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Kate Middleton is having ‘preventive chemotherapy’ for cancer. What does this mean?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ian-olver-1047">Ian Olver</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a> Catherine, Princess of Wales, is undergoing treatment for cancer. In a video thanking followers for their messages of support after her major abdominal surgery, the Princess of Wales explained, “tests after the operation found cancer had been present.” “My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment,” she said in the two-minute video. No further details have been released about the Princess of Wales’ treatment. But many have been asking what preventive chemotherapy is and how effective it can be. Here’s what we know about this type of treatment. <h2>It’s not the same as preventing cancer</h2> To <a href="https://www.cancer.org.au/about-us/how-we-help/prevention">prevent cancer developing</a>, lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise and sun protection are <a href="https://www.cancer.org.au/about-us/how-we-help/prevention">recommended</a>. Tamoxifen, a hormone therapy drug can be used to reduce the risk of cancer for some patients at <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/breast-cancer/in-depth/breast-cancer/art-20045353">high risk of breast cancer</a>. Aspirin <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/research/aspirin-cancer-risk">can also be used</a> for those at high risk of bowel and other cancers. <h2>How can chemotherapy be used as preventive therapy?</h2> In terms of treating cancer, prevention refers to giving chemotherapy after the cancer has been removed, to prevent the cancer from returning. If a cancer is localised (limited to a certain part of the body) with no evidence on scans of it spreading to distant sites, local treatments such as surgery or radiotherapy can remove all of the cancer. If, however, cancer is first detected after it has spread to distant parts of the body at diagnosis, clinicians use treatments such as chemotherapy (anti-cancer drugs), hormones or immunotherapy, which circulate <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/cancer/metastatic-cancer">around the body</a> . The other use for chemotherapy is to add it before or after surgery or radiotherapy, to prevent the primary cancer <a href="https://www.verywellhealth.com/adjuvant-therapy-5198903">coming back</a>. The surgery may have cured the cancer. However, in some cases, undetectable microscopic cells may have spread into the bloodstream to distant sites. This will result in the cancer returning, months or years later. With some cancers, treatment with chemotherapy, given before or after the local surgery or radiotherapy, can kill those cells and prevent the cancer coming back. If we can’t see these cells, how do we know that giving additional chemotherapy to prevent recurrence is effective? We’ve learnt this from clinical trials. Researchers have compared patients who had surgery only with those whose surgery was followed by additional (or often called adjuvant) chemotherapy. The additional therapy resulted in patients not relapsing and surviving longer. <h2>How effective is preventive therapy?</h2> The effectiveness of preventive therapy depends on the type of cancer and the type of chemotherapy. Let’s consider the common example of bowel cancer, which is at high risk of returning after surgery because of its size or spread to local lymph glands. The <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7564362/">first chemotherapy tested</a> improved survival by 15%. With more intense chemotherapy, the chance of surviving six years is approaching 80%. Preventive chemotherapy is usually given for three to six months. <h2>How does chemotherapy work?</h2> Many of the chemotherapy drugs stop cancer cells dividing by disrupting the DNA (genetic material) in the centre of the cells. To improve efficacy, drugs which work at different sites in the cell are given in combinations. Chemotherapy is not selective for cancer cells. It kills any dividing cells. But cancers consist of a higher proportion of dividing cells than the normal body cells. A <a href="https://www.canceraustralia.gov.au/cancer-types/breast-cancer/treatment/chemotherapy/how-does-chemotherapy-work#:%7E:text=Chemotherapy%20works%20by%20killing%20cells%20that%20are%20rapidly,cells%20can%20repair%20the%20damage%20and%20can%20recover.">greater proportion of the cancer is killed</a> with each course of chemotherapy. Normal cells can recover between courses, which are usually given three to four weeks apart. <h2>What are the side effects?</h2> The side effects of chemotherapy are usually reversible and are seen in parts of the body where there is normally a high turnover of cells. The production of blood cells, for example, is temporarily disrupted. When your white blood cell count is low, there is an increased risk of infection. Cell death in the lining of the gut leads to mouth ulcers, nausea and vomiting and bowel disturbance. Certain drugs sometimes given during chemotherapy can attack other organs, such as causing numbness in the hands and feet. There are also generalised symptoms such as <a href="https://www.cancervic.org.au/cancer-information/treatments/treatments-types/chemotherapy/side_effects_of_chemotherapy.html">fatigue</a>. Given that preventive chemotherapy given after surgery starts when there is no evidence of any cancer remaining after local surgery, patients can usually resume normal activities within weeks of completing the courses of chemotherapy.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/226461/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ian-olver-1047">Ian Olver</a>, Adjunct Professsor, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/kate-middleton-is-having-preventive-chemotherapy-for-cancer-what-does-this-mean-226461">original article</a>.

Body

Storytelling allows elders to transfer values and meaning to younger generations

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mary-ann-mccoll-704728">Mary Ann McColl</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queens-university-ontario-1154">Queen's University, Ontario</a> If you spent time over the holidays with elderly relatives or friends, you may have heard many of the same stories repeated — perhaps stories you’d heard over the years, or even over the past few hours. Repeated storytelling can sometimes be unnerving for friends and families, raising concerns about a loved one’s potential cognitive decline, memory loss or perhaps even the onset of dementia. <a href="https://tenstories.ca/">Our research</a> at Queen’s University suggests there is another way to think about repeated storytelling that makes it easier to listen and engage with the stories. We interviewed 20 middle-aged adults who felt they had heard the same stories over and over from their aging parent. We asked them to tell us those stories and we recorded and transcribed them. We used a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/14439881211248356">narrative inquiry approach</a> to discover that repeated storytelling is a key method for elders to communicate what they believe to be important to their children and loved ones. Narrative inquiry uses the text of stories as research data to explore how people create meaning in their lives. <h2>Transmitting values</h2> Based on nearly 200 collected stories, we found that there are approximately <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/scs.13121">10 stories</a> that older parents repeatedly tell to their adult children. The hypothesis was that repeated storytelling was about inter-generational transmission of values. By exploring the themes of those repeated stories, we could uncover the meaning and messages elders were communicating to their loved ones. The ultimate purpose was to offer a new and more constructive way of thinking about stories that we’ve heard many times before, and that can be otherwise perceived as alarming. <h2>Here’s what we have learned:</h2> <ol> <li> There are typically just 10 stories that people tell repeatedly. While 10 is not a magic number, it does seem to be about the right number to capture the stories that are told over and over. Interviewees felt that a set of approximately 10 allowed them to do justice to their parent’s stories. </li> <li> Among our interviewees, a significant number of their parents’ stories – 87 per cent — took place when they were in their teens or twenties. A person’s second and third decades are a time when they make many of the decisions that shape the rest of their lives; a time when values are consolidated and the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2013.863358">adult identity is formed</a> </li> <li> What’s important about the 10 stories is not the factual details, but the lesson that was learned, or the value that was reinforced — values like loyalty toward friends, putting family first, maintaining a sense of humour even in hard times, getting an education, speaking up against injustice, and doing what’s right. </li> <li> Key themes in the stories reflected the significant events and prevailing values of the early to mid-20th century. Many of the stories revolved around the war, and both domestic and overseas experiences that were formative. Many of our interviewees heard stories about immigrating to Canada, starting out with very little, seeking a better life and working hard. Stories often reflected a more formal time when it was important to uphold standards, make a good impression, know one’s place and adhere to the rules. </li> <li> The stories elders tell appear to be curated for the individual receiving them. They would be different if told to another child, a spouse or a friend. </li> </ol> <h2>Tips for listening</h2> Our research offers some tips for listening to stories from elders: <ul> <li> Focus on just 10 stories. It can make the listening seem less overwhelming. </li> <li> Write them down. Writing challenges us to get the story straight. </li> <li> Notice your loved one’s role in the story, as the message is often contained in that role. </li> <li> Be attentive to feelings, sensations, tension and discomfort. These can be signals or clues to the meaning of a story. </li> <li> Finally, remember these stories are for you — selected and told in the context of your relationship with your loved one. As such, they are a gift from a loved one who is running out of time. </li> </ul> <h2>The importance of receiving stories</h2> Storytelling is an <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/cad.20067">essential human process</a> and a universal experience associated with aging. Neuroscientists suggest that storytelling has practical survival value for individuals and communities, <a href="https://www.jonathangottschall.com/storytelling-animal">as well as social and psychological benefits</a>. It may be as powerful as medication or therapy for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.1018">overcoming depression among elders</a>. Storytelling becomes especially important <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2017.1396581">when people become aware of their mortality</a> — when they are ill, suffering or facing death. People don’t necessarily tell the same stories over and over again because they’re losing cognitive function, but because the stories are important, and they feel we need to know them. Telling stories repeatedly isn’t about forgetfulness or dementia. It’s an effort to share what’s important. Our hope is that by better understanding elderly storytelling, caregivers may be able to listen in a different way to those repeated stories and understand the messages they contain. Those 10 stories can help us to know our loved one at a deeper level and assist our parent or grandparent with an important developmental task of old age. This research offers a constructive way for caregivers to hear the repeated stories told by their aging parents, and to offer their loved one the gift of knowing they have been seen and heard.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/197766/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mary-ann-mccoll-704728">Mary Ann McColl</a>, Professor, School of Rehabilitation Therapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queens-university-ontario-1154">Queen's University, Ontario</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/storytelling-allows-elders-to-transfer-values-and-meaning-to-younger-generations-197766">original article</a>.

Mind

“If you’re reading this, it means I have passed away”: Young mum announces own death

Casey McIntyre, 38, has announced her own death in a heartbreaking post shared on Instagram. The mother-of-one from New York, passed away after a battle with stage four ovarian cancer on November 12. Casey's death was announced on Tuesday via <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzmnPArO37i/?img_index=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a post</a> that she had penned before her passing, which was shared by her husband Andrew. The post showed a carousel of images highlighting special moments of Casey's life, including her childhood, their wedding and a few photos with their 18-month old daughter. The statement began: "A note to my friends: if you’re reading this it means I have passed away. I'm so sorry, it's horses*** and we both know it." "The cause was a recurrence of my previously diagnosed stage four ovarian cancer. "I loved each and every one of you with my whole heart and I promise you, I knew how deeply I was loved. "The five months in home hospice that I got to spend with my family and friends in Virginia, Rhode Island, and New York were magical." Tragically, Casey did not have the chance to finish her post, with her husband adding a tribute to his wife in an "editors note" which read: "Casey meant to finish this post with a list of things that were a comfort & a joy to her during her life, and I am heartbroken that I will never see that list. "As she grew sicker, she couldn’t finish it," he explained. "I imagine it would’ve included our daughter Grace, whales, ice cream, her beloved friends, being at the beach, her niece and nephews she incorrigibly doted on, reading 10 books on a weeklong vacation, her beloved parents and sister and their amazing extended family, swimming, a perfect roast beef sandwich, and me, her sweet, sweet honey. "Oh Casey! I don't know how we will do it without you but we will," he ended the tribute, before asking loved ones to share "a note that was a comfort or joy" that they shared with Casey. He also shared details of Casey's memorial service and revealed his wife's last act of kindness, where she hoped to "celebrate" her life by setting up a <a href="https://ripmedicaldebt.org/campaign/andrewrosegregory-47569/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fundraiser</a> to help pay off others' medical debt. "We will celebrate her life by anonymously purchasing medical debt and then anonymously forgiving it, hopefully with a bonfire if they will let us," Andrew wrote. As of today, $47,343 out of their $50,000 goal has been raised in honour of Casey. Tributes have poured in from loved ones in the comment section of her post. "Casey, in April 2019 on a phone call, you dreamed such big dreams for a book I didn’t yet believe in. They all came true. Your authors and colleagues were so lucky to have your humour, wit and light," wrote one friend. "You have left a beautiful legacy and you will be deeply missed. All my love to your family and your beautiful baby Grace. ❤️" "Casey you were so funny and sharp and beautiful and that light that shone through your eyes lit up the world," wrote another. Images: Instagram

