New studies from the world’s leading research institutions show that Christians who actively practice their faith are more hopeful‚ less likely to become unhappy during times of global crisis and isolation‚ and more likely to lend a hand to fellow citizens. Two studies showed that religious believers in the U.K. suffered less during the COVID-19 pandemic— and the stronger their faith‚ the less they suffered. Meanwhile‚ a third survey in the U.S. found that regular churchgoers were the least likely Americans to describe themselves as lonely‚ and were far more likely to be satisfied with life and volunteer for charity in more normal times. “[B]eing religious significantly reduces the negative mental health outcomes associated with COVID-19‚” concluded researchers based in the U.K.‚ Australia‚ and India. Strong faith decreased suffering during a COVID-19 infection by 60%. Although researchers attempted to control for such apparently intersectionality-based criteria as race‚ sex‚ and employment status‚ “only religiosity has a significant ameliorating effect of COVID on mental health‚” they found. But that advantage is “strongly driven by attendance at religious services‚” and not just by prayer or mental belief. Areas with “higher lockdown strictness‚” which prevented Christians from attending in-person worship services‚ “eroded any benefits that emanated from being religious.” Yet even attendance at online services modestly lessened people’s suffering‚ they found. People who seriously practiced their faith suffered less during the U.K.’s pandemic lockdowns‚ according to another study. “[R]eligious people (in that it makes a difference to their life) were around one-fifth less likely to suffer an increase in unhappiness or depression” during the pandemic‚ they said. But church attendance also impacted British believers‚ researchers stated. The U.K. implemented more sweeping measures than the United States‚ closing churches altogether. “[W]hen places of worship were closed‚ religious Muslims and Catholics suffered disproportionately‚” the study found‚ since both faiths stress weekly attendance at religious services. “The recent U.K. studies that correlate religion and happiness are not surprising. It is also not surprising that church closures correlate with higher degrees of unhappiness‚” David Closson‚ director of the Center for Biblical Worldview at Family Research Council‚ told The Washington Stand. “As relational beings‚ humans are meant to live in community. Lockdowns deprived people of connections with other people‚” which caused them to “suffer emotionally‚ physically‚ and even spiritually‚” said Closson‚ who discussed other aspects of the Pew survey on “Washington Watch With Tony Perkins.” Closson said the correlation makes sense‚ because “human nature consists of spiritual and physical components.” “The churches that either refused to close or opened quickly provided opportunities for the spiritual and physical encouragement that comes with being in physical proximity to other people‚” Clossen said. Christians are also likely to be satisfied with life‚ to volunteer and be engaged in civic affairs‚ and to feel more hopeful than those who specify “None” as their religious affiliation‚ according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. Those who attend religious services at least monthly are nearly 50% more likely to say they feel hopeful‚ and are about half as likely to feel lonely as atheists. The most active Christians are also 58% more likely to volunteer than those who call themselves “Nones.” Regular churchgoers are the most likely to say they are satisfied with their own life‚ their family‚ and community life. Christians who go to church at least monthly are also nearly twice as likely to volunteer for nonreligious charities than those who say their religion is “nothing in particular.” Christians who attend church regularly are slightly more likely to vote or contact their representatives. But atheists are modestly more likely to follow the news and public affairs than are churchgoers. The three teams of researchers merely confirmed what numerous prior studies established: People who believe in and live a Christian way of life enjoy longer‚ better‚ more prosperous‚ and less stressful lives: Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warned in 2023 that Americans’ health “may be undermined” by not attending religious services. A 2023 study concluded that “religious practice has significant effects” on the likelihood of dying from suicide‚ drug poisoning‚ and liver disease caused by alcoholism. Another 2023 study discovered that “religious Americans tend to believe their life is meaningful more often than do those who are not religious.” A 2023 poll found Americans who believe in God and value marriage are more likely to say they’re “very happy” than nonbelievers and singles. Another 2023 poll found that 82% of Christians say they are optimistic and take pride in their church. A 2023 study concluded that practicing Christians who regularly read the Bible report a higher score on the Human Flourishing Index than nonpracticing Christians or the “Nones”/religiously unaffiliated. (The index measures “happiness and life satisfaction‚” “mental and physical health‚” “meaning and purpose‚” “character and virtue‚” “close societal relationships” and “financial and material stability.”) Pew found in 2019 that Americans