tag:theconversation.com,2011:/institutions/mississippi-state-university-1970/articlesMississippi State University2024-03-05T14:00:43Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2172592024-03-05T14:00:43Z2024-03-05T14:00:43ZHow age-friendly universities can improve the second half of life<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/578357/original/file-20240227-22-jb0bay.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=38%2C23%2C5137%2C3422&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Opportunities to learn alongside people of different ages can benefit the entire community.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/group-of-mature-students-collaborating-on-project-royalty-free-image/511846363?phrase=older+college+students&adppopup=true">monkeybusinessimages via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>By 2030, more than 1.4 billion people across the globe will be at least 60 years old. This number will shoot up to <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health">2.1 billion by 2050</a>. At this point, there will be more people age 60 or older <a href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/documents/decade-of-health-ageing/decade-ageing-proposal-en.pdf">than people between 10 and 24</a>. </p>
<p>These dramatic demographic shifts prompted the United Nations and World Health Organization to declare the 2020s the <a href="https://www.who.int/initiatives/decade-of-healthy-ageing">decade of healthy aging</a>. </p>
<p>The creation of a more age-friendly world includes basic things like improving health care access. But one critical component is often overlooked: taking college courses in your 50s, 60s or beyond. These opportunities to learn later in life have been associated with a host of positive health outcomes. These include <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/26883597.2020.1794757">being less socially isolated</a> and <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/aging/want-keep-your-brain-sharp-old-age-go-back-school-n1030326">staying sharp mentally</a>.</p>
<p>Many older adults know as much. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/TrendGenerator/app/trend-table/2/8?trending=column&rid=89">more than 550,000 U.S. adults 50 and older</a> were enrolled in college undergraduate and graduate programs in 2021. Their reasons for going back to school range from <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/older-adults-are-heading-to-college-in-pursuit-of-new-opportunities">learning new skills</a> to wanting to get ahead in their careers to achieving long-held goals.</p>
<p>Institutions of higher education play a unique role in shaping an aging world. In 2012, a group of interdisciplinary scholars met to establish the <a href="https://www.afugn.org/principles">10 principles of an age-friendly university</a>. These include things such as career development for older adults pursuing second careers, increased access to health and wellness programs at universities and opportunities to learn alongside younger students. </p>
<p>In 2014, these efforts expanded to become the <a href="https://www.afugn.org/">Age-Friendly University Global Network</a>, a collective of more than 120 colleges and universities across the world. These institutions promote positive and healthy aging through innovative educational programs, research agendas, civic engagement opportunities and more. </p>
<h2>What are age-friendly universities?</h2>
<p>An age-friendly university is one that commits to including and supporting learners of all ages. What this means may vary from university to university. Some focus on increasing the presence of older adults – considered age 55 and older – on campus. Others lead the development of health and research initiatives to improve the lives of older adults. </p>
<p>At Mississippi State University, where one of us works, the focus on learners at all stages of life is growing. The new <a href="https://www.cpcs.msstate.edu/">College of Professional and Continuing Studies</a> develops and supports both credit and noncredit programs for nontraditional students.</p>
<p>We are also working with the city of Starkville, Mississippi, where one of us is located, to ensure it is an attractive destination for retirees. And we offer extension programs across the state that are of interest to many older adults, such as the <a href="https://extension.msstate.edu/community/leadership/master-gardener">master gardener program</a>, which involves 40 hours of educational training in consumer horticulture.</p>
<p>Other schools, such as the <a href="https://www.sarasotamanatee.usf.edu/news/2023/usf-receives-international-designation-as-age-friendly.aspx">University of South Florida</a>, emphasize the importance of engaging older adults in research. This includes conducting research at their <a href="https://www.usf.edu/cbcs/aging-studies/eol-center/index.aspx">Center for Hospice, Palliative Care and End-of-Life Studies</a>. The center works to ensure better quality of life for older adults in the future. Similarly, the Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging at UMass Boston works with communities throughout the commonwealth to research what older adults need and <a href="https://www.umb.edu/demographyofaging/communities/archive/">how the community can provide for them</a>.</p>
<p>All of these examples are from universities that are part of the Age-Friendly University Global Network. But this designation just builds on what many universities have long been doing. For example, the <a href="https://www.osherfoundation.org/olli.html">Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes</a> have helped universities design programs to reach older adults for decades. These include offerings such as <a href="https://olli.fullerton.edu/classes/the_arts/Linedancing.php">dance classes</a>, <a href="https://www.depts.ttu.edu/olli/catalog/2022S1/0330EuropeanCheeseWestTexasWine.php">wine tastings</a> and <a href="https://web.uri.edu/olli/programs/travel/">educational trips</a>. </p>
<h2>How age-friendly universities improve life for older students</h2>
<p>Whether older adults go to college to earn academic credits toward a degree or just for personal development, their presence on campus <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-016-9371-x">benefits the entire community</a>. </p>
<p>Older adults benefit from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2020.1819905">social opportunities, intellectual stimulation and personal growth</a>. This even extends to their health. Older adults involved in social activities are <a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/healthy-aging/participating-activities-you-enjoy-you-age">less likely to develop certain diseases</a>, including heart disease and some cancers. Continued learning is also associated with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370802408332">positive health outcomes</a>, such as improved general well-being and mental health. </p>
<p>Research also shows that intergenerational relationships on campus can reduce younger students’ <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02701960.2019.1638257">negative perceptions of older adults</a>. Young students may associate older people less with physical decline and death and more with smiling and learning, for example. Shared classes promote more positive experiences between them, including deep and meaningful conversations.</p>
<p>The best programs at age-friendly universities make sure that older adults experience a greater sense of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02701960.2020.1726744">inclusivity, respect and opportunities for learning</a>. At some universities, older adults can also find friendship in university-based retirement communities and shortened courses that meet their needs for flexibility. And at these institutions, professors are committed to integrating older adults in their college classrooms.</p>
<p>While older adults can engage in learning opportunities at almost any school, universities with the age-friendly designation may be their best bet when it comes to inclusion.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/217259/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>As the share of adults age 60 and older grows globally, age-friendly universities offer social connection, continued learning and better health.David R. Buys, Associate Professor of Health, Mississippi State UniversityAaron Guest, Assistant Professor of Aging, Arizona State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2183312024-02-13T13:20:40Z2024-02-13T13:20:40ZOur robot harvests cotton by reaching out and plucking it, like a lizard’s tongue snatching flies<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571200/original/file-20240124-15-t230yk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=12%2C6%2C4001%2C2593&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Cotton in bloom in Oklahoma.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/field-of-cotton-royalty-free-image/148704945">John Elk/the image Bank via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Cotton is one of the most valuable crops grown in the U.S., with a harvest value of <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops/cotton-and-wool/cotton-sector-at-a-glance/">some US$7 billion yearly</a>. It is cultivated across a crescent of 17 states stretching <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops/cotton-and-wool/cotton-sector-at-a-glance/">from Virginia to California</a> and is used in <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops/cotton-and-wool/cotton-sector-at-a-glance/">virtually every type of clothing</a>, as well as in medical supplies and home goods such as upholstery. </p>
<p>Cotton grows inside a hard, fibrous case called a boll. About 100 days after planting, the bolls mature and split open, revealing thousands of fluffy white fibers inside. Each boll contains 20 to 40 seeds with fibers attached to them, which is why the cotton plant’s fruit is called seed cotton. </p>
<p>Picking cotton manually, as is still done in some <a href="https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/cotton-production-by-country">major producing countries</a>, is a meticulous task. Workers have to bend to reach the bolls and can hurt their hands on <a href="https://libguides.nybg.org/c.php?g=1003078&p=7264406">hard, dry parts of the plants</a>. To harvest the seed cotton, they have to grab and twist it to separate it from the boll without leaving fiber behind. </p>
<p>Starting in the 1930s, cotton farmers in the U.S. shifted from manual labor to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/cotton-harvester">large, heavy harvesters</a>. Now the industry is entering a new stage that promises to be more efficient and precise. </p>
<p>I am an engineer and have <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=AGlJEMQAAAAJ&hl=en">nearly 20 years of research experience</a> working on agricultural machinery. My current focus is on agricultural robotics and automation. During my Ph.D. program at Mississippi State University, I worked with <a href="https://www.abe.msstate.edu/people/faculty/j-alex-thomasson/">Alex Thomasson</a>, who heads the <a href="https://www.abe.msstate.edu/">agricultural and biological engineering department</a> and the <a href="https://www.aai.msstate.edu/">Agricultural Autonomy Institute</a>, to develop a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2023.107943">robotic cotton harvester</a> that picks cotton with less damage to the product and the soil where it grows.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571202/original/file-20240124-23-258u5r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A man stands in front of a cotton field, next to a wheeled machine with a computer screen on top and wires hanging from it." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571202/original/file-20240124-23-258u5r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571202/original/file-20240124-23-258u5r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571202/original/file-20240124-23-258u5r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571202/original/file-20240124-23-258u5r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571202/original/file-20240124-23-258u5r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571202/original/file-20240124-23-258u5r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571202/original/file-20240124-23-258u5r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Mississippi State University engineering professor Hussein Gharakhani with a prototype robotic cotton harvester.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Hussein Gharakhani</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Why use robotics?</h2>
<p>Cotton farmers have economic, environmental and agricultural reasons to want a better option for harvesting. Traditional mechanical harvesters can be up to 14 feet long and weigh more than 30 tons. They remove cotton effectively without damaging the plants but also can cause problems. </p>
<p>One issue is prolonged fiber exposure. Cotton bolls don’t all mature at the same time; the first open bolls in a field may wait for up to 50 days to be picked, until more bolls around them ripen. </p>
<p>Another challenge is that harvesting machines compact the soil as they roll over it. This makes it harder for water and fertilizer to penetrate down to plant roots. And the machines cost roughly US$1 million apiece but are used for only two to three months each year. </p>
<p>Robotics is a potential solution that farmers are already using for other crops, such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-022-09913-3">fruits and vegetables</a>. Harvesting robots use cameras and sensors to detect when crops are ready to pick and can remove them without damaging the plant. </p>
<p>For cotton, robotics offers more targeted picking of bolls that are ready to harvest. It produces better-quality cotton fiber by picking seed cotton as soon as the bolls open, without leaving it exposed to the weather. The robot targets the seed cotton and avoids touching other parts of the plant. </p>
<p>With robotic picking, cotton farmers <a href="https://ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/cotton/scheduling-defoliation/">don’t need to use defoliants</a> to remove leaves from the plants prior to harvesting, which is a common practice now. And small, nimble robots don’t compress the soil as they move over it, so they help maintain soil health.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571208/original/file-20240124-17-ekvdtw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A large green machine drives through a cotton field with a man riding on an observation deck. The harvester is more than twice the man's height." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571208/original/file-20240124-17-ekvdtw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571208/original/file-20240124-17-ekvdtw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=487&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571208/original/file-20240124-17-ekvdtw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=487&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571208/original/file-20240124-17-ekvdtw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=487&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571208/original/file-20240124-17-ekvdtw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=612&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571208/original/file-20240124-17-ekvdtw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=612&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571208/original/file-20240124-17-ekvdtw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=612&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A mechanical harvester picking cotton in Alabama in 2017.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://flic.kr/p/2myChzr">Katie Nichols/Alabama Extension/Flickr</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A bioinspired ‘picking hand’</h2>
<p>Our work focuses on designing <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atech.2022.100043">an end-effector for robotic cotton harvesting</a>. An end-effector is a robotic hand that enables the robot to interact with other objects. Ours is a three-fingered version designed for delicate and efficient cotton picking. It draws inspiration from nature, mimicking the hunting prowess of a lizard.</p>
<p>Each finger is a 3D-printed structure that contains a moving belt with pins attached to it. The pins help the hand grasp and pull in the seed cotton. Like a lizard <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3oh73amxQo">snatching prey with its sticky tongue</a>, our end-effector’s three fingers approach the seed cotton delicately. On contact, the cotton fibers stick to the machine’s fingers, much as an insect sticks to a lizard’s tongue. </p>
<p>Next, the hand retracts quickly, like the lizard’s tongue. The end-effector keeps working to “swallow” the seed cotton, transferring it out of the plant. As the harvester picks and transfers seed cotton out of the plant, the end-effector touches parts of the cotton boll with remaining seed cotton multiple times to pick as much as possible.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IztKk3E7zSc?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">A robotic harvester picks cotton in a field test.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>To pick cotton efficiently, our robot has to do three things: detect bolls that are ready for harvest, determine exactly where they are located in a three-dimensional space and pick the cotton.</p>
<p>The robot uses a deep-learning algorithm that we have trained to recognize open bolls on cotton plants. It uses a stereovision camera to calculate their 3D spatial coordinates, which it transfers to the robotic arm. A control algorithm monitors each cotton boll to ensure that the robot picks as much seed cotton as possible. </p>
<h2>Testing and results</h2>
<p>So far, we have tested the robotic cotton harvester in <a href="https://youtu.be/WnzJNlSS5iU?si=HkSDbRiQp3Y-HSUj">the laboratory</a> and in <a href="https://youtu.be/IztKk3E7zSc?si=8iC9gVI3wfXZktPf">cotton fields</a>. The detection system found 78% of ripe cotton bolls; the localization system calculated 3D coordinates for 70% of the detected bolls; and the picking system successfully harvested 83% of these bolls. Overall, the robot picked about 50% of the cotton bolls that were within its reach. </p>
<p>Our harvester picked cotton at a speed of 8.8 seconds per boll. If we can decrease this required time to 0.3 seconds and increase the robot’s efficiency to pick at least 90% of the cotton bolls it can reach, by optimizing the system and adding more arms on a robot, a fleet of 50 robots could harvest a cotton field as quickly as a mechanical harvester, with a comparable yield.</p>
<p>To improve the robot’s overall performance, we plan to adopt better artificial intelligence algorithms, improve our system’s camera and add another degree of movement to the robotic arm – for example, enabling the end-effector to rotate – to increase its dexterity. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571214/original/file-20240124-23-1cp4yw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman wearing a sun visor and with a cloth bag slung around her waist bends over plants in a cotton field." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571214/original/file-20240124-23-1cp4yw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571214/original/file-20240124-23-1cp4yw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571214/original/file-20240124-23-1cp4yw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571214/original/file-20240124-23-1cp4yw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571214/original/file-20240124-23-1cp4yw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571214/original/file-20240124-23-1cp4yw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571214/original/file-20240124-23-1cp4yw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A woman picks cotton at a plantation in Birlik, Uzbekistan.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/an-uzbek-woman-picks-cotton-buds-at-a-cotton-plantation-in-news-photo/1236076112">Vyacheslav Oseledko/AFP via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We see great potential for our robot in major cotton-producing countries such as China, India, Pakistan and Uzbekistan, where cotton is currently picked by hand, often <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34844992">by women and children</a> and sometimes <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/society-equity/regulatory-crackdown-slavery-cotton-supply-chains-wake-up-call-fashion-brands-2023-08-20/">under abusive conditions</a>. One way to make this technology available for small farmers in low-income countries would be to make smaller, semi-autonomous robots that would require fewer sensors. Producing higher-value cotton with less damage to plants and soil could improve life for millions of people who earn their livings raising this global crop.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/218331/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hussein Gharakhani receives funding from Cotton Incorporated, a nonprofit research and marketing company that works to improve demand for and profitability of cotton.</span></em></p>Cotton is one of the world’s largest crops and is harvested with large, heavy machines. Robotic harvesting could yield higher-quality cotton with less damage to plants and soil.Hussein Gharakhani, Assistant Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Mississippi State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2212882024-01-23T14:17:33Z2024-01-23T14:17:33Z¿Cuándo podemos dejar de preocuparnos por la subida de precios? El último informe sobre la inflación no ofrece respuestas fáciles<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569646/original/file-20240111-29-4eets5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C6%2C2136%2C1389&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">La inflación se muestra obstinada a medida que la economía avanza hacia 2024.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/handsome-asian-male-searching-for-groceries-from-royalty-free-image/1437990851?phrase=inflation+worry&adppopup=true">miniseries via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>¿Cansado de pensar en el impacto de la inflación en su cartera? No es el único. Pero le guste o no, la subida de precios sigue siendo una cuestión económica y -con la carrera presidencial- política a medida que nos adentramos en los primeros meses de 2024.</em> </p>
<p><em>La Conversación preguntó a dos <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0929119921002406">economistas financieros</a>, <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=VxWst50AAAAJ">D. Brian Blank</a> de la Universidad Estatal de Mississippi y <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FKJSqjEAAAAJ">Brandy Hadley</a> de la Universidad Estatal de los Apalaches, qué opinan del <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.toc.htm">informe sobre la inflación</a> que se publicó el 11 de enero de 2024, y si podría llegar un momento antes de que pase mucho tiempo en el que todos podamos dejar de preocuparnos por el aumento de los costes.</em></p>
<h2>¿Fue mayor o menor la inflación en diciembre de 2023?</h2>
<p>Ambos, por desgracia. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/education/resources/explainers/inflation-and-its-measurement.html">Los economistas tienen muchas maneras</a> de medir cómo cambian los precios con el tiempo. Dos medidas clave son la inflación general o “general”, que sigue los precios de una cesta de bienes y servicios, y la inflación “subyacente”, que sigue muchos de los mismos artículos pero excluye los que tienen precios inusualmente fluctuantes, como la gasolina. </p>
<p>En el informe del 11 de enero de la Oficina de Estadísticas Laborales, que midió cuánto cambiaron los precios en diciembre de 2023, estos indicadores <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf">se movieron en direcciones diferentes</a>. En otras palabras, el más alto, el IPC subyacente - abreviatura de índice de precios al consumo - bajó de una tasa anual del 4% en noviembre al 3,9% en diciembre. Y la más baja, la inflación general, subió del 3,1% al 3,4%.</p>
<p>Mientras que anteriormente <a href="https://twitter.com/LizAnnSonders/status/1745448037105963151/photo/1">los precios rebajados </a> de la ropa, el alcohol, los vehículos nuevos y la gasolina <a href="https://twitter.com/LizAnnSonders/status/1745448037105963151">invirtieron el rumbo</a> en diciembre, la inflación subyacente cayó finalmente por debajo del 4,0%.</p>
<h2>Pero, ¿qué significa toda esta confusión sobre la inflación?</h2>
<p>Lo que todo el mundo quiere saber es cuándo volverá la inflación a la normalidad, o al menos a acercarse al objetivo del 2% fijado por la Reserva Federal. Y aunque nadie sabe la respuesta, <a href="https://fortune.com/2023/12/15/congressional-budget-office-inflation-unemployment-2024-2025/">hay razones para creer</a> que <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/TextView?type=daily_treasury_yield_curve&field_tdr_date_value_month=202401">puede</a> <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/TextView?type=daily_treasury_real_yield_curve&field_tdr_date_value_month=202401">ocurrir pronto</a>.</p>
<p>En este momento, la gente debería estar <a href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/intelligence/pages/gs-research/macro-outlook-2024-the-hard-part-is-over/report.pdf">menos preocupada por la inflación</a> de lo que estaba en diciembre de 2022, cuando la <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=rocU">cifra principal era del 6,4%</a>. Aunque la inflación sigue siendo más alta de lo que nos hemos acostumbrado en la última década, es mucho más baja de lo que ha sido en los dos últimos años. </p>
<p>Esperemos que esto indique que la Reserva Federal está <a href="https://www.usbank.com/investing/financial-perspectives/market-news/federal-reserve-tapering-asset-purchases.html">acercándose al final de su batalla</a> contra la inflación y puede que <a href="https://newsroom.bankofamerica.com/content/newsroom/press-releases/2023/11/bofa-global-research-calls-2024--the-year-of-the-landing--.html">finalmente baje los tipos de interés</a> a finales de este año. En los dos últimos años, el <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/13/the-federal-reserve-held-rates-steady-heres-what-that-means-for-you.html">banco central ha subido los tipos 11 veces</a> para controlar la demanda de consumo y los precios.</p>
<p>Pero sigue preocupando la persistencia de la inflación. <a href="https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/podcast-trouble-ahead-the-top-global-risks-of-2024">Un factor de riesgo</a> es <a href="https://www.lazard.com/research-insights/global-outlook-2024/">el impacto que tendrán los conflictos</a> en <a href="https://www.ssga.com/library-content/assets/pdf/global/global-market-outlook/2023/gmo-2024-full.pdf">Ucrania y ahora Oriente Medio</a> <a href="https://www.privatebank.bankofamerica.com/articles/what-rising-geopolitical-tensions-could-mean-for-the-markets-and-economy.html">en las rutas comerciales</a>, como <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/11/red-sea-crisis-could-jeopardize-inflation-fight-as-shipping-costs-spike-globally.html">las del Mar Rojo</a>. Otro motivo de preocupación pueden ser <a href="https://twitter.com/biancoresearch/status/1745502587854709054/photo/1">los precios de la vivienda</a>, que según el constructor <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/KBH/">KB Homes</a> <a href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/kb-homes-fourth-quarter-earnings-outlook-eb236fe0">podrían subir más este año</a>.</p>
<p>Estas preocupaciones podrían llevar a la Reserva Federal a esperar <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Business/inflation-expected-risen-slightly-december/story?id=106222654">sólo un poco más</a> para tomar decisiones importantes sobre <a href="https://twitter.com/LizYoungStrat/status/1745495575070429639/photo/1">si aflojar o no</a> los frenos a corto plazo.</p>
<h2>¿Por qué subió la inflación general?</h2>
<p>La inflación general se situó por encima de las previsiones debido, en gran medida, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-cpi-report-inflation-01-11-2024/card/the-rent-is-too-damn-high-jCrjio72Nbm7L0TEaonc">al aumento del precio de la vivienda</a>.</p>
<p>El alquiler representa una <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/us-consumer-prices-unexpectedly-rise-november-2023-12-12/">gran parte de la inflación</a>, ya que es uno de los mayores gastos de muchas personas. Sin embargo, el IPC se calcula a partir de los datos de alquiler del último año, lo que significa que los <a href="https://en.macromicro.me/collections/5/us-price-relative/49740/us-cpi-rent-zillow-rent-yoy">datos van por detrás de los cambios en los alquileres en tiempo real</a>. Además, las estimaciones de alquiler del mercado inmobiliario Zillow <a href="https://www.zillow.com/research/december-2023-rent-report-33579/">están bajando</a>, una tendencia que se espera que continúe a medida que <a href="https://twitter.com/jayparsons/status/1742925447409947099/photo/1">se construyan más pisos este año</a>.</p>
<h2>¿Qué le importa a la gente: ¿Los precios o la inflación?</h2>
<p>Aunque la inflación se está ralentizando, los costes son <a href="https://www.minneapolisfed.org/about-us/monetary-policy/inflation-calculator/consumer-price-index-1913-">un 18% más altos que hace cuatro años</a> y no están bajando, lo que hace que mucha gente sea menos optimista sobre la economía que antes de la pandemia.</p>
<p>Algunos meteorólogos y economistas de Wall Street <a href="https://theconversation.com/economic-lookahead-as-we-ring-in-2024-can-the-us-economy-continue-to-avoid-a-recession-220007">tienen dificultades para entender las preocupaciones de la gente</a> cuando los mercados laborales son fuertes y la <a href="https://www.bnymellonwealth.com/content/dam/bnymellonwealth/pdf-library/articles/BNY_CMA_V4.4_21Nov2023.pdf">bolsa está subiendo</a>. Aun así, los precios al consumo están cerca de <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm">máximos históricos</a>, lo que no entusiasma a la mayoría de la gente ni sorprende a los economistas, dado que los precios suelen subir con el tiempo.</p>
<p>A pesar de los elevados gastos, la gente sigue teniendo <a href="https://www.troweprice.com/content/dam/iinvestor/resources/insights/pdfs/tectonic-shifts-create-new-opportunities.pdf">cierto grado de renta disponible</a>. El coste <a href="https://wpde.com/news/nation-world/groceires-vs-going-out-what-may-be-behind-the-price-difference-consumer-price-index-food-home-away-sean-snaith-economic-forecasting-grocery-cost-servers-restaurants-wages-pay-thanskgiving-dinner">de comer fuera sigue</a> aumentando tres veces más rápido que el <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/food-prices-cheapest-option-groceries-restaurants-fast-food-2023-12">coste de comer en casa</a>, lo que constituye una de las mayores diferencias registradas y una prueba de que la gente <a href="https://www.pymnts.com/economy/2023/budget-constrained-consumers-prioritize-dining-out/">sigue teniendo ingresos para gastar comiendo fuera</a>. </p>
<p>Esto demuestra el <a href="https://twitter.com/ConversationUS/status/1742516107133558804">desajuste entre el comportamiento del consumidor y las “vibraciones”</a>: Los estadounidenses <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIRECSL">tienen dinero</a> para viajar e ir a restaurantes, pero siguen quejándose de <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.t02.htm">las tarifas aéreas y los precios de los menús</a>. </p>
<h2>¿Cuándo podremos dejar de hablar de inflación?</h2>
<p>Puede que tengamos que esperar hasta que la gente deje de sentir los <a href="https://www.privatebank.citibank.com/doc/investments/outlook/Citi_Wealth-Outlook-2024.pdf.coredownload.inline.pdf">impactos de la inflación</a> antes de que dejen de querer quejarse de ella - y de centrarse en ella - cada mes. ¿Podría la Reserva Federal poner fin a la preocupación por la inflación <a href="https://saf.wellsfargoadvisors.com/emx/dctm/Research/wfii/wfii_reports/Investment_Strategy/outlook_report.pdf">bajando las tarifas</a>? ¿O necesita <a href="https://am.jpmorgan.com/content/dam/jpm-am-aem/global/en/insights/market-insights/mi-investment-outlook-uk-en.pdf">mantener las tarifas más altos</a> durante más tiempo? <a href="https://www.morganstanley.com/ideas/global-investment-strategy-outlook-2024">Sólo el tiempo lo dirá</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/221288/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>D. Brian Blank no recibe salario, ejerce labores de consultoría, posee acciones, ni recibe financiación de ninguna compañía u organización que pudiera beneficiarse de este artículo, y ha declarado carecer de afiliaciones relevantes además de su cargo académico.