Caring

Why is Rupert Murdoch stepping aside now and what does it mean for the company?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-dodd-5857">Andrew Dodd</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> At age 92, media mogul Rupert Murdoch is <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-21/rupert-murdoch-steps-down-as-newscorp-chair/102887474">stepping down</a> as chairman of Fox Corporation and News Corp but will stay on in the role of chairman emeritus, presumably to help guide his eldest son Lachlan as the new head of the firm. In many ways, the news was inevitable. The company is clearly planning its succession and how it manages Rupert’s decline. It has one eye on the market and one on ensuring the company maintains its direction. But why now, and where to from here for the company? And what will Rupert Murdoch be remembered for? <h2>Why now?</h2> Rupert’s departure was always going to come in one of two ways: either Rupert dropping off the perch or him leaving on this own terms. He has opted for the latter. This means the company has chosen to manage the transition in a market-favourable way. The transition to Lachlan looks, for the moment, to be well and truly secure. This gives him the chance under the leadership of Rupert to guide the company in the direction he – or Rupert – wants. Rupert says he is in robust health but he was keen to hang on as long as possible. So, perhaps today’s news suggests his health is declining. We can only speculate but the man is, after all, 92. <h2>Would the recent lawsuits have played a role?</h2> Fox has been subject to several very expensive lawsuits in recent years, which caused a lot of turmoil internally. At the cost of US$787.5 million, Fox settled a defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems over baseless claims made about its voting machines in the 2020 US presidential election. A different voting technology company, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/sep/21/rupert-murdoch-fox-news-lawsuits-donald-trump">Smartmatic</a>, is also suing. But I doubt this played a huge role in Rupert stepping down because, in the end, a billion in lawsuits is nothing to a company that a few years ago made $70 billion by selling just some of its assets to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/09/21/fox-and-news-corp-stock-surges-as-rupert-murdoch-steps-down/?sh=37463b772a49">Disney</a>. This is the price the company pays for its take-no-prisoners approach. It is proud of its uncompromising editorial stance, which is designed to pander to its right-wing audience. And there is no indication Lachlan will take it in a different direction. <h2>What next for Lachlan, with Rupert as chairman emeritus?</h2> In a sense, Rupert is not really stepping down. His new papal-like title of chairman emeritus recognises he will struggle to let go. But the new role is also about calming the market and saying, “Don’t worry, I haven’t gone away; I am still here and I have my hand on Lachlan’s shoulder.” The best indication of Lachlan’s future stewardship of News Corp is his recent behaviour. He was at the helm of Fox News during Donald Trump’s presidential years and the immediate aftermath, when Fox News did enormous damage in its reporting on the 2020 election result. He was at the helm when Fox was making those baseless claims about Dominion Voting Systems. He had ample opportunity to guide the company in a different direction, but he didn’t. So I think we can expect News Corp will continue to be the zealous right-wing media company it currently is. <h2>How might this affect the 2024 US election?</h2> News Corp has finally seen what millions of US voters saw at the 2020 election, which was that Trump was ultimately destructive as a leader. Now, outlets like Fox News are umming and ahhing about whether to back him. Some at Fox are clearly reluctant to let go of their adoration of Trump while others are disappointed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis isn’t emerging as a viable challenger. If Trump continues to be the most popular Republican candidate, Fox will probably fall into line and support him, albeit with less enthusiasm than last time. There is a sense of confusion within Fox about whom to back and where to stand, which reflects the chaos in US politics more broadly. <h2>So what’s Rupert’s legacy?</h2> It comes down to a ledger. Has this man done more harm or good in his life in the media? On the good side, he has been a champion of newspapers. He has employed thousands of journalists and his outlets have often practised good public-interest journalism. But I am afraid I believe the good is outweighed by all the harm done on Rupert’s watch. His news media empire is fundamentally antisocial in the way it operates. I believe it’s caused so much harm to so many people along the way, and that cannot go unacknowledged. From the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-british-scandal-murdoch-20150611-story.html">UK phone hacking scandal</a> and beat ups to <a href="https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/Sceptical-Climate-Part-2-Climate-Science-in-Australian-Newspapers.pdf">climate denial</a> and the demonisation of minorities, News Corp can be counted on to dumb down complexity, make issues binary and turn one side against the other. He has damaged democracy and civil discourse and journalism itself. The behaviour of News Corp has on occasions been reprehensible, for which I think Rupert must take the blame.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214141/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-dodd-5857">Andrew Dodd</a>, Director of the Centre for Advancing Journalism, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-is-rupert-murdoch-stepping-aside-now-and-what-does-it-mean-for-the-company-214141">original article</a>.

Legal

What does having a ‘good relationship with food’ mean? 4 ways to know if you’ve got one

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/clare-collins-7316">Clare Collins</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tracy-burrows-172931">Tracy Burrows</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a> Travelling on a train recently you couldn’t help but overhear two women deep in conversation about a mutual obsession with food, including emotional triggers that pushed them towards chocolate and pizza. They shared feeling guilty about a perceived lack of willpower around food and regularly rummaging through the fridge looking for tasty treats to help soothe emotions. Both lamented not being able to stop and think before eating. Their discussion was a long way from talking about physiological requirements for food to fuel your body and meet essential nutrient needs. Instead, it was highly emotive. It got me thinking about the meaning of a healthy relationship with food, how a person’s eating behaviours develop, and how a “good” relationship can be nurtured. Here’s what a “healthy” food relationship can look like. <h2>What does a ‘good relationship with food’ mean?</h2> You can check whether your relationship with food is “<a href="https://www.rwapsych.com.au/blog/what-does-a-healthy-relationship-with-food-and-eating-look-like/">healthy</a>” by seeing how many items on this list you tick “yes” to. Are you: <ol> <li> in tune with your body cues, meaning you’re aware when you are hungry, when you’re not, and when you’re feeling full? </li> <li> eating appropriate amounts and variety of foods across all food groups, at regular intervals so your nutrient, health and wellbeing needs are met? </li> <li> comfortable eating with others and also eating alone? </li> <li> able to enjoy food, without feelings of guilt or it dominating your life? </li> </ol> If you didn’t get many ticks, you might need to work on improving your relationship with food. <h2>Why does a good relationship with food matter?</h2> A lot of “no” responses indicate you may be using food as a coping mechanism in response to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36863205/">negative emotions</a>. The problem is this <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36839185/">triggers the brain’s reward centre</a>, meaning although you feel better, this behaviour becomes reinforced, so you are more likely to keep eating in response to negative emotions. Emotional eating and bouts of uncontrolled eating are more likely to be associated with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36863205">eating disorder symptoms</a> and with having a worse quality diet, including lower intakes of vegetable and higher intakes of nutrient-poor foods. A review of studies on food addiction and mental health found healthy dietary patterns were associated with a lower risk of both disordered eating and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29368800/">food addiction</a>. Higher intakes of vegetables and fruit were found to be associated with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35586735/">lower perceived stress</a>, tension, worry and lack of joy in a cohort of more than 8,000 Australian adults. <h2>How to develop a healthy food relationship</h2> There are ways to improve your relationship with food. Here are some tips: 1. keep a ‘food mood’ <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/ebooks-meal-plans-more/nmnt-food-and-mood-diary">diary</a>. Writing down when and where you eat and drink, whom you’re with, what you’re doing, and how all this makes you feel, will give you personal insights into when, what and why you consume the things you do. This helps increase awareness of emotions including stress, anxiety, depression, and factors that influence eating and drinking. 2. reflect on what you wrote in your food mood diary, especially “why” you’re eating when you eat. If reasons include stress, low mood or other emotions, create a distraction list featuring activities such as going for a walk or listening to music, and put it on the fridge, noticeboard or in your phone, so it’s easy to access. 3. practise <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28848310/">mindful eating</a>. This means slowing down so you become very aware of what is happening in your body and mind, moment by moment, when eating and drinking, without making any judgement about your thoughts and feelings. Mindless eating occurs when you eat without thinking at all. Being <a href="https://www.headspace.com/mindfulness/mindful-eating">mindful</a> means taking the time to check whether you really are hungry, or whether it’s “eye” hunger <a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-six-tips-for-losing-weight-without-fad-diets-52496">triggered by seeing food</a>, “nose” hunger triggered by smells wafting from shops or cafes, “emotional hunger” triggered by feelings, or true, tummy-rumbling hunger. 4. learn about <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/hacks-myths-faqs/healthy-eating-why-caring-about-the-foods-you-eat-is-worth-it">your nutrient needs</a>. Learning why your body needs specific vitamins and minerals and the foods they’re in, rather than just mentally coding food as “good” or “bad”, can help you drop the guilt. Banning “bad” foods makes you want them more, and like them more. Mindfulness can help you gain an <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24035461/">appreciation of foods that are both</a> pleasing and nourishing. 5. focus on getting enjoyment from food. Mindless eating can be reduced by focusing on enjoying food and the pleasure that comes from preparing and sharing food with others. One <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24035461/">intervention</a> for women who had concerns about dieting and weight control used workshops to raise their awareness of food cues that prompt eating, including emotions, or being in places they normally associate with eating, and also sensory aspects of food including taste, touch, smell, sound and texture. It also aimed to instruct them in how to embrace pleasure from social, emotional and cultural aspects of food. The intervention led to a reduction in overeating in response to emotional cues such as sadness and stress. Another <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33347469/">review</a> of 11 intervention studies that promoted eating pleasure and enjoyment found promising results on healthy eating, including better diet quality, healthier portion sizes, healthier food choices and greater liking of healthy foods. Participants also reported healthy food tasted better and got easier to cook more often at home. <h2>Where to get help to improve your relationship with food</h2> A healthy relationship with food also means the absence of <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/eating-disorders">disordered eating</a>, including binge eating, bulimia and anorexia. If you, or someone you know, shows <a href="https://www.rwapsych.com.au/blog/what-does-a-healthy-relationship-with-food-and-eating-look-like/">signs suggesting disordered eating</a>, such as regularly using restrictive practices to limit food intake, skipping meals, food rituals dictating which foods or combinations to eat at specific times, binge eating, feeling out of control around food, secret eating, inducing vomiting, or use of diet pills, follow up with a GP or health professional. You can get more information from <a href="https://insideoutinstitute.org.au/about-us">InsideOut</a>, an Australian institute for eating disorders. Try their online <a href="https://insideoutinstitute.org.au/for-myself">food relationship “check-up”</a> tool. The <a href="https://butterfly.org.au/">Butterfly Foundation</a> also has specific resources for <a href="https://butterfly.org.au/back-to-school-a-body-image-and-mental-health-guide-for-parents-and-children/">parents</a> and <a href="https://butterfly.org.au/">teachers</a> and a helpline operating from 8am to midnight, seven days a week on 1800 334673.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/202622/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/clare-collins-7316">Clare Collins</a>, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tracy-burrows-172931">Tracy Burrows</a>, Professor Nutrition and Dietetics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-does-having-a-good-relationship-with-food-mean-4-ways-to-know-if-youve-got-one-202622">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

