Volleyball played correctly‚ requires some skill. It becomes even more impressive when one team consists of a man and a volleyball-playing dog. While anyone can whack the ball over the net willy-nilly‚ it takes training to use proper form. One player fields the ball on a two-player team‚ sending it to their teammate. In turn‚ the teammate sets the ball so the first player can deliver a crushing blow over the net‚ known as a spike. It takes coordination and teamwork to keep a volley going back and forth. Puppies play Volleytball so well pic.twitter.com/srf1TY793i— This Account Will Heal Your Depression. (@HealYourDepress) March 2‚ 2024 The volleyball-playing dog is Kiara‚ and she is a total rock star&;#33; Her Instagram channel proclaims that she is 50% Black Lab‚ 50% Flat Coat Retriever‚ and addicted to volleyball. Kiara belongs to Mathias Berntsen and hails from Kristiansand‚ Norway. She is the designated mascot for the Beach Volley Vikings volleyball team‚ Norway’s second-best ranked team. The team consists of “four Norwegian beach volleyballers trying to make it big on the world scene‚” according to their YouTube channel. Mathias and his cousin‚ Hendrik Mol‚ are ranked 45th worldwide for two-person teams. Image from TikTok. Kiara doesn’t care what stage they are on. She wants to play volleyball all day‚ every day. Kiara has a reasonably extensive fanbase on Instagram and TikTok. She has appeared in videos on ESPN and is the subject of many news articles worldwide. If you are a fan of Olympic volleyball‚ you know why people are talking about this dog’s volleyball skills. She also performs exhibition demonstrations with her teammate during tournaments and makes near-perfect set shots every time. If watching Kiara expertly place set shots made you smile‚ please share this. For more exciting action‚ you can follow her on Instagram and TikTok. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here and here. The post Move Over‚ Airbud — This Volleyball-Playing Dog Is A Pro&;#33; appeared first on InspireMore.

Often referred to as the American Beatles‚ Cheap Trick has been performing and recording for nearly 45 years. The band originated out of Rockford‚ Illinois‚ in the early 70s‚ featuring Robin Zander on vocals‚ Rick Nielsen on guitars‚ Tom Petersson on bass‚ and Bun E. Carlos on drums. While Cheap Trick has 17 studio albums to their credit‚ it was a live recording‚ Cheap Trick Live at Budokan‚ that broke the band internationally. VH-1 ranks them 25th on the list of 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock‚ and they were elected for induction into the Hall of Fame in 2015. The post Top 10 Cheap Trick Songs appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

Regular exercise can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by as much as a quarter‚ in part by lowering stress‚ according to a new study. The research revealed that exercising helped to reduce stress-related brain activity‚ which is associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases. The study of more than 50‚000 people found that those […] The post Exercise Cuts Heart Disease Risk by 23% With Benefits Doubling for Those With Depression appeared first on Good News Network.