</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Brandy Hadley no recibe salario, ejerce labores de consultoría, posee acciones, ni recibe financiación de ninguna compañía u organización que pudiera beneficiarse de este artículo, y ha declarado carecer de afiliaciones relevantes además de su cargo académico.
</span></em></p>Dos importantes indicadores de inflación evolucionan en direcciones distintas. ¿Qué ocurre?D. Brian Blank, Associate Professor of Finance, Mississippi State UniversityBrandy Hadley, Associate Professor of Finance and the David A. Thompson Distinguished Scholar of Applied Investments, Appalachian State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2186682024-01-17T13:36:47Z2024-01-17T13:36:47ZHelium is an essential material for research and medical equipment, but it’s nonrenewable and difficult to recycle<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567962/original/file-20240104-29-yf3a44.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C14%2C3264%2C1812&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A bag full of gas used in a helium recovery system.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Bluefors Cryocooler Technology, Inc.</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The next time you pick up balloons for your big party, remember the helium gas in those balloons is destined for the stars. Helium is so light that it easily escapes Earth’s gravity, and all helium will eventually make its way into space. Like fossil fuels, helium is a limited resource. </p>
<p>Helium shortages have become an acute problem for many researchers. Since early 2022, a variety of factors have put pressure on the global helium market, including <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1126/science.adm7941">the potential sale</a> of the U.S.’s publicly held helium reserves and production infrastructure, <a href="https://www.barrons.com/news/sanctions-on-russia-add-to-troubles-facing-global-helium-industry-01646337907">sanctions against Russia</a> and a series of <a href="https://www.gasworld.com/story/kornbluth-latest-amur-fire-tightens-helium-supply-for-2022/">breakdowns at helium plants</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.gasworld.com/story/helium-shortage-4-0-continuing-uncertainty-in-the-market/">Four helium shortages</a> have occurred over the past decade, and these disruptions affect several high-tech industries. Beyond inflating balloons, helium plays a part in welding for certain metals and in making semiconductors.</p>
<p>Medical imaging and chemical analysis research also use helium. Liquid helium cooled to minus-450 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-268 degrees Celsius) keeps the superconducting magnets in instruments like magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, and nuclear magnetic resonance, or NMR, systems cool. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568307/original/file-20240108-14-w0b91g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A white MRI machine, which has a tube with a cot inside and a white monitor in the background, and a black monitor with blurred images of a human skull, in the foreground." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568307/original/file-20240108-14-w0b91g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568307/original/file-20240108-14-w0b91g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568307/original/file-20240108-14-w0b91g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568307/original/file-20240108-14-w0b91g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568307/original/file-20240108-14-w0b91g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568307/original/file-20240108-14-w0b91g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568307/original/file-20240108-14-w0b91g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">MRI machines need liquid helium to keep the magnetic field functioning.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v1/items/a6faf0ae96d649cdb2c8af3625eb34d5/preview/AP16295528547224.jpg?wm=api&tag=app_id=1,user_id=925287,org_id=101781">AP Photo/Keith Srakocic</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Helium shortages put pressure on many industries, and when a shortage hits, helium <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adm7941">costs can spike dramatically</a>. Even consumers can be affected – prices for inflated party balloons and helium tank kits <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-49715838">have increased substantially</a>.</p>
<h2>Helium in research – a cold conundrum</h2>
<p>Both MRI and NMR instruments require extremely strong magnetic fields to operate. The most efficient way to generate those fields <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-do-superconductors-work-a-physicist-explains-what-it-means-to-have-resistance-free-electricity-202308">uses superconducting wire</a>. A superconducting electrical current generates a magnetic field, and once started, these currents can continue for decades <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/286/1/012016">without additional electrical input</a>.</p>
<p>But there is a catch. Without liquid helium, the wires quickly warm up. Over time, the helium used to cool the magnets evaporates. The superconductivity goes away, and the magnetic field dissipates. </p>
<p>Earlier this year, LK-99, a potential new <a href="https://theconversation.com/scientists-have-been-researching-superconductors-for-over-a-century-but-they-have-yet-to-find-one-that-works-at-room-temperature-3-essential-reads-216806">room-temperature superconductor</a> made headlines worldwide. Such a material, if found, could eliminate the need for helium in MRI and NMR systems. </p>
<p>So far, LK-99 has not produced a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-02585-7">breakthrough in superconductivity</a>, although scientists are still hunting for <a href="https://theconversation.com/physicists-hunt-for-room-temperature-superconductors-that-could-revolutionize-the-worlds-energy-system-80707">new superconducting materials</a>.</p>
<p>Until scientists find a functional room temperature superconductor, MRI and NMR facilities need helium. A small to midsize university or hospital may spend <a href="https://info.blockimaging.com/how-much-will-it-cost-to-refill-helium-in-my-mri-machine">US$20,000 per year on liquid helium</a>, as every few months, their liquid helium supplies need replenishing. </p>
<p>Larger facilities need more, and over the past two to three years, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adm7941">the price of helium</a> has doubled. <a href="https://ivanmr.com/event/helium-crisis-4-0-as-it-pertains-to-the-nmr-community/">Some institutions</a> have been forced to de-energize their instruments as a result. This process shuts down the magnetic field, effectively halting the instrument’s activity until the facility can buy helium again.</p>
<p><iframe id="btsb0" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/btsb0/2/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<h2>New helium on the horizon</h2>
<p>One approach to address the helium shortage involves seeking additional helium sources. Helium is normally obtained as a <a href="https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals/helium/about-helium">byproduct of drilling for natural gas</a>, since helium collects underground in pockets containing methane and other hydrocarbons. </p>
<p>Methane is a greenhouse gas, and burning natural gas <a href="https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/natural-gas/natural-gas-and-the-environment.php">releases carbon dioxide</a> into the atmosphere. Methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere contribute to climate change. </p>
<p>But pockets of helium that aren’t mixed with natural gas could exist in places underground. <a href="https://www.earth.ox.ac.uk/2016/06/huge-helium-discovery-a-life-saving-find/">Researchers searching</a> in Africa have identified what could be a major store of helium in Tanzania’s Rukwa Region. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.dhakatribune.com/financial-markets/329840/noble-helium-asx-nhe-down-16%25-an-awkward">At least two companies</a> are actively trying to locate these pockets, which originate from <a href="https://www.earth.ox.ac.uk/2016/06/huge-helium-discovery-a-life-saving-find/">unique volcanic activity in the area</a>. Drilling at these sites could be a more climate-friendly alternative – although any form of drilling has local environmental impacts. </p>
<p>As of early December 2023, the helium levels found from drilling these pockets seem promising. <a href="https://www.investi.com.au/api/announcements/nhe/adc30bea-f91.pdf">The most recent exploration</a> reveals helium levels of at least 2% to 3%, more than 1,000 times normal atmospheric levels. This is <a href="https://doi.org/10.7569/jnge.2016.692506">on par with other drilling sites</a> that produce helium.</p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567958/original/file-20240104-15-1owtjn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A tall steel drilling rig and a large yellow container, with a red flag on top of the container." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567958/original/file-20240104-15-1owtjn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567958/original/file-20240104-15-1owtjn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567958/original/file-20240104-15-1owtjn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567958/original/file-20240104-15-1owtjn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567958/original/file-20240104-15-1owtjn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567958/original/file-20240104-15-1owtjn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567958/original/file-20240104-15-1owtjn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A helium drilling system.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Lorna Blaisse, Helium One Global Ltd.</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Two companies are currently searching for helium in Africa, and both plan to continue searching for higher helium levels. However, <a href="https://www.gasworld.com/story/the-2023-worldwide-helium-market/2128890.article/">independent industry assessments</a> estimate that new helium facilities may not come online until 2025 or later. </p>
<p>Even so, these efforts do not solve the bigger problem – the need for a renewable helium source.</p>
<h2>Reusing existing helium</h2>
<p>Until scientists have reliable, room-temperature superconductors or find an unlimited helium supply, conserving available helium is the best route forward. Fortunately, this is becoming easier to do. </p>
<p>Researchers at <a href="https://www.ameslab.gov/insider-april-2022">Iowa State University</a> began recycling their helium in the 1960s. Since then, this technology has become cheaper, and both the <a href="https://mcbblog.nsfbio.com/2022/05/24/nsf-bio-and-che-will-fund-acquisition-of-helium-recovery-systems/">U.S. National Science Foundation</a> and the <a href="https://loop.nigms.nih.gov/2020/02/nigms-administrative-supplements-for-helium-recovery-systems-2/">U.S. National Institutes of Health</a> have funded efforts to install helium recovery equipment in academic research settings. </p>
<p>These systems are becoming more common, even in smaller NMR facilities. And scientists, including researchers in my lab, are helping each other by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@FitzkeeLab/">sharing their experiences</a> installing this equipment.</p>
<p>Helium recovery systems involve three main components. First, there is a system that <a href="https://cbic.yale.edu/about-us/helium-recovery">transports evaporated helium</a> from the superconducting magnets. This component monitors the evaporation rate and ensures a steady flow through the system.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568305/original/file-20240108-25-xdlll4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A large metal structure next to a truck and a cylindrical red tank, with the setting sun in the background." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568305/original/file-20240108-25-xdlll4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568305/original/file-20240108-25-xdlll4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568305/original/file-20240108-25-xdlll4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568305/original/file-20240108-25-xdlll4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568305/original/file-20240108-25-xdlll4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568305/original/file-20240108-25-xdlll4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568305/original/file-20240108-25-xdlll4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A helium drilling facility at sunset.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Noble Helium Ltd</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Second, there is a collection system. For large facilities, this consists of <a href="https://nationalmaglab.org/about-the-maglab/around-the-lab/what-is-that/helium-recovery-bag/">a large, flexible bag</a>. The bag expands as it collects the evaporated helium, storing it temporarily. This bag is the size of a small car, and where space is a concern, smaller facilities can use helium tanks for storage. </p>
<p>Third, there is a system that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/101/1/012103">reliquefies the gaseous helium</a>. This is the most expensive component, and it uses electrical energy to cool the helium. Once liquefied, the facility staff transfers the helium back to the magnets.</p>
<p>While the helium shortage has led to significant challenges, many scientists are optimistic about the future. Researchers continue to search for room-temperature superconductors. New helium facilities in Tanzania could increase supply. And more widespread access to helium recovery equipment is allowing scientists to conserve this valuable resource.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/218668/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nicholas Fitzkee receives funding from The National Science Foundation (DBI 2215258, CHE/MCB 2304919) and the National Institutes of Health (R01GM113152). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or National Institutes of Health.</span></em></p>With the fourth significant shortage of helium in a decade continuing, companies and researchers are looking for alternative sources.Nicholas Fitzkee, Professor of Chemistry, Mississippi State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2209892024-01-11T23:03:10Z2024-01-11T23:03:10ZWhen can we stop worrying about rising prices? The latest inflation report offers no easy answers<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568931/original/file-20240111-29-4eets5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C6%2C2136%2C1389&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Aisle be damned! Inflation is proving stubborn as the economy moves into 2024.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/handsome-asian-male-searching-for-groceries-from-royalty-free-image/1437990851?phrase=inflation+worry&adppopup=true">miniseries via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>Tired of thinking about inflation’s impact on your wallet? You’re not alone. But like it or not, higher prices continue to be an economic and – with the presidential race – a political issue as we enter the early months of 2024.</em></p>
<p><em>The Conversation asked two <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0929119921002406">financial economists</a>, <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=VxWst50AAAAJ">D. Brian Blank</a> at Mississippi State University and Appalachian State University’s <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FKJSqjEAAAAJ">Brandy Hadley</a>, what they make of the <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.toc.htm">inflation report</a> that dropped on Jan. 11, 2024, and whether there might be a time before too long when we can all stop worrying about increasing costs.</em></p>
<h2>Was inflation higher or lower in December 2023?</h2>
<p>Both, unfortunately. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/education/resources/explainers/inflation-and-its-measurement.html">Economists have many ways</a> of measuring how prices change over time. Two key measures are overall, or “headline,” inflation, which tracks the prices for a basket of goods and services, and “core” inflation, which tracks many of the same items but excludes those with unusually jumpy prices, such as gasoline. </p>
<p>In the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Jan. 11 report, which measured how much prices changed in December 2023, these indicators <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf">moved in different directions</a>. In other words, the higher one, core CPI – short for consumer price index – declined from an annual rate of 4% in November to 3.9% in December. And the lower one, headline inflation, rose from 3.1% to 3.4%.</p>
<p>While previously <a href="https://twitter.com/LizAnnSonders/status/1745448037105963151/photo/1">falling prices</a> for clothing, alcohol, new vehicles and gas <a href="https://twitter.com/LizAnnSonders/status/1745448037105963151">reversed course</a> in December, core inflation finally fell below 4.0%.</p>
<h2>But what does all this inflation confusion mean?</h2>
<p>What everyone wants to know is when will inflation go back to normal, or at least closer to the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%. And while no one knows the answer, <a href="https://fortune.com/2023/12/15/congressional-budget-office-inflation-unemployment-2024-2025/">there are reasons to believe</a> <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/TextView?type=daily_treasury_yield_curve&field_tdr_date_value_month=202401">it may</a> <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/TextView?type=daily_treasury_real_yield_curve&field_tdr_date_value_month=202401">happen soon</a>.</p>
<p>At this point, people should be <a href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/intelligence/pages/gs-research/macro-outlook-2024-the-hard-part-is-over/report.pdf">less worried about inflation</a> than they were in December 2022, when the <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=rocU">headline figure was 6.4%</a>. While inflation is still higher than we have gotten used to over the past decade, it’s much lower than it has been over the past couple of years. </p>
<p>Hopefully, that indicates the Federal Reserve is <a href="https://www.usbank.com/investing/financial-perspectives/market-news/federal-reserve-tapering-asset-purchases.html">approaching the end of its battle</a> with inflation and may be able to <a href="https://newsroom.bankofamerica.com/content/newsroom/press-releases/2023/11/bofa-global-research-calls-2024--the-year-of-the-landing--.html">finally lower interest rates</a> later this year. Over the past two years, the <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/13/the-federal-reserve-held-rates-steady-heres-what-that-means-for-you.html">central bank has raised rates 11 times</a> to tame consumer demand and prices.</p>
<p>But concerns remain about inflation persisting. <a href="https://www.gzeromedia.com/podcast/podcast-trouble-ahead-the-top-global-risks-of-2024">One risk factor</a> is <a href="https://www.lazard.com/research-insights/global-outlook-2024/">the impact that conflicts</a> in <a href="https://www.ssga.com/library-content/assets/pdf/global/global-market-outlook/2023/gmo-2024-full.pdf">Ukraine and now the Middle East</a> will have <a href="https://www.privatebank.bankofamerica.com/articles/what-rising-geopolitical-tensions-could-mean-for-the-markets-and-economy.html">on trade routes</a>, such as <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/11/red-sea-crisis-could-jeopardize-inflation-fight-as-shipping-costs-spike-globally.html">those in the Red Sea</a>. Another area of concern may be <a href="https://twitter.com/biancoresearch/status/1745502587854709054/photo/1">home prices</a>, which builder <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/KBH/">KB Homes</a> reports <a href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/kb-homes-fourth-quarter-earnings-outlook-eb236fe0">may be rising more this year</a>.</p>
<p>Those worries could lead the Fed to wait <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Business/inflation-expected-risen-slightly-december/story?id=106222654">just a bit longer</a> to make any big decisions on <a href="https://twitter.com/LizYoungStrat/status/1745495575070429639/photo/1">whether to ease off</a> the brakes any time soon.</p>
<h2>So why did headline inflation tick higher?</h2>
<p>Overall inflation came in higher than forecasts largely due to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-cpi-report-inflation-01-11-2024/card/the-rent-is-too-damn-high-jCrjio72Nbm7L0TEaonc">the rising price of housing</a>.</p>
<p>Rent accounts for a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/us-consumer-prices-unexpectedly-rise-november-2023-12-12/">huge part of inflation</a>, since it’s one of many people’s largest expenses. However, CPI is calculated using rental data over the past year, which means the <a href="https://en.macromicro.me/collections/5/us-price-relative/49740/us-cpi-rent-zillow-rent-yoy">data lags behind real-time rent changes</a>. What’s more, real estate marketplace Zillow’s estimates of rent <a href="https://www.zillow.com/research/december-2023-rent-report-33579/">are falling</a> – a trend that’s expected to continue as <a href="https://twitter.com/jayparsons/status/1742925447409947099/photo/1">more apartments are built this year</a>.</p>
<h2>What matters to people: Prices or inflation?</h2>
<p>Even though inflation is slowing, costs are <a href="https://www.minneapolisfed.org/about-us/monetary-policy/inflation-calculator/consumer-price-index-1913-">18% higher than four years ago</a> and aren’t falling, which makes many people less optimistic about the economy than before the pandemic.</p>
<p>Some Wall Street forecasters and economists <a href="https://theconversation.com/economic-lookahead-as-we-ring-in-2024-can-the-us-economy-continue-to-avoid-a-recession-220007">struggle to understand people’s concerns</a> when labor markets are strong and the <a href="https://www.bnymellonwealth.com/content/dam/bnymellonwealth/pdf-library/articles/BNY_CMA_V4.4_21Nov2023.pdf">stock market is rising</a>. Still, consumer prices are near <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm">all-time highs</a>, which is neither exciting for most people nor surprising to economists given that prices typically rise over time.</p>
<p>Despite high expenses, people still have a <a href="https://www.troweprice.com/content/dam/iinvestor/resources/insights/pdfs/tectonic-shifts-create-new-opportunities.pdf">degree of disposable income</a>. The cost <a href="https://wpde.com/news/nation-world/groceires-vs-going-out-what-may-be-behind-the-price-difference-consumer-price-index-food-home-away-sean-snaith-economic-forecasting-grocery-cost-servers-restaurants-wages-pay-thanskgiving-dinner">to eat out continues</a> to increase three times as fast as the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/food-prices-cheapest-option-groceries-restaurants-fast-food-2023-12">cost to eat at home</a>, which is both one of the largest differences on record and evidence that people <a href="https://www.pymnts.com/economy/2023/budget-constrained-consumers-prioritize-dining-out/">still have income to spend eating out</a>. </p>
<p>That shows the <a href="https://twitter.com/ConversationUS/status/1742516107133558804">mismatch between consumer behavior and “vibes”</a>: Americans <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIRECSL">have the money</a> to travel and go to restaurants, but still complain about <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.t02.htm">airfare and menu prices</a>. </p>
<h2>When can we stop talking about inflation?</h2>