These 8 health changes could mean you need to eat more vegetables

8 clear signs you're not eating enough vegetables You know veggies are good for you. You may also think you’re eating enough. The truth is, you probably aren’t. Read on to discover the many ways in which your body is telling you that it needs more fruit and vegetables, and what nutrients it craves. How many veggies do you eat, anyway? You may think you eat enough vegetables, but more than likely, you don’t. On average, we only get two servings of vegetables per day. The Australia Dietary Guidelines recommend adults eat five servings of vegetables (one serve equals 75 g of vegetables, approximately half a cup of cooked or one cup of salad veg) and two servings of fruit (one serve equals 150 g, about one apple or two apricots) per day. Skipping key nutrients can seriously affect your overall health. There's a lack of colour on your plate We’ve come a long way since the old meat and two veg. But there are still plenty of people that stick to the simple formula. However, “it isn’t very colourful or loaded with balanced nutrition,” says dietitian Abby Sauer. “And even though they may be favourites, pasta, rice and bread don’t add much colour or much nutrition to your meals in terms of essential vitamins and minerals.” You bruise easily Consuming too little vitamin C can cause you to bruise easily, as well as increase bleeding around gums and slow the healing process. Vitamin C can be consumed by eating red capsicums, kale, red chilli peppers, dark leafy vegetables, broccoli, brussels sprouts and tomatoes. You're tired all the time Deficiency in folate can cause fatigue and anaemia. This B vitamin can be found in dark leafy greens, legumes and starchy vegetables such as black-eyed peas, kidney beans, lima beans, navy beans, asparagus and lentils. That nagging cold won't go away “If you lack vegetables in your diet and the important vitamins they provide, your body may lack the defences it needs to release free radical fighters against viruses,” says Sauer. “Stock your fridge with dark leafy green vegetables, an excellent source of vitamin C, to give your immune system a boost and help shorten your recovery time.” Your memory is foggy While occasional forgetfulness can affect all ages, if you find your brain’s processing speed and efficiency fading as you get older, a lack of nutrients could be the culprit. “Lutein, a nutrient which has been shown in early research to enhance learning and memory, can be found in a variety of vegetables, such as leafy greens, carrots, broccoli, corn and tomatoes,” says Sauer. “Adding a few or all of these vegetables to your weekly meals can provide a helpful and natural brain boost.” Daily stressors are getting harder to handle While stress is an inevitable part of life, how we eat and treat ourselves directly affects our body’s response. “Inflammation is your body’s natural response to stress, so if you’re not handling stress well, inflammation and its damaging effects could be taking place,” says Sauer. “Foods rich in anti-inflammatory compounds, such as unsaturated fatty acids [like salmon and tuna], antioxidants, polyphenols and carotenoids [like green leafy vegetables and bright-coloured capsicums] can help lower the levels of inflammation in the body and increase your mental capabilities to handle life’s curveballs.” You're prone to muscle cramps Fruit and vegetables contain potassium that may prevent muscle cramps, especially if you exercise regularly or spend a lot of time outside in the hot summer months, says dietitian Dr Emily Rubin. “One medium banana has 422 mg of potassium.” Your scales won't budge “Fruit and vegetables have fibre, which makes you feel full so you eat less,” says Rubin. “Most fruit and vegetables are low in kilojoules. Fruit may also help with those sweet cravings. Choosing a bowl of strawberries instead of ice cream can save you 800 kilojoules.” Eat more veggies: Keep them on hand According to medical weight-loss specialist Dr Adrienne Youdim, prep is everything. “Spend a Sunday grilling your favourite veggies. Make them in abundance so that they can be incorporated into your salad or lunchbox,” she says. Eat more veggies: Get one serving per meal “Adding colour and variety to your daily meals with at least one serving of fruit or vegetables per meal can be as easy as thawing out a bag of frozen green beans, slicing up an apple or adding a bowl of colourful berries,” says Sauer. Eat more veggies: Buy frozen “Many people avoid fresh vegetables because they go off before they get a chance to eat them,” says clinical oncology dietitian Crystal Langlois. “Buying frozen vegetables is a great alternative that is convenient and easy. If all the prep work and chopping scares you, many supermarkets carry pre-chopped items in both the frozen and fresh produce areas.” And if you still have that inner-kid kicking and screaming to avoid eating your veggies, blend your veggies into shakes or smoothies. “The taste of vegetables is easily masked in shakes or smoothies by using fruit and fruits juice,” says Langlois. “Small diced mushrooms can be incorporated into hamburgers or Bolognese, as well.” Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/diet/8-clear-signs-youre-not-eating-enough-vegetables?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Body

Does artificial sweetener aspartame really cause cancer? What the WHO listing means for your diet soft drink habit

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evangeline-mantzioris-153250">Evangeline Mantzioris</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is the specialised cancer agency of the World Health Organization, has declared aspartame may be a <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/14-07-2023-aspartame-hazard-and-risk-assessment-results-released">possible carcinogenic hazard to humans</a>. Another branch of the WHO, the Joint WHO and Food and Agriculture Organization’s Expert Committee on Food Additives has assessed the risk and developed recommendations on how much aspartame is safe to consume. They have recommended the acceptable daily intake be 0 to 40mg per kilo of body weight, as we currently have <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/additives/aspartame/Pages/default.aspx">in Australia</a>. A hazard is different to a risk. The hazard rating means it’s an agent that is capable of causing cancer; a risk measures the likelihood it could cause cancer. So what does this hazard assessment mean for you? <h2>Firstly, what is aspartame?</h2> <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/additives/aspartame/Pages/default.aspx">Aspartame is an artificial sweetener</a> that is 200 times sweeter than sugar, but without any kilojoules. It’s used in a <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/additives/aspartame/Pages/default.aspx">variety of products</a> including carbonated drinks such as Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Pepsi Max and some home brand offerings. You can identify aspartame in drinks and foods by looking for additive number 951. Food products such as yogurt and confectionery may also contain aspartame, but it’s not stable at warm temperatures and thus not used in baked goods. Commercial names of aspartame include Equal, Nutrasweet, Canderel and Sugar Twin. In Australia the acceptable daily intake is 40mg per kilo of body weight per day, which is about 60 sachets. <a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/aspartame-and-other-sweeteners-food#:%7E:text=How%20many%20packets%20can%20a,based%20on%20its%20sweetness%20intensity%3F&text=Notes%20About%20the%20Chart%3A,50%20mg%2Fkg%20bw%2Fd">In America</a> the acceptable daily intake has been set at 75 sachets. <h2>What evidence have they used to come to this conclusion?</h2> <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/14-07-2023-aspartame-hazard-and-risk-assessment-results-released">IARC looked closely</a> at the <a href="https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/nutrition-and-food-safety/july-13-final-summary-of-findings-aspartame.pdf?sfvrsn=a531e2c1_5&download=true">evidence base</a> from around the world – using data from observational studies, experimental studies and animal studies. They found there was some limited evidence in human studies linking aspartame and cancer (specifically liver cancer) and limited evidence from animal studies as well. They also considered the biological mechanism studies which showed how cancer may develop from the consumption of aspartame. Usually these are lab-based studies which show exactly how exposure to the agent may lead to a cancer. In this case they found there was limited evidence for how aspartame might cause cancer. There were only three human studies that looked at cancer and aspartame intake. These large observational studies used the intake of soft drinks as an indicator of aspartame intake. All three found a positive association between artificially sweetened beverages and liver cancer in either all of the population they were studying or sub-groups within them. But these studies could not rule out other factors that may have been responsible for the findings. A study <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6284800/">conducted in Europe</a> followed 475,000 people for 11 years and found that each additional serve of diet soft drink consumed per week was linked to a 6% increased risk of liver cancer. However the scientists did conclude that due to the rarity of liver cancer they still had small numbers of people in the study. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35728406/">In a study from the US</a>, increased risk of liver cancer was seen in people with diabetes who drank more than two or more cans of a diet soda a week. The <a href="https://aacrjournals.org/cebp/article/31/10/1907/709398/Sugar-and-Artificially-Sweetened-Beverages-and">third study</a>, also from the US, found an increase in liver cancer risk in men who never smoked and drank two or more artificially sweetened drinks a day. From this they have decided to declare aspartame as a Group 2b “possible carcinogen”. But they have also said more and better research is needed to further understand the relationship between aspartame and cancer. IARC has four categories (groupings) available for potential substances (or as they are referred to by IARC, “agents”) that may cause cancer. <h2>What does each grouping mean?</h2> Group 1 Carcinogenic to humans: an agent in this group is carcinogenic, which means there is convincing evidence from human studies and we know precisely how it causes cancer. There are 126 agents in this group, including tobacco smoking, alcohol, processed meat, radiation and ionising radiation. Group 2a Probably carcinogenic to humans: there are positive associations between the agent and cancer in humans, but there may still be other explanations for the association which were not fully examined in the studies. There are 95 agents in this group, including red meat, DDT insecticide and night shift work. Group 2b Possibly carcinogenic in humans: this means limited evidence of causing cancer in humans, but sufficient evidence from animal studies, or the mechanism of how the agent may be carcinogenic is well understood. This basically means the current evidence indicates an agent may possibly be carcinogenic, but more scientific evidence from better conducted studies is needed. There are now <a href="https://monographs.iarc.who.int/agents-classified-by-the-iarc/">323</a> agents in this group, including aloe vera (whole leaf extract), ginkgo biloba and lead. Group 3 Not classifiable as a carcinogen: there’s not enough evidence from humans or animals, and there is limited mechanistic evidence of how it may be a carcinogen. There are 500 agents in this group. <h2>So do I have to give up my diet soft drink habit?</h2> For a 70kg person you would need to consume about 14 cans (over 5 litres) of soft drink sweetened with aspartame a day to reach the acceptable daily intake. But we need to remember there may also be aspartame added in other foods consumed. So this is an unrealistic amount to consume, but not impossible. We also need to consider all the evidence on aspartame together. The foods we typically see aspartame in are processed or ultra-processed, which have recently also been <a href="https://theconversation.com/ultra-processed-foods-are-trashing-our-health-and-the-planet-180115">shown to be detrimental to health</a>. And artificial sweeteners (including aspartame) <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892765/#!po=59.3750">can make people crave more sugar</a>, making them want to eat more food, potentially causing them to gain more weight. All together, this indicates we should be more careful about the amount of artificial sweeteners we consume, since they <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-who-says-we-shouldnt-bother-with-artificial-sweeteners-for-weight-loss-or-health-is-sugar-better-205827">do not provide any health benefits</a>, and have possible adverse effects. But overall, from this evidence, drinking the occasional or even daily can of a diet drink is safe and probably not a cancer risk. <hr /> Correction: this article originally stated each serve of soft drink in a study was linked to a 6% increased risk of liver cancer, however it was each additional serve per week. This has been amended.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208844/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evangeline-mantzioris-153250">Evangeline Mantzioris</a>, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Accredited Practising Dietitian, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-artificial-sweetener-aspartame-really-cause-cancer-what-the-who-listing-means-for-your-diet-soft-drink-habit-208844">original article</a>.

