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dariuscrank · 5 years

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There’s A Dark, Disturbing Secret Hiding Inside Your Makeup

Mica – the most important mineral you’ve never heard of – can be found in everything from nail varnish to eyeshadow. It’s the stuff that gives your car’s paint job a glimmering finish and there’s a strong chance it’s found in the electronic device you’re reading this story on.

But behind the glamour and flashy electronics, there’s an ugly secret: the murky supply chain of mica is riddled with child labor, exploitation, and death.

Mica is a naturally occurring mineral that produces a glittery effect through its crystalline structure. Sometimes labeled as “potassium aluminum silicate” or “CI 77019” on products, the mineral’s pearlescent properties are used to add a sparkle to cosmetics, paints, inks, and all manner of other products. It was even used in traditional woodblock printing in Japan to give it a little bit of a twinkle. Along with its role in cosmetics and pigments, mica’s thermal and electrical insulating properties also make it a valuable material for electronic gadgetry.

Blackish-green mica found in Eastern Ontario, Canada. Fukuto/Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0

Understandably, this versatile glitter is hot property and demand has never been higher. However, extracting mica from the earth is arduous work and processing the raw material requires extensive manual labor. On top of that, many of the planet’s biggest natural deposits also just so happen to lie in some of the world’s poorest areas, altogether creating the perfect recipe for a corrupted situation.

India is one of the largest producers of mica, especially in the impoverished eastern states of Jharkhand and Bihar, where an estimated 25 percent of the world’s supply is churned out by over 20,000 children, according to figures from a 2016 report by Dutch non-profit SOMO, called “Beauty and a Beast”.

Most mica mines are illegal in this part of the world, namely due to environmental laws, but the government often turns a blind eye. The illicit nature of the trade also leave the mines in the hands of the “mica mafia“, a chain of organized crime, gangs, corrupt businessmen, and other shady characters who aren’t put off by the industry’s grim corners.

An investigation by Reuters in 2017 of a village in the Giridih district of Jharkhand state chronicled the stories of local people working in the mica mining industry. They discovered that at least seven children had died in two months in the crumbling mines. However, the real figure is likely higher. Due to the illegal nature of the work, bodies are often not recovered from the rubble or are cremated by mine operators.

Another recent investigation by Refinery29, published in May 2019, found that children as young as 5 years old are still working in mica mines around Jharkhand.

“There’s no other form of [work]. When you’re hungry, there’s no other way,” Kishar Kumari, a local who lost his daughter in a mine collapse, told Refinery29.

Even beyond the initial concerns of precarious makeshift mines and child labor, mica is nasty stuff to be around for too long. The US CDC states that exposure to mica can cause eye irritation, a cough, breathing difficulty, exhaustion, and weight loss. As such, they recommend any workers who are around it to wear specialized respiratory gear.

The murky supply chain of mica might start in impoverished communities with child labor, but after being passed through chains of brokers and international manufacturers, it ends up in makeup bags and smartphones of people across the world.

Following the huge stream of investigations in recent years, the situation is improving, although it’s still unclear how much mica is tangled up with child labor today. One of the biggest wholesale suppliers, German chemical giant Merck, acknowledged the use of child labor in their mica mines and started to act on the situation in 2009. It since states that it no longer uses any mica that is sourced in “an informal work environment”, and many cosmetic companies have vowed to remedy problems in their own supply chains.

A number of multinational companies have also signed the Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI), including Estee Lauder, L’Oréal, The Body Shop, H&M, Chanel, and many others. Their goal is to clean up the mica industry and install a responsible supply chain that doesn’t rely on child labor. For example, L’Oréal, one of the biggest companies, now states that over 98 percent of their mica comes from “secured sources”, the majority of which is sourced from the US.

However, the road to change is lined with hurdles. As explained by the cosmetics company LUSH in a lengthy blog post, cutting out child labor from the supply chain is not straightforward. LUSH, a company with a strong track record for ethical considerations, formerly bought mica from suppliers who had guaranteed children were not working on site. After doubts were raised about the auditing process, they decided they could no longer guarantee transparency in the supply chain, so they switched to synthetic mica (synthetic fluorphlogopite). But then, in 2016, the company discovered that natural mica actually sneaked into a range of mica pigments they were told were synthetic.

These barriers to change are a problem felt by many other companies who have promised to source ethical mica. On the other hand, some campaigners argue that they have been slow to act.

“Could the companies have done more? The answer is yes,” Sushant Verma, from Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF), a charity working to end child labor in mica mines, told Reuters in 2017. “They had a year and yet there is little to show on the ground. Children are dying in these mines, but there is no sense of urgency to really tackle the problem,”

So, what can you do as a consumer? Well, not much. Despite progress, there’s still no reliable way for consumers to ensure they do not use mica mined by children or people in poor working conditions. As mentioned, the ingredients list on cosmetics and such often don’t state “mica” and instead opt for a more obscure chemical name. There is also no “fair trade badge” for products that are free of unethically sourced mica.

Original Article : HERE ; This post was curated & posted using : RealSpecific

There’s A Dark, Disturbing Secret Hiding Inside Your Makeup was originally posted by NA Daily

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dariuscrank · 5 years

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3 Ways Weed Has Improved My Sex Life Betches

Here’s a very millennial humble-brag you probably haven’t heard before. While the idea of having sex without alcohol was once unthinkable, I now don’t like drunk sex much at all—but think high sex is completely incredible. In college (and I know I’m not alone in this), sober sex just never really happened. Being drunk nearly constantly didn’t help, but sex seemed like something you could only unlock after getting drunk and brave enough to meet up with someone. It was a way to pull back from the experience and be less aware of what was going on. I know this all sounds a little tragic, but hey—not all of us had fairytale romance in college. I had fun, I’m fine, and I currently have a very different approach to sex.

Weed, for me, works in the exact opposite way from alcohol. It makes me more present, and more aware of my body and my partner (such a hippie, I know). You don’t necessarily want to get super baked, but a decent THC buzz could take your next sexual experience from meh to lying in bed for hours thinking about how good it was (while furiously ordering Postmates, le duh). Note that I’m only speaking from experience here. If you want a more scientific rundown of how THC and CBD can affect your body, try this one from Allure. Here are some ways I’ve (personally) found that weed can improve sex.

Me telling my boyfriend I want sex:

Disclaimer: If you know you don’t like weed, this article is not a suggestion that you try it anyway. In fact, if you don’t like weed, then I actively recommend that you avoid it—especially in a sexual situation. This should be a mandatory inclusion with every piece of internet advice, but it’s way too rarely said: Just because something works for me doesn’t mean it will work for you.

Weed Tames Anxiety

Once again for the people in the back: if you know that weed, in fact, heightens your anxiety, get out of this article. Just go. Now, allow me to paint a picture for my remaining stoner friends. You know the feeling that sets in when you take a couple hits after a stressful day? How all the sh*t stressing you out a minute ago now seems way more manageable? Yeah, whatever strain of weed gives you that blissful, chilled-out head high, that’s what you’ll want to smoke before sex. And that’s doubly true if you struggle with anxiety.

Now that I’m in my 20s, I feel stressed out for 95% of every day. The possibilities for anxiety are endless: if it’s not a work problem, then something at my apartment is falling apart or I haven’t done laundry in three weeks or my diet is a disaster—you get it. It can be really hard to get that running list out of my head when I’m trying to relax and enjoy some much-needed stress relief (my euphemism for sex). I’ve literally called off sex mid-session because I couldn’t stop thinking about whether I’d paid my credit card bill. When I get a little high before sex, I don’t have that problem.

So carefree.