<p>We may have to wait until people stop feeling the <a href="https://www.privatebank.citibank.com/doc/investments/outlook/Citi_Wealth-Outlook-2024.pdf.coredownload.inline.pdf">inflation impacts</a> before they stop wanting to complain about it – and focus on it – each month. Could the Fed stop the inflation preoccupation <a href="https://saf.wellsfargoadvisors.com/emx/dctm/Research/wfii/wfii_reports/Investment_Strategy/outlook_report.pdf">by lowering rates</a>? Or does the Fed need to <a href="https://am.jpmorgan.com/content/dam/jpm-am-aem/global/en/insights/market-insights/mi-investment-outlook-uk-en.pdf">hold rates higher</a> for longer? <a href="https://www.morganstanley.com/ideas/global-investment-strategy-outlook-2024">Only time will tell</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220989/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Two important inflation indicators are trending in different directions. What gives?D. Brian Blank, Associate Professor of Finance, Mississippi State UniversityBrandy Hadley, Associate Professor of Finance and the David A. Thompson Distinguished Scholar of Applied Investments, Appalachian State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2190842024-01-10T13:31:56Z2024-01-10T13:31:56ZAs Zepbound dominates headlines as a new obesity-fighting drug, a nutritionist warns that weight loss shouldn’t be the only goal<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568084/original/file-20240105-19-zvx4x7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=52%2C30%2C4979%2C3319&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Overall health and well-being are about much more than just weight management.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/anatomical-heart-made-of-felt-textile-in-red-royalty-free-image/1437430537?phrase=healthy+lifestyle&searchscope=image%2Cfilm&adppopup=true">Carol Yepes/Moment via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>If the buzz surrounding a medication could elevate it to celebrity status, then <a href="https://www.zepbound.lilly.com/">Zepbound</a> is reaching Taylor Swift rank. </p>
<p>Zepbound is the newest addition to the weight loss drug arena. In November 2023, it joined the list of obesity-fighting drugs – administered as an injection – to be <a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-new-medication-chronic-weight-management">approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration</a>. </p>
<p>The key to Zepbound’s weight loss potential is its active ingredient, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2206038">tirzepatide</a>. This is the same active ingredient found in the drug <a href="https://www.mounjaro.com/">Mounjaro</a>, which is approved to treat Type 2 diabetes. </p>
<p>The relationship between Zepbound and Mounjaro is similar to two other popular drugs making headlines, <a href="https://www.wegovy.com/">Wegovy</a> and <a href="https://www.ozempic.com/">Ozempic</a>. Both Wegovy and Ozempic contain the active ingredient <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/semaglutide-subcutaneous-route/description/drg-20406730#">semaglutide</a>, with Ozempic approved for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes and Wegovy approved for the treatment of obesity. </p>
<p>Tirzepatide and semaglutide both mimic the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s005920050116">digestive hormone GLP-1</a>, which is released by the intestines when we eat to stimulate insulin production and help regulate blood sugar. GLP-1 also suppresses appetite while promoting a sensation of fullness. </p>
<p>Weight loss medications are intended to be used in conjunction with lifestyle changes, such as exercise and <a href="https://theconversation.com/fiber-is-your-bodys-natural-guide-to-weight-management-rather-than-cutting-carbs-out-of-your-diet-eat-them-in-their-original-fiber-packaging-instead-205159">a healthy diet</a>. But too often, people view them as a silver bullet for weight loss. And <a href="https://www.kff.org/health-costs/press-release/drugs-used-for-weight-loss-could-cost-americans-much-more-than-people-in-peer-countries/">the high price tag</a> and <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/insurance-cover-weight-loss-drugs-take-rcna120091">variable insurance coverage</a> for these popular weight loss drugs create a barrier for many people. </p>
<p>I am a registered dietitian and <a href="https://www.fsnhp.msstate.edu/associate.php?id=182">dietetics educator</a>. Whether I am counseling patients, teaching students or working in my community to address food access challenges and healthy eating, I focus on overall well-being. I am passionate about helping people make informed and realistic health decisions based on their circumstances and helping them see opportunities to overcome the barriers they may encounter.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x2eHh9ChBB4?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">A doctor outlines the differences between Zepbound and other weight loss drugs.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Health risks of obesity</h2>
<p>The potential impact of these drugs is staggering, since <a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity#">more than 2 in 5 American adults are obese</a>, according to the National Institutes of Health. </p>
<p>Obesity is not just an American issue, nor is it going away. The <a href="https://www.worldobesity.org/news/one-billion-people-globally-estimated-to-be-living-with-obesity-by-2030">World Obesity Federation</a> estimates that by 2030, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 7 men will be living with obesity worldwide.</p>
<p>Many serious health conditions are associated with obesity, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000973">heart disease</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3066828/">diabetes</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.21037/gs.2019.12.03">high blood pressure</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.21037/atm-20-4387">stroke</a>, <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/obesity/obesity-fact-sheet#what-is-known-about-the-relationship-between-obesity-and-cancer-">certain cancers</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2022.907750">osteoarthritis</a>. By treating obesity, a person can reduce or reverse obesity-related disease and improve both their health and quality of life.</p>
<p>However, long-term weight management depends on a number of complex factors. Meal timing and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK232454/">types of foods eaten</a> can affect energy levels, satisfaction and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0174820">hunger levels</a>. A person’s typical schedule, culture and preferences, activity level and health history must be taken into consideration as well. No single “best strategy” for weight management has been identified, and research indicates that strategies for weight loss and maintenance <a href="https://doi.org/10.7570/jomes20065">need to be individualized</a>.</p>
<p>In addition, it is critical to note that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.14725">research on the long-term effects</a> of these newer weight loss drugs is limited. The available research has focused specifically on weight loss, heart health and metabolism and has found that <a href="https://www.tctmd.com/news/stopping-tirzepatide-leads-rebound-weight-cardiometabolic-risk#">ongoing use of these new medications</a> is necessary to maintain improvements in weight and related health benefits. </p>
<p>Common side effects and the emotional toll experienced by those who regain weight once they stop taking the drugs are <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/well/2023/4/7/23671762/experts-worry-new-weight-loss-medications-carry-longterm-risks">trade-offs that need to be considered</a>. More research is needed to better understand the long-term impact of both direct and indirect health consequences of taking drugs for weight loss.</p>
<h2>It’s not just what you see on the scale</h2>
<p>Throughout my years working as a registered dietitian, I have counseled numerous people about their weight loss goals. I often see a hyperfocus on weight loss, with much less attention being placed on the right nutrients to eat.</p>
<p>Societal standards and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0251566">weight stigma in the health care setting</a> can negatively affect patients’ health and can lead them to obsess about the number on a scale rather than on the health outcome.</p>
<p>Weight loss may be necessary to reduce risks and promote health. But weight loss alone should not be the end goal: Rather, the focus should be on overall health. Tactics to reduce intake and suppress appetite require intention to ensure that the body receives the nutrients it needs to support health.</p>
<p>Additionally, I remind people that <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/01/03/obesity-ozempic-wegovy-weight-loss-health/">long-term results require attention to diet and lifestyle</a>. When a person stops taking a medication, the condition it’s meant to treat can often return. If you stop taking your high blood pressure pills without altering your diet and lifestyle, your blood pressure goes back up. The same effects can happen with medications used to treat cholesterol and obesity.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567792/original/file-20240103-19-3k2s6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Tape measure lying on top of a scale on a white tile background." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567792/original/file-20240103-19-3k2s6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567792/original/file-20240103-19-3k2s6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567792/original/file-20240103-19-3k2s6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567792/original/file-20240103-19-3k2s6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567792/original/file-20240103-19-3k2s6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567792/original/file-20240103-19-3k2s6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567792/original/file-20240103-19-3k2s6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Weight management plans should take into consideration a person’s schedule, lifestyle and health history.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/tape-measure-on-scales-close-up-royalty-free-image/sb10068935i-001">Peter Dazeley/The Image Bank via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Nourish your body with nutrients</h2>
<p>Despite the prevalence of obesity and the emergence of newer drugs to treat it, 95% of the world’s population doesn’t get enough of <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061735">at least one nutrient</a>. According to one study, nearly one-third of Americans have been found to be at risk of <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9070655">at least one nutrient deficiency</a>. Additional research indicates that those actively trying to lose weight are more prone to <a href="https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/12675">nutrient deficiencies and inadequate intake</a>. </p>
<p>For instance, a decline in iron intake can lead to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxab064">iron deficiency anemia</a>, which can cause fatigue as well as an increased risk of many conditions. Adequate intake of calcium and Vitamin D <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10195-017-0474-7">reduce the risk of bone fractures</a>, yet many people get less than the recommended amounts of these nutrients. </p>
<p>It is true that a healthy body weight is associated with reduced health risks and conditions. But if a person loses weight in a manner that does not provide their body with adequate nourishment, then they may develop new health concerns. For example, when a person follows a diet that severely restricts carbohydrates, such as the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499830/">ketogenic diet</a>, intake of many vitamins, minerals, <a href="https://www.uclahealth.org/news/what-are-phytochemicals-and-why-should-you-eat-more-them">phytochemicals</a> – or biologically active compounds found in plants – and fiber are reduced. This can increase risk of nutrient deficiencies and <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.702802">impair the health of bacteria in our gut</a> that are important for nutrient absorption and immune function.</p>
<p><a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/HealthInformation/nutrientrecommendations.aspx">Nutrition recommendations</a> set by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the <a href="https://health.gov/our-work/nutrition-physical-activity/dietary-guidelines">Dietary Guidelines for Americans</a> provide guidance and <a href="https://www.nutrition.gov/">resources</a> to help meet nutrient needs to promote health and prevent disease, regardless of the strategy used to lose weight.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HloP7XR3Y24?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">His transformation began with a wake-up call from the doctor.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Optimizing health</h2>
<p>There is no doubt that striving for a healthy body weight can reduce certain health risks and prevent chronic disease. Whether a person strives to maintain a healthy body weight through diet alone or with medications to treat obesity, the following tips can help optimize health while attempting to lose weight.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Adopt an individualized approach to healthy behaviors that promote weight loss while considering personal preferences, environmental challenges, health conditions and nutrient needs.</p></li>
<li><p>Focus on nutrient-dense foods to ensure the body is getting required nutrients for disease prevention and optimal function. If medications reduce your appetite, it is crucial to maximize the amount of nutrients in the foods you do consume.</p></li>
<li><p>Include <a href="https://theconversation.com/cardio-or-weights-first-a-kinesiologist-explains-how-to-optimize-the-order-of-your-exercise-routine-217431">exercise in your program</a>. Weight loss as a result of reduced calorie intake can decrease both fat and lean body mass, or muscle. An exercise routine that <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/strength-training/art-20046670">includes strength training</a> will <a href="https://www.forbes.com/health/fitness/benefits-of-strength-training/">help improve muscle strength</a> and preserve muscle during weight loss. </p></li>
<li><p>Seek professional help. If you are uncertain about how to adopt an individualized approach while ensuring adequate intake of essential nutrients, talk to a registered dietitian. They can learn about your individual needs based on preferences, health conditions and goals to make dietary recommendations that support health.</p></li>
</ol>
<p><em>This article has been corrected to clarify that Ozempic is approved for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes and Wegovy is approved for the treatment of obesity.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219084/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mandy Conrad does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Medications can play an important role in weight management, but not at the expense of overall nutrition. And healthy lifestyle habits are also key.Mandy Conrad, Assistant Clinical Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, Mississippi State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2200072023-12-26T19:41:06Z2023-12-26T19:41:06ZEconomic lookahead: As we ring in 2024, can the US economy continue to avoid a recession?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566945/original/file-20231220-15-jkaby9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=35%2C71%2C5955%2C3916&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Good things are in store in 2024.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/new-year-2024-start-concept-preparation-for-royalty-free-image/1663699769">Sakorn Sukkasemsakorn/iStock/Getty Images Plus</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>With <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-12-14/five-things-you-need-to-know-to-start-your-day">economic forecasters rewriting their 2024 outlooks</a> <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-13/stock-market-today-dow-s-p-live-updates">following recent moves</a> <a href="https://www.schwab.com/learn/story/fomc-meeting">from the Federal Reserve</a>, The Conversation turned to two financial economists to share their thoughts on the upcoming year.</em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=VxWst50AAAAJ">D. Brian Blank</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FKJSqjEAAAAJ">Brandy Hadley</a> are professors who study <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0929119921002406">finance, firm financial decisions and the economy</a>. They explain what they’re watching in 2024.</em> </p>
<h2>1. At this time last year, many experts saw a downturn on the horizon. Will that <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/billconerly/2023/02/13/consumer-forecast-2023-2024-growth-now-recession-later/?sh=6a31c804789a">long-predicted recession</a> finally come to pass in 2024?</h2>
<p>The good news is, probably not. </p>
<p>The U.S. economy is <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?c5097962/fed-chair-economy-recession-remains-possibility">not in a recession</a> and will likely <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-13/stock-market-today-dow-s-p-live-updates">continue growing</a>. Over the past year, <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/written-materials/2023/12/19/ten-charts-that-explain-the-u-s-economy-in-2023/">gross domestic product has outpaced expectations</a>, <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/economy/articles/2023-12-12/inflation-continues-to-decline-hitting-3-1-rate-in-november">inflation is trending downward</a> and <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jobs-report-today-november-199000-new-jobs-unemployment-rate/">employment remains robust</a>. <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/strong-wage-growth-gave-americans-a-1000-spending-boost-in-2023-194703857.html">Real wages have increased</a>, as has <a href="https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231130-why-americans-yolo-spending-attitude-baffles-economists">consumer spending</a>. Additionally, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/us-single-family-housing-starts-surge-november-2023-12-19/">housing demand is strong</a> and financial markets are at <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/12/13/dow-jones-stock-market-record-high-economy-interest-rates/">all-time highs</a>. While no one should argue that there will never be another recession, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/economy/central-banking/the-fed-underwrites-the-recovery-0573826c">2024 seems to be an unlikely time for one</a> – unless there’s some unexpected <a href="https://www.gspublishing.com/content/research/en/reports/2023/08/07/d2ab6cef-d9ea-453f-b4fa-912d22ab09ee.html">spark like, for example</a>, a new global pandemic. </p>
<p>To be fair, optimism leads to risk-taking, <a href="https://calvinrosser.com/notes/same-as-ever-morgan-housel/">which can always contribute to the next downturn</a>. And the U.S. economy faces plenty of challenges, including <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-private-equity-woes-debt-stock-market-interest-rates-2023-12">already elevated debt costs</a>, <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4360885-jeffries-shut-down-house-gop/">a possible government shutdown</a>, rising <a href="https://fredblog.stlouisfed.org/2023/12/three-measures-of-us-credit-card-debt/">consumer debt</a> and <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w31970">continued distress in commercial real estate</a>, which could result in <a href="https://www.schwab.com/learn/story/market-outlook-whats-store-2024">rolling industry downturns</a>. Other headwinds include <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/seanhanlon-1/2023/12/14/sovereign-debt--us-vs-the-world/amp/">the national debt</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/gregdefelice/status/1736703178215739834?s=43&t=Y9I4Q3SXKCCzm9-bw6NAxg">other nations’</a> <a href="https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2023/10/09/is-the-chinese-economy-headed-for-japan-style-lost-decades">weaker economies</a> and <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/en/enterprise/geopolitical-risk">ongoing global conflict</a> and <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2023/12/16/a-new-suez-crisis-threatens-the-world-economy">trade tensions</a>. </p>
<p>While 2023 has seemed to many people like a “<a href="https://twitter.com/steverattner/status/1735276205291524494%22%22">soft landing</a>” – that elusive achievement in which policymakers reduce inflation <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/11/economy/yellen-us-debt-ceiling-default-warning-intl-hnk/index.html">without sparking a downturn</a> – <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0929119921002406">prior recessions</a> have followed periods <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/15/business/worldbusiness/15iht-fed.4605930.html">where people thought they had been avoided</a>. That may be why bankers, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-20/us-finance-chiefs-expect-to-pay-slightly-more-to-raise-debt">finance leaders</a> and economists are <a href="https://x.com/MenthorQpro/status/1736813312350802165?s=20">still noting</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/arindube/status/1735852216144056353">the risks of interest rates remaining high</a>.</p>
<p>Still, <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/written-materials/2023/12/19/ten-charts-that-explain-the-u-s-economy-in-2023/">the fundamentals</a> <a href="https://www.richmondfed.org/research/national_economy/cfo_survey/data_and_results/2023/20231220_data_and_results">are strong</a> and <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-21/south-korea-s-early-exports-show-recovery-momentum-picks-up">may be on the rise</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DanielBZhao/status/1737492376396939422">if you believe chief financial officers</a>. Plus, despite dysfunction in Washington, recent laws and policies like the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4346">CHIPS and Science Act</a>, the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684">bipartisan infrastructure deal</a>, the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/ai-bill-of-rights/">AI Bill of Rights</a> and the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/30/fact-sheet-president-biden-issues-executive-order-on-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-artificial-intelligence/">Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Use of Artificial Intelligence</a> could further <a href="https://www.atlantafed.org/cqer/research/gdpnow">boost economic growth</a> by <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/the-economic-potential-of-generative-ai-the-next-productivity-frontier">stimulating job</a> creation and enhancing competitiveness. Notably, public and private manufacturing and industrial investment are at <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/blog/2023/08/16/the-economics-of-public-investment-crowding-in-private-investment/">unprecedented levels</a>, and technology is <a href="https://www.stateof.ai/">quickly advancing</a>, further contributing to the <a href="https://www.marketplace.org/2023/12/20/the-housing-sector-is-coming-out-of-the-doldrums-but-will-it-keep-improving-through-2024/">positive economic outlook</a>, not to mention <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/BOGZ1FL193020005Q">strong consumer balance sheets</a>.</p>
<h2>2. Then what about a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/14/upshot/economy-vibes-election-biden.html">‘vibecession</a>’? Are we in one now, and why does it matter for 2024?</h2>
<p>When you look at the economic pessimism <a href="https://www.conference-board.org/topics/consumer-confidence">revealed in polls</a> and on <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/17/business/economy/tiktok-biden-economy.html">social media</a>, a fascinating paradox emerges – despite the collective bad vibes, the majority of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/07/opinion/economy-inflation-negativity.html">Americans say their personal economic situations are basically fine</a>. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-09-28/risks-are-growing-of-a-double-dip-vibecession">writer Kyla Scanlon has called this state of affairs a “vibecession”</a>: While the economy continues to grow, <a href="https://kyla.substack.com/p/the-vibecession-the-self-fulfilling">the vibes are just off</a>. The fact that consumer spending <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/fredgraph.png?g=18uVP">continues to see sustained growth</a>, despite the <a href="https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/us-publics-downbeat-view-economy-191111619.html">gloomy economic outlook</a>, underscores a curious split between sentiment and economic activity. </p>
<h2>3. What if individual income and spending keep rising? Wouldn’t that be enough to end the vibecession?</h2>
<p>In short: Not necessarily. </p>