Body

Tracking the shift in meanings of ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’ over time

The mental health terms ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’ have become increasingly pathologised since the 1970s, according to analysis by Australian researchers of more than a million academic and general text sources. <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0288027" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Publishing</a> in PLOS ONE, psychology and computer science researchers from the University of Melbourne tracked the frequency and meaning of the concepts ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’ from 1970 to 2018, and words that occurred in their vicinity. Using natural language processing, the team analysed more than 630 million words across 871,340 academic psychology papers, as well as 400,000 texts from general sources such as magazines, newspapers and non-fiction books. Paper co-author psychologist Professor Nicholas Haslam has a long standing interest in how mental health terms change their meanings over time, particularly the way harm-related words like bullying, abuse and trauma tend to expand over time, incorporating new, and often less severe kinds of experiences. Haslam says that trend reflects progressive social change and a rising sensitivity to harm and suffering in our culture. “We emphasize [that’s] mostly a good thing,” he says. <iframe title="The Emoji Squad: The Mysterious Group Behind the Little Icons We Love 🤝" src="https://omny.fm/shows/huh-science-explained/the-emoji-squad-the-mysterious-group-behind-the-li/embed?in_playlist=podcast&style=Cover" width="100%" height="180" frameborder="0"></iframe> The terms ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’ were selected for analysis as prevalent, prominent mental health concepts. The researchers expected the emotional intensity and severity of the two terms to reduce over time as the frequency of their use increased. That expectation was informed by previous research using a similar approach, co-authored by Haslam and <a href="https://sciendo.com/article/10.58734/plc-2023-0002" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">publishing in</a> Sciendo, where increasing use of the word ‘trauma’ since the 1970s was associated with a shift in meaning including a broadening of use and declining severity. They hypothesised a similar trend for ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’. “Well, we didn’t find what we expected,” Haslam says. Contrary to expectation, the emotional severity associated with anxiety and depression increased linearly over time. The authors say this is possibly due to growing pathologising of the terms, given their analysis shows use of the words increasingly linked to clinical concepts. In particular, the terms ‘disorder’ and ‘symptom’ have become more commonly associated with ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’ in more recent decades, the paper says, finding similar patterns in both the academic and general texts. Anxiety and depression were also increasingly used together, compared to use in the ‘70s where the terms were more likely to refer to separate things. Haslam says, these shifts in meaning could reflect growing awareness of mental health in society and more research is needed into the implications, he says. But he notes this is an area where there can be “mixed blessings”. On the one hand, greater awareness of anxiety and depression can help people to seek appropriate treatment; and on the other, pathologising more ordinary variations in mood can risk become self-fulfilling or self-defeating. At a more systemic level, pathologising the milder end of the mental health spectrum could risk leading to a misallocation of resources away from the more severe and urgent mental health problems, Haslam says. Image credits: Getty Images <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/social-sciences/tracking-the-shift-in-meanings-of-anxiety-and-depression-over-time/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/petra-stock">Petra Stock</a>.

Mind

What do the different colours of mould mean in my house?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-taylor-228803">Michael Taylor</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a> You may be interested (or possibly horrified) to discover you ingest and inhale thousands of tiny life forms on a daily basis. The air and surfaces around you are home to multitudes of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B978012394805200004X">bacteria, fungi, viruses</a>, mites, algae and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0043135400004206">protozoa</a>. Your skin isn’t much better, with a complex ecosystem of organisms called commensals which aren’t necessarily good or bad, but will shift in their composition depending on <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature11053">where you live</a>, <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9284/6/1/2">the products you use</a> and <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/458">the pets you have</a>. Most of these creatures are generally undetectable due to their microscopic size and low concentrations. But when they find a niche they can exploit, you might notice them by their smell, or the appearance of unwanted staining and colour changes. A lot of this fungal growth is what we call mould. We’ve all been disappointed in ourselves at one time or another, lifting a neglected orange out of the fruit bowl to discover the bottom half is covered in a velvety blue-green growth. But what do the myriad colours that appear on our stuff tell us about the world we try not to think about? <h2>Black</h2> Often black staining is quite a disturbing occurrence. The concept of toxic black mould is one many people have become aware of due to <a href="https://theconversation.com/fungi-after-the-floods-how-to-get-rid-of-mould-to-protect-your-health-111341">flood impacts</a>. A quick online search will likely terrify you, but not all black discolouration is due to the same organisms, and almost none of it will outright cause you harm. Stachybotrys is the one known as toxic black mould. It often turns up on <a href="https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/pdf/10.1289/ehp.99107s3505">building materials that have been wet for a long time</a>. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533907/original/file-20230626-67275-zxd3ah.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533907/original/file-20230626-67275-zxd3ah.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533907/original/file-20230626-67275-zxd3ah.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=384&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533907/original/file-20230626-67275-zxd3ah.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=384&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533907/original/file-20230626-67275-zxd3ah.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=384&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533907/original/file-20230626-67275-zxd3ah.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=483&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533907/original/file-20230626-67275-zxd3ah.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=483&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533907/original/file-20230626-67275-zxd3ah.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=483&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A severely mouldy wall covered in grey and black blotches" /></a><figcaption></figcaption>When the grout in your shower turns black though, that’s a different fungus called <a href="https://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajb/article/view/130453">Aureobasidium</a>. It’s slimy, sticky and somewhere between a filamentous mould, which grows threadlike roots through whatever it’s eating, and a yeast, which prefer a free-floating, single-celled style of life.</figure> Bleaching will often kill Aureobasidium, but the dark pigmentation will likely hang around – harmlessly, but stubbornly. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533894/original/file-20230626-19-68wsem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533894/original/file-20230626-19-68wsem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533894/original/file-20230626-19-68wsem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533894/original/file-20230626-19-68wsem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533894/original/file-20230626-19-68wsem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533894/original/file-20230626-19-68wsem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533894/original/file-20230626-19-68wsem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533894/original/file-20230626-19-68wsem.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A close-up of white grout between grey tiles with black spots on it" /></a></figure> <h2>Blue</h2> That blue orange I mentioned before, you can thank Penicillium for that. The organism that <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168160512000852">gives us blue cheese</a> and the antibiotic penicillin is also responsible for producing a dense growth of mould that almost looks like smoke when disturbed, spreading millions of spores onto the rest of your fruit bowl. Penicillium is a big group with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166061620300129">hundreds of species</a>, ranging from recognised pathogens to species yet to be named. However, the ones that turn up in our homes are generally the same “weed” species that simply cause food spoilage or grow in soil. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533895/original/file-20230626-107392-7jinnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533895/original/file-20230626-107392-7jinnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533895/original/file-20230626-107392-7jinnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533895/original/file-20230626-107392-7jinnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533895/original/file-20230626-107392-7jinnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533895/original/file-20230626-107392-7jinnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533895/original/file-20230626-107392-7jinnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533895/original/file-20230626-107392-7jinnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Close-up of a bright orange with a fuzzy blue mould spot on it" /></a></figure> <h2>Yellow and orange</h2> We often think of fungi as organisms that thrive in the dark, but that’s not always true. In fact, some need exposure to light – and ultraviolet (UV) light in particular – to complete their life cycle. Many plant pathogens use UV light exposure as a trigger to produce their spores, and then protect their DNA by <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1134/S0003683814020094">hiding it behind melanin-containing shells</a>. Stemphylium and Epicoccum turn up in our homes from time to time, often hitching a ride on natural fibres such as jute, hemp and hessian. They produce a spectrum of staining that can often turn damp items yellow, brown or orange. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533948/original/file-20230626-15121-eh3869.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533948/original/file-20230626-15121-eh3869.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533948/original/file-20230626-15121-eh3869.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533948/original/file-20230626-15121-eh3869.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533948/original/file-20230626-15121-eh3869.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533948/original/file-20230626-15121-eh3869.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533948/original/file-20230626-15121-eh3869.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533948/original/file-20230626-15121-eh3869.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A piece of wood laminate with yellow patches on it" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure> We’re all fairly familiar with the green spots that turn up on mouldy bread, cake and other food items. Often we try to convince ourselves if we just cut off the bad bit, we can still salvage lunch. Sadly that’s not the case, as the roots of the fungi – collectively called mycelium – spread through the food, digesting and collecting sufficient nutrients to pop out a series of tiny fruiting bodies which produce the coloured spores you see. The green tuft is often from a group of fungi called Aspergillus. Under the microscope they look rather like the puffy top of a dandelion gone to seed. Like Penicillium, Aspergillus is another big fungal group with lots of species that turn up virtually in every environment. Some are <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mmy/article/43/Supplement_1/S87/1748298">heat tolerant</a>, some <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21553769.2015.1033653">love acid</a> and some will happily produce spores that <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1749461311000406">stay airborne for days to months at a time</a>. In the green gang is also a fungus called Trichoderma, which is Latin for “hairy skin”. Trichoderma produces masses of forest-green, spherical spores which tend to grow on wet cardboard or dirty carpet. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533897/original/file-20230626-160496-7cuh4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533897/original/file-20230626-160496-7cuh4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533897/original/file-20230626-160496-7cuh4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533897/original/file-20230626-160496-7cuh4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533897/original/file-20230626-160496-7cuh4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533897/original/file-20230626-160496-7cuh4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533897/original/file-20230626-160496-7cuh4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533897/original/file-20230626-160496-7cuh4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A pile of green grains on a small round tray" /></a></figure> <h2>Pink, purple and red</h2> There are plenty to speak of in this category. And there is also a common bacterium that makes the list. Neurospora, also known as the red bread mould, is one of the most studied fungi in scientific literature. It’s another common, non-hazardous one that has been used as <a href="https://bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.3732/ajb.1400377">a model organism</a> to observe fungal genetics, evolution and growth. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533913/original/file-20230626-24-eh3869.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533913/original/file-20230626-24-eh3869.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533913/original/file-20230626-24-eh3869.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533913/original/file-20230626-24-eh3869.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533913/original/file-20230626-24-eh3869.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533913/original/file-20230626-24-eh3869.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533913/original/file-20230626-24-eh3869.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533913/original/file-20230626-24-eh3869.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A block of orange mouldy substance sitting on a banana leaf" /></a><figcaption></figcaption>Fusarium is less common indoors, being <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261219416302794">an important crop pathogen</a>, but will sometimes turn spoiled rice purple. It also occasionally turns up on wet cement sheet, causing splotchy violet patches. Fusarium makes large, sticky, moon-shaped spores that have evolved to spread by rain splashes and hang onto plants. However, it is fairly bad at getting airborne and so doesn’t tend to spread very far from where it’s growing.</figure> Finally in this category, that pink scum that turns up around bathroom taps or in the shower? It’s actually a bacterium called Serratia. It will happily chew up the soap scum residue left over in bathrooms, and has been shown to <a href="https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/AEM.02632-10">survive in liquid soaps and handwash</a>. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533900/original/file-20230626-98733-ggql6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533900/original/file-20230626-98733-ggql6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533900/original/file-20230626-98733-ggql6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533900/original/file-20230626-98733-ggql6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533900/original/file-20230626-98733-ggql6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533900/original/file-20230626-98733-ggql6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533900/original/file-20230626-98733-ggql6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533900/original/file-20230626-98733-ggql6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Close-up of white tile grout covered in a pink translucent film" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <h2>White</h2> When fungi were first being classified and were eventually given their own phylogenetic kingdom, there were lots of wonderful and not strictly categorical ways we tried to split them up. One of these was hyaline and non-hyaline, essentially referring to transparent and coloured, respectively. One of the interesting non-pigmented moulds you may well catch sight of is a thing called Isaria farinosa (“farinosa” being Latin for “floury”). This fungus is a parasite of some moths and cicadas and is visible as brilliant white, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09583150802471812">tree-shaped growths on their unfortunate hosts</a>. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533911/original/file-20230626-72187-xubf6k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533911/original/file-20230626-72187-xubf6k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533911/original/file-20230626-72187-xubf6k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533911/original/file-20230626-72187-xubf6k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533911/original/file-20230626-72187-xubf6k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533911/original/file-20230626-72187-xubf6k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533911/original/file-20230626-72187-xubf6k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533911/original/file-20230626-72187-xubf6k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A dead bug on a green forest floor with white and yellow growths sticking out of it" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure> So when you notice the world around you changing colour, you can marvel with your newfound knowledge at the microscopic wonders that live complex lives alongside yours. Then maybe clean it up, and give the fruit bowl a wash. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207737/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Image credit: Getty / Shutterstock <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-taylor-228803">Michael Taylor</a>, Adjunct academic, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-do-the-different-colours-of-mould-mean-in-my-house-207737">original article</a>.

