In The News

[GordMay]

Ultimate limit of human endurance:
“Extreme events reveal an alimentary limit on sustained maximal human energy expenditure” ~ Caitlin Thurber et al.
The ultimate limit of human endurance has been worked out by scientists analysing a 3,000 mile run, the Tour de France and other elite events.
They showed the cap was 2.5 times the body's resting metabolic rate, or 4,000 calories a day for an average person.
People can go far beyond their base metabolic rate while doing a short bout of exercise, but it becomes unsustainable in the long term.
The researchers argue the 2.5 figure may be down to the human digestive system, rather than anything to do with the heart, lungs or muscles ( endurance over days and weeks and months).
The research, by Duke University, also showed pregnant women were endurance specialists, living at nearly the limit of what the human body can cope with.
More ➥ https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/6/eaaw0341

[GordMay]

'Couldn't do anything but sit and watch': Saskatoon man recounts cruise ship's deadly collision with tour boat
Adrian Johnson was aboard the cruise ship that collided with a smaller boat on the Danube River, killing 19
More ➥ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...rash-1.5166226

See also posts 205 & 211.

[GordMay]

“Raptors take commanding 3-1 series lead in NBA Finals with win over Warriors”
After scoring only 42 points in the first half, the Toronto Raptors surged in the last two quarters against the back-to-back defending champion Golden State Warriors, pouring in 37 points in the third quarter and adding 26 more in the fourth to cruise to a 105-92 victory for Game 4. The Raptors are now just one win away from capturing the NBA championship; leading the series 3-1. Monday’s game 5 is back in Canada, with a title within the Raptors' grasp.
NBA teams have overcome 3–1 deficits 11 times, only one of which occurred in the NBA Finals (Cleveland Cavaliers over Golden State Warriors 2016 NBA Finals )
The NBA is the only sport, with a seven game playoffs series, where no team has ever overcome a 3–0 deficit.
More ➥ https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball...me-4-1.5167421
Box Score ➥ https://stats.cbc.ca/basketball/nba/boxscore/1006612

[GordMay]

“The elephant's mathematical trunk can smell numbers”
Elephants seem to have a capacity, that no other animal is known to have. Using odour alone, they can tell whether buckets, containing differing amounts of desirable foods, contain more or less.
➥ https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/june...bers-1.5165307

More from Quirks & Quarks
➥ https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcasts/sc...quirks-quarks/

[jimbunyard]

Originally Posted by GordMay

“The elephant's mathematical trunk can smell numbers”
Elephants seem to have a capacity, that no other animal is known to have. Using odour alone, they can tell whether buckets, containing differing amounts of desirable foods, contain more or less.
➥ https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/june...bers-1.5165307

[/URL]

Alas, I thought we'd hear a story about some group of weird, synesthetic elephants...

Instead, it turns out that, somewhat clickbaitish headlines aside, and perhaps intuitively, an animal with a big nose can use it more effectively...

Since I read only the abstract, I wonder if the paper says more about the imaginations of the scientists (not to say the shortcomings of humans' notoriously bad senses of smell) than it does about the ability of elephants (or any other animals) to 'smell numbers...

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by jimbunyard

Alas, I thought we'd hear a story about some group of weird, synesthetic elephants...

Instead, it turns out that, somewhat clickbaitish headlines aside, and perhaps intuitively, an animal with a big nose can use it more effectively...

Since I read only the abstract, I wonder if the paper says more about the imaginations of the scientists (not to say the shortcomings of humans' notoriously bad senses of smell) than it does about the ability of elephants (or any other animals) to 'smell numbers...

Click bait? I think NOT!
There’s been many studies on both the “discriminative” abilities, and on the “sensitivity” of many animals. Some animals have a highly developed ability to distinguish different odors. Some animals (ie: carnivores) may not need to distinguish among many different types of odors, but they may be very sensitive to the odors that they can discern.
Elephants can distinguish odor molecules with extremely subtle structural differences, that humans and other primates completely miss. Some animals have an extremely selective sense of smell and surpass others in the detection of a particular odor. Elephants, both African and Asian, have a superior sense of smell, especially when it comes to water, and particularly to underground water. They can scent water as far as 12 miles away, and they can remember where they have previously found water.
Because their body is so large, they have evolved a dexterous long trunk, which functions like a hand. It can grasp foods or other things. Therefore, they always use olfaction when they search the outer world, maybe driving their superior sense of smell.