<p>While <a href="https://www.usbank.com/investing/financial-perspectives/investing-insights/how-does-inflation-affect-investments.html">inflation has been high over the past couple of years – reaching a peak of 9.1% in June 2022 before falling to 3.1% recently</a> – <a href="https://twitter.com/arindube/status/1684244062860374016/photo/1">most Americans have not seen their income rise as fast as inflation since 2021</a>. As a result, <a href="https://www.conference-board.org/topics/consumer-confidence">many are frustrated</a> that <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-20/us-child-care-costs-rise-in-post-covid-economy-pushing-parents-into-second-job">they can’t afford what they could in 2020</a>. Is reminiscing like prior generations <a href="https://www.wbur.org/npr/165143816/why-coke-cost-a-nickel-for-70-years">about how Coca-Cola used to cost a nickel</a> killing the vibes? If inflation rises faster than wages in 2024, the vibes may suffer. </p>
<p>What’s more, <a href="https://twitter.com/talmonsmith/status/1737192062808707501">other positive economic developments</a> have seemed to barely affect the vibes. Just about <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PAYEMS">everyone who wants a job has one</a>, which is a crucial factor in maintaining consumer confidence and spending habits.</p>
<p>To be sure, gas prices also play an <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/12/why-gas-prices-falling-inflation/676381/">outsized role in shaping sentiment</a>, and as they unexpectedly fell in December, <a href="http://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/">sentiment improved</a>. This highlights the impact of <a href="https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?geo=US&q=high%20gas%20prices,are%20we%20in%20a%20recession">energy costs</a> on the public’s mood and suggests that <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/bp-to-pause-all-shipments-through-red-sea-following-attacks-cd603dad?mod=hp_lead_pos7">fluctuations in gas prices</a> can quickly influence overall economic sentiment. </p>
<p>However, we suspect that <a href="https://kahlerfinancial.com/financial-awakenings/money-psychology/the-economy-is-bad-but-not-for-me">consumers will keep doing what they’re doing</a> – spending money <a href="https://civiqs.com/results/economy_us_now">and feeling bad about the economy</a> – until some shock forces them out of it. This <a href="https://thehustle.co/the-american-economy-is-fine-but-americans-aren-t/">weird contradiction</a> between perceived gloom and personal financial well-being <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2022/06/american-economy-negative-perception-inflation/661149/">highlights the complex interplay of psychological factors</a> and material realities that shapes the overall economic narrative.</p>
<h2>4. Could the vibecession become a self-fulfilling prophecy?</h2>
<p>Consumers say they feel bad, but they’re <a href="https://fortune.com/2023/12/14/retail-sales-november-2023-consumer-spending-holiday-season/">continuing to spend more than expected</a>, which <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/us-consumer-spending-beats-expectations-september-2023-10-27/">has been the case</a> <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/23/consumer-cash-is-about-to-grow-again-and-could-help-avoid-a-recession.html">for more than</a> <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/economy/articles/2023-12-14/retail-sales-come-in-above-estimates-for-november-led-by-online-bars-and-restaurants">a year now</a>. These facts seem at odds with each other, and some experts <a href="https://kyla.substack.com/p/the-vibecession-the-self-fulfilling">worry the pessimism itself</a> could <a href="https://www.richmondfed.org/publications/research/economic_brief/2021/eb_21-03">hurt the economy</a>. This is because <a href="https://doi.org/10.1086/680670">people spend less</a> when they’re <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/12/business/gas-prices-inflation.html">concerned about</a> the future. </p>
<p>However, this has been the case for months – so it’s unclear why it should change now.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercatus.org/research/policy-briefs/gas-prices-inflation-expectations-and-consumer-sentiment">While understanding</a> <a href="https://www.convenience.org/Media/Daily/2022/Oct/27/1-Gas-Prices-Impact-Consumer-Sentiment_Consumers">that consumer sentiment</a> <a href="https://news.gallup.com/opinion/gallup/317282/gas-prices-consumer-sentiment.aspx">is complex</a>, we think it makes more sense to focus on what people do, not what they say. And people are behaving in a way that’s <a href="https://twitter.com/LizAnnSonders/status/1736723191492378699/photo/1">consistent with a strong economy due to rising real income</a>, not to mention a <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm">robust labor market</a>.</p>
<p>And overall, if you <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/research/brief/global-recession">tell people for the better part</a> of <a href="https://money.usnews.com/investing/articles/recession-2023-what-to-watch-and-how-to-prepare">two years</a> that <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-01/6-reasons-why-a-us-recession-is-likely-and-coming-soon">a recession</a> <a href="https://time.com/6240221/a-recession-is-widely-expected-heres-how-to-prepare/">is imminent</a>, you shouldn’t be shocked that <a href="https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/us-publics-downbeat-view-economy-191111619.html">they’re gloomy</a>. If <a href="https://www.wsj.com/finance/stocks/beware-the-most-crowded-trade-on-wall-street-next-years-soft-landing-de101f35">the consensus</a> <a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/is-a-recession-coming/">is wrong</a>, it should surprise no one when <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-indicator-from-planet-money/id1320118593?i=1000638734181">sentiment diverges</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/9kKFUIjQP7c?feature=shared">from economic data – especially with</a> <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/06/politics/inflation-gop-fact-check/index.html">politicians blaming</a> <a href="https://thefulcrum.us/big-picture/Leveraging-big-ideas/us-economy">each other</a> for a <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/27/inflation-blame-game-sorting-out-the-culprits-00035712">weaker economy</a>.</p>
<h2>5. What else are you watching for in 2024?</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/fed-meeting-fomc-interest-rate-december-2023">Coming off</a> <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-14/goldman-revises-fed-call-now-seeing-earlier-and-faster-cuts">the December Federal Reserve meeting</a>, <a href="https://t.co/cuCxHEvEQi">many forecasters</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/IrvingSwisher/status/1735274325186388422">have rewritten</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KathyJones/status/1735034266331869690">their 2024</a> <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-12-14/investing-in-2024-experts-tips-on-stocks-bonds-crypto">outlooks with the</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/LizYoungStrat/status/1735310241074495581/photo/1">expectation that</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NickTimiraos/status/1735237738104803678/photo/1">the Fed will</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/biancoresearch/status/1735166912680923536/photo/1">lower rates</a> more than they anticipated before Chair Jerome Powell gave an optimistic press conference. Though <a href="https://www.regions.com/-/media/pdfs/wealth-management/Wealth-Management-Market-Com.pdf">many expected Powell to minimize discussions about lowering rates</a>, meeting responses were strong, deeming inflation defeated and consensus <a href="https://twitter.com/HayekAndKeynes/status/1737566331069751441/photo/1">expectations forecasting a benchmark federal funds rate below 4% by year end</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/timduy/status/1735305012493070721?s=43&t=Y9I4Q3SXKCCzm9-bw6NAxg">to relax</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/biancoresearch/status/1735185585944580383/photo/1">financial conditions</a>.</p>
<p>While investors <a href="https://twitter.com/lisaabramowicz1/status/1735015015629914570/photo/1">appear to have overreacted</a> – again – <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6343226144112">additional slowing in inflation</a> and economic growth is likely as the economy continues to normalize post-pandemic. The most likely outcome for 2024 is that the Federal Open Market Committee <a href="https://twitter.com/renmacllc/status/1736351635461280060?s=43&t=Y9I4Q3SXKCCzm9-bw6NAxg">lowers rates following more downward revisions to inflation data</a> <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">beginning as early as March</a> until rates end the year just below the <a href="https://twitter.com/LizAnnSonders/status/1735022936518504595/photo/1">Fed’s 4.5% federal funds rate projection</a>. However, <a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/mediacenter/files/FOMCpresconf20231213.pdf">the Fed isn’t waiting</a> for inflation to reach its 2% target before lowering rates, which means that rapidly falling inflation could make more rate cuts possible.</p>
<p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/renmac-off-script-escape-velocity/id1468523309?i=1000638710187">Economic growth is likely to remain strong in 2024, and inflation will likely slow</a>, albeit at a more muted rate. And with <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-14/mortgage-rates-in-us-slide-below-7-for-first-time-since-august">mortgage rates falling below 7% now</a>, housing starts and mortgage originations <a href="https://twitter.com/LizYoungStrat/status/1737180032169124012?s=19">are rising</a>. Now, <a href="https://www.resiclubanalytics.com/p/housing-economist-expects-lockin-effect-ease-2024">housing affordability</a> may <a href="https://twitter.com/mortgagetruth/status/1737128846670086304?s=19">improve in the coming year</a>, albeit from the worst level in decades. </p>
<p>While <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/538/video/progressives-won-economic-debate-fivethirtyeight-politics-podcast-105675241">2024 is likely</a> to involve <a href="https://theconversation.com/us-elections-2024-a-biden-vs-trump-rematch-is-very-likely-with-trump-leading-biden-219093">debates in other areas</a>, hopefully <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-14/bond-bulls-split-gundlach-flags-3-gross-says-farcical">fewer of these</a> economic conversations will happen in <a href="https://twitter.com/biancoresearch/status/1738182503154794652?s=43&t=Y9I4Q3SXKCCzm9-bw6NAxg">2024 than in 2023</a>. And if we are lucky, <a href="https://twitter.com/renmacllc/status/1736016058220204492?s=43&t=Y9I4Q3SXKCCzm9-bw6NAxg">markets will rise at least as quickly</a>, though we should remember that almost everyone was wrong last year – and if there’s one prediction we can make with confidence, it’s that <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/c2d4d4b5-cbc8-4b5c-9ea3-44e9742d5b3a">at least some of</a> <a href="https://biancoresearch.com/bianco/samples/2023/12/Presentation122123.pdf">today’s forecasts</a> will <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/25/economic-forecasts-have-been-very-wrong-lately-but-thats-really-nothing-new.html">look pretty silly</a> <a href="https://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2023/12/review-ten-economic-questions-for-2023.html">in retrospect</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220007/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>And will the vibecession ever end?D. Brian Blank, Associate Professor of Finance, Mississippi State UniversityBrandy Hadley, Associate Professor of Finance and the David A. Thompson Distinguished Scholar of Applied Investments, Appalachian State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2126002023-12-19T13:14:40Z2023-12-19T13:14:40ZDigital inaccessibility: Blind and low-vision people have powerful technology but still face barriers to the digital world<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/562793/original/file-20231130-17-d6h2rd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6016%2C4016&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Screen reader software converts text to audio for people who are blind.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/accessmattersnz/45982808441"> Access Matters/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Imagine that you have low vision and you’re completing an online job application using screen reader software. </p>
<p>You get through half the form and then come to a question with drop-down options the screen reader cannot access because the online form doesn’t conform to accessibility standards. You’re stuck. You can’t submit the application, and your time has been wasted. </p>
<p>Assistive technologies like screen readers go a long way toward closing the gap between people who are blind or have low vision and their sighted peers. But the technologies often hit roadblocks because the information they are designed to work with – documents, websites and software programs – don’t work with them, leaving the <a href="https://accessibility.day/">information inaccessible</a>.</p>
<p>There are <a href="https://data.census.gov/table?q=vision+difficulty&y=2022">8 million people with blindness or low vision in the U.S.</a> More than 4.23 million of them are working age, but <a href="https://data.census.gov/table?q=B18120:%20EMPLOYMENT%20STATUS%20BY%20DISABILITY%20STATUS%20AND%20TYPE&g=010XX00US&y=2022">only about half of that working-age population are employed</a>. Employment rates for people with blindness or low vision have historically been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X19887620">much lower than for the general population</a>.</p>
<p>An <a href="https://nationalskillscoalition.org/resource/publications/closing-the-digital-skill-divide/">overwhelming majority</a> of jobs across all industries require digital skills. Assistive technologies such as screen readers, screen magnifiers and braille notetakers provide people who are blind or have low vision a chance to succeed in school and the workplace.</p>
<p>Assistive technology has improved, and new technology for people with blindness or low vision is being developed all the time. The technology developed today by big tech companies for the general population often <a href="https://www.eastersealstech.com/2021/10/27/big-tech-brands-make-accessibility-mainstream-part-1/">incorporates built-in accessibility features</a> like VoiceOver in the iPhone and Narrator in Windows, both text-to-speech functions. These assistive technology advances have expanded job opportunities, and the percentage of people who are blind or have low vision in the labor force has <a href="https://www.disabilitystatistics.org/acs/2">increased over the past decade</a>.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PmhpuFM6nuw?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Screen reader software allows people who are blind to read and write email messages as well as browse the web and work with documents.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Out of sight, out of mind for the sighted</h2>
<p>But despite the abundance of assistive technology, people who don’t rely on it are typically unaware of how it’s being used at work and the challenges users experience with it. My colleagues and I are conducting <a href="https://www.blind.msstate.edu/research/current/project-1-access-technology-workplace">a five-year longitudinal study</a> to increase knowledge in this area that, we hope, can help prepare unemployed people who are blind or have low vision to enter the workforce. The study is slated to continue through 2025, with the last survey starting in late 2024.</p>
<p>While most of the people we surveyed reported being satisfied with the assistive technology they use at work, almost all also reported <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10400435.2023.2213762">challenges with it</a>. The most significant <a href="https://www.afb.org/aw/24/6/18368">challenges related to assistive technology</a> centered on the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10400435.2023.2213762">inaccessible digital environment</a>: documents, software, websites, graphics and photos.</p>
<p>Digital content is sometimes technically accessible but unusable by people who use assistive technology. For instance, online job application systems <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0145482X231216757">often generate accessibility and usability challenges</a>. Inaccessible and unusable company software means those who are blind or have low vision are often left out of jobs they could easily perform simply because the employers’ software doesn’t work with screen readers. </p>
<p>People who are blind or have low vision have been harder to place in jobs than people with other types of disabilities due to inaccessible company software, Ross Barchacky, vice president of business development and strategic partnerships at <a href="https://www.inclusively.com/">Inclusively</a>, told me. The organization supports companies who want to hire people with disabilities, including matching them with qualified job seekers with disabilities.</p>
<h2>Digital accessibility</h2>
<p>Although the Americans with Disabilities Act does not mention the digital environment explicitly, the Justice Department has taken the position that Title III of the ADA, which covers public accommodation for people with disabilities, <a href="https://www.ada.gov/resources/web-guidance/">applies to websites and mobile apps</a>. Thousands of digital accessibility lawsuits <a href="https://info.usablenet.com/thank-you-2022-end-of-year-report-on-digital-accessibility-lawsuits?submissionGuid=25eec95e-7f14-4db8-a15e-3c0018c63dfc">are filed under the ADA each year</a>, and the number has increased substantially in the past five years. </p>
<p>Digital standard-setters have begun paying attention. The World Wide Web Consortium developed standards for accessible web content: the <a href="https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/#:%7E:text=The%20WCAG%20standards%20have%2012,determine%20%E2%80%9Cconformance%E2%80%9D%20to%20WCAG.">Web Content Accessibility Guidelines</a>, just revised in a <a href="https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/">2.2 version</a>. The guidelines provide free guidance to help developers make their digital content accessible. Two related standards are the U.S. government’s <a href="https://appt.org/en/guidelines/section-508">Section 508</a> and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute’s <a href="https://appt.org/en/guidelines/en-301-549">EN 301 549</a>. <a href="https://accessibility.day/">Global Accessibility Awareness Day</a> was established in 2012 to encourage people to learn and think about digital inclusion for people with disabilities.</p>
<p><iframe id="Ar207" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Ar207/2/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>Despite laws requiring and guidelines supporting an accessible digital environment, much if not most digital content is still not fully accessible. In its latest annual review of the accessibility of the top 1 million websites, the nonprofit <a href="https://webaim.org/projects/million/">WebAIM found an average of 50 accessibility errors per page</a>. Worse, almost all home pages – 96.3% – had <a href="https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/failures">Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2 failures</a>. </p>
<h2>What can be done</h2>
<p>Accessibility can be built in from the beginning more easily than retrofitting after the fact. </p>
<p>For accessibility to be built in from the ground up, accessibility would have to be <a href="https://teachaccess.org/">part of the curriculum for digital developers</a>, but it typically is not.</p>
<p>Companies could require developers to create accessible software and refuse to buy software that isn’t accessible. Individuals can help by producing their own accessible digital documents – inaccessible digital documents were the <a href="https://www.afb.org/aw/24/6/18368">most commonly experienced challenge at work</a>. Microsoft has been working to make producing accessible digital documents easier with its accessibility checker and now with its <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2023/03/08/create-inclusive-content-with-the-new-accessibility-assistant-in-microsoft-365/">new accessibility assistant</a>.</p>
<p>An accessible digital environment is possible, and it would result in greater employment opportunities for people who are blind or have low vision.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212600/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michele McDonnall receives funding from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. Grant number 90RTEM0007 provided funding for the research discussed in this story. </span></em></p>Assistive technology like screen readers for the blind help people with disabilities use computers and smartphones, but they can be tripped up if webpages or documents are improperly formatted.Michele McDonnall, Research Professor of Rehabilitation Education and Research, Mississippi State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2190632023-12-05T17:40:16Z2023-12-05T17:40:16ZPreguntar a las personas con pérdida de memoria sobre las vacaciones pasadas puede ayudarles a recordar momentos felices<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/562998/original/file-20191208-90580-1cu8vlp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=20%2C271%2C6949%2C4556&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Pedir a una persona con problemas de memoria que cuente anécdotas de vacaciones pasadas puede ayudar a desencadenar un recuerdo feliz.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/smiling-son-his-elderly-father-watching-729906145">Lucky Business/Shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>A mucha gente le encantan las vacaciones porque son un momento para crear recuerdos felices con los seres queridos. </p>
<p>Pero, ¿y si pudieras hacer algo que ayudara a recuperar recuerdos en algunas de las personas a las que quieres?</p>
<p>Utilizando un proceso llamado <a href="http://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001120.pub2">terapia de reminiscencia</a>, eso puede ser posible. En la terapia de la reminiscencia, se anima a los ancianos a hablar de sus recuerdos a lo largo de su vida, sobre todo de los recuerdos de experiencias positivas. </p>
<p>Como <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=dIcnUcoAAAAJ&hl=es&oi=ao">investigadores</a> especializados en <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=3RedgqwAAAAJ&hl=es&oi=ao">geropsicología</a>, y en preparación para las fiestas, queríamos explicar esta técnica y animar a los lectores a utilizar este enfoque basado en la evidencia para conectar con los seres queridos con problemas de memoria y demencia.</p>
<h2>Los beneficios de los recuerdos felices</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/306171/original/file-20191210-95111-1m9y4xy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/306171/original/file-20191210-95111-1m9y4xy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=445&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/306171/original/file-20191210-95111-1m9y4xy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=445&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/306171/original/file-20191210-95111-1m9y4xy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=445&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/306171/original/file-20191210-95111-1m9y4xy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=559&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/306171/original/file-20191210-95111-1m9y4xy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=559&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/306171/original/file-20191210-95111-1m9y4xy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=559&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Tres generaciones encienden una vela de Hanukkah. Las luces navideñas pueden evocar recuerdos felices de celebraciones pasadas.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/jewish-family-lighting-hanukkah-candles-menorah-530079643">Tercer Ojo Photography/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Casi el 9% de los adultos estadounidenses mayores de 65 años <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.6807%5D">cumplen los criterios de demencia</a>. Los familiares suelen ser los cuidadores formales e informales de los seres queridos que desarrollan demencia, y estos cuidadores pueden experimentar una serie de <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0895-4356(92)90189-T">consecuencias físicas y psicológicas</a>. </p>
<p>Normalmente consiste en preguntar a la persona sobre distintos acontecimientos de momentos concretos de su vida. Durante las fiestas, los adultos mayores pueden estar preparados para hablar de recuerdos navideños debido a la afluencia de señales sensoriales, como el centelleo de las decoraciones navideñas, el olor de las galletas navideñas y, por supuesto, la música de temporada.