Weed Heightens Your Senses

This goes back to what I was saying about weed making me more aware of my body. The only time I get a comparable bodily feeling is when I’m doing yoga—and like, actually focusing on the breath and my body the way I’m meant to, not just zoning out and copying the people around me. Weed makes me realize how little I typically focus on the moment, and reminds me to appreciate how f*cking fun touching each other can and should be.

I also find that the heightened sensation makes me clearer on what exactly I’m in the mood for, and how I want to be touched in that moment. It’s always a great sign when the person you’re having sex with checks in to make sure they’re getting you off, but sometimes I totally choke up when faced with a “is this ok?” or “do you like this?” I’ve squeaked out “yeah, fine” a few times before I’d even really thought about it. When I’m high, I know exactly how much I like the way I’m being touched, and find myself asking for it if I want something different.

Look at Monica. She knows exactly what she wants.

Weed Makes You More Confident

Again, I speak only for myself. I know many people who enjoy the physical effects of weed, but become decidedly more timid after smoking. For me, (some) weed works a tiny bit in the way I used to use alcohol. It’s a way of lowering inhibitions, and making me feel more free to speak my mind. This is definitely linked to the reduced anxiety, but it’s more than that—I like the way my brain works when I’m high, and feel less insecure that something I want to say is stupid or boring. I’m less judgmental, and I don’t expect the worst from other people. All of this makes it way easier to interact, open up, and enjoy the moment.

How does this translate to sex, you might ask? Well, it makes me feel hotter, for one (doesn’t confidence always?), and it makes me feel more adventurous. Both are solid qualities to have during sex. And while being more aware of my body isn’t always a good thing for me (like when I’m obsessing over what I look like from certain angles), it is a good thing if I’m also Lizzo-level confident in my mind while experiencing that awareness. Lowered anxiety + heightened sensation + extreme confidence = ideal sex combo. Thank you, weed!

Me, high and ready to go:

Now, go forth and toke up, my good readers. Now that it’s summer, I suggest taking bong rips in an ice cold air-conditioned bedroom, or (for the adventurous, and non-city dwellers) bringing a blanket and a joint to a secluded patch of nature. And if you need something to carry your weed in, we got you.

Images: Giphy(4)

Original Article : HERE ; This post was curated & posted using : RealSpecific

3 Ways Weed Has Improved My Sex Life Betches was originally posted by NA Daily

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dariuscrank · 5 years

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“Healing Crystals” Bring Bad Vibes For The Environment And Local Communities

Crystals are the new must-have accessory for those seeking “well-being” and “positive energies”. Off the back of big celebrity endorsements, these pretty (although ultimately useless) semiprecious gemstones have seen an unlikely comeback over the past few years.

Needless to say, any supposed health benefit from these stones is currently pure pseudoscience. However, even beyond their promises of “good vibes” straight from Mother Nature, these gemstones could be having a negative effect on the environment and local communities. As reported by The Guardian, many “healing crystals” – whether it’s opals or quartz, tourmaline or amethyst – originate from a murky supply chain that starts in conflict-struck countries with lax labor laws and environmental regulations. The industry is largely unregulated in impoverished areas, riddled with violent military groups, and bolstered up by underpaid miners working in dangerous conditions.

Much like the blood diamonds of Africa, many of these stones are sometimes referred to as “genocide gems”. Back in 2014, The New York Times ran an investigation into how the jade mines of Myanmar in Southeast Asia have become entangled with the drug trade, with many local miners turning to heroin to help cope with the harsh conditions of their work. Money for this industry has also been hijacked by local militia groups to finance the country’s ongoing ethnic conflicts. Similar problems with conflict and militias have also been noted with the mining of rubies and sapphires in the area.

Raw moonstone stones, freshly mined in southwest Sri Lanka. Tanya Prykhodko/Shutterstock

Then comes the environmental impact. Many of the most harmful environmental impacts stem from “gem rushes”, when flocks of outsiders swarm to newly discovered gem mining deposits, creating large-scale pits that are associated with the destruction of animal habitats and the polluting of rivers. Especially in tropical parts of the world, abandoned pits can become filled with stagnant water that serve as the perfect habitat for malarial mosquitos.

However, there is growing momentum towards ethically sourced crystals and gemstones. Many campaigners argue there should be some kind of regulatory arrangement within the industry to ensure the materials are being ethically sourced, a bit like the “Fair Trade” logos you see on coffee or chocolate. The diamond trade, for example, has implemented the Kimberley Process in an attempt to ensure diamond purchases are not financing violence and armed rebel groups. However, with less-profitable semiprecious stones and crystals that make up the “healing crystal” industry, this level of regulation is current a pipe dream.

“All I can do is ensure that at least quality and genuine crystals are coming into the market. We’re buying from the best possible sources. But sometimes unethical mines are the only sources of the crystals people want,” Neil Ashcroft, director of whole supplier Crystal Geode, told The Guardian.

“I try to stay as aware of their origins as possible, but I can be concerned about it while also feeling… impotent? Most retailers feel they want to [be ethical], but can’t implement it.”

[H/T: The Guardian]

Original Article : HERE ; This post was curated & posted using : RealSpecific

“Healing Crystals” Bring Bad Vibes For The Environment And Local Communities was originally posted by NA Daily

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dariuscrank · 5 years

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No flights, a four-day week and living off-grid: what climate scientists do at home to save the planet

What changes have the experts made to their own lives to tackle the climate emergency?

The researcher planning a four-day working week

We need to reduce our capacity and urge to consume

Month after month, there is research showing that climate change is happening faster than we thought. Were in a car hurtling towards the edge of a cliff, weve got our foot on the accelerator, and were just talking to each other, faffing about. If anything, some of us are even putting the foot further down. What we need to do is stop the car and get out. That has become increasingly clear to me in the last couple of years, which is why Ive made changes to my own lifestyle.

These all come from the research weve been doing at my work, and its all based on climate science. The first and the hardest for many people is flying. The evidence is clear that, as far as the climate is concerned, we should keep to one return short-haul flight every two to three years. So its not that I cant see the world I could still go abroad at least another 10 times in my life its just that I cant go to Istanbul for the weekend.

Ive been vegetarian since I was about 15, and pretty much vegan for a year. Its important that everybody goes close to vegetarian, and ideally vegan. Not just that: its also important that we stop eating so much. The average European eats 3,500 calories a day, which is too much. The planet has had to provide all those unnecessary calories. Its not just about climate change: if you look at land use change, biodiversity loss, fertilisers in the ocean creating dead zones, the massive extinction and loss of insects due to pesticides these problems are all driven by food.

Ive also reduced the volume of new clothing that I buy. The average European buys 24 new items every year. That needs to come down based on my teams research, Im aiming for three. I can still keep my wardrobe alive through secondhand, recycled, upgraded, swapped or rented clothes.

C40 is a network bringing together the worlds biggest cities, helping them do the best they can on climate. About a year ago, we conducted some research looking at the impact of consumption. Our ever-growing economy in turn requires never-ending growth in consumption. One of the best things you can do to address climate change is go down to a four-day working week. This would take some of the heat out of our ever-expanding economies, reduce our capacity and urge to consume, and create space to live a more balanced life. I plan to do this in the near future. If it means Im earning a bit less and spending a bit less, but Ive got a bit more time on my hands, then thats great.

Photograph: Shutterstock

The massive caveat is that many people in Britain and around the world dont have enough; but those of us with high consumption lifestyles need to balance it out. The main responsibility will always be with large business and governments to fix the mess were in, but were now at a point where its so late that we need action from everyone. Youre not disempowered just because youre small, and politicians wont move until we do. Each person can make change happen, so why not do it?