Home & Garden

5 TV shows with hidden meanings in their names

Sometimes you’ll hear a TV title and think that it sounds cool, but not really pause to think about what it means. Sure, creators could go the more obvious route and call a show what it’s about (some excellent shows with such monikers include Desperate Housewives, CSI, Boston Legal, and Friends), but where’s the fun in that? We like a title that needs a little digging to uncover a new layer of meaning to the show you’re currently binging. Here are some of our favourites. 1. Mad Men If you weren’t paying attention to Mad Men’s pilot, (and it seems as though many of us weren’t), “Mad Men” are the advertising men working on Madison Avenue. Throw those words together and what do you get? I’ll wait. 2. Black Mirror If you haven’t yet experienced this eerie anthology series about the myriad potential dark futures humans face because of our obsession with and dependence upon technology, you should add it to your list. In 2014, the show’s creator, Charlie Brooker, explained to the UK’s Channel 4 that “black mirror” refers to how any kind of screen looks once it’s been turned off. Try it now – pick up your phone without pressing any buttons. Can you see your face staring back at you from a dark, reflected world? 3. Grey’s Anatomy This is one of those punny titles that plays on the lead character’s name, but it works so deliciously that I’m willing to let it slide. Lead character Meredith Grey has her life and inner workings on display for the whole world to see each week, but what you might not realise is that Gray’s Anatomy is a popular medical textbook published over 150 years ago. 4. Breaking Bad This one is a little obscure, and many people never gave it a second thought – so wrapped up were they in the spectacular downward spiral of Walter White. “Breaking bad” is a <a href="https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Break%20Bad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">colloquial term</a> that means you challenge conventions, skirt the edges of the law, or defy authority. Pretty much sums up all of Walt, right? 5. The Wire This subversive, subtle classic is so engrossing that it’s easy to skip straight past the simple name without giving it a second thought, so you might not notice that these aren’t the typical police you’re used to seeing on television. These cops use tactical methods to get their work done – usually surveillance and wire taps. Image credit: Instagram / Shutterstock

“It means the world to me”: Harrison Ford’s emotional take on final Indiana Jones film

Harrison Ford, the actor best known as the face and heart of some of Hollywood’s most iconic characters, has opened up about his final appearance as Indiana Jones. In an interview with BBC Radio 1 with his Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny co-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge about their upcoming film, the 80-year-old actor confessed that his time spent as Jones, and the love of his fans all around the world, means everything to him. Ford has been portraying Jones since 1981, when the series' first film, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, was released. And while they all might hold a special place in his heart, it’s his fifth and final film - set to release June 2023 - as Jones that has resonated with him. As he told host Ali Plumb, “I think the thing that I most admire about them is the depth and subtlety of the emotion, and the importance of emotion in these films. “As this last one concerns age and frailty and [the] changing nature of life, it was especially compelling to me, because I am of that age and I wanted it to feel real for the audience. “I wanted them to see the complexity of that experience with someone they've spent 40 years with.” Plumb then took the opportunity to tell an emotional Ford that “it’s been such an adventure”, and thanked him on behalf of fans all over for everything he’d put into the character and his various adventures. “We love you so much,” he added. “I don’t want to make you blush or anything, but you mean the world to us and thank you.” Ford appeared moved by the sentiment, but gathered himself to offer his own sincere thanks to his supporters, before sharing that “it means the world to me.” It isn’t the first time that Ford has addressed his final venture in Jones’ hat - though it’s the first not to be directed by Steven Spielberg - or what it means to him, with the star previously having shared with Told Film that he had been “able to deliver amazing films developed by Steven and George [Lucas] over a 40-year period. “And to end it not with a whimper, but a bang, has been my greatest ambition for this excursion.” Images: BBC Radio 1 / Youtube

Movies

20 old words that have new meanings since the birth of the internet

<a href="../Dictionary.com">Dictionary.com</a> has revealed a list of commonly used words that have seen their definition change considerably in the last couple of decades. The changes have been primarily driven by the increased use of social media. While 1995 may seem like it was just yesterday to some of us, 20 years is actually a really long time. The world has change from dial-up modems and VCRs to unlimited broadband and Netflix streaming. Check out the list of 20 words with new meanings below: 1. Bump Then: “to come more or less heavily in contact with.” Now: “to move an online post or thread to the top of the reverse chronological list by adding a new comment or post to the thread.” 2. Cloud Then: “a visible collection of particles of water or ice suspended in the air.” Now: “any of several parts of the Internet that allow online processing and storage of documents and data as well as electronic access to software and other resources.” 3. Core Then: “the central part of a fleshy fruit, containing the seeds.” Now: “the muscles of the torso, which provide support for the spine and pelvis.” 4. Fail Then: “to come short or be wanting in action.” Now: “to make an embarrassing or humorous mistake, be in a humiliating situation, etc., and be subject to ridicule.” 5. Footprint Then: “a mark left by the foot.” Now: “a unique set of characteristics, actions, etc., that leave a trace and serve as a means of identification.” 6. Friend Then: “someone attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.” Now: “to add a person to one’s list of contacts on a social-networking website.” 7. Glance Then: “to look quickly or briefly.” Now: “Information on an electronic screen that can be understood quickly or at a glance.” 8. Goldilocks Then: “a person with golden hair.” Now: “Not being extreme or not varying drastically between extremes, especially between hot and cold.” 9. Like Then: “having the same or similar qualities or characteristics.” Now: “to indicate one’s enjoyment of, agreement with, or interest in website content, especially in social media.” 10. Meme Then: “a cultural element, as a custom or concept.” Now: “A cultural item in the form of an image, video, phrase, etc., that is spread via the Internet and often altered in a creative or humorous way.” 11. Ping: Then: “to produce a sharp, ringing, high-pitched sound.” Now: “to make contact with someone by sending a brief electronic message, as a text message.” 12. Profile: Then: “the outline or contour of the human face, especially as seen from the side.” Now: “the personal details, images, user statistics, social-media timeline, etc., that an individual creates and associates with a username or online account.” 13. Sandbox: Then: “a container holding sand, usually located in an outdoors area.” Now: “an environment in which software developers or editors can create and test new content, separate from other content in the project.” 14. Swipe Then: “a stroke with full swing of the arms.” Now: “to move the fingers across a touchscreen.” 15. Takeaway Then: “food or beverage purchased for consumption elsewhere.” Now: “conclusions, impressions, or action points resulting from a meeting, discussion, roundtable, or the like.” 16. Text Then: “the main body of matter in a book or manuscript.” Now: “to send a text message.” 17. Timeline Then: “a representation of historical events in the form of a line.” Now: “a collection of online posts or updates associated with a specific social-media account, in reverse chronological order.” 18. Tweet Then: “the weak chirp of a young or small bird.” Now: “a very short message posted on the Twitter website.” 19. Unplug Then: “to disconnect by pulling the plug from it or from a power socket.” Now: “to refrain from using digital or electronic devices for a period of time.” 20. Viral Then: “relating to or caused by a virus.” Now: “becoming very popular by circulating quickly from person to person, especially through the Internet.” Image credit: Shutterstock Related links: <a href="../lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/inside-a-1950s-tea-factory/">Inside a tea factory from the 50s</a> <a href="../lifestyle/family-pets/2015/12/vintage-beach-photos/">Vintage beach photos to get you in the summer mood</a> <a href="../lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/grandparents-make-grandchildren-happy-study/">Why the grandparent grandchild relationship is important for happiness</a>

Books

What it means when your teeth fall out in a dream

Dreaming of your teeth falling out is never pleasant, but surprisingly and unfortunately they’re one of the most common types of dreams people experience and there are a few reasons why. 1. Insecurity or shame Dreams often represent feelings more than literal symbolism, and teeth falling out can represent issues with confidence and self-esteem. To interpret this dream, think about any areas of your life where you are experiencing shame or self-doubt. 2. Rebirth or transformation A theory popularised by renowned psychiatrist Carl Jung suggests that teeth falling out in a dream could represent a type of rebirth or transformation. Losing teeth is not necessarily a bad omen, but rather could be a sign of growth or positive changes, as adult teeth come in afterwards. 3. Loss or grief Losing teeth in a dream could represent a real-life loss or grief, and if the subconscious is trying to assimilate a real-life loss, it could lead to ‘losing’ things or parts of you in your sleep. 4. Lack of control Another popular idea is that losing your teeth in a dream is about control, more so a lack thereof. It’s important to consider if there is something in your life that makes you feel powerless, such as an issue out of your control or a sudden change. 5. Literal dental issues There is a possibility that dreaming of your teeth falling out could represent literal dental issues. Researchers in the Frontiers in Psychology study found that teeth dreams often correlated with dental irritation. Image credit: Shutterstock

Mind

People are complaining about Mercury in retrograde. But what does it actually mean?

Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, whipping around <a href="https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/index.html">our star every 88 days compared to Earth’s 365.25 days</a>. Mercury will also be the first planet destroyed when the Sun expands on its way to becoming <a href="https://www.space.com/22471-red-giant-stars.html">a red giant in about 5 billion years</a>. So it seems a bit rough that we <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/health-fitness/mercury-retrograde-2023">blame Mercury for all our problems</a> three to four times a year when it’s in retrograde. But what does it mean when we say Mercury is “in retrograde”? <h2>A matter of orbits</h2> Retrograde motion means a planet is moving in the opposite direction to normal around the Sun. However, the planets never actually change direction. What we are talking about is apparent retrograde motion, when to us on Earth it looks like a planet is moving across the sky in the opposite direction to its usual movement. Because Mercury is closest to the Sun and has the fastest orbit, it appears to move backwards in the sky more often than any other planet. Let’s use my dog Astro to help explain what’s happening when we see a planet in retrograde. Astro is a whippet, or a mini-greyhound, and he has a need for speed. If I take Astro for a run on my local cricket oval, he does super-speed laps on the inside while I run much more slowly around the outside. If we’re both going anti-clockwise around the cricket pitch, when Astro is on the opposite side of the oval to me it looks like he’s going left while I’m jogging right. But when he gets to the same side of the oval as me, it suddenly looks like he’s running right instead of left (retrograde). This happens because Astro is going much faster than me, and is inside my “orbit” of the oval. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/05/astro-Laura.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Because Mercury’s orbit is inside Earth’s orbit, seeing it from our planet is like me watching Astro run. But Mercury isn’t the only planet to do this. Venus also orbits inside our orbit of the Sun, zipping around <a href="https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/index.html">once every 224.7 days</a>. This means Venus is in retrograde twice every three years. <h2>The other retrograde</h2> It works the other way around, too. The planets outside our orbit (Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) also go into retrograde. To work this out, we need to swap our perspective. Astro is definitely not a deep thinker, but let’s imagine for a moment that he is and think about what he sees as he runs around the oval. He’s running around the oval and he starts catching me up from behind. At this moment it seems like we’re both going the same direction, to the right. But as he starts to pass me, it seems like I’m going backwards or left (retrograde) while he continues to run forwards to the right. This is what happens when we look up at the sky and see one of the outer planets in retrograde. Mars is in retrograde once every two years. The other planets are so far from the Sun and travelling so slowly compared to Earth that it’s almost like they’re standing still. So we see them in retrograde approximately once a year as we whip around the Sun so much faster than they do. <h2>A well-known illusion</h2> Retrograde motion bamboozled ancient astronomers since humans started looking up in space, and we only officially figured it out when Copernicus proposed in 1543 that the planets are <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/OrbitsHistory">orbiting the Sun</a> (though he wasn’t the first astronomer <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/Aristarchus_of_Samos/">to propose this heliocentric model</a>). Before Copernicus, many astronomers thought Earth was the centre of the universe and the planets were spinning around us. Astronomers like <a href="https://blog.oup.com/2017/07/planetary-astronomy-ancient-greece/">Apollonius</a>around 300 BCE saw the planets going backwards, and explained this by adding more circles called epicycles. So, humans found out retrograde motion was an optical illusion 500 years ago. However, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-is-astronomy-a-science-but-astrology-is-not-192376">pseudoscientific practice of astrology</a> continues to ascribe a deeper meaning to this illusion. <h2>There’s a retrograde most of the time</h2> If we consider the seven planets other than Earth, at least one planet is in retrograde for 244 days of 2023 – that’s around two-thirds of the year. If we include the dwarf planets Pluto and Ceres (and exclude the other seven dwarf planets in the Solar System), at least one planet or dwarf planet is in retrograde for 354 days of 2023, leaving only 11 days without any retrograde motion. I like to think the biggest impact the planets have on Earth is bringing wonder and joy every time we turn our eyes (and our telescopes) to the night sky. Astro, on the other hand, is happy as long as he gets to run around the oval and bark at possums. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/people-are-complaining-about-mercury-in-retrograde-but-what-does-it-actually-mean-205032" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Caring

COVID is officially no longer a global health emergency – here’s what that means (and what we’ve learned along the way)

World Health Organisation (WHO) experts <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/05/health/covid-who-emergency-end.html">have officially declared</a> that COVID <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/05-05-2023-statement-on-the-fifteenth-meeting-of-the-international-health-regulations-(2005)-emergency-committee-regarding-the-coronavirus-disease-(covid-19)-pandemic">no longer constitutes</a> a public health emergency of international concern (Pheic). This coincides with the WHO’s new <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-WHE-SPP-2023.1">strategy</a> to transition from an emergency response to longer-term sustained COVID disease management. This may not change too much practically. COVID will still have pandemic status, and countries will continue to have their own authority as to whether to treat COVID as an emergency within their territories (some countries, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/04/11/1169191865/biden-ends-covid-national-emergency">including the US</a>, have already declared an end to the national emergency). For the global public health community, however, this is an event of monumental importance, drawing to a close the emergency response period which commenced on <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/covid-19-public-health-emergency-of-international-concern-(pheic)-global-research-and-innovation-forum">January 30 2020</a>. At the same time, for a large portion of the general public, it may well pass by relatively unnoticed. For many people, it’s been a long time since they viewed COVID as an emergency. In the UK for example, COVID no longer features in the regular Office for National Statistics <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/bulletins/publicopinionsandsocialtrendsgreatbritain/19aprilto1may2023">public opinion survey</a> that asks people what they think the key issues facing the country are. Even a year ago, <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/bulletins/publicopinionsandsocialtrendsgreatbritain/30marchto24april2022">only two in five Britons</a> were very or somewhat worried about COVID, according to the survey. Along with other behavioural scientists, I have been following <a href="https://www.swansea.ac.uk/research/research-highlights/health-innovation/public-during-pandemic/">public experiences of the pandemic</a> for the past three years. The results have yet to be peer reviewed but by summer 2022, many participants in <a href="https://psyarxiv.com/d6jcv">our research</a> described the pandemic as being like “a distant memory” or like it “never happened”. As we move into this next phase, it’s time to consider what we’ve learned about human behaviour during the pandemic, and what happens next. <h2>Old habits die hard</h2> In the early days of the pandemic, many behavioural scientists, myself included, wondered whether some of our pandemic habits <a href="https://theconversation.com/two-years-into-the-pandemic-which-of-our-newly-formed-habits-are-here-to-stay-178204">were here to stay</a>. Would <a href="https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2021-04-02/masks-to-stay-soldiering-on-through-the-common-cold-will-stop-and-the-nature-of-work-has-changed-forever-expert-says">face masks</a> become a regular wardrobe staple? Would people stop “soldiering on” and going into work when unwell? It turned out that for most people, the pandemic hasn’t permanently changed our behaviour and habits or created a “<a href="https://psyarxiv.com/d6jcv">new normal</a>”. Looking again at the UK, face mask use has consistently declined, with <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/datasets/publicopinionsandsocialtrendsgreatbritaincoronaviruscovid19andotherillnesses">figures from last month</a> suggesting that fewer than one in six adults had worn a face mask recently. Regular use is likely much less common. Social distancing has long since disappeared, except for a relatively small proportion of the public, in particular those most vulnerable to COVID. The COVID pandemic has taught us how adaptive behaviour can be, in particular how much people were willing to change their behaviour to keep themselves and others safe. Most people <a href="https://academic.oup.com/abm/article/56/8/781/6618645?login=false">followed the rules</a> during <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0258781">the height of the pandemic</a>, no matter how difficult. COVID has reminded us <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/759BE02FFE73E5C05EA429A3E1547D78/S2056467821000050a.pdf/resilience_in_the_age_of_covid19.pdf">how resilient we humans can be</a>. These pandemic adaptions, and the fact that our pre-pandemic behaviour bounced back so quickly, shows how important social cues and social norms are to behaviour. Putting on a mask or keeping our distance from others were habits – <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S002210311100254X">actions triggered automatically</a> in response to contextual cues, such as seeing signs with pictures of people socially distancing. Social norms – what we think others are doing – were key to <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0277360">vaccine uptake</a> and to our uptake of <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-020-0884-z">preventative measures in general</a>. As these contextual cues disappeared and the social norms started to change, and as vaccine coverage increased and the risk to the majority decreased, our behaviour changed. The pandemic has also demonstrated how important social connections and social, especially physical, contact can be. This is something <a href="https://theconversation.com/handshakes-and-hugs-are-good-for-you-its-vital-they-make-a-comeback-after-the-pandemic-158174">we have already argued</a> COVID couldn’t keep at bay forever. According to social safety theory, which sees stress and wellbeing as a product of biological, psychological and social factors, COVID <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X2200001X">posed a threat</a> to the “social fabric that makes humans resilient and keeps us alive and well”. It’s unsurprising that life satisfaction and happiness were <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/7/e039334">lowest during lockdowns</a>, and <a href="https://www.covidsocialstudy.org/_files/ugd/064c8b_c525505ffa6b432f96dc41d6b6a985ea.pdf">recovered as people started to mix socially again</a>. <h2>The emergency isn’t over for everyone</h2> As we mark the end of the emergency phase it’s important to remember the <a href="https://covid19.who.int/">nearly seven million lives lost</a> due to COVID since 2020. And of course, we must consider that for some, especially those who are clinically vulnerable, the emergency is not yet over, and may never be. Although it’s no longer a Pheic, <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-WHE-SPP-2023.1">as the WHO reminds us</a>, COVID is still responsible for millions of infections and thousands of deaths each week around the world. Also, thanks to long COVID, hundreds of millions of people are in need of longer-term care. In the future, we need to move from relying on the resilience of individuals to building resilience in our institutions. We can all take measures to continue to protect ourselves and those around us from COVID and other respiratory viruses (such as by <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)00021-1/fulltext">hand washing</a> and keeping up to date with vaccinations). But responsibility for preventing public health emergencies shouldn’t rest <a href="https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2020/03/17/uks-coronavirus-policy-places-too-much-responsibility-in-the-hands-of-the-public/">solely in the hands of the public</a> Actions that governments, employers and health authorities can take now could <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/may/11/preventable-by-devi-sridhar-review-a-resolutely-global-view-of-covid">protect against</a> future <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34872923/">public health emergencies</a>. Systematically <a href="https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news/misinformation-covid-19-what-did-we-learn-2023-02-21_en">tackling misinformation</a>, <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240021280">improving ventilation</a> in <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj.o327">schools</a>, workplaces and other public indoor spaces, and making longer-term improvements to paid sick leave are all good ways to start building more <a href="https://unsdg.un.org/resources/executive-summary-un-common-guidance-helping-build-resilient-societies">resilient societies</a> in preparation for the next pandemic. Hopefully this is something we will never see in our lifetimes. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-is-officially-no-longer-a-global-health-emergency-heres-what-that-means-and-what-weve-learned-along-the-way-205080" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Caring

What these 8 common dreams mean

If you dream of being a rock star who forgets their words, or you're seeing tigers – it could mean you have some bottled up stress to deal with. Dreams are open to interpretation, but New Zealand experts suggest these eight could give you some insight in to simmering stress levels. 1. Falling This is the most common recurring stress dream, according to Margaret Bowater, president of the Dream Network Aotearoa New Zealand. She says it's a metaphor about falling short, possibly falling out of favour, or maybe not living up to the expectations of yourself or others. 2. Being unprepared for a test Finding yourself unexpectedly sitting an exam with no idea of what you're doing comes from feeling you're not coping or unable to take control of the situation. Dreams like taking a test, or having to perform on stage and forgetting the words, indicate you're under pressure, Bowater says. "I used to be a teacher, so my typical stress dream was about the whole classroom getting out of control. I would be feeling powerless or helpless to manage a situation." 3. House falling down A house can signify the family unit, and how it is being affected. Dr Rosie Gibson, Research Officer at Massey University Sleep/Wake Research Centre, conducts research related to sleep and people with dementia. "Depending on what their background is, we've had reports of having dreams of a house falling down around them and relate that to not being able to look after their family, and possibly relate that to financial changes, or changes in family roles... I think that is reflective of their awareness of their condition and how it's impacting on their waking life." 4. Teeth falling out "It's about words that have fallen out of your mouth that you wish you hadn't said," explains Bowater, who has been running dream workshops for 30 years. "Three people who have asked me about that dream have been radio or tv presenters... Some dreams, you might even be stuffing them back in your mouth again." It could also indicate not being able to find the right words to express yourself. 5. Missing the plane Is the dream version of you not going to make a flight or bus journey? You could be fearful of missing deadlines – especially if you have a job that revolves around them, Bowater says. Gibson adds you're more likely to be the type of person who catches planes reasonably regularly. 6. Tigers Gibson says children are more likely see animals in dreams, with a "token stress creature" represented as a tiger or other scary animal, possibly chasing them. "My own repetitive stress dream as a child would be of a wolf jumping down my next-door neighbour's stairs and I'd wake up with that rush of stress and anxiety," she says. 7. Driving Not being able to steer a car is a conceptional dream that means you don't feel in control, and one you are more likely to have as an adult, according to Gibson. Bowater says on one occasion a man on a very strict diet indulged in a "cheat day" at a restaurant with friends, and paid the price later that night. "He had a dream about trying to wrestle control of a car which was going too fast downhill... it was clear he'd let his appetite get away with him." Other common stress dreams with cars involve it rolling backwards, sometimes towards a cliff edge. 8. Feeling trapped or lost Again, this is a conceptual dream where the dreamer considers themselves trapped in real life. Bowater recalls a young woman she worked with who was considering separating from her husband. She would dream of being stuck crossing the road halfway by the traffic. "A dream is trying to show, or repeat, something back to you," she says. "It's usually using concrete imagery for something that is not necessarily a concrete thing to say. Like anxiety - how do you show anxiety? You have to show a situation that portrays it." For example, being alone the woods or on unfamiliar roads translates into feeling lost and don't know where to go next. Written by Janan Jay. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>.