So while it may not be surprising that elephants have highly sensitive & discriminatory olfactory abilities; this study has discovered a highly developed “olfactory numerancy” that is both surprising, and (so far) unique!

There may be (or not) a synesthetic aspect to this ability. I wouldn't know.

[jimbunyard]

The title of 'QnQ's' article is 'clickbaitish' because it says something that the science doesn't. The title of the paper on which the article is based is 'Elephants have a nose for quantity', which is a far cry from 'The elephant's mathematical trunk can smell numbers'.

For instance, even I can tell the difference between a blooming rose garden and a single rose, even with my eyes closed.

That doesn't affect the usefulness (or not) of the research, into conservation, brain function, or any other area in which it may be useful in understanding the elephantine (or otherwise) world.

Over or mis-stating scientific findings or information has serious consequences, as, from your many contributions to AGW and other threads, I'm sure you're very well aware...

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by jimbunyard

The title of 'QnQ's' article is 'clickbaitish'...

Yes, you're right. After all, it is a "popular" science radio "show". Their mission is to entertain, which they do through presenting interesting information. Headlines are generally intended to attract attention.

[SailOar]

Kenney cancels carbon tax repeal celebration due to ominous wildfire smoke

The provincial carbon tax in Alberta is officially dead, but Premier Jason Kenney was hesitant to celebrate Thursday, as thick, orange wildfire smoke enveloped the northern part of the province....

“We felt it would be in poor taste to do a celebratory event on the carbon tax when the situation is so serious up north,” Christine Myatt told Star Edmonton....

Scientists and environmentalists have long drawn links between the increasing frequency of wildfires in Alberta and the effects of climate change. Mike Flannigan, a professor of wildland fire at the University of Alberta, said warm weather is extending the fire season, and creating more severe weather patterns bringing more lightning strikes — the only cause of natural wildfires.

“On average, we’re going to see fire. A lot more fire,” Flannigan said....

[senormechanico]

Imho, the wildfires in Alberta are just the California drought slowly working its way North.
The West coast has been drier than normal for the last couple of years, and wildfires in B.C. have been worse as well.
Both years have driven us back home early from our vacations on the boat because of the smoke.
When it got really bad, it cut down our solar output by an amazing degree, more than half !

[GordMay]

Warming oceans may reduce sea life by 17%, study says
For every one degree that the world's oceans warm, the total mass of sea animals is projected to drop by five per cent, according to a comprehensive computer-based study* by an international team of marine biologists. And that does not include effects of fishing.
If the world's greenhouse gas emissions continue at the present rate, that means a 17 per cent loss of biomass by the year 2100.
While warmer water is the biggest factor, climate change also produces oceans that are more acidic, and have less oxygen, which also threatens sea life.

“Global ensemble projections reveal trophic amplification of ocean biomass declines with climate change” ~ by Heike K. Lotze et al.
* ➥ https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2.../10/1900194116

[GordMay]

“Red and white meats are equally bad for cholesterol” ~ ScienceDaily
A new study* says that white meat is no better than red meat, for people trying to reduce their blood cholesterol through diet; although some nutritionists are skeptical (ie: the study looks well done, but its sample size was small) about the research.
More ➥ https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...0604084840.htm

“Effects of red meat, white meat, and nonmeat protein sources on atherogenic lipoprotein measures in the context of low compared with high saturated fat intake: a randomized controlled trial” ~ by Nathalie Bergeron et al.
* ➥ https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/advanc...nqz035/5494812

