0.61% gain. The thousands of Louisianans leaving for other states accounted for $0.88 billion in adjusted gross income. That's relatively low compared to the other mainland states in the bottom 10. New York, 50th, lost $14.6 billion and California at 49th lost $23.79 billion. Every parish from central to northeast Louisiana lost residents and income besides a couple outliers like Union and Webster. Plaquemines Parish saw the largest dip at 2.39% in migration, accounting for over $16 million. Some South East parishes saw growth like East Baton Rouge, Ascension and Livingston. The group acknowledged there is a strong positive relationship between state tax competitiveness and net migration. Overall, states with lower taxes and sound tax structures experienced stronger inbound migration than states with higher taxes and more burdensome tax structures. Of the 10 states that experienced the largest gains in income taxpayers, four do not levy individual income taxes on wage or salary income at all. Additionally, eight of the top 10 states either forgo individual income taxes on wage and salary income, have a flat income tax or are moving to a flat income tax. Although the charts and data show this is the case, Louisiana is unique in that it's middle of the road in personal income tax rate but much lower in migration. Still, the foundation urged every state to see how tax rates, and by correlation migration, affects adjusted gross income and the state economy. Among taxpayers with $200,000 or more in adjusted gross income, the most attractive destinations were Florida, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina and Arizona, while the least attractive states were California, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Jersey. ... The Center Square 7 min ⟶
الكَتيبة المكيّفات في تونس: كلفة طاقيّة متناميّة تستنزف جيب المواطن و تعمّق عجز الدولة CC BY-NC  — سجّل سعر التنّ المعلّب من قبل الشركات المحلّية والذي يتمّ استيراده مجمّدا من الخارج بكلفة ضئيلة ارتفاعا صاروخيا في سعر بيعه لا سيما في المساحات التجارية الكبرى حيث تضاعف قرابة 3 مرّات في سنوات قليلة وهو ما أثّر سلبا على عمل أصحاب المطاعم، كما دفع بالعديد من المواطنين إلى الالتجاء للسوق الموازية أين ازدهرت تجارة التنّ المهرّب الذي ينطوي على مخاطر صحيّة عديدة. The post المكيّفات في تونس: كلفة طاقيّة متناميّة تستنزف جيب المواطن و تعمّق عجز الدولة first appeared on Alqatiba - الكتيبة. 7 min ⟶
Alaska House race in South Anchorage presents contrasts, despite common party affiliation CC BY-NC-ND  — Two Republican candidates with legislative experience present contrasting visions for representing a South Anchorage district. Rep. Craig Johnson, a businessman who was first elected to the House in 2006 and currently chairs the powerful House Rules Committee, is being challenged by Chuck Kopp, who served in the House from 2017 to 2020 after retiring from […] ... Alaska Beacon 7 min ⟶
Dual Language in the Desert: California Schools Explore the Potential of New Bilingual Opportunities Attribution+  — Leer en español aquí “Yo me siento muy feliz porque yo hace mi proyecto,” says a small blond third grader, sitting on the carpet (“I feel very happy because I does my project.”) “Hice mi proyecto,” corrects teacher Maria Lomeli, speaking through a microphone linked to speakers set off to the side of the gathering […] ... The 74 8 min ⟶
В Курской области объявили обязательную эвакуацию приграничных населенных пунктов Рыльского и Хомуто... CC BY  — Оперативный штаб Курской области принял решение об обязательной эвакуации населенных пунктов Рыльского и Хомутовского районов, которые находятся в 15 километрах от границы с Украиной, объявил губернатор Алексей Смирнов. ... Медуза 8 min ⟶
Обвинение потребовало два года принудительных работ для художника Василия Слонова по делу о демонстр... CC BY  — Прокурор запросил два года принудительных работ для красноярского художника Василия Слонова, обвиняемого в демонстрации символики движения «АУЕ» (в России оно официально запрещено) из-за фотографии неваляшки с тюремными татуировками. ... Медуза 8 min ⟶