Un análisis de varios estudios sobre la investigación de la <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001120.pub3">terapia de reminiscencia</a> para la demencia sugiere que puede mejorar la <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301213516332">calidad de vida, la comunicación y el estado de ánimo</a>. Los individuos que participan en la terapia de reminiscencia con sus seres queridos informan de que la experiencia es generalmente positiva para ellos también, y puede ser una estrategia de afrontamiento eficaz cuando otro tipo de comunicación se vuelve difícil. </p>
<p>Otro estudio descubrió que los cuidadores afirmaban sentirse <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2016.03.008">más cercanos emocionalmente</a> a sus seres queridos con demencia cuando practicaban la terapia de reminiscencia. Además, informaron de menores costes de cuidados informales que los cuidadores que se sentían más distantes de sus seres queridos.</p>
<h2>Solicite más información</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/306170/original/file-20191210-95165-5unken.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/306170/original/file-20191210-95165-5unken.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/306170/original/file-20191210-95165-5unken.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/306170/original/file-20191210-95165-5unken.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/306170/original/file-20191210-95165-5unken.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=535&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/306170/original/file-20191210-95165-5unken.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=535&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/306170/original/file-20191210-95165-5unken.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=535&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Hornear galletas y escuchar música tienen fuertes elementos sensoriales que pueden ayudar a evocar recuerdos.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/grandchild-grandma-decorating-cookies-icing-704304796">Gpointstudios/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>He aquí algunos consejos para poner en práctica la terapia de la reminiscencia. La mayoría se centran en hacer preguntas que pueden ayudar a los mayores a rememorar sus recuerdos navideños. Por ejemplo:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>¿Cuáles eran las tradiciones familiares en torno a las fiestas cuando usted era pequeño?</p></li>
<li><p>¿Tenían árbol de Navidad? ¿Cuándo y quién lo decoraba?</p></li>
<li><p>¿Había alguna comida especial que prepararan y comieran durante las fiestas?</p></li>
<li><p>¿Viajaba alguna vez en Navidad?</p></li>
<li><p>¿Cómo fueron sus primeras vacaciones con su cónyuge?</p></li>
<li><p>¿Cuáles eran sus tradiciones navideñas cuando era padre?</p></li>
<li><p>¿Cuál es su recuerdo favorito de Nochevieja?</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Escuche con atención. Mantenga el contacto visual con su ser querido e incline su cuerpo hacia el suyo para que sepa que tiene toda su atención. Haga preguntas de seguimiento cuando sea oportuno. Esto indica a su ser querido que ha oído lo que ha dicho y que está interesado en saber más.</p>
<p>Involucre a su ser querido en actividades de bajo impacto que impliquen varios sentidos. Por ejemplo, hornear galletas navideñas puede suscitar recuerdos a través del tacto (extender la masa, decorar), el olfato (de los ingredientes, mientras se hornean) y el gusto (del producto acabado).</p>
<p>Anime a sus seres queridos a ser conscientes de su experiencia sensorial en cada fase de la actividad y pregúnteles por cualquier recuerdo que la sensación pueda traerles a la mente. Utilice ayudas visuales para estimular la recuperación de recuerdos, como fotos de fiestas pasadas. Las imágenes pueden ayudar a las personas mayores a recordar acontecimientos pasados concretos.</p>
<p>Escuchar música navideña mientras se hornea también activará la parte auditiva del cerebro. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.3895">Un estudio de 2013</a> sobre la investigación en musicoterapia para la demencia concluyó que la musicoterapia puede ser una intervención útil por sí misma.</p>
<p>Esperamos que pruebe la terapia de reminiscencia estas fiestas. Puede ser el comienzo de una nueva tradición familiar.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219063/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michael R. Nadorff no recibe salario, ejerce labores de consultoría, posee acciones, ni recibe financiación de ninguna compañía u organización que pudiera beneficiarse de este artículo, y ha declarado carecer de afiliaciones relevantes además de su cargo académico.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mary E. Dozier no recibe salario, ejerce labores de consultoría, posee acciones, ni recibe financiación de ninguna compañía u organización que pudiera beneficiarse de este artículo, y ha declarado carecer de afiliaciones relevantes además de su cargo académico.
</span></em></p>Los estudios sugieren que pedir a los seres queridos con problemas de memoria que hablen de los recuerdos de las fiestas puede ayudarles a recuperar algunos recuerdos.Michael R. Nadorff, Associate Professor of Psychology, Mississippi State UniversityMary E. Dozier, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Mississippi State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2190822023-12-05T13:19:35Z2023-12-05T13:19:35ZReal or artificial? A forestry scientist explains how to choose the most sustainable Christmas tree, no matter what it’s made of<p>Every year, Americans buy somewhere between <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/209249/purchase-figures-for-real-and-fake-christmas-trees-in-the-us/">35 million and 50 million Christmas trees</a>, and many more pull an artificial tree out of storage for the season. In all, about three-quarters of U.S. households typically have some kind of Christmas tree, <a href="https://today.yougov.com/society/articles/26802-christmas-tree-poll-survey-artificial-real-survey">surveys show</a>.</p>
<p>People often ask which is more sustainable – a real tree or an artificial one? It’s a big debate, and the answer depends on who you ask and which factors you consider.</p>
<p>A more useful question is: How do I find the most sustainable tree of the kind I want to get?</p>
<p>I’m a <a href="https://extension.msstate.edu/central-ms-research-ext-center/dr-curtis-l-vanderschaaf">forestry professor</a> who works on issues of sustainability. There are advantages and disadvantages to both cut trees and artificial trees. Here are some tips to consider for each.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563376/original/file-20231204-18-eepsj7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A man carries a live Christmas tree on his shoulder through a doorway. A little girl runs ahead of him." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563376/original/file-20231204-18-eepsj7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563376/original/file-20231204-18-eepsj7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563376/original/file-20231204-18-eepsj7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563376/original/file-20231204-18-eepsj7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563376/original/file-20231204-18-eepsj7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563376/original/file-20231204-18-eepsj7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563376/original/file-20231204-18-eepsj7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Cut Christmas trees require water and maintenance – and careful thought about disposal.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/mid-adult-man-in-santa-hat-carefully-carrying-royalty-free-image/1390111010">10'000 Hours/DigitalVision via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>If you’re buying a live Christmas tree</h2>
<p>When Christmas trees are alive and growing, they pull carbon dioxide from the air and use it as the building blocks of their wood. That keeps the greenhouse gas out of the atmosphere, where too much carbon dioxide contributes to global warming.</p>
<p>This process stops once the tree is harvested. And at some point, the cut tree begins to decompose and releases that carbon again.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563020/original/file-20231201-27-mx55zk.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563020/original/file-20231201-27-mx55zk.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563020/original/file-20231201-27-mx55zk.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563020/original/file-20231201-27-mx55zk.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563020/original/file-20231201-27-mx55zk.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563020/original/file-20231201-27-mx55zk.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563020/original/file-20231201-27-mx55zk.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563020/original/file-20231201-27-mx55zk.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Christmas tree farms like this one in Greencastle, Ind., can be found in almost every state.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-by-state/indiana/news/retirees-pursue-passion-on-christmas-tree">USDA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>On the positive side, the tree’s root systems will continue to store carbon for some time, and <a href="https://realchristmastrees.org/education/quick-tree-facts/">new trees are typically planted to continue the cycle</a>.</p>
<p>So, how do you find the most sustainable live tree?</p>
<h2>Think about the tree’s origin</h2>
<p>If you live in Mississippi, like I do, buying a noble fir (<em>Abies procera</em>) means your tree probably came from the Pacific Northwest. That’s a long drive, and transportation is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. However, in a truck with several hundred trees, each individual tree’s transportation emissions are pretty minor.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563062/original/file-20231202-27-g50g0b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A map of Douglas-fir locations, primarily in the Pacific Northwest and intermountain West" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563062/original/file-20231202-27-g50g0b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563062/original/file-20231202-27-g50g0b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563062/original/file-20231202-27-g50g0b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563062/original/file-20231202-27-g50g0b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563062/original/file-20231202-27-g50g0b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563062/original/file-20231202-27-g50g0b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563062/original/file-20231202-27-g50g0b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Douglas-firs grow primarily in the Western U.S.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/fs_media/fs_document/Forest-Atlas-of-the-United-States.pdf">USDA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The most common Christmas tree varies by region: Douglas-fir is also common throughout the Mountain West. Scotch pine and balsam fir are regularly grown in the Great Lakes states. Fraser fir is also popular there but dominant in North Carolina. Leyland cypress and Virginia pine are common in the Southeast.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563065/original/file-20231202-17-9o886x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Maps showing balsam fir growing areas." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563065/original/file-20231202-17-9o886x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563065/original/file-20231202-17-9o886x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563065/original/file-20231202-17-9o886x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563065/original/file-20231202-17-9o886x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563065/original/file-20231202-17-9o886x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563065/original/file-20231202-17-9o886x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563065/original/file-20231202-17-9o886x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Balsam firs, also popular for Christmas trees, grow in the Great Lakes region, New England and Canada.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/fs_media/fs_document/Forest-Atlas-of-the-United-States.pdf">USDA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>There are many other wonderful species grown locally. Of course, the lowest-impact cut tree is the one you cut from your own yard.</p>
<p>Also, look for local nurseries that <a href="https://christmastrees.ces.ncsu.edu/christmastrees-christmas-tree-fertility/">protect their soils from erosion</a> and minimize harm to surface and groundwater from runoff that can include fertilizers or pesticides.</p>
<h2>Disposing of your live tree</h2>
<p>What you do with your tree <a href="https://www.angi.com/articles/how-dispose-christmas-tree.htm">after the holidays</a> also <a href="https://www.texasdisposal.com/blog/real-vs-fake-christmas-trees/">matters</a>.</p>
<p>Recycling is far better than leaving the wood to decompose in a landfill. Because of the nature of most landfills, anaerobic conditions will ultimately exist, and decomposition will result in the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/lmop/basic-information-about-landfill-gas">release of methane gas</a>, which is many times more potent than carbon dioxide at warming the atmosphere.</p>
<p>Look for a <a href="https://pickyourownchristmastree.org/MississippiTreeRecyclingDisposal.php">community</a> or <a href="https://www.homedepot.com/c/ai/christmas-tree-recycling/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90c0b422bc">retailer</a> that offers to chip the tree or shred it to create mulch or for use in animal stalls. This keeps it out of landfills and serves a purpose.</p>
<p><a href="https://blog.davey.com/is-a-christmas-tree-good-for-mulch-or-the-compost-pile/">Composting is another option</a>. Trees can be used as an <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2020-01-09/states-recycle-christmas-trees-for-fish-habitats">erosion barrier for sand or soil</a> or as <a href="https://www.trackerboats.com/learning-center/christmas-tree-recycling.html">fish habitat in lakes</a>. They can even be donated whole <a href="https://tigerworld.us/recycle-your-christmas-tree/">to zoos</a>, where the trees provide entertainment for animals while eventually <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJvWWOutseI">decaying outside of a landfill</a>, or they can be tossed into a bio-burner to <a href="https://www.vox.com/2015/1/14/7547015/old-christmas-trees-zoo">provide heating for buildings</a>. Some people even <a href="https://www.timbercreekfarmer.com/can-goats-eat-christmas-trees">feed trees to goats</a>.</p>
<p>Alternatively, consider cutting the tree into smaller pieces and letting it rot in the open, placing it in an out-of-the-way place in your yard. It will provide a <a href="https://theconversation.com/to-help-insects-make-them-welcome-in-your-garden-heres-how-153609">temporary home for many insects, birds and wildlife</a>.</p>
<h2>Artificial trees have different pros and cons</h2>
<p>Artificial trees also have advantages – they can last for years and require almost no maintenance. However, they are mostly a petroleum-based product, and when you throw one out, it can take hundreds of years to decompose.</p>
<p>If you plan to buy an artificial Christmas tree – maybe you have allergies like I do, or you’re concerned about cost – here are some suggestions to reduce your carbon footprint.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563377/original/file-20231204-21-va6vl7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A girl puts together an artificial tree that's missing its top." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563377/original/file-20231204-21-va6vl7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563377/original/file-20231204-21-va6vl7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563377/original/file-20231204-21-va6vl7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563377/original/file-20231204-21-va6vl7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563377/original/file-20231204-21-va6vl7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563377/original/file-20231204-21-va6vl7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563377/original/file-20231204-21-va6vl7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Artificial trees can last decades.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/little-girl-makes-an-artificial-christmas-tree-royalty-free-image/1427522691">Sinenkiy/iStock/Getty Images Plus</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Reuse, reuse, reuse</h2>
<p>The No. 1 way to reduce emissions with an artificial tree is to reuse it for years. Reuse <a href="https://treescapes.com/real-vs-artificial-christmas-trees/">avoids the carbon impact</a> of producing, packaging and shipping a new one. The break-even point – when your artificial tree’s emissions match the emissions of buying a live tree each year – varies from <a href="https://www.christmastreeassociation.org/2018-acta-life-cycle-assessment">as little as four years</a> to <a href="https://www.osti.gov/etdeweb/biblio/21221949">as many as 20 years</a>, depending on the factors considered.</p>
<p>Many artificial trees are <a href="https://oncortrees.com/?fbclid=IwAR3mY_fdBpUSDxfQi2piZru2QlzJgI-i6KiUYUQQU9V3t7vvZXnQX4VWbXA">built to last 30 years or more</a>. My family has had one for 25 years. To lengthen its life span, take care when putting it up and storing it. If the tree gets damaged, see if you can find replacement parts rather than replacing the entire tree.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563056/original/file-20231202-30-58e77z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563056/original/file-20231202-30-58e77z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=379&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563056/original/file-20231202-30-58e77z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=379&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563056/original/file-20231202-30-58e77z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=379&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563056/original/file-20231202-30-58e77z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=476&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563056/original/file-20231202-30-58e77z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=476&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563056/original/file-20231202-30-58e77z.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=476&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Old artificial trees can be repurposed into garlands and other holiday crafts.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Curtis VanderSchaaf</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Pay attention to the source</h2>
<p><a href="https://news.vt.edu/articles/2022/12/Christmas_tree.html">About 80%</a> of artificial Christmas trees are manufactured in China. <a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/58861">Shipping is pretty efficient</a>, but the tree still needs to get to and from the ports. You can also look for one manufactured nearby instead.</p>
<p>Some manufacturers are making trees out of recycled materials, <a href="https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/vinterfint-artificial-christmas-tree-indoor-outdoor-green-30556093/">at least in part</a>, which helps reduce the tree’s carbon footprint. Shorter artificial trees, or designs with less foliage, also use less plastic.</p>
<p>The type of plastic used also affects the amount of petroleum used. Some <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2020.11.173">research has suggested</a> that plastic foliage made from polyethylene plastic molds may have a lower impact than traditional <a href="https://premiumpatio.com/needles-and-realism-artificial-christmas-trees/">foliage made out of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC</a>.</p>
<h2>Give the fake tree a second life</h2>
<p>If you no longer like your artificial tree – maybe it’s too big for a new home – try reselling the tree or donating it to a <a href="https://www.dumpsters.com/blog/christmas-tree-disposal">charity, thrift store or nursing home</a> so that others can continue to use it.</p>
<p>You can also get creative and repurpose the old tree limbs into decorative wreaths, garlands or toy trees for a hobby train set.</p>
<h2>Lighting also matters</h2>
<p>With any holiday tree, be judicious <a href="https://christmastrees.ces.ncsu.edu/2016/11/care-for-your-north-carolina-fraser-fir/">about turning off lights</a> when no one is around and at night. Consider using fewer lights. LED lights are <a href="https://www.chesterenergyandpolicy.com/blog/powering-holiday-symbols-emissions">more energy efficient</a> than incandescent lights.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="An elf ornament and Christmas light." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563021/original/file-20231201-15-sq3tm3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563021/original/file-20231201-15-sq3tm3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563021/original/file-20231201-15-sq3tm3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563021/original/file-20231201-15-sq3tm3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563021/original/file-20231201-15-sq3tm3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563021/original/file-20231201-15-sq3tm3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563021/original/file-20231201-15-sq3tm3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">LED lights reduce energy demand.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/98640399@N08/9375455047">Barta IV via Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In the grand scheme of the holidays, with people traveling and buying and returning gifts through the mail, the carbon footprint of your Christmas tree is a lesser concern. A <a href="https://www.icao.int/environmental-protection/Carbonoffset/Pages/default.aspx">round-trip flight</a> from Los Angeles to Boston can produce more than 30 times the lifetime emissions of a typical artificial Christmas tree. Still, it’s fairly easy to make more sustainable choices and reduce your carbon footprint when you can.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219082/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Curtis VanderSchaaf is a forestry extension specialist at Mississippi State University..
</span></em></p>How many years you reuse a fake holiday tree matters. So does what happens to a live tree when you’ve packed up the ornaments.Curtis VanderSchaaf, Assistant Professor of Forestry, Mississippi State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2157802023-11-08T13:36:27Z2023-11-08T13:36:27ZNew anti-violence PSA may hit home, but change depends on follow-up and other factors<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557144/original/file-20231101-21-lji227.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=132%2C45%2C3598%2C2092&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">"Goodbye" is the name of a new PSA that seeks to show the impact of gun violence.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://vimeo.com/862137854/928ba36c0e?share=copy">Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>When Erek L. Barron, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/meet-us-attorney">U.S. attorney for the District of Maryland</a>, premiered a <a href="https://vimeo.com/862137854/928ba36c0e?share=copy">60-second video</a> that seeks to show how gun violence devastates families, he said his goal was to create an <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/09/28/end-gun-violence-psa-erek-barron/">innovative public service announcement</a> that would help “turn around violent crime and improve safety in our neighborhoods.”</em></p>
<p><em>Titled “Goodbye,” the <a href="https://vimeo.com/862137854/928ba36c0e?share=cop">video PSA</a> starts with a high school girl, Tasha, getting a surprise visit from the ghost of her brother, “T,” who tells his sister that he won’t be home and that she is now in charge.</em></p>
<p><em>After T disappears, Tasha learns from law enforcement and Barron that her older brother has been shot and killed.</em> </p>
<p><em>While the PSA – released in September 2023 – is heartbreaking, a critical question remains: Will it work? To answer that question, The Conversation reached out to three communication scholars for their perspectives on the effectiveness of PSAs.</em> </p>
<p></p><hr><p></p>
<h2>Jessica Gall Myrick, professor of health communication</h2>
<p><strong>Penn State University</strong></p>
<p>While PSAs can prompt people to talk about a particular topic and keep it front of mind, using PSAs to persuade people to actually <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60809-4">change behavior</a> is more difficult.</p>
<p>Some people simply <a href="https://doi.org/10.4278/0890-1171-12.1.38">are not ready to change</a>. They are at what researchers call the “precontemplative stage.” For such people, a PSA can be more persuasive if it just gets them to think about the topic. One strategy to achieve this end is to <a href="https://oxfordre.com/communication/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228613-e-324">appeal to people’s emotions</a>.</p>
<p>However, just provoking an emotional response will not necessarily lead to a change in behavior. If audiences are overwhelmed with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2017.1415767">fear</a> or anger, they <a href="https://doi.org/10.4135/9781452218410">often reject the message</a> or discredit its source.</p>
<p>When encouraging audiences to emotionally invest in a topic, too much of any one negative emotion may backfire, while not enough will leave them uninterested, perhaps believing the topic is not very important.</p>
<p>Research suggests that many audiences often respond more favorably to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2017.1422847">messages that offer some hope, at least by the end</a>. Hope is an important emotion because it can boost our confidence in our ability to handle the threat discussed in the PSA.</p>
<p>In the case of a PSA like “Goodbye,” the sadness or sympathy evoked by showing the grief of the little sister may not immediately change anyone’s policy position or attitude about guns. However, it is memorable – it has the potential to keep people thinking about the issue of gun violence.</p>
<p>“Goodbye” also makes the impact of gun violence more concrete – it feels less abstract than a news story filled with statistics about injuries or deaths. </p>
<p>When stories <a href="https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/4824">evoke feelings of empathy and identification</a> with the people directly affected by a social issue, they can help audiences to start to think more, and more often, about the issue’s effects on both themselves and on society more broadly, even if they do not instantly change behavior. </p>
<h2>Holli H. Seitz, professor of communication</h2>
<p><strong>Mississippi State University</strong></p>
<p>When they work, media campaigns – which often include PSAs – can have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730490271548">small beneficial effects</a> on <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2015.1095820">people’s behavior and knowledge</a>. However, sometimes PSAs have unintended effects or even harmful effects on behavior. In such cases, the effects are called “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2007.00344.x">boomerang effects</a>” because they go in an unexpected direction.</p>
<p>Case in point: From 1998 to 2004, Congress appropriated over <a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-06-818">US$1.2 billion for the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign</a>. However, an evaluation found that the media campaign <a href="https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2007.125849">failed to have favorable effects</a> and may have even <a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-06-818">promoted the perception that drug use among others was normal</a>.</p>
<p>Even in cases where the message of a PSA is effective, there are other factors to consider. </p>
<p>For one, a lot of PSA research was conducted before the rise of social media. The changing media landscape may make it more difficult for PSAs to wrestle people’s attention away from whatever else they’re viewing.</p>
<p>Secondly, PSA creators don’t always do enough to ensure that their PSAs reach their intended audience. Getting a PSA into the media platforms that the target audience uses – and showing it frequently – is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15245000214135">key to see effects</a>. The limited effects of past programs, such as the <a href="https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.85.2.183">Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15245000214135">may be attributable to a lack of sufficient exposure</a> to key messages. </p>
<p>To increase the effectiveness of PSAs, we can look to communication research for guidance. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730500461059">Communication scholar Seth Noar</a> says that campaigns are more likely to be effective when campaign creators conduct research with the intended audience to understand the behavior they hope to change and pretest messages for effectiveness. For example, a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-019-0430-5">campaign to encourage people in Victoria, Australia, to reserve ambulances for emergencies</a> used audience research to inform their campaign development. An <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-019-0430-5">evaluation</a> of that campaign showed desirable effects on public attitudes toward the appropriate use of ambulances.</p>