Tom Bailey, head of sustainable consumption at C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group

The academic who doesnt fly

It would be hypocritical for me to carry on flying to conferences

Ive worked on climate change for nearly 25 years. My first degree was in marine biology and I went on to study warming in the Southern (Antarctic) Ocean, simulating future climates. Now my specialism is land use, agriculture and climate change not just in terms of emissions from the food thats produced, but also the impact of climate change on our food system, and the uptake of carbon from the atmosphere by soils, trees and vegetation. But it was when I started doing a lot of research on household emissions and individual action that I began to make changes on a personal level.

I gave up flying in 2004. Id just published a paper looking at the carbon emissions that come from climate scientists like me attending conferences, which academics do a lot. It would have been hypocritical for me to flag up flying as the major part of my carbon footprint, and then carry on doing it.

I have two children. Our holidays now tend to be in Scotland and northern England. We went to Amsterdam the year before last, travelling by train and ferry, and the kids have enjoyed those longer trips. Maybe theyll gripe at me when Im in my rocking chair, saying, Dad, you never took us to Disney World, Florida and Im in counselling for it now, but I suspect they wont.

Photograph: Shutterstock

My youngest, Molly, who is 12, has been involved in the school climate strikes. She was proud to go on the march. For a lot of kids these days, you stand out if youre not taking action. As a family, weve been vegetarian for about six months. Wed already been cutting down on meat, but Molly was the one who pushed it further shes pretty much vegan. Of course, some vegetarian food has high food miles, but as a rule of thumb, a vegetarian meal is going to have a substantially lower carbon footprint than a meat one.

Ive never said never to flying. If I get an email from Donald Trumps office saying that if I fly over and talk to him, hell be convinced to take action against climate change, then Ill be straight on that flight. So its always about weighing up the cost-benefit. For me, nothing in the last 15 years has justified flying.

Prof Dave Reay, chair in carbon management and education at the University of Edinburgh

The science shows that societal collapse could be triggered by any one of a number of things, and once triggered, it could happen quite quickly. Illustration: Steve Caplin/The Guardian

The vice-chancellor who quit her job to live off-grid

Societal collapse could happen quite quickly

I was a cognitive psychologist, an academic happily ascending the career ladder. I knew about climate change, and I knew that things were looking a bit gloomy, but I hadnt really acquainted myself with the facts. The alarm bells werent ringing. People tend to have faith that those in high places know what theyre doing when it comes to climate change. Its a trap I fell into myself.

I moved into academic management and got what was effectively my dream job: pro-vice chancellor at Arden University, a campus and distance-learning university based in Coventry. In July 2018, I came across Prof Jem Bendells Deep Adaptation paper, which was going viral online. Here was someone with credibility and a good track record who, having studied the science, was saying that were no longer looking at mitigation, were looking at adaptation; that societal collapse is inevitable.

People are starting to talk about the kind of spiritual awakening you get in these situations: an ecophany. I concluded that banging on about climate change on social media was not enough, and became involved with grassroots activism. Being a vice-chancellor no longer meant anything to me. I gave up my career, and Im so much happier as a result. Now I talk at conferences and events about the need for urgent action and I have taken part in direct actions with Extinction Rebellion, including the closing of five London bridges last November and speaking in Parliament Square during the April rebellion.

The science shows that societal collapse could be triggered by any one of a number of things, and once triggered, it could happen quite quickly. I suppose Im being protective towards my four children, aged between 16 and 24, but in the event, I feel I need to be somewhere where Im growing my own food, living in an eco-house, trying to live off-grid. It would give me some security; I dont feel secure where I live in Cambridge at the moment Im concerned by thoughts like, What would happen if I turned the tap on and there was no water?. On our current trajectory, cities will not necessarily be safe places in the future possibly within my own lifetime, certainly within my childrens.

I am putting my house on the market. My aim is to move to north Wales or Scotland and get a smallholding. Ive had to think differently when house-hunting: is it energy-efficient? Does it have access to water? Is it above sea level by a certain amount? Wheres the slope facing, so I can grow food. I need to get solar panels up, and a friend has offered some help with a wind turbine. Its a way of life thats always appealed to me; now it seems really urgent.

Im very aware that Im privileged in being able to do this. Its frightening to think about homeless people, people who are in rented accommodation. Who will look out for them?

Dr Alison Green, national director (UK) at awareness charity Scientists Warning and former pro vice-chancellor, Arden University

The sustainability expert who has gone plastic-free

All those shampoo bottles cant be recycled

I am the carbon specialist on the HS2-enabling works from Euston to the M25, looking at ways to reduce the carbon impact of the project, but I used to work for Unilever in Dubai. I looked after environment and sustainability, and set the blueprint for waste reduction strategies for Unilever across the Middle East. Id studied sustainability and carbon management, but it was only when we were setting up a second factory, looking into the waste output that would come from the manufacturing process, that it hit home: all those shampoo bottles cant actually be recycled. And then you think about how long youve been on this planet, how many bottles youve used it makes you step back and reflect.

Your average soap bottle has about five different types of plastic, and unless each bit is dismantled, its not completely recyclable. The little pump is made from one type of plastic, the pipe is made from another, and then youve got the spring. Weve got so used to going into the supermarket, putting something into our baskets and coming home, but we havent considered what happens at the end of its life.

At the start of this year, I decided to go plastic-free in the bathroom. I switched to a bamboo toothbrush, which turned out to be a lot better and more durable than my plastic one. The handle is made from bamboo, and the bristles on the replaceable head are biodegradable. And, at the end of its life, I can use the handle as a garden marker. Growing up in India, from a very early age we were taught not to waste it has always been part of how I was brought up.

Photograph: Shutterstock

I bought some blocks of handmade eco-friendly soaps, and a chemical-free toothpaste in a glass jar that I can reuse when its empty. There is an additional cost to many eco choices, which makes it an elitist thing. Youre doing it because you can afford to. In an ideal world, I would like to see it being mainstream, rather than thinking, If I buy this, do I have to compromise on something else on my shopping list?.

Im a vegetarian, and I dont drive I can frequently be seen walking the streets of Maidenhead carrying bags of recycling but I do still fly. It weighs on my conscience; can you imagine studying carbon management and flying home to Dubai for Christmas? I can remember coming back in January and feeling 30 pairs of eyes turn on me when they found out. But I was like, I miss my mum!. Ive been recording all of my flights, and am saving up to offset the carbon footprint, through organisations like My Climate or WWF. Again, it just goes back to the financial cost of trying to do the right thing by the environment.

Were on track for a global warming of three to four degrees. Were seeing whales being washed up with 40kg of plastic in their bellies. Its tempting to think, what difference is my plastic-free bathroom going to make? But several billion people thinking that way is what got us to where we are.

Siobhn Pereira, carbon specialist at construction and engineering firm Costain Group

The associate professor who cut her emissions in half

Its all about the big three: flying, driving and eating meat

I grew up in the countryside and loved spending time outside, first in California and later Alaska. I now study ways to keep carbon out of the atmosphere; how to reduce our climate pollution quickly and fairly.

Individual choices matter: 72% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from household decisions, including mobility (especially using cars and planes), diet (especially meat and dairy consumption), and housing (heating and cooling, and electricity consumption).

The largest share of climate pollution comes from the 10% of the global population lucky enough to live on $23 (18) per day or more, a group that includes most people in rich countries like the UK. (The poor cause very little climate pollution, so theres not a lot of room for them to reduce their emissions.)

To limit warming to 1.5C, our generation must stop adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The next decade is critical; emissions need to start plummeting towards zero today. We can get started by very quickly cutting todays emissions in half.

