Earlier this month, the United States Food and Drug Administration authorized the first at-home tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea. The Simple 2 Test is available over-the-counter and costs between $58 and $99 per kit. Results are returned within a week and officials with the FDA hope that it helps curb the country’s STI epidemic.

[Related: A guide to preventing, spotting, and managing STIs.]

Bacteria causes both gonorrhea and chlamydia. While HPV is a more prevalent STI, chlamydia and gonorrhea are the most commonly reported STIs in both the US and other countries. According to the FDA, roughly 1.6 million cases of chlamydia and over 700,000 cases of gonorrhea were reported in 2021. The STIs cause painful urination and bleeding between menstrual periods. They are generally easily treated with antibiotics, but if left unattended, both gonorrhea and chlamydia can cause serious health complications, including infertility.

Rates of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis have skyrocketed over the past 20 years. The increase is at least partially driven by a lack of funding of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s budget to fight the spread of STIs. Public health officials believe that easy and more accessible testing for STIs is one of the necessary tools needed to combat the country’s STI crisis.

“This authorization marks an important public health milestone, giving patients more information about their health from the privacy of their own home,” Doctor Jeff Shuren, director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in a press release on November 15. “We are eager to continue supporting greater consumer access to diagnostic tests, which helps further our goal of bringing more health care into the home.”

The Simple 2 Test kit can be purchased online at LetsGetChecked’s website. It comes with tools to collect urine specimens or vaginal swabs. The patient then uses a prepaid shipping label to send the specimens to a lab. Users also must complete an online questionnaire. After two to five days, the patient can view the results online. If the test is positive or the results are invalid, users can arrange a telehealth consultation with a healthcare provider.

Doctor Matthew Golden, Director of the  Seattle King County public health departmen’s HIV and STI control program, told NBC News that FDA is catching up on regulating an industry that has grown since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

[Related: This ‘morning after’ pill could prevent STIs from unprotected sex.]

“At some level, the horse has left the barn,” said Golden. He noted that self-testing kits have been widely used for years, but “some of those tests, how well they perform is not well known. So cleaning this up makes sense.”

University of Hawaii STI expert and medical consultant at the Hawaii State Department of Health’s Diamond Head STI/HIV Clinic Alan Katz told Stat News that the Simple 2 Test uses the same investigative procedure that clinicians use to diagnose chlamydia and gonorrhea.

“This option is exceptionally useful for individuals who live in rural areas or are geographically distanced from a clinic where STI testing can be done and there is no telehealth option available,” Katz said. “If a person screens positive, they can then contact a healthcare provider for further evaluation and treatment.”

While unapproved home tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea have already been on the market, The Simple 2 Test is the first to go through the FDA’s approval process. The approval could potentially make it easier for future such tests to clear the FDA’s regulatory pathway.

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The holidays are stressful. Good thing having sex and/or masturbating reduces stress and helps you sleep. So drop what you’re doing and get on the gift of getting off with these Cyber Monday sex toy deals at Amazon.

Womanizer OG $159.99 (Was $199)

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Our best overall sex toy pick, the Womanizer OG has lots of intensity levels, can be used for clitoral stimulation or on your G-spot, and its Smart Silent tech keeps things discreet. The Womanizer OG takes all that is good in a bullet vibrator and all that is good in a clitoral stimulation toy and combines it into a versatile, wunderbar vibrator that you can use on multiple erogenous zones. Twelve levels of Pleasure Air intensity and three vibration modes separately can lead you to all kinds of new highs. You’ll want to buy it over and over and over until the neighbors complain … about all the packages on the porch.

Lubricant deals

• selfmade Intimacy Serum $14 with 50% off coupon
• Nécessaire The Sex Gel $20 (Was $25)
• Hello Cake Toy Wonder $15.19 (Was $18.99)
• Playground Date Night, Natural, Water-Based Personal Lubricant $20 (Was $25)
• Playground Mini Escape, Natural, Water-Based Personal Lubricant $20 (Was $25)
• Playground Love Sesh, Natural, Water-Based Personal Lubricant $20 (Was $25)
• Hello Cake Silicone Lube $14.40 (Was $18)

Toy deals

• We-Vibe Chorus Couples Vibrator $167.20 (Was $199)
• Womanizer Wave 2in1 Stimulation Showerhead $95.20 (Was $119)
• Womanizer Starlet 2 $39 (Was $49)
• Hello Cake Male Stroker Dual Entrances $15.98 (Was $19.98)
• Hello Cake Spin Stroker $44.80 (Was $56)
• Hello Cake Flutter Vibe $27.98 (Was $34.98)
• Hello Cake Buzzy Butt $29.98 (Was $31.99)
• Hello Cake Pretty Big Dil $22.40 (Was $28)
• Hello Cake Oral Stroker $15.98 (Was $20)
• Hello Cake Tush Pops $25.60 (Was $32.99)
• Hello Cake Little Sucker $23.98 (Was $29.98)
• Hello Cake Little Massager $23.99 (Was $29.99)
• Hello Cake Silicone Penis Ring $18.39 (Was $22.99)
• Hello Cake Vibrating Stroker $23.98 (Was $29.98)
• Hello Cake Vibrating Cock Ring $28.79 (Was $35.99)

The post Sneak away for some arousing browsing … of the best Cyber Monday sex toy deals appeared first on Popular Science.

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The itchiness that comes with some annoying dermatological conditions might be caused by certain microbes on skin. In a study published November 22 in the journal Cell, a team of scientists found that a common skin bacterium called Staphylococcus aureus can result in itchiness by acting directly on the nerve cells. 

[Related: Lab-made ‘super melanin’ speeds up healing and boosts sun protection.]

This is the first time that scientists have observed how this microbe works to create itching sensations. The finding adds an important piece to the puzzle of why some common skin conditions like eczema often have a persistent itch. Eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, affects about 20 percent of children and 10 percent of adults in the United States. It usually causes the equilibrium of microorganisms that keep our skin healthy to be thrown out of balance. These conditions allow S. aureus to flourish, according to the study’s authors from Harvard Medical School.

Previously, dermatologists believed that the itchiness that accompanies eczema happened because of skin inflammation. The new paper shows that S. aureus causes itch by beginning a molecular chain reaction that ends in the urge to scratch the skin.

“We’ve identified an entirely novel mechanism behind itch—the bacterium Staph aureus, which is found on almost every patient with the chronic condition atopic dermatitis. We show that itch can be caused by the microbe itself,” study co-author and dermatologist Isaac Chiu said in a statement.

In the study, researchers exposed the skin of mice to S. aureus. Over several days, the animals developed an intensifying itch. The repeated scratching caused worsening skin damage that eventually spread beyond the original site of exposure.

The mice exposed to S. aureus also became hypersensitive to unharmful stimuli that would usually not cause the skin to itch. They were also more likely to develop abnormal itching in response to a light touch than the mice that were not exposed to the bacterium. This hyperactive response called alloknesis and it is common in patients struggling with chronic skin conditions that have persistent itch. 

Researchers then identified several enzymes that were released by the bacteria once it began to grow on the skin. They tested each enzyme to see if it triggered any itching. It turned out that S. aureus releases the bacterial enzyme protease V8, which then activates the protein PAR1. This protein is located on the nerve fibers that send signals from the skin to the brain, prompting the sensation of itchiness. 

PAR1 proteins are also present on certain blood cells and are involved in clotting. Anti-clotting medications that are already available can block the protein activation on the skin neurons, which gave the team a place to start to look for a treatment. 

[Related: A new artificial skin could be more sensitive than the real thing.]

When the mice were given an anti-clotting medicine, the medication successfully blocked the activation of PAR1 on the skin’s nerve fibers. A critical step in the itch-scratch cycle was interrupted and the rodent’s symptoms appeared to be relieved. Scratching decreased. 

These findings could help lead to better oral medications or skin creams to treat persistent itching that comes with conditions linked to an imbalance in the skin microbiome, including eczema, prurigo nodularis, and psoriasis.

“Itch can be quite debilitating in patients who suffer from chronic skin conditions. Many of these patients carry on their skin the very microbe we’ve now shown for the first time can induce itch,” study co-author and immunologist Liwen Deng said in a statement. 

A question that the team plans to explore in future work is whether other microbes besides S. aureus can trigger itch.

“We know that many microbes, including fungi, viruses, and bacteria, are accompanied by itch but how they cause itch is not clear,” Chiu said.

Researchers are also exploring why microbes cause an itch and what evolutionary benefits the bacterium can gain from causing an itch. It could be that pathogens may hijack itch and other neural physical reflexes to their advantage. Earlier studies have shown that the tuberculosis bacterium directly activates the vagal neurons to cause cough, which might enable the bacteria to spread from one host to another. 

“It’s a speculation at this point, but the itch-scratch cycle could benefit the microbes and enable their spread to distant body sites and to uninfected hosts,” Deng said. “Why do we itch and scratch? Does it help us, or does it help the microbe? That’s something that we could follow up on in the future.”

The post How an unbalanced skin microbiome can make you itch appeared first on Popular Science.

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Few things help you work out a sore muscle quite like a percussion massager. These little machines beat your body up in the best way possible to increase blood flow and accelerate recovery. They’re great for before bed, after the gym, or when the muscle next to your shoulder blade won’t stop twitching because you’ve been sitting at your desk writing about Black Friday deals for 20 hours straight and your body is slowly atrophying into a hunched mass of sinew. That last one might just be us. Still, these are great deals from two of the biggest companies in the space.

TheraGun Prime $189 (was $299)

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This mid-level massage gun from Therabody comes with four high-quality attachments and a deep app integration that helps guide you through a variety of massage treatments. I’ve been using the upgraded TheraGun Elite version for a few weeks now, and the bedtime routine is pretty much essential for me (our editor’s family swears by the flagship PRO Plus after running and/or soccer matches). It has customizable programs and speeds depending on how intense you want your percussion to get. This is a somewhat advanced model, but the app provides excellent instruction for beginners so you can grow into it.

More Therabody massager deals

• TheraGun Pro $349 (was $499)
• TheraGun Mini Massage Gun $149 (was $199)
• TheraFace PRO Microcurrent Facial Device $319 (was $399)
• Therabody Wave Series Wave Roller $99 (was $149)
• Therabody Wave Series Wave Duo $79 (was $99)
• Therabody Wave Series Wave Solo $59 (was $79)

Hyperice percussion massager deals

• Hypervolt 2 Pro $259 (was $329)
• Hypervolt 2 $159 (was $199)
• Hypervolt Go 2 $99 (was $129)
• Hyperice Venom Go – Advanced Heat + Vibration Wearable $99 (was $129)
• Hyperice X – Advanced Contrast Therapy $349 (was $449)
• Hyperice Normatec 3 – Recovery System $699 (was $799)
• Vyper 3 – High-Intensity Vibrating Foam Roller $159 (was $199)

The post Shop percussion massagers at Amazon for Black Friday and get up to 40% off appeared first on Popular Science.

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We know that going to the gym is going to be on your New Year’s resolutions list. Working out is great for endorphins and getting your heart rate up, but leaving your house in the dark, cold early morning or equally dark, cold evening is a bummer, to say the least. Bring the gym to your place with this massive Black Friday deal on Echelon, Peloton, NordicTrack, Hydrow Rowing, and other exercise equipment at Amazon.

Echelon EX5 Smart Connect Fitness Bike $359.99 (Was $999.99)

SEE IT

You get a free 30-day trial of Echelon Premiere with this bike, giving you access to 3,000 live and on-demand classes on the Echelon Fit app (for iOS and Android). This bike was built with performance and comfort in mind, with ergonomic handlebars and six seat position levels. The tablet mount flips 180 degrees so you can get a gym membership worth of workouts in one piece of equipment.

• Echelon EX-15 Smart Connect Fitness Bike $399.99 (Was $500)
• Echelon EX5-S Smart Connect Fitness Bike $699.99 (Was $1,499.99)
• Echelon Fitness Stride Auto-Fold Smart Treadmill $999.99 (Was $1,299.99)

Peloton deals

• Original Peloton Bike $1,095 (Was $1,445)
• Peloton Bike+ $1,995 (Was $2,495)
• Peloton Guide AI-Powered Personal Strength Training Device For Your TV $95 (Was $195)
• Peloton Altos Cycling Shoes for Bike and Bike+ $101.50 (Was $145)
• Peloton Bike Mat $45 (Was $75)

Hydrow deals

• Hydrow Wave Rowing Machine with 16″ HD Touchscreen $1,445 (Was $1,895)
• Hydrow Rowing Machine with Immersive 22″ HD Rotating Screen $1,745 (Was $2,945)
• Hydrow Multi-Use Workout Mat $68 (Was $80)

NordicTrack deals

• NordicTrack T Series 8.5S $1,290 (Was $1,599)
• NordicTrack T Series 6.5S $679 (Was $799)

XTERRA deals

• XTERRA Fitness Folding Exercise Bike $110.49 (Was $179.99)
• XTERRA Fitness UB120 Upright Bike $66.49 (Was $97.99)
• XTERRA Fitness Dual Action Air Bike $419.99 (Was $499)
• XTERRA Fitness TR150 Folding Treadmill $314.99 (Was $393.78)
• XTERRA Fitness TR260 Folding Treadmill $491.50 (Was $578.24)
• XTERRA Fitness WalkSlim Treadmill $509.99 (Was $599.99)

The post Shop the best fitness gear during Amazon Black Friday with up 64% of savings appeared first on Popular Science.

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This article was originally featured on MIT Press.

There is no reason to think that synesthesia hasn’t existed throughout all of human history. We just don’t have adequate records to make a reliable determination. Famous thinkers such as Aristotle, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Sir Isaac Newton reasoned by analogy (an accepted scientific method until the end of the 17th century) across different dimensions of perception to pair, for example, a sound frequency with a given wavelength frequency of light.

The first photograph of a synesthetic individual dates from 1872. It is of eight-year-old Ellen Emerson, daughter of Ralph Waldo Emerson. The philosopher Henry David Thoreau, a close family friend, wrote to Ellen’s father in 1845: “I was struck by Ellen’s asking me. … If I did not use ‘colored words.’ She said that she could tell the color of a great many words, and amused the children at school by doing so.”

This spare description is evidence enough that Ellen Emerson was indeed a synesthete. Colored words are a common type of synesthesia. Her assumption that others also see them that way is likewise typical. Jörg Jewanski at the University of Münster notes that “since Thoreau was ‘struck,’ we can assume it was not just the amusing game of a child.” Apparently this was the first time he had heard of such an experience, and it was “unusual to him.”

Professor Jewanski has also unearthed the first reported clinical case of synesthesia. It is in the form of an 1812 medical dissertation, written in Latin, by Georg Tobias Ludwig Sachs. As a polymodal synesthete (someone who experiences synesthesia involving more than one sense), Sachs cited examples of his “color synesthesia for letters of the alphabet, for tones of the musical scale, for numbers, and for days of the week.” Sporadic medical reports followed, but these all concerned adults—a finding that raises the question, Where were all the synesthetic children in the 60 years leading up to the Emerson case? And why were they afterward in apparently short supply? After all, individuals typically say they have had synesthesia as far back as they can remember. Its consistent expression over time likewise points to roots in childhood.

Modern scientists have been studying synesthetic children in depth, including neonates, since 1980. Their investigations have influenced theories about how the phenomenon develops in the brain, and so the absence of childhood reports before the 20th century remains a historical puzzle. The term synesthesia did not exist between 1812 and 1848, but that explains only part of the gap. One consequence of the gap is that data sets from the large number of 19th-century statistical studies are completely unknown to all but a handful of researchers today. Contemporary investigators may possess superior methods, but they are liable to retread old ground if they are unaware that people working long ago had already posed, and sometimes answered, key questions about the phenomenon.

Interest in synesthesia accelerated after 1880 when the influential polymath Sir Francis Galton, Charles Darwin’s cousin, wrote about “visualized numerals” in the prestigious journal Nature. Three years later he noted the strong tendency for synesthesia to run in families. Steadily, the number of peer-reviewed papers increased. In the same year that Galton’s first paper appeared, the ophthalmologist F. Suarez de Mendoza published a book in French, “L’audition colorée.” Not until 1927 did a German-language book on synesthesia appear, Annelies Argelander’s “Das Farbenhören under der synästhetische Faktor der Wahrnehmung.” A book-length treatment in English would still be decades off, but suddenly the topic seemed to fill the salons of fin de siècle Europe. Composers, painters, and poets piled on, even proponents of automatic writing, spiritualism, and theosophy. The zeitgeist of the time unfortunately emphasized the idea of sensory correspondences, which overshadowed attention to synesthesia as a perceptual phenomenon. Two famous poems of the period still taught today are “Correspondances” by Charles Baudelaire and “Voyelles” by Arthur Rimbaud. Given the cultural atmosphere during this burst of romanticism, it is easy to see how synesthesia gained an iffy reputation.

To make matters worse, behaviorism came onto the scene—an inflexible ideology that regarded the observa­tion of behavior rather than the conscious introspection of experience as the only correct way to approach psychology. Behaviorism peaked in influence between 1920 and 1940. A marked drop in scientific papers occurred during this time, only to rebound during a second renaissance in the late 1980s.

In the 19th century and earlier, introspection was a common and respected experimental technique. But then medicine began to distinguish symptoms such as pain, dizziness, or ringing in the ears as subjective states “as told by” patients, from signs like inflammation, paralysis, or a punctured eardrum that a physician could see as observable facts. This brings us full circle back to synesthesia’s fundamental lack of outward evidence that could satisfy the science of its day. Many decades after behaviorism had fallen from favor, modern science still rejected self-reports and references to mental states as unfit material for study. As a methodology, introspection was considered unreliable because it was unverifiable—again, the chasm of first-person versus third-person reports.

One reason for the persistent distrust of verbal reports is not that scientists thought people were lying about what they experienced but instead because of a remarkable discovery: All of us routinely fabricate plausible-sounding explanations that have little, if anything, to do with the actual causes of what we think, feel, and do. This must be so for reasons of energy cost, which forces the bulk of what happens in the brain to be outside consciousness.

To understand this counterintuitive arrangement it helps to think of a magician’s trick. The audience never perceives all the steps in its causal sequence—the special contraptions, fake compartments, hidden accomplices. It sees only the final effect. Likewise, the real sequence of far-flung brain events that cause a subjective experience or overt action is massively more than the sequence we consciously perceive. Yet we still explain ourselves with the shortcut “I wanted to do it, so I did it,” when the neurological reality is “My actions are determined by forces I do not understand.”

Hard as it is to imagine now, this attitude rendered all aspects of memory, inner thought, and emotion taboo for a long time. These were relegated to psychiatry and philosophy. As late as the 1970s when I trained in neurology, my interest in aphasia (a loss of language) and split-brain research got me labeled “philosophically minded” because all firsthand experience was dismissed as outside neurology’s proper purview.

The science of the day was simply not up to the task before it. For any phenomenon to be called scientific it must be real and repeatable, have a plausible mechanism explainable in terms of known laws, and have far-reaching implications that sometimes cause what Thomas Kuhn called a paradigm shift. Psychology at the time wasn’t up to the challenge either. It, too, was an immature science, jam-packed with ill-defined and untestable “associations.” It did not yet know about priming, masking, pop-out matrices with hidden figures, or any number of optical and behavioral techniques now at our disposal that show synesthesia is perceptually real. The idiosyncratic nature of the phenomenon was a major obstacle that earlier science couldn’t explain, whereas today we can account for differences among individuals in terms of neural plasticity, genetic polymorphism, and environmental factors present both in the womb and during the formative years of early childhood.

The 19th-century understanding of nervous tissue was likewise paltry compared to what we know now. If clinicians spoke of synesthesia at all, they spoke of vague “crossed connections” between equally ill-defined “nerve centers.” But such tentative ideas were neither plausible nor testable. If we didn’t understand how standard perception worked, then how could the science of the time possibly explain an outlier like synesthesia? It knew little about how fetal brains develop, the powerful role of synaptic pruning, or how interactions between genetics and environment uniquely sculpt each brain (which is why identical twins often have different temperaments). The enormous fields of signal transduction and volume transmission likewise remained undiscovered until the 1960s. Volume transmission is the conveyance of information via small molecular messengers and diffusible gases not only in the brain but also throughout the entire body. If you think of the physical wiring of axons and synapses as a train going down a track, then volume transmission is the train leaving the track. All these concepts were beyond our earlier comprehension.

Today we can test hypotheses about cross-connectivity and how neural networks establish themselves as needed, self-calibrate, and then disband. We do this through a variety of anatomical and physiological tools that range from tensor diffusion imaging to magnetoencephalography. As for synesthesia upending the status quo and causing a paradigm shift, it had to wait until orthodoxy could no longer object. By the early 2000s, the brain pictures that a critical establishment had demanded for decades were at last at hand, and in abundance. Critics were silenced, and long-standing dogmatic notions of how the brain is organized were out. The meaning of the paradigm shift lay in realizing just how consequential synesthesia is. Far from being a mere curiosity, it has proven to be a window onto an enormous expanse of mind and brain.

Since the early reports of Georg Sachs and Francis Galton, our understanding has changed immensely, particularly over the past two decades. There is every reason to expect that the framework for the why and how of synesthesia will continue to change. That is the nature of science: Answer one question, and 10 new ones arise. Science is never “settled,” as President Barack Obama falsely liked to say. Long-entrenched ideas can be overthrown by new evidence. For example, “everyone knew” since the 1800s that stomach ulcers were caused by excess acid. Standard treatment consisted of a bland diet and surgery to cut out the stomach’s eroded parts. Barry Marshall was ridiculed and dismissed by the medical establishment when he suggested in 1982 that the bacterium, Helicobacter pylori, was the true cause of ulcers. His work eventually won the 2005 Nobel Prize, and today ulcers are cured by a short course of antibiotics.

Similarly, James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the double helix of DNA in 1953. Today, as genetics underlies all modern biology, it is astonishing that a small change in one’s DNA dramatically alters one’s perception of the world. The most profound question is why the genes for synesthesia remain so prevalent in the general population. Remember that about one in 30 people walk around with a mutation for an inwardly pleasant but apparently useless trait. It costs too much in wasted energy to hang on to superfluous biology, so evolution should have jettisoned synesthesia long ago. The fact that it didn’t means that it must be doing something of inapparently high value. Perhaps the pressure to maintain it stays high because the increased connectivity in the brain supports metaphor: seeing the similar in the dissimilar and forging connections between the two. Understanding the laws behind the ability could give us an unprecedented handle on the development of language and abstract thinking, to say nothing of creativity.

Synesthesia has already caused a paradigm shift in two senses. For science, it has forced a fundamental rethinking about how brains are organized. It is now beyond dispute that cross talk happens in all brains; synesthetes just have more of it that takes place in existing circuits.

The other paradigm shift lies within each individual. What synesthesia shows is that not everyone sees the world as you do. Not at all. Eyewitnesses famously disagree on the same “facts.” Others have different points of view than you do, and all are true. Synesthesia highlights how each brain filters the world in its own uniquely subjective way.

Richard E. Cytowic, M.D., MFA, a pioneering researcher in synesthesia, is Professor of Neurology at George Washington University. He is the author of several books, including “Synesthesia: A Union of the Senses,” “The Man Who Tasted Shapes,” “The Neurological Side of Neuropsychology,” and “Synesthesia,” from which this article is excerpted.

The post A brief 200-year history of synesthesia appeared first on Popular Science.

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Having a lukewarm beverage is one of the largest party fouls at a holiday shindig. There’s always a shortage of ice! There’s so much schmoozing happening that our hot boozy beverage becomes tepid! We give thanks if you didn’t experience this at turkey dinner and want to make sure it doesn’t happen when Christmas ham or any other festive favorites roll around. Keep your drinks hot and/or cold all night all year with this Yeti tumbler and insulated koozie deal at Amazon.

YETI Rambler 16 oz. Colster Tall Can Insulator for Tallboys & 16 oz. Cans $15 (Was $30)

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This stainless steel, vacuum-insulated Tall Colster is great for anything that involves a 16-ounce can: a holiday work party; meeting the parents for the first time; a winter football tailgate; and more. It’s dishwasher-safe and can accommodate a Liquid Death pounder can.

Here are more Yeti deals happening for Amazon Black Friday:

• YETI Rambler 14 oz Vacuum Insulated Mug $21 (Was $30)
• YETI Crossroads Backpack 35L, Nordic Purple $161 (Was $230)
• YETI Lowlands Blanket $140 (Was $200)
• YETI Boomer 4, Stainless Steel, Non-Slip Dog Bowl $28 (Was $40)
• YETI Rambler Half Gallon Jug $70 (Was $100)
• YETI Rambler 64 oz Bottle, Vacuum Insulated, Stainless Steel with Chug Cap $45.50 (Was $65)
• YETI Rambler Gallon Jug $91 (Was $130)
• YETI Rambler 26 oz Straw Cup, Vacuum Insulated, Stainless Steel with Straw Lid, Stainless $26.25 (Was $36.81)
• YETI Rambler 16 oz Stackable Pint, Vacuum Insulated, Stainless Steel with MagSlider Lid $22.50 (Was $30)

The post Sip, sip, hooray: Shop the best Yeti Black Friday deals at Amazon appeared first on Popular Science.

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A glass of red wine may pair well with a turkey dinner, but drinking even a small amount can cause headaches in some people. The dreaded “red wine headache” can occur between 30 minutes to three hours after consuming as little as a small glass’ worth. In a study published November 20 in the journal Scientific Reports, a team from the University of California, Davis and the University of California, San Francisco reports that they may have found the culprit.

[Related: Red wine is a trifecta of chemicals that can make some people feel terrible.]

Questioning the quercetin

The team believes that a flavanol found naturally in red wines can interfere with the body’s usual metabolism of alcohol, which may lead to a headache. This flavanol is called quercetin and it is found in multiple types of fruits and vegetables, including grapes. Quercetin is considered a healthy antioxidant and can even be taken as a supplement, but it can become a problem when metabolized alongside alcohol.

“When it gets in your bloodstream, your body converts it to a different form called quercetin glucuronide,” study co-author and UC Davis wine chemist Andrew Waterhouse said in a statement. “In that form, it blocks the metabolism of alcohol.”

The end result is an accumulation of a toxin called acetaldehyde.

“Acetaldehyde is a well-known toxin, irritant and inflammatory substance,” study co-author and UC Davis microbiologist Apramita Devi said in a statement. “Researchers know that high levels of acetaldehyde can cause facial flushing, headache and nausea.”

A medication called disulfiram that is prescribed to patients to help treat alcohol dependence to discourage drinking is known to cause these same symptoms if alcohol is consumed. Disulfiram also makes acetaldehyde from drinking alcohol build up when an enzyme in the body would usually break it down. Roughly 40 percent of the East Asian population also has alcohol metabolizing enzymes that allows for acetaldehyde to build up in their system.

“We postulate that when susceptible people consume wine with even modest amounts of quercetin, they develop headaches, particularly if they have a preexisting migraine or another primary headache condition,” study co-author and University of California, San Francisco neurologist Morris Levin said in a statement. “We think we are finally on the right track toward explaining this millennia-old mystery. The next step is to test it scientifically on people who develop these headaches, so stay tuned.”

Turn the lights down

According to the team, sunlight increases the headache-causing flavanol in the grapes grown to make wine. 

[Related: Can I be allergic to alcohol?]

“If you grow grapes with the clusters exposed, such as they do in the Napa Valley for their cabernets, you get much higher levels of quercetin. In some cases, it can be four to five times higher,” said Waterhouse.

Levels of quercetin can differ depending on how the wine is made, including skin contact during fermentation, the fining processes, and even aging.

The study cautions that there are still many unknowns about the causes of red wine headaches. While we have a better understanding of the biological processes behind red wine headaches, it is still a mystery why some people remain more susceptible to them than others. The team is working on comparing red wines that have a lot of quercetin like shiraz with those that do not have as much to test their theory that quercetin is truly behind red wine headaches on people. They are also curious if the enzymes of people who get red wine headaches often are more easily inhibited by the flavanol or if this group is more easily affected by the buildup of the toxin acetaldehyde.

“If our hypothesis pans out, then we will have the tools to start addressing these important questions,” Waterhouse said.

The post Why does red wine cause headaches? It may be flavanol’s fault appeared first on Popular Science.

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As far back as he can remember, Kali Chockalingam, now 53 and living in Echur, a village in Southern India, has loved snakes. He often got in trouble with his teachers for hiding them in his schoolbag. “As a young boy, I thought they looked like little dolls,” he said. Chockalingam hails from India’s Irula tribe, one of the country’s oldest Indigenous communities, known for their extraordinary ability to trace and catch snakes. From his father and grandfather, he learned the family trade.

Roughly 200,000 Irulars are spread out over three Southern Indian states—Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. And for the past 45 years, Chockalingam’s tribe in Tamil Nadu has run the Irula Snake Catcher’s Industrial Co-operative Society, India’s largest producer of quality snake venom, which is used to manufacture antidotes to snakebites, or antivenin.

Research has shown that antivenin made from the co-op’s venom has been effective in treating bites by the four most common venomous snakes in the country, the only snakes the Irulars are legally allowed to catch: the Russell’s viper, the common krait, the Indian cobra, and the Indian saw-scaled viper.

Still, snakebite deaths remain a problem. According to the Million Death Study, one of the largest ongoing global studies of premature mortality, around 58,000 Indians die from snakebites every year, the highest rate in the world. And a growing proportion of these bites come from less common species of venomous snakes in specific pockets of the country, for which, according to researchers at the Indian Institute of Science, available antivenin — also often called antivenom—are not very effective.

People living in India’s rural areas, who are exposed to a broad range of snakes, are particularly at risk. Treating these patients can be difficult, said Gnaneswar Ch, project leader of the Snake Conservation & Snakebite Mitigation Project at the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust Center for Herpetology, where the Irula Co-op is located.

For instance, in Tamil Nadu, data on snakebites and how to prevent them—gathered by Gnaneswar’s team since 2015—suggest that people are most likely to be bitten on their legs when they walk across agricultural fields barefoot. And they may not seek treatment at the hospital until hours after the bite, turning first to natural or folk remedies. As a result, Gnaneswar said, “we’re seeing many amputations and loss of limbs.”

The Irulars’ history with snakes traces back to the tribe’s roots as hunter-gatherers. In pre-Independent India, the tribe began to sell snakes to the British, who wanted their skins. But the tribe was thrust into poverty after India’s Wildlife Protection Act came into effect in 1972, which banned snake hunting (and later, snakeskin export in 1976).

The tribe’s prospects changed in 1978, when herpetologist Romulus Whitaker, who had formed a deep friendship with the Irulars, established the Irula Co-op. Since then, the Irulars were charged with the responsibility of catching snakes, said Gnaneswar. And “they went from snake hunters to lifesavers.”

The Irula Co-op now has approximately 350 members who, like Chockalingam, are licensed to catch venomous snakes. As a collective, they are allowed to bring in up to 13,000 snakes per year, generating an annual income between 10 and 25 million Indian rupees (between approximately $120,000 and $300,000). At any given time, the co-op has the license to house up to 800 venomous snakes. Because of the region’s immense heat, the snakes are stored in wide brimmed earthen pots, which are covered with cotton cloths and closed with a string. The snakes are protected by India’s Wildlife Act, and so the co-op is only permitted to keep individual animals in captivity for 21 days, during which their venom is extracted—or milked—four times. Venom milking involves holding the snake by its head and forcing it to bite the lip of a jar; venom drips from its fangs and collects in the jar.

The work has its dangers. Over the past 30 years, Chockalingam has been bitten five times, he said, and some of the bites have been life threatening. In 2001 on a routine snake catching operation, a Russell’s viper sank its fangs into his index finger. After stopping for a cup of tea, Chockalingam said, he went to the hospital for shots of antivenin. When he was finally allowed to go home after five days, he remembers immediately setting out to catch another snake.

Not everyone can catch snakes with the ease and expertise of the Irulars, so antivenin manufacturers across India rely heavily on the co-op. Today, just seven companies in the country produce antivenin, and all of them buy Irular-milked venom for their products.

“Manufacturing antivenin is a very technologically challenging process,” said MV Khadilkar, co-founder and technical director of Premium Serums, which makes country- and region-specific snake antivenin for India, Sri Lanka, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa. The product is manufactured using horses; it’s complex and labor intensive, and the outcome isn’t always guaranteed. Small, harmless doses of the snake venom are injected into the horses, and the doses are then gradually increased (though they remain at levels that will not hurt the animal). The horses’ bodies produce proteins in reaction to the venom, called antibodies, which are then harvested from their blood and processed into an injectable antivenin. “We have to ensure the health and welfare of the animal as well as we have to maintain productivity,” Khadilkar said. “It is a very delicate balance.”

The seven Indian companies that produce antivenin make 8 million vials a year, most of it derived from the Irula Co-op venom. But in spite of the Irula co-op’s efforts, and the availability of antivenin across the country, many challenges persist.

First, producing antivenins for India’s different regions is difficult. Some snakes aren’t considered medically important: Though their bites may cause severe pain, disability, neurological issues, and paralysis, they are not life-threatening. Other snakes that are lethal are restricted to specific areas of the country. In the end, producing the antidotes must be affordable without compromising on quality.

“The problem of snake venom is a problem of poor people,” Khadilkar said. It involves hard labor in manufacturing, but the profits aren’t high, he said, and “that’s why you don’t find many big pharmaceutical companies who are in this field.”

“Despite this,” he added, “there’s always a demand from different corners of India.”

The antivenin that is made isn’t always well-distributed. According to Gnaneswar, while the country produces adequate venom from the big four snakes, the antivenin may not always reach the places that need it the most. Stocks may be inadequate, especially in rural hospitals and small health care centers, because they are not distributed to places that see the most snakebites.

And the antivenins that are produced and distributed won’t treat every snakebite, even from related species. “The problem is that venom varies between species and geographically as well,” said Whitaker, who is now the Indian head of the Global Snakebite Initiative. While the Irula Co-op pulls venom from the four species that cause the most fatal bites across India, there are also four species of cobras, seven species of kraits, and two species of saw-scaled vipers, he added, and the co-op venoms may not work as well “for bites of the same or related species in other parts of the country.” And venom also changes over different seasons, even within an individual snake.