<h2>Sara C. Doan, assistant professor of experience architecture</h2>
<p><strong>Michigan State University</strong></p>
<p>I argue that telling a relatable story makes people want to act. By avoiding the lectures, such as <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-just-say-no-doesnt-work/">Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No”</a> anti-drug campaign, and the ironic pictures and quotes from New York City’s <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-york-citys-new-teen-pregnancy-psas-use-crying-babies-to-send-message/">posters of crying babies to prevent teen pregnancy</a>, Maryland’s PSA invokes a real situation: how families of gun violence victims deal with losing a family member.</p>
<p>This story allows people to bring their own knowledge, experience and social connections to the <a href="https://www.kff.org/mental-health/issue-brief/the-impact-of-gun-violence-on-children-and-adolescents/#:%7E:text=Gun%20violence%20may%20also%20lead,deaths%20among%20children%20and%20adolescents">problem of gun violence</a>, making people want to act. T tells his younger sister, “You’re in charge right now, Tasha… Just feed my birds for me, alright?” This dialogue feels genuine, without the cheesiness that made people <a href="https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.92.2.238">joke about previous anti-drug PSAs</a>.</p>
<p>People <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23448568/">respond better to real images and situations</a> in PSAs, especially when the topic is unpleasant. The “Goodbye” PSA shocked me but doesn’t rely on shock value.</p>
<p>I believe a call to action – whether by a local government, nongovernment organization, or a group of citizen activists – that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12310">shows how people’s actions will matter</a> would make the PSA’s message more powerful. </p>
<p>Actions also need to follow a PSA to change people’s behavior.</p>
<p>For example, the <a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/click-it-or-ticket">National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s</a> campaign “Click It or Ticket” – <a href="https://ncvisionzero.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/ciot-history.pdf">combined with traffic enforcement</a> begun in the 1990s and still ongoing – has helped raise rates of seat belt use by <a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/click-it-or-ticket">8% between 2009 and 2022</a>. </p>
<p>The horrors of gun violence should not be made into a snappy slogan, which, thankfully, Maryland’s PSA avoids. I argue that giving people a concrete action to take – and <a href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/crime/bs-md-ci-cr-baltimore-national-intiative-to-reduce-gun-homicides-20230223-hc3fw56hcjfj3cnq6f62vajyd4-story.html">empowering communities to act</a> through funding and support for on-the-ground efforts – would make PSAs more effective.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215780/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Holli H. Seitz receives funding from the Extension Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She has previously received funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Seitz received her PhD from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania where she worked with Dr. Robert Hornik whose research is cited in this article.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jessica Gall Myrick receives funding from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sara C. Doan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The US attorney for the District of Maryland recently released a PSA to help stem the tide of violence in the state. But will it work?Holli H. Seitz, Associate Professor of Communication, Mississippi State UniversityJessica Myrick, Professor of Media Studies, Penn StateSara C. Doan, Assistant Professor of Experience Architecture, Michigan State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2170262023-11-07T13:37:52Z2023-11-07T13:37:52ZSam Bankman-Fried was convicted of fraud following the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Here’s what investors need to know<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557517/original/file-20231103-19-37nlbl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=17%2C0%2C5973%2C3997&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Sam Bankman-Fried is no longer crypto's Robin Hood.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/FTXBankmanFried/2ed1f13907ad4c0d882eaaff69eac780/photo">Bebeto Matthews/Associated Press</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>In the fast-paced world of cryptocurrency, vast sums of money can be made or lost in the blink of an eye. In early November 2022, the crypto exchange FTX was valued at more than US$30 billion. By the middle of that month, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/15/business/ftx-madoff-bankman-fried-bair/index.html">FTX was in bankruptcy proceedings</a>. And less than a year later, on Nov. 3, 2023, its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, was found guilty of <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/sam-bankman-fried-trial-explained/">seven counts of money laundering and fraud</a>, following a trial that featured less than a month of <a href="https://www.wsj.com/finance/currencies/sam-bankman-fried-ftx-trial-news-updates-fbef824b">testimony</a> and only about four hours of jury deliberation.</em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=VxWst50AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">D. Brian Blank</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FKJSqjEAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">Brandy Hadley</a> are professors who study finance, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/EUFM.12311">executives</a>, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/fire.12274">firm governance</a> and fintech. They explain how and why this incredible collapse happened, what effect it might have on the traditional financial sector and whether you should care.</em></p>
<h2>1. What happened?</h2>
<p>A million years ago, back in <a href="https://inside.com/campaigns/inside-tech-2021-07-21-28706/sections/243700">2019</a>, Sam Bankman-Fried founded FTX, a company that ran one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges.</p>
<p>FTX was where many crypto investors traded and held their cryptocurrency, similar to the New York Stock Exchange for stocks. Bankman-Fried also founded <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/alameda-research/?sh=563773816570">Alameda Research</a>, a hedge fund that invested in cryptocurrencies and crypto companies. </p>
<p>In the traditional financial sector, these two companies would be entirely separate firms, or at least have firewalls in place to avoid conflicts of interest. But in early November 2022, news outlets reported that a <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/business/2022/11/02/divisions-in-sam-bankman-frieds-crypto-empire-blur-on-his-trading-titan-alamedas-balance-sheet/">significant proportion of Alameda’s assets</a> were a type of cryptocurrency released by FTX itself. </p>
<p>A few days later, news broke that FTX had allegedly been loaning customer assets to Alameda for risky trades <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/13/sam-bankman-frieds-alameda-quietly-used-ftx-customer-funds-without-raising-alarm-bells-say-sources.html">without customers’ consent</a> and also issuing its own FTX cryptocurrency for Alameda to use as <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/13/sam-bankman-frieds-alameda-quietly-used-ftx-customer-funds-without-raising-alarm-bells-say-sources.html">collateral</a>. As a result, criminal and regulatory investigators began scrutinizing FTX for potentially <a href="https://www.law360.com/assetmanagement/articles/1549319?nl_pk=c7efe457-0cc1-4a20-9d63-ded5145502ae&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=assetmanagement&utm_content=2022-11-15&read_more=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=0">violating securities law</a>.</p>
<p>These two pieces of news basically led to a bank run on FTX, and soon afterward, FTX, Alameda Research and 130 other affiliated companies founded by Bankman-Fried filed for bankruptcy. This left <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/15/ftx-says-could-have-over-1-million-creditors-in-new-bankruptcy-filing.html">huge numbers</a> of investors who bought cryptocurrencies through the exchange with <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/14/business/ftx-customer-money-bankruptcy/index.html">no good way to get their money back</a>.</p>
<p>Within a month, Bankman-Fried was <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/12/business/ftx-sam-bankman-fried-bahamas.html">arrested</a> and <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/ftx-founder-sam-bankman-fried-arrested-bahamas-us-expected-request-extradition-authorities-say">charged with wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, securities fraud, securities fraud conspiracy and money laundering</a> by the Southern District of New York. In February 2023, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/new-indictment-unsealed-against-bankman-fried-containing-12-charges-2023-02-23/">additional criminal charges</a> related to political donations were announced, followed by <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/28/sam-bankman-fried-paid-over-40-million-to-bribe-at-least-one-chinese-official-doj-alleges-in-new-indictment.html">another indictment</a> in March related to bribery.</p>
<p>Bankman-Fried’s <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/03/investing/sbf-trial-jury-selection/index.html">first trial began on Oct. 3, 2023</a>, and largely focused on the “<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/live-blog/2023-10-26/sam-bankman-fried-testifies-at-fraud-trial">essentially unlimited</a>” access to capital Alameda had on the exchange through a secret line of credit. The trial ended on Nov. 3, with Bankman-Fried convicted of seven counts of fraud and money laundering. He is expected to appeal.</p>
<h2>2. Did a lack of oversight play a role?</h2>
<p>In traditional markets, corporations generally <a href="https://www.law360.com/bankruptcy/articles/1549089?nl_pk=6ef803a8-f435-44cb-93f5-de6a024ff206&read_more=1&nlsidx=0&nlaidx=3">limit the risk they expose themselves to</a> by maintaining liquidity and solvency. Liquidity is the ability of a firm to sell assets quickly without those assets losing much value. Solvency is the idea that a company’s assets are worth more than what that company owes to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-news-today-11-15-2022/card/ftx-says-number-of-creditors-in-bankruptcy-could-top-1-million-LrfYrHxDtIoVBV42QDiG?mod=djemMoneyBeat_us">debtors and customers</a>.</p>
<p>But the crypto world has generally operated with much less caution than the traditional financial sector, and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/11/technology/ftx-investors-venture-capital.html?smid=tw-dealbook&smtyp=cur">FTX is no exception</a>. About <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-11-14/ftx-s-balance-sheet-was-bad">two-thirds</a> of the money that FTX owed to the people who held cryptocurrency on its exchange – roughly $11.3 billion of $16 billion owed – was backed by illiquid coins created by FTX. FTX was taking its customers’ money, giving it to Alameda to make risky investments and then creating its own currency, known as FTT, as a replacement – cryptocurrency that it was unable to sell at a high enough price when it needed to.</p>
<p>In addition, nearly 40% of Alameda’s assets were in FTX’s own cryptocurrency – and remember, both companies were founded by the same person. </p>
<p>This all came to a head when investors decided to sell their coins on the exchange. FTX did not have enough <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-11-10/ftx-is-still-looking-for-money">liquid</a> assets to meet those demands. This in turn drove the value of FTT from over $26 a coin at the beginning of November 2022 to under $2 by Nov. 13. By this point, FTX owed more money to its customers than <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-11-09/bankman-fried-s-ftx-had-a-death-spiral-before-binance-deal">it was worth</a>.</p>
<p>In regulated exchanges, investing with customer funds is <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/13/sam-bankman-frieds-alameda-quietly-used-ftx-customer-funds-without-raising-alarm-bells-say-sources.html">illegal</a>. Additionally, auditors validate financial statements, and firms must publish the amount of money they hold in reserve that is available to fund customer withdrawals. And even if things go wrong, the <a href="https://www.firstrepublic.com/insights-education/sipc-vs-fdic-insurance-protection-differences">Securities Investor Protection Corporation</a> – or SIPC – protects depositors against the loss of investments from an exchange failure or financially troubled brokerage firm. The crypto world lacks such guardrails.</p>
<h2>3. Why is this a big deal in crypto?</h2>
<p>While the collapse of FTX and Alameda – valued at more than $30 billion and now essentially worth nothing – was dramatic, the bigger implication is simply the potential <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sam-bankman-fried-ftx-crypto-downfall-a2eaec231027dfd9f18426ff8982bbf8">lost trust in crypto</a>. Bank runs are rare in traditional financial institutions, but they are <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/crypto-com-withdrawals-rise-after-ceo-admits-transaction-problem-11668350510">increasingly common</a> in the crypto space. Given that Bankman-Fried and FTX were seen as some of the biggest, most trusted figures in crypto, these events may lead more investors to think twice about putting money in crypto.</p>
<h2>4. If I don’t own crypto, should I care?</h2>
<p>Though investment in cryptocurrencies has grown rapidly, the entire crypto market – <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2021/10/21/crypto-market-cap-surges-to-new-record-27-trillion/">valued at over $3 trillion</a> at its peak – is much <a href="https://beincrypto.com/institutional-investment-in-crypto-experts-weigh-in-on-implications/">smaller</a> than the $120 trillion <a href="https://medium.com/ngrave/too-big-to-fail-crypto-market-size-vs-traditional-assets-eff4bb2ec529">traditional stock market</a>.</p>
<p>While investors and regulators are still evaluating the consequences of this fall, the impact on any person who doesn’t personally own crypto will be minuscule. It is true that many larger investment funds, like BlackRock and the Ontario Teachers Pension, held investments in FTX, but the estimated <a href="https://www.ai-cio.com/news/ontario-teachers-pension-could-lose-95-million-on-ftx-investment">$95 million the Ontario Teachers Pension lost</a> through the collapse of FTX is just 0.05% of the entire fund’s investments.</p>
<p>The takeaway for most individuals is not to invest in <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/ftx-sam-bankman-fried-sit-in-the-crosshairs-of-u-s-prosecutors-11668398012?mod=djem10point">unregulated</a> markets without understanding the risks. In high-risk environments like crypto, it’s possible to lose everything – a lesson investors in FTX learned the hard way.</p>
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<h2>5. What does the trial reveal about the regulatory environment for crypto?</h2>
<p>The trial of Bankman-Fried has brought attention to the ever-evolving and complex nature of cryptocurrency regulation and oversight. At the conclusion of the case, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/bankman-fried-trial-poses-biggest-test-date-cryptos-top-cop-2023-09-29/">Damian Williams, the federal prosecutor for the U.S. Justice Department</a>, underlined the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/ftx-founder-sam-bankman-fried-thought-rules-did-not-apply-him-prosecutor-says-2023-11-02/">department’s dedication to fighting fraud,</a> even in the relatively new crypto space.</p>
<p>This case shows that the U.S. is willing to assert broad jurisdiction over financial crimes targeting its citizens, regardless of where the perpetrating company is based – which in FTX’s case, was <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/sam-bankman-fried-crypto-paradise-bahamas/">the Bahamas</a>. Notably, this trial did not fall directly under the supervision of the Securities and Exchange Commission or other regulatory bodies, although pending civil cases from both <a href="https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2022-219">the SEC</a> and the <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2023/02/13/cftc-case-against-sam-bankman-fried-postponed-until-after-criminal-trial/">Commodity Futures Trading Commission</a>, <a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/securities-law/bankman-frieds-legal-woes-extend-far-beyond-criminal-trial">along with ongoing</a> class-action lawsuits, underscore the <a href="https://www.nri.com/-/media/Corporate/en/Files/PDF/knowledge/publication/lakyara/2023/09/lakyaravol376.pdf?la=en&hash=48DA9E99702BA223ACB48E1C378E1F6833C399EF">complexities in regulating the cryptocurrency sphere</a>. </p>
<p>Despite a recent crypto crackdown by the SEC, the U.S. continues to lag behind other nations in establishing comprehensive crypto regulations. This is evident in the <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/30/uk-confirms-plans-to-regulate-crypto-industry-with-formal-legislation.html">formal regulatory frameworks introduced by places such as the U.K.</a> and the European Union. The International Monetary Fund’s <a href="https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2023/07/18/crypto-needs-comprehensive-policies-to-protect-economies-and-investors">call for comprehensive regulations</a> further underscores the necessity for more robust regulatory measures within the crypto industry, hinting at a widening gap between the U.S. and much of the rest of the world.</p>
<p><em>This is an updated version of a story that was <a href="https://theconversation.com/dramatic-collapse-of-the-cryptocurrency-exchange-ftx-contains-lessons-for-investors-but-wont-affect-most-people-194692">originally published</a> on Nov. 17, 2022.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/217026/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The downfall of the onetime multibillionaire holds lessons for investors and regulators alike.D. Brian Blank, Associate Professor of Finance, Mississippi State UniversityBrandy Hadley, Associate Professor of Finance and the David A. Thompson Distinguished Scholar of Applied Investments, Appalachian State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2131312023-10-13T12:32:13Z2023-10-13T12:32:13ZSteep physical decline with age is not inevitable – here’s how strength training can change the trajectory<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552200/original/file-20231004-25-yjv50i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=22%2C0%2C5086%2C3408&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Resistance training can take many forms and can be individualized to suit a person's needs as they age. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/mature-woman-weight-training-in-gym-royalty-free-image/1163686644?adppopup=true">Jamie Grill/Tetra Images via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Raise your hand if you regularly find yourself walking up a flight of stairs. What about carrying heavy bags of groceries? How about picking up your child or grandchild? Most of us would raise our hands to doing at least one of those weekly, or even daily. </p>
<p>As people age, it can become more and more difficult to perform some physical tasks, even those that are normal activities of daily living. However, prioritizing physical fitness and health as you get older can help you go through your normal day-to-day routine without feeling physically exhausted at the end of the day. </p>
<p>It can also help you continue to have special memories with your family and loved ones that you might not have been able to have if you weren’t physically active. For example, I ran two half-marathons with my dad when he was in his 60s!</p>
<p>I am an exercise physiologist who studies how people can <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=gn8ZiLMAAAAJ&hl=en">use resistance training to improve human performance</a>, whether it be in sports and other recreational settings, in everyday life, or both. I am also a certified strength and conditioning specialist. My career has given me the opportunity to design exercise programs for kids, college athletes and elderly adults. </p>
<p>Staying physically active as you get older doesn’t need to include running a half-marathon or trying to be a bodybuilder; it could be as simple as trying to get through the day without feeling winded after you go up a flight of stairs. Although our muscles naturally get weaker as we age, there are ways we can combat that to help improve quality of life as we get older.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552794/original/file-20231009-27-zdfuk7.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Man in his 60s, a middle-aged woman and a middle-aged man, all wearing race medals and running gear." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552794/original/file-20231009-27-zdfuk7.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552794/original/file-20231009-27-zdfuk7.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=576&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552794/original/file-20231009-27-zdfuk7.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=576&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552794/original/file-20231009-27-zdfuk7.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=576&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552794/original/file-20231009-27-zdfuk7.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=724&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552794/original/file-20231009-27-zdfuk7.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=724&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552794/original/file-20231009-27-zdfuk7.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=724&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">From left are the author’s father, who was age 61 at the time, the author’s wife and the author after completing the Lincoln Half Marathon.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Zachary Gillen</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Muscle loss and chronic disease</h2>
<p>One of the most important parts of exercise programming, no matter who I am working with, is proper resistance training to build muscle strength. Some amount of age-related loss of muscle function is normal and inevitable. But by incorporating resistance training that is appropriate and safe at any ability level, you can slow down the rate of decline and even prevent some loss of muscle function.</p>
<p>The medical term for a condition that involves <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afy169">age-related loss of muscle function and mass is sarcopenia</a>. Sarcopenia can begin as early as age 40, but it tends to be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/01.mco.0000134362.76653.b2">more common in adults age 60 and older</a>. Sarcopenia is associated with a number of health issues such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glx245">increased risk of falling</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.123.064071">cardiovascular disease</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13103519">metabolic disease</a>, among others.</p>
<p>In one of our team’s previous studies, we saw that otherwise healthy individuals with sarcopenia had issues <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12932">delivering vital nutrients to muscle</a>. This could lead to greater likelihood of various diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes, and slow down recovery from exercise. </p>
<p>Recent estimates suggest that sarcopenia affects <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2023.155533">10% to 16% of the elderly population worldwide</a>. But even if a person doesn’t have clinically diagnosed sarcopenia, they may still have some of the underlying symptoms that, if not dealt with, could lead to sarcopenia.</p>
<h2>Strength training is key</h2>
<p>So the question is, what can be done to reverse this decline? </p>
<p>Recent evidence suggests that one of the key factors leading to sarcopenia is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glx245">low muscle strength</a>. In other words, combating or reversing sarcopenia, or both, may be best done with a proper resistance-training program that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-021-02642-8">prioritizes improving strength</a>. In fact, the decline in muscle strength seems to <a href="https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2009.28047">occur at a much faster rate</a> than the decline in muscle size, underscoring the importance of proper strength training as people age.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552839/original/file-20231009-26-epspie.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Chart showing the general pattern for changes in muscle strength and size across stage of life." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552839/original/file-20231009-26-epspie.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552839/original/file-20231009-26-epspie.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=638&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552839/original/file-20231009-26-epspie.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=638&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552839/original/file-20231009-26-epspie.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=638&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552839/original/file-20231009-26-epspie.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=802&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552839/original/file-20231009-26-epspie.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=802&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552839/original/file-20231009-26-epspie.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=802&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Typical age-related changes in muscle strength and size with and without strength training.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Zachary Gillen</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>Continuing to regularly strength train with moderate to heavy weights has been shown to be not only effective at combating the symptoms of sarcopenia but also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2018.09.011">very safe when done properly</a>. The best way to make sure you are strength training properly is to seek out guidance from a qualified individual such as a personal trainer or strength and conditioning specialist.</p>
<p>Despite the clear benefits of strength training, it’s been shown that only about 13% of Americans age 50 and older do some form of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17572957/">strength training at least twice a week</a>. </p>
<h2>Finding what works for you</h2>
<p>So how does a person properly strength train as they age?</p>
<p>The National Strength and Conditioning Association, a leading organization in advancing strength and conditioning around the world, states that for older adults, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003230">two to three days per week of strength training</a> can be incredibly helpful for maintaining healthy muscle and bone and combating a number of chronic conditions.</p>
<p>The organization recommends that these workouts involve one to two exercises involving multiple joints per major muscle group, with six to 12 repetitions per set. These are done at an intensity of 50% to 85% of what’s known as one-repetition maximum – the most weight you could handle for a single repetition – with the exception of body weight exercises that use one’s own body weight as the resistance, such as pushups.</p>
<p>I would also recommend resting for about two to three minutes between sets, or even up to five minutes if the set was challenging. For older adults, particularly those age 60 and older, the National Strength and Conditioning Association guidelines suggest that a program like this be performed two to three days per week, with 24 to 48 hours between sessions. </p>
<p><iframe id="sGvo5" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/sGvo5/3/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<h2>Making life’s tasks lighter</h2>
<p>The guidelines above are only one example out of many options, but they provide a framework that you can use to build your own program. However, I would highly recommend seeking out a professional in the field to give specific exercise programming advice that can be tailored to your own needs and goals as you age.</p>
<p>Following such a program would give your muscles an excellent stimulus to enhance strength, while also allowing enough recovery, a very important consideration as people age. You might think it looks like a huge time commitment, but an exercise routine like this can be done in less than an hour. This means that in less than three hours of strength training per week you can help improve your muscle health and reduce the risk of getting sarcopenia and associated health issues. </p>