Missed the other parts&;#63; Find them here: Check out Part 1 Part 2 is here. Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 And here’s Part 7 Dear Diary‚ It’s me‚ Jessica. Diary‚ you will not believe who I ran into today . . . Savannah. You remember her.  She was that bully at school who disliked me for no reason. But hold on a sec.  I want to write down the rest of what happened with Justin and Janet and the kids before I forget . . . The next morning‚ after the rain stopped‚ they were back on the road. It was still cool and damp‚ but the clear sky and rising sun were promising. Janet noticed that even the kids seemed glad to be back in the saddle as Justin alternated the horses between a quick walk and an easy trot. It was around mid-morning when they came across a farmhouse.  Dogs enclosed in a chain link fence in the backyard barked at them as they approached.  White smoke was coming out of the chimney.  Someone was home.  As they came up to the drive‚ an old man came out on the front covered porch with a rifle.  He did not point it at them‚ but he could use it quickly if need be.  Justin held up his one hand but kept the other on his own rifle and said they did not mean any harm‚ just passing through. Janet asked if there had been trouble.  The old man seemed to relax a bit.  He said there was some after the power went out.  But after the winter‚ they were the first people he had seen.  That is when a rooster crowed.  Justin then asked if the old man if he had eggs or be willing to part with a chicken.  The old man’s eyes narrowed and the muzzle of the rifle came up a bit.  Justin then quickly added he would be willing to trade for it.  The old man asked what Justin had in mind.  Justin slowly reached into the saddle bag and pulled out one of the handguns he took off the dead who attacked their home by the muzzle end‚ like he was holding a dead rat to show he was not going to use it. The old man seemed to consider but said would not do him any good without ammo.  Justin offered two magazines‚ loaded.  Now the old man was much more agreeable‚ even smiled.  He seemed to consider and then offered two dozen eggs‚ laid today‚ a chicken‚ two onions‚ four carrots and four parsnips.  Would make for a good dinner‚ he said.  Justin pretended to consider‚ but really‚ the handgun was in a caliber different than his own handgun‚ and he still had three more handguns and magazines in the saddle bag.  But he did not want to seem too eager.  Justin gave a look over at the kids and then said‚ “Be nice for the kids to have something not out of a can for tonight’s dinner.  Deal.” That said‚ the old man went back into the house.  Janet then saw an older woman in the window.  She waved‚ and the woman waved back. The sounds of distressed chickens came from behind the house.  Several more minutes passed when the front door opened again and this time the old man and the woman Janet saw in the window came out.  No rifle.  The old man had a live chicken trussed upside down by its feet with twine.  The older woman had a plastic bag.  Janet slipped down out of her saddle and handed the reins to Justin.  She asked David to take the chicken and tie it to one of the packs.  As David took the chicken‚ the old man said it was an older bird and would be best to cook it low and slow for Janet.  The older woman held the bag open and smiled to Janet.  In the bag were two cartons of eggs and veggies.  The older woman said she added some potatoes too.  Janet smiled‚ thanked her‚ and took the bag.  She placed the plastic bag in one of her saddle bags‚ arranging some of her clothing around to protect the eggs.  She then said to Justin‚ “No running if they could help it.” Justin smiled and said‚ “Yes mama&;#33;” Justin handed the old man the handgun and the two magazines.  The old man looked them over and nodded.  The older woman looked them all over and said it was nice to see young kids again.  Janet was not sure if she was talking about them or David and Charlotte but smiled back.  The old man asked where they were from.  Justin told them‚ and Janet said they were on their way to get to her brother’s and his family’s place.  Janet swung back up into the saddle‚ the old man and older woman wished them luck and to be safe.  They wish them well; the kids said thank you as they brought the horses about to get back on the road.  The old man slipped his arm around the older woman’s shoulder and they both waved.  As they rode away‚ Janet could not help but feel sad leaving the couple. In order to cook the chicken ‘low and slow’ as the old man suggested‚ Janet had Justin and David build a larger fire than their usual size. Justin had taken dozens of wild turkey‚ pheasants and quail over the years‚ a chicken was nothing different to dress out.  