Our partner Rob Brezsny‚ who has a new book out‚ Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle‚ provides his weekly wisdom to enlighten our thinking and motivate our mood. Rob’s Free Will Astrology‚ is a syndicated weekly column appearing in over a hundred publications. He is also the author of Pronoia Is the Antidote […] The post ‘Free Will Astrology’ For This Perfect Moment–From Rob Brezsny appeared first on Good News Network.

First introduced in 1945‚ the practice of adding fluoride to public water supplies has since become a common practice in many places around the world. It doesn’t come without controversy‚ however – and though unfounded‚ it’s not unusual to come across concerns about its safety. But why is it put into water in the first place? And what makes it safe to do so?What is fluoride?Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that can be found in soil‚ water‚ and air‚ having been released from rocks. Many people will be familiar with it from its use in dental care products such as toothpaste and mouthwash‚ though it can also be found in some medications and‚ on rare occasions‚ dietary supplements.Why was it first added to water?In areas where fluoride in the water supply is naturally low‚ some authorities have added it in because‚ at recommended levels‚ it can help to prevent tooth decay – that’s why it’s found in a lot of toothpastes. It does this by helping to rebuild and strengthen tooth enamel‚ the hard‚ protective outer coating on our teeth. As a result‚ consistent contact with fluoride helps to keep teeth strong and stop pesky cavities from forming.This relationship was first spotted back in the 1800s‚ and after research into fluoride’s safety in the 1930s and 40s‚ Grand Rapids‚ Michigan became the first city in the world to fluoridate its public water supply in 1945. Nearly 80 years later‚ it’s estimated that community water fluoridation helps to reduce tooth decay by 25 percent in children and adults.Case in point: a city in Ontario‚ Canada‚ stopped adding fluoride into the water supply after 50 years‚ only to end up adding it back in 5 years later when the number of children with tooth decay or requiring urgent dental care shot up by 51 percent."For decades‚ low-level public water fluoridation has proven to have a dramatic effect on the rates of tooth decay‚ particularly in children‚" UK dentist and writer on dental health matters Ollie Jupes told IFLScience."Where fluoridation has been introduced‚ there is invariably a measurable difference in the rates of decay‚ compared to non-fluoridated areas. Decay rates in fluoridated areas can reduce by up to 25 percent. Removing fluoride from the water supply is madness."Why do some people want to remove it?Though a significant body of evidence supports the conclusion that adding fluoride to public water supplies is safe‚ there’s an equally plentiful supply of myths surrounding its use. As a result‚ there have recently been calls to ban fluoridation – and in the US‚ there’s currently an ongoing court battle to decide whether the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should do so due to concerns about its potential effects on child development.However‚ according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)‚ “Scientists in the United States and around the world have studied the safety and benefits of fluoridated water for a century and have not found consistent and convincing evidence to link water fluoridation with any potential unwanted health effect other than dental fluorosis.”Dental fluorosis can occur in children when they’re overexposed to fluoride during development. However‚ it isn’t harmful to their health; it causes white‚ sometimes brown‚ speckles on the teeth. It’s why fluoride often isn’t found in toothpastes made for young children.Whilst it’s true that at high doses fluoride can present a health hazard – it’s been associated with a bone disease called skeletal fluorosis – that kind of level isn’t being added to public water supplies. In the US‚ the decision to fluoridate is down to individual states or local authorities‚ but if they choose to do so‚ there’s still a legal limit set and regulated by the EPA.The bottom line is that‚ when used at the right levels‚ fluoride in public water supplies makes for safe drinking water‚ helping to reduce tooth decay and its knock-on effects. And while there might be one court case with people aiming to ban fluoridation‚ there’s another that shows many others are hoping for the opposite.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.  

February 7‚ 1984. That’s when astronaut Bruce McCandless II performed the first-ever untethered spacewalk. This iconic moment in history was thankfully captured in a set of equally iconic photographs which‚ 40 years later‚ remind us just how extraordinary (and mildly terrifying) a feat this mission was.The “cherry-picker”Bruce McCandless attached to the "cherry picker".Image credit: NASAFellow astronaut Robert Lee “Hoot” Gibson snapped a picture of McCandless carrying out another part of the mission – testing out the Remote Manipulator System (RMS). “What I did was I shifted the camera so that he wasn’t right in the center of the picture. I put him on the edge and the orbiter’s rudder on the other edge of the picture. That made a really cool photo‚ Gibson said to NASA.The RMS was designed to allow astronauts to work outside the space vehicle but remain anchored via the Manipulator Foot Restraint‚ nicknamed the cherry. Pictured here with McCandless‚ the restraint featured a small platform that could allow whoever was working from it to carry out activities such as satellite repair.ChallengerThe Challenger space shuttle.Image credit: NASATaken by a camera attached to the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU)‚ the propulsion unit that allowed the astronauts to spacewalk untethered‚ this image captures the Challenger space shuttle on its tenth flight. Less than two years later‚ Challenger broke apart just over a minute after launch‚ resulting in the first fatal accident involving an American spacecraft in flight.Featured on the cover of magazine Aviation Week &; Space Technology‚ the above image from the STS-41B mission shows the payload bay within the shuttle‚ the Shuttle Pallet Satellite‚ and if you squint a bit‚ astronaut Robert Stewart standing beneath the RMS.To find out more about mission STS-41B‚ check out the story behind the "most terrifying photo" ever taken in space.