Mind

10 noises your dog makes – and what they mean

<h2>10 noises your dog makes – and what they mean</h2> Pet parents, fess up: how often have you wished that your dog could talk? Chances are, pretty often. But the thing is, your dog is talking to you every day, all day long – you just have to figure out what he’s saying. It’s not as simple as decoding a bark or howl, the two sounds we most commonly associate with our furry friends. Dogs actually make a plethora of telling sounds, and each has its own distinct meaning. Here’s what you need to know to better understand your canine companion. <h2>Barking</h2> You might have noticed that a dog’s bark varies greatly. That’s because barking is a dog’s way of communicating a variety of messages and emotions, including excitement, happiness, fear or even an alert to danger. “With such varying meanings behind a dog’s bark, it’s no surprise that the pitch and forcefulness of the noise – just like with a human’s voice – can imply the reason behind their vocalisation,” says veterinarian Danielle Bernal. “For instance, a fear-driven or panicked bark is often higher in repetition and intensity. This is compared to a monotonous bark that may communicate boredom.” <h2>Incessant barking</h2> There’s a difference between brief barking and non-stop barking. “When the barking does not stop, it is often caused by anxiety in your furry friend,” says veterinarian Evelyn Kass-Williamson. “Dogs may bark like this because they’re experiencing separation anxiety, or because they’re getting mixed messages from different family members and aren’t sure what to do. Be sure you are consistent when around these dogs, and above all, try to relax so they can, too.” <h2>Whining</h2> Like barking, whining can also have a number of different meanings. Though we often associate whining with a negative emotion, that’s not always the case with dogs. In fact, it can simply be a dog’s way of getting human attention, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC). What is your pup trying to say? Possibly that he wants to play, eat or go outside. Whining may also be a sign of stress, fear or pain. It’s important to take all factors into consideration when deciphering your dog’s whining. <h2>Howling</h2> Howling is that classic head-back, guttural call that’s most often associated with wolves. “Howling links back to our dogs’ ancestor, the grey wolf,” explains Dr Bernal. “As pack animals, wolves traditionally used this communication method to call to their pack to signal distress or motivate them to regroup for a hunt.” In terms of your domesticated dog, she says, that howl is often triggered by common noises like a siren, the sound of a child’s toy, or the command of an owner. <h2>Sighing</h2> We often tie feelings of boredom or frustration to sighing, but that’s not the case for canines. According to the AKC, sighing is generally indicative of contentment, especially if it’s combined with half-closed, sleepy eyes. If your dog is wide-eyed and fully alert, however, it could be his way of catching your attention and asking for a little TLC or playtime. <h2>Growling</h2> Like barking and howling, growling can have a number of different meanings, ranging from being scared to feeling playful. “A hostile growl is often a warning sign to a person, another dog, or object that has frightened the dog. It signals that a serious attack may follow if the growl is not adhered to,” says Dr Bernal. “On the other hand, a playful growl is often easy to identify. The key body language of a hostile growl is missing: visible teeth, flattened ears, and raised hairs.” <h2>Soft noises while asleep</h2> When a pup makes soft grumbles, yaps or whimpers while snoozing, it’s not cause for alarm. “This mix of noises simply means that a dog is in a deep stage of sleep, similar to our REM sleep,” says Dr Bernal. “You may notice it’s also accompanied by a faster breathing rate and twitching of the muscles, limbs or eyelids.” <h2>Sneezing</h2> Don’t be fooled: sneezing isn’t always caused by nasal irritation, allergies or a canine cold. “Many dogs will sneeze with excitement or to get your attention,” says Dr Kass-Williamson. “However, if there is ever thick nasal discharge that is white, yellow or green, it means it’s time to call your vet.” <h2>Snorting</h2> “Like the sneeze, this can be an attention-getter for the very squishy-faced breeds,” explains Dr Kass-Williamson. “However, when the snorting continues for a few seconds or longer, it can sound like your dog is choking. This is called a reverse sneeze and is often a sign of allergy or sinus congestion.” It’s best to schedule a visit with your vet if the issue is ongoing. Knowing what conditions your pet may be predisposed is important. <h2>Low-pitched moaning</h2> Though we often associate moaning with sadness or other negative emotions, it’s actually the opposite for dogs. It’s generally a sign that your dog is feeling at peace, according to the AKC. This sound is most commonly made by puppies – especially when they’re nestled up to their human companions. Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/pets/10-noises-your-dog-makes-and-what-they-mean" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Family & Pets

As the global musical phenomenon turns 50, a hip-hop professor explains what the word ‘dope’ means to him

After I finished my Ph.D. in 2017, several newspaper reporters wrote about the job I’d accepted at the University of Virginia as an assistant professor of hip-hop. “A.D. Carson just scored, arguably, the dopest job ever,” one <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/07/03/virginia-ad-carson-hip-hop-professor/435032001/">journalist wrote</a>. The writer may not have meant it the way I read it, but the terminology was significant to me. Hip-hop’s early luminaries transformed the word’s original meanings, using it as a synonym for cool. In the 50 years since, it endures as an expression of respect and praise – and illegal substances. In that context, dope has everything to do with my work. In the year I graduated from college, one of my best friends was sent to federal prison for possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute. He served nearly a decade and has been back in prison several times since. But before he went to prison, he helped me finish school by paying off my tuition. In a very real way, dope has as much to do with me finishing my studies and becoming a professor as it does with him serving time in a federal prison. <h2>Academic dope</h2> For my Ph.D. dissertation in Rhetorics, Communications, and Information Design, I wrote a <a href="http://phd.aydeethegreat.com/">rap album</a> titled “Owning My Masters: The Rhetorics of Rhymes & Revolutions.” A peer-reviewed, mastered version of the album is due out this summer from University of Michigan Press. Part of my reasoning for writing it that way involved my ideas about dope. I want to question who gets to determine who and what are dope and whether any university can produce expertise on the people who created hip-hop. While I was initially met with <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2016/04/clemson-university-arrests/478455/">considerable resistance</a> for my work at Clemson, the university eventually became supportive and touted “<a href="https://news.clemson.edu/clemson-doctoral-student-produces-rap-album-for-dissertation-it-goes-viral/">a dissertation with a beat</a>.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> A Dissertation with a Beat. 🔊🎤 🔊<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Clemson?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Clemson</a> doctoral student produces rap album for dissertation; it goes viral ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/wgiM9LS6k5">https://t.co/wgiM9LS6k5</a> <a href="https://t.co/r1lmBYXV2S">pic.twitter.com/r1lmBYXV2S</a> — Clemson University (@ClemsonUniv) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClemsonUniv/status/845990987440652289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2017</a></blockquote> Clemson is not the only school to recognize hip-hop as dope. In the 50 years since its start at <a href="https://theconversation.com/hip-hop-holiday-signals-a-turning-point-in-education-for-a-music-form-that-began-at-a-back-to-school-party-in-the-bronx-165525">a back-to-school party</a> in the South Bronx, hip-hop, the culture and its art forms have come a long way to a place of relative prominence in educational institutions. Since 2013, Harvard University has housed the <a href="https://hutchinscenter.fas.harvard.edu/institutes/hiphop-archive-research-institute">Hiphop Archive & Research Institute</a> and the <a href="https://hutchinscenter.fas.harvard.edu/faq/nasir-jones-hiphop-fellowship">Nasir Jones Hiphop Fellowship</a> that funds scholars and artists who demonstrate “exceptional scholarship and creativity in the arts in connection with Hiphop.” UCLA announced an <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-03-28/ucla-hip-hop-initiative-chuck-d">ambitious Hip Hop Initiative</a> to kick off the golden anniversary. The initiative includes artist residencies, community engagement programs, a book series and a digital archive project. Perhaps my receiving tenure and promotion at the University of Virginia is part of the school’s attempt to help codify the existence of hip-hop scholarship. When I write about “dope,” I’m thinking of Black people like drugs to which the U.S. is addicted. Dope is a frame to help clarify the attempts, throughout American history, at outlawing and <a href="https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/archives/online_exhibits/100_documents/1853-black-law.html">legalizing</a> the presence of Black people and Black culture. As dope, Black people are America’s constant ailment and cure. To me, dope is an aspiration and a methodology to acknowledge and resist America’s steady surveillance, scrutiny and criminalization of Blackness. By this definition, dope is not only what we are, it’s also who we want to be and how we demonstrate our being. Dope is about what we can make with what we are given. Dope is a product of conditions created by America. It is also a product that helped create America. Whenever Blackness has been seen as lucrative, businesses like record companies and institutions like colleges and universities have sought to capitalize. To remove the negative stigmas associated with dope, these institutions cast themselves in roles similar to a pharmacy. Even though I don’t believe academia has the power or authority to bestow hip-hop credibility, a question remains – does having a Ph.D and producing rap music as <a href="https://theconversation.com/hip-hop-professor-looks-to-open-doors-with-worlds-first-peer-reviewed-rap-album-153761">peer-reviewed publications</a>change my dopeness in some way? <h2>Legalizing dope</h2> Though I earned a Ph.D by rapping, my own relationship to hip-hop in academic institutions remains fraught. Part of the problem was noted in 2014 by Michelle Alexander, a legal scholar and author of “<a href="http://newjimcrow.com/">The New Jim Crow</a>,” when she talked about <a href="http://www.drugpolicy.org/resource/new-jim-crow-whats-next-talk-michelle-alexander-and-dpas-asha-bandele">her concerns about</a> the legalization of marijuana in different U.S. states. “In many ways the imagery doesn’t sit right,” she said. “Here are white men poised to run big marijuana businesses … after 40 years of impoverished black kids getting prison time for selling weed, and their families and futures destroyed. Now, white men are planning to get rich doing precisely the same thing?” I feel the same way about dopeness in academia. Since hip-hop has emerged as a global phenomenon largely embraced by many of the “academically trained” music scholars who initially rejected it, how will those scholars and their schools now make way for the people they have historically excluded? This is why that quote about me “scoring, arguably, the dopest job ever” has stuck with me. I wonder if it’s fair to call what I do a form of legalized dope. <h2>America’s dope-dealing history</h2> In the late 1990s, I saw how fast hip-hop had become inescapable across the U.S., even in the small Midwestern town of Decatur, Illinois, where I grew up with my friend who is now serving federal prison time. He and I have remained in contact. Among the things we discuss is how unlikely it is that I would be able to do what I do without his doing what he did. Given the economic realities faced by people after leaving prison, we both know there are limitations to his opportunities if we choose to see our successes as shared accomplishments. Depending on how dope is interpreted, prisons and universities serve as probable destinations for people who make their living with it. It has kept him in prison roughly the same amount of time as it has kept me in graduate school and in my profession. This present reality has historical significance for how I think of dope, and what it means for people to have their existence authorized or legalized, and America’s relationship to Black people. Many of the buildings at Clemson were built in the late 1880s using “<a href="http://glimpse.clemson.edu/convict-labor/">laborers convicted of mostly petty crimes</a>” that the state of South Carolina leased to the university. Similarly, the University of Virginia was built by <a href="https://dei.virginia.edu/resources">renting enslaved laborers</a>. The University also is required by state law to purchase office furniture from a state-owned company that <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/02/14/public-universities-several-states-are-required-buy-prison-industries">depends on imprisoned people for labor</a>. The people who make the furniture are paid very little to do so. The people in the federal prison where my friend who helped me pay for college is now housed work for paltry wages making towels and shirts for the U.S. Army. Even with all of the time and distance between our pasts and present, our paths are still inextricably intertwined – along with all those others on or near the seemingly transient line that divides “legal” and “illegal” dope. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-the-global-musical-phenomenon-turns-50-a-hip-hop-professor-explains-what-the-word-dope-means-to-him-200872" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

What does the dust in your home mean for your health?

