Latest news with #REFLECT
Scoop
5 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Will Reflective Roofs Help Beat The Heat?
Press Release – University of Auckland Cool roofs could be a climate change adaptation tool that might have huge benefits for the health of people in vulnerable communities, Bunkley says. About 500 roofs across four continents have been painted with a reflective coating, as part of research into tackling the health impacts of climate change. Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland is leading the REFLECT project, which is testing whether reflective white roof paint provides relief from extreme heat in Niue, Mexico, India and Burkina Faso. Climate change has pushed temperatures to extremes that can be harmful for people's health in these nations and many others around the world, says Dr Noah Bunkley from the University's Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa, Centre for Pacific and Global Health. Bunkley is managing the global project, which is led by centre director Professor Sir Collin Tukuitonga and Dr Aditi Bunker from Heidelberg University in Germany. 'Cool roofs could be a climate change adaptation tool that might have huge benefits for the health of people in vulnerable communities,' Bunkley says. 'We know that heat kills: it increases the risk of health problems, such as heart disease, kidney failure, heat stroke, and diabetes. 'We urgently need solutions that are affordable, easy to implement, safe, and scalable.' Temperatures soar above 45 degrees Celsius in Mexico, India and Burkina Faso and above 32 degrees in Niue, where humidity can linger above 90 percent. 'Climate change has more severe impacts on low-income communities, those living in fragile housing and people who don't have the means to adapt,' Bunkley says. The University of Auckland team is carrying out the research on cool roofs in Niue, while local universities are contributing to the research in the other three nations. While more than 500 roofs have been painted so far, hundreds more households in Mexico are set to receive cool roof coatings. Since the project launched in Niue in 2023, more than 200 of the 530 households on the tiny Pacific Island have signed up to take part. Half those houses have had their roofs painted, while the other half are in the research control group, which will get cool roofs if they prove effective. People aged over 18 within the research households will have physical health assessments for a year and cognitive tests. Surveys will check whether they suffer heat-related conditions, assess their mental health and wellbeing, and note how often they visit healthcare providers and hospitals. 'We're thinking of all the impacts heat has on people's lives and measuring to see if cool roofs have an influence,' says Bunkley. The project aims to generate detailed evidence that could be used in future to seek funding, so the project could be rolled out across areas of the world where heat has become a health threat. 'Serendipity' drew Bunkley into the cool roofs project, which is the topic of his PhD in public health. When he was 25 years old, he spent two months in a rural hospital Tanzania in East Africa, as part of training for his first degrees in medicine and surgery. 'It was really eye opening to see the conditions people lived in and the healthcare provided, which was very minimal, because of the lack of resources for doctors working there and for patients. 'Some patients couldn't afford antibiotics, so their infections got so bad it led to amputations. 'That made me passionate about global health equity,' he says. He began to consider taking a masters degree in public health, an idea that gained momentum when he worked as a junior doctor at Tauranga Hospital for three years. 'I was seeing lots of people with preventable conditions and realised the same people were coming in with the same conditions again and again. 'I wanted to do something to address the underlying causes of disease and to help create healthy environments where people can thrive. 'Public health offers that potential to improve the lives of people on a large scale,' he says. After gaining his masters, Bunkley was asked to help seek a grant for the global cool roofs project and the Wellcome Trust came through with two million pounds. When REFLECT leaders suggested he could get involved in the research and work towards a PhD in public health at the same time, he leapt at the chance. 'It was such a cool opportunity to work on a project that has massive potential to help improve global health equity and tackle some of the impacts of climate change too,' says the 33-year-old. Since then, the Rockefeller Foundation has provided funding for the REFLECT project team to gather in Italy and the Niue research has been supported with grants from the Tindall Foundation, Habitat for Humanity and The Pacific Community. Results from the research are expected early next year.
Scoop
5 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Will Reflective Roofs Help Beat The Heat?
