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Many diseases related to bacteria, such as inflammatory bowel disease or colorectal cancer, are associated with an overgrowth of gut bacteria considered 'bad'. However, a study published in the journal Cell suggests that changes in microbial load, rather than the disease itself, could be the driving factor behind the presence of these harmful species associated with pathologies.
The largest carbon balance report shows that carbon dioxide emissions have not yet peaked and are projected to reach 37.4 billion tonnes by 2024. In a briefing organised by SMC Spain, Pep Canadell, one of the people in charge of the Global Carbon Budget 2024, analysed these data and what Donald Trump's return as US president means for climate action in the framework of COP29 in Baku.
There are still no clear signs that global fossil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have peaked, according to the 2024 Global Carbon Budget. The report - which is published in the journal Earth System Science Data in preprint format and will be launched at COP29 in Baku - estimates that these emissions will grow by 0.8% this year compared to 2023, to 37.4 billion tonnes of CO2. If this rate continues, there is a 50% chance that global warming will exceed the 1.5°C limit in six years.
Men often struggle with the transition to fatherhood due to a lack of information and emotional support targeted to their needs, suggests a review of the available qualitative evidence, published in the open access journal BMJ Open. The researchers say there needs to be a greater focus on clinical practice, antenatal services and research into men's unique experiences during the perinatal period, which encompasses pregnancy and the first 12 months after birth.
The interface between wildland and urban areas - areas that are at risk of devastating fires - has grown by 35.6 per cent between 2000 and 2020, says a study based on satellite data. The increase has accelerated since 2010 due to growing urbanisation, reaching 1.93 million square kilometres worldwide, adds the study published in Science Advances.
Most disasters do not occur in isolation, often triggering new challenges before the community has been able to recover. Floods in Valencia pose risks of infections and intoxications, challenges to mental health and to the supply of drugs and food, which affect the vulnerable population the most and must be addressed in a coordinated manner. In the face of such events, the overall strengthening of a country's healthcare system is critical.
Women who drink more than 300 millilitres of milk a day (i.e. more than one and a half glasses) have a higher risk of ischaemic heart disease and acute myocardial infarction than those who drink less than this amount, according to a study based on data from more than 100,000 adults in Sweden. The results show that, from 300 millilitres upwards, the risk is higher the more milk is ingested–but only in women, not men. Drinking fermented milk, such as yoghurt and kefir, has no correlation with these risks, according to the paper published in BMC Medicine.
Private flights are used by approximately 0.003 % of the world's population, but the CO2 emissions they released in 2023 were equivalent to 1.8 % of those of all commercial aviation. These are the conclusions of a study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, which estimates that emissions from private flights increased by 46 % between 2019 and 2023. Almost half of them covered a distance of less than 500 kilometers.
The devastating floods in Valencia have reminded us of the crucial role of language in journalism: in the maelstrom of information following the catastrophe, numerous articles have resorted to the expression “natural disaster”, as if the tragedy were a sort of inescapable sentence dictated by nature. The idea that nature acts with intent or malice in causing suffering is a concept that distorts our understanding of these events.
In Valencian municipalities such as Chiva, buildings have collapsed, and in Paiporta there have been evacuations due to the risk of collapse following the passage of the DANA on Tuesday 29 October. What risks do the buildings that withstood the flood present? What measures should be taken in the short, medium and long term?