You vacuum it, sweep it and wipe it off your furniture. But do you know what it actually is – and how it may affect your health? Don’t feel bad if you’re clueless about your dust. Scientists are not that far ahead of you in terms of understanding the sources and health risks of indoor air and particles. That’s an issue, because people spend a lot of time indoors. Indeed, the average American stays within four walls for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500165">almost 90% of their day</a>. So knowing more about how your indoor environment affects your health is vital. To better quantify environmental influences on health, researchers have begun using <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyr236">an “exposome” approach</a>, which considers every last environmental exposure an individual experiences over a lifetime. Your own exposome includes everything from secondhand smoke when you were a baby to lead exposure in your childhood to particulate matter if you grew up near a major roadway or industrial facility. Dust is a big component of the exposome. What particles are you inhaling and ingesting as you go about your day? I'm a geochemist, and my lab studies environmental health at the household level. Along with environmental scientist <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=d_ZBfxYAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">Mark Taylor</a> at Macquarie University and other international partners, I’m conducting a research project on the indoor exposome. Instead of dumping their vacuum canister into the trash, citizen-scientists put it into a sealable bag and send it off to our lab for analysis. This project, called <a href="https://www.360dustanalysis.com/">360 Dust Analysis</a>, is one of a number of recent efforts that are starting to crack the code on indoor dust. <h2>The dust is coming from inside</h2> About one-third of household dust is created inside your home. The components differ depending on the construction and age of your home, the climate and the cleaning and smoking habits of occupants, so there’s no standard formula for dust. First, you and your pets generate some of that detritus. Sloughed off human skin cells are part of the debris. So are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2010.05.042">pet skin cells</a>, called dander, and dust mites that feed on skin – both of which are strong human allergens. Overall, you can be sure that <a href="http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1966870,00.html">your dust also includes some</a> decomposed insects, food debris (especially in the kitchen), fibers from carpet, bedding and clothes, and particulate matter from smoking and cooking. We hope our 360 Dust Analysis program will help solve more of the riddle of just what else goes into dust. So far, so gross. And there are humanmade chemicals in the mix as well. For decades, manufacturers have chemically treated clothing and furniture with flame retardants and surface protectants. In fact, for some time, the <a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Business--Manufacturing/Business-Education/Business-Guidance/Childrens-Sleepwear-Regulations">flame retardants were required by law</a> in furniture and children’s sleepwear. But then researchers started identifying them in human blood and tissue, and even newborns showed <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b01793">evidence of exposure in utero</a>. How did these molecules end up in people’s bodies? Mostly via inhalation or ingestion of indoor dust. <h2>Health concerns about what we put in our homes</h2> Here’s one place new science and new techniques are starting to raise serious health red flags. A flurry of research is currently underway to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-018-0113-2">determine the potential toxicity</a> of these chemicals in the human system. Scientists are also developing new techniques <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2017.9">using wearables</a>, such as <a href="https://greensciencepolicy.org/monitoring-chemicals-in-our-environment-with-wristbands/">silicone wrist bands</a>, to determine the relationship between these dust sources and how much of them winds up in a person’s body. A pet-free and fiber-free indoor environment would be one way to reduce the amount and potential toxicity of indoor dust. But there’s an additional concern that’s emerged from recent research: the rise of antimicrobial resistance. Research has linked several indoor disinfection products to antimicrobial resistance. At least one study found that elevated levels of triclosan, a common antimicrobial agent in hand soaps, were correlated with high levels of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b00262">antibiotic-resistant genes in dust</a>, presumably from bacteria that live in your home and dust. This relationship is due to repeated partial, but not complete, destruction of bacteria and other microbes that go on to grow and proliferate, carrying resistant genes. <h2>The dust that comes in from outside</h2> To get a full picture of dust sources and hazards, you need to consider the other two-thirds of the indoor dust load, which <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/es9003735">actually come from outside</a>. This dirt and dust is tracked in on shoes and on the feet and fur of pets. It blows in through open windows and doorways and vents. And it <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/es9003735">ranges in size and composition</a>from gritty silt to irritating pollen to the finest of soil particles. One of the most widespread health issues related to outdoor sources is lead. This potent neurotoxin has <a href="http://doi.org/10.12952/journal.elementa.000059">accumulated to sometimes extremely high levels</a> in soils and dust after a century of emissions from industrial sources, vehicles burning leaded gasoline and degraded lead-based paints. The hazard is particularly great in cities and near mining or other industrial point sources of lead. Lead-contaminated soils, and dust generated from them, are tightly linked to <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/24927721">lead poisoning of children</a>. Owing to their active neural development, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.med.55.091902.103653">lead can permanently disable exposed children</a>. In the drive to prevent lead poisoning, scientists have focused on what they call point sources: relatively easily identifiable things like peeling paint and lead water pipes. Soil and dust exposures are less well known. Researchers have recently found correlations between <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/es303854c">lead in air and blood lead levels in children</a>. Now several lab groups are taking a careful look not just at exposures in outdoor settings but <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/es9003735">also at how lead may seep into homes</a> and become part of the indoor exposome. <h2>Limit what you can</h2> Much as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.187.4176.535">Freon in refrigerants and other products</a> caused the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6710-0_2">degradation of Earth’s protective stratospheric ozone layer</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reprotox.2007.07.010">bisphenol A, a plasticizer used in bottles</a> and other consumer products ended up in people’s bodies, there’s concern among scientists that “better living through chemistry” might result in a string of <a href="https://www.ehn.org/chemical-exposures-are-small-doses-harm-2518446452.html">unintended human health consequences</a> in the realm of dust. Taking off outdoor clothing like jackets and adopting a shoeless household policy is one way to reduce indoor exposure to outdoor pollutants. <a href="https://www.ciriscience.org/a_96-Study-Reveals-High-Bacteria-Levels-on-Footwear">Shoe bottoms are gross</a>: 96% of shoes have traces of feces bacteria on their soles, including the antimicrobial resistant C. diff, and over 90% of these bacteria are transferred to floors. Add in cancer-causing <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10408444.2018.1528208">toxins from asphalt road residue</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/23273747.2016.1148803">endocrine-disrupting lawn chemicals</a>, and the recommendation becomes even clearer – no outdoor shoes inside. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-does-the-dust-in-your-home-mean-for-your-health-116565" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Home Hints & Tips

The secret meaning behind flowers

From beautiful wedding bouquets and congratulatory flowers at graduation to a bunch offered in remorse, flowers play an important part in our lives. There are many occasions and reasons why we might want to give someone flowers. But did you know that all flowers have meanings behind them? In the Victorian era, flowers were symbols and people gave specific flowers to convey specific messages. As they could not openly express themselves, flowers were almost like a secret language. Here we uncover the meaning behinds some popular flowers so next time you’re picking out some to give to a loved one, you can make sure the message matches your thoughts! Daffodils These bright and happy flowers symbolise regard. They are also associated with new beginnings, eternal life and unrequited love. A single daffodil indicates misfortune but a whole bunch of them means happiness. Peonies These feminine flowers signal bashfulness. However, when a bride carries them they indicate a happy marriage and good fortune. On the other hand, peonies can also be used to express shame or indignation. Hydrangeas This wildflower symbolises understanding. Give them to someone when you want to express gratitude. Gardenias The elegant gardenia signifies purity, beauty and sweetness. Unsurprisingly then they are popular at wedding ceremonies. Giving someone gardenias can indicate a secret love or a way of telling them you think they are sweet and lovely. Carnations These popular flowers are available in a variety of colours and each one signifies something different. Pink symbolises enduring love – particularly a mother’s love for her child. Purple means unpredictability and red – admiration and an aching heart. White carnations represent pure love and if you ever need to politely decline a lover, striped carnations indicate a regretful refusal. Rose Everyone knows red roses mean romantic love but many people don’t know other colours have quite different meanings. Dark red is associated with mourning whereas pink represents happiness. Although very pretty, yellow roses actually indicate jealousy. Tulips These popular flowers stand for perfect love. Conveying grace and elegance, giving someone tulips is a declaration of love. Orchids These tropical blossoms symbolise exotic beauty. Those looking to make a lasting impression should consider these rare and delicate flowers. Iris The meaning of the iris includes faith, hope, wisdom and eloquence. Purple irises are associated with wisdom and compliments whereas blue ones symbolise faith and hope. Image: Getty Images

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Kate Middleton is having ‘preventive chemotherapy’ for cancer. What does this mean?

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Tracking the shift in meanings of ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’ over time

What do the different colours of mould mean in my house?

5 TV shows with hidden meanings in their names

“It means the world to me”: Harrison Ford’s emotional take on final Indiana Jones film

20 old words that have new meanings since the birth of the internet

What it means when your teeth fall out in a dream

People are complaining about Mercury in retrograde. But what does it actually mean?

COVID is officially no longer a global health emergency – here’s what that means (and what we’ve learned along the way)

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10 noises your dog makes – and what they mean

As the global musical phenomenon turns 50, a hip-hop professor explains what the word ‘dope’ means to him

What does the dust in your home mean for your health?

The secret meaning behind flowers

News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Kate Middleton is having ‘preventive chemotherapy’ for cancer. What does this mean?

Storytelling allows elders to transfer values and meaning to younger generations

“If you’re reading this, it means I have passed away”: Young mum announces own death

Why is Rupert Murdoch stepping aside now and what does it mean for the company?

What does having a ‘good relationship with food’ mean? 4 ways to know if you’ve got one

These 8 health changes could mean you need to eat more vegetables

Does artificial sweetener aspartame really cause cancer? What the WHO listing means for your diet soft drink habit

Tracking the shift in meanings of ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’ over time

What do the different colours of mould mean in my house?

5 TV shows with hidden meanings in their names

“It means the world to me”: Harrison Ford’s emotional take on final Indiana Jones film

20 old words that have new meanings since the birth of the internet

What it means when your teeth fall out in a dream

People are complaining about Mercury in retrograde. But what does it actually mean?

COVID is officially no longer a global health emergency – here’s what that means (and what we’ve learned along the way)

What these 8 common dreams mean

10 noises your dog makes – and what they mean

As the global musical phenomenon turns 50, a hip-hop professor explains what the word ‘dope’ means to him

What does the dust in your home mean for your health?

The secret meaning behind flowers

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