Photograph: Shutterstock

Ive already cut mine in half, based on how excessively I was polluting the climate before, by focusing on high-impact personal climate actions. When I was in graduate school in California, I had two cars. I was driving up to four hours a day. I now live a 15-minute walk from work and no longer own a car. I stopped flying within Europe in 2012, and cut my flying back by 80% the only flights I take are back to North America, to see my family. I stopped eating meat and milk several years ago.

The climate impact of bringing a child into the world is something my husband and I have talked about. Essentially, burning fossil fuels and eating meat are the things that are driving climate change the more people we have doing those things, the higher those emissions are. That is one factor among many that will inform our decision over whether we start a family. A different but related question is: what kind of world would a child born today grow up in?

What matters for climate change is how much greenhouse gases we emit to the atmosphere. A lot of people have started to use keep-cups and reusable water bottles. These choices reduce waste, but are not high-impact climate actions they have a much smaller effect compared with the big three: flying, driving and eating meat.

For example, eating a plant-based diet for one year saves over 150 times more greenhouse gases compared with a year of using a reusable shopping bag. And you would have to recycle everything in your household comprehensively for almost eight years to equal the greenhouse gas emissions saved by skipping just one round-trip flight from London to New York.

Those of us who happen to be alive today are determining the future of humanity. We have to be serious about our responsibility. Individual actions reinforce and support politicians in making the bold choices necessary to tackle the problem on the scale thats needed. Weve got to act fast.

Dr Kimberly Nicholas, associate professor of sustainability science at Lund University, Sweden

You can check your own carbon footprint using carbon calculators such as Berkeleys peer-reviewed CoolClimate and the WWFs tool.

If you would like a comment on this piece to be considered for inclusion on Weekend magazines letters page in print, please email [email protected], including your name and address (not for publication).

Original Article : HERE ; This post was curated & posted using : RealSpecific

No flights, a four-day week and living off-grid: what climate scientists do at home to save the planet was originally posted by NA Daily

#NA Daily

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dariuscrank · 5 years

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Crocheter Uses Her Skills To Turn Dried Leaves Into Works Of Art (30 Pics)

If you’re an artist, everything’s a medium, and Susanna Bauer is a perfect example of that. Constructed with leaves and finely woven cotton thread crochet, her works hold a fine balance of fragility and strength. They reflect individual stories and connections and pay tribute to the enduring beauty of nature.

“Navigation”

“As you can imagine, working with fragile leaves requires a lot of patience and a steady hand, but the focus of my work for me lies on the effect it has on the viewer, on the ideas that flow into the compositions and the thoughts the pieces can evoke. To create a piece that not only is intriguing as to how it is made, but also touches the viewer on a deeper level,” Susanna told Bored Panda.

“The work starts when I’m out collecting, choosing, sorting leaves and arranging compositions and ends with mounting and framing, the actual making process is only a part of the whole creating process. Also the time to make samples and to try out new ideas becomes part of the creation of a piece of work. I always have several pieces in various stages of completion at my studio and it entirely depends on the complexity and the size of the work how long a piece will take to complete.”

“Everything That Surrounds Us”

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Crochet is a traditional craft, which can be both functional and decorative, although in Susanna’s work she seeks to transcend these attributes. The craft technique of crochet becomes a sculptural method, her means to the expression of ideas and emotions, and by that it bridges the gap between craft and fine art. “I create my leaf pieces with very fine hooks, needles and thin cotton threads and by working on a very detailed and small level I am pushing crochet to its very limits,” she said.

“‘Cube Tree No.5”

“Combining this method with such a fragile material as leaves highlights the delicate nature of the subject matter that I’m interested in – the tenderness and tension in human connections, the transient yet enduring beauty of nature that can be found in the smallest detail, vulnerability and resilience that could be transferred to nature as a whole or the stories of individual beings. The technical part of my work and the use of natural leaves highlights this balance of fragility and strength. Working with tension is an integral part of crochet work, but it can also be seen metaphorically, as managing tension plays a big part in our lives and our surroundings.”

“Trans-Plant No.21”

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“Each leaf comes with its own unique character and by dedicating time to a seemingly so impermanent, yet so perfectly shaped object, the work becomes a tribute to nature, but also a mirror of ourselves and the world around us, evoking thoughts about time, individuality and transience on many different levels and opening eyes to the ephemeral yet enduring beauty of nature.”

“Moon XXXII”

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Susanna’s works are as fragile as an Autumn leaf you find on the ground. “I don’t coat or treat my leaves with anything to make them more rigid. To protect them all works are framed behind glass.”

“Leaves decay through the exposure to the weather, insects, microorganisms and the sunlight’s UV rays and every effort is made to protect my works from these influences. All my leaves are washed and thoroughly dried for several weeks after collection. Sometimes a leaf stays at the studio for years before I select it for a piece of work. Drying is the standard conservation technique used by botanists all over the world; Kew gardens in London for example holds dried and pressed specimen that are over 200 years old.”

“All leaf works are mounted behind conservation grade glass, which filters out over 99% of UV rays, but as with most artworks, it is recommended to keep them away from prolonged direct sunlight or high humidity environments,” the artist added.

“Reunion”

“Path IV”

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“For What Binds Us”

“Union”

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“Ten Circles”

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“Lace II”

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“Halves II”

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“Repose”

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“Restoration V”

#15

“Pull”

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“Three II”

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“Common Thread”

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#18

“Core”

#19

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dariuscrank · 5 years

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Why There Are Six Million Skeletons Stuffed Into The Tunnels Beneath Paris

Paris might be the city of lights and love, but beneath its chic streets lies a dark labyrinth filled with the bones of 6 million Parisians.

Just like many other booming cities of the early industrial age, Paris was suffering from problems, specifically death and disease. The promise of life in the big city brought flocks of people rushing in from the countryside. Towards the end of the 18th century, after nature took its course, this situation eventually resulted in overstuffed graveyards and cemeteries.

Les Innocents, one of the biggest Parisian graveyards in the 1700s, reportedly oozed the stench of rotting bodies, their grounds unable to cope with the demand brought on by the city’s overcrowding. The smell was so bad, local perfumers were said to struggle to sell their goods. By May 1780, the cemetery was literally bursting at the seams. A cellar wall of a property bordering Les Innocents split open under the pressure of excess burials and spring rains, causing a gush of half-decomposed bodies and disease to flood into the basement.

An artist’s impression of Les Innocents cemetery during 1550 by Theodor Josef Hubert Hoffbauer. Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

Within months, authorities ordered the closure of Les Innocents and the city’s other cemeteries. No more bodies could be buried within the city. With the threat of public health still looming, the city also decided to remove the contents of the city’s current cemeteries.

Fortunately, there was a plan. Paris was once home to a number of old mines and quarries, perfect for an underground ossuary to store the city’s dead. Primarily between 1787 and 1814, bones were transferred deep into the mines. The entrance was built just outside the old city gate, the suitably named Barrière d’Enfer, which loosely translates to the “Gate of Hell”. While the skeletons were initially piled in quarries in a haphazard fashion, they were eventually organized into the neat placement you see today.

Kelli Hayden/Shutterstock

Among the 6 million skeletal remains in the ossuary, you can find dozens of characters from French history, including numerous beheaded figures from the French Revolution, such as Georges Danton and Maximilien de Robespierre, as well as celebrated artists, such as Charles Perrault, known for writing fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty.

Today, The Paris Catacombs snake 20 meters (65 feet) beneath the streets and you can still visit around 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) of the ossuary as a tourist. Venturing into the off-limits galleries has been illegal since 1955, but thrill-seekers have been known to delve deeper into the labyrinth through hidden entrances. However, that certainly can’t be recommended. In 2017, three teenagers were rescued from the depths of the catacombs after being lost within its maze for three days.