Even the kids knew how.  Only the slaughter with a knife was a bit different‚ with the chicken flapping about as it bled out‚ hanging upside down from a tree. Once the fire had burned down‚ they spread out the coal bed to set the Dutch oven over and shoveled some of the coals on top of the oven lid.  While they waited‚ rather than playing cards‚ they talked about how it had been since they left home.  Charlotte said she was still sad but felt better about losing their home and now thought of the journey as an adventure.  However‚ she would be glad to reach their uncle’s place and sleep in a bed.  They all laughed.  David agreed but also said he did not mind being in the saddle or camping out.  He kinda liked it. They ate most of the chicken‚ all the veggies and a few potatoes.  Janet stripped the rest of the  chicken meat off the bones and would use the meat to make a chicken‚ scrambled egg and potato hash for breakfast in the morning. The next day was also nice‚ even warmer. Justin guessed they had another day‚ maybe two at the most‚ on the road if all went well. When they rounded a bend in the road in the afternoon‚ they saw another rider coming toward them. He was on horseback‚ with two other horses tethered behind him‚ all carrying saddle bags and packs like theirs. And there were three dogs with him. He stopped and ordered the dogs to sit while they rode up to him and stopped. “Howdy‚” he said with a smile and touched a gloved hand to the tip of his leather cowboy hat. In his other hand‚ he held a rifle across his saddle‚ just like Justin. He had a handgun on each hip‚ like something out of an old Western cowboy movie crossed with a modern military action movie. The dogs sat but looked intently. Justin and Janet both tipped their own hats and replied‚ “Howdy‚” back in unison. He introduced himself as Garret‚ and his dogs were Sorr-Ra‚ Lee-Loo‚ and Naga.  At hearing their names mentioned‚ the dogs wagged their tails.  Janet looked at them questioningly.  Garret seemed to sense Janet’s unease and said‚ “Easy‚ girls.  It is okay.”  Sorr-Ra suddenly found a spot that required intense itching.  Lee-Loo decided to take a nap and rolled over to one side.  Naga laid down but continued to watch. Janet could see the intelligence behind those eyes.  That dog was not to be messed with. Garret asked where they were heading.  When Justin told him‚ Garret shook his head and said‚ “Someone used heavy machinery and dropped the one end of the bridge over the river.  But there is a spot shallow enough you can cross on horse back.  I had to wait out the rain and then another day for the river level to drop back to normal on the far side before I could cross to this side.” Justin pulled out the GPS from his coat pocket‚ “Could you show me where‚” he asked Garret and handed him the GPS. Garret took off his gloves to use the touch screen.  After a few seconds‚ he held it back out to Justin‚ pointing‚ “The bridge is here and about a mile or so to the South‚” he slowly swiped the touch screen.  “About here is where I crossed.  You will see my tracks.  If you follow them‚ you will find where I camped out on the far side and the trail I used to get back to the road.” Justin thanked him and asked Garret where he‚ and the dogs‚ were heading.  Garret’s journey was just where they had come.  Justin and Janet told Garret of the older couple they traded with‚ the mass grave‚ the town past it‚ till where he would turn off from where their home was.  Janet asked him to tell the older couple of her thanks for the potatoes‚ and she wished they could have stayed to visit with them longer. Garret said he would make a point of stopping to pass the word‚ then said he needed to be off. He wished them luck with a tip of his hat and said‚ “Girls&;#33;  To me&;#33;” He rode past them‚ horses and dogs on the trail. They found the river several miles later. A backhoe and an earth mover were off to the side where the one end of the bridge once stood. Justin led them south to where Garret said was the place to cross the river. It was wide but shallow‚ only coming up to the horse’s lower chest. The current was still strong‚ making crossing by a man on foot difficult‚ but not for a horse. Once across‚ they found Garrett’s camp. The sun was about three fingers above the horizon‚ and it would be dark soon. Janet said they should make camp. Looking at the GPS‚ Justin said they would reach the Miller’s the next day. Entry two Diary‚ Jack‚ Rae‚ Dad‚ and I went to the market again. Jack was looking to keep ‘tabs’ on things. Rae was looking for more medicinal herbs or seeds for medicinal herbs. Dad was looking for more veggie and herb seeds for Mom. I was along for the trip‚ and Jack said I needed to have more of a ‘situational awareness and security  mindset.’  