Should my twins be in the same class at school?As a clinical psychologist specialising in twins‚ this is one of the most frequent questions parents ask me.Many schools continue to separate twins due to a deep-seated belief it is better for the development of separate identities. Both research evidence and clinical experience tells us it is not so simple.How many twins are there?What happens to twins is not a niche issue. In Australia‚ twins represent approximately one in every 80 pregnancies. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics‚ 1.4% (4‚286) of pregnancies were multiple births in 2022‚ with the vast majority of these being twins.As these statistics suggest‚ each year there will be many parents who have to navigate what happens to their kids at school and many teachers will have a twin in their classroom.Old school rules for twinsTraditionally‚ schools did not tend to ask parents for their views when placing twins in classes.This approach was based on anecdotal experience‚ misguided perceptions and beliefs‚ and/or limited research suggesting that being apart was better for twins’ development and academic performance.Still today‚ some parents tell me school principals insist on placing twins in separate classes because they believe it is better for shaping their individual identities. There is also the often unspoken rationale (particularly for identical twins) that it is easier for teachers and students to tell them apart.What does the research say?When looking at the research about twins at school‚ the findings tell us a different story. There is little evidence to suggest twins perform better academically when they are in separate classes. The exception might be when one twin has special needs or when there is an unhealthy amount of competition between the twins.A Canadian study published in 2022 found teaching primary school-aged twins in the same classroom had some positive impact on their behaviour and how they relate to others. This makes sense when we consider many twins have had limited experience being away from each other before starting school. So they are likely to feel more secure if placed together in these early transition years.What parents‚ schools should be doing insteadIn 2022‚ the Australian Multiple Birth Association (a non-profit organisation) released a policy statement‚ noting:there is no one-sized fits all answerparents “are best placed” to determine what will suit their childrenschools should consult parents each year about where their children should go.Twins may also have a view‚ particularly as they get older. Therefore‚ listening to each twin will be an important part of the decision-making process. Although‚ what one twin says they want might not be what they really want or need (depending on the nature of the twin dynamic). For example‚ the twin who says they want to be in a separate class to their co-twin might actually be the twin who wants to stay together. Such is the enigma of the twin relationship!This makes it even more important to gather as much informed information as possible before making a decision. For schools‚ the message is no fixed policy is best when it comes to welcoming twins into your school.Catherine E. Wood‚ Associate Professor and Clinical Psychologist‚ Swinburne University of TechnologyThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Life in a lake can be challenging at the best of times‚ but with winter comes another hurdle – ice. With the surface of lakes freezing over‚ light and oxygen suddenly become a lot more limited. That could be a potential threat‚ but thankfully‚ lake-dwelling organisms have come up some cool ways to survive.Metabolic changesFish‚ as it turns out‚ are a bit like us when it comes to the winter months; they get less active. That’s because they’re cold-blooded (not like us)‚ meaning their metabolism slows right down when the lake’s temperature gets cooler.They’re also helped out by the layer of ice on the surface providing some insulation. The resulting relatively warmer water below the ice is dense and so sinks to the bottom of the lake‚ where fish then cozy up together and chill out for winter. Certain species‚ such as koi and gobies‚ have the ability to embed themselves in soft sediments and enter a state of dormancy. During this time‚ their heart rate lowers‚ they don’t need as much food and oxygen‚ and they don’t move about much. Plenty of other creatures outside of water use similar tricks to survive winter‚ too. It’s why you should probably take a helmet with you if you go to Florida in the cooler months‚ just in case of sleepy‚ falling iguanas.Built-in antifreezeYou’ll find a lot more than fish in a frozen-over lake and arguably‚ it’s the resident insects who have the coolest methods for surviving the bitter temperatures.Some insects have a type of antifreeze in their cells. Like nature’s equivalent to the strong-smelling canned stuff you spray on your windscreen‚ this cryoprotective substance is made from specialized carbohydrates that lower the freezing point of their bodily fluids. This stops ice crystals from forming‚ which might otherwise cause the insect’s cells to burst‚ leading to fatal damage.Other insects‚ however‚ just suck it up when it comes to freezing and have adapted to let the ice crystals do their thing. Lake-dwelling insects such as dragonfly larvae and waterboatmen produce proteins that help to control the freezing process‚ known as ice nucleators. This helps to stop the ice crystals from damaging their cells by essentially freeze-drying them.Do lakes need to freeze over?For a decent number of lakes‚ freezing over is all part of a bigger‚ crucial process. Known as lake turnover‚ the water in the lake literally turns over from top to bottom‚ with the surface layer being hottest in the summer and coldest in the winter. This process is important for the distribution of oxygen throughout the lake’s waters‚ allowing for respiration to occur and thus‚ organisms to survive.This is why it’s also important for lakes to melt and continue the turnover process. Once sealed off by ice‚ the situation becomes something akin to a plot point found in many a clichéd survival movie – there’s suddenly a finite amount of oxygen and it gradually depletes.Lakes might have phytoplankton (albeit at lower levels during winter)‚ which would normally take carbon dioxide and produce oxygen via photosynthesis‚ but that requires light‚ which is also in pretty short supply. If the lake stays frozen over for too long‚ organisms will start to die from a lack of oxygen – even if they’ve adapted to use less of it‚ like fish‚ they still need some amount to live.Lack of oxygen can also occasionally lead to “winterkill” in smaller frozen-over lakes. As plant life dies off‚ what little oxygen is left can lead to decomposition‚ decreasing oxygen even further in the process and consequently‚ killing off even more organisms.With climate warming‚ that might not be a problem – many lakes are melting earlier than ever and some are not freezing over at all. That might sound like a positive for lake residents‚ but it may well disrupt the delicately balanced turnover process and in turn‚ the oxygen and nutrients they need to survive.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.  

