‘Boiling frog' effect makes people oblivious to threat of climate crisis, shows study
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania wondered if climate change could be made more obvious by presenting it in binary terms. Local newspaper archives describing ice skating on Lake Carnegie when it froze in winter inspired a simple experiment.
Some test subjects were shown temperature graphs of a fictional town's winter conditions; others had a chart showing whether or not a fictional lake froze each year. The result, published in Nature, showed those who receiving the second graphic consistently saw climate change as more real and imminent.
Binary data gives a clearer impression of the 'before' and 'after'. The disappearing ice is more vivid and dramatic than a temperature trace, even though the underlying data is the same.
'We are literally showing them the same trend, just in different formats,' says Rachit Dubey, a co-author of the study.
These results should help drive more effective ways of communicating the impact of climate change in future by finding simple binary, black-and-white examples of its effects.
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Geeky Gadgets
an hour ago
- Geeky Gadgets
How Quantum Computers Are Solving the World's Biggest Problems
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You'll discover how companies like IBM and SciQuantum are tackling challenges like quantum error correction and scalability, and why these breakthroughs matter for everything from drug discovery to financial modeling. But this isn't just about technology—it's about the societal shifts and opportunities that quantum computing will unlock. As we stand on the brink of a quantum revolution, the implications are as exciting as they are daunting. What will this new era of computation mean for you, your industry, and the world at large? Quantum Computing Breakthroughs Understanding Quantum Computing Quantum computing operates on the principles of quantum mechanics, using qubits as its fundamental units of information. Unlike classical bits, which exist in a binary state of 0 or 1, qubits can exist in multiple states simultaneously through the phenomena of superposition and entanglement. This unique capability allows quantum computers to process vast amounts of data in parallel, offering computational power far beyond that of classical systems. However, qubits are inherently fragile and susceptible to environmental interference, leading to errors during computation. To address this challenge, researchers employ quantum error correction codes, which combine multiple physical qubits to create a single logical qubit. Logical qubits are a critical step toward building fault-tolerant quantum systems, allowing reliable and scalable quantum computation. These advancements are paving the way for practical applications, making quantum computing a viable solution for complex problems. Breakthroughs in 2024-2025 The past two years have been pivotal for quantum computing, with leading technology companies achieving significant milestones. 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Securing the Future with Post-Quantum Cryptography The rise of quantum computing presents a significant challenge to traditional cryptographic systems. Quantum computers have the potential to break widely used encryption algorithms, posing a threat to data security across industries. In response, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a 2024 report outlining the transition to post-quantum cryptographic standards by 2035. These standards aim to safeguard sensitive information and ensure cybersecurity in a quantum-enabled future. Post-quantum cryptography focuses on developing encryption methods that are resistant to quantum attacks. This proactive approach is essential for protecting critical infrastructure, financial systems, and personal data as quantum computing becomes more prevalent. Organizations are encouraged to begin adopting these standards to future-proof their security systems. 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The Road Ahead for Quantum Computing The quantum computing market is experiencing rapid growth, with annual revenues projected to reach $5 billion by 2030. While fault-tolerant quantum systems are still under development, they are expected to become commercially viable by the early 2030s. These systems will unlock new possibilities for industries, allowing breakthroughs in areas such as healthcare, finance, and energy. As the field progresses, collaboration between academia, industry, and government will play a crucial role in overcoming technical challenges and driving innovation. The next decade will be instrumental in shaping the future of quantum computing, as researchers and engineers work toward building scalable, reliable, and accessible quantum systems. By staying informed about these advancements, you can better understand the fantastic potential of quantum computing and its impact on technology and society. The developments of 2024-2025 mark a significant step forward, setting the stage for a quantum revolution that will redefine the boundaries of computation and innovation. Media Credit: Explaining Computers Filed Under: Hardware, Technology News Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
New 10-question test reveals if your heart is ageing faster than your body – and if you need to take action now