He said I needed to take it seriously.  While we were making the ‘hump’ to the market‚ I asked Jack and Rae more about the ‘situational awareness and security  mindset.’  As they talked‚ I made the mental notes Jack told me to make. Once we arrived‚ I was still amazed at the organized chaos of the market.  It was throngs of people milling about.  At the same time‚ it was so alive.  People talking‚ chatting‚ laughing.  Others are deep in business and haggling.  The smell of fires or the smell of things cooking in the wind.  While it seemed exciting‚ I kept Jack and Rae’s comment in mind about my need for a ‘situational awareness and security mindset.’  The market still could be a dangerous place for the unaware. I had just passed a man who‚ in a loud voice‚ announced to those in the market‚ “Looking to trade for shoe strings&;#33;” When I saw a young woman staring at me with wide eyes.  She seemed to recognize me.  She then turned and tried to walk away from me.  I followed quickly‚ hearing Rae call out my name as she fell behind. The market crowd slowed the young woman down and allowed me to catch up with her easily.  I spun her around by her one shoulder and said‚“You know me.  Who are you&;#63;” She noticed my rifle slung over my one shoulder‚ looked at me with what only I could describe as ‘hurt’ eyes and then looked down and quietly said‚ “Savannah.” Diary‚ that is when a whole world of the past crashed in on me.  A time that seemed so very distant but at the same time like yesterday. Savannah. The bully and her friends had not liked me for absolutely no reason.  If it were not for my friend Chrissy‚ the aspiring MMA fighter who told Savannah and her friends to back off‚ it would have gotten worse. Now‚ here we were.  In the ‘market.’  Things had changed. Savannah was much thinner than she had been in school. Diary‚ everyone had lost weight since the power went out‚ but Savannah was nearly unrecognizable.  I would have never called her fat‚ but she was big for her age at the time before the power went out. I do not know why‚ but I grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to one side of the regular market foot traffic.  A moment later‚ Rae caught up to us.  I gave Rae a look‚ she understood turned and gave us some space. I asked Savannah what had happened to her. Savannah lived in a very upscale suburb just outside of the city.  Savannah never had a good relationship with her parents.  Just after the power went out‚ she left her parents to hang out with her college-aged boyfriend.  When he found he could ‘pimp’ her out for things like alcohol‚ smokes‚ drugs‚ her life became a nightmare for months.  One night‚ when he was passed out‚ she went back to her parents only to find the house and several others around all burnt down. There was no sign of her parents. Savannah found an empty house in the neighborhood and lived there.  She would scavenge for food but was not having much luck.  She was looking in the window of one house to see if there was a way in to look for food when a man in dirty clothes‚ unkept hair‚ and a beard rushed out of the house and attacked her.  They were wrestling on the front lawn‚ him on top of her‚ trying to hold her down‚ Savannah screaming‚ when there was a loud‚ “PING&;#33;” The man’s eyes rolled up into his head and fell over onto the lawn.  Behind him stood a woman with a frying pan in a two-handed grip‚ looking to whack him again if she had to. The woman asked Savannah if she was okay.  Savannah sat up and began crying.  The woman sat down next to her and hugged her.  Once Savannah stopped crying‚ the woman said her name was Kim.  Several other women then walked up.  Some had backpacks.  Others pushed shopping carts with clothing and other things in them.  Kim and the women stayed together.  They took care of each other.  They had been on the move for over a week‚ looking for somewhere that was somewhat safe from the gangs.  Savannah told her until the run-in with the dirty man passed out on the lawn‚ she had not seen anyone around.  Kim invited Savannah to join their group.  Savannah desperately said yes.  She showed Kim and the others the house she had been living in. Over the winter‚ things were very hard for all of them.  They ended up eating rats‚ tree squirrels that they trapped‚ and even boiled grass. One of the women found a bow and arrows and shot a cat.  They ate it. After the polar vortex‚ a gang showed up in the neighborhood.  Savannah knew the neighborhood very well‚ led the women out the back of the house‚ and went around the gang in the direction they had already been and would not be looking at again. It was night‚ and they were hiding behind a fence.  