Then there’s the issue of quality. How well an antivenin works depends on the potency of the venom—a mixture of biological substances including amino acids, carbohydrates, fats, nucleic acids, peptides, and proteins. The best practices for venom extraction, which were created by the World Health Organization, “are hard to achieve in India, considering our existing wildlife laws and drug manufacturing laws, but more importantly, the necessity to keep the venom production costs to the minimum,” said Gnaneswar. For instance, the best practices dictate that snakes should be held in a controlled environment with appropriate nutrition and low chances of stress. This goes against Indian laws, where snakes are protected and can’t be held indefinitely in captivity.

There are also issues with venom storage. Once milked, the venom must quickly be stored at minus 20 degrees Celsius, or minus 4 Fahrenheit, to retain the highest quality; otherwise, its biological components could degrade. The Co-op’s current methods involve extracting venom from up to a hundred snakes in quick succession, which means the earliest collections don’t immediately go into a freezer. “It’s evident that venom loses its potency,” said Gnaneswar. “However, we are not sure how much potency it loses.”

To help make the antivenin that can treat a wider range of India’s many snakebites, there are two possible approaches, according to Khadilkar. The first is to manufacture region-specific antivenin dedicated to a particular area where there is strong demand—individual antivenins for each species of snake. If venom was collected from diverse snakes across India, a “cocktail” of those from the same species could then be used to immunize the horses, he said. The antigenic variation “can provide more diverse antibodies and the antivenin becomes effective over a wider geographical area.” But the costs for this approach would be high.

The second is to make a more diverse antivenin that can effectively act on a spectrum of snakebites. This would entail catching and milking snakes from different parts of India, not just the big four, and making a mixed antivenin. The biggest drawback is that there isn’t enough skilled labor to achieve this.

Still, on a smaller scale, there are such efforts underway. Gnaneswar’s employer, the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust Center for Herpetology, is working with the Tamil Nadu government to set up a new state-of-the-art venom collection center. The hope is for the facility to get permission to permanently house snakes from all over the country. If approved, it could be operational as early as August 2025. For Chockalingam and the other Irulars—should they get the government’s permission to catch more species of snakes beyond the big four — the serpentarium could translate to more work, more venom, better infrastructure and safety protocols, and richer rewards. “It gives me a deep sense of joy when I think of the lives we’re saving by doing this work,” said Chockalingam. “It makes every struggle worth it in the end.”

Another possible solution may be to produce antivenin in a way that doesn’t rely on injecting horses with venom and collecting antibodies. Some labs are experimenting with such an approach: oral antidotes, which target proteins in venom that are most toxic to humans. These antidotes can also withstand higher temperatures and produce fewer allergic reactions. One such company, the U.S.-based Ophirex, has recently completed a Stage 2 clinical trial on its product.

“If that drug proves out to be effective,” Gnaneswar said, “it would be a huge, huge jump for antivenom in India.”

The post In India, a need for new antidotes to curb deadly snakebites appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best overall		VIKTOR JURGEN Shiatsu Neck and Back Massager		SEE IT	This option features eight massage heads and uses infrared heat to provide relief to sore muscles.
Best for athletes		Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Pro		SEE IT	This powerful percussion massager operates at five different speeds and comes with five head attachments to customize the sensation.
Best budget		Homedics Neck Massager with Heat		SEE IT	This affordable model provides Shiatsu and vibrational massage and lets users control the intensity.

Working from home may be more comfortable in many ways, but it can also do a number on your muscles—the kind of number that calls for a neck massager. Typing with your laptop in your lap on the couch or looking down at your phone throughout the day can cause tightness and strain in your neck. According to John Hopkins Medicine, at least 25 percent of Americans experience neck or back pain at some point in their lives.

Investing in a neck massager is one way to get some relief at home. These devices “significantly improve blood circulation in the neck region,” says Kevin Huffman, D.O., specializing in bariatric surgery and treating whiplash and other car accident injuries. “Improved blood circulation delivers not only instantaneous relief, it also hastens the recovery process and delivery of vital nutrients to impacted areas.”

He adds that neck massagers also provide rhythmic pulses on pressure points that help alleviate muscle tension, which lessens pain and promotes relaxation. So, if you’ve got some knots in your neck, we’ve rounded up the best neck massagers to provide some relief.

• Best overall: VIKTOR JURGEN Shiatsu Neck and Back Massager
• Best for neck, shoulders, and back: Homedics Shiatsu Neck and Body Massager
• Best intelligent: COMFIER Portable Heated Neck Massager
• Best handheld: TruMedic Massage Gun
• Best for athletes: Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Pro
• Best pillow: Homedics Back and Neck Massager, Portable Shiatsu All Body Massage Pillow
• Best mini: Theragun Mini Gen 4
• Best budget: Homedics Neck Massager with Heat

What causes neck pain?

Neck pain is the fourth leading cause of disability around the globe. While most acute cases resolve themselves within about a month, nearly 50 percent of people go on to experience more pain or frequent occurrences. This pain can result from both our environment and underlying conditions.

“Our lifestyle choices contribute to neck pain. These include enduring constant stress—whether professional or personal—which often precipitates physical manifestations of the tension we feel; one such manifestation is chronic neck discomfort,” Huffman says. “Moreover, a lack of attention towards ergonomic health in our work and living environments can permit conditions that exert undue pressure upon our necks, resulting in persistent strain and subsequent pain.”

As we increasingly adopt sedentary lifestyles and become more dependent on technology, the prevalence of neck pain could get worse. Poor posture is, arguably, the most pervasive cause. “And in our digital age, a modern epidemic known as tech neck has emerged due to continual strain on the neck muscles from looking down at handheld devices,” Huffman says. “And as we age, the degeneration caused by wear and tear on our neck joints can lead to painful sensations.” Chronic conditions like migraine and osteoporosis can also result in neck pain. And muscle soreness can also result from strenuous exercise and injury.

That said, neck massagers can only do so much. If your neck pain is a result of an injury or underlying condition, you should always consult your healthcare provider if your aches increase or persist over time.

How we chose the best neck massagers

In searching for the best neck massagers to help alleviate some of that pain, we considered options from leading brands, including Homedics and Victor Jurgen. We also prioritized the new technologies developed by Hyperice and Theragun. We looked for various form factors in these devices, from massage guns to U-shaped models people hang around their necks. In addition, we considered the types of massage provided by these devices, whether they provided heat, and how customizable and portable they were. We also consulted user reviews when making our picks.

The best neck massagers: Reviews & Recommendations

Whether you’re looking to relieve tech neck, are searching for some targeted relief after a tough workout, or are looking for some respite from a chronic condition, these neck massagers can help relieve muscle tension and help you feel more relaxed.

Best overall: VIKTOR JURGEN Shiatsu Neck and Back Massager

SEE IT

Specs

• Type: Shiatsu
• Weight: 3.7 pounds
• Power: Corded electric
• Heat: Yes
• Settings: High, medium, and low

Pros

• Allows you to customize intensity of massage
• Heated
• Can be used on different parts of the body
• Affordable

Cons

• Controls are small
• Extension cord isn’t long

When your neck is aching after a long day working on a computer, VIKTOR JURGEN’s Neck and Shoulder Massager can rescue you. This massager is designed with eight massage heads and infrared heat for deep tissue Shiatsu massage. Just plug this massager in, pull it around your neck and shoulders, and choose between high, medium, and low-intensity settings for targeted relief. It will knead tired muscles in your neck, back, and shoulders and provides about 113 degrees Fahrenheit of heat to encourage blood flow. The controls on the front of the device also allow you to customize the Shiatsu massage in three modes: Auto-Reversing, Single Direction, and Timed Interval, which goes for 15 minutes before it automatically shuts off.

Best for neck, shoulders, and back: Homedics Shiatsu Neck and Body Massager

SEE IT

Specs

• Type: Shiatsu
• Weight: 3.7 pounds
• Power: Corded electric
• Heat: Yes
• Settings: High, medium, low

Pros

• Works on different types of body
• Can turn heat on or off
• Compact

Cons

• Attached to cord

The Homedics Shiatsu Neck and Body Massager has lots in common with our best overall pick. This massager is similarly designed for users to hang around their neck and control the deep kneading settings with the control panel on the handles. Users choose between three intensities: high, medium, and low. Heat is an option you can turn on and off. This neck massager is particularly attractive because of its easy portability and the option to use it all over the body: shoulders, lower back, calves, and more. Looking for more targeted relief? Check out the best back massagers.

Best intelligent: COMFIER Portable Heated Neck Massager

SEE IT

Specs

• Type: Six modes, including Shiatsu
• Weight: .72 pounds
• Power: Battery
• Heat: Ranges from 100.4 to 118.4 degrees F
• Settings: Cupping, tapping, scraping, Shiatsu, acupuncture, and relaxation, plus 15 levels of electric muscle stimulation (EMS)

Pros

• Provides six different types of massager
• Offer 15 levels of EMS
• Features two electrodes for extra coverage
• Portable

Cons

• Some users had a hard time getting it to work

If you’re looking for a greater range of therapy from a neck massager, the COMFIER Portable Heated Neck Massager might be the right option. This battery-powered U-shaped device features six modes of massage: Cupping, tapping, scraping, Shiatsu, acupuncture, and relaxation. This massager also incorporates 15 levels of electric muscle stimulation, which uses electricity to stimulate muscle contractions. You can also incorporate heat into the experience, which ranges from 100.4 to 118.4 degrees F, and change the settings through a remote control. And the battery life is impressive as well. The company says a three-hour charge should last up to 10 days.

Best handheld: TruMedic Massage Gun

SEE IT

Specs

• Type: Percussion
• Weight: 3.61 pounds
• Power: Battery
• Heat: No
• Settings: Six levels, plus

Pros

• Versatile
• Powerful
• Portable

Cons

• Should only use low settings on neck

People who need more powerful relief may want to consider a massage gun like this option from TruMedic. This percussion massager features six frequency settings, from 2,000 to 7,000 vibrations per minute. The TruMedic also comes with six interchangeable heads that users can use to customize the intensity of their massage. Powered by a lithium-ion battery, this massage gun has a quiet motor and can last up to four hours on a single charge. And it’s also ultra-portable and can be used all over the body.

Best for athletes: Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Pro

SEE IT

Specs

• Type: Percussion
• Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Power: Battery
• Heat: No
• Settings: Five percussion speeds

Pros

• Modern design
• Powerful
• Comes with five head attachments for customizations

Cons

• Expensive
• No heat

Muscle soreness is common for athletes, so investing in a high-quality massager for your whole body makes sense. The powerful HyperVolt 2 features five different head attachments to customize your experience: fork, ball, cushion, flat, and bullet. This gun also operates at five speeds, but given the sensitivity of the neck area, Hypervolt recommends that you use the slow and easy setting around that area. This massage gun may be overkill if you’re only concerned about your neck. But if your whole body needs relief, this massage gun is up to the task.

Best pillow: Homedics Back and Neck Massager, Portable Shiatsu All Body Massage Pillow

SEE IT

Specs

• Type: Shiatsu, vibration
• Weight: 4.18 pounds
• Power: Corded electric
• Heat: Yes
• Settings: Shiatsu, heat, vibration

Pros

• Comfortable
• Versatile
• Easy to use

Cons

• Doesn’t provide range of vibration or heat levels

When you just want to lie your head down at the end of a long day and relieve your aching neck, consider Homedics’ Body Massage Pillow. This cushion has massage nodes that let you switch between Shiatsu, vibration, and heated settings. The pillow adjusts to the contours of your body and can be used for your back, shoulders, and calves, as well. The heat also has an automatic shut-off after 15 minutes should you be lulled into slumber. If you’re looking for full-body relaxation, check out the best massage chairs.

Best mini: Theragun Mini Gen 4

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Specs

• Type: Percussion 
• Weight: 1 pound
• Power: Battery
• Heat: No 
• Settings: Three speeds

Pros

• Small
• Powerful
• Ergonomically designed
• Works on range of body parts

Cons

• Expensive
• No heat

The Theragun Mini Gen 4 provides impressive power in an extremely portable package. This pocket-sized, battery-powered percussion massager weighs in at just one pound. Yet it can provide up to 20 pounds of pressure. It’s ergonomically designed to be easy to hold, and you’ll want to use the lowest speed for your neck. But this deceptively small device can provide relief for your whole body.

Best budget: Homedics Neck Massager with Heat

SEE IT

Specs

• Type: Shiatsu and vibration
• Weight: 1.14 pounds
• Power: Corded electric
• Heat: Yes
• Settings: Shiatsu, vibration, heat

Pros

• Affordable
• Provides Shiatsu massage, vibration, and heat
• Lets you combine settings
• Portable

Cons

• Some users say it doesn’t fit ergonomically on the neck

If you’re looking for a neck massager that covers the basics but doesn’t cost a lot, Homedics’ Neck Massager with Heat checks all the boxes. This device lets users switch between Shiatsu massage, vibration, and heat modes or use them together for maximum relief. This foam massager is also comfortable, and the handles let you manually control the intensity of the experience. You can also complement this device with one of the best foot massagers.

What to consider when choosing the best neck massager

There are lots of options on the market for massagers. Before making a purchase, consider these elements to find the best option for you.

Types of massage

Neck massagers feature several types of massage, and some combine different methods. The most common are:

Shiatsu: Originating in Japan, Shiatsu, which translates as “finger pressure,” is a type of massage in which practitioners use their hands and fingers to knead muscles to release tension. Neck massagers that feature Shiatsu massage mimic that kneading motion. 

Vibrating: Vibrating massagers vibrate at a frequency, typically between 20 and 60 hertz, that causes muscles to contract and relax in quick succession, increasing blood flow to the muscles.

Percussion: Percussion massage combines vibrating massage with quick, forceful, and repetitive motions that encourage circulation and oxygen and nutrient flow to the muscles. Massage guns typically are percussion massagers, and they often feature a variety of attachments, such as balls, forks, bullets, and more, that allow users to customize the experience of the massage.

Percussion massagers often operate at a range of speeds, which are typically measured in vibrations per minute. And users can also choose the intensity of the massage. For the neck, it’s always best to use the lowest setting.

Heated: Many massagers also include heated elements. Some allow you to adjust the temperature to your liking, while others operate at a fixed temperature once they heat up. Often, heated massagers are designed with automatic shutoffs for safety. It’s worth noting that massage guns typically don’t provide heat therapy if that’s a feature you’re looking for.

Electric muscle stimulation: With this type of therapy, a massager uses electrodes to send electrical impulses to the muscles, which causes them to contract. 

Other modalities: Some massagers offer settings for cupping, tapping, acupressure, and other types of massage.

Form

Neck massagers come in a variety of forms, from U-shaped devices users hang around their necks to foam pillows to massage guns. Before making a purchase, consider whether you prefer to have the massage be more of a passive or active experience. Would you like just to turn the massager on, adjust the settings, and let it get to work? Or are you (or a partner or friend) interested in more of an active experience using a massage gun to target neck pain? Take into consideration that reaching the neck area with a massage gun may be hard for one person, depending on your mobility.

Versatility

Some neck massagers specifically target the neck, while others also simultaneously provide relief to the shoulders and upper back. Many devices, such as Homedics’ Shiatsu Neck and Body Massager, are designed to target several body parts at once. Others work specifically on the neck. Massage guns are typically more expensive than other neck massagers, and buying one makes more sense if you also plan to use it on different locations on the body.

Portability

Many neck massagers are corded electric, so you’ll need access to an outlet or another power source to use them. Other options are designed with rechargeable batteries and are lightweight, making it much easier to take them with you in the car or when you travel.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best neck massagers

• Best overall: VIKTOR JURGEN Shiatsu Neck and Back Massager
• Best for neck, shoulders, and back: Homedics Shiatsu Neck and Body Massager
• Best intelligent: COMFIER Portable Heated Neck Massager
• Best handheld: TruMedic Massage Gun
• Best for athletes: Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Pro
• Best pillow: Homedics Back and Neck Massager, Portable Shiatsu All Body Massage Pillow
• Best mini: Theragun Mini Gen 4
• Best budget: Homedics Neck Massager with Heat

Fortunately, relieving the neck pain you get from sitting hunched at your desk or looking down at your phone all day can often be remedied with some electronic massage and heat. The best neck massagers are a relatively affordable way to release that tension without medication and promote overall relaxation and well-being.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best neck massagers of 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

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This article was originally featured on Undark.

In 2018, Debra Halsch was diagnosed with smoldering multiple myeloma, a rare blood and bone marrow disorder that can develop into a type of blood cancer. Her doctors recommended chemotherapy, she said, but she feared the taxing side effects the drugs might wreak on her body. Instead, the life coach from Piermont, New York tried meditation.

A friend had told Halsch, now 57, about Joe Dispenza, who holds week-long meditation retreats that regularly attract thousands of people and carry a $2,299 price tag. Halsch signed up for one in Cancun, Mexico and soon became a devotee. She now meditates for at least two hours a day and says her health has improved as a result.

Dispenza, a chiropractor who has written various self-help books, has said he believes the mind can heal the body. After all, he says he healed himself back in 1986, when a truck hit him while he was bicycling, breaking six vertebrae. Instead of surgery, Dispenza says he spent hours each day recreating his spine in his mind, visualizing it healthy and healed. After 11 weeks, the story goes, he was back on his feet.

Halsch said she believes she can do the same for her illness. “If our thoughts and emotions can make our bodies sick, they can make us well, too,” she said.

In an email to Undark, Rhadell Hovda, chief operating officer for Dispenza’s parent company, Encephalon, Inc., emphasized that Dispenza does not claim meditation can treat or cure cancer. However, he does “follow the evidence when it is presented,” and has encountered people at workshops and retreats “who claimed to have healed from many conditions.”

For more than two decades, various studies have suggested that meditation and mindfulness—that is, being aware of the present moment—can help reduce and improve pain management, lending some credence to the notion that the brain can affect the body. Such results have helped the field grow into a multibillion-dollar industry, populated by meditation apps, guided workshops, and upscale retreats.

Yet the field has also faced sharp criticism from psychologists and researchers who say the health benefits are overstated and some of the research methodologically flawed. Meanwhile, claims that alternative approaches, including meditation can, by themselves, cure serious illness have been called dangerous by medical experts, who fear a true believer might forego a life-saving treatment. As researchers investigate meditation’s effect on nearly everything from chronic pain to ADHD to brain function post-stroke to emotional regulation, the practice continues to be popular among converts and curious alike. And while no scientific findings suggest that meditation can go so far as to cure cancer, some researchers are interested in precisely how the brain affects the body’s immune system.

In fact, data collection for one of the largest research projects on the subject is being funded by none other than Dispenza, who is collaborating with scientists at the University of California San Diego and providing them with access to study attendees of his retreats. A study recently published by the group described an association between meditation and enhanced resiliency against Covid-19.

Overall, there are still a lot of unknowns about how meditation can affect disease processes, wrote Emily Lindsay, a researcher who specializes in the biological effects of mindfulness meditation at the University of Pittsburgh, in an email to Undark. “We know it impacts stress and sometimes stress biology, and we know that it can impact certain disease processes, but there’s still a black box in between.”

Whether Dispenza’s collaboration with mainstream scientists will shed light into that black box is an open question, and many scientists are skeptical.

Over the last 20 years, meditation in the U.S. has gone from fringe hobby to mainstream. Between 2012 and 2017, according to the National Institutes of Health, the percentage of adults in the country who tried some form of the practice tripled, so that just over 14 percent of all Americans had meditated at least once in the last year. The American Heart Association has stated it may help reduce cardiovascular risk — while noting that further study is needed—and an article written by Mayo Clinic staff endorsed it as a “simple, fast way to reduce stress.”

With more use has come more study. In the last three decades, the NIH has funded more than 1,700 studies on meditation, at a cost of $570 million. And that number has swelled over time: In 2002, the agency devoted $5 million to study the practice. Last year, it earmarked $45 million.

While there are many different forms of meditation, most studies have looked at a type called mindfulness meditation, which has its roots in Buddhist practice and aims to achieve a state of calm by focusing on the present moment, accepting whatever thoughts and feelings arise without judgment—though definitions and approaches vary between studies.

“Scientists continue to make significant breakthrough discoveries on how meditation works, and whom it can benefit,” wrote J. David Creswell, a psychology professor at Carnegie Mellon University, in an email to Undark. “Our research shows that much of the health benefits can be attributed to meditation helping us become better stress managers.”

Much of the mindfulness research over the last two decades has focused on mental health and well-being, and studies suggest the practice can help with both. A seminal review assessing the impact of mindfulness meditation was published back in 2014: Researchers at Johns Hopkins University analyzed 47 randomized clinical trials involving more than 3,500 participants and found that there was moderate evidence meditation improved symptoms of anxiety, depression, and pain. Another meta-analysis, also from 2014, found that mindfulness-based interventions can reduce symptom severity in patients experiencing a depressive episode, while a 2015 review found that a meditative practice can help healthy individuals feel less stressed in their day-to-day lives.

Researchers have posited that meditation may help with stress and anxiety by increasing resiliency to challenging emotions through practicing awareness, acceptance, and non-judgment. “When you sort of open and broaden your awareness to everything that’s occurring, everything that you’re noticing, it sort of levels out the experience a bit and allows you to be less attached to that stress,” Lindsay said.

But not every study on meditation finds significant results. Lydia Brown is a clinical psychologist and researcher at the University of Melbourne, who, herself, is a meditator. She said she’s found the practice to be personally transformative, but when she analyzed results from 19 randomized controlled trials on how mindfulness improved heart rate variability—a physiological variable that’s indicative of how the body recovers from stress—she found that the evidence was mixed. Even so, if someone looked up meditation and heart rate variability, she said, they would see articles declaring that meditation can improve it. This can be problematic, Brown added, “because you might not be following the best evidence to improve your physical health or improve your mental health.”

“I would have loved this research to come up with a positive result,” she said, but as a researcher, she had to follow the data.

Conflicting results isn’t a new problem in meditation research. The 2014 meta-analysis, for example, actually had somewhat disappointing results for those who expected significant effects, said Elena Salmoirago-Blotcher, an associate professor of medicine, psychiatry, and epidemiology at Brown University School of Medicine. While the review, which was notable for being published in a highly reputable medical journal, found moderate improvements in anxiety, depression, and pain, there was little evidence for its effects on stress and mental health-related quality of life.

Other researchers have called attention to poor research methods in the field. In a 2017 paper, 15 psychologists and cognitive scientists urged readers to “mind the hype” surrounding meditation research, noting that many studies lacked an active control group to make a valid comparison, and were inconsistent in how they defined “mindfulness.”

Another issue in the field, Salmoirago-Blotcher said, is something called researcher allegiance bias: When study authors develop the intervention themselves, their personal investment may skew the outcomes of their study. Meanwhile, studies that recruit people who are already practiced meditators—such as the ones taking place at Dispenza’s workshops—could have skewed results. “People that meditate tend to have healthier behaviors, tend to smoke less, they tend to exercise more, they’re usually more educated and also higher socioeconomic status,” Salmoirago-Blotcher said. “So there is a lot of what we call confounding there.”

The self-regulation gained from mindfulness may lead to better life choices, like eating better or choosing to exercise, but do people who meditate have fewer heart attacks? No one has studied that yet, Salmoirago-Blotcher said, adding that even the American Heart Association has been cautious in how it describes the benefits of meditation, writing in a 2017 statement: “Overall, studies of meditation suggest a possible benefit on cardiovascular risk, although the overall quality and, in some cases, quantity of study data are modest.”

What seems clear, Salmoirago-Blotcher said, is that meditation seems to have some positive effects on depression and anxiety. Whether and how such benefits might manifest physiologically, however, remains murkier. In cancer patients, for example, meditation can help with distress, quality of life, and sleep. But Salmoirago-Blotcher says she’s seen nothing to suggest it affects cancer cells. “I don’t think there’s anything absolutely proven yet,” she said.

While no studies have found that meditation can cure an illness such as cancer—and some researchers, including Salmoirago-Blotcher, emphatically underline this lack of evidence—an increasing amount of research has focused on mindfulness’s effect on the central nervous and immune systems.

One 2016 study, for example found that mindfulness practices may be associated with changes in immune system activity, as meditators showed improvements in stress-related markers like inflammation and immune cell aging. And a 2019 study found mindfulness may have led to a reduction in the production of pro-inflammatory molecules and been associated with a quicker restoration of immune function in women undergoing breast cancer treatments.

There is some logic, researchers suggest, underlying the idea that a regular meditation practice might help boost the immune system. Because mindfulness seems to help with how the body manages stress, and because stress can affect immunity, the theory goes that meditation could help boost the body’s defenses.

“If you look across the big studies of immune system function in general, the meta-analyses do suggest that meditation is beneficial to the function of the immune system,” said Melissa Rosenkranz, a psychiatry professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. “And that almost certainly has something to do with its effects on distress.”

If the body’s stress responses are activated on occasion, that’s okay, said Liudmila Gamaiunova, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Social Sciences of Religions at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. “But if it happens often, or if we get to this chronic state, of course then it has an effect on the immune system.”

Chronic stress has been linked to conditions such as heart disease and diabetes (the science on any connection to cancer is much less clear), but exactly how those illnesses manifest via stress is far from settled. One theory is that when the body has an acute stress response, the hormones norepinephrine, epinephrine, and corticosterone make sure immune cells are appropriately distributed throughout the body.

They also regulate inflammation, and while that can be useful at times, chronic inflammation has been associated with some diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer’s. That state of chronic inflammation can keep the immune system from operating efficiently, said David Victorson, a professor of medical social sciences at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. He likened the immune system to a hard drive on a computer and inflammation to having a lot of tabs open on the desktop at once. With all of those programs running in the background, the hard drive cannot operate efficiently, he said. “When the volume is turned down on those other areas, it just frees up more space for the immune system to function properly, like it needs to.”

Some studies from the last decade have suggested that meditation can help regulate certain bodily mechanisms that influence inflammation. And meditation seems to do that, Rosenkranz said, by changing the lens through which you experience the world and your reaction to the events in it.

“A state of psychological distress communicates something to your immune system that your immune system responds to,” she said. “When you change the way that you are filtering the environment, and what that means to you, as an entity, it really has a profound effect on your body.”

Reducing stress also can reduce the secretion of cortisol, a hormone that suppresses inflammation, regulates blood pressure, and regulates the immune system. But chronic elevations of it can lead to the immune system becoming resistant to it, compromising the immune response, research shows.

“These stress physiological systems didn’t evolve to be chronically activated. They evolved to respond to punctuated stressors and then turn off,” said Robin Nusslock, a psychology professor and director of the Affective & Clinical Neuroscience Lab at Northwestern University. But now, “we have the capacity to activate the same stress physiology of a zebra running away from a tiger by thinking about our 401K.”

“The best target for meditation’s effect on the immune system would involve attenuating inflammation,” said Nusslock. “And inflammation is the common soil which fertilizes many mental and physical health problems.”

Wherever one comes down on Dispenza—and views among experts are mixed—some researchers see his meditation retreats as an opportunity for study. After all, they can attract up to 2,500 people each—a fertile ground for finding volunteers who can participate in intensive studies.

Scientists at the University of California, San Diego are currently conducting about a dozen studies investigating how meditation affects the body, both physiologically and mentally.

In academic medicine, it can sometimes take five years to recruit 150 people for a study, said Hemal Patel, a professor of anesthesiology at UCSD and one of the two principal collaborators on the studies. Those challenges aren’t an issue when Dispenza has a retreat, he said. “We would write up a study, we would solicit participants, we would get 800, 900 people volunteering to be involved in the study,” Patel said.

Study volunteers have donned skull caps to track electrical activity in their brain, worn devices to track their sleep data and heart rates, donated cheek cells to check DNA, and submitted stool samples to see changes in their microbiome. The idea is to see what, if anything, happens to their bodies after seven days of meditative practice. In an email to Undark, Patel noted that the meditation carried out at Dispenza’s retreats is not considered mindfulness and incorporates elements from different types of practices. “The goal of our research is to define exactly what this new type of [meditation] retreat is.” 

Dispenza’s sample sets are unique in that recruits stay in the same environment, controlling for some of the variables that can confound results. However, there are still limitations to this type of study, including self-selection bias. The population of Dispenza acolytes may well be primed to believe meditation works, so a placebo effect may come into play, said David Vago, a meditation researcher and professor at the University of Virginia who is not involved in the UCSD research.

“Self-selection bias is certainly a problem,” Vago wrote in an email. “One advantage of the study is the built-in controls they had with participants who were in the same setting but did not get meditation training.” One of the UCSD studies, for example, hopes to examine the emotional states of twins, when one is meditating and the other is not.

The first research published looked at whether the type of meditation practiced at Dispenza’s retreats could be used to improve resiliency to the Covid-19 virus. In that paper, which was published in the journal Brain, Behavior, & Immunity – Health, researchers surveyed nearly 3,000 people who had attended a retreat organized by Dispenza. They asked how many had received a Covid-19 diagnosis and how quickly their symptoms resolved. The UCSD researchers found that the longer people had been maintaining a regular meditation practice, the less likely they were to report testing positive for the virus. And among those that did get infected, they reported having fewer symptoms and recovering much faster than those that had less or no meditative practice.

Studies that depend on self-reporting are viewed as less reliable, but the study by the UCSD researchers also utilized other more objective measures to test whether meditation might improve health outcomes.

The group’s original hypothesis was that meditation could increase health resiliency because of the release of biological factors, like proteins or metabolites, into the bloodstream during meditation. They’d collected blood samples from retreat participants before the pandemic began, and then decided to pivot their focus specifically to SARS-CoV-2. To identify what those factors might be, the UCSD scientists created a pseudovirus to represent SARS-CoV-2, bearing the characteristic spike protein so it could enter a cell using the same mechanism as the real virus. While the pseudovirus did not contain any SARS-CoV-2 genetic material, it did include what’s called a “reporting protein” gene, which expresses a fluorescent red color. That way, researchers could see if and when the virus entered a cell.

The researchers then took blood from about 100 people at a Joe Dispenza meditation retreat—some who were experienced meditators, some who were new meditators, and some who did not meditate at all—then added plasma distilled from those blood samples into cultures of human lung cells. When they then exposed those cells to the pseudovirus they’d created and let them incubate for 24 hours, they found there were almost no viral particles inside the lung cells inoculated with the plasma of experienced meditators. There was some evidence of infection in the lung cells treated with novice meditator plasma, and in lung cells treated with non-meditator plasma, the virus appeared to have infected the cells unfettered.

“We showed that the blood of a meditator after the week-long event was able to keep the fake virus from entering the lung cells,” Patel said. The question then, was, how?

After further testing the participants’ plasma, the UCSD team found that the blood of meditators had elevated levels of a particular protein called SERPINA5, which inhibits a type of enzyme that the virus utilizes to infect a cell. In other words, that protein—which appeared to be increased in the bloodstream of experienced meditators during this type of meditative practice—seemed to give people an extra dose of protection against being infected.

“What I think is happening is that when you go into this elevated, emotional mental state during meditation, you’re releasing things from your neurons in your brain. And then ultimately, those neurons, whatever is being released, has to filter through and eventually ends up in the blood,” Patel said.

Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician and a senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security said he doesn’t believe the study answered that question.

“This study doesn’t give you enough information to say it’s anything more than a hypothesis that needs testing in a more rigorous manner,” Adalja said. While noting the study’s limitations, he added, “there’s biological plausibility in the sense that meditation decreases stress, and we know that stress responses do influence susceptibility to infectious diseases.”

Among other things, Adalja added, the UCSD team did not control for confounding variables that could have affected their results in the blood plasma study, like age or lifestyle habits, or whether a study participant had an immunocompromising health condition. By not taking into account each participant’s individual health status, Adalja said, the UCSD researchers cannot claim that the result they obtained was caused by meditation, because it may have been influenced by some other variable.

In theory, Adalja pointed out, it could be that people who meditate may also sleep eight hours a night, for example, and so perhaps they’re benefitting from the sleep and not the meditation. “Meditation could just be a marker for some other healthy behavior, or some other biological phenomenon that goes with it.”

Patel refuted Adalja’s critiques, saying his study only tested blood from individuals with no self-reported chronic or terminal disease so that there would be no confounding conditions to influence outcomes. He also noted that the survey portion of the study did control for confounding variables, and that a multivariate analysis was performed to address specific confounders in that data. “Our studies on the biological assays controlled for all of the issues that Amesh says we did not control for,” he said. “We were very careful to do this.”

Patel also argued that his team’s results pinpointed something specific about meditation. The group that did not meditate, he said, spent their days at the same resort as the meditators, during the same events, but instead of meditating, enjoyed a relaxing time away from work at the resort, in an environment that would be expected to also reduce stress. But the protective effect was only observed in the individuals who meditated, suggesting to Patel that it was the meditation—and not mere stress reduction—that mattered.

Disagreements over methodologies and results aside, the involvement of Dispenza, who was named as a co-author on the recently published study—and may be listed as one on future publications—has also raised eyebrows among some researchers.

“I’ve always been concerned about pseudoscience around meditation, and Joe Dispenza certainly created some red flags for me, personally,” said Vago, who is one of the co-authors of the 2018 “Mind the Hype” study. Vago cites Dispenza’s language in his workshops and videos, which he says can be exaggerated, with little to no science behind certain claims.

The podcast Conspirituality relates an instance where, at one retreat, Dispenza had a woman come up on stage who was having trouble getting pregnant because she feared she had waited too long and now felt guilty. Dispenza told her the guilt is stored in that same center of her uterus and that she could fix her infertility with her thoughts.

“He’s charismatic and talks about healing people from chronic health conditions and rare genetic disorders in one session of meditation,” said Vago. “Those words are enough for me to be skeptical of anything else that he claims.”

Dispenza has been a popular figure in the yoga, meditation, and self-transformation community ever since appearing in the 2004 documentary, “What the Bleep Do We Know,” which focuses on the connection between quantum physics and consciousness. Today, he boasts 2.8 million followers on Instagram, where he posts inspirational quotations and promotes his teachings.