«Славик очень любил поделки делать и рисовать. А потом в здание фонда попал снаряд». Война отнимает ... Attribution+  — Ваня «Мы умрем! Нас сейчас убьют! Я не хочу умирать!» — кричит 14-летний Ваня (имя изменено), когда слышит обстрелы. У Вани атипичный аутизм. Он живет в… ... 7x7 Горизонтальная Россия 8 min ⟶
నాగ్‌పూర్‌లో డీజే సౌండ్ కారణంగా గోడ కూలిపోయిందని ఉత్తరప్రదేశ్‌లో ఓ గోడ కూలిన ఘటనకు సంబంధించిన వీడియో... CC BY  — “మహారాష్ట్రలోని నాగ్‌పూర్‌లో డీజే (DJ)సౌండ్‌ల వల్ల ఏర్పడిన వైబ్రేషన్స్ కారణంగా ఓ గోడ కూలి ఫంక్షన్‌కు హాజరైన పలువురు గాయపడ్డారు” అంటూ వీడియోతో కూడిన పోస్ట్ ఒకటి సోషల్ మీడియాలో వైరల్ అవుతుంది (ఇక్కడ, ఇక్కడ, ఇక్కడ, & ఇక్కడ). ఈ కథనం ద్వారా అందులో ఎంత నిజముందో చూద్దాం. క్లెయిమ్: మహారాష్ట్రలోని నాగ్‌పూర్‌లో డీజే (DJ) సౌండ్ల వల్ల ఏర్పడిన వైబ్రేషన్స్ కారణంగా ఓ గోడ కూలి ఫంక్షన్‌కు హాజరైన పలువురు గాయపడిన దృశ్యాలను చూపిస్తున్న [...] The post నాగ్‌పూర్‌లో డీజే సౌండ్ కారణంగా గోడ కూలిపోయిందని ఉత్తరప్రదేశ్‌లో ఓ గోడ కూలిన ఘటనకు సంబంధించిన వీడియోను తప్పుగా షేర్ చేస్తున్నారు appeared first on FACTLY. ... Factly 9 min ⟶
Тоқаев Шольцпен кездесу кезінде: әскери тұрғыда Ресейдің жеңілмейтіні анық Attribution+   Азат Еуропа/Азаттық радиосы 10 min ⟶
امریکا غږ طالبانو په افغانستان کې د 'پولیو کمپاین ځنډولی' دی Public Domain  — راپورونه وايي چې د پولیو د کمپاین د تطبیق په څرنګوالي باندې د طالبانو حکومت او د روغتیا نړیوال سازمان ترمنځ د بحثونو او جنجال له کبله په افغانستان کې د ګوزڼ ضد کمپاین ځنډول شوی دی. 10 min ⟶
امریکا غږ په لومړي ځل یوه پاکستانۍ د نړیوال کرکټ د لوبڅارې په توګه ونومول شوه Public Domain  — د پاکستان کرکټ بورډ وايي ‌سلیمه امتیاز د کرکټ نړیوالې شورا (ای سي سي) ته د لوبڅارې په توګه نومول شوې ده. 10 min ⟶
Новини Приазов’я Attribution+  — Що відбувається на Півдні України, чим живе Маріуполь, Херсон, Бердянськ і Генічеськ.  Програма виходить по буднях о 15:00 на хвилях Радіо Крим.Реалії 105.9 ФМ і 648 АМ, в ефірі Громадського Радіо, на каналі Радіо Свобода Україна в YouTube, на сайті Радіо Свобода.  ... Радіо Свобода 10 min ⟶
Nigeria: Wafungwa 270 hawafahamiki waliko baada ya kutoroka jela Attribution+  —  Serikali ya Nigeria inasema, wafungwa 270 hawafahamiki waliko, baada ya kutoroka jela katika mji wa Maiduguri ulioshuhudia mafuriko makubwa na kuharibu miundo mbinu likiwemo gereza hilo. ... Radio France Internationale 10 min ⟶
Thierry Breton atangaza kujiuzulu wadhifa wake kwenye Tume ya Ulaya Attribution+  —  Kamishna wa Ulaya wa Soko la Ndani, Thierry Breton, ametangaza Jumatatu Septemba 16 kwamba anajiuzulu kwenye wadhifa wake kwenye Tume ya Ulaya mara moja, na kuthibitisha kwamba Rais, Ursula von der Leyen, alimwomba Emmanuel Macron kwamba hatakuwa mgombea tena kwa tiketi ya Ufaransa. Ikulu ya Élysée imependekeza Stéphane Séjournée, aliyekuwawaziri  wa Mambo ya Nje, kuchukua nafasi yake. ... Radio France Internationale 10 min ⟶
რუსეთი აცხადებს, რომ დასავლეთ კურსკში ორი სოფელი დაიბრუნა Public Domain   ამერიკის ხმა 11 min ⟶
當局稱特朗普在第二次暗殺襲擊後安然無 Public Domain  — 美國共和黨總統候選人、前總統唐納德·特朗普(Donald Trump)再次躲過一次暗殺企圖。 ... 美國之音 11 min ⟶
聯邦調查局正在調查 另一宗針對川普的暗殺企圖 Public Domain  — 共和黨總統候選人川普星期日在超州西棕櫚灘打高爾夫球時，遭遇聯邦調查局所說的疑似暗殺企圖，但安全無恙。 ... 美國之音 11 min ⟶
TikTok在美國的未來懸而未決 將取決於聯邦法院裁決 Public Domain  — 視訊分享應用程式TikTok將在星期一(9月16日)試圖說服美國聯邦法院，美國政府要求它剝離其中國所有權，否則將被禁用的法律是違憲的。 ... 美國之音 11 min ⟶
撤出南中國海爭議淺灘後, 菲律賓表示「沒有失去」, 未來將繼續部署船艦 Public Domain  — 菲律賓海岸防衛隊週一(9月16日)表示，菲律賓將繼續在南中國海具爭議性的薩比納淺灘(The Sabina Shoal，中國稱仙賓礁，菲律賓稱艾斯柯達淺灘)部署船艦。 ... 美國之音 11 min ⟶
How researchers measure wildfire smoke exposure doesn’t capture long-term health effects − and hides... CC BY-ND  — Fine particulate matter from wildfires can cause long-term health harms. Gary Hershorn/Getty ImagesKids born in 2020 worldwide will experience twice the number of wildfires during their lifetimes compared with those born in 1960. In California and other western states, frequent wildfires have become as much a part of summer and fall as popsicles and Halloween candy. Wildfires produce fine particulate matter, or PM₂.₅, that chokes the air and penetrates deep into lungs. Researchers know that short-term exposure to wildfire PM₂.₅ increases acute care visits for cardiorespiratory problems such as asthma. However, the long-term effects of repeated exposure to wildfire PM₂.