They could hear the gang not far away‚ smell their fire‚ burning whatever furniture they could find in the houses.  Kim suggested they sneak away under the cover of darkness.  The women took only what they could carry and quietly got away from the gang.  They spent the rest of the night on the move.  Kim led them in one direction and kept them going till it began to lighten on the Eastern horizon.  By then‚ they had left the city and the sub-burbs behind‚ surrounded by woods and fields.  Kim led them deep into the woods.  They all got out blankets‚ covered themselves and each other for warmth‚ and fell into an exhausted sleep. The same trip it took Jack and his team to travel in three days took them nearly two weeks‚ but they were much weaker from lack of food.  They would stop for a day or two for the one woman with the bow to hunt.  She got a some birds‚ a few squirrels.  If it were not for her taking down a deer‚ that might have been the end of them.  They did their best to skin and dress out the deer.  They likely made mistakes and wasted some of the kill‚ but for two days‚ they ate well.  It was the first time in months they had full bellies. A few days later‚ they crossed the bridge to the ‘market.’ Sean and the sheriff met them on the ‘market’ side of the bridge.  They were the first people they had seen from ‘that’ side in months.  Sean and the sheriff traded a lot to feed all the women in exchange for information about the city.  But that only went so far.  Some of the women like Kim and Savannah did not have any skills to trade . . . but one.  So‚ they did what they had to do to keep themselves fed. They ‘pimped’ themselves out. Diary‚ in the past‚ I know I would of said‚ “Diary‚ I don’t know how I feel about that.” Diary‚ while I do not think I would do it myself‚ I think I can understand what they had to do to survive. Thanks to Mom‚ Dad‚ Jack‚ and Rae‚ I have never been put in that situation. They have not. About 1stMarineJarHead 1stMarineJarHead is not only a former Marine‚ but also a former EMT-B‚ Wilderness EMT (courtesy of NOLS)‚ and volunteer firefighter. He currently resides in the great white (i.e. snowy) Northeast with his wife and dogs. He raises chickens‚ rabbits‚ goats‚ occasionally hogs‚ cows and sometimes ducks. He grows various veggies and has a weird fondness for rutabagas. He enjoys reading‚ writing‚ cooking from scratch‚ making charcuterie‚ target shooting‚ and is currently expanding his woodworking skills. The post Dear Diary‚ It’s Me‚ Jessica: Part 8 appeared first on The Organic Prepper.

Following publication of a damning report on the dangers of gender transition procedures for children‚ Scotland officially is halting the prescription of puberty blockers and hormone drugs to minors. Scotland’s sole gender clinic for minors‚ Glasgow-based Sandyford Sexual Health Service‚ announced Thursday that it no longer would refer children under 18 to pediatric endocrinology to be prescribed puberty blockers or hormone drugs. Earlier this month‚ the U.K. government published The Cass Review‚ a much-anticipated report of nearly 400 pages compiled by an esteemed pediatrician‚ Dr. Hilary Cass‚ on gender transition procedures for children. Cass worked on the report for four years. “The reality is that we have no good evidence on the long-term outcomes of interventions to manage gender-related distress‚” the report declares. “This is an area of remarkably weak evidence.” Sandyford Sexual Health Service announced:. This service update follows research from NHS [National Health Service] England and the publication of The Cass Review while we work with the Scottish government to engage in research with NHS England that will generate evidence of safety and long-term impact for therapies. While this pause is in place‚ we will continue to give anyone who is referred into the Young People Gender Service the psychological support that they require while we review the pathways in line with the findings. The decision by Sandyford Sexual Health Service to “pause” prescriptions of puberty blockers and hormone drugs to children is in line with new guidance from National Health Service Greater Glasgow and Clyde. “On clinical advice‚ both NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian deferred starting new patients on these treatments in mid-March 2024 in response to the position taken by NHS England and while the publication of The Cass Review was awaited‚” National Health Service Greater Glasgow and Clyde said in a written statement. “Following the publication of The Cass Review and having also received the support of the chief medical officer for Scotland‚ Sir Gregor