But critics take issue with the way Dispenza infuses scientific concepts into his lectures and books to make it sound like there is scientific evidence behind his theories.

“I think it’s science that demystifies the mystical,” Dispenza told podcaster Aubrey Marcus in December of 2020. “And if you can combine a little quantum physics with a little neuroscience with neuroendocrinology with psycho neuroimmunology, the mind-body connection, epigenetics, all of those sciences point the finger at possibility.”

Julian Walker, an author and co-host of Conspirituality, doesn’t buy it. “This is the thing about New Age pseudoscience,” he said. “The claims are so big and so bold that if any one of them were true, even in the smallest way, it would be such a massive change in terms of how we understand life itself.”

For his part, Patel says he and his co-lead author designed all of the UCSD studies, and that they have full autonomy on how they are done and implemented. “This is something I was very adamant about to make sure we are doing critical and unbiased science,” Patel said. In the Covid-19 paper’s author contributions, however, Dispenza is credited with helping conceive and design the study.

Dispenza has been involved in monthly meetings with the scientists, where he does, according to Hovda, “make suggestions to enhance the research.” In her email to Undark, Hovda also said that Dispenza had not made direct monetary contributions to the studies, but has supported the research through in-kind donations. That includes paying independent contractors to collect the data on his behalf, a process that involves the use of 18 EEG machines purchased at a cost of $20,000 each.

Despite some of the pause some meditation researchers may take when hearing Dispenza is involved, Vago said he respects Patel’s previous work, and found their latest results fascinating. “I wasn’t even familiar with that particular data, that the fake virus that they created and how they found that the blood of meditators, after a week-long event, was able to keep the virus that they created from entering the lung cells. That’s very impressive,” he said.

He noted that it is convincing to see that the research subjects’ meditation experience correlated with the findings, rather than something more objective.

“I guess my biggest problem is really with how Joe sells himself on the internet, because that comes across as pseudoscience, and some of the claims that he makes come across that way. But the research Patel is doing “all sounds pretty legitimate,” Vago said.

And it adds to a growing body of research showing meditation’s impact on immunity, from its effect on inflammatory markers like cytokines to its effect on parts of DNA, like telomeres on chromosomes. In fact, Vago is currently involved in a study at Vanderbilt University, where he was the former research director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, where they are looking at the effects of meditation and breath work on the glymphatic system, which eliminates waste from the central nervous system.

As researchers continue to investigate the mind’s impact on the body through meditation, the business shows no sign of slowing down. A 2022 market analysis report by Data Bridge Market Research predicts the global meditation market will grow from $5.3 billion in 2022 to an estimated $20.5 billion by 2029.

While Salmoirago-Blotcher has found personal value in meditation, she cautions against expensive retreats that target people facing personal crises. “These people craft these wonderful programs where desperate people go — because they have nowhere else to go, right?” she said. Retreats that can cost thousands of dollars, Salmoirago-Blotcher said, run “really contrary to the spirit of how these practices were generated, which is the practice of generosity.”

Walker, of the Conspirituality podcast, is even more blunt, calling those who peddle mindfulness as a panacea nothing more than modern-day faith healers. “To me, it’s no different than the faith healer who comes through town, sets up the big tent, tells people to bring their sick and disabled family members and that through the Holy Spirit, they’re going to be cured,” he said.

Like Salmoirago-Blotcher, Walker is himself a long-time meditator, but he said the practice is powerful because of its more subtle, everyday effects, including helping people manage stress better, become more aware of their bodies, and connect with emotions—not because it brings about miracles.

Such promises can be dangerous: Conspirituality recently featured an interview with a woman whose husband was undergoing chemotherapy to treat pancreatic cancer when he started attending Joe Dispenza retreats and almost decided to stop his treatments. Although he continued with the chemotherapy—and died from his illness at the age of 45—his wife was scared, the podcast said, by how pseudoscientific beliefs might affect his health outcomes.

In her email to Undark, Hovda stated that Dispenza does not recommend individuals dealing with an illness stop their current treatment plan. “There are many choices that people have during a treatment and cure for their disease,” she wrote, “and these evolve with time as well as how the disease is progressing. Meditation and self-regulation are paths that need further exploration, and it is one modality we are researching that should be considered in conjunction with traditional approaches to further assist one’s body in returning back to homeostatis.”

Whether results from the other ongoing UCSD studies will show significant effects remains to be seen. And while research has found meditation can improve some health outcomes—such as decreasing blood pressure and biomarkers of stress—its effect on the biological mechanisms underlying human health is less clear. It’s known to do some good in some situations, but it’s still unclear which situations and how.

As for Halsch, she attributes her improved health, in part, to her meditative practice. “I believe with my whole heart and soul it’s because I’m back on track meditating every day,” she said, “receiving healings, participating in healings—and eating plant-based.”

The post Meditation is big business. The science isn’t so clear. appeared first on Popular Science.

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Adding liquid soap can boost the potency of some of the pesticides used on malaria-carrying mosquitoes. The discovery is detailed in a study published November 17 in the journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases and offers a tool in the fight against the disease.

[Related: New four-dose malaria vaccine is up to 80 percent effective.]

Malaria is most prevalent in Asia, Latin America, and sub-Saharan Africa and is caused by several species of parasites that are transmitted by the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. It causes severe fatigue, fever, headaches, and chills and can be fatal. When it is treated with the right medication, such as artemether-lumefantrine, it can be cured and the malaria parasites can be completely cleared from the body. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there were 241 million cases of malaria worldwide and 627,000 deaths in 2020. 

While the first malaria vaccines were approved and recommended in 2021, the mosquitoes that carry malaria are becoming more resistant to insecticides. 

“Over the past two decades, mosquitoes have become strongly resistant to most insecticides,” study co-author and University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) evolutionary biologist Colince Kamdem said in a statement. “It’s a race now to develop alternative compounds with new modes of action.”

Before coming to UTEP, Kamdem worked at Cameroon’s Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases, where he first saw soap’s potential potency during some routine insecticide testing. A special class of insecticide called neonicotinoids have shown to be a potential alternative that targets the mosquito populations that show resistance to current insecticides. However, they can have negative effects on bees if not used carefully and neonicotinoids do not kill some mosquito species unless their potency is boosted. 

World Health Organization protocols recommend adding a seed-oil based product to insecticides to test a mosquito’s susceptibility. When the compound was added, Kamdem noticed that it was more effective than when the insecticide was used on its own.

“That compound belongs to the same class of substances as kitchen soap,” Kamdem said. “We thought, ‘Why don’t we test products that have same properties?’”

The team selected three inexpensive, linseed-oil based soaps that are readily available in sub-Saharan African countries. They added the soaps to four different neonicotinoids. In every case, the potency was increased. 

[Related: Mosquitoes are becoming resistant to our best defenses.]

“All three brands of soap increase mortality from 30 percent to 100 percent compared to when the insecticides were used on their own,” study co-author Ashu Fred said in a statement. Fred is a PhD student at the University of Yaoundé I in Cameroon. 

They also tested a class of insecticides called pyrethroids. This class did not see the added benefits of the boost from soap. They hope to conduct additional testing to see exactly how much soap is needed to enhance insecticides. 

“We would love to make a soap-insecticide formulation that can be used indoors in Africa and be healthy for users,” Kamdem said. “There are unknowns as to whether such a formulation will stick to materials like mosquito nets, but the challenge is both promising and very exciting.”

Malaria was once endemic in the US, but was eradicated by the 1970s. However, the CDC issued a health advisory in June after at least four people in Florida and one in Texas contracted homegrown cases of malaria. The disease is most common in warm climates and some scientists worry that as global temperatures continue to rise, more regions will be affected by malaria. A 2022 study published in Nature found that climate change can exacerbate a full 58 percent of the infectious diseases that humans come in contact with worldwide.

The post How ingredients in everyday soap could help fight malaria appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best overall		Mila Air Purifier for Large Room | Big Sneeze		SEE IT	Choose from seven filters dedicated to tackling one problem.
Best for pets		BISSELL air320 Smart Air Purifier		SEE IT	An option that’s as powerful as it is stylish.
Best budget		Levoit Core 300		SEE IT	You’ll want to put this budget-friendly pick in every room.

If you suffer from allergies, an air purifier can be your saving grace. There are already so many things that affect the air quality of your home, like smoke. Pollen, dust, and other indoor particulate matter are just the icing on the cake of things that make you sneeze or put your air purifier into overdrive. Puffy eyes and sniffly noses can leave you saying “gesundheit,” and you can only bless yourself so many times before you start to believe that maybe you’ve been cursed. There’s also only so much allergy medicine you can take before you start hallucinating and get a visit from the Hat Man. Life doesn’t have to be sneezy, runny, hoarse, and itchy, however. The best air purifiers for allergies eliminate pet dander, airborne allergens, and pathogens, letting you breathe easily without the help of medication.

• Best overall: Mila Air Purifier for Large Room | Big Sneeze
• Best with cooling: Dyson Pure Cool Link
• Best for pets: BISSELL air320 Smart Air Purifier
• Best with UV light: InvisiClean Aura II Air Purifier
• Best smart: Coway Airmega 250S
• Best budget: Levoit Core 300

How we chose the best air purifiers for allergies

All of us on the PopSci gear desk live in highly polluted cities (New York, D.C., and Pittsburgh, specifically) and own pets whom we adore dearly. We love where we live and the animals we call our fur children, who we treat just like real children. But one thing we don’t love: When the pollen count skyrockets, our pets decide to release more dander than usual, and existence feels like a hazy, miserable, (hay) fever dream.

We’ve written about air purifiers before and even delved into those that take mold out of the air. We considered factors like HEPA filtration, efficiency, smart-home features, design, and room coverage. Air purifiers work best when they’re out of sight and out of mind. You’re already worried about what’s in the air—you don’t want to worry about how well your air purifier is removing the gunk out of it.

The best air purifiers for allergies: Reviews & Recommendations

You want your Air Quality Index (AQI) like how The Youths are choosing the rise of their jeans: low. One of our choices will let you drop it* (*the amount of dust, pet dander, and pollen chilling out in your home) like it’s hot. You may have outgrown trends from the early 2000s, but you’ll never tire of retiring from your allergy era.

Best overall: Mila Air Purifier for Large Room | Big Sneeze

SEE IT

Specs

• Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 15 inches
• Weight: 12 lbs.
• Coverage area: 920 square feet

Pros

• Easy to set up
• Clean look
• Lots of customization

Cons

• Expensive

Instead of offering one filter that does everything OK, the Mila lets you choose from seven filters, each aimed at solving a particular need. We’re a fan of the Big Sneeze, which is made to fight allergy triggers like pollen, dander, and dust. It has a HEPA 13 filter with a powerful clean air delivery rate (CADR) of 416 cubic feet per hour. That gives you fully circulated air in a 920-square-foot room every 30 minutes.

The unit also has eight environmental sensors, including CO2 and humidity sensors. It’s literally as quiet as a library, thanks to its 24-decibel output. It’s also super sensitive: the air purifier kicked into high gear when I sprayed an aerosol air freshener in the room.

Mila’s app is where this connected smart-home device shines, however. Available for Android and iOS, the app gives you more preset modes like Bubble Boy (which keeps the AQI as low as possible, no matter the setting), sleep, white noise, energy save, Turndown Service, and child lock. We also love the app’s included local pollen forecasts from the National Allergy Bureau to stay in the know of elevated allergen levels. The air purifier is also incredibly stylish. Its cube shape gives “technologically advanced fancy marshmallow” compared to “bleak, unaesthetic cylinder” like many others on the market. The Mila is expensive, but you get lots of perks and flexibility.

Best with cooling: Dyson Pure Cool Link

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Specs

• Dimensions: 7.7 x 4.3 x 4.01 inches
• Weight: 7.9 lbs.
• Coverage area: Up to 999 square feet

Pros

• Does double duty
• App provides detailed air quality reports
• Sleek

Cons

• Expensive

The Dyson Pure Cool Link excels at both purifying the air and providing a satisfying breeze. Its filtration system works quickly to clean a large area of all airborne allergens, including pollen, bacteria, and both human and pet dander. Expect all contaminants to be filtered out down to 0.3 microns. An activated carbon layer filters out paint fumes, smoke from tobacco and cooking, and nasty odors. Using the MyDyson app (available on Google Play and App Store) you can get real-time insights on air quality with detailed metrics.

You can even sync it up to an Amazon Alexa device and operate it using voice controls. Its fan is almost as powerful, with 10 different speeds, and automatic shut-off in the event that it’s knocked over. It also oscillates, and its bladeless design makes it safe for smaller humans and furry friends alike. The only downside here is almost ubiquitous with all other Dyson products: the cost. 

Best for pets: BISSELL air320 Smart Air Purifier

SEE IT

Specs

• Dimensions: 8.3 x 14.7 x 25 inches
• Weight: 18.25 lbs.
• Coverage area: Up to 1,582 square feet

Pros

• Commercial-grade
• Pet-specific filter
• Stylish

Cons

• Heavy
• Difficult to move

Don’t lets its pretty exterior fool you; this pet dander-demolishing air purifier means business. It has three levels of filtration: A pre-filter, an activated carbon filter (good for getting rid of pet smells), and a HEPA 13 filter. H13 and H14-level filters are considered hospital-grade, meaning you’re getting the purest air possible. The Pet Pro filter specifically captures 99.97% of .3 microns and is smaller, and its added Zeolite layer is better for capturing and controlling pet odors compared to traditional carbon filters. You only need to change the filter every six months, and doing so is incredibly easy.

We also love that it is whisper-quiet, takes very little energy to run, and cleans the air fast. It is a beautiful air filter, but it’s heavy and hard to move from room to room. Consider parking this air purifier in one place.

Best with UV light: InvisiClean Aura II Air Purifier

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Specs

• Dimensions: 12.34 x 6.25 x 17.75 inches
• Weight: 8.9 lbs
• Coverage area: Up to 1,094 square feet

Pros

• Four fan speeds
• Quiet
• CARB compliant

Cons

• No auto-sensing

The four fan speeds, whisper-quiet operation, and CARB compliance make this air purifier an especially good pick for allergy sufferers who are looking for something with UV light. In this case, a UV-C light neutralizes any airborne pathogens that the filter doesn’t catch. The California Air Resources Board requires purifiers to produce .050 parts per million of ozone or less, so any device with this certification keeps you safe from unsafe gas levels.

Best smart: Coway Airmega 250S

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Specs

• Dimensions: 8.3 x 18.5 x 19.7 inches
• Weight: 20.5 lbs.
• Coverage area: Up to 930 square feet

Pros

• Stylish
• Easy-to-monitor LED lights
• Pulls even the small particles out of the air

Cons

• Noisy on higher fan speeds
• Expensive

This retro-inspired air purifier packs some seriously advanced tech. The touch panel at the top is easy to read and use. Plus, it’s not crowded with unnecessary settings: you just get an on/off button, and switches that control fan speed and different operational modes. Speaking of turning on, a long LED light flashes one of four colors for an instant read on air quality. If the light is blue, your air is so fresh and so clean. If it’s red, you might want to turn (the air purifier) up.

It can cycle 930 square feet of air in 30 minutes and can clean smaller rooms even faster than that. A multi-layered filtration system gets rid of mold, dust, pet dander, food smells, allergens, and even viruses—talk about a multi-hyphenate. Changing the filter is easy: simply open it up and slide a new one in. Practically everything with this air purifier, from its touch panel to the Coway IoCare app (available for Android and iOS devices), is user-friendly, which justifies its high price and occasional noisiness when running at high speeds.

Best budget: Levoit Core 300

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Specs

• Dimensions: 8.7 x 8.7 x 16.25 inches
• Weight: 7.48 lbs.
• Coverage area: 219 square feet

Pros

• Lightweight
• Inconspicuous
• Incredibly quiet

Cons

• Have to pay more for a WiFi-enabled model
• Small coverage area compared to others on this list

This sub-$100 air purifier packs a punch well beyond its price. It’s incredibly quiet, easy to use, and lightweight for moving around the house. I’ve sneezed far less after running it in my living room and bedroom for the past two years. Its touch panel comes with three airflow presets (I, II, III), a quiet mode, a timer, a child lock, and a “lights off” button that turns off the panel lights without shutting down the air purifier. Each filter lasts for six months, and they come in a two-pack, so you only need to order them once a year. I’ve purchased this air purifier twice and would buy it again for every room in my apartment. I’ve used the general filter that comes with it and have had no problems, but the toxin absorber filter (sold separately) is a perfect match for mold catching. If you’re looking to pay extra for a WiFi-enabled model, it’s your lucky day.

What to consider when buying the best air purifiers for allergies

Looking at nature should make you cry because you’re moved by its astounding beauty, not because you’ve been ambushed by pollen. It’s also awful when you go inside to get some respite from that mulberry tree tackling your olfactory receptors, and you’re somehow still sneezing. Here’s what you should know when bringing home air purifiers for allergies:

Maintenance

Air purifiers generally require very little maintenance. If you have a pet, you’ll need to vacuum any excess hair stuck outside the filter. You’ll have to change the filter itself every six months. Most air purifiers will alert you when it’s time to change your filter, giving you the perfect opportunity to set up autoship so that they come to your door without having to think.

Filtration

HEPA stands for “high-efficiency particulate air.” They remove at least 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, and bacteria down to .3 microns. Make sure your filter is a HEPA 13 or HEPA 14 for maximum filter power. Additionally, some models are compatible with filters that tackle specific problems, like pet dander or fumes.

Efficiency and coverage

Look at the clean air delivery rate (CADR) of the model you’re considering. Per Energy Star, the higher the CADR, the larger the area it can purify. If you want to put an air purifier in one small room, you can get away with something with a lower CADR. However, if you live in a home or have a large room you want to purify, you’ll need a higher CADR. You can use an air purifier with a lower CADR in a large room, but it will take longer to fully filter the air. Also, if you have a high ceiling, you’ll need an air purifier with a higher CADR.

Tech

Smart air purifiers give you convenience and advanced metrics, but sometimes you gotta keep it simple, sunshine. Air purifiers with apps give you more specific numbers on the air quality in your home. If you just want something that filters the air—no bells, no whistles, just a simple air purifier that’s like a regular cup of coffee—look for a model that at least has controls for airflow, a timer, and a sleep mode.

Design

You worked hard to make your house a home. Don’t let your air purifier ruin the vibes you have cultivated over many months (and even years in some instances). However, don’t choose an air purifier just because it’s a pretty face. Make sure it works just as hard as those that look more utilitarian.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best air purifiers for allergies

• Best overall: Mila Air Purifier for Large Room | Big Sneeze
• Best with cooling: Dyson Pure Cool Link
• Best for pets: BISSELL air320 Smart Air Purifier
• Best smart: Coway Airmega 250S
• Best budget: Levoit Core 300

There’s no need to cry over spilled pollen, loose dust, and floating dander with an air purifier made specifically for allergies. Make sure you choose one that’s appropriately sized for your home, and let the device take care of the rest. HEPA 13 or HEPA 14 filters will give you the airborne purity you desire, and special add-ons like carbon filters can tackle odors and other pain points in your home. You’ll see clearly after using one of the best air purifiers for allergies.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

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OUR EYES, unlike other organs hidden deep within our bodies, sit in plain sight. They have been inspirations for artists, symbols for the superstitious, and objects of scientific fascination for centuries. In ancient Greece, medical pioneers cut them open in public dissections, revealing delicate layers of retina, cornea, and iris. In the early 10th century, Persian physician al-Razi discovered that the pupil dilates and contracts to control the amount of light that enters. Six centuries later, the Renaissance-era anatomist Vesalius sketched a cross-section of the orb—with some errors. But eyes themselves are imperfect: Just one fault could cause the whole organ to glitch or break down. 

It turns out that flaws are common in our vision. More than 7 million Americans have some form of vision loss, which can include partial or full blindness, according to a 2021 analysis of 25 years of data from the US Census, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and others. Many of these conditions are present from birth. Mutations in particular regions of DNA can lead to incorrectly formed optical parts. This can distort a person’s sight, especially if the issues are in the retina, the layer of cells at the back of the eye that captures incoming light and transmits it to the brain. But what if we could give someone with limited vision a corrected version of their genetic material to fix the malfunctioning parts?

Currently, there is no way to fully reverse inherited forms of blindness, which are traditionally managed with adaptations rather than treatments. “I speak to a lot of parents who are really frustrated about the lack of standard of care,” says Shannon Boye, a professor in the pediatrics department at the University of Florida. “They’re desperate for cures.”

But understanding the genetic roots of the disability helps. In theory, if scientists can pinpoint the problematic or missing DNA that’s hampering a person’s vision, they can design a rectified copy. The new genetic code is loaded into harmless viruses that deliver therapeutic genes to selected cells, and the viruses are then injected into the affected eye. There, the replacement DNA instructs the eye to make the proteins it needs to see again. 

In practice, it’s not so easy. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only one gene therapy to treat a form of blindness—the first gene therapy the agency ever greenlit. Called Luxturna, it was OK’d in the US in 2017 to treat patients with mutations that lead to Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). In people with this uncommon flaw, light-detecting photoreceptor cells in the retina develop incorrectly, become malformed, or die, leading to rapid vision loss early in life. Luxturna provides the correct version of the gene, partially restoring vision.

“This was a godsend scenario,” says Claudio Punzo, an expert in vision genetics at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. There are several types of LCA, but the retina degrades more slowly in the form of the disease that Luxturna treats, which creates a larger window for the gene therapy to work. What’s more, people with the condition are often completely blind, so even a small improvement in their sight is life changing.

After that first FDA approval, “Unfortunately, the field hit a lull,” Boye says. But she is confident that with new genetic tools, Luxturna’s success story can be replicated on a much larger scale. 

One big step has been designing better couriers for the corrected code. Many gene therapies use naturally harmless adeno-associated viruses, which researchers modify to home in on retinal photoreceptors or other key cell types. Boye imagines a modular system using a suite of viral vessels designed for different destinations, in which any gene can be loaded as cargo. 

“Will we get it to work for everyone? With every mutation? Most likely, yes, at some point,” says Punzo. “It just becomes a logistical problem.” There are hundreds of different mutations that can cause blindness, and finding the right gene to fix in the right cell is no small task. For genes that are too large to fit inside a virus, CRISPR editing technology might offer an alternative method to correct the mutation directly in the patient’s DNA. In 2022, biotech company Editas tried using CRISPR to treat a form of LCA by removing a mutation in the retinal gene CEP290, but it paused the trial when vision in only three out of the 14 participants improved.

For people with visual disabilities, the invasiveness of current treatments is another major hurdle. These methods typically require surgeries to deliver the gene close to the retina, a process that itself can cause mild retinal damage. For someone with a less severe disease, such as night blindness or color blindness, the risks may not be worth the modest benefit. Shots in parts of the eye farther from the retina would be less invasive, but they are not yet standard for gene therapy. Another appealing option would be eyedrops, which were recently used for the first time in an experimental treatment at the University of Miami on a 14-year-old boy with corneal scarring. After months of the topical treatment, his sight returned to near-normal levels.

Cost is another obstacle. When Luxturna first hit the market in 2018, its price tag was $425,000 per eye. In part, the expense comes from the meticulous process of making a virus that won’t harm a patient. But the other part of the equation is the biotech industry’s irresistible pitch: We can help you see again. For people who are progressively losing their vision, even slowing down the process could be priceless—or so gene therapy companies hope. 

Most major insurers cover one dose of Luxturna per eye for patients whose retinas are intact enough to heal. But the hopefuls may still be on the hook for out-of-pocket costs associated with the procedure, or the cost of travel to one of 14 certified treatment centers in the US. “[It’s] an insanely expensive treatment,” Punzo says. “If there are cheaper drugs that would work, I think it will change the market.”

Currently, dozens of gene therapy clinical trials for hereditary forms of blindness are in progress, and many more are in the planning stages. They span diverse conditions, including Stargardt disease (which causes fat to build up in the eye), achromatopsia (a form of color blindness), and retinitis pigmentosa (which makes the retina break down). But progress is slow: Many have been at it for more than a decade with years to go.

Boye knows this firsthand. She co-founded a company called Atsena Therapeutics that is currently conducting a clinical trial for a virus-delivered code to correct an LCA-causing mutation. Her confidence that gene therapies can reverse blindness stems from both data and patients’ stories. She recalls a young girl who got the corrective treatment: As her vision improved, the child was able for the first time to see snowflakes—delicate, magical, and unlike anything she had experienced in her life.

Read more PopSci+ stories.

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This article was originally featured on Undark.

Tess Olmsted stopped eating sugar when she was just 12 years old. She had previously been treated for obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, and soon found herself following rituals around eating. “For me it was never, ‘Oh I need to get skinnier,’” she recalls. Once she started to diet, she simply couldn’t stop.

Two years later, on a summer day in 2019, her father saw her on the family’s patio wearing a loose-fitting swimsuit. He soon noticed how little Tess was eating and insisted she see the pediatrician. During a subsequent appointment with a specialist, he recalls, the family learned that Tess’s blood pressure and heart rate were dangerously low. She was admitted to a hospital in life-threatening condition.

Across the United States, up to 2 million adults have had anorexia, a mental health condition in which a person severely restricts their food intake, often due to an intense fear of gaining weight. Almost 1 percent of all U.S. women will experience anorexia at some point in their lives. Patients are developing the condition increasingly early in life—sometimes as young as 8 years old—and new figures suggest that symptoms in children worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to increased numbers of hospitalizations. At one treatment center in Michigan, the admission rate of young people aged 10 to 23 more than doubled during the pandemic’s first year.

These sobering developments are due, in part, to the fact that there are no drugs or devices approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat the condition. For adults, there are three first-line treatments: an adapted form of cognitive behavioral therapy, known as CBT-E; a structured psychotherapy designed with patient input; and an approach that combines psychotherapy with nutritional support. Studies have shown that these approaches can help more than 50 percent of patients. But experts acknowledge that the studies are not high quality. Patients with anorexia are hard to engage in treatment, and as a result, studies are small and drop-out rates are high.

For patients younger than 18, one psychological intervention—family-based treatment, or FBT—has emerged as a leading evidence-based treatment in randomized clinical trials. The approach takes up to a year, and for part of that time, parents assume total control over planning, preparing, and supervising the child’s meals. In one clinical trial, nearly half of patients maintained a full recovery a year after follow-up.

Since family-based treatment was rolled out in the U.S., the United Kingdom, and elsewhere, many families say that this intervention has helped their children. Even so, some experts warn that it’s not for everyone. Parents may be ill-suited for acting as full-time chefs and meal-planners, and they may not be financially able to take time away from work to do the therapy. And critics point out that the approach blurs the boundaries between home and hospital while failing to probe the condition’s psychological causes.

“At least in my case, FBT definitely backfired,” said a 19-year-old from Texas, who said her mental health got worse while she was in treatment. (The young woman asked to remain anonymous due to the stigma that surrounds eating disorders.)

When the Olmsteds eventually tried FBT, they also struggled with the demands of the protocol, which sparked fighting, tension, and even calls to the police. But Tess and her parents say the end result was worth the tribulation: Family-based treatment really worked. “I don’t want to go overboard,” Tess’s dad, Kevin, said. “But it probably saved her.”

Anorexia nervosa occurs when a person loses more than 20 percent of their body weight within a six-month period or has a BMI of less than 18.5 in adults (although BMI is increasingly seen as a flawed criterion for assessing health). The condition can disrupt menstrual periods and cause a soft light hair, called lanugo, to grow on the body. Anorexia can lead to kidney and heart problems, and even death. The condition is distinct from bulimia nervosa, a condition in which patients overeat and then empty their stomachs by vomiting or using laxatives. But patients can slip from one condition to the other with time.

Anorexia is one of the hardest psychiatric illnesses to treat, partly because of what psychologists call its “egosyntonic” nature—it offers those who suffer from it unique rewards, which make them value their illness. In one study, for example, patients said the weight-loss allowed them to feel safe, structured, and in control. Others described their dieting as a unique skill that made them special, even superior to other people.

“When you have someone who’s successfully restricting, they don’t necessarily see too many downsides of it,” said Zafra Cooper, a professor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine and an emeritus professor of clinical psychology for the University of Oxford Department of Psychiatry.

The condition was first described by a Parisian neuropsychiatrist, Ernest-Charles Lasègue, in 1873. He described an illness he called hysterical anorexia, in which a female patient gripped by emotional suffering, would abstain from food. Around the same time, a British doctor, William Withey Gull, described a similar condition occurring primarily in young women and characterized by “extreme emaciation.” Gull prescribed milky foods, soup, eggs, fish, or chicken every two hours accompanied with a shot of brandy.

Doctors came to view parents as having a pernicious role in the illness and urged their exclusion from care. This is perhaps not surprising, said Daniel Le Grange, a professor in the psychiatry department at the University of California, San Francisco. The mental health field has a long history of blaming parents, mothers in particular, for a child’s diagnosis, he said. Practitioners even developed a specialized vocabulary to express this supposed problem: “the ‘schizophreno-genic mother,’ ‘autisto-genic mother,’ ‘anorexi-genic mother,’ and so on.”

By the 1960s, anorexia was thought to affect about 1 in 10,000 women, although under-reporting and lack of awareness are likely to distort any long-term surveys. At the time, information about the illness was still not available in medical schools, said Patricia Santucci, who has been a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and is a founding member of the Academy for Eating Disorders. This left practitioners ill-prepared for what they would encounter, she added: “All of a sudden, you got out in practice. And you said, ‘What’s going on here? What is this thing?’”

Providers would try to reshape patients’ behavior through punishments and rewards, according to Andrea Marks, a pediatrician who published a paper on the history of anorexia treatments in the Journal of Clinical Psychology in 2019. Throughout the 1980s, struggling patients would typically be hospitalized and put on a feeding tube. As they gained weight and started feeding themselves, they could earn privileges such as unsupervised time in the bathroom and visits from friends and family. Still, Marks writes, patients often found themselves stuck in a cycle of recovery, relapse, and return to the hospital.

In the 1980s, an innovative approach emerged. Salvador Minuchin, the famed Argentine-born therapist who cared for troubled teens by focusing on their families, had devised a model for treating anorexia, as had a group of therapists in Italy. Gerald Russell, a psychiatrist at the Institute of Psychiatry and the Maudsley Hospital in London, wanted to verify the two groups’ claims in a clinical trial, hoping to figure out if families might be able to help their loved ones achieve a more durable recovery.

Russell developed an approach that lasted 12 months or longer that included all members of the household. The treatment steps used in that trial later evolved into family-based therapy’s three main phases: The first is re-feeding, in which parents are tasked with making all decisions about the child’s food consumption and exercise. After the child has regained the weight, they are able to assume responsibility for their own eating—a change that marks phase two. In phase three, the family and psychologist review the outcome.

In family-based therapy, anorexia is viewed as an external threat, akin to a medical illness that must be vanquished. Parents are called on as helpers while therapists guide them through the process. Professionals do not try to explore what caused the illness, and above all, they must not suggest that it’s the parents’ fault. This refusal to place blame on parents “was really a profound sea change in our field,” said Le Grange, who joined the Maudsley Hospital team in 1986 just as Russell and his colleagues were preparing to analyze the results of a pivotal study comparing FBT with individual therapy.

Russell’s study was a randomized controlled trial of 80 patients between the ages of 14 and 55. Fifty-seven had anorexia and 23 had bulimia. As it turned out, patients who had developed anorexia when they were younger than 18 and had lived with the condition for less than three years and then received family therapy showed markedly better outcomes than their peers who had been randomized to individual therapy: six out of 10 had a “good” outcome, according to the authors, compared with one out of 11 in the individual-therapy group. The results were published in 1987.

Five years on, the team revisited the 80 patients. Some did not want to participate and three had died, but many were doing better, the team found. Although differences between the two approaches had diminished over time, the early onset patients allocated to family therapy maintained a slightly higher weight and more regular menstrual periods than those who’d had individual treatment.

The Maudsley Method, named after the institution where it originated, was born. In Britain it’s known as Maudsley family therapy and in the U.S., where, with some minor differences, it was championed by Le Grange, as FBT. Forty years after its inception, FBT remains the leading evidence-based treatment for young people under 18.

The therapy has obvious advantages over alternatives such as hospitalization, practitioners say. For one, kids can stay in school and continue to live with their families, allowing for a more normal adolescence. There’s also much to be gained from giving parents a bigger role in their child’s recovery, said Renee Rienecke, who trained with Le Grange and is now the research director for the Eating Recovery Center and an adjunct professor at Northwestern University in Illinois: Parents “can really use the best weapon against the eating disorder, which is their love for their children.”

But roughly 70 clinicians certified in family-based treatment, the U.S. is not in a position to provide FBT to the hundreds of thousands of teens with anorexia, experts say. And even when FBT works, the process is not easy — for kids, parents, or therapists.

Christina Olmsted decided to take temporary leave from her job as a marketing executive, and Kevin Olmsted quit his role at a wine company to become his daughter’s main carer. In 2020, he wrote a book about helping Tess recover, “Scared Dad Feeding” (an homage to the FBT classic, “Brave Girl Eating”). Kevin describes how under FBT his daughter was obliged to eat whatever he and his wife put on her plate. One of her parents sat with her during every meal and for an hour afterwards to make sure she didn’t purge what she had eaten or hide the food away. She ate five times a day—three meals and two snacks—and had to gain 1 to 2 pounds per week.

Kevin went to elaborate lengths to boost her diet. He’d add an extra yolk to omelets, mix in two tablespoons of heavy whipped cream and an ounce and a half of Benecalorie, then fry the mixture in two tablespoons of butter. “Once I came to know that the demon of anorexia was a terrorist, who would stop at nothing to kill my daughter, who would know nothing of compromise or diplomacy, I then knew no amount of fighting dirty was off the table,” he wrote.

The Olmsteds shut the world out and disappeared for six months, something not every family is able to do. “It’s a luxury to treat this, just so we’re clear,” Kevin said to Undark. “Just to be able to swing at a pitch in this ballpark takes so many resources it’s ridiculous.”

