Latest news with #BielefeldUniversity
Times
6 days ago
- Science
- Times
Librarians breathe easy as tool spots toxic book pigment
In The Name of the Rose, a poisonous book was used to murder several monks in a 14th century abbey. Far-fetched, one might think — but toxic books are a real problem for those handling historic works. Now scientists have devised a tool to identify hazardous books with green bindings which contain arsenic. While exposure is unlikely to lead to horrific deaths with blackened fingers and tongues, as in the novel by Umberto Eco and the film of the same name starring Sean Connery, the toxic pigment can be harmful. Publishers used arsenic to create a vibrant colour known as emerald green. Academics say that the risk to the public is low but frequent handling of the books can lead to health problems, including irritation of the eyes, nose and through — and potentially more serious effects. Libraries and collections around the world have prevented access to parts of their book collections, including the French National Library last year. Many institutions have forbidden access to all suspect green books from their collections as a precaution. Last year Bielefeld University isolated about 60,000 books, with other German universities following suit. The University of St Andrews, which has developed the tool, said that testing had until now been a specialised, costly and time-consuming process, leading institutions to isolate swathes of books. The device, developed in collaboration between the university's libraries and museums and its physics department, can quickly and cheaply detect the presence of toxic pigment in book bindings. It said that this would make it easier to distinguish hazardous books from those which are safe to handle and display. Dr Graham Bruce and Dr Morgan Facchin, from the physics department, developed a portable tool to identify the poisonous books. It shines different colours of light onto the book, and analyses how much is reflected to provide a 'fingerprint' of pigments. Bruce said: 'It is handheld and allows us to screen an individual book for the presence of emerald green pigment in a fraction of a second. It has been exciting to see it being used in libraries and collections across Scotland. Our team has been asked to look at thousands of books, of which over 100 have been identified as containing emerald green pigment.' Historic wallpaper and textiles coloured green may also contain arsenic. Dr Pilar Gil, a heritage scientist who led the research, said the starting point was a device used to detect minerals in rocks and the 'eureka moment' was discovering the unique reflective pattern from emerald green pigment. Dr Jessica Burdge, assistant director of libraries and museums at St Andrews, said: 'This work is a brilliant example of how universities and research can solve real problems. The emerald green detection tool is the result of a collaboration that plays to the strengths of different expertise across the university.' An exhibition, titled Poisonous Books, Dangers from the Past, which explores the project has opened at the Wardlaw Museum in St Andrews. Mark Lorch, professor of public engagement and science communication at the University of Hull, wrote recently: 'During the 19th century, as books began to be mass produced, bookbinders transitioned from using expensive leather covers to more affordable cloth items. To attract readers, these cloth covers were often dyed in bright, eye-catching colours.' Dyes quickly adopted for use in various items, including book covers, clothing, candles and wallpaper had a significant drawback, he said. 'They degraded easily, releasing poisonous and carcinogenic arsenic. The frequent reports of green candles poisoning children at Christmas parties, factory workers tasked with applying paint to ornaments convulsing and vomiting green water and warnings of poisonous ball dresses raised serious concerns.'
Euronews
07-03-2025
- Automotive
- Euronews
How Germany's car industry is bracing for Donald Trump's tariffs
Europe's biggest, export-oriented economy is exposed to Trump's tariffs, with German automakers in Mexico likely to see knock-on effects of a potential trade war. ADVERTISEMENT US President Donald Trump on Tuesday sparked a tariff war with the US' three largest trading partners, slapping 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and doubling an already imposed import tariff on China to 20%. On Thursday, he backtracked and postponed the tariffs on multiple imports from Mexico and some from Canada, but emphasised he would impose additional tariffs at the start of April. The prospect of an international trade war sparked by Trump's tariffs comes at a bad time for the German economy, which shrunk for the second year in a row in 2024. Once an economic powerhouse, Germany is projected to be the bloc's weakest performer in 2025. Yet experts suggest that the impact of a tariff war between China, Mexico, and Canada would have a limited effect on Germany— at least for the time being — aside from impacting German manufacturers and suppliers in these three countries. 'At least in the medium run, one would expect some trade diversion in the sense that products that were designed to go to the US, for example from China, would now end up on the European markets,' Julian Hinz, Professor of International Economics at Bielefeld University and head of the Research Group Trade Policy at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, told Euronews. The US could however also import slightly more from Europe in place of China, Mexico and Canada. 