<p>It’s also important to note that there is no one right way to do resistance training, and it needn’t involve traditional weight equipment. Group classes like Pilates and yoga or those that involve circuit training and work with resistance bands can all produce similar results. The key is to get out and exercise regularly, whatever that entails.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213131/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Zachary Gillen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Weightlifting and other forms of resistance training can help stave off loss of muscle mass and other age-related physical decline.Zachary Gillen, Assistant Professor of Exercise Physiology, Mississippi State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2113302023-10-10T17:36:24Z2023-10-10T17:36:24ZAmerica’s farmers are getting older, and young people aren’t rushing to join them<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552404/original/file-20231005-29-2cqeho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=30%2C45%2C5032%2C3324&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Seeking greenhorns with green thumbs.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/caucasian-farmer-standing-in-field-checking-crop-royalty-free-image/678824087">Steve Smith/Tetra Images via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552565/original/file-20231006-18-7potdo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552565/original/file-20231006-18-7potdo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552565/original/file-20231006-18-7potdo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552565/original/file-20231006-18-7potdo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552565/original/file-20231006-18-7potdo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552565/original/file-20231006-18-7potdo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552565/original/file-20231006-18-7potdo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552565/original/file-20231006-18-7potdo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="attribution"><a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
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<p>Hardworking American farmers keep the world fed and clothed. But the farming labor force has a problem: It’s aging rapidly.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Highlights/2019/2017Census_Farm_Producers.pdf">average American farmer is 57 and a half years old</a>, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s up sharply from 1978, when the figure was <a href="https://agcensus.library.cornell.edu/wp-content/uploads/1982-United_States-CHAPTER_1_State_Data-121-Table-05.pdf">just a smidge over 50</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=lEIbjzkAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">As researchers</a> <a href="https://www.humansci.msstate.edu/associate.php?id=377">who study well-being</a> <a href="https://www.agecon.msstate.edu/people/jjg8">in rural areas</a>, we wanted to understand this trend and its implications. So we <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/ppar/prad015">dug into the data</a>.</p>
<h2>Amber waves of graying</h2>
<p>We found that the average age of farmers was fairly consistent across the country, even though the <a href="https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/2022/comm/aging-nation-median-age.html">general population’s age</a> varies quite a bit from place to place. </p>
<p>For example, the <a href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2017/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_State_Level/Maine/mev1.pdf">average Maine farmer</a> is just a few months older than the <a href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2017/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_State_Level/Utah/utv1.pdf">average farmer in Utah</a>, even though the average Maine resident is <a href="https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2023/population-estimates-characteristics.html">more than a decade older</a> than the average Utahn. </p>
<p>To be fair, we did find some local differences. For example, in New York County – better known as Manhattan – the average farmer is just north of 31. Next door in Hudson County, New Jersey, the average farmer is more than 72.</p>
<p>On the whole, though, America’s farming workforce is getting older. If the country doesn’t recruit new farmers or adapt to having fewer, older ones, it could put the nation’s food supply at risk. Before panicking, though, it’s worth asking: Why is this happening? </p>
<h2>A tough field to break into</h2>
<p>To start, there are <a href="https://www.youngfarmers.org/22survey/">real barriers to entry</a> for young people – at least those who weren’t born into multigenerational farming families. It takes money to buy the land, equipment and other stuff you need to run a farm, and younger people have <a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/files/scf17.pdf">less wealth</a> than older ones. </p>
<p>Young people born into family farms may have fewer opportunities to take them over due to <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2020/february/consolidation-in-us-agriculture-continues/">consolidation in agriculture</a>. And those who do have the chance may not seize it, since they often report that <a href="https://www.onthefarm.life/">rural life is more challenging</a> than living in a city or suburb. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.choicesmagazine.org/choices-magazine/theme-articles/farm-stress/addressing-farm-stress-essential-insights-for-agricultural-economists">overall stress of the agriculture industry</a> is also a concern: Farmers are often at the mercy of weather, supply shortages, volatile markets and other factors entirely out of their control.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">The ups and downs of farm life take center stage in “On the Farm,” a docuseries produced by Mississippi State University.</span></figcaption>
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<p>In addition to understanding why fewer younger people want to go into agriculture, it’s important to consider aging farmers’ needs. Without younger people to leave the work to, farmers are left with intense labor — physically and mentally – to accomplish, on top of the ordinary <a href="https://theconversation.com/aging-is-complicated-a-biologist-explains-why-no-two-people-or-cells-age-the-same-way-and-what-this-means-for-anti-aging-interventions-202096">challenges of aging</a>.</p>
<p>In other words, the U.S. needs to increase opportunities for younger farmers while also supporting farmers as they age. </p>
<h2>Opportunities to help</h2>
<p>The USDA <a href="https://www.usda.gov/partnerships/underserved-veteran-farmers-ranchers-foresters">already has programs</a> to <a href="https://www.farmers.gov/your-business/beginning-farmers">aid new farmers</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/farm-loan-programs/minority-and-women-farmers-and-ranchers/index">farmers of color and female farmers</a>, and those who <a href="https://www.farmers.gov/your-business/small-scale-producers">operate small farms</a>. Expanding these programs’ reach and impact could help bring new talent into the field. </p>
<p>Congress could do just that when it <a href="https://theconversation.com/these-four-challenges-will-shape-the-next-farm-bill-and-how-the-us-eats-202555">reauthorizes the farm bill</a> – a package of laws covering a wide range of food – and agriculture-related programs that get passed roughly every five years.</p>
<p>The farm bill also includes <a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program">nutrition aid</a> and funds <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/agriculture-improvement-act-of-2018-highlights-and-implications/rural-development">telehealth</a> and <a href="http://www.nifa.usda.gov/about-nifa/how-we-work/extension/cooperative-extension-system">training and educational outreach for farmers</a>, all of which could help meet the needs of young and aging farmers alike. Notably, the <a href="https://www.nifa.usda.gov/about-nifa/how-we-work/extension/cooperative-extension-system">Cooperative Extension Service</a> offers programs that range from <a href="https://4-h.org/">4-H</a> and youth development, including introduction to agriculture, to providing on-site technical help.</p>
<p>Congress was supposed to reauthorize the farm bill by Sept. 30, 2023, but it <a href="https://modernfarmer.com/2023/10/the-farm-bill-expired-what-happens-now">missed that deadline</a>. It now faces a new deadline of Dec. 31, but due to <a href="https://theconversation.com/ouster-of-speaker-mccarthy-highlights-house-republican-fractures-in-an-increasingly-polarized-america-214993">dysfunction in the House of Representatives</a>, many expect the process to drag on into 2024.</p>
<p>Also in 2024, the USDA will release its next <a href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/">Census of Agriculture</a>, giving researchers new insight into America’s farming workforce. We expect it will show that the average age of U.S. farmers has reached a new all-time high.</p>
<p>If you believe otherwise – well, we wouldn’t bet the farm.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211330/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>David R. Buys receives funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the National Institutes of Health.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>As Director of the Southern Rural Development Center, one of the nation's four Regional Rural Development Centers (RRDCs) focused on enhancing capacity in research and Extension among Land-Grant Universities, John J. Green is involved in projects funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Relevant to this topic are base funding support for RRDCs and the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative Competitive Program grant 2021-67023-34425 and his participation in the Rural Population Research Network (W5001). He also receives support as part of the Interdisciplinary Network on Rural Population Health and Aging funded by the National Institute on Aging grant R24-AG065159. The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of these funders.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>As an Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Science at Mississippi State University, Mary Nelson Robertson is involved in projects supported by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Rural Health and Safety Education Grant No. 2020-46100-32841, Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Rural Opioids Technical Assistance (ROTA) Grant No. 5H79TI083275-02, and USDA NIFA Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN): Southern Region Grant No. 2020-70028-32730 from the University of Tennessee Extension Service, and USDA NIFA FRSAN: State Department of Agriculture Grant No. 2021-70035-35566 from Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce.</span></em></p>It’s part of a decadeslong trend.David R. Buys, Associate Professor of Health, Mississippi State UniversityJohn J. Green, Director of the Southern Rural Development Center & Professor of Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State UniversityMary Nelson Robertson, Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Science, Mississippi State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2140222023-09-21T01:31:39Z2023-09-21T01:31:39ZThe Federal Reserve held off hiking interest rates − it may still be too early to start popping the corks<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549439/original/file-20230920-17-gxfnbp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C35%2C5883%2C3880&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell is watching the data.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/federal-reserve-board-chairman-jerome-powell-speaks-during-news-photo/1692581089">Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Federal Reserve officials <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=fed+holds+rates">held interest rates steady</a> at their monthly policy meeting on Sept. 20, 2023 – only the second time they have done so since embarking on a rate-raising campaign a year and a half ago. But it is what they hinted at rather than what they did that caught many economists’ attention: Fed officials indicated that they don’t expect rates to end 2023 higher than they predicted in June – when they last issued their projections.</p>
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<p>Since the hiking cycle began, observers have worried about whether increased rates could push the U.S. economy into a downturn. Some have even speculated that <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-the-us-in-a-recession-well-that-depends-on-whom-you-ask-and-what-measure-they-use-187894">a recession had already begun</a>. However, the economy has been more resilient than many expected, and now many economists are wondering whether the seemingly impossible <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/what-is-a-soft-landing/">soft landing</a> – that is, a slowdown that avoids crashing the economy – has become a reality. </p>
<p><a href="https://scholar.google.ch/citations?user=VxWst50AAAAJ&hl=en">As a finance professor</a>, I think it’s premature to start celebrating. <a href="https://www.bls.gov/cpi/">Inflation</a> is still <a href="https://www.bea.gov/news/2023/personal-income-and-outlays-july-2023">almost double</a> the Federal Reserve’s <a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/faqs/economy_14400.htm">target of 2%</a>, and it is expected to come in at <a href="https://www.clevelandfed.org/indicators-and-data/inflation-nowcasting">around 4%</a> for September. What’s more, the economy is still growing quite fast, with consensus forecasts showing gross domestic product will rise by <a href="https://www.atlantafed.org/cqer/research/gdpnow">nearly 3% this quarter</a>. Some early data suggests that could be <a href="https://www.atlantafed.org/-/media/documents/cqer/researchcq/gdpnow/realgdptrackingslides.pdf">a low estimate</a>.</p>
<h2>What’s next for interest rates?</h2>
<p>Fed watchers are parsing every word from the central bank to determine whether another hike is coming this year or next, or if the cycle is truly over. To understand that decision, it helps to consider the bigger picture.</p>
<p>While the U.S. economy has certainly avoided a downturn for longer than many expected, the inflation battle is a long way from finished. In fact, this <a href="https://www.wsj.com/economy/central-banking/why-a-soft-landing-could-prove-elusive-3d17e134">wouldn’t be the first time</a> the economy looked like it would avoid a soft landing. For the next several months, the economy is <a href="https://kalshi.com/markets/govshut/government-shutdown#govshut-23oct02">not likely to implode</a> without a <a href="https://theconversation.com/us-regulators-avoided-a-banking-crisis-by-swift-action-following-svbs-collapse-but-the-cracks-it-exposed-continue-to-weaken-the-global-financial-systems-foundation-201724">major</a> <a href="https://theconversation.com/fed-faces-twin-threats-of-recession-and-financial-crisis-as-its-inflation-fight-raises-risks-of-both-193704">spark</a>.</p>
<p>However, inflation may not continue to fall as quickly in the coming year, which means the Fed may still raise rates more than <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">some expect</a>. If rising oil prices continue to <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/13/cpi-report-inflation-august-2023">boost transportation costs</a>, other goods could also get more expensive, which may mean higher interest rates for longer.</p>
<h2>Is this really the end?</h2>
<p>Though Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell seemed to indicate that the committee is approaching the end of the hiking cycle, <a href="https://www.kentclarkcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/RESULTS-2023-09-13-Survey-10.pdf">only 10%</a> of economists expect that it is over at this point – not that economists’ <a href="https://www.vox.com/2014/12/18/7414973/economists-predictions-treasury">track record of forecasting rates</a> is great either. This is largely because Powell has been clear that the Fed is <a href="https://www.pimco.com/en-us/insights/blog/fed-cycle-enters-data-dependence-phase/">basing its decisions on economic data</a>, which has been strong so far and hopefully will continue in that direction.</p>
<p>So while everyone is watching the Fed this week, they should also keep an eye on broader economic conditions. With luck, the reported data will continue to be strong enough to avoid a downturn, but not so strong that inflation picks back up.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214022/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>D. Brian Blank does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>News of a soft landing may be premature.D. Brian Blank, Assistant Professor of Finance, Mississippi State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2047302023-09-11T12:34:41Z2023-09-11T12:34:41ZCan animals give birth to twins?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535718/original/file-20230705-25-ey6m80.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Some animals, including goats, regularly give birth to two babies at once.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/two-kid-goats-in-field-royalty-free-image/71919552?phrase=baby+goats&adppopup=true">Image Source via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/curious-kids-us-74795">Curious Kids</a> is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to <a href="mailto:curiouskidsus@theconversation.com">curiouskidsus@theconversation.com</a>.</em></p>
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<p><strong>Can animals give birth to twins? – Mia C., age 10</strong></p>
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<p>Ask any parent – welcoming a new baby to the family is exciting, but it comes with a lot of work. And when the new addition is a pair of babies – twins – parents really have their work cut out for them.</p>
<p>For many animal species it’s the norm to have multiple babies at once. A litter of <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jean-Pierre-Bidanel/publication/249324578_An_overview_of_twenty_years_of_selection_for_litter_size_in_pigs_using_hyperprolific_schemes/links/54525ccd0cf2cf51647a125b/An-overview-of-twenty-years-of-selection-for-litter-size-in-pigs-using-hyperprolific-schemes.pdf">piglets can be as many as 11</a> or more! </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538767/original/file-20230721-6326-u8u6fj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A mother pig lying on hay in a barn surrounded by multiple piglets" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538767/original/file-20230721-6326-u8u6fj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538767/original/file-20230721-6326-u8u6fj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=489&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538767/original/file-20230721-6326-u8u6fj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=489&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538767/original/file-20230721-6326-u8u6fj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=489&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538767/original/file-20230721-6326-u8u6fj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=615&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538767/original/file-20230721-6326-u8u6fj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=615&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538767/original/file-20230721-6326-u8u6fj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=615&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Pigs are one species that gives birth to large litters.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/mother-pig-with-piglets-royalty-free-image/164283190?phrase=pig+litter&adppopup=true">Arthur Dries/DigitalVision via Getty Images</a></span>
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<p><a href="https://www.vetmed.msstate.edu/directory/mhj95">We are</a> <a href="https://www.vetmed.msstate.edu/directory/tj1232">faculty members</a> at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine. We’ve been present for the births of many puppies and kittens over the years – and the animal moms almost always deliver multiples.</p>
<p>But are all those animal siblings who share the same birthday twins?</p>
<h2>Twins are two peas in a pod</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/multiple-birth">Twins are defined as two offspring</a> from the same pregnancy.</p>
<p>They can be identical, which means a single sperm fertilized a single egg that divided into two separate cells that went on to develop into two identical babies. They share the same DNA, and that’s why the two twins are essentially indistinguishable from each other.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/dizygotic-twin">Twins can also be fraternal</a>. That’s the outcome when two separate eggs are fertilized individually at the same time. Each twin has its own set of genes from the mother and the father. One can be male and one can be female. Fraternal twins are basically as similar as any set of siblings.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538761/original/file-20230721-25-9rs8a7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="diagram of two sperm fertilizing two eggs yielding two embryos, and one sperm fertilizing one egg that divides into two separate embryos" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538761/original/file-20230721-25-9rs8a7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538761/original/file-20230721-25-9rs8a7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=156&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538761/original/file-20230721-25-9rs8a7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=156&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538761/original/file-20230721-25-9rs8a7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=156&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538761/original/file-20230721-25-9rs8a7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=196&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538761/original/file-20230721-25-9rs8a7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=196&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538761/original/file-20230721-25-9rs8a7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=196&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Fraternal twins originate in two eggs fertilized separately, while identical twins originate in a single fertilized egg that divides to create two embryos.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/illustration/dizygotic-and-monozygotic-twins-illustration-royalty-free-illustration/1042127200?phrase=fertilization+of+twins+identical+vs+fraternal+diagram&adppopup=true">Veronika Zakharova/Science Photo Library via Getty Images</a></span>
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<p>Approximately <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493200/#:%7E:text=Twin%20births%20account%20for%20approximately,percent%20of%20all%20twin%20gestations.">3% of human pregnancies in the United States produce twins</a>. Most of those are fraternal – approximately <a href="https://alphabiolabsusa.com/learning-center/identical-vs-fraternal-twins/">one out of every three pairs of twins</a> is identical.</p>
<h2>Multiple babies from one animal mom</h2>
<p>Each kind of animal has its own standard number of offspring per birth. People tend to know the most about domesticated species that are kept as pets or farm animals.</p>
<p>One study that surveyed the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2010.10.034">size of over 10,000 litters among purebred dogs</a> found that the average number of puppies varied by the size of the dog breed. Miniature breed dogs – like chihuahuas and toy poodles, generally weighing less than 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) – averaged 3.5 puppies per litter. Giant breed dogs – like mastiffs and Great Danes, typically over 100 pounds (45 kilograms) – averaged more than seven puppies per litter.</p>
<p>When a litter of dogs, for instance, consists of only two offspring, people tend to refer to the two puppies as twins. Twins are the <a href="https://doi.org/10.4141/cjas95-022">most common pregnancy outcome in goats</a>, though mom goats can give birth to a single-born kid or larger litters, too. Sheep frequently have twins, but <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2013.05.018">single-born lambs are more common</a>.</p>
<p>Horses, which are pregnant for 11 to 12 months, and cows, which are pregnant for nine to 10 months, tend to have just one foal or calf at a time – but twins may occur. Veterinarians and ranchers have long believed that it would be financially beneficial to encourage the conception of twins in dairy and beef cattle. Basically the farmer would get two calves for the price of one pregnancy.</p>
<p>But twins in cattle may result in <a href="https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2007-0210">birth complications for the cow and undersized calves</a> with reduced survival rates. Similar risks come with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.09.018">twin pregnancies in horses</a>, which tend to lead to both pregnancy complications that may harm the mare and the birth of weak foals.</p>
<h2>DNA holds the answer to what kind of twins</h2>
<p>So plenty of animals can give birth to twins. A more complicated question is whether two animal babies born together are identical or fraternal twins.</p>
<p>Female dogs and cats <a href="https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.es.04.110173.001035">ovulate multiple eggs at one time</a>. Fertilization of individual eggs by distinct spermatazoa from a male produces multiple embryos. This process results in puppies or kittens that are fraternal, not identical, even though they may look very much the same.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538776/original/file-20230721-6732-s8he64.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A mother cat lying down on a blanket and nursing her kittens." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538776/original/file-20230721-6732-s8he64.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538776/original/file-20230721-6732-s8he64.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538776/original/file-20230721-6732-s8he64.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538776/original/file-20230721-6732-s8he64.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538776/original/file-20230721-6732-s8he64.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538776/original/file-20230721-6732-s8he64.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538776/original/file-20230721-6732-s8he64.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Though born from the same litter, these kittens all have different sets of genes.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/mother-cat-nursing-baby-kittens-royalty-free-image/1070428270?phrase=litter+of+kittens&adppopup=true">bozhdb/iStock via Getty Images</a></span>
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<p>Biologists believe that identical twins in most animals are very rare. The tricky part is that lots of animal siblings look very, very similar and researchers need to do a DNA test to confirm whether two animals do in fact share all their genes. Only <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/rda.12746">one documented report</a> of identical twin dogs was confirmed by DNA testing. But no one knows for sure how frequently fertilized animal eggs split and grow into identical twin animal babies.</p>
<p>And reproduction is different in various animals. For instance, nine-banded armadillos normally <a href="https://doi.org/10.1656/1528-7092(2002)001%5B0287:PVWABL%5D2.0.CO;2">give birth to identical quadruplets</a>. After a mother armadillo releases an egg and it becomes fertilized, it splits into four separate identical cells that develop into identical pups. Its relative, the seven-banded armadillo, can give birth to anywhere from <a href="https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3650">seven to nine identical pups at one time</a>.</p>
<p>There’s still a lot that scientists aren’t sure about when it comes to twins in other species. Since DNA testing is not commonly performed in animals, no one really knows how often identical twins are born. It’s possible – maybe even likely – that identical twins may have been born in some species without anyone’s ever knowing.</p>
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<p><em>Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to <a href="mailto:curiouskidsus@theconversation.com">CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com</a>. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.</em></p>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Animals often give birth to litters of more than one offspring at a time. But are those babies twins?Michael Jaffe, Associate Professor of Small Animal Surgery, Mississippi State UniversityTracy Jaffe, Assistant Clinical Professor of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2116592023-08-30T12:16:25Z2023-08-30T12:16:25ZYear-round school: Difference-maker or waste of time?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/544849/original/file-20230826-23-6c5aya.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=10%2C43%2C7178%2C4613&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Not much evidence shows that modified school calendars lead to better academic performance.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/children-in-classroom-royalty-free-image/1271533302?phrase=school+classroom+&adppopup=true">Johner Images via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>Contrary to how it sounds, “year-round” school usually doesn’t mean students going to school throughout the year – or for more days than other students. Often it just means switching up the calendar so that there’s not such a long summer break. Below, two education experts – <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nicole-Miller-10">Nicole Miller</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=EzLkaxMAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">Daniel H. Robinson</a> – answer five questions about the modified school calendars known as year-round school.</em></p>