who attended religious services regularly were 44% more likely to say they were “very happy” than the religiously inactive. A 2019 study found “robust effects of religiosity on depression that are stronger for the most depressed.” A 2018 study from Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health announced that “people who attended weekly religious services or practiced daily prayer or meditation in their youth reported greater life satisfaction and positivity in their 20s—and were less likely to subsequently have depressive symptoms‚ smoke‚ use illicit drugs‚ or have a sexually transmitted infection—than people raised with less regular spiritual habits.” The secret may come‚ in part‚ from distinctive Christian teachings about life and attitude. The Bible encourages believers: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” (Proverbs 17:22). It says Christians who acquire the Holy Spirit will bear such fruit as joy‚ peace‚ and longsuffering (Galatians 5:22-23). The greatest virtue‚ Christian love‚ “bears all things … hopes all things‚ endures all things” (I Corinthians 13). Yet lockdowns during the pandemic indisputably damaged the churches that gave citizens the strength and resilience to shoulder adversity. Although individual donors increased their financial contributions‚ Protestant churches have 10% less spending power today than they did before the pandemic‚ according to a November 2023 study from Villanova University. Roman Catholic parishes saw an 11% drop in spending power. “Free societies depend on vibrant mediating institutions‚ namely those that are intermediate between the individual and the state. They include the family‚ church‚ and voluntary organizations‚” Catholic League President Bill Donohue said. “The data indicate that the religiously involved are a net plus to society; the religiously unaffiliated are a net minus.” Originally published by The Washington Stand Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Believers Have Less Suffering‚ More Hope‚ and Volunteer More‚ Studies Find appeared first on The Daily Signal.

This coming Sunday‚ at the most widely viewed sporting event in America‚ the Super Bowl‚ the National Football League will feature the singing of “Lift Every Voice and Sing‚” the song first known as the “Negro national anthem” and now known as the “black national anthem.” In order to ensure that those present at the game and the more than 100 million people watching on television cannot avoid hearing it‚ the “black national anthem” will‚ according to the schedule I have seen‚ be played after the actual national anthem of the United States. If that’s the case‚ this will presumably be done in order to also ensure that everyone is still standing when it is sung. The NFL probably fears that some of those attending the game—specifically‚ those who possess two increasingly rare traits: love of America and courage—might not rise for the “black national anthem.” But if they were already standing for the national anthem‚ few will sit when the “black national anthem” is then sung. The NFL doesn’t want a repeat of what occurred at last year’s Super Bowl in Arizona‚ when‚ as ABC News reported‚ “Former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake went viral in 2023 for remaining seated during a performance of the song at Super Bowl LVII.” Last year‚ the “black national anthem” was played prior to the national anthem. How destructive a decision performing the “black national anthem” at sporting events is—whether before or after the national anthem—can be summarized this way: Roger Goodell‚ the NFL commissioner‚ is among the few Americans of whom it will one day be said that he seriously damaged America. In 2021‚ The Washington Times noted‚ “Under Roger Goodell‚ the NFL has gone far beyond the kneeling; it’s doubling down on ‘social justice.’ In addition to painting more slogans in the end zones and on players’ helmets‚ the League will be donating $250 million to Black Lives Matter and other activist groups to ‘combat systemic racism and support the battle against the ongoing and historical injustices faced by African Americans.’” (Also in 2021‚ the NFL released a 30-second video titled “Football Is Gay.”) On Jan. 28‚ the “black national anthem” was sung before the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Detroit Lions playoff game. The National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball are competing with the NFL to see which organization can inject more divisive left-wing politics into sports. For example‚ before the 2023 NBA All-Star Game‚ played in Salt Lake City‚ black singer Jully Black changed an opening word of the Canadian national anthem from “O Canada! Our home and native land!” to “O Canada! Our home on native land!”