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Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
At Harvard University, a reminder for America and the world: The truth is the best defence
In 2016, Oxford University Press chose 'post-truth' (based on popularity, in large part) as the word of the year: 'Relating to… circumstances in which… facts are less influential… than appeals to emotion and personal belief.' This was also the year Donald Trump was first elected President of the United States. Almost a decade later, (post-) truth featured heavily in physician and writer Abraham Verghese's commencement address at Harvard University: 'This is almost the reflex of so-called strong men: To attack the places where truth and reason prevail.' Since protests around the war in Gaza have intensified, more so after the start of Trump's second term, free speech and universities in the US have come under attack. The Trump administration has tried to clamp down on their functioning, including in matters of diversity, curricula, and hiring. It has blocked federal funding for Harvard and imposed restrictions on international students at the university. But even this, Verghese noted, is not a unique moment. In 1975, when Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency and thousands of protesting students were arrested, 'citizens…expressed their outrage by voting; she was ousted'. Protest and a valiant defence of truth are the necessary pushbacks to assaults such as those evident in the current moment. The ban on international students' intake was blocked by a federal judge; protests have persisted, and as Megha Vemuri, class president, MIT, said in her speech just this week, 'we cannot let fear keep us' from doing what must be done. The US — on paper and in practice — has been the staunchest defender of free speech. It has taught generations of its young what it means to stand up for reason and justice, to hang in there till the difficult moment passes. Perhaps this is what matters even now: To not be cowed down and to stand up for what is right. As Verghese wrote in The Covenant of Water, 'In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.'
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Business Standard
5 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
The Political Thought of Xi Jinping: Party's history beyond question
The authors have successfully painted a picture of what China looks like under Xi and how it is different from earlier regimes Premium THE POLITICAL THOUGHT OF XI JINPING by Steve Tsang and Olivia Cheung Oxford University Press 296 pages ₹995 Since the establishment of the People's Republic of China under Chinese Communist Party (CCP) there have been efforts by every leader to leave an indelible mark on the history of the party, Chinese politics and society. Since Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, no one has come close to achieving this feat — but Xi Jinping is definitely serious about being the next one to do so. The primary goal of Xi Jinping Thought is to make China great again and is driven by
Tom's Guide
5 days ago
- Health
- Tom's Guide
Can't sleep after doomscrolling? Experts explain the ‘brain rot' effect
Ever reached a point where you've scrolled social media on your phone for so long before bedtime, you feel foggy, overstimulated, anxious and struggle to get to sleep? It may be that you, and your sleep, are being impacted by 'brain rot.' Research indicates that brain rot — the concept of mental deterioration as a result of consuming too much low-quality online content — is an issue for younger adults and adolescents in particular, who reportedly spend an average of 6.5 hours a day online. Brain rot is believed to affect your attention span, productivity, mental and emotional health — and it could also be negatively impacting your sleep. We've spoken to a doctor and a psychologist to better understand how brain rot can affect your health and wellbeing, and how it may be disrupting your sleep. Plus, we get their tips for how you can avoid it. Read on to find out more... While the term was the 2024 'Oxford University Press word of the year' they note that its first use dates back to Henry David Thoreau's 1854 book, Walden: Now, it's a viral phrase that refers to the overconsumption of online content that is considered to be "trivial or unchallenging", according to Oxford University Press, and in particular, content viewed on social media. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. "Brain rotting is not a clinical term but it's used to describe the sense of mental fatigue or dullness often linked to overstimulation, usually from screens or scrolling," says Dr. Ola Otulana, GP at Cassiobury Court. The word 'brain rot' is not about the brain physically decaying, but rather a metaphor for feelings of cognitive burnout. "People describe feeling foggy, or unmotivated or detached after long periods of mindless content consumption," explains Dr Otulana. "When your brain is bombarded with nonstop stimuli — especially from fast-paced, emotionally charged content — it struggles to shift into a restful state," says Dr Leah Kaylor, sleep expert and clinical psychologist. We've taken a look the different ways brain rot can affect your sleep: "Excessive screen time and passive content consumption can contribute to feelings of low mood or anxiety," says Dr. Otulana. The experts we spoke to noted that excessive social media use can cause anxiety, loneliness and 'digital stress,' which can lead to depression and sleeplessness, or symptoms of conditions like insomnia. "The constant stream of information, much of it emotionally charged or trivial can overload our emotional processing centres. Over time, this can lead to increased anxiety and dips in mood," Dr. Otulana adds. On the surface, scrolling through your phone before bed might seem like a relaxing activity that can distract you from other concerns and help you switch off. The reality is, it's more likely to negatively impact your sleep. "When your brain is overstimulated, especially in the hours before bed, it can have an effect on your sleep quality," says Dr Otulana. "The brain