₅ on chronic health conditions are unclear. One reason is that scientists have not decided how best to measure this type of intermittent yet ongoing exposure. Environmental epidemiologists and health scientists like us usually summarize long-term exposure to total PM₂.₅ – which comes from power plants, industry and transportation – as average exposure over a year. This might not make sense when measuring exposure to wildfire. Unlike traffic-related air pollution, for example, levels of wildfire PM₂.₅ vary a lot throughout the year. To improve health and equity research, our team has developed five metrics that better capture long-term exposure to wildfire PM₂.₅. Measuring fluctuating wildfire PM₂.₅ To understand why current measurements of wildfire PM₂.₅ aren’t adequately capturing an individual’s long-term exposure, we need to delve into the concept of averages. Say the mean level of PM₂.₅ over a year was 1 microgram per cubic meter. A person could experience that exposure as 1 microgram per cubic meter every day for 365 days, or as 365 micrograms per cubic meter on a single day. While these two scenarios result in the same average exposure over a year, they might have very different biological effects. The body might be able to fend off damage from exposure to 1 microgram per cubic meter each day, but be overwhelmed by a huge, single dose of 365 micrograms per cubic meter. For perspective, in 2022, Americans experienced an average total PM₂.₅ exposure of 7.8 micrograms per cubic meter. Researchers estimated that in the 35 states that experience wildfires, these wildfires added on average just 0.69 micrograms per cubic meter to total PM₂.₅ each year from 2016 to 2020. This perspective misses the mark, however. For example, a census tract close to the 2018 Camp Fire experienced an average wildfire PM₂.₅ concentration of 1.2 micrograms per cubic meter between 2006 to 2020. But the actual fire event had a peak exposure of 310 micrograms per cubic meter – the world’s highest level that day. Classic estimates of average PM₂.₅ levels miss the peak exposure of wildfire events. Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images Scientists want to better understand what such extreme exposures mean for long-term human health. Prior studies on long-term wildfire PM₂.₅ exposure focused mostly on people living close to a large fire, following up years later to check on their health status. This misses any new exposures that took place between baseline and follow-up. More recent studies have tracked long-term exposure to wildfire PM₂.₅ that changes over time. For example, researchers reported associations between wildfire PM₂.₅ exposure over two years and risk of death from cancer and any other cause in Brazil. This work again relied on long-term average exposure and did not directly capture extreme exposures from intermittent wildfire events. Because the study did not evaluate it, we do not know whether a specific pattern of long-term wildfire PM₂.₅ exposure was worse for health. Most days, people experience no wildfire PM₂.₅ exposure. Some days, wildfire exposure is intense. As of now, we do not know whether a few very bad days or many slightly bad days are riskier for health. A new framework How can we get more realistic estimates that capture the huge peaks in PM₂.₅ levels that people are exposed to during wildfires? When thinking about the wildfire PM₂.₅ that people experience, exposure scientists – researchers who study contact between humans and harmful agents in the environment – consider frequency, duration and intensity. These interlocking factors help describe the body’s true exposure during a wildfire event. In our recent study, our team proposed a framework for measuring long-term exposure to wildfire PM₂.₅ that incorporates the frequency, duration and intensity of wildfire events. We applied air quality models to California wildfire data from 2006 to 2020, deriving new metrics that capture a range of exposure types. The researchers proposed five ways to measure long-term wildfire PM₂.₅ exposure. Casey et al. 2024/PNAS, CC BY-NC-ND One metric we devised is number of days with any wildfire PM₂.₅ exposure over a long-term period, which can identify even the smallest exposures. Another metric is average concentration of wildfire PM₂.