Ten striking images of an Earth scarred by humans
Photographer Ed Burtynsky has been capturing the impact of humans on Earth for over 40 years. Here are ten of his most striking shots, from a shipwrecking yard in Bangladesh to rivers of iron dioxide in Canada. This June, the International Center of Photography in New York is dedicating a retrospective to The Great Acceleration, the seminal work of the Canadian artist.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
Nurse, 21, is unrecognisable after losing half her weight - she hails 'slimming' breakfast she ate every day for a year
A nurse who shed seven stone in a year without using weight loss medication has hailed the protein-heavy breakfast she ate every day as a key driver of her life-changing fat loss. Melanie Koz, 21, from Canada, lost almost half her weight last year, reaching a healthy 11 stone, and has showcased her incredible transformation in a TikTok video that's so far amassed more than 2million views. Her secret, she explained, was switching her carbohydrate-heavy diet of burgers, crisps and bread to an eating plan focused on low-fat proteins like diary and chicken. Key to this, she said in a series of social media videos, was the breakfast she ate 'every single day' for a year: a bowl of non-fat Greek yoghurt and honey topped with fruit. Not only did the meal keep her fuller for longer, protein helped her to 'build muscle' and become 'tighter and toned'. Her transformation, which began in 2023, came after years of failed attempts to lose weight, most of which involved a strenuous exercise routine, with little change to her diet. After leaving school and beginning her career as a nurse, she developed an unhealthy habit of eating cheeseburgers and bags of crisps as a coping mechanism after stressful shifts. But then, she enrolled on a nutrition course during her training, which dramatically changed her understanding of what constitutes a healthy diet. View this post on Instagram A post shared by mel (@ 'From there I used my newfound knowledge, and the rest is history,' she said. As well as her filling breakfasts, Ms Koz also overhaued the selection of snacks she'd use to get through a busy shift. Crisps and chocolate bars were ditched in favour of high-protein alternatives like edamame beans and cottage cheese. These nibbles are low in calories but 'fill your hunger', Ms Koz said in a video. 'Edamame is a great source of plant-based protein. It can help in building and maintaining muscle. It is [also] a great source of fibre which can help you feel full longer', she explained. Her meals, meanwhile, were classic favourites with a high-protein twist—like chilli with extra beans and homemade 'high protein pizza' with zero-fat yoghurt added to the dough, and low-fat cheese. She also spoke of eating puddings with a health twist, incorporating collagen and protein powder into a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Key to her weight loss, she said, was ensuring a calorie deficit—but it was easier to stay full with protein-heavy meals. View this post on Instagram A post shared by mel (@ What's more, this eating plan meant she didn't have to 'torture' herself with exercise. She simply invested in a home treadmill and went for long walks, before eventually joining a gym for some strength exercises. Now, she shares her simple weight loss hacks on social media in the hope of helping others who feel like they've hit a wall when it comes to transforming their health. 'I know how it feels to be on the other side of the screen wishing for a different body,' she said. 'I know the feeling of hopelessness after failing to lose weight countless times. For those reasons, I share my journey. 'I continue to hope that in some way, what I've shared and continue to share, has helped and will help at least one individual.' High protein diets have long been recommended by some health experts as an effective weight loss tool. This is thought to be because protein-heavy foods like meat and dairy take the body a while to process, keeping you fuller for longer and less likely to snack. Many high protein snacks are also lower in calories than those that are high in carbohydrates, like bread-based treats. Studies have previously found that high protein diets can aid weight loss by reducing appetite. Protein is a key nutrient that is crucial for building muscle, bone and skin. Currently the NHS and other international health bodies recommend eating roughly 0.75g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight every day.