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dariuscrank · 5 years

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What It’s Like To Be The First Woman In My Family To Choose An Interracial Marriage

Growing up, my dad would repeat his house rule almost every week: When you get married, marry a Sikh.

He couldn’t fathom that after moving to America for more opportunities for his family, one of his kids would make the mistake of losing touch with her roots. Through my mid-20s, my parents were still holding out hope that I would end up with a Sikh man.

Sikhism is the fifth-largest religion in the world, originating in Punjab, India. Its central values include the devotion to one God, service, equality, fighting for justice and truthful living. My parents are strict followers of the religion and made sure my siblings and I grew up going to Sikh camps over the summer, learning the Punjabilanguage and attending our version of Sunday school to learn hymns and history lessons.

I’ve always identified as a Sikh, but it’s been hard to reconcile my identity in my dating life. Before I met my husband, Sam, I dated both Sikh and non-Sikh men. Honestly, I often struggled when I went on dates with Sikh men. In some cases, I either felt too American and like I couldn’t relate or match their cultural experiences, or I was forcing myself to overlook a lack of chemistry or connection to make it work just because they were Sikh. In other cases, conversations about relational and marital expectations laid bare an underlying double standard of how it was only OK for men to grow up in this country and become liberal, opinionated, career-driven people.

When I met Sam on a dating site in 2016, I wasn’t making a conscious decision to be with someone who wasn’t Indian or Sikh. After years of heartbreak and a series of terrible dating experiences, I just wanted to meet a kind, respectful generous man. Sam’s emotional intelligence immediately blew me away, and I learned quickly that he was very different from the men I had dated before.

Marriage is the ultimate success for Indian daughters, and my parents had been worried about me for years. So, at 27, I decided to tell them I had met someone. It was supposed to be positive news. I was happy.

My parents couldn’t really wrap their heads around me dating a non-Sikh man at first. They couldn’t understand why I would make a relationship and potential marriage even harder by choosing someone so different from me. They were worried for my future, and they pretty much banked on it being something that would pass. Months later, my dad continued to hint at potential Sikh suitors he knew about in the community. No matter how hard it was to actively fight for my happiness, I knew I’d have to ride it out and prove to them this wasn’t short-lived.

This was new for Sam, too. He also had never been with someone of a different race or culture. Someone whose religion is the thread that ties together their values, world views and beliefs. Someone whose culture emphasized family involvement even on personal matters. And while his family only cared that he was happy, Sam waited patiently and respectfully for mine to get on board.

I know that by choosing each other, Sam and I may have chosen a tougher path to go down, but also by choosing each other, we have been able to grow together and so have our families.

We had only been dating for three months when Donald Trump got elected in 2016, and it was the moment I knew Sam and I would either be able to see this through or would have to break up. We had to talk about the elephant in the room: his privilege as a white man. Sam listened intently as I talked through my fears for the turban-wearing men in my family who live in the South, and my own identity crisis. He also owned his place in these ongoing issues, learning to be an ally who knows when to stand by and listen and when to stand up and speak out.

I know if I were with a Sikh man, I wouldn’t necessarily need to have emotionally laborious conversations about race, religion and politics. These differences are a part of what makes my relationship with Sam beautiful, though. All relationships require work and effort, patience and respect and healthy communication. But because Sam and I were forced to address our differences very early on, we’ve also been able to address other big needs and desires out of a partnership ― from money and family involvement to future religious involvement in our relationship to cultural traditions and potential children.

In fact, much of what made me fall for Sam were his values that are foundational in the Sikh religion and of great importance to my family: his generosity to the less fortunate, his respect and desire for community building, his kindness, his nonjudgmental nature and ability to treat everyone as equals.

I know that by choosing each other, Sam and I may have chosen a tougher path to go down, but we have also been able to grow together and so have our families. There’s been a steep learning curve for all of us. Sam and his loving, open-minded and open-hearted family have been able to break the stereotypes my family unfortunately had of white Americans. And I’ve been able to reconnect with where I come from and who I am by teaching my husband and in-laws about Sikhism and being an Indian in this country.

Manjil Shrestha, Pixel 6 Studio

The author and her husband at their wedding reception.

In May 2017, six months after I told my parents about Sam, I asked them to meet him. If they didn’t approve, I would hear them out and consider ending it. Even though I wouldn’t be able to pursue a partnership with someone my family didn’t approve of, I’ve always known in my heart that my parents want the best for me and truly want me to be happy. I also knew that Sam was special and that when they met him, they’d slowly come around.

And thankfully, they did. But after Sam proposed in March 2018, everything seemed to get more complicated. Nothing prepared us for how tough wedding planning was going to be over the last year. There are very specific things a groom or a groom’s family are expected to do in a Sikh wedding and it was hard at first for my parents to compromise on certain traditions to make room for Sam’s comfort and our American expectations of what our wedding should feel like ― that our wedding is for us, not just for our community.

Eventually, we were able to create a wedding weekend that upheld the important Sikh wedding traditions with added twists to make it intercultural (i.e., we had a Sikh ceremony followed by a reception in a brewery where Sam played the drums with his band). However, leading up to it, I had massive anxiety wondering if my Sikh community was going to potentially judge my in-laws or not accept them. I was also nervous about how overwhelmed Sam’s family might be by the culture shock of this elaborately planned weekend.

The truth is, I underestimated everyone. In getting so caught up in what it means to marry outside my race and religion, I didn’t give credit to the love that was flowing around our relationship. My family and family’s friends were loving, patient and kind, embracing my in-laws as new members of the community. And my in-laws were enthusiastic, flexible and willing to learn, embracing my culture and tradition with open minds and hearts. I truly couldn’t have asked for any more love or acceptance.

Manjil Shrestha, Pixel 6 Studio

A snapshot from the author’s Sikh wedding ceremony.

I always have taken my ability to “choose” my life and partner for granted, when in reality, it’s a privilege. During my Sikh wedding, my dad read the laavan from the scripture from the Guru Granth Sahib (our holy book), which meant he sat in front of us through the entire traditional ceremony. I couldn’t make eye contact with him because I knew we were both processing a series of emotions and it felt like a breach of his privacy.

After the fourth laav, or walk around the Guru Granth Sahib, Sam and I were officially husband and wife. I looked up and locked eyes with my dad, and immediately started bawling.

It was in that moment that I got so overwhelmed by his love for me, a love so much stronger than his own religious beliefs or expectations or needs. I was able to see clearly the weight of the sacrifices and compromises my dad has made through his life to get me to where I was ― sitting next to a man I was privileged enough to choose as my life partner ― with the support of the hundreds of people sitting behind us. Him leaving his family over 30 years ago is the reason I’ve been able to choose Sam as my own.

Manjil Shrestha, Pixel 6 Studio

The author and her husband at their Sikh wedding walking around her father and the Guru Granth Sahib.

As such, I think I’ll always feel a slight sense of guilt for not ending up with a Sikh man. I feel a sense of guilt for not fitting into the role of “obedient, good Indian girl” — for doing whatever it took to make my parents’ lives easier after all they’ve done for me. I went against the grain and chose my happiness over my parents’ expectations.

I know my parents initially wanted me to marry a Sikh, but I also know they truly love and consider Sam like a son. Their acceptance of my partnership and effort to meet me where I am has relieved some of my guilt. I’ve gotten a happy ending, but I know not everyone is as lucky or as supported as I have been.

I don’t know what to expect from my marriage to Sam. I know that this is a journey we will venture on together, but I also know that there will always be personal challenges I have to face alone. I am constantly re-evaluating my identities and relearning what they mean for me.