—emphasizing the word “on.” During the 2023 baseball season‚ the Los Angeles Dodgers honored—yes‚ honored‚ not merely featured—an LGBT activist group‚ the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence‚ composed of men dressed as Catholic nuns mocking nuns. Meanwhile‚ the NFL continues to paint “anti-racist” slogans in end zones and play the “black national anthem” before important games. Not to be outdone by the NFL‚ NBA or MLB‚ the U.S. Open men’s and women’s tennis singles finals did not even feature the U.S. national anthem. Instead‚ the “black national anthem” and “America the Beautiful” were sung. The latter is indeed a beautiful and patriotic song‚ but the fact is that one “national anthem” was played—and it wasn’t America’s. As former ESPN anchor Sage Steele wrote on X: “Ahhh … the irony of refusing to allow our national anthem … at the *US* Open. I remain hopeful that we can get back to truly appreciating the greatness of America‚ but man … this is sad.” Two big lessons here. The first is that the Left seeks to destroy America as we have known it. Playing two “national anthems” has no other goal than disuniting Americans. The message of singing the “black national anthem” is as clear as day: There is a black America‚ and there is the rest of America. That many Americans‚ especially blacks‚ welcome this is nothing less than a national tragedy. The second is the more important: The Left destroys everything it touches. High schools‚ elementary schools‚ universities‚ journalism‚ the nuclear family‚ young Americans’ mental health‚ male-female relations‚ religion‚ our borders‚ love of country‚ medicine‚ and medical schools—the list includes every noble institution and ideal in our country. And sports. In 2001‚ following 9/11‚ the great black Chicago Cubs player Sammy Sosa hit a home run and ran around the bases waving a small American flag. Fifteen years later‚ Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the playing of the national anthem. The Left‚ led by Barack Obama‚ Joe Biden‚ the Democratic Party‚ the media‚ the schools and universities‚ had done their damage. So‚ now we play two “national anthems.” “E Pluribus Unum” is dead. For the Left‚ it’s another touchdown. The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post NFL’s Plan for 2 ‘National Anthems’ at Super Bowl: Divisive Not Unifying appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. A supporter of the Newcastle United football team in England‚ Linzi Smith‚ has found herself facing a game ban until 2026 due to her public expression of gender-critical perspectives on social media. Smith underwent an intense four-month investigation‚ led by a special team formed to combat racism in football. Their focus shifted from uncovering racism to evaluating Smith after she shared her views on X. As a vocal defender of lesbian‚ gay‚ and bisexual rights and herself a gay woman‚ Smith was shocked when she received an 11-page dossier‚ constructed by the Premier League‚ embedded with in-depth personal details about her life. Living arrangements‚ professional engagements‚ and even the path she took when walking her dog were labeled. “They’d basically referred to me as a target‚ they had tried to find my identity‚” Smith told the Free Speech Union. This unfolding situation has left her feeling unsettled‚ fearing for her safety. The all-consuming investigation led to severe restrictions for Smith. Her association with Newcastle United was cut short when her membership was canceled and she faced prohibition from entering the club’s St James’ Park stadium for the foreseeable future. Determined to fight against the imposed ban‚ she has now resolved to involve the courts. Her argument holds that expressing views critical of modern transgender ideology is within her lawful right and that the Premier League overstepped its mark by infringing data protection laws. This grave intrusion into Smith’s life was the motivation for the Free Speech Union to assist in rigorously challenging the ban imposed on her. The original complaint against Smith originated from alleged screenshots from her social media account‚ indicating claims she made about mental illness in transgender individuals. The complainant expressed feelings of discomfort sharing a space with someone they perceived to be openly “transphobic‚” citing that Smith was openly mocking the transgender movement. In October‚ an email from Newcastle United reached Smith’s inbox‚ ominously stating that she was being scrutinized by Northumbria Police for a potential hate crime offense. Consequently‚ her membership was placed in immediate suspension. Smith’s controversy wasn’t ignited by any misconduct during a game‚ inside the stadium‚ or indeed any direct involvement with the club. Shortly after‚ she was visited by two police officers at her home‚ where she agreed to an interview under caution regarding her tweets. The interview lasted for 25 minutes but was soon followed by a phone call from the police‚ stipulating that no action was to be taken as they found she hadn’t committed any offense. The post Newcastle United Fan Faces Ban Over Gender-Critical Social Media Posts appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

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China is the undisputed world champion of dam building. Not only do they have more working large dams than every other country in the world‚ but they also hold the record for the largest capacity hydroelectric power station in operation: the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River. Now‚ the East Asian superpower is in the process of creating the world's first super dam‚ set to bust all previous records.China first announced the so-called super dam’s construction back in 2021 when the National People’s Congress approved the country’s 14th Five-Year Plan.The dam will sit in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River‚ known as the Brahmaputra River in India‚ among the foothills of the Himalayas in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The