Press Release – University of Auckland Cool roofs could be a climate change adaptation tool that might have huge benefits for the health of people in vulnerable communities, Bunkley says. About 500 roofs across four continents have been painted with a reflective coating, as part of research into tackling the health impacts of climate change. Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland is leading the REFLECT project, which is testing whether reflective white roof paint provides relief from extreme heat in Niue, Mexico, India and Burkina Faso. Climate change has pushed temperatures to extremes that can be harmful for people's health in these nations and many others around the world, says Dr Noah Bunkley from the University's Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa, Centre for Pacific and Global Health. Bunkley is managing the global project, which is led by centre director Professor Sir Collin Tukuitonga and Dr Aditi Bunker from Heidelberg University in Germany. 'Cool roofs could be a climate change adaptation tool that might have huge benefits for the health of people in vulnerable communities,' Bunkley says. 'We know that heat kills: it increases the risk of health problems, such as heart disease, kidney failure, heat stroke, and diabetes. 'We urgently need solutions that are affordable, easy to implement, safe, and scalable.' Temperatures soar above 45 degrees Celsius in Mexico, India and Burkina Faso and above 32 degrees in Niue, where humidity can linger above 90 percent. 'Climate change has more severe impacts on low-income communities, those living in fragile housing and people who don't have the means to adapt,' Bunkley says. The University of Auckland team is carrying out the research on cool roofs in Niue, while local universities are contributing to the research in the other three nations. While more than 500 roofs have been painted so far, hundreds more households in Mexico are set to receive cool roof coatings. Since the project launched in Niue in 2023, more than 200 of the 530 households on the tiny Pacific Island have signed up to take part. Half those houses have had their roofs painted, while the other half are in the research control group, which will get cool roofs if they prove effective. People aged over 18 within the research households will have physical health assessments for a year and cognitive tests. Surveys will check whether they suffer heat-related conditions, assess their mental health and wellbeing, and note how often they visit healthcare providers and hospitals. 'We're thinking of all the impacts heat has on people's lives and measuring to see if cool roofs have an influence,' says Bunkley. The project aims to generate detailed evidence that could be used in future to seek funding, so the project could be rolled out across areas of the world where heat has become a health threat. 'Serendipity' drew Bunkley into the cool roofs project, which is the topic of his PhD in public health. When he was 25 years old, he spent two months in a rural hospital Tanzania in East Africa, as part of training for his first degrees in medicine and surgery. 'It was really eye opening to see the conditions people lived in and the healthcare provided, which was very minimal, because of the lack of resources for doctors working there and for patients. 'Some patients couldn't afford antibiotics, so their infections got so bad it led to amputations. 'That made me passionate about global health equity,' he says. He began to consider taking a masters degree in public health, an idea that gained momentum when he worked as a junior doctor at Tauranga Hospital for three years. 'I was seeing lots of people with preventable conditions and realised the same people were coming in with the same conditions again and again. 'I wanted to do something to address the underlying causes of disease and to help create healthy environments where people can thrive. 'Public health offers that potential to improve the lives of people on a large scale,' he says. After gaining his masters, Bunkley was asked to help seek a grant for the global cool roofs project and the Wellcome Trust came through with two million pounds. When REFLECT leaders suggested he could get involved in the research and work towards a PhD in public health at the same time, he leapt at the chance. 'It was such a cool opportunity to work on a project that has massive potential to help improve global health equity and tackle some of the impacts of climate change too,' says the 33-year-old. Since then, the Rockefeller Foundation has provided funding for the REFLECT project team to gather in Italy and the Niue research has been supported with grants from the Tindall Foundation, Habitat for Humanity and The Pacific Community.
Scoop
5 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Will Reflective Roofs Help Beat The Heat?
About 500 roofs across four continents have been painted with a reflective coating, as part of research into tackling the health impacts of climate change. Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland is leading the REFLECT project, which is testing whether reflective white roof paint provides relief from extreme heat in Niue, Mexico, India and Burkina Faso. Climate change has pushed temperatures to extremes that can be harmful for people's health in these nations and many others around the world, says Dr Noah Bunkley from the University's Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa, Centre for Pacific and Global Health. Bunkley is managing the global project, which is led by centre director Professor Sir Collin Tukuitonga and Dr Aditi Bunker from Heidelberg University in Germany. 'Cool roofs could be a climate change adaptation tool that might have huge benefits for the health of people in vulnerable communities,' Bunkley says. 'We know that heat kills: it increases the risk of health problems, such as heart disease, kidney failure, heat stroke, and diabetes. 'We urgently need solutions that are affordable, easy to implement, safe, and scalable.' Temperatures soar above 45 degrees Celsius in Mexico, India and Burkina Faso and above 32 degrees in Niue, where humidity can linger above 90 percent. 'Climate change has more severe impacts on low-income communities, those living in fragile housing and people who don't have the means to adapt,' Bunkley says. The University of Auckland team is carrying out the research on cool roofs in Niue, while local universities are contributing to the research in the other three nations. While more than 500 roofs have been painted so far, hundreds more households in Mexico are set to receive cool roof coatings. Since the project launched in Niue in 2023, more than 200 of the 530 households on the tiny Pacific Island have signed up to take part. Half those houses have had their roofs painted, while the other half are in the research control group, which will get cool roofs if they prove effective. People aged over 18 within the research households will have physical health assessments for a year and cognitive tests. Surveys will check whether they suffer heat-related conditions, assess their mental health and wellbeing, and note how often they visit healthcare providers and hospitals. 'We're thinking of all the impacts heat has on people's lives and measuring to see if cool roofs have an influence,' says Bunkley. The project aims to generate detailed evidence that could be used in future to seek funding, so the project could be rolled out across areas of the world where heat has become a health threat. 'Serendipity' drew Bunkley into the cool roofs project, which is the topic of his PhD in public health. When he was 25 years old, he spent two months in a rural hospital Tanzania in East Africa, as part of training for his first degrees in medicine and surgery. 'It was really eye opening to see the conditions people lived in and the healthcare provided, which was very minimal, because of the lack of resources for doctors working there and for patients. 'Some patients couldn't afford antibiotics, so their infections got so bad it led to amputations. 'That made me passionate about global health equity,' he says. He began to consider taking a masters degree in public health, an idea that gained momentum when he worked as a junior doctor at Tauranga Hospital for three years. 'I was seeing lots of people with preventable conditions and realised the same people were coming in with the same conditions again and again. 'I wanted to do something to address the underlying causes of disease and to help create healthy environments where people can thrive. 'Public health offers that potential to improve the lives of people on a large scale,' he says. After gaining his masters, Bunkley was asked to help seek a grant for the global cool roofs project and the Wellcome Trust came through with two million pounds. When REFLECT leaders suggested he could get involved in the research and work towards a PhD in public health at the same time, he leapt at the chance. 'It was such a cool opportunity to work on a project that has massive potential to help improve global health equity and tackle some of the impacts of climate change too,' says the 33-year-old. Since then, the Rockefeller Foundation has provided funding for the REFLECT project team to gather in Italy and the Niue research has been supported with grants from the Tindall Foundation, Habitat for Humanity and The Pacific Community.