'The effects blur the overall picture, abit' Hinz says. German car companies, including Audi, produce cars in Mexico. According to data from the German Car Association (VDA), German carmakers produced 716,000 cars in the country — primarily for the US market. If Trump's tariffs mean German cars produced in Mexico cannot be sold as easily, or are much more expensive now in the US then this 'could have a bigger effect,' Hinz says. On Thursday, Trump granted automakers in Mexico and Canada a one-month tariff exemption after negotiating with leading industry figures. However, once the month is over, German economist Thomas Hutzschenreuter says that tariffs and subsequent decreased demand for German cars from Mexico would impact German, European, Mexican workforce. 'Unemployment rates will be affected' Hutzschenreuter told Euronews. Tariffs on the European Union Experts warn that the picture changes dramatically if Trump decides to slap tariffs on the European Union — a proposal he threatened in late February. 'It means that individual companies will have to diversify their sales throughout the world. In other words, they have to deprioritise the US market and higher prioritise other markets. That is currently being discussed in most German companies,' Hutzschenreuter said. 'However, the problem is that you cannot react as quickly as tariffs are being imposed. Reaction takes more time. And therefore you will be affected short term.' ADVERTISEMENT One sector particularly exposed is the country's automotive industry, which in 2023 made up 17% of Germany's total exports, according to figures from the Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI) office. Germany's automotive industry entered crisis mode last year, with once-might carmakers such as Volkswagen closing factories and cutting thousands of jobs. The head of the VDA, Hildegard Müller, commented in February that Trump's tariff threats of 25% on the European Union were a 'provocation'. "Tariffs are the wrong negotiating tool," Müller said. "The risk of a global trade conflict with negative effects on the world economy is high." ADVERTISEMENT According to simulations undertaken by the Kiel Institute for World Economy, increased tariffs would lead to economic losses and inflation in both the EU and the US. In Germany, this would impact the automotive and mechanical engineering industries, with the Kiel Institute showing that total production would decrease by up to 4% for cars. 'That's a big number for an industry that is already struggling,' Hinz says. One thing that needs to be emphasised for Germany however, and the EU as a whole, is that although the US is an important trading partner, roughly 10% of exports go there, Hinz said. ADVERTISEMENT 'Even in the worst case scenario of dramatic tariffs imposed by the US, most EU imports stay in the EU, and there are plenty of other trading partners with which trade under WTO rules and free trade agreements works perfectly well, will continue to work as before.' 'The US hurts itself most here,' Hinz concludes.
Telegraph
23-02-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Can cuddling sheep really reduce stress? I put six relaxation techniques to the test
Deep in the winter blues, riddled with anxiety and regularly waking at 3am with worries, I was desperate to get my stress levels under control Nothing helped. Filling my diary left me frantic. No amount of early nights, soaks in the bath, reading favourite books distracted me from anxieties about everything going wrong. Even doing nothing made me castigate my own laziness. 'Our stress response is designed to detect potential threats which need attention immediately – we're meant to deal with it then settle down,' says Willem Kukyen, professor of mindfulness and psychological science at Oxford University. 'Nowadays we're surrounded by things needing our attention: notifications, news, work. We're always on alert.' The best way to relax is a disputed subject. Listen to Mozart, sit in silence, do some gentle yoga, join a dance class, drink green tea, eat chocolate, drink coffee, don't drink coffee: you name it, and someone has touted it as the solution to your worries. So what activities really bring your anxiety levels down? How I measured my stress levels While it's difficult to measure stress levels in the moment, a study from Bielefeld University in Germany found that a 10 point questionnaire could assess relaxation to an 86 per cent accuracy. Also newer fitness trackers have built-in stress tracking. As well as observing my heart rate (a slower heartbeat can indicate calmness) my Fitbit features an electrodermal activity (EDA) tracker. This measures how much I sweat using tiny pulses to measure my skin's conductance. The lower the score, the less stressed I am. So armed with these tools I headed to the Lake District, which has been a premiere spot for rest and recuperation since the 18th Century, for the ultimate relaxathon. My average, un-relaxed EDA score was 30, so I knew if I scored lower, theoretically I should be more relaxed. Similarly my resting heart rate is 54bpm, so the closer I was to that, the more relaxed I should be. Finally, immediately before and after each activity, I would take the Bielefeld questionnaire, rating my responses to statements like 'My breathing is faster than usual' or 'My muscles feel loose'. Noting the difference before and after, I could see how each activity affected my sense of relaxation. Cold water swimming Made famous by 'Iceman' Wim Hof, immersing your body in cold temperatures combined with controlled breathing improves control of your fight or flight response. By getting the body used to the release of adrenaline and cortisol when you're in a survival situation, you feel their effects less every day. If your body learns it can survive an icy dip, looming work deadlines stop feeling so scary, goes the theory. However, standing on the shore of Lake Windermere at 8am with Pete Kelly, co-founder of Swim The Lakes, and lifelong wild swimmer, I was anything but relaxed. 