doesn't get a proper wind down period which is essential for transitioning into restful sleep. Instead of easing into a natural sleep cycle, you're left feeling distracted or restless." This mental overstimulation can delay sleep onset (the time taken to fall asleep), reduce deep sleep, and even contribute to vivid or disruptive dreams. Light, and the blue light from electronic devices in particular, interferes with melatonin (the sleepy hormone) production and confuses your body into thinking it's still day time. This can affect your circadian rhythm (the body's internal wake and sleep cycle) which can result in disrupted sleep, and lead to increased fatigue due to lack of proper rest and less cognitive clarity to carry out your daily routine. Sticking to a digital curfew is a habit that even celebrities like Friends star, Jennifer Aniston, have adopted. It means giving yourself a set time before sleep where you don't look at your digital devices, and as well as helping you avoid brain rot, it can also give your body and mind time to relax and unwind effectively before bed. Putting your devices away a few hours before your bedtime and changing the settings to block internet access are both ways that can help you restrict your digital consumption before sleep. One benefit of all the time you'll have if you disconnect from your phone is that you can take up a relaxing hobby or calming activity in the hours before bedtime. This could be anything from reading a book, journaling, taking a warm shower or even a quick 15-minute yoga session aimed at improved circulation, tension release and aiding restful sleep. Having a consistent nighttime routine is a golden rule of good sleep hygiene. It doesn't have to be elaborate or indulgent, though. Instead, think of it as a chain of small steps taken to help you winddown and relax before bed. You could consider making yourself a sleepy-time drink, listening to gentle music, stretching, reading, lighting candles or having a bath. Creating your ideal relaxing bedroom setup, with one of the best mattresses for your sleeping style and body type and the best pillows to support your body is also essential for achieving a restorative night's sleep.
Euronews
7 days ago
- Health
- Euronews
Is 'brain rot' real? Brain experts weigh in on the impact of screens
Doomscrolling. Instagram obsessions. Mindless YouTube video viewing. Distracting behaviours, yes, but can they actually rot a person's brain? Last year, Oxford University Press designated "brain rot" as its word of the year, defining it as the "supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state" caused by overconsuming "trivial or unchallenging" material found on social media and other online platforms. "It's what happens when you consume too much low-quality online content, which is like junk food for the brain," said Dr Andreana Benitez, an associate professor in the Department of Neurology at the Medical University of South Carolina in the United States. But whether that content is actually harming the brain – and how – remains unclear. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), half of teenagers in the US spend four hours or more looking at screens each day, and global estimates suggest adults may be online an average of more than six hours per day. There are no federal health guidelines for how many hours of daily screen time are appropriate for teens or adults. Researchers lack sufficient data to fully understand the concept of brain rot and what it might lead to. "There really isn't a coherent science around it," Benitez said. There is, however, CDC data showing that 1 in 4 teenage frequent scrollers report feeling anxious or depressed. Some research suggests problems with heavy online use may begin quite young. Adolescents who spend greater amounts of time in front of screens may be more likely to experience mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder, and related physical symptoms such as pain, dizziness, or nausea. That's according to a 2024 analysis of data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, the largest long-term child brain development study in the US. Other studies have potentially linked brain rot to emotional desensitization, cognitive overload, negative self-worth, and impaired executive function skills, including memory, planning, and decision-making. While there's no evidence that hours of daily screen time are changing the structure of the human brain, it's what's not happening during those hours that could be harmful, especially for young people whose brains are still developing, said Dr Costantino Iadecola, director and chair of Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City. The more time young people spend in front of screens, the less time they spend being physically active or having face-to-face human interactions that supply the developing brain with critical, complex sensory and emotional input, he said. "Brain development requires diversity of exposures," Iadecola said. "When you are on your phone, you are not getting these other experiences. We are substituting artificial interactions for human interactions, and artificial interactions lack the complexity of the human experience – the verbal, sensory, and emotional reactions we have after interacting with people". It's not just screen time that matters – it's also screen content, Benitez said. "If you consume excessive amounts of low-quality online content, you are more likely to be exposed to information that might distort your perception of reality and harm your mental health," she said. Cycling through large amounts of negative content can also leave a person mentally exhausted, she said. But how much is too much has yet to be determined, Benitez said. Sticking to her junk food analogy, she likened short periods of screen time to the occasional junk food snack. "One bag of chips might not be that bad, but if you're eating three at a time, that might be a problem," she said. Helping kids – and adults – consume a healthier online diet isn't easy, Benitez said, because so much of modern life, from schoolwork to shopping, entertainment, and socializing, involves online applications. "With kids, screens are a part of their lives," she said. "It's how they get a lot of information". But, she said, "it's incumbent upon adults to curate the content, make sure they are consuming content that's good for them and in a way that does not result in mental fatigue. We need to make sure they are engaging in critical thinking as they engage with screens". For both children and grown-ups, Benitez also cautioned against scrolling before bedtime. "Consuming arousing information and being exposed to light when your body should be winding down for sleep might affect your sleep," she said. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests families develop screen-time plans together and encourage usage that builds creativity and connections with family and friends. It also suggests parents emphasise the importance of offline activities such as sports, music, art, and other hobbies. The AAP also notes that some screen use may be "healthy and positive," a point both Benitez and Iadecola agreed with. "You could be consuming good content," Benitez said. "There's a value judgment in this". Iadecola suggested making sure online usage is "purpose-appropriate. It's OK to use the technology for whatever task is at hand. The problem is when it becomes addictive behavior. Everything in moderation". As bird flu spreads across Europe and jumps to more animal species, health experts warn that gaps in surveillance and preparedness could leave the region vulnerable to future threats to human health. Avian influenza has been spreading at elevated levels worldwide over the past five years, including in wild and farm birds in the European Union. Hungary has reported the most outbreaks since last autumn, followed by Germany, the Netherlands, and poultry giant Poland. But in recent years, bird flu has also spread to mink, cats, a captive bear, and other mammals, raising the risk that the virus will eventually reach people. Tens of millions of birds and other animals have been culled to keep that from happening, but gaps in surveillance systems increase the likelihood that the virus could circulate undetected and become harder to control. Since 2003, about half of the nearly 1,000 people infected with H5N1 bird flu globally have died. Now, EU health officials say public health risks remain low, and there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission. But preparations are already underway: the European Commission recently clinched a deal to secure more than 27 million influenza vaccines in case of a pandemic. Officials are also eyeing an outbreak among dairy cows in the United States – which has spread to people, infecting 70 and killing one – as a reminder to monitor animals beyond birds and mink, which are more prone to infection. "It's not a time to really sit back and relax and say, 'oh well, this is just business as usual,'" Marion Koopmans, who directs the centre of excellence at the Global Virus Network and leads the viroscience department at Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands, told Euronews Health. "It has really changed compared with just a few years ago," she added. "It's not a good situation to have". EU countries actively monitor wild birds and poultry for avian influenza. When they find infections, they must take steps to stamp out the virus, such as culling birds and imposing farm restrictions. Now, with the US cattle outbreak in mind, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is working with member states to boost surveillance in cows and other mammals, according to Alessandro Broglia, one of the agency's senior scientists. "There is a kind of reactivity and enhanced preparedness in Europe, also to prevent the infection in cattle and other farm animals," Broglia told Euronews Health. Vaccination is also playing a bigger role. In 2023, France began immunising birds, a move it says has helped its poultry industry recover after outbreaks ravaged its farms and annihilated tens of millions of birds. And last summer, Finland became the first EU country to offer bird flu vaccines to people, doling out jabs to 10,000 workers who were at higher risk of infection. Even so, EU audits have identified gaps in these systems that could be just large enough for the virus to slip through undetected. Over the past two years, they have found delays in setting up restriction zones to prevent the virus from spreading in Poland; "limited effectiveness" in Portugal's early warning system for poultry infections; shortcomings in investigations of suspected cases in Spain; and poor risk assessment, a lack of surveillance, and inadequately trained staff in Hungary that constitute "crucial weaknesses" that have not been rectified since the country was last audited in 2020. A Commission spokesperson told Euronews Health that Spain and Portugal have taken steps to fix these issues, but that it is 'seeking additional commitments' from Hungary and Poland, which suspended poultry exports last month due to outbreaks. Alexandre Fediaevsky, acting head of preparedness and resilience at the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), said that 'in all countries, Europe included, there is still some room for improving biosecurity and early warning systems'. But there has been some resistance from some farmers and poultry industry groups, who fear new rules and restrictions could threaten their businesses. "We need to have some strategic dialogue with the industry," Fediaevsky told Euronews Health, but "it will be a long process to really transform the production systems". The EU and the US are not the only places grappling with elevated bird flu risks. Last week, the Commission said poultry and meat imports from Brazil had been halted after the country confirmed its first bird flu outbreak on a farm. For now, bird flu appears to pose a greater risk to the EU's food supply than to public health. However, Koopmans warned that without stronger measures to curb the virus' spread among birds, the bloc could be caught off guard if human infections begin to emerge. "Let's also not become negligent," she said, "because this is how these viruses eventually trigger pandemics".