Cars are generally a convenient way to get us from A to B‚ but unfortunately‚ they’re also no stranger to going wrong from time to time. Sometimes it’s difficult to tell what the problem is‚ but there can be clues to look out for. One of these is white smoke coming from the exhaust – but what does it mean? Time mattersThe first step to deciphering white exhaust smoke is taking note of how long it lasts. If it only pops up for a short while after starting up and the weather also happens to be wet‚ what you’re probably seeing is evaporation as the result of the car warming up.However‚ if white smoke continues to come out of the exhaust‚ this is generally a sign that coolant is leaking into the car’s engine. That’s not great news‚ as coolant helps to stop your engine from overheating and eventually‚ packing up. And if coolant is leaking‚ that can be indicative of a bigger issue; it’s important to find out what’s causing the leak in case that could cause other problems. It’s like one big‚ inconvenient‚ and potentially quite expensive‚ puzzle.Blown gasketCoolant leaking can sometimes be the result of a failed or “blown” head gasket. Found between the cylinder head at the top of the engine and the block‚ this is the part of a car that stops coolant and oil from mixing together.The head gasket can get damaged due to overheating‚ or sometimes due to sudden amounts of high pressure. This breaks the seal between oil and coolant and abracadabra – you’ve got white smoke.Cracked cylinder head or blockRemember those other parts of the engine we mentioned‚ the cylinder head and the block (the main part of the engine)? Well‚ those are important in keeping coolant out of the engine too. Even if there’s not a problem with the gasket‚ the cylinder head is sealed in place with it‚ so if it’s cracked or deformed in anyway‚ that can also lead to leakage issues. Similarly‚ the main engine block holds all of the major parts of an engine together‚ so if there’s damage to it‚ coolant may be able to escape from somewhere and run riot.All that being said‚ this information is just an indicator of what the issue could be. There are many different possibilities; leaky radiator caps or damaged radiator hoses can also create problems. It’s best to get an official diagnosis from a professional in order to get a car running both smoothly and safely once again.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.

Yvette Fielding is a well-known TV presenter and paranormal enthusiast who has been hosting the popular British show Most Haunted for over 20 years. The show features Fielding and her team of investigators exploring some of the most haunted locations in the UK and beyond‚ using various methods and equipment to communicate with the spirits. But before she became a seasoned ghost hunter‚ Fielding had her first encounter with the paranormal at a very unlikely place: the restrooms of a theater. In a recent interview on This Morning‚ Fielding shared her story with hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary‚ who were both fascinated and terrified by her tale. Fielding explained that she was visiting the Theater Royal‚ Drury Lane‚ which is one of the oldest and most haunted theaters in London. According to legend‚ the theater is home to several ghosts‚ including a man in gray‚ Joseph Grimaldi‚ and a mysterious figure known as the “Man in Black”. Fielding said that she was walking down the corridor with two other women when they saw something that made them stop in their tracks. “It wasn’t a full ghost‚ it was a pair of legs‚ just a pair of legs!” she exclaimed. She described the legs as wearing over-the-knee leather boots and walking slowly up the main staircase. She said that all three of them saw the same thing and ran away as fast as they could. “Three of us were walking down the corridor and we all stopped because coming up the main staircase were a pair of legs with over-the-knee leather boots‚ walking almost in slow motion up the stairs.” “All three of us saw it at the same time‚ turned and ran.” Fielding said it was far from the most disturbing thing she experienced during the investigation. “I’ve had so many but once we did an investigation into a terraced house in Leeds‚” she said. “A carving knife went missing the night we were there and we found it embedded in a cushion in the dark. We felt objects being thrown towards us – there was no breeze at all in the house.” “It turned out that the house was built over the ruins of a monastery. The nasty entity that had plagued this house was a monk – but not a nice one.” The post Yvette Fielding reveals her first ghost sighting at a haunted theater appeared first on Anomalien.com.

The goal of crisis management is not de-escalation at any price‚ but de-escalation that suits American and allied interests. The U.S. needs a better strategy.

That’s why the interpretation of the D.C. Circuit’s order as complicity in a politicized rush to judgment is mistaken.