Sam knows how important it is for me to stay connected to my roots. He doesn’t stand by idly while I navigate my identity crises alone. Instead, he looks up gurdwaras, or Sikh temples, in places near where we are going to live. He takes Bhangra dance lessons. He throws in Punjabi words with my nephews where he can. He educates himself.

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A post shared by Sahaj Kaur Kohli (@sahajkohli) on Apr 29, 2019 at 7:45am PDT

My partner’s race and religious beliefs don’t affect my autonomy to explore my own. I am not betraying my family or culture by committing to a partnership that nurtures who I am, supports my experiences and urges my exploration in and out of it.

Even though it’s been almost two months since the wedding, I have yet to take off my choora — my bridal bracelets and a sign of being a newlywed — and I am starting to realize it may be out of defiance for what a Sikh, Punjabi wife is supposed to look like. I’m figuring it out as I go, and I’m on a path that hasn’t been taken by anyone in my family before, but I know I’m not alone.

I just hope my parents know their move to America didn’t cause their daughter to forget who she is. If anything, it’s given her the privilege of choice. This consciousness has allowed me even greater agency and accountability to choose who I am and how I can live in my hyphenated identity as a Sikh Indian-American married to a white American.

Have a compelling first-person story you want to share? Send your story description to [email protected].

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dariuscrank · 5 years

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We Asked Insurance Workers Where They’d Live In The US To Avoid Future Natural Disasters Here’s What They Said

There is mounting evidence that climate change influences major events like heat waves, droughts, and heavy rains, which have become more frequent and severe.

While recent weather events haven’t prevented home buyers from purchasing property near the coast, insurance professionals are beginning to view natural disasters as a major economic threat.

Last year, a survey of nearly 270 risk managers from around the globe identified climate change as today’s top financial risk, behind cyber attacks and terrorism.

The survey was conducted shortly after the release of a UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, which found that the world’s temperatures could escalate to catastrophic levels by 2040. The resulting damage could trigger a $54 trillion global economic loss and force many people to migrate from their homes.

Where can people go to avoid these financial and physical effects of climate change?

We put the question to a group of actuaries, who use statistics to determine economic risk. They gave us their picks for the “least risky” cities for effects of climate-related disasters.

Many highlighted coastal locations, which they found less vulnerable to extreme temperature changes. Others preferred Midwestern areas, given the escalating concerns about sea-level rise. Most warned against the southeastern coast, where Hurricane Michael wreaked havoc in October 2018.

While no area is impervious to disaster, a home in one of these cities could be a relatively safe investment, according to the actuaries.

Minneapolis is a safe bet for avoiding floods and hurricanes.

photo.ua/Shutterstock

To determine climate-based financial risk, many insurance workers turn to the Actuaries Climate Index, a tool for measuring extreme changes in temperature, wind speed, drought levels, precipitation, and sea level. (It’s kind of like the consumer price index for climate change.)

The tool is a collaborative effort from four actuarial societies in North America. They plan to release a new index by the end of the year that takes into account vulnerable populations and property.

Based on these considerations, Minneapolis qualifies as a “relatively risk-free” city, said Doug Collins, the chair of the Climate Index Working Group. Not only is it less vulnerable to hurricanes and flooding, but its summers also tend to avoid persistent heat.

In Portland, Maine, properties aren’t particularly vulnerable to high-tide flooding.

Jeff Gunn/Flickr

“Climate risks are relatively low here,” Collins said of Maine, where he lives.

When asked which city in Maine is the least vulnerable, he pointed to Portland, the most populous.

Collins said that while Portland might eventually be vulnerable to sea-level rise, these changes would be likely to affect those closest to the water as opposed to the many homes on the western side.

His choice is echoed in the research of Kristy Dahl and Astrid Caldas, two senior climatologists at the Union of Concerned Scientists. In studying the number of homes exposed to frequent high-tide flooding, the scientists found that coastal Maine had less property risk compared with most coastal states.

Salt Lake City has easy access to water in the event of a drought.

Checubus/Shutterstock

Those looking to avoid the more devastating effects of climate change should consider a home near a lake in a mountainous region, said Chandu Patel, a fellow at the Casualty Actuarial Society. Lakes provide access to water in the event of a drought, and a high elevation makes residents less vulnerable to sea-level rise.

One community that meets these qualifications is Salt Lake City, a place Collins considered to be relatively low-risk. In September, the city hosted a Global Climate Action Summit. It’s also one of four local governments in Utah to pledge to achieve 100% renewable energy and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.

Chicago is fairly safe from sea level rise.

Helen Sessions/Alamy

Great Lakes states are often seen as less risky when it comes to climate change, said Rick Gorvett, a staff actuary at CAS, one of the four groups involved in the Actuaries Climate Index.

Chicago’s northern location protects it from sea level rise and helps mitigate issues of extreme heat. Its proximity to Lake Michigan may also be useful in times of drought.

In 2016, a climate scientist at the University of Chicago dubbed the city “the place to be” when it came to avoiding climate-related disasters.

Madison, Wisconsin, has seen fewer extreme weather conditions in recent years.

Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Wisconsin may be known for its cold temperatures, but it’s expected to get warmer in the coming years, according to research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Scientists predict that by mid-century, the city’s annual average temperature will increase by 4 to 9 degrees Fahrenheit, while the number of days with subzero temperatures will decrease by two to three weeks.

But according to Gorvett, the main concern for Midwestern states isn’t temperature — it’s drought. On this scale, Madison is considered relatively low-risk. Along with other nearby cities, it has witnessed fewer extreme weather conditions over the past 50 or so years.

San Diego has some of the best weather in the country.

Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Temperature is one of the most important factors to consider when evaluating climate risk, said Dale Hall, the managing research director at the Society of Actuaries, which also contributed to the Actuaries Climate Index.

On this scale, few places compare to San Diego, which has perhaps the most pristine weather of any US city. Researchers predict that by the end of the century, San Diego will gain three more days of mild weather per year.

Santa Barbara, California, also has consistent temperatures.

Youtube/MamaOT

Santa Barbara may seem like a strange place to avoid risk, given its history of wildfires, but few cities can compete with its amiable temperatures, Hall said.

When it comes to analyzing a disaster, he said, “anything that’s hard to predict has more risk associated with it.” In Santa Barbara’s case, temperatures are fairly consistent year-round.

Denver’s geographic location could keep it safe from most natural disasters.

f11photo/Shutterstock

All disasters considered, Denver is perhaps the least risky financial choice.

In addition to the city’s high elevation, it’s situated far from the coast, making it less vulnerable to sea-level rise. According to Hall, it also demonstrates fewer fluctuations in temperature and is not prone to extreme winds.

These conditions also apply to the nearby city of Boulder, which is included among climate scientists’ preferred locations.

While both cities will have to contend with drought, each has come up with a plan to monitor water usage and prevent future shortages.

Phoenix doesn’t suffer from extreme winds.

Gregory E. Clifford/Shutterstock

Though the weather in Phoenix may be stifling at times, its inland location and mountainous terrain are major advantages in fending off sea-level rise. Like Denver, Phoenix also exhibits fairly consistent temperatures and less extreme winds.

But there’s one major caveat: The city’s main water sources are drying up, creating conditions for extreme drought. Andrew Ross, a sociologist, dubbed Phoenix “the least sustainable city in the world.”

This points to the complicated nature of predicting financial risk, particularly when it comes to climate change. While the Actuaries Climate Index uses temperature as a starting point, followed by four other indicators, there are myriad factors that influence a city’s susceptibility to disaster.

In the end, Collins said, “the economic impacts of climate change will affect everyone.”

Read next on Business Insider: We asked 11 climate scientists where they’d live in the US to avoid future natural disasters — here’s what they said

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dariuscrank · 5 years

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16 Dog Food Brands May Be Linked To Canine Heart Disease, FDA Says

Federal health officials have identified 16 dog food brands that may be linked to a mysterious rise in canine heart disease, leading to warnings by veterinarians about popular “grain-free” diets.