Smith‚ the health boards formally paused treatment.” Last month‚ NHS England formally halted prescribing puberty blockers and hormone drugs to children‚ explaining: “Puberty blockers … are not available to children and young people for gender incongruence or gender dysphoria because there is not enough evidence of safety and clinical effectiveness.” NHS England warned that hormone drugs “cause some irreversible changes” and “may cause temporary or even permanent infertility.” The agency further noted: “There is some uncertainty about the risks of long-term cross-sex hormone treatment.” Instead of such prescriptions‚ NHS England explained that children diagnosed with gender dysphoria will have a range of psychological therapies available to them‚ including family therapy‚ individual child psychotherapy‚ parental support‚ or counseling‚ and “regular reviews to monitor gender identity development.” NHS England explained its new guidance by saying: “Most treatments offered at this stage are psychological rather than medical. This is because in many cases gender variant behaviour or feelings disappear as children reach puberty.” The groundbreaking report from Bass found that gender transition procedures for children are largely based on biased and even low-quality research. Additionally‚ the report found that there is “no evidence” that gender transition procedures prevent or reduce the risk of suicide‚ despite the common claims of many gender transition advocates; the prescription of puberty blockers and hormone drugs to minors may be dangerous; the majority of children diagnosed with gender dysphoria suffer from a host of often-neglected psychological co-morbidities; and the practice of gender transition procedures has been largely guided by “toxic” debate and discourse. As evidenced by Scotland’s change of course on puberty blockers and hormone drugs‚ The Cass Review is already bringing about what U.K. officials are calling a “fundamental change” in the gender transition industry. In the course of compiling her report‚ Cass investigated the Gender Identity Development Service at the Tavistock clinic in London. Her findings led the pediatrician to recommend that the government shut down the clinic immediately‚ almost two years before her final report was due. In particular‚ Cass was disturbed by Tavistock staff’s trend of placing children as young as 10 on regimens of puberty blockers or hormone drugs with little or no psychological oversight‚ sometimes after as few as three counseling sessions. Cass noted with alarm that about 96% of children referred to Tavistock were prescribed puberty blockers. “We echo the views of Dr. Hilary Cass that toxicity around public debate is impacting the lives of young people seeking the care of our service and does not serve the teams working hard to care and support them‚” Dr. Emelia Creighton‚ public health director for National Health Service Greater Glasgow and Clyde‚ said in a written statement. “The findings informing the Cass Review are important‚ and we have reviewed the impact on our clinical pathways‚” Creighton said. “The next step from here is to work with the Scottish government and academic partners to generate evidence that enables us to deliver safe care for our patients.” NHS Lothian’s executive medical director‚ Tracey Gillies‚ said: “The Cass Review is a significant piece of work into how the NHS can better support children and young people who present with gender dysphoria. Patient safety must always be our priority‚ and it is right that we pause this treatment to allow more research to be carried out.” Meanwhile‚ U.S. health officials have continued promoting gender transition procedures—including puberty blockers and hormone drugs—for children. Last year‚ a report named the U.S. an “outlier” in the field of protecting children from harmful gender transition procedures after France‚ Sweden‚ Finland‚ Norway‚ and the U.K. issued warnings against prescribing children puberty blockers and hormone drugs. A request filed under the Freedom of Information Act earlier this year resulted in an admission from Rachel Levine‚ assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services‚ that his claims that gender transition procedures for children are “lifesaving” and “necessary” were based entirely on a two-page document citing a single study conducted by an LGBT activist organization. Originally published by The Washington Stand The post Scotland Presses ‘Pause’ on Puberty Blockers‚ Hormone Drugs for Children appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Every so often‚ a molecule called acrylamide works its way back into the public sphere of attention‚ usually with warnings in tow about its presence