₅ during the peak week of smoke levels over a long period, which highlights locations that experience the most extreme exposures. We also developed several other metrics that may be more useful, depending on what effects are being studied. Interestingly, these metrics were quite correlated with one another, suggesting places with many days of at least some wildfire PM₂.₅ also had the highest levels overall. Although this can make it difficult to decide between different exposure patterns, the suitability of each metric depends in part on what health effects we are investigating. Environmental injustice We also assessed whether certain racial and ethnic groups experienced higher-than-average wildfire PM₂.₅ exposure and found that different groups faced the most exposure depending on the year. Consider 2018 and 2020, two major wildfire years in California. The most exposed census tracts, by all metrics, were composed primarily of non-Hispanic white individuals in 2018 and Hispanic individuals in 2020. This makes sense, since non-Hispanic white people constitute about 41.6% and Hispanic people 36.4% of California’s population. To understand whether other groups faced excess wildfire PM₂.₅ exposure, we used relative comparisons. This means we compared the true wildfire PM₂.₅ exposure experienced by each racial and ethnic group with what we would have expected if they were exposed to the state average. We found that Indigenous communities had the most disproportionate exposure, experiencing 1.68 times more PM₂.₅ than expected. In comparison, non-Hispanic white Californians were 1.13 times more exposed to PM₂.₅ than expected, and multiracial Californians 1.09 times more exposed than expected. Better metrics for long-term PM2.5 exposure can help researchers better understand who’s most vulnerable to wildfire smoke. Eric Thayer/Stringer via Getty Images News Rural tribal lands had the highest mean wildfire PM₂.₅ concentrations – 0.83 micrograms per cubic meter – of any census tract in our study. A large portion of Native American people in California live in rural areas, often with higher wildfire risk due to decades of poor forestry management, including legal suppression of cultural burning practices that studies have shown to aid in reducing catastrophic wildfires. Recent state legislation has removed liability risks of cultural burning on Indigenous lands in California. Understanding the drivers and health effects of high long-term exposure to wildfire PM₂.₅ among Native American and Alaska Native people can help address substantial health disparities between these groups and other Americans. Joan Casey receives funding from the National Institutes of Health. Rachel Morello-Frosch receives funding from the National Institutes of Health, California Air Resources Board, and the California Breast Cancer Research Program.. ... The Conversation 11 min ⟶
Plants get a GMO glow-up: Genetically modified varieties are coming out of the lab and into homes an... CC BY-ND  — Not every rose has its thorn, thanks to gene editing. James Satterlee, CC BY-SAAs any avid gardener will tell you, plants with sharp thorns and prickles can leave you looking like you’ve had a run-in with an angry cat. Wouldn’t it be nice to rid plants of their prickles entirely but keep the tasty fruits and beautiful flowers? I’m a geneticist who, along with my colleagues, recently discovered the gene that accounts for prickliness across a variety of plants, including roses, eggplants and even some species of grasses. Genetically tailored, smooth-stemmed plants may eventually arrive at a garden center near you. Acceleration of nature Plants and other organisms evolve naturally over time. When random changes to their DNA, called mutations, enhance survival, they get passed on to offspring. For thousands of years, plant breeders have taken advantage of these variations to create high-yielding crop varieties. In 1983, the first genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, appeared in agriculture. Golden rice, engineered to combat vitamin A deficiency, and pest-resistant corn are just a couple of examples of how genetic