'The lake is about five degrees this morning, perfect conditions,' Kelly enthused. The trick, Kelly explained, was to take it slowly. I gingerly inched my way into the water. I won't describe my reaction in full but it's fair to say I felt the cold. Choice words were spoken. Worse was the actual swimming. I could feel the chilly water against my throat where the wetsuit ended like an icy burn as I swam to a buoy 30 metres into the lake. 'It's not so bad, is it?' Kelly grinned. I kept my thoughts to myself. 'You'll feel euphoric afterwards. And not many people can say they've seen Windermere like this.' The lake was like a great black void surrounding us, with a cool winter mist enveloping the nearby hills in a roiling white blanket. In the dawn light, Windermere was empty apart from the waterfowl gliding across its surface. Breathtakingly peaceful, I had to admit. Hauling myself out 15 minutes later, I didn't feel calm. My teeth chattered, my shoulders hunched, my heart raced, and I was breathing fast. But nor had I spent a moment ruminating on worries. My mind felt clear and, yes, perhaps even euphoric. Spa and massage Often the first activity that comes to mind when we need to de-stress is a massage or spa visit. I was spoilt for choice at Low Wood Bay, one of the Lake District's top-rated spas, which offers four pools, four hot tubs, two steam rooms, infrared saunas, herbal saunas, salt saunas, and panoramic views of Windermere. With half of these facilities outdoors, I also benefited from contrast therapy, the swapping between hot and cold temperatures, which dilates blood vessels, lowering blood pressure and improving circulation. I began with a massage. The stretching of muscles helps break down lactic acid in the tissue allowing muscles to relax and repair more effectively. Massage has also been shown to stimulate nerves in the skin to release endorphins which help us feel happy. I was on cloud nine afterwards. The spa I was more wary about. I have a hit-or-miss relationship with them. Last year I visited a famously Instagrammable one in Milan, and was so exhausted from dodging the cameras of the vast crowds of wannabe influencers that I left with a headache. Hell is other people, especially when trying to relax. Still, Low Wood Bay limits the number of people who can visit at any time and with those scenic vistas, it wasn't long before I was totally zoned out in the lakeside infinity pool. Unfortunately, hot pools and saunas have a side effect. As the body attempts to cool down, the heart beats faster. Thus, despite my feelings of mental zen, my heart rate soared. Nature walking 'This is one of my favourite things,' says Danni Chambers from the Cumbria Wildlife Trust, pointing out a thick mass of grey-brown lichen growing on a wall. 'This is peltigera,' she explains. 'It's a lichen which is specialised to cool climates and helps freshen the air.' We're in Staveley Woodlands, one of England's last rainforests. 'North Atlantic or Celtic rainforests are incredibly rare habitats,' Chambers explains as we hike amid the moss-strewn cliffs and trees. 'You have to have the same humidity levels for at least 200 days per year, which gives rise to unusual plant and fungal life.' Chambers points out wood-ear mushrooms, a family of deer creeping through the forest, a buzzard perched on a nearby fencepost, and dreys constructed by red squirrels. The advice to 'get some fresh air' has been a panacea for mental health woes since before the term mental health was coined, but in recent years it has received new attention. 'Forest bathing is the therapeutic practice of exploring the forest with all of your senses,' explains Georgie Dreher, a wilderness therapy guide and founder of The Wild Revival. 'The practice has its roots in Japan, where forest bathing was prescribed to overworked people to reduce stress and burnout. There are a host of benefits, including reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, helping us sleep better and promoting a sense of mental relaxation.' As we tramp through wet leaves, across a gurgling stream, clambering over fallen trees I feel lighter, so focused on spotting the wildlife that I'm not thinking about anything else. Sheep cuddling (animal therapy) The Herdwick Experience is hosted at Yew Tree Farm in Coniston. Like many farms in the Lake District, the land is leased from the National Trust with a regulation (laid down by original owner Beatrix Potter) that it must have a certain number of Herdwick sheep. The heritage breed isn't suitable for intensive meat farming and wool production in the UK is essentially worthless, so the farm had to diversify. Hence, sheep cuddling. The sheep element is unusual, but animal therapy is known to have positive effects on mental health. If nothing else, I've never felt as ridiculous as I did standing in a field, palms full of pellets, being grazed upon by a small flock of fluffy sheep. 