The process was rough for Tess, who still recalls how it felt to be so closely monitored. Sometimes she would butt heads with her mother. She was too preoccupied with the illness to engage with her friends during senior year of high school and wasn’t able to play on the lacrosse team. “It was just a really difficult time,” she said.

Therapists can struggle, too. During the first phase of FBT, the clinician weighs the child at the start of each session. This practice, along with the need to offer dietary advice, makes some professionals uncomfortable. The family must also eat a meal together at the clinician’s office. “You have to be ready for anything,” said Rienecke, “for food being thrown across the room, for kids screaming and running out of the office. For a lot — a lot — of crying.” She continued, “oftentimes the kid just hates you at the beginning of treatment.”

In online discussions, young people sometimes vent their frustration with the approach. Family-based therapy “is the WORST” wrote one person on an eating disorder support forum. “I don’t understand how this could work,” the post continued. “When people control me and suffocate me, it triggers me tenfold.”

And sometimes parents’ desire to save—and control—their child goes too far, according to therapists and patients.

The 19-year-old from Texas said she began FBT in 2022. She had already been hospitalized once and relapsed while doing stints with different outpatient psychotherapists. She had experienced anorexia for four years and was almost 18, too old for family-based treatment. Nevertheless, her parents were able to sign up for a virtual program.

“Family-based therapy became more like family-based trauma,” the woman wrote on a Reddit forum for anonymously discussing eating disorders earlier this year. As her parents assumed the roles of dieticians and therapists, home started to feel like a hospital, she later told Undark. Her father was heavily involved in her care, even though she believes his earlier comments about her physical appearance had helped trigger her disorder. She said that during the therapy, her mental health deteriorated. She had thoughts of suicide and she started to self-harm.

What FBT failed to account for, the woman recently told Undark, is that for nearly five years, her eating disorder had actually given her some relief from difficult emotions. Her parents seemed to believe that weight regain alone would erase any feelings of depression and anxiety, she said. Weight gain is important, she acknowledged, but not without psychological healing.

Le Grange is aware that FBT has been carried too far by some parents but said it is fortunately rare. “Clinicians should always be on the lookout for a parent who takes a license to be critical and unkind to the young person.”

A survey by Australian researchers suggests that some parents also have doubts about FBT. In an interview, one father noted that the treatment’s focus was entirely on food. In his experience, however, his child’s restrictive eating was a symptom of a deeper problem. “What’s going on underneath?” he asked. “What’s causing all this?”

There are other criticisms, too. The therapy is “based on the idea that the young patient has no control,” said Riccardo Dalle Grave, who is head of a department of eating and weight disorders in Villa Garda Hospital in northern Italy. “The goal is to engage the parents, not the young patient. I was always in doubt about this.”

And yet some patients find that weight regain offers a path toward improved wellbeing. As Tess gained back weight, she was able to think more clearly. Eating an extra portion or a snack no longer felt like a catastrophe. “I really just figured out, such minor things didn’t mean as much as I used to think they did when I was younger,” she said.

Around the same time as the Maudsley Method emerged in London, researchers at Oxford University began working on a different model, focusing on adults. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, was developed in the 1970s by Aaron Beck, a researcher in Pennsylvania. It probes patients’ reactions to specific situations and posits that their interpretations of reality may be maladaptive or distorted. In the U.K., CBT has been approved for treating conditions ranging from childhood anxiety to adult schizophrenia, and it is recognized as clinically effective by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the government approval body.

In 1981 Christopher Fairburn, a now-retired lecturer at Oxford, had shown CBT’s possible efficacy for bulimia. He applied it to anorexia, with results he described as “mixed.” Over time, Fairburn and his colleagues realized that anorexia tended to migrate. Patients might start out restricting food but then develop symptoms of bulimia, for example, if a patient’s psychological issues went unresolved. So they developed an approach that could work across different eating disorders, adding modules as necessary to target core problems like poor body image, perfectionism, or low self-esteem, and described this type of CBT as “enhanced.” In the U.K., CBT-E, as it’s known, is a second line treatment for teens, to be tried when family therapy fails.

While cognitive therapy typically has a timeframe of 20 weeks, CBT-E can take longer, up to 40 weeks to allow for weight regain. Clinicians and patients may explore the pros and cons of the need for change. Patients may say things like, “‘I don’t know who I’ll be, I won’t have control,’ all those sorts of things—‘I’ll lose my identity,’” said Cooper, who was recently given a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Eating Disorders.

CBT-E also has three phases, but it inverts their emphasis: The first phase involves helping patients think afresh about their condition and analyze the pros and cons of change. Only then are patients urged to address their eating habits. Under this model, parents are viewed as helpers, said Dalle Grave, the director of the eating disorder unit at Villa Garda Hospital.

Cara Lisette, who is 33 and lives in the U.K., suffered from anorexia for 20 years, cycling through hospitalization, in-patient care, and outpatient support. She first encountered CBT-E in 2011, but had no rapport with her therapist. When another clinician suggested CBT-E three years ago, Lisette decided to give it another try. This psychologist seemed to understand her better and was kind. Lisette said she was older and in a better position to be receptive.

Lisette describes how enhanced CBT was tailored to her illness. “Stuff like the body image distortions and things that people get when they have anorexia are quite unique,” she said. “I think it really takes into account just how people’s brains work a little bit differently when they have an eating disorder compared to something like anxiety disorder.”

While still finishing her own treatment, Lisette began her own training as a CBT therapist, and now uses cognitive therapy with children.

Evidence for the effectiveness of CBT-E for young people with anorexia is based on just a couple of non-randomized studies. In 2013, Dalle Grave published an account of 46 young patients with a mean age of 15-and-a-half, aiming to see if they could complete the treatment as out-patients. Almost two-thirds did so and their weight increased substantially, with 13 teens reaching an almost normal weight. The authors saw the findings as making a compelling case for comparing CBT-E and FBT in randomized controlled trials.

In a non-randomized comparative study of 12-to-18-year-old patients, led by Le Grange and Dalle Grave that was published three years ago, FBT and CBT-E came out as just about equally effective.

Le Grange, Dalle Grave, and a Norwegian colleague are now collaborating on the first ever randomized-controlled trial comparing CBT-E and FBT for adolescents with eating disorders, based at Oslo University Hospital. Initial enrollments are in January next year but obtaining a full picture will take years, Le Grange said: “It’s going to be a while.”

“I’m seeing younger and younger and younger patients,” said Suzanne Straebler, a CBT-E eating disorder therapist providing therapy to people with anorexia. “These are babies, right? They are children, and here they are with full blown eating disorders.” In the past, she said, her clinic in New York would occasionally see an 11-year-old patient. Currently, the clinic is treating several 8-year-olds.

Researchers believe the Covid-19 pandemic and protracted school closures are the likely culprits, creating an uncertain environment, where everything seemed out of control. Isolated at home and unable to meaningfully engage with friends, teachers, and the wider society, vulnerable youth trained their focus on exercise and food intake, said Jessica Van Huysse, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan. These conditions made it easier to carry out restrictive behaviors, she noted, “and then that’s a rabbit hole, right?”

“Eating disorders tend to thrive in secrecy,” Straebler observed. She is also concerned about the ability of social media to disseminate dieting fads to young people online.

While some children have been able to fully recover through CBT-E or FBT, the consensus is that more research is needed. “Our therapies are okay, they’re an option,” said Straebler, “but they’re not as good as they need to be. So we need more research, more funding.”

Additionally, clinical trials often enroll people with a single psychological disorder, Cooper said. But in the real world, patients may struggle with multiple conditions. Tess, for example, had a history of OCD and anxiety before she developed anorexia.

Neither FBT nor CBT-E, the researchers admit, is good enough, or sufficient on its own.

“I want to go on paper that I’m not an FBT evangelist. I’m a scientist,” said Le Grange. He estimates that in real world settings, FBT works for 60 to 65 percent of children. He asked: What can be done for those who aren’t helped?

Even those who do gain weight may continue to struggle, said Kevin Olmsted. He compared FBT to pulling a child from the mud and taking them to dry land. The therapy brings patients back to a stable weight where they’re healthy and safe. But they will still have plenty of psychological work to do.

Tess is now 18, and a full recovery remains elusive. In August, as she prepared for college, she noted that she’s in a much better place, but she struggles to balance her social life, schoolwork, and eating. Anorexia can fuel an all-or-nothing approach to life, which can be dangerous, she said: “It’s definitely still a battle—but it’s a different battle.”

If you are struggling with an eating disorder, call or text the National Eating Disorders Association at 1-800-931-2237.

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A water bottle is a gym must-have. Cacti can survive on small amounts of water, sure, but you’re no succulent; you are a meaty flesh bag whose body is 60% H2O. If flowers wilt when they’re not watered, you surely will, too. Staying hydrated is incredibly important for all levels of activity, from a leisurely stroll on the treadmill to an intense leg day. Plus, you don’t need to hit up the water fountain for small, unsatisfactory sips (and potentially communal germs) when you have an entire receptacle filled with water from your house. Depending on your gym, the water fountain might have a low flow rate and a thin layer of lime build-up on the spout—both unideal and a little grody. Your best bet is to BYOGWB (Bring Your Own Gym Water Bottle) and hope the gym has a WFwaBF (Water Fountain with a Bottle Filler). The best water bottles for the gym crush thirst, just like how you crush your PRs, you *strong* meaty flesh bag.

• Best overall: Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle
• Best for running: Nathan Quick Squeeze Insulated Water Bottle
• Best tumbler: Pelican Hydration Pelican Porter
• Best insulated: Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Bottle with Flex Straw Lid
• Best gallon water bottle: Yeti Gallon Jug
• Best self-cleaning: LARQ Movement PureVis
• Best budget: Nalgene Sustain Tritan BPA-Free Water Bottle

How we chose the best water bottles for the gym

It is a joke in my household that Wednesdays are off-limits for social activities, as it’s Barre Wednesday: the one day I week that I travel to my Pure Barre location of choice and take an evening Classic class with my favorite instructor, Amanda. Instructor Amanda kicks my ass in a way that keeps Writer Amanda from biting her handlers in a fit of rage. (They would need a rabies shot series if she gets chomp in.)

I’ve Burpee’d my way through the occasional HIIT class, mastered the Stairmaster, and even tried Bikram yoga. And although the hot yoga was a one-time deal, an insulated water bottle was a constant companion in my journey to sweaty, definitely not-culty enlightenment.

I made a few criteria based on my own gym/workout class experience. Each bottle is at least 32 ounces because 16-24 ounces is simply insufficient water for a 45-minute cardio or strength workout. Each bottle needed to have a handle or carry loop for convenience. A built-in straw and a wide mouth were minor considerations since both are nice to have but not necessities. Many bottles made the brave journey to barre class for on-the-ground testing, but only a few made the final cut.

The best water bottles for the gym: Reviews & Recommendations

If you’re headed to the gym for your hot girl walk, or you lost your last trusty gym water bottle and need to bring in a new recruit, one of our con-sip-erations should make you feel like you’ve found gold at the bottom of the well.

Best overall: Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle

SEE IT

Specs

• Material: Stainless steel
• Dishwasher safe: Hand-wash cup; dishwasher safe-lif
• BPA-free: Yes
• Temperature retention: 24 hours cold

Pros

• Lightweight when filled
• Spout doesn’t touch sweaty hands
• Really fun to use

Cons

• Not dishwasher safe

Like most products, I first heard of the Owala FreeSip water bottle on TikTok. Account after account raved about the bottle’s FreeSip spout, which lets you sip upright through a built-in straw or tilt it back for a classic swig. After testing it myself, I concluded it’s worth the hype.

The temperature retention is fabulous. Water stays cold all day, and ice cubes aren’t melted away after a few hours. The wide mouth easily accommodates a handful of ice cubes and makes cleaning seem like less of a chore. A push-to-open lid protects the spout from your own germy, sweaty hands, and the carrying loop doubles as a lock, so you don’t have accidental spills if you throw it into your gym bag like I do.

The FreeSip cap is the crown jewel of this canteen. The outer rim doesn’t hit your nose when swigging, and the cap doesn’t get in your face if you decide to take a long chug. I was also expecting a face full of water from the spout design, but the sip portion does not seem to affect the spout. The sip portion is seamless to drink out of—there’s no weird tugging like other sports bottles with straws. Using the bottle is just plain fun. The “click” of the lid opening and the design of the FreeSip spout tickle my brain in a way that makes me drink more water.

Although it’s not completely dishwasher safe—it’s recommended you hand-wash the bottle portion to maintain the finish—its inherent fun and ease of use easily outshines this minor downside.

Best for running: Nathan Quick Squeeze Insulated Water Bottle

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Specs

• Material: Double-wall insulated plastic
• Dishwasher safe: No
• BPA-free: Yes
• Temperature retention: Unknown

Pros

• Ergonomic grip
• Extra storage
• No slip grip

Cons

• Not dishwasher safe

If you prefer running on the indoor track instead of on a treadmill, a handheld running water bottle helps keep hydration at arm’s length—literally. This one from Nathan is made to fit ergonomically in your hand, and it’s easy to squeeze to get that sweet, sweet water out of the nozzle and into your thirsty gullet. Double-wall insulation keeps your water/electrolyte drink cool, and a zippered front pocket holds your smartphone, cards, keys, and a good-luck trinket. It’s not dishwasher-safe, which is a bummer considering all of the nooks and crannies in the lid.

Best tumbler: Pelican Hydration Pelican Porter

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Specs

• Material: 18/8 Stainless steel; copper lining
• Dishwasher safe: Yes
• BPA-free: Yes
• Temperature retention: 16 hours cold

Pros

• Great temperature retention
• Fits in car cup holders
• Easy-to-hold handle

Cons

• Not spill proof

Testing the Pelican Porter made me understand the Stanley Quencher hype. Although the Quencher is a great tumbler, the Pelican Porter edges it out. It will keep drinks cold for 16 hours, compared to the Quencher’s 11-hour chill rate. This longevity is thanks to a copper lining that works with double-wall vacuum insulation to prevent thermal loss. It’s not completely spill-proof—one accidental kick from a passerby will lead to a certain disaster—but a splash-resistant lid prevents any waterworks on the drive to the gym. You can sip from the strong Tritan plastic drinking straw or rotate the lid for some chug action, although I prefer the straw. Something primal and childlike awoke deep in me as soon as I grabbed the Pelican Porter’s handle. I hope it also makes you feel like a big hydrated adult baby.

Best insulated: Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Bottle

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Specs

• Material: 18/8 stainless steel
• Dishwasher safe: Yes
• BPA-free: Yes
• Temperature retention: 24 hours cold

Pros

• Lightweight when filled up
• Moveable handle
• Lid comes apart for easy cleaning

Cons

• Dents easily

It’s a close race between the Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Bottle with Flex Straw Lid and the Yeti Rambler with Straw Lid for the title of best insulated water bottle for the gym. The Hydro Flask ranks superior thanks to its lid, which comes apart completely—no more moldy, nasty caps—and is dishwasher-safe. It’s also lightweight when filled up, and the moveable handle on the lid makes it better to carry from leg press to rowing machine to exercise bike, etc. It has a wide mouth to make it easy to clean and fill with ice, and the cap is leakproof when closed. A plastic ledge-like protrusion helps you flip the straw up without having to touch the mouthpiece, earning brownie points in the sanitary category. It is the water bottle I personally reach most for when I’m doing barre, since I can flip the straw up and carry it around while going from barre to floor to mat.

Best gallon water bottle: Yeti Gallon Jug

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Specs

• Material: 18/8 stainless steel
• Dishwasher safe: Yes
• BPA free: Yes
• Temperature retention: 24+ hours cold

Pros

• Study handle
• Clever lid to store spout cap
• Double-wall vacuum insulation

Cons

• Expensive
• Heavy when filled

If you’re a person who drinks a gallon of water a day, the Yeti Gallon Jug is one of the nicest gallon water bottles you can find. It will keep your water cold all day, even if the bottle has sat in your hot car. It’s made of durable stainless steel and features vacuum insulation so that it will keep liquids hot or cold for several hours. It also keeps your bottle from sweating, so gym floors are safe from condensation.

The Gallon Jug’s lid features a sturdy metal handle with soft grip padding. The lid also contains a neat magnetic design, so users can store the cap when the spout is open. You can also screw the entire lid off for easy cleaning and refills, although some reviews note it’s hard to remove because of the lid’s large diameter.

Like all Yeti’s other stainless steel bottles, the Gallon Jug is BPA-free and dishwasher safe. It weighs 4.5 pounds before putting water in it, or over 12 pounds full. This is not the weight you intend to lift while at the gym. Still, it is far and away the nicest water bottle of this size.

Best self-cleaning: LARQ Movement PureVis

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Specs

• Material: Stainless steel
• Dishwasher safe: Bottle is dishwasher safe; cap it not
• BPA free: Yes
• Temperature retention: N/A

Pros

• Lightweight
• Self-cleaning
• Lightweight compared to other water bottles

Cons

• Non-insulated
• No wide mouth
• Expensive

I tested and reviewed the insulated LARQ PureVis bottle and was impressed at its ability to keep water cold and make a noticeable difference in how it tasted after hitting it with the PureVis UV-C light. If the LARQ insulated PureVis bottle is the nerdy, well-read smartypants of the family, then the uninsulated PureVis Movement bottle is the sporty one who will get a scholarship playing D1 field hockey and eventually join the U.S. Olympic team. It’s called the Movement bottle since it’s uninsulated, making it even lighter than the insulated version. Both bottles use the same technology in the cap. Simply press a button to activate the PureVis tech, which eliminates 99% of bio-contaminants like E.coli. If you’re bad at remembering to drink water, the LARQ, unfortunately, doesn’t have a built-in water tracker or sip reminder. However, it automatically cleans itself every two hours, and one charge powers the bottle for a month, giving you at least two fewer things to think about.

Best budget: Nalgene Sustain Tritan BPA-Free Water Bottle

SEE IT

Specs

• Material: Tritan plastic
• Dishwasher safe: Top rack safe
• BPA-free: Yes
• Temperature retention: N/A

Pros

• Completely leakproof
• No frills
• Incredibly lightweight

Cons

• Non-insulated
• Wide mouth leads to a faceful of water

The Nalgene water bottle is a classic for a reason. Nalgene bottles have carried me from field hockey games to marching band practice when I was in high school, and they still have a place in my cupboard despite the objectively fancier options I have. They’re impact-resistant, leakproof, and are top-rack safe. Plus, Tritan plastic is BPA/BPS free if you’re cutting back on microplastics.

If you choose a wide-mouth Nalgene, I highly recommend getting an Easy Sipper. It’s a circular disk with a small hole that sits right inside the bottle to prevent getting a faceful of water when taking a sip. Although buying an accessory when you could buy a narrow-mouth bottle from the jump seems silly, wide-mouth bottles are easier to fill at bottle-filling stations. Being able to add ice is also a major perk. I’ve even filled mine and frozen them overnight so I’d have icy water after school. If you do that, just make sure to leave some room at the top since ice expands.

What to consider when buying the best water bottles for the gym

You may not need to drink 8 cups of water a day, but staying hydrated is a must while working out. Here is what you should keep in mind before adding to your water bottle collection:

Durability

Water bottles get dropped by sweaty hands, kicked by walkers deep in their favorite podcast and not paying attention, or fall over due to the mysterious forces of gravity.

Stainless steel can get dented and scratched, but it’s pretty resilient. Stainless steel can also handle sudden temperature changes. However, you should not freeze them since low freezer temperatures can damage the surface of the water bottle.

Tritan plastic water bottles are generally more scratch-resistant and won’t ding, but are by no means indestructible. Both materials are generally resistant to the wear and tear of everyday life.

Material

Speaking of material, you’ll want bottles made of stainless steel or Tritan plastic. You’ll want to skip glass entirely since broken shards and people lifting in their socks don’t mix.

Stainless steel water bottles are popular because they’re light and durable. They’re usually made from 18/8 stainless steel, which refers to its 18% chromium and 8% nickel elemental composition. Many stainless steel bottles are vacuum-insulated to create a sealed buffer between the liquid in the container and the environment outside the bottle, which reduces conduction and keeps liquids cold for several hours. If you’re looking for even more thermal retention, consider a bottle with copper lining.

Reusable plastic water bottles give you a balance of durability and affordability. High-quality plastic bottles can be more resistant to superficial wear and tear and generally lack insulation.

When buying plastic, make sure to get a plastic water bottle that’s made from BPA-free Tritan plastic, which is light and ultra-durable. Some studies suggest that containers made from plastics with bisphenol A, or BPA, can seep into what’s stored in the container and cause adverse health effects.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best water bottles for the gym

• Best overall: Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle
• Best for running: Nathan Quick Squeeze Insulated Water Bottle
• Best tumbler: Pelican Hydration Pelican Porter
• Best insulated: Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Bottle
• Best gallon water bottle: Yeti Gallon Jug
• Best self-cleaning: LARQ Movement PureVis
• Best budget: Nalgene Sustain Tritan BPA-Free Water Bottle

You can bring any water bottle into the gym, but why not bring one that inspires you and #sparksjoy? Find one in your favorite color with handy features like a carry loop, vacuum insulation, and a touch-free cap for more sanitary sipping. The most important thing is making sure to stay hydrated while pumping iron, putting in rounds with the heavy bag, etc. You should sip some water from your new bottle and get some reps in.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best water bottles for the gym in 2023, tested and reviewed appeared first on Popular Science.

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Today, the United Kingdom became the first country to give regulatory approval to a medical procedure that uses CRISPR gene editing. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved Casgevy, a therapy that will be used to treat sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia (also called β -thalassaemia). 

[Related: CRISPR breaks ground as a one-shot treatment for a rare disease.]

What are sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia? 

Both diseases are painful, life-long genetic conditions that are caused by errors in the genes for a protein called hemoglobin. Red blood cells use hemoglobin to carry oxygen around the body. Sickle cell disease is particularly common among people with Caribbean or African ancestry. The abnormal hemoglobin makes the blood cells crescent-shaped and hard. The misshapen cells then clump together and block the flow of oxygen to the organs, which causes extreme pain. The cells can then die off early, which leads to anemia. 

Beta thalassemia primarily affects patients with Mediterranean, south Asian, southeast Asian, and Middle Eastern backgrounds. It also causes anemia since the mody cannot make as much hemoglobin.  

Casgevy was developed by Boston’s Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Switzerland’s Crispr Therapeutics and could be used to replace bone marrow transplants. The companies estimate that roughly 2,000 people in the UK are now eligible for the therapy.

“I am pleased to announce that we have authorized an innovative and first-of-its-kind gene-editing treatment called Casgevy, which in trials has been found to restore healthy hemoglobin production in the majority of participants with sickle-cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassaemia, relieving the symptoms of disease,” interim executive director of healthcare quality and access at the MHRA Julian Beach said in a statement. 

How does Casgey use CRISPR gene editing?

The new treatment uses the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technique, which enables scientists to make precise alterations to human DNA. French microbiologist, geneticist and biochemist Emmanuelle Charpentier and American biochemist Jennifer A. Doudna, who shared the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work. 

Casgevy uses stem cells taken from a patient’s bone marrow. The cells are then brought into a lab and the genes that are meant to switch on a functioning version of hemoglobin are edited with CRISPR. According to the MHRA, patients must then go through a “conditioning treatment.” This can involve taking a drug that suppresses the immune system, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy to get the body ready for an infusion of CRISPR-modified cells back into the body. The new treatment does not come with the risk of graft versus host disease the way that a traditional bone marrow transplant does.

[Related: These organisms have a natural gene-editing system that could be more useful than CRISPR.]

After the infusion, patients may need to remain in a hospital facility for at least a month. During this time, the treated cells will begin to “take up residence” in the bone marrow and make red blood cells that have a stable form of hemoglobin.

While seeking regulatory approval, the researchers performed a clinical trial of 45 patients with sickle-cell disease. Of this group, 29 patients have been in the trial long enough for the researchers to gauge how effective Casgevy is. Of these eligible patients, 28 were free of severe pain crises for at least 12 months after treatment.  

In the clinical trial of 54 patients with transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia, 42 patients have been in the trial long enough to determine efficacy. Of these, 39 did not require a red blood cell transfusion for at least 12 months after the treatment. The remaining three had more than a 70 percent reduction in the need for red cell transfusions. 

“This is a great step in the advancement of medical approaches to tackle genetic diseases we never thought would be possible to cure,” University of Hertfordshire geneticist Alena Pance said a statement released by the Science Media Centre. “Modifying the stem cells from the bone marrow of the patient avoids the problems associated with immune compatibility, i.e. searching for donors that match the patient and following immunosuppression, and constituting a real cure of the disease rather than a treatment.”

The United States Food and Drug Administration is evaluating this same treatment. On October 31, an advisory committee to the FDA said that treatment was safe for patients. It is expected to make a decision by December 8. 

A price for the therapy has not been announced, but it will likely be expensive. 

Previously

Despite its potential for good, CRISPR has been tainted with controversy and ripe for debate over the fear of being able to pick and choose genes for so-called “designer babies.” In 2018, Chinese scientist He Jiankui announced that he had created the first gene-edited babies in the world. He was found guilty of conducting “illegal medical practices” and sentenced to 3 years in prison. This work furthered the debate of how to best regulate this powerful technique, with many saying that it shouldn’t be used to edit human genes that will be passed down to the next generation. 

Other experiments and trials with using the gene editing technique on rare diseases have continued. In 2021, a clinical trial for a drug called NTLA-2001 began, researchers attempted to treat six people with a rare genetic disease called transthyretin amyloidosis with a technology that delivers CRISPR directly to cells in the liver. The FDA cleared the trial to enter its critical third phase in October.

The post The UK becomes the first country to approve CRISPR treatment appeared first on Popular Science.

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The common stethoscope’s recognizable design has remained largely unchanged for decades for good reason—there’s really not much to improve at this point. When it comes to listening in on a patient’s internal soundtrack, the standard, adjustable bell connected via short rubber tubing to binaural earpieces is perfectly suited for helping assess respiratory and cardiac health.

Of course, a stethoscope can only relay vitals in person based on its specific placements; long term monitoring often requires extended clinical stays alongside bulky, wired devices. To solve these problems, a team of medical experts, researchers, and engineers at Northwestern University set out to design a new wearable capable of providing highly detailed, continuous, real-time information regardless of a patient’s environment. After painlessly adhering to specific areas of the chest, the resulting soft devices not only accomplish these goals, but already show immense promise for both adults, as well as premature babies often dealing with gastrointestinal complications and apneas.

[Related: Pill cuts lung cancer deaths in half, study says.]

“Currently, there are no existing methods for continuously monitoring and spatially mapping body sounds at home or in hospital settings,” John Rogers, a bioelectronics expert who oversaw the new tool’s design and development, said in a recent Northwestern University profile.

As detailed in a new study published in Nature Medicine, Rogers and fellow researchers placed a miniature battery, electronics, Bluetooth relay, flash memory drive, and two microphones within a 40mm long, 20mm wide, and 8 mm thick soft silicone casing—roughly the size of a stick of gum. Each microphone is positioned in opposing directions, into and outside the patient, to filter exterior ambient noises from a wearer’s bodily sounds. The team notes this is particularly helpful in situations such as lung monitoring, since the organ is simply too quiet when compared to noisy hospital surroundings.

Ankit Bharat, a thoracic surgeon who oversaw adult subject clinical device trials, describes it pretty succinctly in Northwestern’s November 16 announcement:

“Simply put, it’s like up to 13 highly trained doctors listening to different regions of the lungs simultaneously with their stethoscopes, and their minds are synced to create a continuous and a dynamic assessment of the lung health that is translated into a movie on a real-life computer screen.”

[Related: Almost everyone in the world breathes unhealthy air.]

Aside from adult lung and gastrointestinal health monitoring, the tiny wearables show incredible promise for infants—particularly those born with potential medical issues. Babies’ respiratory systems only fully mature during the third trimester of pregnancy, meaning many apnea and breathing disorders often accompany premature deliveries. Given these infants’ physical size, traditional stethoscopes are both impractical and too large to provide accurate, prolonged monitoring. And even for healthy delivered children, breathing and gastrointestinal issues are major concerns during their first five years. The team’s new wearables, however, account for these issues by providing a new, size-appropriate tool.

Every human body is host to a wide array of acoustic and tonal signatures. Once the particular sounds are documented, the team hopes their wearable will make it much easier to pick out irregularities stemming from serious, overlooked health issues. If detected early enough, such discoveries could potentially save countless lives.

The post This tiny wireless wearable continuously monitors your body’s internal soundtrack appeared first on Popular Science.

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New research from Oxford University and the University of Adelaide found that asbestos exposure has led to a higher incidence of asbestos-related lung cancers in British and Australian naval personnel. The study published November 14 in the journal Scientific Reports estimates that the proportion of lung cancers related to onboard asbestos exposure was 27 percent in Australian naval personnel and 12 percent in British servicemembers.

[Related: The US never banned asbestos. These workers are paying the price.]

Toxic exposure

This study is a reminder of the continuing need for protections against exposure to harmful airborne dusts and other dangerous substances from sources like toxic burn pits. According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, nearly 300,000 United States veterans have reported exposure to pollution from burn pits since the early 2000s. The chemical pollutants that were released during these burns include volatile organic compounds associated with cancer, kidney disease, and nervous system damage. In August 2022, President Joe Biden signed the PACT Act into law to address the health concerns related to burn pits like these.

Illnesses related to asbestos exposure persist, despite the mineral being a known carcinogen. Asbestos has been used in a wide variety of building materials for their strength, flexibility, and electrical and heat resistant properties. Breathing it in can cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, and a non-cancerous condition called asbestosis. About 1,290 Americans die annually from asbestos-related causes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Australia currently has a ban and strict control on asbestos-containing materials, they still pose a risk to some workers. A 2021-2022 New South Wales Dust Disease Register report found that there were 142 cases of asbestosis and 111 deaths related to the illness. 

In the United States, asbestos use is not completely banned. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed another ban in April of 2022 that has yet to be finalized. 

An increased risk to sailors

For this study, researchers collected data from 30,085 United Kingdom and Australian personnel who served during the 1950s and 1960s. During this time period, asbestos-containing materials were still present in British and Australian naval vessels. Earlier studies of one Australian and two British cohorts also involved in this new research found that increased rates of lung cancer could not be attributed to radiation exposure from nuclear testing. The team used a separate study of Australian Korean War veterans as a comparison in this new research.

The team found that all four cohorts had an elevated incidence of mesothelioma among naval veterans. This same rate was not not statistically significant among sailors from the Korean War. British and Australian personnel involved in nuclear testing also saw higher rates of lung cancers.

Additionally, the rates of pulmonary disease and heart disease were similar between naval and army personnel. This suggests that smoking was not driving higher lung cancer rates among sailors.

[Related: The PACT Act will take the burden of proof off US veterans exposed to burn pits.]

“We found the lung cancer rate was higher overall in naval personnel than in the other armed services, and, while smoking remains the dominant cause of lung cancer, it is unlikely the excess could be explained by a higher smoking rate in the navy,” study co-author and University of Adelaide medical doctor Richard Gun said in a statement.  “Although actual measurements of airborne asbestos levels were not available, and estimates are difficult, we have concluded that the higher lung cancer rate in sailors was most probably caused by onboard asbestos exposure.”

The high occurrence of deaths in sailors from asbestosis also strengthened the team’s conclusion. The team believes that the effects of asbestos exposure are likely underestimated, unless lung cancer is considered alongside mesothelioma and asbestosis.

“Although it remains true that smoking causes most lung cancers, other agents such as asbestos can contribute to the incidence of cancer in an exposed population,” Gun said. “Moreover, we know from other studies that the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure has an enhanced influence on lung cancer risk; this interactive effect would have contributed to the observed lung cancer excess.”

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As technology evolves, AI-generated images of human faces are becoming increasingly indistinguishable from real photos. But our ability to separate the real from the artificial may come down to personal biases—both our own, as well as that of AI’s underlying algorithms.

According to a new study recently published in the journal Psychological Science, certain humans may misidentify AI-generated white faces as real more often than they can accurately identify actual photos of caucasians. More specifically, it’s white people who can’t distinguish between real and AI-generated white faces. 

[Related: Tom Hanks says his deepfake is hawking dental insurance.]

In a series of trials conducted by researchers collaborating across universities in Australia, the Netherlands, and the UK, 124 white adults were tasked with classifying a series of faces as artificial or real, then rating their confidence for each decision on a 100-point scale. The team decided to match white participants with caucasian image examples in an attempt to mitigate potential own-race recognition bias—the tendency for racial and cultural populations to more poorly remember unfamiliar faces from different demographics.

“Remarkably, white AI faces can convincingly pass as more real than human faces—and people do not realize they are being fooled,” researchers write in their paper.

This was by no slim margin, either. Participants mistakenly classified a full 66 percent of AI images as photographed humans, versus barely half as many of the real photos. Meanwhile, the same white participants’ ability to discern real from artificial people of color was roughly 50-50. In a second experiment, 610 participants rated the same images using 14 attributes contributing to what made them look human, without knowing some photos were fake. Of those attributes, the faces’ proportionality, familiarity, memorability, and the perception of lifelike eyes ranked highest for test subjects.

The team dubbed this newly identified tendency to overly misattribute artificially generated faces—specifically, white faces—as “AI hyperrealism.” The stark statistical differences are believed to stem from well-documented algorithmic biases within AI development. AI systems are trained on far more white subjects than POC, leading to a greater ability to both generate convincing white faces, as well as accurately identify them using facial recognition techniques.

This disparity’s ramifications can ripple through countless scientific, social, and psychological situations—from identity theft, to racial profiling, to basic privacy concerns.

[Related: AI plagiarism detectors falsely flag non-native English speakers.]

“Our results explain why AI hyperrealism occurs and show that not all AI faces appear equally realistic, with implications for proliferating social bias and for public misidentification of AI,” the team writes in their paper, adding that the AI hyperrealism phenomenon “implies there must be some visual differences between AI and human faces, which people misinterpret.”