river carves along the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon‚ the deepest canyon in the world that stretches for 504.6 kilometers (313.5 miles) in length‚ just slightly longer than the Grand Canyon in the US.It aims to exploit the huge amount of potential energy that's held within the rivers and cliffs of this epically expansive region. In total‚ it could harness triple the amount of hydroelectric power currently captured by the Three Gorges power stations‚ according to state media.The government has justified the plan by saying it will help China achieve its goal of reaching peak carbon emissions peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.The Three Gorges Dam‚ the world's largest capacity hydroelectric power station‚ along the Yangtze River‚ China.Image credit: Daniel Doerfler/Shutterstock.comHowever‚ the scheme has already proved controversial at home and abroad. Over 1.25 million people were kicked out of their homes during the construction of the Three Gorges Dam project‚ while many animal habitats and natural ecosystems were irrevocably upset. Some fear the Yarlung Zangbo dam could prove even more disruptive.Rumors of the super dam have also stirred tensions among China’s bordering neighbors. In recent times‚ China and India have butted heads over the Himalayas’ water resources and the latest developments along the Yarlung Zangbo River‚ aka the Brahmaputra River‚ have the potential to deepen the dispute.As political analysts have noted‚ India and Bangladesh sit downstream of the river system and rely heavily on its waters. Since China’s dam has the potential to drastically change the river system’s flow and course‚ India is worried that their nation's water supply could essentially be held to ransom. A spokesperson for India’s water resource ministry told Al Jazeera it was planning on building its own 10-gigawatt project on another tributary of the Brahmaputra to counteract the impact of China’s dam.Some Indian commentators have asserted that China has a “veil of secrecy surrounding its project” in an attempt to mute the international reaction to the dam’s construction. Without transparency‚ they argue‚ the full impact of the super dam will remain unknown until it is completed and any objection will be too late. Similar disputes have arisen elsewhere in the world. Ethiopia is in the midst of a developing highly controversial hydroelectric dam system on the Blue Nile River‚ much to the annoyance of Egypt who fear it could sever them from the Nile’s precious waters. Likewise‚ control of the Tigris-Euphrates River complex threatens to shake up long-standing rivalries in the Middle East. All of these instances suggest the era of “water wars” may be on the horizon.

Sit with your own thoughts for long enough and you’ll come up with all sorts of questions. If you banged a tuning fork in space‚ would it vibrate forever? Is Jurassic Park possible? Does musical genre affect the flavor of cheese? And on today’s roster: why doesn’t the water in lakes just absorb into the ground?That was the question recently posed by TikTok user allison_risner20‚ and though the comment section and stitches provide some very amusing possibilities (lakes being afraid of the dark‚ for one)‚ there’s a scientific explanation for her query.   IFLScience is not responsible for content shared from external sites.It’s important to start off by saying that some lake water does seep into the ground. We often don’t notice because the water that’s lost is quickly replenished‚ such as by rain. However‚ what makes the difference in whether or not‚ and how quickly‚ that seepage happens is the material at the bottom of the lake and how permeable it is – can water pass through it?Image someone is holding up a nice bit of slate and you go and chuck some water on it. That water isn’t going to come out the other side of the rock – it’s going to pour off it. It’s the same idea for rocky-bottomed lakes; if the bottom of a lake is rocky‚ with very few gaps between‚ not a lot of water is going to be able to get through.Even in cases where there are gaps‚ lakes accumulate a lot of sediment‚ such as sand‚ silt‚ and clay‚ which helps to fill those spaces. “Over a long‚ long time‚ the bottom of the pond itself evolves and changes‚” explained hydrologist Dr Joan Wu‚ speaking to Washington State University’s Ask Dr Universe. “The materials settle and the little particles‚ or sediments‚ fill in the large pores.”However‚ water can also escape by other means – namely‚ evaporation. “Eventually‚ you will lose water from the top and from the bottom of a pond‚” said Wu. But thanks to that handy biogeochemical phenomenon known as the water cycle‚ any water that’s lost due to evaporation should theoretically be replenished by precipitation.Theoretically is the key word there. A study published in May last year revealed that more than half of the world's large lakes (that includes both natural lakes and man-made ones) are drying up. According to the researchers‚ 56 percent of that decline is due to human consumption and climate warming‚ the latter of which increases the amount of water lost due to evaporation. So whilst lakes might not be draining away with reckless abandon‚ with around 2 billion people around the world living near one‚ it’s probably a good idea to keep an eye on them.