San Francisco Chronicle
7 days ago
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
Is brain rot real? Here's what brain health experts say
Doomscrolling. Instagram obsessions. Mindless YouTube video viewing. Distracting behaviors, yes. But can they actually rot a person's brain? Last year, Oxford University Press designated "brain rot" as its word of the year, defining it as the "supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state" caused by overconsuming "trivial or unchallenging" material found on social media and other online platforms. "It's what happens when you consume too much low-quality online content, which is like junk food for the brain," said Dr. Andreana Benitez, an associate professor in the department of neurology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. But whether that content is actually harming the brain – and how – remains unclear. Screen habits can shape health According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of teenagers in the U.S. spend four hours or more looking at screens each day, and global estimates suggest adults may be online an average of more than six hours per day. There are no federal health guidelines for how many hours of daily screen time are appropriate for teens or adults. Researchers lack sufficient data to fully understand the concept of brain rot and what it might lead to. "There really isn't a coherent science around it," Benitez said. There is, however, CDC data showing that 1 in 4 teenage frequent scrollers report feeling anxious or depressed. Some research suggests problems with heavy online use may begin quite young. Adolescents who spend greater amounts of time in front of screens may be more likely to experience mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder, and related physical symptoms such as pain, dizziness or nausea. That's according to a 2024 analysis of data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, the largest long-term child brain development study in the U.S. Other studies have potentially linked brain rot to emotional desensitization, cognitive overload, negative self-worth and impaired executive function skills, including memory, planning and decision-making. Rethinking our digital diet While there's no evidence that hours of daily screen time are changing the structure of the human brain, it's what's not happening during those hours that could be harmful, especially for young people whose brains are still developing, said Dr. Costantino Iadecola, director and chair of Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City. The more time young people spend in front of screens, the less time they spend being physically active or having the face-to-face human interactions that supply the developing brain with critical complex sensory and emotional input, he said. "Brain development requires diversity of exposures," Iadecola said. "When you are on your phone, you are not getting these other experiences. We are substituting artificial interactions for human interactions, and artificial interactions lack the complexity of the human experience – the verbal, sensory and emotional reactions we have after interacting with people." It's not just screen time that matters – it's also screen content, Benitez said. "If you consume excessive amounts of low-quality online content, you are more likely to be exposed to information that might distort your perception of reality and harm your mental health," she said. Cycling through large amounts of negative content can also leave a person mentally exhausted, she said. But how much is too much has yet to be determined, Benitez said. Sticking to her junk food analogy, she likened short periods of screen time to the occasional junk food snack. "One bag of chips might not be that bad, but if you're eating three at a time, that might be a problem," she said. How to have smarter screen time Helping kids – and adults – consume a healthier online diet isn't easy, Benitez said, because so much of modern life, from schoolwork to shopping, entertainment and socializing, involves online applications. "With kids, screens are a part of their lives," she said. "It's how they get a lot of information." But, she said, "it's incumbent upon adults to curate the content, make sure they are consuming content that's good for them and in a way that does not result in mental fatigue. We need to make sure they are engaging in critical thinking as they engage with screens." For both children and grown-ups, Benitez also cautioned against scrolling before bedtime. "Consuming arousing information and being exposed to light when your body should be winding down for sleep might affect your sleep," she said. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests families develop screen-time plans together and encourage usage that builds creativity and connections with family and friends. It also suggests parents emphasize the importance of offline activities such as sports, music, art and other hobbies. The AAP also notes that some screen use may be "healthy and positive," a point both Benitez and Iadecola agreed with. "You could be consuming good content," Benitez said. "There's a value judgment in this." Iadecola suggested making sure online usage is "purpose-appropriate. It's OK to use the technology for whatever task is at hand. The problem is when it becomes addictive behavior. Everything in moderation."
