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Daily Archives: August 8, 2022

Over half of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by climate change

Mora, C., McKenzie, T., Gaw, I.M. et al. Over half of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by climate change. Nat. Clim. Chang. (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-022-01426-1 – “It is relatively well accepted that climate change can affect human pathogenic diseases; however, the full extent of this risk remains poorly quantified. Here we carried out a systematic search for empirical examples about the impacts of ten climatic hazards sensitive to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on each known human pathogenic disease. We found that 58% (that is, 218 out of 375) of infectious diseases confronted by humanity worldwide have been at some point aggravated by climatic hazards; 16% were at times diminished. Empirical cases revealed 1,006 unique pathways in which climatic hazards, via different transmission types, led to pathogenic diseases. The human pathogenic diseases and transmission pathways aggravated by climatic hazards are too numerous for comprehensive societal adaptations, highlighting the urgent need to work at the source of the problem: reducing GHG emissions.”

“The list of diseases used as search criteria came from the GIDEON database, which we complemented with the CDC National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System. The two databases have 375 disease names combined GIDEON claims to be a compilation of infectious disease cases dating back to 1348 AD, although it claims to be particularly accurate of reported infectious disease cases worldwide after 1920. GIDEON was developed in consultation with the World Health Organization and has been operational for 25 years, compiling human disease cases through dedicated searches over a broad array of public and governmental data sources. Case examples of diseases affected by climatic hazards were stored in an online database, which included the excerpts as copied directly from the paper, the given hazard, transmission type and disease. We created an interactive webpage that allows anyone to visualize the numerous pathways of transmission and the underlying data.”

How to find out if you are involved in a data breach and what to do next

ZDNet: “Think you’ve been involved in a data breach? This guide will help you find out where and when, and it lists the steps you should take next. Data breaches are security incidents we now hear about every day. They strike every industry, every sector, every county; victim organizations can be everything from small, independent… Continue Reading

What We Gain from a Good Bookstore

The New Yorker – It’s a place whose real boundaries and character are much more than its physical dimensions. “…You may have heard that we’re experiencing a renaissance of the independent bookstore, but the situation is far from rosy. In 1994, when Deutsch started his career as a bookseller (and Amazon was founded), the U.S.… Continue Reading

The search appears to be focused on materials Trump took from the White House

The New York Times – “Former President Donald J. Trump said on Monday that the F.B.I. had searched his Palm Beach, Fla., home and had broken open a safe — an account signaling a major escalation in the various investigations into the final stages of his presidency. The search, according to multiple people familiar with… Continue Reading

EU Code of Practice on Disinformation

Brookings: “In 2018, the European Commission (EC) created the EU Code of Practice on Disinformation (Code), the first self-regulatory piece of legislation that intended to motivate companies to collaborate on solutions to the problem of disinformation. Twenty-one companies agreed to commit to this Code, and these rules resulted in tangible solutions: Facebook, Google, and Twitter… Continue Reading

A Phone Carrier That Doesn’t Track Your Browsing or Location

Wired – “The new Pretty Good Phone Privacy service for Android hides the data linking you to your mobile device…As marketers, data brokers, and tech giants endlessly expand their access to individuals’ data and movements across the web, tools like VPNs or cookie blockers can feel increasingly feeble and futile. Short of going totally off… Continue Reading

PFAS: The Impact of Forever Chemicals

American Bar Association: “Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are manufactured chemicals used around the globe and have left a lasting impact on our planet. PFAS are used to make products resistant to heat, stains, water, and grease and enjoy widespread use across various industries. They prevent food from sticking to cookware; make clothes, furniture, and… Continue Reading