It’s worth noting the new study’s test pool was both small and extremely limited, so more research is undoubtedly necessary to further understand the extent and effects of such biases. But it remains true that very little is still known about what AI hyperrealism might mean for populations, as well as how they affect judgment in day-to-day lives. In the meantime, humans may receive some help in discernment from an extremely ironic source: During trials, the research team also built a machine learning program tasked with separating real from fake human faces—which it proceeded to accurately accomplish 94 percent of the time.

The post Some people think white AI-generated faces look more real than photographs appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best overall		PuroAir HEPA 14 Air Purifier		SEE IT	A H14 hospital-grade filter helps filter 99.99% of microscopic nasties.
Best splurge		Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet		SEE IT	This big boi leaves little debris in the air and can recreate the feeling of a natural breeze indoors.
Best budget		Levoit Core 300		SEE IT	A sub-$100 choice that punches above its price.

If you’re trying to prevent mold from messing with your lungs, there are air purifiers that are made just for that. Mold has been around for millions of years, and it’s not a stretch to say it’s already in your home or the buildings you enter. You find mold in places that encounter a lot of contact with water, like roofs, windows, and pipes. Mold can also be found on paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood products, dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery. Although that’s an overwhelming number of possible things that can become moldy, you can take quick action. It’s easy to remove on non-porous surfaces and food—a simple wipe down or journey to the trash can fix that. However, it’s hard to remove in the air, which is not the best news since mold can cause respiratory issues or a skin rash. However, the best air purifiers for mold let you breathe easy, no longer worrying about the air in your home.

• Best overall: PuroAir HEPA 14 Air Purifier
• Best smart: MILA Air Purifier with Overreactor filter
• Best for large rooms: Shark HP302 NeverChange Air Purifier MAX
• Best splurge: Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Extra Large
• Best budget: Levoit Core 300

How we chose the best air purifiers for mold

We’ve written about air purifiers before, so we took what we knew about them and went a bit further with testing. We weren’t looking at its ability to prevent mold, since that’s what dehumidifiers are for. We looked for features like HEPA filtration and the percentage of micro-sized particles it can trap. In order to find the best air purifiers for mold, we also looked at critical reviews and user recommendations and conducted first-hand research.

The best air purifiers for mold: Reviews & Recommendations

When it comes to AQI (the Air Quality Index), it’s like the game of Limbo: How low can you go? Keeping particulates out of our body is the goal of these selections, as mold is only good in blue cheese, penicillin, and tempeh—and that’s only if you’re not allergic or intolerant to any of them. Leave the fuzziness to those old raspberries in your fridge, not your lungs (OK, clear out the raspberries, too).

Best overall: PuroAir HEPA 14 Air Purifier

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Specs

• Recommended room size: 1,115 square feet
• Dimensions: 8.5 x 8.5 x 14.25 inches
• App connectivity: No
• Weight: 8 lbs.

Pros

• Detects air quality in home
• Powerful H14 HEPA filter
• Science-backed

Cons

• Replacement filters are expensive

The PuroAir HEPA 14 Air Purifier covers a massive 1,115 square feet and includes a powerful HEPA 14 air filter, which is ten times more powerful than HEPA 13. What you get is a hospital-grade air purifier under $200 that removes 99.99% of fine particles down to .1 microns in size. Mold? Sorry, you won’t find any here. It’s third-party lab tested and certified, meaning you’re getting a scientifically-developed air purifier from scientists and virologists at Harvard, MIT, Johns Hopkins, and Oxford universities that are backed up by other scientists.

A smart particle sensor monitors air quality and increases power if polluted air is detected. A flat, touch-controlled panel includes settings for timer, fan speed, a sleep mode that turns off all lights on the unit, filter replacement indicator, and child lock. It’s incredibly quiet even when running at its highest speed, and they’re incredibly intuitive to use. The replacement filters are a little expensive, but we think it’s a price worth paying.

Best smart: MILA Air Purifier with Overreactor filter

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Specs

• Recommended room size: 560 square feet
• Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 15 inches
• App connectivity: Yes
• Weight: 12 lbs.

Pros

• Easy to set up
• Clean look
• Lots of customization

Cons

• Expensive

If you’re looking for an air purifier that is a bit more customizable, consider the Mila. Instead of offering one filter that does everything OK, the Mila gives you seven filters, each aimed at solving a particular need. We’re a fan of the Overreactor, which eliminates food odors, formaldehyde from furniture and flooring, and almost 98 percent of nine types of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Plus, the integrated hospital-grade HEPA 14 filter with modified granular carbon gives new meaning to “fresh air.”

The unit also has eight environmental sensors, including CO2 and humidity sensors, which are important for mold prevention. It’s literally as quiet as a library, thanks to its 24-decibel output. It’s also super sensitive: the air purifier kicked into high gear when I sprayed an aerosol air freshener in the room.

Mila’s app is where this connected smart-home device shines, however. Available for Android and iOS, the app gives you more preset modes like Bubble Boy (which keeps the AQI as low as possible, no matter the setting), sleep, white noise, energy save, Turndown Service, and child lock. The air purifier is also incredibly stylish. Its cube shape gives “technologically advanced fancy marshmallow” compared to “bleak, unaesthetic cylinder” like many others on the market. The Mila is expensive, but you get lots of perks and flexibility.

Best for large rooms: Shark HP302 NeverChange Air Purifier MAX

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Specs

• Recommended room size: 1,400 square feet
• Dimensions: 13.2 x 13.2 x 22.5 inches
• App connectivity: No
• Weight: 12.27 lbs.

Pros

• Checks air quality
• Four levels of filtration
• Built-in odor neutralizer

Cons

• Large compared to other air purifiers

If you want to keep mold out of the air but want something that can cover a wide area, or you want to purify multiple rooms at once, the Shark HP302 NeverChange Air Purifier MAX has the largest square footage of coverage out of all the air purifiers we tested. A five-year HEPA filter means you don’t have to worry about reordering one shortly after purchasing. The filter itself can trap 99.98% of particles of all sizes, and debris defense protection prevents build-up fox maximum performance. We especially love its included odor neutralizer that releases a fresh scent in your home. It’s something we’ve seen implemented in the company’s Stratos Cordless Vacuum; we loved how it performed with the vacuum, and we’re happy it’s in this air purifier.

Clean Sense IQ constantly adjusts power based on air quality throughout your home, which you can see when tapping the Air Info symbol on the touch panel. Speaking of, if you’re not in the mood for auto mode, the touch panel includes settings for timer, brightness control, and fan speed. It’s taller compared to other air purifiers, but it’s a small price to pay for never having to change the filter.

Best splurge: Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Extra Large

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Specs

• Recommended room size: Over 1,000 square feet
• Dimensions: 30.47 x 23.37 x 17.32 inches
• App connectivity: Yes
• Weight: 26.2 lbs.

Pros

• Remote control included
• Pre-programmed turn-off
• Quiet at full power
• Wheels to easily move around

Cons

• Expensive

This extra-large air purifier from Dyson resembles a dish antenna, but don’t let its unconventional shape fool you. This large format device means business. It projects air over 32 feet, easily purifies large spaces, and has adjustable airflow. If you’d like to conjure a spring wind in the comfort of your own home, consider this a breath of fresh air thanks to Breeze Mode, which brings the outdoor breeze feeling inside. The H13 filter can last up to 5 years, and a hygienic replacement mechanism lets you replace it in one click, relatively germ-free. The purifier itself is acoustically engineered to operate quietly, even when it’s working to the max.

It comes with a remote—hello, convenience—and can also be controlled using the MyDyson app (available for Android and iOS). Do Not Disturb mode purifies the air while using the quietest settings and dims the display so you can get the darkest environment for the best sleep. It’s pricey, but being able to emulate fresh air in your own home is priceless. Scooting around your silly-shaped air purifier on its included hidden wheels? That is some Smart House tech I can get behind.

Best budget: Levoit Core 300

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Specs

• Recommended room size: 219 square feet
• Dimensions: 8.7 x 8.7 x 16.25 inches
• App connectivity: No
• Weight: 7.48 lbs.

Pros

• Lightweight
• Inconspicuous
• Incredibly quiet

Cons

• Have to pay more for WiFi-enabled model

This sub-$100 air purifier packs a punch well beyond its price. It’s incredibly quiet, easy to use, and lightweight for moving around the house. Its touch panel comes with three airflow presets (I, II, III), a quiet mode, a timer, a child lock, and a “lights off” button that turns off the panel lights without shutting down the air purifier. Each filter lasts for six months, and they come in a two-pack so you only need to order them once a year. I’ve purchased this air purifier twice and would buy it again for every room in my apartment. I’ve used the general filter that comes with it and have had no problems, but the toxin absorber filter (sold separately) is a perfect match for mold catching. If you’re looking to pay extra for a WiFi-enabled model, it’s your lucky day.

What to consider when buying the best air purifiers for mold

Mold exposure can lead to a stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing or wheezing, burning eyes, or rash. People with asthma or who are allergic to mold may have severe reactions like shortness of breath or chest tightness. Immunocompromised people and people with chronic lung disease may get lung infections from mold. With all this considered, it’s important to find an air purifier that works. Here’s what features you should consider before hitting “add to cart”:

Size of space

Most air purifiers are designed to clean the air in a single room. Because of this, many models include a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) to show how fast it can purify the air in the room. The higher the CADR, the larger area an air purifier is able to clean. Generally, you should look for an air purifier with a CADR of 2/3 the square footage of a space. If you’re looking to put an air purifier in a 100-square-foot room, you’ll need a minimum CADR of 65, per Energy Star.

HEPA

HEPA stands for “high-efficiency particulate air” and has been used since World War II. That’s pretty neat. If you’re looking for a filter specifically for mold, look for H13 or H14 HEPA filters. They’re the highest tier of filtration and are considered medical or hospital grade.

Additionally, if you don’t want to think about filter speed or changing settings as air quality changes, consider an air purifier with sensors that increase the amount of air filtered for you. A higher fan speed for a longer time increases the amount of clean air in your home.

Mold prevention

The best air purifiers for mold only filter out spores already in the air. The CDC recommends keeping humidity levels no higher than 50% in your home to prevent mold. An air conditioner or dehumidifier can help, and you can buy a humidity meter to monitor levels in your home. Fix any roof, wall, or plumbing leaks, and add mold inhibitors to paint or use a mold-inhibiting primer before painting. You should also dry out your home 24-28 hours after a flood and remove or replace carpets and upholstery that have been soaked and cannot be dried right away.

Bathrooms and basements often harbor the most mold since they get moist easily when not built properly. Surface mold growth, like on the tile or in the caulk, is easy to clean. Use a mold-killing cleaner or remove the caulk and replace it with the highest quality caulking you can find. However, removing mold growing behind the shower is a job for a contractor, unless you are the handyperson in your home.

Should you test your home for mold? The CDC says no since the health effects of mold are different in everyone. Good mold sampling is often expensive, and there are no set standards for acceptable kinds and qualities of mold in homes. Color also isn’t an indication of mold danger. Save your money to remove any mold in your home and keep it at bay.

So, should you be constantly vigilant of mold? According to the CDC, probably not. There is a little mold everywhere. Molds that may be toxigenic—a.k.a., they produce toxins, specifically mycotoxins—are as hazardous as the common molds in your home. There are few reports that toxigenic molds in homes can cause pulmonary hemorrhage or memory loss. A link between the two has not been proven, and these reports are rare.

If you have asthma, are allergic to mold, are immune-compromised, or have chronic lung disease, talk to your doctor about what you can do to protect yourself against mold.

Smart capabilities

Some air purifiers can be controlled via an app that gives you deeper insights into the air in your home. Some have internal sensors that detect the air quality in your home and adjust the filter speed accordingly. However, these features can hike up the price.

If you get annoyed with air purifiers beeping when the air quality is poor, look for something that lets you turn the signal off, or consider a model that is beep-free. You already can’t stand when you set the fire alarm off while you’re cooking. You don’t need any more unnecessary beeping in your life.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best air purifiers for mold

• Best overall: PuroAir HEPA 14 Air Purifier
• Best smart: MILA Air Purifier with Overreactor filter
• Best for large rooms: Shark HP302 NeverChange Air Purifier MAX
• Best splurge: Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Extra Large
• Best budget: Levoit Core 300

You can stop mold on surfaces with a quick wipe of a powerful cleaner. Mold in the air is a different story. When looking for an air purifier made specifically for getting rid of this particular allergen, ensure it comes with a hospital-grade H14 HEPA filter to get all the lung irritants out of the air. Keep in mind the size of your space to maximize its efficacy and fun add-on features like app control. You can breathe easily, knowing that your lungs will be relatively mold-free with the right pick.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best air purifiers for mold in 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

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You’ve probably heard a lot about Ozempic and Wegovy, the semaglutide wonder drugs for weight loss. Their newfound popularity with prescribers and online pharmacies has sparked a global shortage. Other diabetes medications are now also being repurposed for weight loss: On Wednesday, the FDA approved Zepbound, another version of Mounjaro, for chronic weight management.

While Ozempic and Wegovy have different ingredients than Mounjaro and Zepbound, they work in a similar way. Semaglutide mimics a hormone called GLP-1 that’s usually released when the body detects carbohydrates, proteins, and other lipids after a meal. This sends a message to the brain that you’ve eaten, changing hunger signaling activity. When the body thinks it’s full, GLP-1 activates other systems to slow down muscle contractions that would usually move food out of the stomach.

A weekly injection might seem like an easy option to shed pounds, but doctors warn these medications are not a perfect weight-loss solution. Semaglutide carries a number of side effects that range from uncomfortable to life-threatening, which can be even worse with off-label use of Wegovy or Ozempic.

What are the common side effects of semaglutide?

Since semaglutide has a direct effect on the GI tract, a majority of the side effects are gastrointestinal-related. Mir Ali, a bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center in California, says about 50 percent of people taking Wegovy or Ozempic experience nausea. Other common side effects include constipation, diarrhea, or cramping. People who overeat while on the regimen might experience more severe nausea and even vomiting. Additionally, while not as common as the other GI side effects, Ali mentions there is a chance of dizziness while taking Ozempic. This may stem from the blood sugar-lowering effects of the drug. 

What are the more dangerous side effects?

Since large numbers of people started using semaglutide for off-label weight loss, doctors have been documenting more troubling reactions. New research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association links Ozempic to gastroparesis, a chronic condition that severely weakens the muscles in the stomach wall, making it harder to push food over to the small intestine. The inability to empty stomach contents can delay the digestive process and induce regular episodes of nausea and diarrhea. While there are surgical and non-surgical ways to manage gastroparesis, there’s currently no cure for it. 

Considering that there have only been a few documented cases of gastroparesis with Ozempic use, Ali says the chances of this happening are relatively rare and “not something you typically see in patients.” But as demand for the drug continues to soar, more cases may come to light. Along with stomach paralysis, other limited but severe side effects of Ozempic involve pancreatitis, kidney issues, and gallbladder issues.

Can semaglutide cause suicidal thoughts?

A growing number of people worldwide have also reported suicidal thoughts while taking Ozempic. After receiving 150 reports of suicidal ideation and self-injury, the European Medicines Agency is reviewing the safety data on the diabetes drug. The United Kingdom is also reviewing all drugs classified as GLP-1 agonists, including Ozempic, after an uptick in incidences of self-harming thoughts. In the US, individuals have spoken out about experiencing suicidal ideation while taking Ozempic, despite having no history of self-harm. 

Some of the mental health concerns have precedent. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires any chronic weight management medication that works on the central nervous system to carry a warning about suicidal behavior and ideation. Wegovy has a warning for suicidal ideation but Ozempic—intended only to control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes—does not. It’s not clear what the link is between these drugs and suicidal thoughts, but it’s assumed the neuropsychiatric side effects emerge when semaglutide interacts with the brain to control appetite. 

“The question becomes, should the same medication under a different name carry the same caution regarding suicidal ideation?” says Joseph Barrera, an endocrinologist and associate medical director of Providence Mission Hospital in California. He adds that the likelihood of developing self-harming thoughts while taking Ozempic seems to occur more in people with a history of depression or other psychological issues—a possible safety concern as some psychiatrists are now prescribing Ozempic for depression. 

Overall, cases of suicidal ideations are largely anecdotal and relatively rare. As of September 2023, of the 23,845 reports of adverse reactions with semaglutide in the US, there have been 144 cases of suicidal ideation and 2 deaths by suicide. As Barrera points out, it’s still unclear how many of these cases involved Ozempic versus Wegovy.

What to consider if taking Ozempic or Wegovy for weight loss

Barrera has one piece of advice for people considering using Ozempic or Wegovy off-label: Don’t. The risks of taking the drug, including suicidal ideation, are too high. What’s more, Barrera warns some individuals have been paying providers and clinics for “compounded semaglutide,” which involves mixing multiple medications together. According to the FDA, people making compounded semaglutide are using a salt form, such as semaglutide sodium or semaglutide acetate, that doesn’t contain the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy. 

The post The unintended side effects of popular weight loss drugs appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Womanizer OG		SEE IT	Get the best of both worlds with clitoral and G-spot stimulation.
Best for beginners		MysteryVibe Poco		SEE IT	Easy-to-locate buttons takes the mystery out of changing settings.
Best budget		plusOne Fluttering Arouser		SEE IT	Ten different settings, vibration, and a fluttering arouser adds up to eye-fluttering orgasms.

There’s no shame in having a sex toy in your nightstand. Masturbation plays a big role in your sexual health—it’s even good for your mental and physical health! Your body releases endorphins (hormones that block pain and make you feel good) when you orgasm. Orgasms also help you sleep better, reduce stress, and can strengthen your pelvic and anal muscles. Plus, sex toys and masturbation are an excellent way to be in touch with your body and embrace what gives you pleasure. The best sex toys will leave you feeling confident and empowered over and over and over …

• Best overall: Womanizer OG
• Best for phalluses: Arcwave Ion 
• Best for vulvas: Satisfyer Pro 2 Gen 3 Air Pulse Toy
• Best for couples: We-Vibe Chorus
• Best for anal: Lovehoney Rump Workout Silicone Butt Plug Training Set
• Best rated: Magic Wand Rechargeable Massager
• Best for beginners: MysteryVibe Poco
• Best discreet: Womanizer Wave
• Best budget: plusOne Fluttering Arouser

How we chose the best sex toys

In order to find the best sex toys, we looked at reviews, recommendations, and … did lots and lots of personal testing. I’ve written about salacious things in the past, so I have no shame in my coworkers knowing too much about my personal life. Someone’s gotta do the testing, after all! Additionally, we looked at versatility in both features, use, and the kinds of bodies they can be used on. In this case, we do believe a toy that is a jack of all trades might be best, but there’s also nothing wrong with being a master of none.  

Also, everything on this list is body-safe, meaning it is non-toxic and non-porous. You don’t want any bacteria going near the thin, delicate skin around your genitals and in your body. 

The best sex toys: Reviews & Recommendations

Astroglide Sexologist Dr. Jess O’ Reilly says, “Sex toy use is associated with a range of benefits including increased sexual functioning and sexual pleasure. Those who use sexual accouterments, such as sex toys and lube, report higher sexual functioning and greater sexual satisfaction.” Masturbation is also a great way to relieve stress and help relieve period cramps. 

Everybody (and every body) is different when it comes to pleasure—one of our recommendations should butter your biscuit (get your mind out of the gutter, it’s a real turn of phrase!). 

Best overall: Womanizer OG

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Why it made the cut: This feature-packed vibe has lots of intensity levels, can be used for clitoral stimulation or on your G-spot, and its Smart Silent tech keeps things discreet. 

Specs

• Settings: 12 intensity levels; 3 vibration levels
• Waterproof?: Yes
• Pleasure point: Clitoral, G-spot
• Battery life: 2 hours

Pros

• Waterproof
• Can be used for multiple kinds of stimulation
• Quiet

Cons

• Limited flexibility
• Controls can be finicky

The Womanizer OG takes all that is good in a bullet vibrator and all that is good in a clit stimulation toy and combines it into a versatile, wunderbar vibrator that you can use on multiple erogenous zones. Yes, it’s marketed as a G-spot stimulation, but we also loved its capabilities as a clit suction toy. Being able to control the 12 levels of Pleasure Air intensity and three vibration modes separately can lead you to all kinds of new highs when other toys only scratch the surface. The Afterglow feature—which senses your orgasm and gradually reverts back to its lowest setting—is a lovely touch, and helps bring you down from a potentially intense body high, like your lover rubbing your back and holding you after … well, you get it. 

The vibe itself isn’t super flexible, meaning you can’t change the angle of the head, and the controls can be a little confusing— the short and long presses are super important in changing the features, and it’s easy to go into a different mode than you wanted. However, this is a small qualm when you consider the multitude of possibilities on how—and where—you can use this toy. 

Best for phalluses: Arcwave Ion 

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Why it made the cut: The Arcwave Ion gives you a hand in achieving maximum phallic stimulation. 

Specs

• Settings: 8 intensity levels
• Waterproof?: Yes
• Pleasure point: Phallus
• Battery life: 70 minutes on full power

Pros

• Easy to clean
• Intuitive controls
• Smart Silence tech

Cons

• Could be a little intense for newbies

When you think of phallus masturbators, a device that resembles a flashlight tends to come to mind. There’s nothing wrong with that, but there’s a sleeker way to beat off. The Arcwave Ion (made by the same people who make the Womanizer OG) kind of looks like a stapler, but it’s infinitely easier to clean than closed-end strokers—simply twist and rinse under the faucet after use. The Ion works by focusing pulsating air pressure the frenulum, the band of tissue on the underside of the penis toward that head that is packed with sensitive Pacinian pleasure receptors. A DryTech stick inside the Ion uses silica to wick away moisture, and vents on the lid encourage air flow, so you won’t be stuck with a musty stroker when you pull it out for use. Multiple reviews note a bit of a learning curve when first using the Ion, but boy, you’ll be happy when you get over it. If you’re new to using a stroker, try out a Tenga Egg, which is an analog stroker (you power it, buddy). If you like it, step up to the Ion. 

Best for vulvas: Satisfyer Pro 2 Gen 3 Air Pulse Toy

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Why it made the cut: It’s like oral without the oral (and you can actually get somewhere when using it). 

Specs

• Settings: 11 pressure wave settings; 12 vibration programs
• Waterproof?: Yes
• Pleasure point: Clitoral
• Battery life: 90 minutes

Pros

• Easy-to-clean silicone
• App control
• Great cost for features

Cons

• Need to change Bluetooth settings so neighbors don’t know your business

Sure, using a good ol’ bullet vibrator will get the job done, but what about something that blows the project out of the water? The Satisfyer Pro 2 Gen 3 Air Pulse Toy has a long name, but it yields fast-acting feel-good feelings. In fact, you might even be done using it after saying the name. Air-pulse stimulation and vibration simulate oral sex, and Liquid Air technology mimics pulsing water. Put it together and you get a device that makes reviewers say, “It couldn’t be named any better because it will definitely satisfy!”

We love that it also comes with a Bluetooth app to customize vibration patterns, access remote controls, or play music. However, one reviewer notes that the name of the toy pops up on the list of available Bluetooth devices. Some may be none the wiser, but do take time to change the device’s name in the Bluetooth settings. 

Best for couples: We-Vibe Chorus

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Why it made the cut: G-spot, clitoral, and phallus stimulation all at once? Heck yes. 

Specs

• Settings: 10 pattern modes
• Waterproof?: Yes
• Pleasure point: G-spot, clitoral, phallic
• Battery life: 90 minutes

Pros

• Comes with a remote control
• Quiet
• Sleek charging case

Cons

• Hard to get clitoral stimulation in some positions
• App interface wonky 

The Beatles’ “Come Together” makes great points about … coming together. Achieve that harmony with the WeVibe Chorus, which stimulates the G-spot, clitoris, AND penis. A remote control means you don’t have to reach anywhere to change the settings, and it also allows someone else to control it in the bedroom or over long distances. Touch-sense modes let your movements control the vibrations, and Squeeze Remote tech lets you use your own body to change intensity—the vibration gets stronger as you squeeze. 

With all new things, there is a bit of a learning curve. It can be hard to get a good angle on your G-spot while trying to get the toy to touch your clitoris. And, it may achieve a different kind of premature exit based on positioning. The app interface can be a little confusing, and leaving it could stop the vibrator from doing its thing, which is a bummer in the heat of the moment. After futzing around, WeVibe Chorus should be a welcome addition to your sex life. 

Best for anal: Lovehoney Rump Workout Silicone Butt Plug Training Set

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Why it made the cut: This butt plug set helps you ease into anal with three beginner-friendly plugs equipped with an essential flared base. 

Specs

• Settings: N/A
• Waterproof?: N/A
• Pleasure point: P-spot
• Battery life: N/A

Pros

• Easy to clean
• Great introduction to anal
• Different sizes for versatility

Cons

• More for beginners

Anal doesn’t have to be daunting. If you’ve always wanted to try it and don’t know where to start, consider this Butt Plug training set from Lovehoney. A tapered tip, lengthy neck, and T-bar are all must-haves when it comes to looking for a butt plug—and these three have them all. All three are easy to clean and are made of body-safe silicone for peace of mind as you play. “Start small and work your way up to the desired size and stimulation,” says plusOne Director of Product Development Megan O’Connell.

The small plug is 3 inches long and 2.5 inches in girth; the medium is 3.5 inches long and 3 inches in girth; and the large is 4.5 inches long and 4 inches in girth. And if you don’t like it, Lovehoney has a 100-day money-back guarantee. Being able to try something out and getting a refund if you don’t like it? Sounds good to us. 

If you’re looking for something more advanced, check out the LELO Hugo Butt Plug. It’s remote-controlled and vibrates.

Best rated: Magic Wand Rechargeable Massager

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Why it made the cut: The classic remains a classic thanks to buzzy vibration modes and a bevy of separate attachments, making it a true multi-hyphenate. 

Specs

• Settings: 4 speeds, 4 patterns
• Waterproof?: No
• Pleasure point: Anywhere
• Battery life: 180 minutes

Pros

• Great battery life
• A classic made rechargeable
• Doubles as a percussion massager

Cons

• Not everyone’s cup of tea
• Not waterproof

When you think of “sex toy,” the Magic Wand most likely comes to mind. This wand has been around since 1968, and with that history comes with great responsibility. Considering that the Magic Wand has been used in scientific studies, we’ve come to the conclusion that yeah: it’s pretty legit. And it’s also pretty no-nonsense. You only get four vibration speeds and four vibration patterns. But it lasts for a marathon 180 minutes, which blows the battery life out of every single sex toy on this list. 

The Magic Wand might not be everyone’s cup of tea: it can be a little too intense for you if you don’t like big, buzzy, bed-vibrating sex toys. But, you can always use it for its original use: as a percussion massager.

Best for beginners: MysteryVibe Poco

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Why it made the cut: A foldable design and easy-to-press buttons makes this a great buy for someone looking for their first sex toy. 

Specs

• Settings: 8 presets; 16 intensities
• Waterproof?: Only showerproof
• Pleasure point: G-spot, but can be used for clitoral stimulation
• Battery life: 90 minutes

Pros

• Designed to mimic fingers
• Easy-to-use app
• Super customizable

Cons

• Have to keep app on in order to stay connected to the vibe

The MysteryVibe Poco’s small size (under 6 inches in length and 1.5 inches at the base) makes it an excellent choice for beginners who are looking for something they can use by themselves, with a partner, and on different parts of the body. It’s designed to mimic fingers—an ode to the OG way of getting off—and includes 16 different intensities for all kinds of moods. It’s showerproof and also super portable, making it perfect to bring on a trip with your lover or pack on a sleepover. Like other Bluetooth-connected toys, your vibe might turn out when you try to leave the app. 

Best discreet: Womanizer Wave

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Why it made the cut: Instead of your regular showerhead, this showerhead and clitorial stimulator in one was designed for erogenous zones. 

Specs

• Settings: N/A
• Waterproof?: Yes
• Pleasure point: All over
• Battery life: N/A

Pros

• Looks like a regular showerhead
• Saves water
• Easy installation

Cons

• Not for anyone who doesn’t want to incorporate toys into daily life.

“Discovering masturbation via the showerhead” is a common trope in coming-of-age movies, but it’s also one that many of us have done in real life. It’s an easy, cheap, accessible way to experiment with masturbation. The showerhead has grown up, thanks to the Womanizer Wave, which is made for water-pressure clitoral stimulation. Believe it or not, it also saves water thanks to EcoSmart tech without sacrificing performance. The Wave is also easy to hold in your hand (you can’t say the same for your heavy showerhead). You can change between the three different water jets—PowderRain, PleasureJet, and PleasureWhirl—with the touch of a button. The Womanizer Wave system is easy to swap in and out—however, it might be even easier to accept that your showerhead was made for masturbation and let no one be none the wiser.

Best budget: plusOne Fluttering Arouser

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Why it made the cut: You don’t have to spend $100 to “invite a little pleasure” into your life. 

Specs

• Settings: 10 vibration speeds
• Waterproof?: Yes
• Pleasure point: Clitoral
• Battery life: 1.5 hours of use

Pros

• Easy to clean
• Cheap and good quality
• Rechargeable

Cons

• Might not scratch the itch for those who are suction toy stans

“Cheap” tends to get lumped with “poor quality.” And, vibrators under $50 may not be rechargeable. The plusOne rejects those notions with soft, smooth high-quality silicone that yields 1.5 hours of power on a single charge. It combines a fluttering tongue with vibration for extra stimulation and arousal. You just need some warm water and mild soap to clean. And, it’s truly waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about damaging the device when using it in the shower.

However, if suction toys are your jam, you might not get your rocks off with the Fluttering Arouser, since it uses a silicone tongue and vibration. In that case, we recommend the Lovehoney X ROMP Switch Clitoral Suction Stimulator, which has six intensity levels and is less than $35.

What to consider when buying the best sex toys

The world is your oyster when sex toy shopping. However, all sex toys are not built the same. And, like the partnered sex many of us had in college, when a sex toy is bad, it’s bad! Here’s what to look for when looking for a sex toy.

What do you like?

Where do you like to be touched? And how do you like to be touched? Answering those questions can lead you to a perfect match. For example, a vibrating phallus sleeve is going to feel different than a cock ring. Maybe vibration isn’t your style and a stroker sounds more pleasurable to use.  

Experimentation

With this said, sex toys are a great way to try something new. Check to see if the site you’re buying from has a money-back guarantee. Sometimes, you can get a refund if you decide that a toy isn’t making you see fireworks and enter a new dimension. 

What if the vibe isn’t your vibe? Aka, sex toy recycling

Most retailers won’t accept your used sex toys if you change your mind, however. The good news is, there’s a way to not let it sit sad and unused in your nightstand drawer. 

“Should you need to dispose of a product with a lithium-ion battery, the battery should be disposed of in accordance with the local laws and regulations,” Connell says. 

This means its final resting place is not in your home trash can.

“If possible, please recycle it,” adds plusOne Director of Industrial Design Emily Gasta. “Users should not take out or replace the battery by themselves; doing so may damage the product.”

You also don’t want to recycle a used sex toy. Read up on how to clean your sex toys based on what they’re made out of. And if you really want to get rid of it, you can gift it to a treasured and trusted friend (after sanitizing and sterilizing, of course), or you can gift it away on a site like Squeaky Clean Toys, which is like eBay for sex toys. 

Lube up

Not all lubes are made the same, either. You’ll want to use silicone lube like the Shine Silicon lube from Maude on glass toys, when you’re getting frisky in the water, or when you’re just using your hands. However, do not use silicone lube with silicone toys—that will damage them. Instead, use a water-based lube like tried-and-true-blue Astroglide. We also have to recommend Astroglide because of its rocket-science roots. 

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best sex toys

• Best overall: Womanizer OG
• Best for phalluses: Arcwave Ion 
• Best for vulvas: Satisfyer Pro 2 Gen 3 Air Pulse Toy
• Best for couples: We-Vibe Chorus
• Best for anal: Lovehoney Rump Workout Silicone Butt Plug Trainng Set
• Best rated: Hitachi Magic Wand Rechargeable Massager
• Best for beginners: MysteryVibe Poco
• Best discreet: Womanizer Wave
• Best budget: plusOne Fluttering Arouser

Sex toys are fun to use, but they’re also an important part of sexual wellness and building confidence. There’s something for everybody when looking for the best sex toys—and the majority of them can be used on almost every body. Shut the blinds, clear 20 minutes off your schedule, and get to work!

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission 

to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best sex toys of 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

This article was originally featured on The Conversation.

Timing is everything. For early risers and late-nighters alike, listening to your internal clock may be the key to success. From the classroom to the courtroom and beyond, people perform best on challenging tasks at a time of day that aligns with their circadian rhythm.

Circadian rhythms are powerful internal timekeepers that drive a person’s physiological and intellectual functioning throughout the day. Peaks in these circadian rhythms vary across individuals. Some people, known as larks or morning chronotypes, peak early and feel at their best in the morning. Others, known as owls or evening chronotypes, peak later in the day and perform best in the late afternoon or evening. And some people show neither morning nor evening preferences and are considered neutral chronotypes.

As a researcher seeking ways to improve cognitive function, I’ve explored whether your chronotype affects your mental performance. Understanding the kinds of mental processes that vary–or remain stable–over the course of a day may help people schedule their tasks in a way that optimizes performance.

Why your chronotype matters

Chronotype can be measured with a simple questionnaire that assesses things like your perceived alertness, preferred rising and retiring times and performance throughout the day. Even without a questionnaire, most people have a sense of whether they are a lark or an owl or fall somewhere in between. Do you wake up early, without an alarm, feeling sharp? Are you mentally drained and ready for pj’s by nine? If so, you are likely a morning type. Do you sleep late and wake feeling sluggish and foggy? Are you more energized late at night? If so, you are likely an evening type.

People perform best on many challenging mental tasks–from paying attention and learning to solving problems and making complex decisions–when these actions are synchronized with their personal circadian peaks. This is known as the synchrony effect. Whether you are an air traffic controller scanning the radar, a CFO reviewing an earnings report or a high school student learning chemistry, synchrony can affect how well you perform.

Much of the evidence for synchrony effects comes from lab studies that test both larks and owls early in the morning and late in the day. People with strong chronotypes are more vigilant and better able to sustain attention at their peak relative to off-peak times. Their memories are sharper, with better list recall and more success in remembering “to-do” tasks like taking medication.