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 last total solar eclipse over the US was pretty spectacular‚ as anyone who saw it will attest. Looking at the photos‚ it's hard to imagine how the sight could have been improved upon in the eclipse taking place on April 8 this year.But if we are lucky and the weather is fine‚ we could be in for something special‚ as the eclipse coincides with the solar maximum.Sun activity increases and decreases in an 11-year cycle known as the Schwabe cycle. From 1826 to 1843‚ German amateur astronomer Heinrich Schwabe observed the Sun‚ discovering that it rotates on its axis once every 27 days. He also noticed that over 11 years (though it can be as short as eight years‚ or as long as 14) the Sun goes from quiet periods‚ where no sunspots can be seen‚ to the maximum phase where 20 or more groups of sunspots can be seen‚ before returning to the minimum phase.The 2017 eclipse took place during the solar minimum‚ when the Sun's activity is at its lowest. The solar maximum was previously forecast for 2025‚ meaning it wouldn't quite be at its highest period of activity as the magnetic poles flip. However‚ predictions have since been revised‚ with the next solar maximum predicted to be sometime between January and October this year.So what does that mean for the eclipse? In short‚ it could be quite spectacular."In 2017‚ the Sun was nearing solar minimum. Viewers of the total eclipse could see the breathtaking corona – but since the Sun was quiet‚ streamers flowing into the solar atmosphere were restricted to just the equatorial regions of the star. The Sun is more magnetically symmetrical during solar minimum‚ causing this simpler appearance‚" NASA explains. "During the 2024 eclipse‚ the Sun will be in or near solar maximum‚ when the magnetic field is more like a tangled hairball. Streamers will likely be visible throughout the corona. In addition to that‚ viewers will have a better chance to see prominences – which appear as bright‚ pink curls or loops coming off the Sun."The eclipse should be visible from Mexico to Canada. The path of totality – the area where people will see a total solar eclipse – is wider than in 2017 too‚ as the Moon is closer to Earth due to where it is in its orbit‚ meaning more people will see the Sun's corona."With lucky timing‚ there could even be a chance to see a coronal mass ejection – a large eruption of solar material – during the eclipse‚" NASA added.

Meet the Irish elk: an enormous extinct deer with a pair of comically large antlers to boot. The ancient behemoth’s unusual appendages‚ which measure a whopping 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) from tip to tip‚ may look impressive but we’re not exactly sure why they’re quite so big. According to one new study‚ their size doesn’t make much sense at all. The Irish elk (Megaloceros giganteus)‚ also called giant deer for obvious reasons‚ was Europe’s biggest ever deer‚ and one of the largest deer to exist period‚ measuring around 2 meters (6.5 feet) tall at the shoulder. Its range extended across Eurasia during the Pleistocene‚ from Ireland to Lake Baikal in Siberia‚ before it went extinct around 8‚000 years ago.“The huge antlers of the extinct Irish elk have invited evolutionary speculation since Darwin‚” the researchers write in their study. In the 1970s‚ biologist Stephen Jay Gould proposed an explanation for their size‚ concluding that they were linked to the size of the deer and the result of “positive allometry”‚ with bigger deer having proportionally even bigger antlers. However‚ the authors of the new study have revisited Gould’s conclusions and run additional analyses‚ finding something contradictory.“We found no evidence for allometric constraints as an explanation for the large antlers of the Irish elk‚” they conclude.While Gould compared the shoulder height and antler length of “cervine” deer‚ the team chose to focus on antler volume instead. Using Gould’s positive allometry‚ they predicted Irish elk would have had an antler volume of 17.5 liters‚ when in reality the average observed antler volume is around 25.5 liters.“I wouldn’t say Gould was entirely wrong‚” study author Thomas Hansen at the University of Oslo told New Scientist. “Allometry still plays an important role.” However‚ Hansen’s research suggests that other factors are likely behind the evolution of the deer’s enormous antlers.And what are those factors‚ you ask? Well‚ we don’t know for sure. Professor Adrian Lister‚ an expert on extinct megafauna at London’s Natural History Museum‚ argued that the answer is sexual selection. Fallow deer‚ the closest living relative of the giant deer‚ form a “lek” during the mating season‚ where males compete by roaring‚ parading‚ and locking antlers.“In this display of strength‚ bigger antlers were probably more intimidating to other males and more desirable to the females‚ who would wander into the lek to choose their mate‚” he explained. But having been extinct for several millennia‚ it’s impossible to study Irish elk’s behavior to know if they did the same.Their diets and habitats could also have helped‚ Hansen speculated.Despite previous suggestions that the Irish elk’s insanely big antlers may have had something to do with its extinction – the pressure of finding enough food to grow them can't have made it easy to adapt and survive – the new study concludes that there is no evidence to support this.The study is published in Evolutionary Biology.[H/T: New Scientist]