<h2>What kinds of year-round schools exist?</h2>
<p>The first is the <a href="https://www.sreb.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/10s03_focus_school_cal_0.pdf?1459971827">“single-track”</a> modified calendar, also known as a “balanced calendar.” The second is the “<a href="https://www.sreb.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/10s03_focus_school_cal_0.pdf?1459971827">multi-track calendar</a>.” Neither one is typically an extended year. Instead, both calendars involve moving the 180 school days around so that there are multiple short breaks as opposed to the typical long summer break.</p>
<p>Single-track calendars have all students following the same schedule. This balanced calendar often includes intersessions that provide additional opportunities for learning rather than “summer school.” With a multiple-track calendar, usually created to alleviate school overcrowding, some students are on campus while others are on break. </p>
<p>Balanced calendars often take the form of 45 school days followed by 15 days of break, or 60 school days followed by 20 days of break. Other kinds of modified calendars with shorter intersessions exist in states like <a href="https://www.starkvillesd.com/academic-calendar/index">Mississippi</a> and <a href="https://ed.sc.gov/data/other/school-calendars/2023-2024-composite-school-calendar/">South Carolina</a>.</p>
<h2>How prevalent is year-round school?</h2>
<p>Federal data shows year-round school has been <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ntps/tables/ntps1718_20050401_s1n.asp">fading in popularity over the past decade or so</a>. In the 2007-2008 school year, 4.4% of schools were on a year-round cycle. By the 2017-2018 school year, that figure had dropped to 2.5%.</p>
<p>However, since the pandemic, there have been signs of renewed interest in single-track year-round calendars, at least in the Southeast.</p>
<p>For instance, in 2020, Louisiana modified its school statute to <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/la/bese/Board.nsf/files/BUCTNV783CA6/$file/AGII_BalancedCalendarPP_1020.pdf">allow for more flexible calendars</a>. In Mississippi, a <a href="https://www.wlbt.com/2023/07/19/more-mississippi-school-districts-shifting-modified-school-calendars/">significant number of schools shifted</a> to a modified year-round calendar, with 29 of 137 districts using such a calendar in the 2023-2024 school year. In <a href="https://www.shawlocal.com/opinion/editorials/2022/08/15/schools-are-testing-out-year-round-calendar-but-benefits-not-guaranteed/">South Carolina</a>, as of 2022, <a href="https://ed.sc.gov/data/other/school-calendars/2023-2024-composite-school-calendar/">a quarter of school districts had shifted</a> to a modified year-round calendar. These modified calendars typically consist of nine weeks of school with a 5-to-8-day intersession, followed by another nine weeks of school each semester. </p>
<h2>Is there any evidence that it works?</h2>
<p>That depends on what you mean by “works.” If it means <a href="http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED330040.pdf">saving money</a> by avoiding having to add buildings, then it is possible for a school that normally serves 750 students to serve 1,000 when going to a year-round, multiple-track schedule. This is because the schedule has different students taking breaks at different times.</p>
<p>But if “works” means an improvement in student achievement, then there is <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3102/00346543073001001?casa_token=6--3kEaZuX4AAAAA:LxKN9ObE12LlHNHvDO1DCAGb3csZRiOYbP8g_mSsZ6wM9P0O6WmhI8yeAeMw55CyJ50wGrOhcePd">insufficient data</a> to answer that question, especially for single-track calendars. One review found <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cl2.1053">modestly higher student achievement</a> for year-round compared with traditional calendar schooling, but it was also plagued with what we believe were poor studies on which to base conclusions.</p>
<h2>What are the potential drawbacks?</h2>
<p>There are several challenges involved with switching to a year-round calendar. One is changing child care systems to work with the new calendar. Another is securing funding to provide meaningful learning experiences over the various breaks. Also, problems can arise if a family has children on different calendars.</p>
<p>There are also concerns about how high school students <a href="https://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/year-round-or-traditional-schedule">have less time for summer jobs</a> and for students to participate in traditional summer activities such as summer camps.</p>
<p>Then there’s the issue of standardized tests. If schools take longer breaks, it could mean fewer days in school prior to test day. </p>
<p>Depending on the type of year-round calendar, changes can <a href="https://www.techlearning.com/news/year-round-schools-5-things-to-know">affect sports</a>, particularly practice schedules and game schedules. It can also be a problem if members of the same team are on different tracks.</p>
<p>Also, some schools <a href="https://www.techlearning.com/news/year-round-schools-5-things-to-know">may not have adequate air conditioning</a> to be open in the hot summer months.</p>
<p>Multi-track calendars might also <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/3497042.pdf">negatively affect efforts to keep teachers</a> from leaving the job.</p>
<h2>What are the potential gains?</h2>
<p>Based on prior research investigating learning schedules, a schedule that distributes instruction and practice <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED536925.pdf">more evenly over the calendar year</a> should result in better learning. </p>
<p>By having shorter breaks, there could be less learning loss from the extended break over the summers.</p>
<p>Finally, some school districts are hoping for a <a href="https://www.wlbt.com/2023/07/19/more-mississippi-school-districts-shifting-modified-school-calendars/">reduction in teacher turnover</a> by having more frequent breaks. There is some, but not extensive, evidence that modified year-round school does a better job of giving teachers a chance to recharge and come back to the classroom after each break feeling refreshed.</p>
<p>One study found that teachers perceived that they had <a href="https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/teacher-job-satisfaction-in-a-year-round-school">greater motivation to teach</a> and that <a href="https://aquila.usm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1211&context=dissertations">student achievement was also positively impacted</a> when teaching in schools with modified year-round schedules.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211659/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Two education researchers reviewed the evidence on year-round school. Here is what they found.Daniel H. Robinson, Associate Dean of Research, College of Education, University of Texas at ArlingtonNicole Miller, Associate Professor of Elementary and Middle School Education, Mississippi State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2102422023-08-24T12:34:06Z2023-08-24T12:34:06ZInsider trading − the legal kind − is a lot more profitable if you work for a multinational company<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543824/original/file-20230821-27-r6197f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=119%2C83%2C7821%2C5214&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The most in-the-know insiders earned three times as much as the typical investor in any given month.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/close-up-of-hands-of-businesswoman-analyzing-stock-royalty-free-image/1330143303?phrase=stock%20trading">Witthaya Prasongsin/Moment via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Corporate insiders who trade stocks based on the information they gain on the job earn a lot more if they work at multinational corporations than their peers at U.S. companies with no sales abroad. That’s the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/eufm.12415">main finding of our new peer-reviewed research</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/insider_trading">Insider trading</a> happens when a director or employee trades their company’s public stock or other security based on important or “material” information about that business. Insider trading isn’t illegal as long as the person <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1164964/000101968715004168/globalfuture_8k-ex9904.htm">reports the trade to the Securities and Exchange Commission</a> and the information is already in the public domain. </p>
<p>We wanted to know if multinational insiders stand to make more money because of the complexity of the information they could possess relative to outsiders. </p>
<p>So we examined returns from <a href="https://www.sec.gov/dera/data/form-345">over 2.5 million trades</a> reported to the SEC from 1987 to 2019 by insiders at over 10,000 companies. This is only a subset of all insider trades reported during the period because we focused on only those transactions most likely to be informed by the employee’s insight. We then compared monthly returns for insiders at multinational and domestic companies with those for a typical investor. </p>
<p>We found that all insiders beat the market, but those at multinationals did better – especially if they were on the highest rungs of the corporate ladder. While insiders at domestic companies typically obtained a return of 2.4% in the month following a stock purchase, those at multinational corporations reaped 2.8%. That may not sound like a lot, but, assuming consistent returns, it could amount to earning $170,000 more if an insider traded $1 million over several months. And it’s triple the <a href="https://pages.stern.nyu.edu/%7Eadamodar/New_Home_Page/datafile/histretSP.html">typical stock market monthly gain of 0.9%</a></p>
<p>The most in-the-know insiders – executives and others with the most intimate knowledge of the company and its operations – at multinationals got an even bigger advantage, earning 3.6% per month vs. 2.7% at domestic companies. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Gordon Gekko may be the most famous (fictional) inside trader.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>Why it matters</h2>
<p>Insider trading is familiar to most people from movies that portray it in criminal terms, such as <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gordon-gekko.asp">Gordon Gekko</a> of “Wall Street.” In the film, he makes millions off others’ inside information. </p>
<p>But even when it is legal, insider trading is very profitable. That’s because insiders <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfineco.2014.09.005">trading on public information</a> are more knowledgeable about their industry and process information more effectively than outside investors. </p>
<p>With global companies, the advantage of being an insider increases. Since multinational companies generate earnings in foreign countries, with different currencies, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2021.101917">cultures</a>, economies and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/rfs/hhv039">operating environments</a>, it can be hard for an outsider or analyst to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/rof/rfw070">accurately value the company</a> and its stock price. This is especially true when the company does business in regions that are culturally and linguistically distinct from the U.S. This helps insiders trade more efficiently, by buying underpriced stocks at a bargain and selling them later for a windfall. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-405X(76)90026-X">Companies often motivate their employees</a> to work harder by offering them a stake in their success, but if insiders seem to be getting an unfair advantage over ordinary investors, it may undermine trust in financial markets. The size and profitability of such trades – particularly in light of our data – mean regulators and policymakers may want to consider whether new restrictions on insider trading are needed, such as placing additional limits on the timing or frequency of trades. </p>
<h2>What other research is being done</h2>
<p>Scholars, including us, are pursuing many avenues of research on insider trading, such as <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3844986">how insider trading restrictions are determined</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.2308/TAR-2020-0799/11072">how insider trades inform markets when news is limited</a>. We’ve recently conducted research on how insider trades by colleagues at the same company <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1111/jfir.12172">tend to cluster together</a>, and we are currently looking at how innovation affects insider trading.</p>
<p>Another recently published project relates to how information is incorporated into stock market prices and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4332">how investors underreact to news</a> that may affect insiders’ ability to trade profitably. Similarly, ongoing research uses a GPT language model to assess the complexity of business regulatory filings and financial statements by <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4480309">analyzing technical jargon that can confuse investors</a>, which could also affect how outside investors understand stock prices compared with insiders.</p>
<p><em>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/research-brief-83231">Research Brief</a> is a short take about interesting academic work.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210242/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Executives and other high-level inside traders at US companies with global sales earned about three times as much in a month as the average investor, a new study found.D. Brian Blank, Assistant Professor of Finance, Mississippi State UniversityDallin Alldredge, Assistant Professor of Finance, Florida International UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2082512023-07-06T10:38:19Z2023-07-06T10:38:19ZKiswahili: how a standard version of the east African language was formed – and spread across the world<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534332/original/file-20230627-17-hl1r78.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jasmin Merdan/Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>Kiswahili originated in east Africa, spreading around the continent and the globe. It’s been <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-60333796">adopted</a> as a working language at the African Union and there’s a push for it to become Africa’s lingua franca or common language. Morgan J. Robinson is a <a href="https://www.history.msstate.edu/directory/mjr530">historian</a> of east Africa with a research focus on language who has published a <a href="https://www.ohioswallow.com/book/A+Language+for+the+World">book</a> on Kiswahili called A Language for the World. We asked her how today’s accepted standard version of Kiswahili came into being.</em></p>
<h2>Where is Kiswahili spoken?</h2>
<p>Kiswahili is spoken across eastern and central Africa. Mother-tongue speakers are found mainly along the coast, but Kiswahili is spoken as a second or third language by people around the world. According to Unesco, which in 2021 proclaimed 7 July as <a href="https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/7-july-2023-edition-world-kiswahili-language-day#:%7E:text=7%20July%3A%20The%202023%20Edition%20of%20the%20World%20Kiswahili%20Language%20Day">World Kiswahili Language Day</a>, it’s <a href="https://www.unesco.org/en/kiswahili-language-day">spoken</a> by 200 million people.</p>
<h2>What led to it becoming so prominent?</h2>
<p>Kiswahili’s role as a prominent symbolic and practical language in Africa is the result of <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-story-of-how-swahili-became-africas-most-spoken-language-177259">multiple factors</a>. These range from political and economic to cultural and historical. Already by the 1800s Kiswahili was being used all along the caravan trade network that crisscrossed east-central Africa. In the centuries before this, the language had been used to formulate legal, philosophical and poetic contributions that influenced the entire Indian Ocean world.</p>
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<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Ohio University Press</span></span>
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<p>But one of the arguments of my book is that the creation of a standardised version of the language resulted by the mid-1900s in a version of Kiswahili that was more portable than ever before. A standard language is a uniform written version that is generally recognised as the “official” form. This comes with the creation of dictionaries, grammars and literature that allow this version to travel further. </p>
<p>Another important part of the story of the standardisation of Kiswahili is that it was central to a variety of community-building projects across the course of a century. It was used by formerly enslaved students and missionaries alongside native speakers on Zanzibar and was central as a language of administration in Tanganyika, Zanzibar, Kenya and parts of Uganda during the colonial period. Kiswahili also played a political role in the anti-colonial movements of eastern Africa and among southern African freedom fighters who trained in Tanzania in the 1960s and 1970s. It was even embraced by some US civil rights activists. </p>
<p>All these communities used the language at various times to strengthen ties and communicate across barriers that otherwise might have kept people apart. This led not only to an increase in the number of people speaking and writing Kiswahili, but also to its reputation as a potential pan-African and even global connecting language.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-story-of-how-swahili-became-africas-most-spoken-language-177259">The story of how Swahili became Africa's most spoken language</a>
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<p>Many, including literary heavyweights <a href="https://udadisi.com/kiswahili-urithi-wetu-afrika/?fbclid=IwAR1g4MY3MvaTMdMuTVner-_Sfo3M5_KDQ-wNTvI2ZiLO4lv40vtp2BMcus0">Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o</a> from Kenya and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1985/06/23/books/wole-soyinka-writing-africa-and-politics.html">Wole Soyinka</a> from Nigeria, have advocated for the embracing of Kiswahili as a pan-African language of communication. </p>
<p>But there’s legitimate concern that the expanded use of Kiswahili in official and unofficial realms could endanger the linguistic diversity of east Africa.</p>
<p>It’s a problem for which I don’t have an answer. Perhaps multilingualism is the key. As Ngũgĩ encouraged in a 2021 <a href="https://udadisi.com/kiswahili-urithi-wetu-afrika/?fbclid=IwAR1g4MY3MvaTMdMuTVner-_Sfo3M5_KDQ-wNTvI2ZiLO4lv40vtp2BMcus0">speech</a> in Mombasa: </p>
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<p>Therefore let us be proud of our mother tongues; let us be proud of Kiswahili as the national language; and on top of that let us add the knowledge of English or Mandarin or French or Yoruba, etcetera. These will only give strength to our proficiency and communication. But our foundation is made of our mother tongues and the language of the entire nation, that is Kiswahili.</p>
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<h2>What exactly is standardised Kiswahili?</h2>
<p>Just as there are many “Englishes” spoken around the world, so are there multiple “Kiswahilis”. That’s to say, Kiswahili is a language of multiple dialects – the Kimvita spoken at Mombasa, for instance, or the Kiamu of Lamu – of which Standard Swahili is just one. It is the version that shapes the textbooks and curricula with which Kiswahili is taught around the world, so that most students learning Kiswahili in classrooms are learning Standard Swahili.</p>
<p>Its history is a long one that did not follow a single, straight path. However, broadly speaking, Standard Swahili is based on Kiunguja, the Zanzibari dialect of the language. It’s also important to note that while Standard Swahili is written in the Latin script – the alphabet used to write English, French, Italian etcetera – Kiswahili has a much longer history of being written in the Arabic script, a tradition that lives on in some communities.</p>
<h2>What were the key moments in the standardisation of the language?</h2>
<p>One of my main arguments is that the standardisation of Kiswahili was a long-term and, by necessity, collaborative process. The standard version was neither wholly imposed by the British colonial regime in the 1920s, nor was it a “naturally” developed tool of anti-colonial resistance. Starting in 1864 with the arrival of Anglican missionaries on Zanzibar, through the independence and early post-colonial eras, multiple communities participated in the process. They all used the language to create their own diverse communities.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/new-kiswahili-science-fiction-award-charts-a-path-for-african-languages-163876">New Kiswahili science fiction award charts a path for African languages</a>
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<p>One of my favourite examples to describe this process is the figure of Owen Makanyassa. He was enslaved as a young man, but before arriving at its destination the ship carrying him was captured by the British Royal Navy and, in the late 1860s or early 1870s, Makanyassa was placed under the care of a missionary society on Zanzibar. He attended the mission’s school and became an invaluable worker at its printing press, producing some of the translations that would go on to form the basis of Standard Swahili. Though Makanyassa and his fellow students and workers spoke a variety of mother tongues, their language of communication very quickly became Kiswahili, and they all participated in this early stage of its standardisation – though they haven’t always been credited for their contributions. </p>
<p>In my book I zoom in on moments like this, moments in which freedom and unfreedom, oppression and empowerment, official and unofficial knowledge production combined, slowly creating a written version of Swahili that would be exported around the world, creating a truly global language.</p>
<p><em>Download a <a href="https://www.ohioswallow.com/book/A+Language+for+the+World">free copy</a> of the book at Ohio University Press</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208251/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Morgan J. Robinson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>By the 1950s a standard version of the language emerged, today spoken by an estimated 200 million people.Morgan J. Robinson, Assistant Professor, Mississippi State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2052732023-06-23T12:27:31Z2023-06-23T12:27:31ZLess sleep, less exercise and less relaxation – here’s the data on just how much busier moms are during the school year<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529187/original/file-20230530-25-aog7gq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Moms get about 25 minutes less sleep each weeknight when their kids' school is in session. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/son-waking-up-sleeping-mother-royalty-free-image/142740298">Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/DigitalVision Collection/Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/research-brief-83231">Research Brief</a> is a short take about interesting academic work.</em></p>
<h2>The big idea</h2>
<p>Moms of school-age children get significantly less sleep during the school year than during the summer.</p>
<p>We are <a href="https://www.toddrjones.com/">economists</a> <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=TdNR3AIAAAAJ&hl=en">who specialize</a> in <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=EaLMFY0AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">education and health research</a>. We combined <a href="https://www.toddrjones.com/papers/School_Crime_most_recent.pdf">extensive data</a> on <a href="https://publicholidays.com/us/school-holidays/">school district schedules</a> with information derived from the <a href="https://www.bls.gov/tus/">American Time Use Survey</a> to explore the ways <a href="http://www.doi.org/10.3386/w31177">families use their time differently</a> depending on whether school is in session or out for summer.</p>
<p>We observed mothers on average tend to sleep 25 minutes less, have 28 minutes less free time and allocate seven minutes less for exercise on weekdays during the school year than during the summer. For comparison, fathers reduce sleep by 11 minutes during the school year relative to the summer, have 21 minutes less free time and five fewer exercise minutes.</p>
<p>Conversely, mothers spend about half an hour more per day during the school year taking care of others, including kids, and five additional minutes on travel – which often involves driving their kids to and from school.</p>
<p>Interestingly, even though both mothers and fathers spend more time physically present with children in their household during summer months, both spend more time actively engaged with the children – such as helping with homework or reading together – during the school year. However, the effect is almost three times greater for women than it is for men: Moms spend an extra 34 minutes per day during the school year actively engaged with the children versus an extra 12 minutes for dads. </p>
<p>Our study also observed teenagers ages 15-17, as they are the only children included in the time use survey. </p>
<p>During the school year, teenagers sleep about one hour and 20 minutes – or 13% – less than they do during the summer, and they have over two hours – or 33% – less free time each day. This reduction in free time includes nearly an hour and a half less time spent each day on television, games – including video games – and computer use. </p>
<p><iframe id="UmBRW" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/UmBRW/1/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<h2>Why it matters</h2>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2020.08.013">Prior research</a> has shown there is a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.4570">gender gap</a> in mental health, with women faring worse than men on measures such as anxiety and depression. Women are also <a href="https://www.womenshealth.gov/blog/seasonal-affective-disorder-spotlight">four times as likely</a> as men to be diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression that typically occurs in fall and winter.</p>
<p>Our results suggest the possibility that these issues are exacerbated by the greater demands placed on mothers during the school year. </p>
<p>Regarding teenagers getting more sleep, our findings support <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/high-school-students-need-more-sleep-and-later-school-start-times/">arguments for later school start times</a> so that teens can <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aau6200">get more sleep</a>. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended middle and high schools start <a href="https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-1697">no earlier than 8:30 a.m.</a> so that adolescents can get sufficient sleep to support mental health and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2019.05.011">academic achievement</a>. However, the average start time <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2020/2020006/index.asp">for U.S. high schools is 8 a.m.</a>. </p>
<p>Our results also suggest that when school is out, teenagers may be especially susceptible to <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/05/17/1176452284/teens-social-media-phone-habit">media overconsumption</a>. Teens themselves <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/08/22/how-teens-and-parents-navigate-screen-time-and-device-distractions/">say they spend too much time</a> on screens.</p>
<h2>What we still don’t know</h2>
<p>We do not yet know how these changes in schedules affect teen mental health. While some measures of teen mental health <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.3386/w30795">improve during summer months</a>, we found that teenagers spend the lion’s share of their extra summer free time in front of screens, and studies have linked excessive screen time to <a href="http://www.doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.1759">higher levels of depression</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-020-00401-1">poorer mental health</a>.</p>
<p><em>This article was updated on July 31, 2023 with a new chart.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/205273/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Parents spend more time actively engaged with their kids – such as helping with homework or reading together – during the school year than during summer. But the difference is almost three times greater for moms than for dads.Todd Jones, Assistant Professor of Economics, Mississippi State UniversityBenjamin Cowan, Associate Professor of Economics, Washington State UniversityJeff Swigert, Assistant Professor of Economics, Southern Utah UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.