in food and the apparent dangers it poses to our health. But how much of this is true‚ and should we be worried about it&;#63;What is acrylamide&;#63;Acrylamide is a natural by-product formed during high-temperature (above 120°C/248°F) cooking – such as frying‚ toasting‚ or roasting – of food products‚ particularly starchy ones. Its creator is the Maillard reaction‚ the process that leads to the browning of food and the resulting distinctive flavor‚ like those delicious burnt bits of lasagna.The chemical structure of acrylamide‚ also written as CH2=CHC(O)NH2 (C for carbon‚ H‚ for hydrogen‚ O for oxygen‚ and N for nitrogen).Image credit: Jurgis Mankauskas/Shutterstock.comIn this reaction‚ sugars and amino acids – often asparagine – react to form acrylamide‚ which is odorless and water soluble. When it’s in the body‚ acrylamide is broken down into another molecule called glycidamide.Which foods contain acrylamide&;#63;Acrylamide can be found in all sorts of cooked food products‚ but one of the biggest sources is thought to be fried potato products (especially those made with fresh potatoes) such as chips‚ French fries‚ and roast potatoes. It can also be found in toast – particularly if you’re inclined to burning it – cookies‚ cereals‚ and coffee.Does it pose a health risk&;#63;There’s an abundance of headlines suggesting (or sometimes declaring) that acrylamide in our food is bad for us and causes cancer. Many popped up after 2002‚ when the Swedish National Food Administration sounded a so-called “alarm” on the presence of acrylamide within food. Sales of chips in Sweden dropped by 40 percent in the week after the announcement‚ whilst a major chip producer in the country saw share prices fall. Then‚ a couple of months later‚ the status quo returned. It’s a good example of how the way science is communicated can have very real effects on people’s behavior.Despite the concerns raised by that announcement over 20 years ago‚ there’s simply not enough quality evidence – at least in humans – to directly support acrylamide causing cancer. That could be for a multitude of reasons‚ the first being that there’s been some difficulty in figuring out how much acrylamide people are taking in based on their reported diets.Then there’s the matter of ethical boundaries. “To really be able to be to say that this causes cancer you need to do clinical trials‚” Rashmi Sinha‚ a senior investigator at the National Cancer Institute‚ told Inverse. “But you can’t do clinical trials with things that are possible carcinogens.”That being said‚ there’s enough animal evidence that some authoritative bodies believe it warrants further investigation and to approach consumption with caution.For example‚ in studies of rat cells (as well as entire rats) there’s been evidence to suggest that acrylamide can lead to DNA or chromosomal damage and defects in the repair of that damage‚ common features that can lead to cancer. However‚ there have also been some toxicology studies that show humans and rodents both absorb acrylamide at different rate and metabolize it differently‚ so animal findings don’t necessarily translate to us. So what do the officials say&;#63; In 2015‚ the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) conducted a risk assessment of acrylamide in food. Evaluating the available scientific data‚ it delivered a scientific opinion on the matter‚ with the following conclusions:Animal studies demonstrate that acrylamide and glycidamide are genotoxic (DNA or chromosome-damaging) and carcinogenic (potentially cancer-causing).However‚ there’s limited evidence from human studies to suggest dietary intake of acrylamide increases our risk of cancer.The level of dietary exposure to acrylamide could be a concern – at least in terms of causing abnormal cell growth – for public health if further quality evidence in humans supports it.Current levels of dietary exposure to acrylamide aren’t of concern when it comes to other health issues.After a call to revisit those conclusions with new data‚ the EFSA reached the same scientific opinion in 2022. As for other parts of the world‚ whilst the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that the risk isn’t clear‚ the US National Toxicology Program and the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) are of the opinion that dietary acrylamide does pose a human health concern.Reducing acrylamide in food (if you want to)Despite the evidence for human risk not being clear-cut‚ organizations still have advice on how to reduce the levels of acrylamide in food should people wish to do so.This can include choice of ingredients; for example‚ fried potato products made from potato dough (like Pringles – other deliciousness is available) instead