'There is a lot of evidence about animals being good for us,' explains Dr Rachel Harland, a consultant psychiatrist at Bristol Priory. 'Hormones like oxytocin and endorphins are released; it lowers your blood pressure, it lowers cortisol. The part of the brain that animals stimulate is similar to the response of a mother to a baby with the focus being on this cute thing in front of you. It helps people take themselves out of themselves. You're looking after something which doesn't ask anything of you. It's not a complex relationship, it's stripped back and simple.' That was borne out by my results. In spite of the cold, 45 minutes in the field flew by, surrounded by soft 'baas' and the sheep clamouring for a chin-scratch. Full Moon Meditation As twilight approached in the Skelghyll Woods, I lay on a yoga mat gazing up at the gleam of moonlight filtering through the clouds above. 'The moon affects us,' explains manifesting coach Karen Whybrow. 'It's a release. Police officers and paramedics will tell you how much busier they are on the night of the full moon. It activates something in us.' It was all a bit woo-woo for me. As I lay there, I felt my heartbeat and thoughts rattling around my brain – 'is anything happening?', 'am I doing this right?', 'what's for dinner?' 'Calm your mind,' Whybrow says, instructing me to breathe deeply, before I'm invited to imagine myself in a lake, putting worries into bubbles and letting them drift away. ' Guided meditation allows us to clear out our emotions and limiting beliefs to help us feel lighter,' Whybrow explains. 'Letting go of mental clutter reduces anxiety and stress and creates space for new opportunities. It can deepen connection to nature and inner wisdom.' At first, the woods filled my ears. The soft hoot of a tawny owl, the rustle of creatures moving through the undergrowth, the crack of branches clattering against each other in the breeze. But then, to my surprise, I realised I was drifting on the edge of sleep. It wasn't always relaxing. When considering the negative thoughts I wanted to banish, I found myself ruminating. But lying still, immersed in my imaginary world, cleared my mind. Afterwards we sipped tea and I took my readings. To my surprise, my questionnaire showed I was more relaxed than ever, and my heartbeat had plummeted to its resting rate. Journaling I've always been suspicious of journaling, which I view as keeping a diary but pretentiously. To my chagrin, it is officially a thing, with all manner of mental benefits ascribed to it. 'I began journaling twelve years ago,' explains Niki Smirni, a mindful leader who has worked with wellness luminaries like Deepak Chopra through her retreat business, Travelgems. 'In the beginning, I just jotted down three things I was grateful for each day, from meaningful experiences to little moments. It helped me start my day with a smile. 'Over time my journaling evolved,' Smirni says. 'I write at length about the love I feel from my family, the warmth of my morning coffee, the birdsong outside my window. It gives me a sense of calm. Reflecting on the positives keeps me grounded and able to see the light when things don't go to plan.' Well, in for a penny – I pulled out a notebook and pen and set to scribbling. Except, it wasn't quite as simple as I imagined – what was I grateful for? It provoked some anxiety – what if I couldn't think of anything? Would that mean I was ungrateful? I worked through the day's activities. I was grateful for the duck egg omelette for breakfast at Low Wood Bay, I was grateful for the views, the cool weather, the lack of rain, the sheep, the quiet, the company, the fresh air, the warm jacket I'd brought with me. Large and small, all sorts of things tumbled out of me as I wrote. Reading the list of good things in my notebook was cheering and brought a smile to my face. How to relax better, according to science Judging by my results, there's some merit to every relaxation method I tried. Some surprised me – who'd have thought a walk in the woods would prove as efficacious as a trip to the spa? What stands out though is that whether I was freezing myself in a lake, lying on a forest floor, or writing in a notebook, I wasn't worrying, getting stressed or feeling down. This is precisely the point, argues Professor Kukyen. 'The way we make sense of our minds makes all the difference,' he says. 'The level of stress in the body is exactly the same whether you're anxious or excited, but one we enjoy and the other we dread. If we can get better at changing our self-perceptions, that can have a huge impact on how we feel. 'I think that's empowering,' says Professor Kukyen. 'If you're doing something consciously focused on relaxing, whether that's a trip to the spa or a walk, that is reflected in your state of mind. Find out what relaxes you, and build it into your life. Whether that's journaling or getting a few extra hours of sleep. Do experiments on yourself and find out what works.' We don't all have the opportunity to swim in Windermere or go sheep cuddling when we're stressed, but we can choose to give ourselves a break and do something nice. Mondays will always loom and stress will always encroach but as my experiment proves there are dozens of ways to relax, the most important step is choosing to seek them out.