DID you know your heart could age quicker than the rest of your body? Many adults' hearts are up to a decade older than their chronological age, putting them at risk of heart attack, stroke and heart failure, scientists have warned. Calculating your "heart age" doesn't sound particularly doable for most without specialised equipment, but researchers from Northwestern University have put together a free online tool that does just that. Using routine health data such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels and whether you have diabetes or smoke, the 10-question quiz can calculate your heart age based on risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Being a smoker and having cholesterol, diabetes or high blood pressure can all make heart health issues more likely. Traditionally, heart disease risk is calculated as a percentage. For example, your doctor may say 'eight out of 100 people with your profile may have a heart event in the next 10 years". Researchers wanted to find a less abstract and more relatable way to convey the risk of heart disease. The new online calculator - which used criteria from the American Heart Association - hopes to make heart disease risk easier to understand by reframing it as heart age. Dr Sadiya Khan, the Magerstadt professor of cardiovascular epidemiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, who led the development of the tool, said: 'Many people who should be on medicine to lower their risk for heart attack, stroke or heart failure are not on these medications. 'We hope this tool helps doctors and patients discuss risk for heart disease more effectively so we can better inform what therapies can prevent heart attacks, stroke or heart failure events from ever happening." But researchers stressed that the quiz shouldn't replace medical care and advised people use it in consultation with a doctor. High blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes are all dubbed 'silent killers' - should we really be that worried? Dr Khan and her team put the tool to the test using data from more 14,000 "nationally representative" US adults, aged between 30 to 79. All participants had no prior history of CVD. On average, they found that women had a heart age of 55.4, compared to a chronological age of 51.3. Men had a wider gap, with an average heart age of 56.7 compared to an average chronological age of 49.7. How to reduce your risk of heart attacks and stroke You can reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke with many of the same methods. Heart attacks and strokes, although affecting different organs of the body, are both what we call cardiovascular events. Both arise from similar underlying conditions, such as atherosclerosis —a buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries. According to the American Heart Association, the risk factors for heart attacks and strokes are largely the same: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, physical inactivity and diabetes. Therefore, addressing these risk factors can simultaneously reduce the risk of both conditions. Here are ways you can prevent the two: Healthy diet More fruit and veg: The DASH, which emphasises fruit, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins, has been shown to reduce blood pressure and improve heart health. Less fats: Too much saturated and trans fats can raise cholesterol levels and increase the risk of atherosclerosis. Go for healthier fats like those found in olive oil, nuts, and avocados. Limit salt: High salt intake is linked to high blood pressure, a major risk factor for both heart attack and stroke. The NHS recommends no more than 6g of salt per day for adults. Fibre: Foods high in soluble fibre, such as oats and beans, can help lower cholesterol levels. Exercise Walking, running, cycling, swimming - whatever you like, do it! Aerobic exercise can strengthen the heart and improve circulation. The NHS advises at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week. Strength training exercises can help control weight, improve cholesterol levels, and reduce blood pressure. It is recommended twice a week by the NHS. Manage blood pressure Healthy diet and exercise can help keep your blood pressure in check. But it is worth monitoring it yourself after the age of 40, at least, when the NHS invites adults for a check-up every five years. High blood pressure often has no symptoms but significantly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Quit smoking One of the best ways to quit smoking is to use resources provided by NHS Smokefree. Support groups, medications, and other tools to help quit smoking such as vapes could be what you need to kick the habit for good - and it's free. Limit booze Excessive alcohol consumption can increase blood pressure and contribute to weight gain, which can snowball and become a heart health risk. The NHS recommends not regularly drinking more than 14 units of alcohol per week. Nearly a third of men who'd left school at 16 or earlier had a heart age more than 10 years older than their actual age. Black and Hispanic were also more likely to have older hearts. Dr Khan said the heart age calculator could be particularly useful for younger adults who either want to get a head start with protecting their ticker or might need to be on preventative medication. Heart disease is one of the biggest killers worldwide. There are over 7.6 million people living with heart and circulatory diseases in the UK, with numbers projected to rise in the next couple of decades. They cause more than 170,000 deaths a year, according to the British Heart Foundation - that works out to about 480 a day. How to use the tool - and when to be concerned Dr Khan told that the heart age tool can be used as a "forecast" someone's risk of CVD over the next decade. While "it's probably not that meaningful if your age is off by one or two years", she said, the authors recommend getting concerned if the gap is five years or more. If you're seeing a large gap between your heart and actual age, this "likely points to worsening cardiovascular disease risk", even if you're young. 'The important thing is that we have very good options available in our toolbox to help slow that ageing down if we can identify it," Dr Khan noted. "This may be even more important in younger people who don't often think about their risk for heart disease." If your heart age is actually lower than your chronological age - what Dr Khan called the "the Holy Grail" - that's likely thanks to genetics. She suggested using the tool as motivation to boost your heart health, whatever your score. If you're a smoker, quitting the habit is a good place to start, as reducing your consumption of saturated fat if you have high cholesterol, and trying to keep your blood pressure in check. The Northwestern research team now plan to study whether presenting heart disease risk as an age improves outcomes and helps people better understand their need for preventive therapies.