People are also less prone to mind wandering and less distracted at their optimal time. For example, a study I conducted gave participants three weakly related cue words (such as “ship,” “outer” and “crawl”). They were tasked to find another word that linked all three (such as “space”). When my team and I presented misleading words alongside the cue words (such as “ocean” for ship, “inner” for outer and “baby” for crawl), those who were tested at synchronous times were better at ignoring the misleading words and finding the target solution than those who weren’t.

Synchrony also affects high-level cognitive functions like persuasion, reasoning and decision-making. Studies on consumers have found that people are more discerning, skeptical and analytical at their peak times. They invest more time and effort in assigned tasks and are more likely to search for important information. Consequently, people make better investment decisions, are less prone to bias and are more likely to detect scams.

At off-peak times it takes people longer to solve problems, and they tend to be less careful and more reliant on mental shortcuts, leaving them vulnerable to flashy marketing schemes. Even ethical behavior can be compromised at non-optimal times, as people are more likely to cheat at their off-peak times.

In the classroom and the clinic

The basic mental abilities that are affected by synchrony–including attention, memory and analytical thinking–are all skills that contribute to academic success. This connection is especially significant for teens, who tend to be night owls but typically start school early.

One study randomly assigned over 700 adolescents to exam times in the early morning, late morning or afternoon. Owls had lower scores relative to larks in both morning sessions, but this disadvantage disappeared for owls taking the exam in the afternoon. Early start times may put student owls a step behind larks.

Time of day may also be a consideration when conducting assessments for cognitive disorders like attention-deficit disorder or Alzheimer’s disease. Scheduling time may be particularly significant for older adults, who tend to be larks and often show larger synchrony effects than young adults. Performance is better at peak times on several key neuropsychological measures used to assess these conditions. Failing to consider synchrony may affect the accuracy of diagnoses and subsequently have consequences for clinical trial eligibility and data on treatment effectiveness.

Of course, synchrony doesn’t affect performance on all tasks or for all people. Simple, easy tasks–like recognizing familiar faces or places, dialing a close friend’s phone number or making a favorite recipe–are unlikely to change over the day. Furthermore, young adults who are neither larks nor owls show less variability in performance over the day.

For those who are true early birds or night owls, tackling the toughest mental tasks at times that align with their personal circadian peaks could improve their outcomes. When small improvements in performance offer an essential edge, synchrony may be one secret to success.

Cindi May is a Professor of Psychology at the College of Charleston. Cindi May received funding from the National Institute on Aging. She currently serves on the board for Disability Rights South Carolina.

The post Are you a night owl or an early bird? Knowing could help you do better at work or school. appeared first on Popular Science.

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On November 8, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a Type 2 diabetes drug called tirzepatide for use in chronic weight management. It has been sold under the brand name Mounjaro for treating diabetes, but it will be called Zepbound when prescribed for weight loss. The drug is made by pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and doses should be available after Thanksgiving.

[Related: 6 Ozempic facts that make sense of social media hype.]

How Zepbound works

The medicine is a weekly injectable medication and the main ingredient is called tirzepatide. It mimics two hormones called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). Both are naturally produced in the body and the drug targets receptors in the brain for these hormones.

Both GIP and GLP-1 bind to receptors in the brain that tell the body it is full. GLP-1 also slows digestion to make people feel fuller longer and with smaller portions. American Board of Obesity Medicine medical director Kimberly Gudzune told The Washington Post that GLP-1 targets the receptors in the brain that decrease appetite and it slows digestion to make people feel fuller longer and with smaller portions. Additionally, GLP-1 increases the amount of insulin that the pancreas releases after eating, which slows down the rise in blood sugar.

GIP meanwhile works in the brain to decrease appetite and may also improve how the body breaks down fats and sugars.

Who is eligible for Zepbound?

The FDA cleared Zepbound for adults 18 and older considered obese (a body mass index of at least) or overweight (a body mass index of 27 or more) with at least one weight-related health condition. The FDA also said that it should be taken with exercise and a reduced-calorie diet.

What is a ‘weight-related condition’?

Weight-related conditions are medical complications that can arise from being overweight or obese. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), they include high blood pressure (hypertension), high LDL cholesterol, high levels of triglycerides, and Type 2 diabetes. 

Roughly 70 percent of American adults are considered overweight or obese by body mass index, according to the FDA. However, body mass index (BMI) is an imperfect metric for measuring health that has been questioned by the American Medical Association. Losing five to 10 percent of body weight with diet and exercise has been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in adults who are overweight or obese

“Obesity and overweight are serious conditions that can be associated with some of the leading causes of death such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes,” director of the FDA’s Division of Diabetes, Lipid Disorders, and Obesity John Sharretts, said in a statement. “In light of increasing rates of both obesity and overweight in the United States, today’s approval addresses an unmet medical need.”

[Related: TikTokers are taking a diabetes drug to lose weight. Now it’s in short supply.]

How effective is Zepbound?

The FDA’s approval comes on the heels of a phase 3 clinical trial. All of the participants in the study had obesity or were overweight and had at least one weight-related condition.

At the highest dosage of tirzepatide (15 milligrams) participants saw an average weight loss 22.5 percent body weight, or about 52 pounds, over a period of 72 weeks. At a 10 mg dose, the average weight loss was about 21.4 percent (48 pounds). At only five milligrams, average weight loss was about 16 percent (35 pounds).

How does it compare to Ozempic or Wegovy?

Ozempic and Wegovy contain an ingredient called semaglutide. It works by suppressing the appetite by mimicking GLP-1, a hormone that signals to the brain that the stomach is full. In similar clinical trials, semaglutide has been shown to reduce body weight by roughly 15 percent (34 pounds) after 68 weeks.

By comparison, the tirzepatide in Mounjaro and Zepbound works on both the GLP-1 and GIP pathways.

While those taking tirzepatide lost more weight than those taking semaglutide in separate trials, the data is not comparable due to potential differences in study length and population. More data is needed that compares both drugs at the higher doses needed for weight-loss, so it is too early to say if one is more effective than the other.

[Related: Fatphobia and medical biases follow people after death.]

What are the potential side-effects?

In studies, the main side effects were gastrointestinal issues like nausea, vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea. The FDA says that Zepbound’s label will contain warnings for inflammation of the pancreas, gallbladder problems, low blood sugar, acute kidney injury, diabetic retinopathy, and suicidal behavior or thinking.

How much will Zepbound cost?

A one month supply of Zepbound is estimated to cost about $1,060. While it is less than Wegovy’s $1,300 price tag, both drugs may be too expensive for many that are eligible. Ozempic costs $936 per month before insurance.

Many insurance companies do not cover weight loss medication that is intended to treat Type 2 diabetes, but that could change with the FDA’s approval. Medicare and Medicaid are currently barred by law from covering weight loss medications. 

According to Eli Lilly, patients can sign up on its website for a copay, or a discount card program. The company also said that those who can get Zepbound through commercial insurance may pay as little as $25 for a one-month or three-month supply. It is unclear what will happen after that period as far as coast and weight staying off. Those who are commercially insured, but don’t have coverage for Zepbound, might be eligible to pay as little as $550 for a one-month prescription.

The post What is Zepbound? Here’s how the newly FDA-approved weight loss drug works. appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best sneakers		Nike Air Pegasus Shield 37 Running Shoes		SEE IT	These sneakers are designed specifically for cold weather, with water-repellent features and grooves to keep you from slipping.
Best smartwatch		Garmin Forerunner 965		SEE IT	Designed for serious athletes, the Garmin Forerunner 965 tracks advanced performance metrics and provides up to 23 days of battery life in smartwatch mode.
Best hydration vest		Salomon Adv Skin 12		SEE IT	This well-fitting vest features two soft flasks, and extra bladder for water, and plenty of pockets for snacks and other essentials.

Running seems simple enough: Put one foot in front of the other in a semi-speedy fashion. It’s free, it’s safe, and dare we say, it’s fun. The equipment, too, seems appealingly uncomplicated. All you need are clothes and running shoes, right? While that’s technically true, some specialized running gear can make jogging a whole lot more pleasant. Plus, when you feel good, you run good. It’s simple science. Here’s our list of some of the best gifts for runners:

• Best smartwatch: Garmin Forerunner 965
• Best heart rate monitor: Garmin HRM-Pro
• Best headphones: Shokz OpenRun Pro
• Best treadmill: NordicTrack T Series
• Best massage gun: Turonic GM5 Massage Gun
• Best cold-weather sneakers: Nike Air Pegasus Shield 37 Running Shoes
• Best outerwear: Arc’teryx Squamish Hoody
• Best underlayer: Ibex Men’s Woolies Tech Long-Sleeve 1/4 Zip
• Best safety gear: Brooks Run Visible Collection
• Best running vest: Nike Aeroloft Women’s Running Vest
• Best running tights: Reebok Women’s Puremove Leggings
• Best gloves: Arc’teryx Venta Gloves
• Best socks: Smartwool Run Cold Weather Targeted Cushion Crew Sock 
• Best face covering: Nike Therma Sphere Hood 3.0
• Best hat: TrailHeads Fleece Ponytail Hat 
• Best compression sleeves: Hyperice Normatec Go
• Best hydration vest: Salomon Adv Skin 12
• Best T-shirt for trail running: Arc’teryx Cormac Crew SS Shirt
• Best running shorts for women: Kari Traa Nora 2.0
• Best running skort: Outdoor Voices The Exercise 3″ Skort
• Best sunglasses: Tifosi Sunglasses

Best all-weather running gear

Best smartwatch: Garmin Forerunner 965

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While you don’t need a watch for running, it certainly helps if you are aiming to track your progress and work toward goals. Garmin’s smartwatches are some of the best around for all types of physical activity, but that’s especially true for running. Its Forerunner lineup is the company’s dedicated running line, with the Forerunner 965 sitting at the top. 

The Forerunner 965 features a vibrant AMOLED touchscreen display with up to 31 hours of battery life in GPS mode and up to 23 days in smartwatch mode. As with any Garmin watch, it offers advanced training metrics and tools, including VO2 max, performance condition, training effect, wrist-based running power, load ratio, and more. You can plan your race strategies and receive daily suggested workouts right on your wrist. It also offers built-in mapping, music storage, Garmin Pay, and safety features. It’s a watch built for serious athletes and adventurers, so if you know a newer or more casual runner, the 265 would be a cheaper, smaller, more approachable option.

Best heart rate monitor: Garmin HRM-Pro

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Most running watches provide wrist-based heart rate measurements, but the accuracy of those tools still doesn’t match what you can get with a chest-based monitor. The Garmin HRM-Pro is a premium heart rate monitor with dual ANT and Bluetooth Low Energy technology. It easily pairs with Garmin devices, online training apps like Zwift, or compatible gym equipment. Beyond heart rate, this monitor also gathers running dynamics, including vertical oscillation, ground contact time, stride length, vertical ratio, and more. It can even store data when your watch is out of range, such as during a swim. And it’s comfortable to wear; I barely notice it, even on long runs or bike rides.

Best headphones: Shokz OpenRun Pro

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Most people prefer to run with music or podcasts, but traditional in-ear headphones can pose some safety concerns. Bone conduction headphones are a fantastic option for runners because they allow you to hear your music while still staying alert to the world around you. The Shokz OpenRun Pro headphones offer a secure, lightweight fit that is comfortable even for long runs. They produce clear, high-quality sound with plenty of volume, even when running near traffic. It also features a mic so that you can call your runner when they are out. And the 10 hours of battery life will keep them from needing to charge their headphones constantly.

Best treadmill: NordicTrack T Series

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Whether it’s a blizzard or extreme heat, there are times when it’s not safe to run outside. That’s why it can be helpful to invest in a treadmill. We recommend NordicTrack’s T series. There’s a reason why NordicTrack treadmills are considered some of the best treadmills on the market: they’re reliable, durable, long-lasting, and come with several luxe features to mirror gym-quality workouts. 

This model comes with incline controls up to 15 percent, a 10-inch interactive HD coaching touchscreen, and 30 days free iFit membership, which comes with several on-demand and live workouts with automatic trainer control. also easily folds up and can be stored away for more space-saving. While it’s more expensive than other models, we believe it’s the best if you’re serious about running, want to invest in a higher-end product for the long haul, and are looking for a piece of equipment that mimics what you’d find in a high-end gym.

Best massage gun: Turonic GM5 Massage Gun

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Recovery is key for runners. A massage gun can help relieve those tired leg muscles to promote recovery after runs, preventing injuries and keeping your runner active even during busy training schedules. The Turonic GM5 is a relatively affordable massage gun that still packs a punch. It comes with a range of attachments for different parts of the body and a handy case to keep it all organized even during travel. It offers variable intensity between 1200 and 3200 rpm, so they can fine-tune how intense their massage is. And it’s quiet, so they can even massage their muscles while you watch a movie.

Best cold-weather running gear

Best cold-weather sneakers: Nike Air Pegasus Shield 37 Running Shoes

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Let’s get started with the basics: sneakers. There’s nothing worse than missing a carefully calculated step and landing right into a puddle on a cold and rainy day. To avoid this mishap, Nike took one of its most popular running shoes, the Pegasus, and winterized it with a water-repellent upper material and an outsole with wet weather traction to keep you from slipping on the slick pavement. The outsole’s micro grooves feature multidirectional shapes that displace the water when the shoe makes contact with the pavement, so your feet can leave and arrive home dry and warm.

Best outerwear: Arc’teryx Squamish Hoody

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Layers are essential when it comes to cold-weather running. Arc’teryx’s sleek Squamish hoodie provides plenty of assistance, keeping you warm without slowing you down. The lightweight shell is windproof yet protects you against rain and snow. It’s also made from nylon that is moisture-wicking and allows sweat to escape, helping to keep your body temperature steady during frigid runs. Plus, this minimalist option is a cinch to roll up into a backpack or carry-on. It’s available in men’s and women’s styles.

Best underlayer: Ibex Men’s Woolies Tech Long-Sleeve Shirt

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Speaking of layering, a merino wool base is the way to go for those frigid days. This long-sleeve base layer has a nylon lining that will help keep you warm and dry all day. The company’s Pro Tech fabric is comfy and lightweight, but still wicks moisture away and keeps odor under control. They’re available in four matte colors (Deepest Red, Deep Ocean, Black, and Ginger Bisquite), you can pair the zippered top with the Woolies Tech Bottoms for full-body coverage.

Best safety gear: Brooks’ Run Visible Collection

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Some of the best gifts for runners aren’t only about keeping warm—they’re about keeping people safe. When North America is experiencing the shortest days of the year—with the sun rising around 7 a.m. and setting by 5 p.m.— that means if they’re trying to squeeze in a run before or after work, they’re probably going to be doing at least some of those miles in the dark. Brooks Running’s Run Visible collection features clothing—from hats to windbreakers and leggings—that all come equipped with 3M Scotchlite Carbon Black Stretch Reflective material with neon colors. The material and coloring (which covers the most visible part of the light spectrum in low-light conditions) are strategically placed in so-called motion zones. That includes the joints that move the most while you’re jogging, like elbows, wrists, and ankles, so they can run safely no matter when they’re able to get that jog in.

Best running vest: Nike Aeroloft Women’s Running Vest

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In addition to keeping hands and feet from freezing, maintaining a warm core will keep the rest of your body toasty without adding too much bulk that could make you overheat mid-run. When looking for the best gifts for runners (or yourself), Nike’s Aeroloft running vest provides necessary warmth where you need it most. It also has pockets to store your keys, cell phone, or anything else you might need mid-run.

Best running tights: Reebok Women’s Puremove Leggings

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Many runners have a love-and-hate relationship with running tights. You need a pair that fits in just the right places for them to work well and feel comfortable. To make that happen, Reebok used its Motion Sense Technology (that the company originally designed for sports bras) to fill its tights with a material that stays liquid-like when in stasis and becomes more solid upon impact. This gives you a full range of movement on a run, while adding support precisely

Best gloves: Arc’teryx Venta Gloves

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Running in the cold sometimes feels like a tease. When you first step outside, the frigid temperatures can be startling, making you want to bundle up with extra pant and shirt layers. But as you ease into the miles, you can quickly overheat with all those clothes. Instead, wear lighter layers (unless the conditions are truly frigid) and focus on making sure your core and extremities are well-protected. Arc’teryx’s Venta glove uses Gore-tex’s Infinium material, which protects from water and wind and is extremely thin and light. Plus the mitten design allows your body heat to keep all your fingers tight and warm.

Best socks: Smartwool Run Cold Weather Crew Socks

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In addition to keeping their hands warm, snuggly and comfy feet also make for a happy run. Smartwool’s Run Cold Weather Socks are made of sweat-wicking wool that also provides comfort and durability. The mid-crew length hits that perfect sweet spot of not too short to let wind in but not too long to cause overheating. Lastly, the socks have the company’s Light Elite cushioning that provides targeted support in the ball and heel of the foot. Otherwise, too much layering between your feet and shoes can restrict blood flow.

Best hat: TrailHeads Fleece Ponytail Hat

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When cold weather hits, a good hat is essential. But for those with longer hair, stuffing your long locks into a hat can be annoying at a minimum and cause a headache at the worst. Trailheads’ ponytail hat features an opening in the back to fit your hair through so it doesn’t get trapped, tangled, or bungled in your hat as you run. The piece is also made of quick-drying polyester fleece and flaps so your head and ears can stay warm for the duration of your run.

Best face covering: Nike Therma Sphere Hood 3.0

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When the wind is howling and moisture from your eyes is starting to freeze on your face, it’s time to call in the reinforcements. Nike’s Therma Sphere Hood is a balaclava-style head covering that’s made with Therma-Sphere fabric that helps wick moisture away. It’s designed to be comfortable and customizable, with a foldover design you can adjust to cover more or less of your face and neck as the day warms up.

Best compression sleeves: Hyperice Normatec Go

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Colder weather can cause arteries to tighten and restrict blood flow. Runners can recover better from workouts with Hyperice’s Normatec Go. These wearables are designed to be strapped to the runner’s calves and provide a symmetrical massage to increase circulation and reduce pain in the lower body. The Bluetooth-enabled controls and associated app allow the runner to choose between seven levels of compression for a better recovery and the battery lasts up to three hours.

Best warm-weather running gear

Best hydration vest: Salomon Adv Skin 12

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For those who enjoy long runs or running in all sorts of weather, a hydration vest is a critical tool. The Salomon Adv Skin 12 comes with two soft flasks that fit snuggly on the chest straps, providing quick and easy access to hydration without stopping. It can also hold a hydration bladder for hot days that call for extra water. Additionally, the pack offers plenty of pockets to hold a jacket, snacks for fueling your run, and attachment points for stashing poles. It fits snugly and comfortably without jiggling around on runs, and the pockets are easily accessible so as not to slow you down. It will keep the runner in your life prepared when hitting the trails.

Best T-shirt for trail running: Arc’teryx Cormac Crew SS Shirt

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When the warm weather comes and a runner is out everyday in the sun, it’s great to have a trusted T-shirt to rely upon. Arc’teryx’s Cormac Crew SS Shirt is designed for trail running and hiking. Made with recycled fabric, this T-shirt is designed to wick moisture away and is odor-resistant. Should the gift recipient get caught in a shower, this shirt also repels water. When the sun is out, this T-shirt provides 50+ UPF protection. And it’s available in five colors.

Best running shorts for women: Kari Traa Nora 2.0

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Good running shorts can be hard to find, but the Nora 2.0 shorts from Kari Traa are a fantastic choice and have been my favorite pair since discovering them. They feature a loose fit with no liner to keep airflow going. The material is very lightweight and effectively wicks away sweat. They feel dry even when running in the Florida heat and humidity, which is very impressive. The elastic waistband offers a drawstring, and there’s a small zippered pocket at the back to store keys or a gel. They are definitely the most comfortable running shorts I’ve used in a long time.

Best running skort: Outdoor Voices The Exercise 3″ Skort

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Running skorts are a great alternative to shorts in part because they feature built-in compression shorts to help prevent chafing. The skirt design also means that you won’t be constantly adjusting the legs of your shorts while running. Outdoor Voices’ The Exercise is one of the best skorts for running that I’ve tried for many reasons. The compression shorts are made with sticky grippers at the bottom hem to keep them in place, and they are long enough to prevent chafing successfully. The liner also offers pockets to hold a phone, and there’s a zippered side pocket on the skirt for keys or snacks. The material of the skirt is very flexible and sweat-wicking to keep you moving freely and dry on runs.

Best sunglasses: Tifosi Sunglasses

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If you haven’t heard, Tifosi Sunglasses makes some of the most brilliantly colored UVA-/UVB-protected sunglasses on the market. With frames that come in enough colorways to match nearly any aesthetic, the Swank and Swick lines (and more), offer bright polarized lenses that will keep your eyes safe even on the snow or sand. These sunglasses are one of the best gifts for runners, as well as people who like extreme sports, desert hikers, and skiers alike.

The post The best gifts for runners who put in the miles all year round appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Beats Fit Pro		SEE IT	These earbuds use wingtips that fit to your ear to stay secure.
Best over-ear		TRELAB Z2		SEE IT	This more traditional design has a tough IPX4 waterproof rating that’s tough against rain and sweat.
Best budget		Otium U18 Earbuds		SEE IT	Battery life, secure fit, and an IPX7 waterproof rating make these budget headphones a solid choice for hitting the treadmill.

Choosing the right pair of running headphones is essential for getting through your workout comfortably and safely. Listening to your favorite music and podcasts while running, jogging, and participating in other endurance exercises is a great way to bear up and push yourself that extra mile. Unlike traditional headphones and earbuds that come in all shapes and sizes, often more concerned with aesthetics than activity, the best running headphones are super lightweight and snug-fitting. They typically feature waterproof designs with long battery life. We’ve selected some of the best running headphones on the market to help you make an informed decision no matter where your workout takes you.

• Best overall: Apple Beats Fit Pro
• Best bone-conduction: SHOKZ OpenRun Pro
• Most comfortable: Ultimate Ears FITS
• Best over-ear: Treblab Z2
• Best for city runs: Sony LinkBuds
• Best battery life: JBL Endurance Peak 3
• Best budget: Otium U18 Earbuds

How we chose the best running headphones

The best running headphones are wireless, and Bluetooth requires power. Running out of battery life during a workout is inconvenient at best, so we built our list with options that feature battery capacities between 10 hours and 50 hours to ensure they’ll endure through at least two average workout days before recharging. Running headphones should fit comfortably and allow the user to exercise unencumbered, so our picks are relatively lightweight and feature secure, customizable fit options. Most of the headphones on our list are earbuds, but we added an over-ear and a bone conduction option to cover every possible use scenario and style preference.

Breaking a sweat is a normal part of running, so we selected headphones with Ingress Protection ratings ranging from a splashproof IPX3 to a completely dustproof and waterproof IP68. Most of the headphones on our list offer environmental transparency/situational awareness tech, from the ambient mic modes of the JBL Endurance Peak 3 and Apple Beats Fit Pro to the actually open designs of the Sony LinkBuds and SHOKZ OpenRun Pro.

The best running headphones: Reviews & Recommendations

Running can boost the production of your brain’s endorphins and help you de-stress. With this in mind, finding the best running headphones shouldn’t be a stressful endeavor. One of our picks should help get you on a runner’s high.

Best overall: Apple Beats Fit Pro

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Why it made the cut: The Apple Beats Fit Pro earbuds combine user-friendly design and great sound in a snug-fitting form factor.

Specs

• Weight: 0.2 ounces/earbud; 2.3 ounces with case
• IP rating: IPX4 (splash-resistant)
• Battery life: 7 hours single-charge; 30 hours with case

Pros

• Features Apple H1 chip for quick pairing and spatial tracking
• Compact form factor and tight fit perfect for running
• Great sound quality with ANC and transparency modes

Cons

• Requires iOS device to use all features
• Case incompatible with wireless charging
• No multipoint pairing

We recently featured the Apple Beats Fit Pro in our roundup of the best headphones for working out, and they’re also our top pick for running. They feature a relatively neutral and well-rounded sound profile with crisp highs that make them great for a wide range of listening duties, and their inclusion of active noise cancellation (ANC) and transparency modes make them equally useful on the road and at the gym. The Beats Fit Pro are super lightweight and compact in and out of its charging case, making them easy to keep in your pocket and comfortable to wear while active. They’re also some of the most secure earbuds we’ve tested thanks to their unique flexible wingtip design that sits firmly against the outside of your ear, aided further by three sets of interchangeable silicone ear tips.

As we mention in our full review, the Beats Fit Pro offer a user experience very similar to that of the Apple AirPods Pro thanks to their built-in H1 chip, which allows for quick and effortless pairing to your iOS device, as well as access to Apple’s immersive head tracking and spatial audio technologies. These buds do work with Android devices—you connect to them as you would any other Bluetooth earbuds—but non-iOS users will, unfortunately, miss out on those H1-provided benefits. We also wish the Beats Fit Pro featured better waterproofing than the same IPX4 rating shared by Apple’s regular line of AirPods. They also lack wireless charging and multipoint pairing, which are features that would ease switching gears before and after a run. Still, we can’t shake how we can’t shake ’em loose.

Best bone-conduction: SHOKZ OpenRun Pro

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Why it made the cut: The OpenRun Pro’s open-ear bone-conduction design allows you to work out and listen to your favorite music while maintaining full situational awareness.

Specs

• Weight: 0.95 ounces
• IP rating: IP55 (dust- and water-resistant at low pressures)
• Battery life: 10 hours single-charge

Pros

• Open-ear design for maximum situational awareness
• Highly resistant to dust and water
• Headband design stays put during the ups and downs of running

Cons

• Sound quality is limited due to design
• Audible to others
• Proprietary charging cable is inconvenient to replace

If you frequently work out in parks or along roads where you share space with bikes and cars, a pair of bone-conduction headphones like the SHOKZ OpenRun Pro will be the safest and most convenient choice for your runs. Like all of the best bone-conduction headphones, the OpenRun Pro uses vibration to send audio through your cheek and directly to your earbones, bypassing your ear canal entirely and leaving it open so you can stay aware of approaching traffic while listening to your favorite music. The OpenRun Pro weighs just under one ounce and features a snug-fitting headband design that sits comfortably around your ears and stays put through even the most strenuous sprints, and its high dust- and water-resistant design make it a great choice for exercising on any terrain in any weather.

While the design of the OpenRun Pro is perfect for maintaining situational awareness while running, it lacks bass response. That’s not entirely necessary if you’re running to podcasts or ambient/classical music, but it leaves something to be desired in dance, rock, and other bass-heavy music. Others will also be able to hear what you’re hearing, so they’re not a great choice for use on public transit or in quiet places. Plan on taking the OpenRun Pro out for multiple workouts between charges? The headphones’ 10-hour battery should be more than flexible enough, but remember that they use a proprietary magnetic charger rather than something universal like USB-C.

Most comfortable: Ultimate Ears FITS

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Why it made the cut: These ultralight running headphones from Ultimate Ears are custom-fit to your ears to deliver one of the most comfortable workout listening experiences available.

Specs 

• Weight: 0.26 ounces/earbud; 2.04 ounces with case
• IP rating: IPX3 (splash-resistant at up to 60-degree angle)
• Battery life: 8 hours single-charge; 20 hours with case

Pros

• Moldable eartips are custom-fit to your ears
• Neutral midrange frequency response with custom EQ available in-app
• Sweat-resistant design

Cons

• Design protrudes far from ear
• Sub-bass response is lacking initially
• No active noise cancellation

The Ultimate Ears FITS—or UE FITS if you’re nasty—are an incredibly comfortable and lightweight pair of custom-fit running headphones with a design and setup process that seem straight out of a sci-fi movie. After removing the FITS from their package for the first time, users simply place the earbuds in their ears and initiate the molding process via a smartphone app, during which the photosensitive polymer ear tips are literally molded to the shape of your ears with the help of some built-in flashing LEDs. Apart from downloading the app, the entire setup process takes roughly 60 seconds, after which you’re free to use the earbuds however you see fit. The process feels alien but not uncomfortable. Despite being very light and comfy, the FITS tend to protrude further from the ear than other earbuds, which may bother users who prefer a streamlined look. Those with sensitive, small ears, however, will appreciate the ability to wear them comfortably for hours.

The sound of the Ultimate Ears FITS is relatively neutral yet lacking in low frequencies out of the box; luckily, it’s easy to sculpt using the in-app EQ, so you can get lows to reach a runner’s high. They, unfortunately, don’t feature active noise cancellation, but their snug fit allows them a good measure of passive noise cancellation that can be useful in gyms and other crowded environments. The FITS’ sweat-resistant IPX3 rating is also a bit lower than the minimum IPX4 we’re used to seeing in this class of earbuds, but they’ll still make it through many a sweaty session unscathed.

Less athletically inclined but still like the idea of custom-fit earbud comfort for running errands (or the occasional power walk)? UE offers the DROPS, which have a more involved, more handcrafted process resulting in bespoke acrylic housings tailored to your personal specifications and aesthetic.

Best over-ear: Treblab Z2

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Why it made the cut: The Treblab Z2 headphones are a uniquely light, comfy over-ear option with a long battery life that makes them great for taking on a run.

Specs

• Weight: 0.53 pounds
• IP rating: IPX4 (splash-resistant)
• Battery life: 35 hours

Pros

• Super light and comfy design for running unencumbered
• Very long single-charge battery life
• Built-in control buttons are intuitive and easy to use

Cons

• No charging case
• ANC mode changes the sound profile, performs unreliably
• Prone to leaking audio

While over-ear headphones aren’t an ideal choice for running due to being much heavier and bulkier than earbuds, the Treblab Z2’s combination of lightweight comfort and long 35-hour battery life will have you covered if you have your heart set on a more traditional design. The Z2 features an IPX4 waterproof rating that’s tough enough to stand up to sweat and rain, and it has easy-to-use audio controls placed conveniently on each earcup, plus a simple switch to toggle ANC mode. They come in a custom-fit zip-up carrying case that makes them easy to stow in a gym bag, and they charge using an included micro USB cable.

The Treblab Z2’s sound profile is fairly neutral and balanced out of the box, but its ANC mode tends to roll off a lot of the headphones’ bass frequencies, giving the audio a somewhat unappealing mid-forward sound. With ANC engaged, the headphones almost give the impression of changing their EQ to mask environmental noise rather than performing active cancellation. The Treblab Z2s also feature light and airy earpads that make them very comfortable to wear while running. They do tend to leak some sound if you push the volume (not that you should, even if you push the tempo), so you’ll likely want to avoid using them in quiet or shared environments.

Best for city runs: Sony LinkBuds

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Why it made the cut: The Sony LinkBuds use a unique open-ring design to let in environmental noise while delivering the fit and sound of traditional earbuds.

Specs

• Weight: 0.14 ounces/earbud; 1.45 ounces with case
• IP rating: IPX4 (splash-resistant)
• Battery life: 5.5 hours single-charge; 17.5 hours with case

Pros

• Unique ring design lets in ambient noise
• Very comfortable and lightweight fit perfect for running
• Midrange-forward sound is great for spoken word
• EQ adjustable via the Sony Headphones Connect app

Cons

• No noise cancellation
• Very little sub-bass response
• Others can hear what you’re listening to

If you’re looking to maintain a level of situational awareness similar to that given by bone-conduction headphones but prefer the look and feel of earbuds, Sony’s innovative LinkBuds are worth considering. This unique pair of lightweight earbuds—small enough to hang from succulents, as shown above—use a ring-shaped speaker and flexible anchor to stay secure within your ear while letting in ambient noise. This makes them a great choice for running in loud environments and areas with heavy traffic. The size of each fin can be custom-fitted to your ears using an included selection of five sizes, resulting in an incredibly comfortable and snug fit that won’t budge during your run. The LinkBuds aren’t quite as easy to hear through as bone conduction headphones due to their placement in the ear canal, but they do feature a similar midrange-heavy sound with slightly more low-end. If the buds leave you wanting a little more bass, you can also fine-tune their sound further using the Sony Headphones Connect app.

Controlling the Sony LinkBuds involves either tapping directly on the earbuds or on your own facial cartilage in front of the ear, a gesture that works well but takes some getting used to. Some users reported false triggers when engaging in activity, but this effect can be mitigated by selecting the right fin size to ensure the fit is as tight as possible. Because of their open design, the LinkBuds also tend to leak sound and provide no form of noise cancellation at all, so while they might not be the best choice for critical listening unless you’re in the quietest environment (one that wouldn’t mind hearing a bit of what you’re enjoying), there’s really nothing else quite like them if you prefer the fit and feel of earbuds.

Best battery life: JBL Endurance Peak 3

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Why it made the cut: These rugged IP68 earbuds pack up to 50 hours of battery life thanks to their charging case, making them ideal for travel and frequent use.

Specs

• Weight: 0.9 ounces/earbud; 4.5 ounces with case
• IP rating: IP68 (dustproof and waterproof for 30 minutes)
• Battery life: 10 hours single-charge; 50 hours with case

Pros

• Highly waterproof and dustproof
• Very secure-fitting ear hook design
• Super long battery life

Cons

• Lack active noise canceling
• No multipoint pairing or wireless charging
• Muddy and low-heavy sound, but can be EQ’d

JBL’s new Peak Endurance 3 running headphones are a fantastic option if you run daily but don’t always have the opportunity (or memory) to charge your devices. They feature a generous 10-hour single-charge battery life plus another 50 hours thanks to their compact charging case, making them a great choice for stowing in a gym bag or for traveling. The fit of the Endurance Peak 3s uses a wireless ear hook design (JBL refers to the hooks as “TwistLock ear hook enhancers”) similar to that of the Powerbeats Pro, which goes around the back of your ear and works in tandem with three silicone ear tip options, resulting in a comfortable wearing experience that remains stable while running despite not going too far into the ear canal. They even stay stable while doing side plank rotations. The Endurance Peak 3s are also waterproof and dustproof at a very high IP68 level, which makes them impervious to salt water and easy to clean with a simple rinse.

