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1% fall in test scores for every 1 degree rise in temperature in US schools: UNESCO

1% fall in test scores for every 1 degree rise in temperature in US schools: UNESCO

India Today4 days ago
A new UNESCO report has raised concern over the impact of climate change on student performance in the United States. In schools lacking air conditioning, a 1 degree Celsius increase in average annual temperature led to a 1 percent drop in test scores, the report said.This decline is especially worrying in the context of increasing heatwaves across the country.The global UNESCO study on education and climate change found that rising classroom temperatures are directly affecting academic outcomes, especially in schools without adequate infrastructure.advertisementRISING HEAT, FALLING SCORES
UNESCO's 'Education and Climate Change: Learning to Act for People and Planet' report pointed out that temperature rises during the school year has a measurable impact on student learning.'In the United States, without air conditioning, a school year hotter by 1 degrees Celsius reduced test scores by 1%,' the report noted.These effects are not evenly distributed. Students from vulnerable communities -- particularly African American and Hispanic groups -- are more likely to be affected.The report highlighted that poorer infrastructure in these communities makes it harder to cope with extreme heat.RACIAL INEQUALITY IN EDUCATIONAL IMPACTVery hot school days disproportionately impacted African American and Hispanic students, the report said. 'Poor infrastructure conditions [in schools] account for roughly 5 per cent of the racial achievement gap,' the report stated.This means that while climate change affects all students, it deepens existing racial inequalities in educational outcomes. With heat exposure adding to the systemic challenges already faced by these communities, the gap in performance continues to grow.AGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN NEED OF URGENT FIXESThe report also flagged outdated infrastructure as a major concern. 'About half of public school districts need to update or replace multiple heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems,' it said.Without significant investment in upgrading school facilities, especially in low-income areas, students will continue to face heat-related disruptions to learning. The absence of climate-resilient infrastructure places them at a long-term disadvantage.A CLIMATE CALL TO ACTIONThe UNESCO report makes it clear: rising classroom temperatures are more than just discomfort -- they are a barrier to learning. As climate events become more frequent and intense, the urgency to adapt school environments grows stronger.Investments in school infrastructure, particularly in marginalised communities, are not just about comfort -- they are critical for equity and educational success in a warming world.- Ends
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Can genetics predict obesity? New study may help spot risk in kids before it is too late
Can genetics predict obesity? New study may help spot risk in kids before it is too late

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Can genetics predict obesity? New study may help spot risk in kids before it is too late

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Can genetics predict obesity? New study may help spot risk in kids before it is too late
Can genetics predict obesity? New study may help spot risk in kids before it is too late

Time of India

time13 hours ago

  • Time of India

Can genetics predict obesity? New study may help spot risk in kids before it is too late

Imagine knowing whether your child may be at risk for obesity—not years after weight gain begins, but long before it shows. A groundbreaking new study published in Nature Medicine suggests this could soon be possible, thanks to a genetic tool called polygenic risk scores (PGS). Led by over 600 scientists from 500 institutions worldwide, and drawing data from The Genetic Investigation of ANthropometric Traits (GIANT) consortium and 23andMe, the study analyzed genetic information from more than 5 million individuals. Their goal? To develop a more precise way to predict a person's likelihood of developing obesity, starting from childhood. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category PGDM Public Policy Degree Artificial Intelligence Project Management Finance healthcare Digital Marketing Technology Leadership Data Science others MBA MCA Others Data Analytics CXO Healthcare Cybersecurity Data Science Management Product Management Operations Management Design Thinking Skills you'll gain: Financial Analysis & Decision Making Quantitative & Analytical Skills Organizational Management & Leadership Innovation & Entrepreneurship Duration: 24 Months IMI Delhi Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Online) Starts on Sep 1, 2024 Get Details What the Study Found Current obesity risk tools largely rely on family history, diet, and lifestyle. But this study's new ancestry-specific and multi-ancestry polygenic risk scores proved about twice as effective in predicting obesity in adulthood compared to existing assessments. In people of European ancestry, for example, the score accounted for 17.6% of an individual's risk of developing a high Body Mass Index (BMI)—a key indicator of obesity. The study included a broad participant base: 70% had European ancestry, 14.4% were Hispanic, 8.4% East Asian, 4.6% African, and 1.5% South Asian. But while the tool is promising, it isn't a crystal ball. 'Obesity is not only about genetics,' said Dr. Ruth Loos, study co-author and professor at the University of Copenhagen's Novo Nordisk Foundation Center, in an interview with NBC News. 'Genetics alone can never accurately predict obesity… other factors, such as lifestyle, need to be part of the predictions.' You Might Also Like: This one food habit could shield you from arthritis, obesity and diabetes. Science backs what Indian kitchens always knew The Global Obesity Epidemic The urgency behind such research is clear. Obesity is now considered one of the world's fastest-growing public health threats. According to World Health Organization (WHO) data: In 2022, 2.5 billion adults were overweight, including over 890 million with obesity. Childhood obesity is skyrocketing—35 million children under five were overweight in 2024, and over 390 million adolescents aged 5–19 were overweight in 2022. Obesity was a factor in 3.7 million global deaths in 2021 alone. Perhaps more troubling is the shift in obesity prevalence from wealthier nations to low- and middle-income countries, where children face a 'double burden' of both undernutrition and rising obesity rates. The WHO warns that these children often live in environments where high-calorie, nutrient-poor foods are cheap and accessible, but healthier choices and safe spaces for exercise are not. Why Early Detection Matters Obesity is much more than a number on a scale. It increases the risk of nearly 200 diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and certain cancers. For children, the stakes are even higher: obesity not only impacts their physical and mental health but also academic performance and social wellbeing due to stigma and bullying. Importantly, childhood obesity often carries into adulthood, setting the stage for chronic illness and shorter lifespans. 'Children with obesity are very likely to be adults with obesity,' notes the WHO. You Might Also Like: Are you really obese? Experts challenge BMI as only measure of obesity, propose new guidelines for better health What Can Be Done? While genetic scores like the one developed in this study could revolutionize early detection, experts caution that there's no one-size-fits-all solution. Dr. Karen Hacker, director of the CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention, told USA TODAY that effective obesity prevention must address broader social determinants of health—including access to healthcare, nutritious food, physical activity, and education. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends multifaceted strategies: from medication and surgery for treatment, to policy-driven efforts ensuring access to healthy food, safe physical environments, and stigma-free support systems.

