children

COVID Is Driving a Chlidren’s Mental Health Emergency

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When COVID shut down life as usual in the spring of 2020, most physicians in the U.S. focused on the immediate physical dangers from the novel coronavirus. But soon pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris began thinking of COVID’s longer-term emotional damage and those who would be especially vulnerable: children. “The pandemic is a massive stressor,” explains … Read more

How human height has changed: Our ancestors were relatively short – and only started reaching modern heights 150 years ago

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Until around 150 years ago, humans were relatively short – but our recent growth spurt may have more to do with social factors than dietary ones Humans 2 December 2021 By Michael Marshall A man measures a woman’s height Image Point Fr/Shutterstock For most of our history, humans have been short, a study has found. … Read more

Children and covid-19 vaccines: Why has the UK been so slow to vaccinate teenagers and children?

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Compared with other high-income countries, the UK has been slow to approve and roll out covid-19 vaccines to teenagers, prompting concerns over long covid and the new omicron variant Health 3 December 2021 By Clare Wilson Children at a school in Cardiff, UK, in September Matthew Horwood/Getty Images For the first few months of this … Read more

Anti-trolling law: Australian legislation could be used to target political critics

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A law intended to tackle anonymous trolls on social media is unlikely to stop online bullying, but it could allow Australian government ministers to continue a trend of suing their critics Technology | Analysis 7 December 2021 By Alice Klein Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on 2 December 2021 MICK TSIKAS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Australia’s prime minister Scott … Read more

How Much of a Risk Do Synthetic Food Dyes Pose to Your Health? A Research Weighs In

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Early-onset colorectal cancer incidence among the young, defined as those under age 50, has been rising globally since the early 1990s. Rates for colon and rectal cancers are expected to increase by 90 percent and 124 percent, respectively, by 2030.   One suspected reason behind this trend is increased global consumption of a Westernized diet … Read more

Are Our Diets Contributing to The Rise in Angry Rhetoric?

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Emotional, non-rational, even explosive remarks in public discourse have escalated in recent years. Politicians endure insults during legislative discussions; scientists receive emails and tweets containing verbal abuse and threats.   What’s going on? This escalation in angry rhetoric is sometimes attributed to social media. But are there other influences altering communication styles? As researchers in … Read more

New Zealand smoking ban: Will it work if it ignores vaping?

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Outlawing the sale of cigarettes to anyone born after 2008 and mandating low-nicotine cigarettes for others will help New Zealand reach its smoke-free vision, but vaping will still be an issue Health | Comment 10 December 2021 By Alice Klein Cigarettes may soon be difficult for young people in New Zealand to access Roberto Sorin/Shutterstock … Read more