The sound of the Endurance Peak 3s is a bit muddy out of the box, but JBL’s companion app provides an easy-to-use EQ that helps sculpt their sound to your liking. They also don’t have active noise-cancelling abilities, but the tips combined with their shape do a good job of blocking out your surroundings. Still, they do feature JBL’s Ambient Aware mode, which is effective for engaging in conversation at the gym or on the street without having to pause and remove them from your ears. However, we wish they featured conveniences like multipoint device pairing and wireless charging. And, the ear hooks get in the way of sunglasses, which is a pain while running outdoors in the bright sun. If these aren’t major cons for you, their secure fit, battery life, and ease of use make these headphones perfect for running in nearly every way. 

Best budget: Otium U18 Earbuds

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Why it made the cut: Otium’s U18 earbuds feature a secure ear hook design similar to that found in running headphones three times their price.

Specs

• Weight: 3.52 ounces
• IP rating: IPX7 (waterproof for 30 minutes; not dustproof)
• Battery life: 15 hours

Pros

• Great battery life and secure fit on a budget
• IPX7 waterproof for sweaty workouts
• Set of easy-to-use controls

Cons

• Slightly muddy sound profile
• No active noise cancelation
• Charging design is cumbersome

If you love listening to music while running but don’t want to spend a lot, the Otium U18s are a great value thanks to their battery life, secure fit, and IPX7 waterproof rating. They feature an ear hook-based design similar to that of the JBL Endurance Peak 3 and the Powerbeats Pro, with the inclusion of a connective neckband that makes them easy to hang around your neck when not in use and keeps them from getting separated. The U18’s sound profile is a bit muddy and leaves something to be desired, and because they don’t come with any EQ-enabled companion apps you’ll need to explore other options to sculpt their sound. But if you just need a beat to beat your personal best, these are a budget way to get that.

As a set of budget headphones, the Otium U18s are fairly stripped down and lack conveniences like active noise cancelation, wireless charging, and ambient modes. They do have a set of onboard controls, including an on-ear button and a rocker switch, both of which are intuitive and easy to use, but charging the headphones is a little more difficult and involves opening a small, tight-fitting door for access to a micro USB port. Still, if you’re not picky about sound quality or noise canceling, the runner-friendly fit of the U18s makes them worth a look.

What to consider when buying the best running headphones

Most of the best headphones should avoid even a hint of moisture. Heck, even some of the best Bluetooth earbuds might not be suited for more than a brisk stroll. That’s why we’ve put together these things to look at before adding something to your cart:

Do you run in a city environment?

Running in a city environment near bikes, cars, and other forms of traffic requires a high level of situational awareness to ensure you stay out of harm’s way. The best-running headphones for urban environments and crowded places include the Sony LinkBuds, which feature a snug earbud design, and the SHOKZ OpenEars Pro, a bone-conduction design that leaves your ears completely open. 

How important is sound quality to you?

If you fancy yourself an audiophile, go for running headphones with a well-rounded sound profile like the Apple Beats Fit Pro, which have extended low-end response and present highs. Some running headphones also allow you to customize their EQ via smartphone apps, including the JBL Endurance Peak 3 and Ultimate Ears FITS.

Do you need waterproof running headphones?

If you frequently run in moist environments or sweat a lot, picking a pair of running headphones with some measure of waterproofing is essential. All the best running headphones are in some way splash/sweat-resistant, but if you need maximum protection, models such as the JBL Endurance Peak 3 and Jabra Elite 7 Active are some of the best waterproof options we’ve tested.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best running headphones

• Best overall: Apple Beats Fit Pro
• Best bone-conduction: SHOKZ OpenRun Pro
• Most comfortable: Ultimate Ears FITS
• Best over-ear: Treblab Z2
• Best for city runs: Sony LinkBuds
• Best battery life: JBL Endurance Peak 3
• Best budget: Otium U18 Earbuds

For most runners, the easy-to-use Apple Beats Fit Pro are the best headphones, thanks to their well-rounded sound profile, ANC capabilities, and secure fit. Runners in city areas who want to maximize their situational awareness should consider the in-ear Sony LinkBuds or the SHOKZ OpenEars Pro. In contrast, runners interested in the most comfortable fit should look at the in-ear Ultimate Ears FITS or the over-ear Treblab Z2. For more intense workouts, the long battery life, secure fit, and high resistance to water and dust of the JBL Endurance Peak 3 make them a worthy contender. If you’re shopping for running headphones on a budget, it’s hard to beat the sub-$30 Otium U18 Earbuds, which feature a secure ear hook design and 15 hours of single-charge battery life. Now get those feet pounding on the pavement and run off into the sunset, your favorite running tunes pumping in your ears.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best running headphones for 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

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This article was originally featured on The Conversation.

The benefits of friendship go far beyond having someone to confide in or spend time with–it can also protect you from physical and mental health problems. For example, people with good friends recover more quickly from illnesses and surgeries. They report higher well-being and feel like they live up to their full potential. Additionally, people with good friends report being less lonely across many life stages, including adolescence, becoming a parent and old age.

In fact, friendships are so powerful that the social pain of rejection activates the same neural pathways that physical pain does.

Behavioral scientists like me have tended to focus our research about friendships on their benefits. How to cultivate these powerful relationships hasn’t been as deeply researched yet. Understanding more about what people look for in a friend and how to make and sustain good friendships could help fight the loneliness epidemic.

Traditional conceptions of friendship

Previous generations of behavioral scientists traditionally focused on the notion that people form friendships with those who are similar, familiar and in close proximity to them.

When you look at all the friendships you’ve had over your life, these three factors probably make intuitive sense. You’re more likely to have things in common with your friends than not. You feel an increased sense of familiarity with friends the longer you know them–what psychologists call the mere exposure effect. And your friends are more likely to live or work near you.

Researchers in this field have also typically divided friendship preferences based on gender. The dichotomy suggests that women prefer one-on-one, emotionally close and face-to-face friendships, while men prefer multi-person, task-oriented and side-by-side friendships, with the focus on a shared activity.

Again, when looking at your own friendships, these findings may seem intuitive. Women on average prefer to engage in activities that allow for self-disclosure and sharing secrets, such as spending time one-on-one talking about their lives. Men, on the other hand, tend to prefer to engage in activities that are group-based and have a clearly defined outcome, such as playing sports together. Findings such as these show that gender and preferences on how to connect are important in friendships.

But these explanations of friendship do not address the most important aspect of making friends–choosing the individual people you want to turn into your pals. Friendship decisions are not random. There are many people who are similar, familiar, in close proximity and have similar preferences as you. Yet few of these individuals end up being your friends.

So, in a world full of possibilities, how do people pick those who will become their friends?

New ways to think about friendship

Within the last decade, researchers have begun investigating the roots of friendship preferences beyond the classic descriptions.

For example, social scientists see there are strong preferences for friends to be loyal, trustworthy and warm. Additionally, researchers find there are preferences for friends who help you solve specific kinds of problems and are generous and caring with you instead of others. These preferences help people navigate making friends, given limited reserves of time and effort. In short, they help you find the best possible friends you can in a world full of friendship possibilities.

Social scientists have also learned that, while there are some important gender differences in what people want in friends, it is not accurate to say that men and women want one kind of friendship over another. In fact, when we take a more holistic approach and consider broader categorizations of emotional closeness and tasks, the gender differences in these preferences are reduced. And of course, people don’t exclusively pick between face-to-face and side-by-side friendships. Instead, it is more likely that they focus on what they want from their friends and let these needs guide how friendships form.

Ultimately it’s your individual preferences that guide you toward the people who will best meet your particular social needs. With a little luck, you’ll find buddies who can lend a hand when you need one and support you in reaching your goals. In all, your preferences are the key to finding friends who can buffer against feeling lonely and provide you with the social, emotional and health benefits of friendship.

When you’re looking for friends

It’s hard to provide clear guidelines for improving friendships because the research about friendship preferences is still developing. But there are some clear points for consideration:

1. Determine what you value in friends. Do you want one-on-one, emotionally close friendships or multi-person, task-oriented friendships? Depending on your preference, different kinds of activities will be helpful for finding others who fit the bill and cultivating these friendships.
2. Know that it will take time to make close friendships. Research suggests that it takes 30 hours of interaction to make a casual friend, 140 hours to make a good friend and 300 hours to make a best friend.
3. Consider what you bring to the table. Everyone has unique strengths they bring to their friendships. Research shows that, when you’re able to demonstrate that you have characteristics people want in friends, you’re able to make more satisfying friendships.

Understand friendships to understand loneliness

Considering the nuances of friendship preferences will be extremely important in reducing not only loneliness, but other related public health crises. For example, loneliness is associated with likelihood of attempting suicide. Recent surveys have found that men are suffering big declines in the number of close friends they have, as well as experiencing higher rates of suicide compared to women.

The U.S. Surgeon General’s recent recommendations for fighting the loneliness epidemic focus on public policies and infrastructure. But fostering community spaces for connection–such as parks, libraries and playgrounds–prioritizes the preferences of those who favor the one-on-one, emotionally close and face-to-face connections more often preferred by women. These places are less beneficial for people with more typically masculine preferences, as there is no guarantee that these spaces will foster side-by-side, task-oriented connections unless areas for sports and other team-based activities are also included.

To counter this inequity, researchers and public health officials first need to understand what makes friendships satisfying. Then they can ensure that recommendations to curb loneliness address all of the pathways that people use to cultivate high-quality friendships.

The post Our evolving ideas about friendship can help fight loneliness appeared first on Popular Science.

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Americans consume billions of pounds of meat each year. And yet, there’s a plethora of research showing that copious amounts of meat can be unhealthy, both for the Earth and our bodies.  

The question of how to steer consumers toward healthier and more sustainable plant-based foods is a tricky one. Warning labels, similar to the ones found on cigarette packs, could be one way to raise awareness about the negative impacts of meat and perhaps sway consumer choices. But they’re still completely experimental.

In a new study published in the journal Appetite, psychologists in the UK created an online food-selection task where about 1,000 participants—all of whom ate meat—had to choose between a meat-based, fish-based, vegetarian, or vegan meal 20 times. A quarter of these participants based their decisions on images of each of the dishes. The remaining participants were randomly assigned to also see a warning label about the impact of meat on health, climate change, or the risk of future pandemics (researchers and organizations like the United Nations have linked high meat consumption with risk of infectious diseases). The team found that each warning label type reduced the subjects’ desire to eat meat: by 9 percent with health labels, 7 percent with climate labels, and 10 percent with pandemic labels. The individuals also viewed the climate label as the most credible of the three and the pandemic label the least, but potentially had a stronger emotional response to the latter.

One reason these warnings might work is because people see a negative outcome attached to meat, so they have a gut reaction and opt for a different food, says Jack Hughes, a psychology researcher at Durham University in England and lead author on the new paper. Another explanation could just be that the extra information gets people to think more consciously about their decisions, he explains. 

[Related: How to enjoy fake meat in a way that actually helps the planet]

The results of the study are “very in line with what we’ve seen with regards to labeling efforts and their effect on consumer behavior,” says Lindsey Smith Taillie. “They have a small to moderate effect on consumer choices.” Taillie, a nutrition epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina who studies how policies affect food choices, notes that the inclusion of pandemic-related labels is a first for this kind of research, at least to her knowledge. She would be especially interested to see how consumers in the US would react to that kind of messaging given the different political and cultural climate.

There are many factors that could influence the effectiveness of a warning label on a product. For example, as basic as it sounds, pictures make a difference. “We do know for tobacco in the UK that when images became mandatory alongside the text, labels got more effective,” Hughes explains. In two prior studies, Taillie and her collaborators found that text-only labels cautioning of health and environmental impacts of meat consumption only mildly reduced people’s carnivorous intentions, if at all. 

But not all images are the same. Take the case of high sugar content: A photo of teaspoons full of sugar is more factual and informative than a visual of a diseased heart, Taillie says. Regardless, “graphic labels are generally considered to be the most effective type,” she adds.

With warning labels, the goal is to grab people’s attention and get them thinking about their food’s footprint. But it ends up being counterproductive if the message makes the consumer feel angry or restricted, Taillie adds. One 2022 study out of Europe found that eliciting disgust by adding graphic images to packaging can both increase and decrease the likelihood of individuals choosing meat products, depending on whether they felt manipulated. Another recent European study found that meat-shaming messages on products can have paradoxical effects on buying habits.

The next step for this sort of research, says Taillie, would be to see how such labels affect choices in real-world settings—when factors like smells, prices, and peer pressure might influence consumer decisions. It’s also probably easier to choose the plant-based option when it’s a hypothetical online task and you don’t actually have to eat the food, she adds.

[Related: When faced with tough choices, your brain secretly tips the scales]

But choosing a meat-free diet can be an incredibly impactful way for individuals to reduce their carbon footprint, and this research can help nudge people in that direction. “In the UK, the Climate Change Committee says that meat consumption in the country needs to be reduced by 20 percent by 2030 [to meet carbon emission goals],” Hughes says. His team’s work shows that one simple and cheap action could change minds in a portion of the population. 

Would that be in the case in the US as well? Taillie sees a parallel with graphic tobacco warnings, which were adopted by European countries but have stalled in the state due to lawsuits. With meat labels, she says, “I think we’re looking at a timespan of decades.”

The post Graphic warning labels might convince people to eat less meat appeared first on Popular Science.

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We may be a spacefaring species, but only a tiny vanguard have actually explored beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Fewer than 700 people have flown in space, and the vast majority of those have been white men with a military background, screened for health and skills. But astronauts’ demographics are rapidly changing. Commercial space companies have sent space tourists on suborbital and orbital space flights, such as the all-civilian men and women of the SpaceX Inspiration 4 mission. Multiple companies plan to launch private space stations after the International Space Station is retired. NASA, meanwhile, has promised that a woman will be the first astronaut to set foot on the moon again when the Artemis III mission lands on the lunar south pole. And, in subsequent missions, the space agency plans to build long-term habitats on the moon. 

With more humans headed to space than ever, there’s an opportunity for all kinds of medical scenarios to crop up—especially those that haven’t occurred among the previous cadre of professional astronauts. Space travelers could have heart attacks, suffer traumatic injuries, or, as a result of one of the most human of activities, become pregnant.  

“It’s not a question of if, but when,” says physician Emmanuel Urquieta, the chief medical officer at the Translational Research Institute for Space Health, or TRISH, at Baylor College of Medicine. The problem, he says, is that the small sample of humans who have flown in space provides very little knowledge of how average body will respond to long-term flights. That goes double for conception, pregnancy, and the delivery of a baby, where there is no human spaceflight data at all. Numerous factors such as low gravity and high radiation are thought to pose risks to the healthy development of a fetus or the birth of a child. 

[Related: Space changes your brain in bigger ways than we thought]

These aren’t simply academic gaps to fill. “If we’re planning to develop habitation capabilities, and off-Earth colonies on the moon and Mars, this is something that will absolutely need to be solved,” Urquieta says. 

Scientists have just completed a very basic start. One new study published in the journal iScience by researchers at the Japan Aerospace Space Agency, JAXA, and the Japan Aerospace Space Agency may provide optimistic, if provisional, evidence that pregnancy in space is possible. At least, for mice. 

In August 2021, the research team sent frozen mouse embryos to the ISS, where, once thawed, they developed in the space station’s microgravity environment. After the embryos were returned to Earth about a month later, the study authors found that the small clusters of cells grew as normal. Each embryo formed two cellular structures known as a blastocyst and an inner cell mass; if allowed to develop further, those would go on to become the placenta and fetus, respectively. The researchers had worried that without gravity, the inner cell mass would not be able to coalesce in one space within the blastocyst. 

The research is another piece of evidence that mammalian fertility works in the conditions of spaceflight. Past experiments have shown that mouse sperm flown in space produced viable offspring when returned to Earth. Although there is a large gap between this early stage of embryonic development and birth of a healthy animal, the study team plans to conduct such a test in the future. 

And, of course, this finding was in mice. Urquieta cautions that it’s hard to tell how mouse results translate to human health even when experiments take place within Earth’s normal gravity. “A general challenge in human spaceflight is that a lot of the research that we have is from animal models,” he says. ”How much of those results could be extrapolated to humans still remains a question.”

[Related: What happens to your body when you die in space?]

Even if a fetus can develop in space, several key challenges must be addressed for a human mother off Earth. The first is nutrition, because pregnant people need sufficient protein and levels of folic acid to support a healthy fetal development. “Providing macro and micronutrients in spaceflight is going to be challenging,” Urquieta says, in a space station environment where fresh foods are in short supply. Lunar or Mars colonies probably won’t even have the luxury of regular deliveries from Earth. 

Then there’s radiation. Not all the mouse embryos developed successfully in the new study, and the researchers suspect that radiation could be the cause. “We know that radiation is very damaging in general to cells, and especially during the first three or four weeks of pregnancy,” Urquieta says. The ISS orbits low enough that it’s shielded by Earth’s magnetosphere, he says, but on the moon or a trip to Mars, the full brunt of galactic cosmic radiation could become a problem. 

Being pregnant on Earth isn’t a garden stroll, either, and it would probably be even less comfortable in space. Certain well-documented physiological changes in microgravity include shifting bodily fluids in for instance, with blood collecting in the head and overall blood volume decreasing. “There’s also space motion sickness, nausea, and vomiting. We know that that is also something common in pregnancy,” Urquieta says. “It would definitely exacerbate the non-pleasant symptoms.” 

Ultimately, he says, he researchers who study reproduction in space need to think about crawling before they walk—finding general solutions for astronaut radiation exposure and nutritional needs at lunar bases before tackling the specific requirements of pregnant astronauts. But given the likely inevitability of human space pregnancies, he says, “I think it’s important we start the conversations, and also increase awareness that this is going to be a very, very complex and challenging issue to solve.” 

The post What mouse embryos can tell us about the future of pregnancies in space appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best overall		Etekcity 774  Infrared Thermometer Gun		SEE IT	This budget-friendly thermometer has a wide range, which makes it ideal for cooking and measuring the temperatures of fluids like oil.
Best for grilling		Cuisinart CSG-625 Infrared Surface Thermometer		SEE IT	This versatile device can help you cook meat and veggies evenly on the grill and also works for pizza ovens.
Best for humans		Withings Thermo Smart Temporal Thermometer		SEE IT	This non-invasive thermometer provides quick and accurate body temperature readings.

An infrared thermometer can be used in a variety of situations. From checking the temperature of your skillet before searing a juicy steak to finding out your child’s temperature to gauging the effectiveness of your home’s insulation—these little devices come in quite handy. However, there are numerous types of infrared thermometers to choose from.

“I find infrared thermometers extremely useful in the kitchen and use mine almost as much as I use more traditional thermocouple or probe thermometers,” says Michael Laiskonis, a chef at the Institute of Culinary Education. “They are indispensable for speed, accuracy, and hygienic reasons—but not always useful for all applications.” While it’s true you’d really need a meat thermometer to read the internal temperature of food, the best infrared thermometers can still be used in a variety of other scenarios.

• Best overall: Etekcity 774  Infrared Thermometer Gun
• Best for pizza ovens: Ooni Infrared Thermometer Gun     
• Best for grilling: Cuisinart CSG-625 Infrared Surface Thermometer          
• Best for humans: Withings Thermo Smart Temporal Thermometer  
• Best industrial: Fluke 62 Max Infrared Thermometer
• Best temperature range: ThermoPro TP450 Dual Laser Temperature Gun

How we chose the best infrared thermometers

As a freelance journalist for over 10 years, I’ve reviewed home and tech products for publications including Forbes, CNN Underscored, NBC News Select, Popular Mechanics, Architectural Digest, Tom’s Guide, The Daily Beast, USA Today’s Reviewed, TechRadar, Better Homes & Gardens, Bob Vila, and, of course, PopSci. My recommendations for the thermometers are based on a mix of hands-on testing, research, and advice from two experts. I also weighed quality of build, accuracy, emissivity, price, and other features.

The best infrared thermometers: Reviews & Recommendations

There are various types of infrared thermometers. Whether you need one for your kitchen, outdoor grill, pizza oven; to take your family’s temperature; or to test components in your HVAC, automobile, or another industrial application, we’ve got you covered. One of these infrared thermometers is designed for your intended scenario.

Best overall: Etekcity 774  Infrared Thermometer Gun

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: It’s not often that the best budget option offers so much versatility and has so many features. 

Specs

• Temperature range: –58 to 842 degrees F
• Adjustable emissivity: Yes
• Distance to spot-size ratio: 12:1
• Response time: 0.5 seconds
• Accuracy: Not available

Pros

• Wide temperature range
• Emissivity Mode
• Max/min/average temperature modes

Cons

• Cheesy plastic body

The Etekcity 774 Infrared Thermometer Gun is our pick for the best overall infrared thermometer gun—and it’s also the best budget choice. The price is almost unbelievable, considering how much value the infrared thermometer gun provides. With a temperature range from -58 degrees to 842 degrees, along with non-contact measuring, you can stay a safe distance from hot areas. This makes it ideal to use in the kitchen or when grilling outdoors.

Other use scenarios include checking the surface temperature of your vehicle’s engine, checking your HVAC’s surface to ensure it’s working properly, and measuring fluid temperatures. In addition, the adjustable emissivity mode allows the device to measure the temperature on various surfaces, including steel, water oil, ice, iron, and plastic. The infrared thermometer has a high accuracy rate and a max temperature measurement to gauge the temp in a larger area.

The results can be viewed in 0.5 seconds or less on the LCD display. And the infrared thermometer gun comes in four colors: black/yellow, blue, orange, and yellow.

Best for pizza ovens: Ooni Infrared Thermometer Gun  

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Why it made the cut: The Ooni Infrared Thermometer Gun has been calibrated specifically for cordierite baking stone but can also be used on other surfaces.

Specs

• Temperature range: -22 to 999 degrees F
• Adjustable emissivity: Yes
• Distance to spot-size ratio: 10:1
• Response time: Less than 300 milliseconds
• Accuracy: 2% or 4 degrees F

Pros

• Great for pizzas
• Wide temperature range
• Adjustable emissivity easily reads pizza stones

Cons

• Best used for pizza ovens

Ooni is known for great pizza ovens, so it’s no surprise that the company also makes a great infrared thermometer. For starters, the Ooni infrared thermometer gun has a ridiculously wide temperature reading range of -22 degrees to 999 degrees F—and it’s accurate to 2% or 4 degrees F. This level of accuracy, combined with the ability to provide maximum, minimum, and average temperatures, lets you know the precise time to launch your pizza into the oven.

The non-contact Ooni infrared thermometer is specifically designed for cordierite pizza stones; however, since it uses an advanced emissivity setting, the infrared thermometer can also be adjusted to more accurately read temperatures on steel, cast iron, and other types of materials and finishes. The backlit LCD screen can easily be read, whether in direct sunlight or low light settings. There’s also a helpful color temperature ring on the screen, which indicates the recommended baking temperature range.

Best for grilling: Cuisinart CSG-625 Infrared Surface Thermometer

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Meat is too expensive to burn on a grill, and this infrared surface thermometer ensures you don’t overcook (or undercook) it.

Specs

• Temperature range: –58 to 716 degrees F
• Adjustable emissivity: No
• Distance to spot-size ratio: 12:1
• Response time: Not available
• Accuracy: ±2%

Pros

• Great for grills and pizza stones
• Max/min temperature
• Records temps up to 716 degrees

Cons

• No adjustable emissivity

With the Cuisinart CSG-623 Infrared Surface Thermometer, you can locate hot spots and cold spots (so you can put meat where it cooks best and also position items—like veggies—that don’t need as much heat). Since you can’t see these hot and cold spots with the naked eye, the infrared thermometer allows you to make adjustments accordingly. With a readable temperature range of -58 degrees to 716 degrees F, it accurately records surface temperatures.

The LCD screen is easy to read, and the backlit function can be turned on or off as desired. The Cuisinart CSG-623 infrared thermometer can also be used with pizza ovens and other household appliances, like the oven and refrigerator, and even to determine how much heat is being generated by your computers and other electrical devices.

Best for humans: Withings Thermo Smart Temporal Thermometer   

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The contactless body thermometer can be used with babies, infants, kids, and adults—and readings can be saved to your smartphone.

Specs

• Temperature range: 95 to 109.8 degrees F
• Adjustable emissivity: N/A
• Distance to spot-size ratio: N/A (0.5”  from forehead)
• Response time: N/A
• Accuracy: 0.4 degrees F

Pros

• Medical-grade results
• Supports up to 8 users
• Connects via WiFi
• Contactless

Cons

• Expensive

The Withings Thermo Smart Temporal Thermometer is a safe, easy, and hygienic way to take the temperatures of every member of your family. You can get a contactless scan from babies, infants, kids, teens, and adults by holding the infrared thermometer 0.5 inches from the forehead. This non-invasive process eliminates the need to stick devices in ears, mouths, and other body cavities, and the 16 infrared sensors provide quick and accurate results. In addition, the LED indicator is color-coded based on whether the reading indicates the temperature is normal, elevated, or high. 

The infrared thermometer can also be synced via WiFi with your smartphone or tablet. After syncing, you can view historical data (for example, the temperature two hours ago, five hours ago, yesterday, etc., for up to 8 users). There’s also room for notes in the app, so you can also list the symptoms in the app, as well as which meds were administered on which date and at what time. This provides a helpful record that can be shared with doctors and other caregivers.

Best industrial: Fluke 62 Max Infrared Thermometer

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Why it made the cut: This thermometer allows users to take accurate readings in potentially hazardous industrial settings.

Specs

• Temperature range: -22 to 932 degrees F
• Adjustable emissivity: Yes
• Distance to spot-size ratio: 12:1
• Response time: less than 500 milliseconds
• Accuracy: 1.5%

Pros

• Wide temperature range
• Adjustable emissivity
• Max/min/avg temp

Cons

• Expensive

For industrial use, the fact that the Fluke 62 Max Infrared Thermometer is a non-contact device is particularly important. When working in hazardous locations or performing predictive maintenance, you want to be far enough away that you’re in no danger when trying to gauge the temperature. In other scenarios, it could just be inconvenient to get so close, such as when you’re diagnosing HVAC duct leaks, insulation, or blower motors; as well as mechanical readings for gears, shaft alignment, bearings, and hydraulics; or electrical panels, wiring and cables, etc.

Adjustable emissivity allows the infrared thermometer to provide accuracy when reading a range of materials. The large display is backlit for easy viewing in dark environments, and the durable device has an IP54 dust and water resistance rating—and has also been tested safe at a 9-foot drop.

Best temperature range: ThermoPro TP450 Dual Laser Temperature Gun

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Dual lasers make this infrared thermometer more accurate.

Specs

• Temperature range: –58  to 1022 degrees F
• Adjustable emissivity: Yes
• Distance to spot-size ratio: 16:1
• Response time: 0.5 seconds
• Accuracy: ±1.5％

Pros

• Dual lasers
• Adjustable emissivity
• Max/min/avg readings
• Reads temps up to 1022 degrees F

Cons

• Some users found the reading to be off

The ThermoPro TP450 Dual Laser Temperature Gun has, as its name states, dual lasers, and this helps it deliver the most accurate results. In fact, it’s accurate up to ±1.5％. The infrared thermometer also has a temperature range of -58 degrees to 1022 degrees—and the latter is the highest temperature on our list. The 16:1 distance-to-spot-size ratio is also the furthest distance on our list, allowing you to stand a considerable distance away and still obtain an accurate reading. Also, the 0.5-second response time is among the fastest on our list.

With a max/min/avg temperature, it’s easy to get a complete picture of the temperature in a given area. The device uses an LCD display with large numbers and a colorful background. The infrared thermometer is versatile enough to gauge the temperature in a grill, pizza oven, HVAC, swimming pool, vehicle, and many other scenarios.

What to consider when buying an infrared thermometer

Use

The most important thing to keep in mind when buying an infrared thermometer is how you’re going to use it. “Remember that it only measures the surface temperature of an object, and only at a specific point,” says Michael Laiskonis of ICE.

He uses his daily to get a quick, no-contact read on items like melted chocolate. “However, it can be less accurate with more dynamic preparations, like a boiling sugar syrup or hot frying oil, where temperatures can fluctuate from one spot to another.” 

For measuring internal temperatures—such as cooked meats—Laiskonis says you should use a probe thermometer.

Accuracy

The whole point of using an infrared thermometer is to accurately gauge the temperature in a given scenario. “I always look for accuracy: baking and candy-making require precision, so a device that promises accuracy to within ±1.5°F or better is a worthy companion,” advises Emily Laurae, a pastry chef and recipe developer.

Sometimes accuracy is listed in percentages, and 1.55 to 2 percent is a good range.

Adjustable emissivity

“Opt for a thermometer with a good emissivity range—that’s a fancy term for the tool’s ability to read various surface temperatures,” explains Laurae. “From the glistening surface of caramelizing sugar to the skin of a proofing dough, differing surfaces shouldn’t stump your device.”

Infrared thermometers with adjustable emissivity result in more precise measurements in different scenarios. For example, with some materials, like stainless steel, it’s more difficult to detect temperatures. However, adjusting the emissivity can provide a more accurate gauge.

Some companies, like Etekcity, provide an Emissivity Reference Chart with guidelines for making emissivity adjustments on materials like steel, water, oil, ice, iron, paper, plastic, sand, snow, heated food, frozen food, sand, carbon, and clay.

Non-contact feature

A non-contact infrared thermometer lets you measure the temperature from a safe distance. This allows you to stay far enough away from the source that you won’t burn your fingers on a hot grill or have air blown in your face when working with your HVAC. With a medical infrared thermometer, a no-touch option can reduce the risk of spreading disease between tested individuals.

Display

“A user-friendly design with a clear display is more than just aesthetics; it’s about ensuring you can catch a quick, accurate read in the midst of your tasks,” says Laurae. Some devices also have a colorful background that provides contrast and makes the numbers easy to read. Some models have an option to turn the background on or off. “Also, a hold function can be a lifesaver, locking in the last recorded temperature so you have a reference point as you go,” recommends Laurae.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best infrared thermometers

• Best overall: Etekcity 774  Infrared Thermometer Gun
• Best for pizza ovens: Ooni Infrared Thermometer Gun     
• Best for grilling: Cuisinart CSG-625 Infrared Surface Thermometer          
• Best for humans: Withings Thermo Smart Temporal Thermometer  
• Best industrial: Fluke 62 Max Infrared Thermometer
• Best temperature range: ThermoPro TP450 Dual Laser Temperature Gun

The best infrared thermometers can be used in various scenarios, ranging from the kitchen to your outdoor grill, as well as to take the body’s temperature or gauge temperatures in industrial settings. The best option for you depends on usage scenarios and budget. However, we’ve provided a variety of options to help you zoom in on the infrared thermometer for your needs.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best infrared thermometers of 2023, according to experts appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

This article was originally featured on Undark.

It started with a Google search for prescription medications I might get online.

Almost immediately, ads from telehealth companies began chasing me around the internet, promising access to drugs to make me prettier, skinnier, happier, and hornier. Several of these companies sell anti-aging creams. While decidedly pro-aging, I don’t love the visible effects of my sun-soaked youth. “Sure,” I thought. “Why not?”

Within the hour I had joined the millions of Americans who get prescription drugs from providers in cyberspace.

Telehealth, an umbrella term for health care delivered by phone, video chat, or messaging, exploded during the pandemic. Since then, it has become a mainstay of many medical practices. Also riding the telehealth wave is a raft of internet-based companies that facilitate prescribing—and often sell—medications for complaints that because of time, money, or embarrassment people don’t want to discuss with a doctor face-to-face.

My experience represents the sunny side of direct-to-consumer telehealth. It took about 15 minutes to fill out a medical history, upload photos of my face, and enter my credit card information on forhers.com, a website run by the telehealth company Hims & Hers Health, Inc. Twenty minutes later, a nurse practitioner had prescribed a Hers product containing tretinoin, a well-studied Vitamin A derivative that smooths fine wrinkles and fades dark spots. Six days after that, it showed up at my door.

Compared to the conventional health care system, the process of obtaining the prescription felt like scoring a fast pass at Disneyland.

But last year, urologist Justin Dubin discovered a darker side of DTC telehealth. Alarmed at seeing patients who had been prescribed the hormone testosterone without good medical reason or warnings about side effects, Dubin went undercover as a secret shopper at seven platforms targeting men’s health. Following a script, he described himself as a happily married 34-year-old man bothered by low energy, decreased sex drive, and erectile dysfunction. “I read about low testosterone and its symptoms online,” he told potential prescribers, “and I am worried that I might have it.”

Dubin, who like his alter ego was 34, submitted his own lab results showing healthy hormone levels. “It was pretty clear that I did not need testosterone,” said Dubin, who treats patients at Memorial Healthcare System in Florida. Nonetheless, as he detailed in a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in December 2022, providers working for six of the seven companies defied medical society guidelines to offer to prescribe him injectable testosterone. They also offered to sell him several other testosterone-boosting drugs and supplements that were inappropriate for his hypothetical case.

“This was just egregious, what Dubin found,” said Steven Woloshin, a professor of medicine at Dartmouth. Even though Dubin’s script made it clear that he and his wife wanted to have a child in the near future, half of the telehealth providers offering testosterone failed to warn him that, in addition to other risks, taking the hormone can reduce fertility. “For this simulated patient it could interfere with his goal to have children, and they were treating something he didn’t have,” said Woloshin. “It just seemed like it was just a terrible practice of medicine.”

Woloshin said the paper has big implications about the poor quality of online care: “There’s no reason to think that this is unique to urology.”

In an accompanying editorial, Woloshin, and my former colleague Lisa Gill, an investigative reporter at Consumer Reports, called for better oversight of standalone DTC telehealth services. “Consumers need to be aware of the potential for bad care,” they wrote, “and regulators need to do more to protect them.”

For telehealth, everything changed with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the U.S., telehealth use skyrocketed with lockdowns in the spring of 2020 and then stabilized at 38 times higher than pre-pandemic levels by early 2021, according to a report from the consulting firm McKinsey & Company.

By and large, DTC companies fall into two main business models. Companies such as Teladoc, Amwell, DoctorOnDemand, and MDLive most closely resemble traditional medical practices. They take insurance, send prescriptions to your pharmacy, and offer a range of services, including urgent care, primary care, psychiatry, mental health counseling, and dermatology.