The Food and Drug Administration in a report released Thursday called the increase “puzzling” after reviewing more than 500 recent cases of canine dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM. In nearly all of the cases, the dog had been regularly eating a mostly grain-free product, it said.

The majority of those products came from the brands Acana, Zignature, Taste of the Wild, 4Health, Earthborn Holistic, Blue Buffalo, Nature’s Domain, Fromm, Merrick, California Natural, Natural Balance, Orijen, Nature’s Variety, NutriSource, Nutro and Rachael Ray Nutrish.

FDA

Most cases involved dry dog food formulations that were grain-free and contained peas and/or lentils.

Most cases involved dry dog food formulations but raw, semimoist and wet foods were also included. Nearly all of the meals were grain-free and contained peas and/or lentils. Nearly half contained potatoes and/or sweet potatoes.

Golden retrievers were the most common breed affected, though the FDA cautioned that it had observed a reporting bias for the dog breed due to breed-specific social media groups and activities that raised awareness of the issue and urged owners and vets to submit reports to the FDA. Cases involving cats were also studied, though there were only 14 reported.

Though the cases have some strong similarities, exactly what is causing DCM among them remains unknown.

“Another puzzling aspect of the recent spike in DCM cases is that they have occurred just in the last few years. The FDA is working with the pet food industry to better understand whether changes in ingredients, ingredient sourcing, processing or formulation may have contributed to the development of DCM,” the FDA said.

FDA

The FDA launched an investigation into DCM’s potential ties to dog food in 2018 after seeing an increase in DCM cases among dog breeds that are not typically prone to the heart disease.

The FDA launched an investigation into DCM’s potential ties to dog food in July 2018 following an uptick in reported DCM cases that included breeds that are not typically prone to the heart disease. Of the 560 DCM cases reported to the FDA, 119 of the dogs have died, it said.

Several of the brands have released statements defending their products and noting that the FDA’s investigation remains ongoing.

“To date, the FDA still has not found any science-based causes to link grain-free diets — including Taste of the Wild — to DCM. As they note, it is a complex issue with numerous factors to consider. We continue to monitor this issue closely and support ongoing research efforts,” Taste of the Wild said in a statement on Facebook.

Though the FDA is not urging the public to discontinue use of the brands, some veterinarians are calling the “grain-free” diet an unnecessary fad that should be reconsidered.

Agustin Vai via Getty Images

It’s not entirely clear why the 16 dog food brands were most likely to be linked to a case of DCM. Vets are urging owners to switch to a brand that meets extensive quality control and testing.

“The whole grain-free thing is a popular myth,” John de Jong, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, told The New York Times. “If they look at the dogs’ relatives in the wild, like coyotes, wolves and hyenas, they live on their prey. Those animals they prey on are typically herbivores, so they are ingesting grains anyway.”

Dr. Lisa Freeman, a veterinary nutritionist and researcher with the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, has also called grain-free diets largely unnecessary. She further warned against small, boutique companies and products offering exotic ingredients.

“The fact is that food allergies are very uncommon, so there’s no benefit of feeding pet foods containing exotic ingredients,” she stated in a past blog post about the potential link between DCM and a dog’s nutrition. “And while grains have been accused on the internet of causing nearly every disease known to dogs, grains do not contribute to any health problems and are used in pet food as a nutritious source of protein, vitamins, and minerals.”

Freeman advised switching from a small pet food manufacturer ― which she said may be better at marketing than nutrition and quality control ― to one that meets extensive quality control and testing.

Freeman offers this online guide on how to select your dog’s food.

Dr. Bruce Kornreich, a veterinary cardiologist in the department of clinical sciences at the Veterinary College of Cornell University and associate director of the Cornell Feline Health Center, also urged this, telling NBC News that consumers should select a food that’s “produced by a company with a long-standing history.”

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dariuscrank · 5 years

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Human Disruption Is Causing Elephants To Form All-Male Adolescent Gangs

The loss of their natural habitats has caused Asian elephants to start engaging in behavior never previously recorded – forming the world’s scariest all-male teenage gangs.

Elephant herds are normally matriarchal, consisting of adult females and young. When males are old enough to leave they become largely solitary. However, the conversion of most of their former habitat to farms has forced changes, and adolescent male elephants are forming gangs, increasing the threat of conflict with humans.

As the land allocated to wildlife around the world shrinks, many animals stray into human-occupied spaces to survive. In some places, this may involve intrusions by raccoons or possums, but in southern India, the visitors are on a larger scale. Nishant Srinivasaiah of India’s National Institute of Advanced Studies collected 1,445 photographs of elephants over a 23 month period to see how their behavior is changing in the face of human modification of the environment.

As they have done for millions of years, the region’s juvenile elephants live in mixed-sex groups, Srinivasaiah found. Sexually mature males keep primarily solitary lives except when looking to mate. However, in Scientific Reports Srinivasaiah has shown that in-between, the males’ lives diverge depending on their habitat.

In forests, the males usually live on their own between the ages of 11 and 20, but in agricultural areas, they form groups of averaging four and a half. Smaller groups develop in semi-forested areas. Like humans, male elephants of that age experience a lot of hormonal changes that make them unpredictable enough on their own, let alone collectively.

Residents have been reporting groups of males wreaking havoc on their farms for some time, but Srinivasaiah has shown these are not random associations brought together by all smelling the same feeding opportunity. Rather these are stable collections of males who stay together for long periods of time – more than 10 years in one case.

These groups forage on agricultural crops six times as often as female-led groups. Srinivasaiah and co-authors describe this as a “high-risk high-gain foraging strategy”. It gives the males access to richer food sources than they would get elsewhere, allowing them to improve their body condition quickly, potentially setting them up for future mating opportunities. On the other hand, the consequences for farmers can be devastating, and humans seldom take such things lying down. Almost 150 elephants are known to be killed by humans in India each year, a major threat to a numerically small population.

Everything with elephants happens at a larger scale, but the paper points out this is indicative of mammals “Coping with large-scale changes in their environment…through behavioral flexibility rather than commonly discussed genetic adaptations.” Similar behavior has already been recorded among African elephants, but was unknown in the area of India that Srinivasaiah studied even 20 years ago.

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dariuscrank · 5 years

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Thousands Of Americans Likely To Suffer Heat-Related Deaths If Paris Agreement Goals Not Met

Thousands of heat-related deaths in more than a dozen major US cities may be avoidable if global temperatures are kept under the Paris Climate Goals, according to a new study published in Science Advances.

Combing through national climate and health data, a team of scientists and epidemiologists calculated the number of heat-related deaths that would occur under three different temperature increase scenarios. If mitigation requirements as set forth by the Paris agreement aren’t followed, they say that the nation may see an additional 110 to 2,700 heat-related deaths every year during extreme heatwaves.

“We are no longer counting the impact of climate in change in terms of degrees of global warming, but rather in terms of [the] number of lives lost,” said study author Dann Mitchell in a statement. “Our study brings together a wide range of physical and social complexities to show just how human lives could be impacted if we do not cut carbon emissions. Considering the US citizens that will be adversely affected by increasing global temperatures, we strongly encourage them to hold their politicians to account.”

Observed and projected changes in extreme high temperature over the contiguous United States. Science Advances

Established in 2015, the Paris agreement was an international decision to keep global average temperatures well below 2°C (3.6°F) above pre-industrial levels. Shortly after winning the 2016 election, the Trump administration withdrew the US pledge (but effective withdrawal is not until 2020). Nations in the agreement must resubmit their support every five years and, as the researchers note, studies such as this could have implications for political decisions to advance nationalistic climate decisions.