modification has been used to enhance crop plants. Two recent developments have changed the landscape further. The advent of gene editing using a technique known as CRISPR has made it possible to modify plant traits more easily and quickly. If the genome of an organism were a book, CRISPR-based gene editing is akin to adding or removing a sentence here or there. This tool, combined with the increasing ease with which scientists can sequence an organism’s complete collection of DNA – or genome – is rapidly accelerating the ability to predictably engineer an organism’s traits. By identifying a key gene that controls prickles in eggplants, our team was able to use gene editing to mutate the same gene in other prickly species, yielding smooth, prickle-free plants. In addition to eggplants, we got rid of prickles in a desert-adapted wild plant species with edible raisin-like fruits. The desert raisin (Solanum cleistogamum) gets a makeover. Blaine Fitzgerald, CC BY-SA We also used a virus to silence the expression of a closely related gene in roses, yielding a rose without thorns. In natural settings, prickles defend plants against grazing herbivores. But under cultivation, edited plants would be easier to handle – and after harvest, fruit damage would be reduced. It’s worth noting that prickle-free plants still retain other defenses, such as their chemical-laden epidermal hairs called trichomes that deter insect pests. From glowing petunias to purple tomatoes Today, DNA modification technologies are no longer confined to large-scale agribusiness – they are becoming available directly to consumers. One approach is to mutate certain genes, like we did with our prickle-free plants. For example, scientists have created a mild-tasting but nutrient-dense mustard green by inactivating the genes responsible for bitterness. Silencing the genes that delay flowering in tomatoes has resulted in compact plants well suited to urban agriculture. Another modification approach is to permanently transfer genes from one species to another, using recombinant DNA technology to yield what scientists call a transgenic organism. The firefly petunia is genetically engineered to glow in the dark. Ceejayoz, CC BY-SA At a recent party, I found myself crowded into a darkened bathroom to observe the faint glow of the host’s newly acquired firefly petunia, which contains the genes responsible for the ghost ear mushroom’s bioluminescent glow. Scientists have also modified a pothos houseplant with a gene from rabbits, which allows it to host air-filtering microbes that promote the breakdown of harmful volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. The Norfolk purple tomato is colorful to the core. Norfolk Healthy Produce, CC BY-SA Consumers can also grow the purple tomato, genetically engineered to contain pigment-producing genes from the snapdragon plant, resulting in antioxidant-rich tomatoes with a dark purple hue. Risks and rewards The introduction of genetically modified plants into the consumer market brings with it both exciting opportunities and potential challenges. With genetically edited plants in the hands of the public, there could be less oversight over what people do with them. For instance, there is a risk of environmental release, which could have unforeseen ecological consequences. Additionally, as the market for these plants expands, the quality of products may become more variable, necessitating new or more vigilant consumer protection laws. Companies could also apply patent rules limiting seed reuse, echoing some of the issues seen in the agricultural sector. The future of plant genetic technology is bright – in some cases, quite literally. Bioluminescent golf courses, houseplants that emit tailored fragrances or flowers capable of changing their color in response to spray-based treatments are all theoretical possibilities. But as with any powerful technology, careful regulation and oversight will be crucial to ensuring these innovations benefit consumers while minimizing potential risks. James W. Satterlee receives funding from the National Science Foundation (IOS-2305651). ... The Conversation 11 min ⟶
Load More