Daily Mirror
03-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Counting calories and yo-yo diets could increase risk of depression, say experts
Eating less of a bad diet is not going to boost your mental health unless you change what you eat, research suggests after a study showed men are vulnerable to negative impact of 'restrictive eating' Counting calories and yo-yo dieting could increase your risk of depression, new research suggests. Experts say eating healthy whole foods rather than processed foods might be more important than focusing only on cutting down on calories. The study of 28,500 Americans suggests men are particularly "vulnerable" to the negative effects of 'restrictive eating' due to a lack of essential nutrients. The findings, published in BMJ Nutrition Prevention and Health, contradict previous studies which found low-calorie diets improved depressive symptoms. However researchers said earlier controlled trials included tailored and balanced diet programmes that may not be the same as the calorie counting diets people realistically follow in everyday life which contain the same processed foods. Study author Dr Venkat Bhat, of the University of Toronto, Canada, said worsening depressive symptoms could be caused by a failure to lose weight or "weight cycling" - losing weight and then putting it back on. He said: 'Real-life calorie-restricted diets and obesity often result in nutritional deficiencies - particularly in protein, essential vitamins/minerals - and induce physiological stress, which can exacerbate depressive symptomatology." Canadian researchers analysed data on 28,525 people who took part in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and had completed a health questionnaire relating to depressive symptoms, which gave them a score based on severity. Some 8% of those studied had reported depressive symptoms, while 33% were overweight and 38% were obese. Most said they were not on a specific diet, while 2,206 were restricting calories. Some 859 were on a "nutrient-restrictive" diet, low in fat, sugar, salt, fibre or carbohydrate, and 631 were on diets tailored for the likes of diabetes. Questionnaire scores for depressive symptoms, such as a low mood, low energy and sleep disturbances, were higher among those restricting calories compared to those who reported not being on a diet at all. The research paper concluded: "Numerous studies have consistently focused on 'healthy' versus 'unhealthy' diets. They have shown that 'healthy' diets rich in minimally processed foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, lean proteins and fish have been linked to a lower risk of depression. "In contrast, an 'unhealthy' diet dominated by ultra-processed foods, refined carbohydrates, saturated fats, processed meats and sweets is associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms.' Researchers said restricting calories can lead to deficiencies in protein, vitamins and minerals which puts the body under stress. Professor Sumantra Ray, chief scientist and executive director of the NNEdPro Global Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health, which co-owns the BMJ medical journals, said: "This study adds to the emerging evidence linking dietary patterns and mental health, raising important questions about whether restrictive diets which are low in nutrients considered beneficial for cognitive health, such as omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12, may precipitate depressive symptoms. Scientists explained that a "healthy" diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, lean proteins and fish, is generally associated with a lower risk of depression. An "unhealthy diet" - dominated by ultra-processed foods, refined carbs, saturated fats, processed meats and sweets - has been linked to a heightened risk. Prof David Curtis, honorary professor at University College London, wo was not involved in the research, said: "The reported effects are small and some are scarcely statistically significant, so may well be due to chance. Even if it is the case that people who are dieting have more depressive symptoms, I don't see why we should assume that it is the dieting which causes this. "To me it seems plausible that this observation could be accounted for by the fact that people who are more unhappy with themselves, and with their weight in particular, may be more likely to go on a diet in an attempt to change their situation."
The Independent
03-06-2025
- The Independent
Study finds common dietary supplement can flush out toxic forever chemicals from your body
Eating a fibre supplement derived from oats before each meal could flush out toxic forever chemicals from the body, a new study suggests. Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, commonly known as forever chemicals, are widely used to make products like non-stick cookware, cosmetics, stain-resistant fabrics, firefighting foams, food packaging, and waterproof clothing. They persist in the environment for hundreds of years and are increasingly linked to a range of health conditions in humans, including decreased fertility, developmental delays in children, and a higher risk of some cancers. Scientists have been seeking ways to remove them from the body and the environment or degrade them into harmless compounds. 'Despite the growing concerns about the toxicity of PFAS, specific interventions to reduce PFAS levels in the body are limited,' the study notes. 'Current clinical treatments to reduce PFAS body burden are minimal.' Previous studies have shown that beta-glucan fibre molecules found in oats, barley and rye can bind to PFAS in the digestive system. The latest study, published in Environmental Health, finds that consuming a dietary supplement with beta-glucan fibre could significantly reduce PFAS levels in the body. Researchers recruited 72 Canadian men aged 18 to 65 with detectable levels of PFAS in their blood and fed 42 of them a diet supplement of one gram of oat beta-glucan, a type of soluble gel-forming fibre, before each mealtime, when the body produced the most bile. The remaining 30 participants received a placebo made of rice. 'Serum samples were collected from 72 participants in 2019-2020 at baseline and after four weeks of the intervention and were analysed for 17 PFASs,' the study states. After four weeks, researchers found a nearly 10 per cent drop in two of the most dangerous PFAS types in people who took the oat fibre supplement. The two forever chemicals, known as PFOA and PFOS, have been detected in drinking water, food packaging and cosmetics, and they can build up in the body over time. Although the results are modest, scientists say the findings offer a first step to formulating a dietary intervention for removing PFAS from the body. 'Results from this pilot analysis suggest a potentially practical and feasible intervention that may reduce human body burdens for some PFASs,' they say. 'However, studies utilising a larger sample with a broader range of serum concentrations, longer intervention period and clinically relevant fibre intakes are needed to determine the efficacy of using gel-forming dietary fibres to increase PFAS excretion.'