Fatalities vary by location and climate scenario. For example, if the world stays below the 2°C threshold the US could avoid between 70 and 1,980 deaths – that number jumps to between 110 and 2,270 if the world is able to sustain levels below 1.5°C (2.7°F). Furthermore, the authors assume current mitigation strategies remain in place and are quick to note that population changes and adaptation investments would change these projections.

“If global temperature rise is reduced to 1.5°C from where we are headed, the cities’ exposure to extreme heat would decrease and up to thousands of annual heat-related deaths could be avoided per city,” said lead author Eunice Lo. “Strengthened climate actions are needed as they would substantially benefit public health in the United States.”

Climate change is expected to increase heat-related deaths on every human-populated continent, expressing a “clear need” to strengthen attempts at curbing greenhouse gas emissions. At the current rate, researchers suggest the planet is set to see an increase of 2.6° to 3.1°C above preindustrial levels by the end of this century.

The researchers write that in addition to standing by international goals, increasing the use of passive cooling strategies and being aware of heat-related health risks will help provide resilience in a warming world.

One-in-30-year heat-related mortality that is avoidable by stabilizing future warming at the 1.5° and 2°C Paris Agreement thresholds rather than 3°C. Science Advances

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dariuscrank · 5 years

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Adidas under fire for racist tweets after botched Arsenal launch

Company automatically posted pictures of new shirts with offensive Twitter handles on back

Adidas UK has come under fire after a social media gambit backfired spectacularly, leading to the company tweeting out pictures of its shirts with racist and offensive slogans on the back.

The error came as Adidas launched a social media campaign, #DareToCreate, in conjunction with its release of the new Arsenal home kit.

People were encouraged to share a tweet advertising the brand using the hashtag, which automatically created an image of the new Arsenal strip emblazoned with the Twitter handle of the account.

The image, along with the message This is home. Welcome to the squad, and an encouragement to buy the strip, was then tweeted out by the official @AdidasUK account.

However, the promotional campaign was hijacked by people with offensive or insensitive Twitter handles, including @GasAllJewss, @MadelineMcCann, and @96wasnotenough.

The images of the offensive handles on Arsenal shirts were retweeted widely.

The offensive tweets were posted from the @AdidasUK account late on Monday night and were still visible on Twitter through the early hours of the morning, but have since been removed.

A spokesperson for Adidas said: As part of our partnership launch with Arsenal we have been made aware of the abuse of a Twitter personalisation mechanic created to allow excited fans to get their name on the back of the new jersey. Due to a small minority creating offensive versions of this we have immediately turned off the functionality and the Twitter team will be investigating.

Arsenal football club said: We totally condemn the use of language of this nature, which has no place in our game or society.

We work hard as a club to encourage diversity and inclusion through our Arsenal for Everyone programme, launched in 2008 as a celebration of the diversity of the Arsenal family.

Through a number of initiatives undertaken in the community, inside Emirates Stadium and throughout the club, Arsenalstrives to ensure that everyone associated with the club feels an equal sense of belonging.

Walker Bragman (@WalkerBragman)

For posterity: pic.twitter.com/wN47qoG0Ai

July 2, 2019

Original Article : HERE ; This post was curated & posted using : RealSpecific

Adidas under fire for racist tweets after botched Arsenal launch was originally posted by NA Daily

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Johnson no-show scuppers TV debate

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Media captionWho are the Conservative Party members?

Sky News has said it will be forced to cancel a debate between the two men vying to be the next Tory leader unless Boris Johnson agrees to take part.

The broadcaster hoped to be the first to stage a head-to-head debate between Mr Johnson and his rival Jeremy Hunt.

But it said Mr Johnson had “so far declined” its invitation and the event would not go ahead without him.

Mr Hunt said it was “incredibly disappointing” and risked “cheating” the country out of a “proper contest”.

He said the next prime minister would not have the popular mandate to take difficult decisions on Brexit and other issues if they were not prepared to face scrutiny now.

‘Curtain twitchers’

Mr Johnson has faced three days of questions over his private life after a row with his partner Carrie Symonds.

The former foreign secretary has declined to comment on the nature of the argument in Ms Symonds’ London home, which led to the police being called early on Friday morning.

He has also been accused of avoiding media scrutiny more generally, particularly on his Brexit policy.

‘Don’t be a coward,’ Hunt tells Johnson

Neighbour defends Johnson row recording

Is it OK to tell someone to ‘man up’?

Allies of Mr Johnson have stepped up their criticism of Ms Symonds’ neighbours, Tom Penn and Eve Leigh, for recording part of the argument and sharing it with the Guardian newspaper, suggesting their actions were “politically motivated”.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the European Research Group of Brexiteers, described the couple as “Corbynista curtain twitchers”.

The couple have insisted they were motivated solely by concerns for the welfare of Ms Symonds after reportedly hearing raised voices and plates and glasses being smashed.

Mr Johnson remains the frontrunner in the contest to succeed Theresa May, with 160,000 or so Conservative Party members choosing their next leader by the end of July.

Boris Johnson: What’s his track record?

Jeremy Hunt: What’s his track record?

Who chooses the next PM?

Mr Hunt has challenged him to a series of live TV debates over the next 10 days.

But Sky’s planned debate on Tuesday now looks unlikely to go ahead.

“Jeremy Hunt has agreed to take part, but Boris Johnson has so far declined the invitation,” the broadcaster said in a statement.

“We stand ready to host a debate tomorrow evening if both candidates make themselves available,” it said. “Without both candidates, tomorrow’s debate will not take place.”

Tory leadership: Compare the candidates

Contenders’ Brexit policies in a nutshell

Mr Johnson has agreed to take part in a one-on-one debate with Mr Hunt on ITV on 9 July, but by then voting papers will already have been sent to party members.

The two men are also taking part in a series of hustings for Tory members across the UK.

Mr Johnson and Mr Hunt took part in a five-way debate earlier in the leadership contest on the BBC last week, but Mr Johnson refused to join a similar event on Channel 4.

Writing in the Times on Monday, Mr Hunt urged his rival not to be “a coward” and to take part in the Sky debate. He insisted, though, he was “not interested” in Mr Johnson’s private life.

He said Mr Johnson must explain how he could guarantee the UK would leave the EU on 31 October if Parliament voted to stop a no-deal Brexit, as it did in a non-binding vote in March.

Analysis: By Norman Smith, BBC assistant political editor

The response from Team Hunt is to call him “bottler Boris” – to accuse his campaign of being complacent and not trusting their man to turn up.

Team Hunt will also be pretty annoyed because they wanted this opportunity to boost their man’s profile and get him some name recognition.

There’s no getting away from the fact that he’s just not as well-known as his rival.

For their part, Mr Johnson’s supporters say he’s taking part in 16 hustings events across the country and that is scrutiny enough.

Responding to the Sky announcement, Mr Hunt suggested his rival was behaving like Theresa May during the 2017 general election, when she avoided TV debates and even sent another minister in her place.

“Frankly, the Conservative Party will start to feel cheated of having a proper leadership campaign if the frontrunner isn’t prepared to subject himself to the scrutiny of TV debates,” he said.

“There’s only two weeks now before postal ballots arrive, and we owe the Conservative Party, we owe the country, a proper contest.”

In his own newspaper column on Monday in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Johnson said the UK would face a “democratic explosion” if it did not leave the EU by 31 October.

“This time we are not going to bottle it. We are not going to fail,” he wrote.

His team insist he is facing scrutiny via a series of leadership hustings in front of Conservative Party members taking place over the coming weeks. All of them will be live-streamed for public viewing.