Startup claims it can make gold from mercury using fusion; science fiction turns real
Startup claims it can make gold from mercury using fusion; science fiction turns real

Time of India

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Startup claims it can make gold from mercury using fusion; science fiction turns real

From Sir Isaac Newton to the ancient Egyptians, some of the finest minds in history have been captivated by the prospect of converting base metals into gold. However, a Silicon Valley startup now asserts that, with the use of nuclear fusion technology, it has finally solved the age-old alchemical enigma. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Public Policy Operations Management Design Thinking Management Leadership Product Management MBA CXO Artificial Intelligence Degree Healthcare Finance Digital Marketing Project Management Technology Others PGDM Data Science MCA others Data Science healthcare Data Analytics Cybersecurity Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Months IIM Calcutta Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Economics for Public Policy Making Quantitative Techniques Public & Project Finance Law, Health & Urban Development Policy Duration: 12 Months IIM Kozhikode Professional Certificate Programme in Public Policy Management Starts on Mar 3, 2024 Get Details By subjecting mercury isotopes to high-energy neutron bombardment, Marathon Fusion says it has found a way to turn mercury into gold. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 20 Highest-Salary Jobs for 2025 When two hydrogen isotopes are pushed together to make helium, a process known as nuclear fusion, the neutrons are released. This implies that power generation and the alchemical process can coexist. Live Events "Our approach is economically irresistible, practically feasible, and massively scalable, in contrast to prior attempts," Marathon Fusion stated. "An entirely new golden age begins now." The company has released a scientific article on the proposed transmutation technology and is working on fuel processing and recycling methods for the emerging fusion industry. Peer review has not yet been done on it. Alchemy has been around for thousands of years, and its main goals have been turning metals into gold and finding an elixir of immortality. It has fascinated intellectuals for thousands of years, including Newton, the English physicist who created the mathematical law of universal gravitation in the latter part of the 17th century. The creation of a "philosopher's stone" that would act as a catalyst to turn base metals like lead into gold was a fantasy of many. 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Tritium is subsequently created when these additional neutrons react with lithium. A radical change Mercury-198, a typical type of mercury, is used as a multiplier in Marathon's approach. These atoms transform into mercury-197, a less stable form, when struck by a neutron. Those atoms then spontaneously transform into a stable form of gold over a few days. According to Marathon, this implies that gold supplies could be produced as a byproduct of the fusion process "without any compromise to fuel self-sufficiency or power output." According to the business, a fusion power station with a one gigawatt capacity could produce 5,000 kilogrammes of gold annually using the new method. The business states that although the gold generated by the reaction is stable, it may contain some radioactive gold isotopes, which could require storage for up to 18 years. Marathon's techno-economic modelling indicates that fusion plants could generate as much economic value from the production of gold as they do from the production of electricity, potentially doubling the facilities' value and drastically altering the economics of fusion and energy in general, the start-up continued. In addition to gold, it stated that the transmutation process might be utilised to create materials for "nuclear batteries," medicinal isotope synthesis, and precious metals like palladium. Adam Rutkowski, a former engineer at SpaceX, Elon Musk's rocket company, and Kyle Schiller, a fellow at Schmidt Futures, the research foundation founded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, founded Marathon. The method allows power plants to produce 5,000 kg of gold annually each gigawatt of energy generated (~2.5 GWth) without sacrificing power output or fuel self-sufficiency, claims the startup. Leading investors including Strong Atomics and the 1517 Fund, as well as multiple grants from the US Department of Energy and the Breakthrough Energy Fellows program, fund Marathon Fusion. The Fusion community's reaction Leading scientists are excited about the pre-print even as it awaits proper peer review: "This new technology approach that Marathon Fusion is developing changes fundamentally how we should think about fusion as an energy source." — Dr. Per F. Peterson , Distinguished Professor of Nuclear Engineering at U.C. Berkeley and Scientific Advisor to Marathon Fusion "The technology described could have a major impact on the economics of fusion energy if it's able to be fully realized and integrated into upcoming power plants. Improved economics could further relax some engineering and scientific requirements, accelerating the path to commercial deployment. This is potentially highly impactful, and I'll be paying close attention to the results of rigorous peer review" — Dr. Dan Brunner , former CTO of Commonwealth Fusion Systems, and Scientific Advisor to Marathon Fusion "The discovery of scalable gold transmutation by leveraging fusion neutrons could fundamentally shift the techno-economic landscape. Marathon Fusion's breakthrough—commercial-scale gold synthesis via nuclear reactions—redefines fusion economics and could unlock the capital needed for next-generation power plants." — Dr. Ahmed Diallo , Principal Research Physicist and Distinguished Research Fellow at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), and Scientific Advisor to Marathon Fusion

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