Processed foods are a much bigger health problem than we thought
In two new papers published in the BMJ, the more ultraprocessed (industrially manufactured) foods a person ate, the more likely they were to get sick and even die. In one study, they were more likely to suffer from cardiovascular problems[1]. The other linked an ultraprocessed diet to a higher risk of death from all causes [2].
Those studies followed a first-of-its-kind randomized controlled trial [3], out of the National Institutes of Health. Researchers found people following an ultraprocessed diet ate about 500 more calories per day than those consuming minimally processed, whole foods. Increasingly, scientists think processed foods, with all their additives and sugar and lack of fiber, may be formulated in ways that disturb the gut microbiome, the trillions of diverse bacteria lining our intestines and colon. Those disturbances, in turn, may heighten the risk of chronic disease and encourage overeating. The idea sheds new light on why ultraprocessed foods seem to be so bad for us.

“Ultra-processed food intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: prospective cohort study (NutriNet-Santé)” ~ by Bernard Srour et al.
[1] ➥ https://www.bmj.com/content/365/bmj.l1451

“Association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and all cause mortality: SUN prospective cohort study” ~ by Anaïs Rico-Campà et al.
[2] ➥ https://www.bmj.com/content/365/bmj.l1949

“Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake” by Kevin D. Hall et al.
[3] ➥ https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism...131(19)30248-7


And, by the way, this may spark a 'healthy' debate. Don’t feel any hesitancy to come back at me (actually, the authors of the studies).

[SailOar]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Warming oceans may reduce sea life by 17%, study says
For every one degree that the world's oceans warm, the total mass of sea animals is projected to drop by five per cent, according to a comprehensive computer-based study* by an international team of marine biologists. And that does not include effects of fishing....

And, of course, it's not only the oceans that are being affected.

Planet is entering ‘new climate regime’ with ‘extraordinary’ heat waves intensified by global warming, study says

....A study published this week in the journal Earth’s Future concludes that [last summer's] heat wave epidemic “would not have occurred without human-induced climate change.”....

As the climate warms, the study projects that the area affected by heat waves like last summer’s will increase 16 percent for every 1.8 degrees (1 Celsius) of warming.

“Heat waves will likely reach highly dangerous levels for ecosystems and societies over the coming decades,” the study said.

Heat events like those last summer are predicted to occur two every three years for global warming of 2.7 degrees (1.5 Celsius) and every year for warming of 3.6 degrees (2 Celsius)....

And this summer is already breaking records.

New Delhi, India’s capital, soared to 118.4 degrees (48 Celsius) Monday, its highest temperature ever recorded in June....

[Recent temperatures] in San Francisco shot up to 100 degrees (37.8 Celsius) Monday, its highest temperatures ever recorded in the months of June, July or August, or this early in the calendar year....

there “are no known cases in Finland’s climate history when it has been hotter than now so early in the summer.” Temperatures above 86 degrees (30 Celsius) penetrated inside the Arctic Circle....

A heat wave in Japan at the end of the May set scores of records, including the country’s highest temperature ever recorded in the month (103.1 degrees, or 39.5 Celsius)......

[GordMay]

The best speech ever!
... "I could say it, but I don’t want to say it, but some people said it was the best speech ever made by a president in Europe," he continued, declining to specify who had offered such praise. "But I did not say that. I’m just quoting other people.” ...
➥ https://thehill.com/homenews/adminis...LGThRw.twitter

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Warming oceans may reduce sea life by 17%, study says
For every one degree that the world's oceans warm, the total mass of sea animals is projected to drop by five per cent, according to a comprehensive computer-based study* by an international team of marine biologists. And that does not include effects of fishing.
If the world's greenhouse gas emissions continue at the present rate, that means a 17 per cent loss of biomass by the year 2100.
While warmer water is the biggest factor, climate change also produces oceans that are more acidic, and have less oxygen, which also threatens sea life.

“Global ensemble projections reveal trophic amplification of ocean biomass declines with climate change” ~ by Heike K. Lotze et al.
* ➥ https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2.../10/1900194116

The near elimination of apex predators such as sharks, tuna, and cod have been shown to have a significant impact on the ecosystem. I wonder if this isn’t more detrimental than warming.