Saba Yemen
25-05-2025
- Science
- Saba Yemen
Scientists launch project to cool earth using marine clouds
London - Saba: A team of scientists at the University of Manchester has launched a project exploring the potential of marine cloud brightening as a temporary measure to mitigate global warming. The project, funded by the UK's Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), aims to study how spraying sea salt particles can enhance clouds' ability to reflect sunlight, redirecting solar radiation back into space and contributing to lower temperatures on Earth. The team also seeks to assess the impact of this technology on the global climate while considering potential environmental risks. The project is based on marine cloud brightening technology, which involves spraying fine sea salt particles into low-lying clouds over oceans. This process is expected to increase cloud reflectivity by 5-10%, potentially leading to a temporary temperature drop in specific regions—a crucial effect in combating worsening global warming. Preliminary studies suggest that this technique could reduce temperatures within a limited range of 0.5 to 1°C. However, its broader impact on the global climate remains under investigation. Professor Hugh Coe, the project's lead researcher, explained that marine cloud brightening is a temporary solution that does not address the root causes of global warming, such as greenhouse gas emissions. However, it could provide humanity with vital time to accelerate emission reductions and transition to clean energy sources. The technology relies on natural and safe sea salt, which has a short atmospheric lifespan, settling within a few days. This reversibility makes the environmental intervention more controllable compared to more radical approaches, such as stratospheric aerosol injection, whose effects are harder to manage. This project is part of broader efforts to develop innovative solutions to climate change, especially amid rising global temperatures. Dubbed "REFLECT," the project focuses on studying how microscopic sea salt particles can enhance clouds' ability to reflect sunlight back into space, potentially reducing Earth's surface temperature. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Abbott Laboratories (ABT)'s Libre Linked to Fewer Heart Hospitalizations in Diabetes
Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) recently shared findings from its REFLECT real-world studies, revealing that the use of its FreeStyle Libre® continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system is linked to a notable decrease in hospitalizations for heart-related complications among people with diabetes. For the first time, the data demonstrate that CGM technology can reduce the severity of cardiovascular issues in individuals with Type 1 diabetes, regardless of their history with low blood sugar or previous heart-related hospital stays. The studies also showed a similar drop in heart-related hospital admissions for people with Type 2 diabetes who use the Libre biowearable device while on insulin. In its announcement, Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) highlighted that diabetes affects 589 million people globally. Managing blood sugar and preventing complications like heart disease are critical challenges for those living with the condition. Ramzi Ajjan, M.D., professor of Metabolic Medicine at Leeds University and Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, made the following comment on this development: "I regularly treat people with diabetes who have problems with their blood vessels, resulting in heart attacks, strokes and amputations. These blood vessel problems, known collectively as cardiovascular disease, remain the main causes of ill health in people with diabetes. I am very excited to see data that show a significant reduction in cardiovascular disease-related hospital admissions. It's great to see the clear, positive impact of FreeStyle Libre technology on cardiovascular outcomes, making diabetes management more effective and improving the health of our patients." Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT)'s breakthrough in diabetes is well-received by analysts, its dividend policy has also garnered investors' attention over the years. The company is a Dividend King with 53 consecutive years of dividend growth under its belt. Currently, it pays a quarterly dividend of $0.59 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.75%, as of May 18. The stock surged by over 30.6% in the past 12 months. While we acknowledge the potential of ABT to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than ABT and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: and Disclosure. None. Sign in to access your portfolio