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Health Rounds: Artificial sweetener consumption linked to less effective cancer treatment
Aug 1 (Reuters) - (This is an excerpt of the Health Rounds newsletter, where we present latest medical studies on Tuesdays and Thursdays. To receive the full newsletter in your inbox for free sign up here.) In patients with melanoma or non-small cell lung cancer, consuming high levels of the artificial sweetener sucralose contributes to diminished responses to immunotherapy and poorer survival, researchers reported in Cancer Discovery, opens new tab. When the researchers had 132 patients with advanced melanoma or non-small cell lung cancer answer detailed diet history questionnaires, they found that high consumption of sucralose was linked with lower effectiveness of immunotherapies across a range of cancer types, stages and treatment methods. In experiments with mice, the researchers found that sucralose shifts the composition of microbes in the intestines, increasing bacterial species that degrade arginine, an amino acid that is essential for key immune cells called T cells. 'When arginine levels were depleted due to sucralose-driven shifts in the microbiome, T cells couldn't function properly,' study leader Abby Overacre of the University of Pittsburgh said in a statement. 'As a result, immunotherapy wasn't as effective in mice that were fed sucralose.' Laying the groundwork for a solution to the problem, the same researchers also found in the mice that supplements that boosted levels of arginine mitigated the negative effects of sucralose on immunotherapy, an approach they now hope to test in humans. 'It's easy to say, 'Stop drinking diet soda,' but when patients are being treated for cancer, they are already dealing with enough, so asking them to drastically alter their diet may not be realistic,' Overacre said. 'That's why it's so exciting that arginine supplementation could be a simple approach to counteract the negative effects of sucralose on immunotherapy.' LOW-GRADE IS NOT THE SAME AS LOW-RISK IN PROSTATE CANCER A low-grade prostate tumor is not necessarily low-risk, new research suggests. Biopsy results showing low-grade prostate cancers can sometimes lead to underestimation of disease risk and omission of surgery or radiation in patients who might benefit from such treatments, researchers warned in JAMA Oncology, opens new tab. Among roughly 117,000 men in their study with prostate biopsy results indicating a Grade Group 1, or GG1, tumor – the slowest-growing kind - one in six had intermediate- or high-risk cancer when other factors such as prostate-specific antigen levels in the blood and tumor sizes were also considered, according to the report. Such higher risk cancers are often treated with radiation therapy or removal of the prostate, the researchers noted. 'We don't want to miss aggressive cancers that initially present as Grade Group 1 on biopsy,' study coauthor Dr. Bashir Al Hussein of Weill Cornell Medicine said in a statement. 'Such underestimation of risk could lead to undertreatment and poor outcomes.' Current guidelines that advise regular monitoring – rather than treatment – for men with low-grade prostate tumors were based on studies that examined entire prostate glands after removal from patients. Biopsies test only small areas of the prostate, so they can miss more advanced or aggressive cancer cells, providing an incomplete picture, the researchers said. Some cancer experts have been suggesting recently that GG1 tumors are so slow-growing that they shouldn't even be considered malignant. The new study results could help inform those discussions, the researchers said. 'There is a misunderstanding that low grade and low risk are the same," study coauthor Dr. Jonathan Shoag of Case Western Reserve University said in a statement. "Here, we show clearly that they are not.' (To receive the full newsletter in your inbox for free sign up here)