of fresh potato are estimated to contain around 20 percent less acrylamide.When it comes to coffee‚ the type of roast can also make a difference – light roasts tend to contain more acrylamide than medium or dark roasts.Then there’s how people cook at home. Air fryers‚ which have shot up in popularity in recent years‚ are thought to produce around 30 to 40 percent more acrylamide than deep oil fryers‚ according to the EFSA. Concerns about their risks have been bubbling in headlines and social media‚ but given the lack of conclusive evidence about the health risks of acrylamide in the diet‚ you’re probably good to keep cooking your nuggets this way.Regardless of the cooking method‚ the UK’s Food Standards Agency recommends to “aim for a golden yellow color or lighter when frying‚ baking‚ toasting or roasting starchy foods”. That being said‚ if you’d like to continue eating burnt toast with reckless abandon‚ we’re not going to stop you.All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text‚ images‚ and links may be edited‚ removed‚ or added to at a later date to keep information current.The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice‚ diagnosis‚ or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Who’s the ruler of the Andes&;#63; You might be thinking the seven countries they run through‚ or perhaps the mighty Andean condor. Both are wrong: it’s an absolutely massive‚ rare-blooming‚ and long-lived plant called Puya raimondii.What is Puya raimondii&;#63;The so-called “Queen of the Andes” belongs to the bromeliads‚ a family of plants that also includes the pineapple. While P. raimondii has some of the same spiky characteristics‚ it is a much‚ much taller plant. This giant can reach heights of up to 40 feet (12 meters)‚ making it the largest bromeliad in the world.It was first described by French naturalist Alcide d'Orbigny in 1830‚ though it wasn’t classified until 1874‚ when scientist Antonio Raimondi dubbed it Pourretia gigantea. It was later reclassified in 1928 into the genus Puya and received its species name in honor of Raimondi.Where is Puya raimondii found&;#63;If you hadn’t guessed from its nickname‚ this tower of a plant is found in the Andes‚ the world’s longest continental mountain range. However‚ P. raimondii is only endemic to its grassy regions in Peru and Bolivia‚ generally found at altitudes between 3‚000 to 4‚800 meters (9‚800 to 15‚700 feet) and facing north.Nearly half of the total population of P. raimondii can be found within a single place – Peru’s Titankayocc Regional Conservation Area‚ which is thought to be home to woods of more than 450‚000 of the plants. The remaining population usually tends to be far more scattered.What makes Puya raimondii special&;#63;Part of what makes the Queen of the Andes what’s been described as “charismatic” is‚ of course‚ its towering height‚ but there’s more to this plant than its giant status.There’s some suspicion amongst researchers that it could be “protocarnivorous”‚ meaning it can trap and kill small animals but can’t digest them. Though further research needs to be done to prove this theory‚ it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility. A species within the same genus‚ Puya chilensis‚ is also a suspected protocarnivore‚ with a taste for sheep.Puya raimondii blooms with an abundance of white flowers.Image credit: Galyna Andrushko/Shutterstock.comThen there’s the matter of its particularly long lifetime. P. raimondii can live longer than some humans‚ with a lifespan between 80 to 100 years. Pretty impressive‚ but that’s not all – despite potentially sticking around for a whole century‚ it only blooms once in its life and only does so right at the end of it.After creating a large display of white flowers and producing anywhere between 6 to 12 million seeds‚ P. raimondii pops it metaphorical‚ plant-based clogs. Its legacy‚ however‚ literally stands‚ as the plant can remain upright for several years after its death.

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The first No Rest for the Wicked patch notes are here‚ following a troubled launch that has seen the new RPG game land to ‘mixed’ Steam reviews. The ambitious ARPG blending the perspective and loot of Diablo with Dark Souls and Elden Ring style stats and combat has been a long-awaited passion project from developer Moon Studios‚ best known for the fantastic pair of Ori games. Despite a mostly positive response to its setting and concept‚ early performance issues and balance concerns have troubled players‚ but the dev is already hard at work with its first post-launch update targeting some major complaints. Continue reading No Rest for the Wicked patch notes address some of its top complaints