Then there are a host of platforms that treat a narrower set of conditions, such as Ro—which focuses on skin, hair, fertility, weight loss, and sexual health—and the men’s health clinics that Justin Dubin shopped. These companies typically don’t take insurance and charge little or nothing for patient visits. Instead, they make money by selling products that their providers prescribe. “It’s simply a route to market for a drug,” said Mark VanderWerf, a telehealth entrepreneur and consultant.

From the patient perspective, the DTC approach has demonstrated benefits, said Ateev Mehrotra, a physician and health care policy scholar at Harvard Medical School who started researching telehealth a decade ago. As I discovered, it’s efficient. No travel time; no scrolling on my phone in a waiting room. “Patients’ time is valuable,” he said. “And the convenience of it is obviously really critical.”

Plus, because of the efficiencies built into the telehealth model, said Mehrotra, “many of these companies can provide care at lower cost.” That’s a huge plus for people facing poor insurance coverage or high deductibles.

Those virtual clinics can also specialize in serving populations that otherwise struggle to get care, said Crystal Beal, a family medicine physician who provides treatment and education through the website QueerDoc. Because many doctors don’t feel confident and comfortable providing gender-affirming care, Beal told me, some of their patients previously had to travel more than 200 miles for appointments. DTC options, they said, are sometimes “really the only option for trans and gender-diverse patients.”

The explosion of DTC telehealth is a direct result of the failures of our health care system, said Ashley Winter, who until recently served as the chief medical officer of Odela, a DTC telehealth company focused on women’s sexual health. Winter previously treated both men and women as a urologist and sexual medicine physician at a large managed care organization, and she said she joined Odela to help more patients: “I was drowning in need.”

While DTC platforms can compensate for some of the shortfalls of America’s health care system, they can also bring out its worst money-grubbing tendencies.

Mehrotra is most concerned about what he refers to as “solutions oriented” platforms where people come seeking drugs for, say, weight loss or erectile dysfunction that company providers dutifully prescribe. “They really turn the clinical model on its head,” he said. Good medical practice involves taking a history, diagnosing the patient, and then deciding on what treatment is best for the patient, he said, not starting from the treatment and asking whether the patient is right for it.

Of course, you can easily find brick-and-mortar versions of that approach to medical care—men’s health clinics peddling testosterone and penile injection therapies, for example, or clinics promoting diabetes drugs for weight loss. But the DTC model supercharges that clinical model, allowing providers to reach far more potential customers.

The system is built for throughput. As in my case, people often discover DTC telehealth websites through targeted ads promoting access to prescription medications. Unlike traditional drug advertising, which is more closely monitored by federal regulators, marketing from DTC telehealth providers often neglects to mention side effects, or promotes uses of drugs that haven’t been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Once a user clicks on one of those ads, they are transported to a website where chatbots may answer questions and guide potential customers to a treatment. Artificial intelligence algorithms can tailor questions about each patient’s medical history and suggest a possible diagnosis to the provider. With electronic assistance, human clinicians can complete hundreds of e-visits daily, according to a 2019 JAMA viewpoint by Mehrotra and colleagues.

That model offers little incentive to provide referrals or other care for patients. Dubin pointed out that given normal testosterone levels, his hypothetical patient’s symptoms should have triggered further investigation for, say, uncontrolled diabetes, a mental health problem such as anxiety or depression, or alcohol or drug use. A lot of these online men’s health clinics are a “one-stop shop for a Band-Aid,” said Dubin, and aren’t invested in getting to the source of the problem.

The profit model, critics say, also presents obvious incentives for physicians to prescribe more drugs. Queer Doc founder Beal is critical of any practice, be it DTC telehealth or an in-person clinic that makes money on the medications prescribed. “If you are financially incentivized by the product you’re selling, you are going to try to sell more of it,” they said.

There’s limited data on whether telehealth sites that focus on specific ailments overprescribe, although Dubin’s paper suggests that at least some companies are offering drugs too enthusiastically.

Some recent cases also point to problems in the industry. Last year, for example, federal agencies launched investigations into DTC telehealth companies Cerebral and Done Global regarding the prescription of stimulants to treat ADHD. An investigative series in The Wall Street Journal cites current and former employees who describe corporate environments they say pressured clinicians to prescribe the drugs based on cursory appointments with little follow up.

Industry sources chalk up such cases to the work of a few bad actors, rather than inherent flaws with the clinical model. Ashley Winter told me that she followed the same medical guidelines at the DTC telehealth company Odela as when she treated patients in person. While Odela does sell the drugs its providers prescribe, that practice is no more a conflict of interest than surgeons profiting from the procedures that they recommend, she said: “You just have to be ethical.”

The DTC telehealth company Ro, which offers treatment for sexual health, fertility, hair, skin, and weight loss, has layers of safety checks, according to an email from Nicholas Samonas, the company’s associate director of communications. The company has an audit program, he said, and uses software that flags when a medication may not be appropriate for a patient.

Samonas pointed me a company-sponsored study of 10,000 male patients, which found that men treated for erectile dysfunction through Ro experienced the same type and distribution of side effects, and discontinued medications, at about the same rate as in published studies of men receiving in-person care. Those results, published in the Journal of Urology and Research in 2020, suggest that telehealth treatment was on par with conventional care, according to Ro researchers.

However, in a 2021 study published in the American Urological Association’s Journal of Urology, a panel of experts gave Ro and Hims mixed scores on how well they adhered to the organization’s guidelines for treating erectile dysfunction. Both companies did a decent job advising patients on risks and benefits of medications, but performed poorly in other areas, notably not telling men with low testosterone that drugs such as sildenafil (Viagra) may work better when combined with testosterone therapy. Neither company prescribes testosterone.

Dubin is a huge proponent of telemedicine in general, but worries that, left unchecked, the DTC model can potentially introduce questionable medical practices to vast new audiences. “Direct-to-consumer telemedicine has a lot of room to grow,” he said. “There’s a lot of things that need to be worked out in that space to make sure that we’re providing good care.”

So exactly who is minding these virtual combination clinic-drugstores?

The onus mostly falls on state medical boards—groups of physicians charged with monitoring other physicians. But the boards typically just respond to complaints, rather than go looking for bad actors, and disciplinary action for telehealth prescribers appears to be rare.

“The disciplinary system is just totally unresponsive and inactive,” said Rebecca Haw Allensworth, a professor at Vanderbilt Law School.

As for those ads trailing me around the internet, the FDA is responsible for ensuring that promotions for prescription drugs are truthful, balanced, and accurate, FDA press officer Charlie Kohler wrote in an email. By law, ads that refer to a prescription drug by name and make claims about what it does must include a balanced description of benefits and risks.

In practice, that doesn’t always happen. The online company Nurx ran an ad on Facebook touting the anti-aging effects of tretinoin, but neglected to list (admittedly mild) side effects such as skin irritation and increased sun sensitivity. Similarly, a RocketRx ad for sildenafil, generic Viagra, promotes the drug for erectile dysfunction, but doesn’t tell you that it can cause dizziness, headache, flushing, and stomachache as well as more serious side effects such as painful, prolonged erections, abnormal vision and a sudden loss of hearing. And a MaleMD ad doesn’t mention that the prescription finasteride in its Hairsy 3-in-1 hair growth medicine can cause testicle pain, decreased sexual desire, and an inability to have or maintain erections.

In addition, while doctors commonly prescribe drugs for uses not approved by the FDA—beta-blockers to lessen stage fright, for example, or the diabetes drug Ozempic (semaglutide) for weight loss—the agency bans “off-label” promotion directly to consumers. But, again, DTC telehealth sites often appear to exploit a loophole allowing them to ignore those regulations.

The Hims website, for example, promotes off-label use of the antidepressant Zoloft (sertraline) for premature ejaculation. Click the “early climax” on the forhims.com home page and an animated cactus pops out of a pot, cheerily announcing: “you’re on your way to lasting longer in bed.” But despite the appeal to young men worried about their sexual performance, the site’s lengthy discussion of sertraline never says that the drug carries a black box warning—the strongest type—about the increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in teens and young adults.

In an emailed response, Hims & Hers company spokesperson Khobi Brooklyn noted that customers receive safety information on products as part of the consultation process and with prescription shipments. They also have unlimited access to health care providers to ask questions about side effects, she wrote.

Questions about the legality of the DTC telehealth ads that Kristina Bitzer saw online prompted her to dig into the topic during law school. Her analysis, published in the Northern Illinois University Law Review in 2021, found that many DTC platforms fall into a regulatory gray area defined by what they are not. The DTC companies themselves aren’t medical providers, because they contract with the professionals who provide care. They aren’t pharmaceutical companies, either, because they don’t actually make the drugs that they promote and sell. But they are also not online pharmacies, because they contract with outside companies to fill prescriptions.

Instead, they’re middlemen who can exploit that status to market drugs online, free from government oversight.

Brooklyn confirmed that Hims & Hers does not consider itself to be a medical provider, drug maker, or pharmacy and so is not subject to FDA regulations for prescription drug marketing and promotion. “Hims & Hers connects people seeking care to independent licensed healthcare providers who work through the Hims & Hers telehealth platform,” she wrote. When asked about the specifics of purchasing and receiving a treatment, Brooklyn noted: “Prescriptions are fulfilled by one of our partner or affiliated pharmacies, who ship the product directly to customers.”

The FDA’s Kohler would not comment on specific ads, but he did acknowledge that some companies are out the agency’s purview. Social media companies, whose policies appear more lenient than federal law, have also been permissive toward DTC drug advertising. For example, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, allows ads that “share information around medical efficacy, accessibility and affordability of different types of treatments,” company spokesperson Rachel Hamrick wrote in an email. No mention of risks is required.

In theory, DTC telehealth is a good idea, said Bitzer. The problem, she said, “is that without any kind of real governance of the system, and where these telemedicine platforms are saying, ‘Well, we don’t fit into any of that, we’re doing our own thing,’ there’s a real issue for patient safety.”

I wondered if I got suckered by ads, or if my prescription face cream was as good of a deal as it seemed like at the time. As a point of comparison, I made an appointment with a local dermatologist, who did a skin-cancer check, noted mild psoriasis on the back of my neck, and wrote me a prescription for tretinoin. The drug was cheaper at my local pharmacy, I discovered, but under my health plan I had to pay $190 out of pocket for the doctor visit. Although I got a more thorough exam in person, it was a far more expensive way to get the prescription.

In addition, the Hers cream is a nicer moisturizer. And, in any case, like many of these platforms, Hers automatically signs you up for a recurring subscription and I haven’t gotten around to cancelling.

But for many patients, the stakes are much higher. It makes sense that regulators should specifically address the DTC market.

In their JAMA Internal Medicine editorial, Woloshin and Gill called on the Federation of State Medical Boards, a nonprofit organization representing medical and osteopathic boards in U.S. states and territories, to be proactive—perhaps by encouraging state boards to periodically conduct undercover spot checks of randomly selected telehealth sites.

Whether state medical boards are willing and able to provide that kind of oversight is another question. State boards have no jurisdiction over businesses, just individual practitioners, said Lisa Robin, chief advocacy officer at the FSMB. And in the absence of a complaint, state boards don’t audit practices, said Robin. “That’s just not how the system is set up in this country.”

That traditional regulatory model has started to fall apart when it comes to DTC platforms, said Mehrotra. The company, not individual providers, decides how to create questionnaires, screen patients, and advertise products, he said. So while it seems like the company should be regulated, said Mehrotra, “we don’t have a regulatory framework for that.”

However, Allensworth, the law professor, is leery of imposing extra regulations on DTC platforms. Putting special limitations on where and when doctors prescribe can limit access to care, she said. “We have such a terrible health care shortage in this country,” she said. “And I just think that’s almost always going to be the wrong way to respond to it.” Medical boards do have the authority to undertake robust investigations and discipline errant telehealth providers, she pointed out. Like Woloshin and Gill, she’d like to see a national effort for the boards to do so.

As for anything-goes advertising, Bitzer suggested in her analysis that, at the very least, Congress could update laws so that telehealth platforms are subject to the same regulations as drug companies marketing and promotion.

In the near term, the FDA seems unlikely to take action. Spokesperson Charlie Kohler said that the agency doesn’t comment on future potential regulatory activity, but telehealth is not listed on any of the FDA’s agendas for this year.

In the meantime, as a minimal check on who is treating them, prospective customers can look up their provider’s credentials and disciplinary record on the FSMB-run website DocInfo.org.

Patients need to be cautious, said Woloshin. “Until someone starts regulating this more carefully,” he added, “there’s a potential for harm.”

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Among domestic cats, feline obesity is the most frequent nutritional disorder veterinarians in the United States see. Defined as a body weight that is 20 percent or more above a normal weight of eight to 12 pounds, it can impact a cat’s longevity and lead to diabetes and chronic inflammation among other health problems. A study published in the Journal of Animal Science in September found that overeating has some observable effects on feline gut microbiota and digestive system. 

[Related: A new shot can be a safe and effective alternative to surgical spaying.]

According to study co-author and University of Illinois nutritional scientist Kelly Swanson, about 60 percent of cats in the US are considered overweight. 

“While many studies have investigated feline weight loss, there has been little focus on the opposite process, which is also important. In this study, we wanted to learn more about the metabolic and gastrointestinal changes that occur as a result of overeating and weight gain in cats,” Swanson said in a statement. 

Complex changes

In the study, 11 adult spayed female cats were fed a standard dry cat food for two weeks. Baseline body measurements were taken and they were then allowed to eat as much as they wanted. The researchers also collected blood and poop samples at regular intervals and monitored their physical activity. Weight gain was assessed using a body condition score (BCS), which is similar to the controversial body mass index (BMI) in humans. BCS is measured on a 9-point scale where anything 6 or above is considered overweight. Like in humans, BCS is a quantitative, but also subjective, method for evaluating body fat in pets.

The cats immediately increased their food intake when they were allowed to overeat and they began to gain weight. When the study began, their average BCS was 5.41. Their BCS increased to 8.27 after 18 weeks of overfeeding. This corresponds to the cats being about 30 percent overweight by body mass. 

The researchers also analyzed changes in how much the felines pooped, their gastrointestinal transit time, how well nutrients were being digested, and changes in the build up of their gut microbiome over the 20-week study.

“We found that as cats ate more and gained weight, gastrointestinal transit time was reduced, and so was digestive efficiency. When the body gets less food, it will be more efficient in extracting nutrients. But when the amount of food increases, it passes through the digestive system faster and fewer nutrients are extracted in the process,” Swanson explained.  

A cat-specific bacteria shift 

During the 18 weeks of weight gain, the composition of the cats’ gut microbiome also changed. An anti-microbial bacteria that helps stimulate the immune system and inhibits pathogens called Bifidobacterium increased. At the same time, a bacteria that degrades fiber and has been linked to pro-inflammatory disease called Collinsella decreased. According to Swanson, these results are the opposite of what has been measured in overweight humans and suggests that their association to weight gain is complicated.  

[Related: Your cat probably knows when you’re talking to it.]

“The change in the gastrointestinal transit time was a novel finding and a potential reason for the change in fecal microbiota. Future studies should consider measuring transit time to better explain modifications to the microbiome of pets,” Swanson added. 

The more the cats ate, the more they pooped. At the same time that the cats were putting on pounds, fecal pH decreased, meaning that their poop became more acidic. A low fecal pH in humans indicates that the body isn’t absorbing fat or carbohydrates well. It appears that a lower fecal pH with higher food intake also reduced digestibility for cats. 

To measure activity level, the team used special collars. The cats were kept in a group setting where they could interact with one another and play with toys, except on the days when stool samples were collected.

“We expected that weight gain might lead to decreased physical activity, but we did not observe any consistent changes in activity level. However, this could vary with individual cats and their environment, and how much their owners interact with them,” said Swanson.

At the end of the study, the cats were put on a restricted-feeding diet that helped them return to their previous weights. A better understanding of the gastrointestinal and metabolic changes that occur with obesity in domestic pets could help with future prevention and treatment plans. Another new study co-authored by Swanson, demonstrated that restricted feeding can promote safe weight and fat loss in cats. 

The team also suggests that pet parents encourage regular physical activity with their cats. They can make it fun for the cats by stimulating foraging by placing food around the house, or using food puzzles during mealtime. Both of these strategies promote engagement and mental enrichment, according to Swanson. 

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At this time of year, it can feel like everyone around you has a head cold. Decongestant medicine, tissues, and runny noses close in on all sides. But why does your nose run in the first place?

The immune system at work

When you’re sick, it’s because pathogens have gotten past the mucus lining. To protect your body, the immune system kicks into action. Small proteins called cytokines deploy T cells and B cells to seek out and destroy the pathogens. Those same protein messengers instruct cells in the nose to generate more mucus in order to clear the cell lining of other potentially harmful bacteria or viruses. As mucus goes into overdrive, your mucus lining swells and your nasal cavity fills with excess fluid. This can drip out of the nose itself—a medical condition known as rhinorrhea, which the rest of us call a runny nose. Once your body clears the pathogens, your immune system will decrease its panic signals and your mucus lining returns to its usual level.

Generally, Lee says, the immune system in your nose is very adept at identifying cells that the body makes to create your tissues and fluids (those are usually safe) from foreign cells that that need to be attacked. Sometimes, however, that system is not so great at knowing when to shut off its response, or at identifying which cells it should be attacking. Over-active or misdirected immune responses cause conditions like allergies or asthma—the body launches a full-scale attack at something that wouldn’t really harm it, which causes damage to the body’s own tissues.

Go easy on the tissues

All in all, having a runny nose might be annoying, but it’s a good sign. It means your immune system is doing its job. You’re welcome.

This story has been updated. It was originally published on January 27, 2016.

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A team of scientists at Northwestern University have developed synthetic melanin that can accelerate healing in human skin. It is applied in a cream and can protect the skin from the sun and heal chemical burns, according to the team. The findings are described in a study published November 2 in the journal Nature npj Regenerative Medicine.

What is melanin?

Melanin is a pigment that is naturally produced in humans and animals. It provides pigmentation to the hair, eyes, and skin. It protects skin cells from sun damage by increasing pigmentation in response to the sun–a process commonly called tanning. 

“People don’t think of their everyday life as an injury to their skin,” study co-author and dermatologist Kurt Lu said in a statement. “If you walk barefaced every day in the sun, you suffer a low-grade, constant bombardment of ultraviolet light. This is worsened during peak mid-day hours and the summer season. We know sun-exposed skin ages versus skin protected by clothing, which doesn’t show age nearly as much.”

[Related: A new artificial skin could be more sensitive than the real thing.]

Aging in the skin is also due to simply getting older and external factors like environmental pollution. Sun damage, chronological aging, and environmental pollutants can create unstable oxygen molecules called free radicals. These molecules can then cause inflammation and break down the collagen in the skin. It is one of the reasons that older skin looks very different than younger skin. 

‘An efficient sponge’

In the study, the team used a synthetic melanin that was engineered with nanoparticles. They modified the melanin structure so that it has a higher free radical-scavenging capacity.

Researchers used a chemical to create a blistering reaction to a sample of human skin tissue in a dish. The blistering looked like a separation of the upper layers of the skin from each other and was similar to an inflamed reaction to poison ivy. 

They waited a few hours, then applied their topical melanin cream to the injured skin. The cream facilitated an immune response within the first few days, by initially helping the skin’s own free radical-scavenging enzymes recover. A cascade of responses followed where healing sped up, including the preservation of the healthy layers of skin underneath the top layers. The synthetic melanin cream soaked up the free radicals and quieted the immune system. By comparison, blistering persisted in the control samples that did not have the melanin cream treatment. 

“The synthetic melanin is capable of scavenging more radicals per gram compared to human melanin,” study co-author and chemist/biomedical engineer Nathan Gianneschi said in a statement.  “It’s like super melanin. It’s biocompatible, degradable,nontoxic and clear when rubbed onto the skin. In our studies, it acts as an efficient sponge, removing damaging factors and protecting the skin.”

According to the team, the super melanin sits on the surface of the skin once it is applied and isn’t absorbed into the layers below. It sets the skin on a cycle of healing and repair that is directed by the body’s immune system. 

[Related: The lowest-effort skincare routine that will still make your skin glow.]

Protection from nerve gas

Gianneschi and Lu are studying using melanin as a protective dye in clothing. The thought is the pigment could act as an absorbent for toxins, particularly nerve gas. 

“Although it [melanin] can act this way naturally, we have engineered it to optimize absorption of these toxic molecules with our synthetic version,” Gianneschi said in a statement

They are also pursuing more clinical trials for testing their synthetic melanin cream. In a first step, they recently completed a trial showing that the synthetic melanins do not irritate human skin. Since it protects tissue from high energy radiation, it could also be an effective treatment for burns cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy often experience. 

This research was funded by the United States Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health.

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If just by looking at our watch or cell phone we can know, in real time, our heart rate, the number of steps we take, the calories we burn and the hours of sleep we got the night before, why can’t we also know our blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the force that the blood exerts against the arterial walls. It is defined by two values: systolic, or maximum pressure, which is the thrust of the blood pumped through the body by the contraction of the heart; and diastolic, or minimum pressure, which occurs when the heart relaxes. The American Heart Association considers blood pressure to be normal when it does not exceed pressures of 120 mmHg systolic and 80 mmHg diastolic—which we see presented as 120/80 mmHg.

When values are below 90/60 mmHg, the person is exhibiting hypotension. In athletes, this may be asymptomatic and without risk. But in other circumstances, it causes symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, pallor, blurred vision, confusion and fainting, because the brain isn’t receiving enough blood. Very low blood pressure can be life-threatening because of shock, a state where organs suffer damage due to lack of blood flow. This is more common in the elderly and can be precipitated by sudden changes in position, dehydration, infections, bleeding, certain medications and diseases such as Parkinson’s and diabetes.

Above 140/90 mmHg, the person is said to have high blood pressure. Researchers have calculated that in people ages 40 to 69, for every 20 mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure and 10 mmHg increase in diastolic blood pressure, the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke doubles. Worldwide, some 1.28 billion people between the ages of 30 and 78 have hypertension, most of them living in low- and middle-income countries, and more than half of them are not treated, according to a 2021 study published in The Lancet. This is despite the fact that hypertension can be easily detected by measuring blood pressure—at home or in a health facility—and can often be effectively treated with low-cost medications.

Today, a new generation of blood pressure devices aims to make it easier to diagnose—and control—hypertension. Unlike traditional devices, they do without the arm cuff and offer blood pressure values on demand, should the user press their finger on a sensor, or continuously, if measured by a watch, ring or bracelet.

“Regular blood pressure monitoring in all adults would improve hypertension awareness. For those who have hypertension, it may improve their control,” says Ramakrishna Mukkamala, a bioelectrical engineer at the University of Pittsburgh, who coauthored a look at blood pressure measurement using cuff-free devices in the 2022 Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering. “For example, if patients continue to see that their blood pressure is high, they may finally become compliant in taking their medications.”

Leaving the cuff behind

The measurement of blood pressure goes back almost three centuries (see sidebar), leading to the procedure that we all know and that our family doctor performs when we have checkups: A cuff goes around our arm and is inflated, then deflated, in a controlled manner, to determine our maximum and minimum blood pressure.

But the use of inflatable-cuff blood pressure monitors has some drawbacks. For one thing, unless people have home monitors—and a survey of adults ages 50 to 80 in the United States found that only 55 percent of hypertension patients surveyed owned one—they must go to a pharmacy, doctor’s office or health center to learn what their blood pressure is.

Another barrier is that repeated inflation and deflation of the cuff is disruptive and can cause difficulties when, for example, a patient is in the hospital and needs frequent blood pressure monitoring. And a third drawback is that since cuffs don’t allow continuous measurement of blood pressure, they’re only providing a measurement at a specific moment.

The new cuffless devices promise to reveal a more complete picture of physiologic changes in blood pressure that cannot be picked up with spot measurements, and instead give a truer blood pressure profile, says Alberto P. Avolio, a biomedical engineer at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, a coauthor of the article in the Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering.

The various cuffless measuring devices are based on methods that, instead of directly determining blood pressure, use sensors to capture various indirect signals. These signals are processed by different algorithms or sets of mathematical procedures to obtain the blood pressure values. It is like inferring fever by measuring an increase in palpitations and sweating instead of using a thermometer, or divining the result of a soccer match from outside the stadium by listening to the screams of the spectators.

One of the detection methods uses optical sensors. The technique is based on the principle of photoplethysmography or PPG: It consists of illuminating a segment of the skin and analyzing the difference between the light that is emitted by the instrument and how much is detected by a photoreceptor. This difference depends on the diameter of the artery, the blood volume and the concentration of hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying protein) at the measurement site. During the systolic phase, when the heart pumps blood, the difference between emitted and reflected light will be at its maximum, because there will be more blood flow and thus more hemoglobin and other light-absorbing proteins; during the diastolic or relaxation phase, it will be at its minimum. The algorithm relates these measurements to blood pressure.

This is the same method used by the Apple Watch and other devices to measure heart rate, and by the pulse oximeters that became popular during the Covid-19 pandemic to record the level of saturation, or oxygenation, of the blood. It is also the method used by the Swiss company Aktiia’s wristband, available only in Europe for now. This device automatically records blood pressure values over 24 hours, even when someone is sleeping, averaging the results every two hours and displaying the results through an app on a smartphone.

There are also electrical sensors, which are modified versions of the electrocardiogram that measures the electrical activity of the heart; mechanical sensors, used in ballistocardiography and seismocardiography, which attach to the surface of the skin to capture small variations in pressure; and bioimpedance sensors, similar to the instruments that analyze body composition by measuring the body’s resistance to the flow of electrical current.

Calibrated and uncalibrated

There are two broad categories into which these new cuffless blood pressure measurement devices can be grouped: those that require calibration—periodic comparison of the recordings with those obtained with a manual or digital sphygmomanometer—and those that do not.

Both types of devices capture signals from the body noninvasively, from the fingertip, ear or wrist, to name the most common sites. The estimated blood pressure is then displayed or transmitted to nearby devices, such as smartphones or tablets.

One of the measurement methods that require calibration is the pulse transit time, or PTT, which represents the time in milliseconds that the pulse takes to travel between two arterial points: The stiffer an artery is, the higher the arterial pressure will be (because the pulse travels faster) and the lower the PTT will be. This method is the one with the most scientific evidence to date.

Another is based on analysis of the shape and amplitude of the pulse wave, which is the pressure wave depicting the propagation of the blood pumped by the heart through the entire arterial tree, and whose characteristics depend in part on the rigidity of the artery walls. In people with hypertension, the amplitude of the pulse wave is greater because the heart must exert more force to overcome the resistance of the arteries.

More recently, other devices have emerged that use images captured with a camera—like selfies—to detect changes in the PTT or subtle modifications in the color of the face, imperceptible to the eye, that accompany each heartbeat, thus reconstructing the flow of blood under the skin and the shape of the pulse waves.

Uncalibrated cuffless blood pressure measurement methods aim to eliminate the need to cross-check the device’s measurements with those captured by a classic sphygmomanometer or digital sphygmomanometer. They use only machine learning and artificial intelligence to establish, from the signals captured by the sensors, the person’s blood pressure values.

Just as a jet of water can exert more or less force on the walls of a hose if one changes the height or opening of a faucet, the analysis of oscillations or fluctuations in blood volume can be measured when a ring is worn and the arm is lowered, because the finger’s internal blood pressure increases as it receives more blood flow due to gravity. Alternatively, a ring can also obtain measurements of the oscillations in blood volume by periodically applying gentle pressure on the finger. A sensor in a smartphone can also do this analysis when it is pressed following the instructions given by the device.

Other methods for uncalibrated devices use ultrasound waves to visualize variables such as artery dimensions and blood flow velocity, which are also related to blood pressure.

The road to clinical application

The development of these devices for measuring blood pressure without a blood pressure cuff is progressing rapidly, but that doesn’t mean they are ready for use in the medical world. “Unfortunately, the pace of evidence, regulation and validation testing has lagged behind the pace of innovation and direct consumer marketing,” write Stephen P. Juraschek, physician investigator of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and colleagues in a review published in September in Current Cardiology Reports.

There is currently no standardized validation protocol to assess the accuracy of cuffless devices, as required by the US Food and Drug Administration, although several of these developments have already received marketing authorization in the US. The European Society of Hypertension, for its part, has issued guidelines that emphasize that, for now, cuffless devices should not be used to make diagnostic and treatment decisions. “The potential clinical value of cuffless blood pressure measurement is enormous. However, the caveats are equally large,” says James Sharman, an expert in blood pressure measurement methods and an exercise physiologist at the University of Tasmania in Australia.

Before wider use can be advocated, it will be necessary to test whether cuffless devices make accurate recordings and whether they have clinical superiority to the current standard of blood pressure measurement, as well as to determine how they would integrate into current medical practice, Sharman adds. In addition, since each device has its own algorithm and method for estimating pressure, each should demonstrate its performance separately.

This work is already underway. According to the ClinicalTrials.gov database, as of October 2023 more than 10 studies to evaluate cuffless blood pressure measuring devices were recruiting participants.

Several studies have already been completed. In Switzerland, a team evaluated the use of such devices for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), which measures blood pressure continuously over 24 hours and is a better predictor of cardiovascular health than non-continuous measurements.

The study involved 67 patients who performed traditional ABPM, using a cuff device, but also had a watch-like optical sensor placed on their upper arm or wrist opposite the arm wearing the cuff. Although there were differences between the measurements of the two devices, the difference was small and within the limits recommended by the international standard. “These results are encouraging and suggest that 24-hour cuff-free ABPM may soon become a clinical possibility,” the authors noted in their conclusions. In addition, study participants said that the optical sensor was more comfortable and overwhelmingly preferred it to its cuffed alternative.

In South Korea, meanwhile, a recent observational study followed 760 people who used a Samsung Galaxy watch approved in that country for one month to monitor blood pressure. The device requires calibration once a month, but interestingly, 75 percent of the participants did not rely on a single monthly calibration, as suggested, but performed more frequent calibrations. This allowed the researchers to determine that poor calibration can affect the device’s measurements and that calibration processes need to be standardized to ensure the device’s proper functioning.

But encouragingly, the study also found that “smartwatch-based blood pressure measurement is feasible for out-of-office blood pressure monitoring in the real world”—as, on average, participants measured their blood pressure 1.5 times per day.

Will the day come when we can accurately know our blood pressure just by looking at our smartwatch or cell phone? “Maybe in time, but not in the near future,” Avolio says. More studies are needed, he says, before cuffless devices can provide reliable quantitative information to track physiological changes with acceptable accuracy.

Article translated by Debbie Ponchner.

This article originally appeared in Knowable Magazine, an independent journalistic endeavor from Annual Reviews. Sign up for the newsletter.

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Thousands of years ago, ancient Egyptians used moldy bread to heal infected cuts and wounds. They may not have realized it, but their bizarre medical practice relied on fungi to create chemicals that kill infection-causing bacteria. This, in other words, was a very rough draft of an antibiotic drug. These types of molds helped Alexander Fleming discover penicillin centuries later. And now, to fight off superbugs, scientists are increasingly turning to another unorthodox source of germ-killers: healthy poop.

Specifically, fecal microbiota transplants are safe and effective in stopping the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to a small study published today in Science Translational Medicine. If additional clinical trials prove to be successful, poop transplants could be a promising method in populations at risk of resistant infections, such as patients who get organ transplants. 

Antibiotics have saved millions from deadly infections, and human life expectancy jumped dramatically after their discovery. But their overuse has caused some bacterial strains to develop methods of protection against the medications. Antibiotic-resistant strains are a global problem that was responsible for 5 million deaths in 2019. On top of that is the concerning rise of superbugs, strains of bacteria with the highest resistance to multiple drugs. 

[Related: FDA approves first fecal transplant pill]

Once a patient is infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, “there’s not really a way to get rid of colonization,” says Michael Woodworth, an assistant professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and lead author of the new study. “Right now, there are no FDA approved therapies.” In the past, clinicians tried to get rid of superbugs with additional antibiotics, which can set up a “vicious cycle” in which medication promotes the growth of even stronger antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

The idea to use poop transplants to defeat superbugs came after a growing body of evidence shows they can help treat tough C. difficile infections, a germ that patients can get in a hospital. In people who had received poop transplants, it looked as though they had fewer chances of catching the antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 

The new research was a Phase 1 clinical trial that enrolled 11 people awaiting kidney transplants. Organ recipients typically receive preventative antibiotics after their transplants, but this has not stopped an increasing amount of antibiotic-resistant UTI infections in this population.

In the study, people were randomly selected to receive a poop transplant immediately after getting a kidney, or a poop transplant later on if their stool samples showed positive signs of antibiotic-resistant bacteria after day 36. If people continued to be positive for the microbes, they had a second poop transplant. The authors used an enema to administer all the poop transplants, a route the study notes would have the lowest rate of side effects. To reduce the risk of passing harmful bacteria through the fecal transplants, screening tests checked for pathogens known to be resistant. 

The research team detected significant results in the two groups, despite the small number of participants (COVID disrupted patient enrollment in the study). All treatments were safe for people who received one or two poop transplants. Additionally, eight out of nine people were negative for antibiotic-resistant bacteria after 36 days.

Genetic analysis of the stool samples showed that the poop transplants helped reduce the number of superbugs. This decolonization of bacteria, while it was not directly tested, may help in preventing recurrent antibiotic-resistant infections. 

[Related: Finding the world’s super poopers could save a lot of butts]

“This provides the ground to start a large, randomized, controlled study to assess the effect of [fecal microbiota transplants] on decolonizing multi-drug-resistant organisms,” says Seifeldin Hakim, a gastroenterologist with Memorial Hermann in Houston who was not involved in the study. Theoretically, it would make sense that lowering the number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the gut would decrease the chances of clinical infection or sepsis, Hakim says, but more evidence-based results are needed to support this.

Woodworth says poop transplants provide a mix of “good” bacteria to improve colonic health and strengthen the gut barrier. It’s also possible that another biological mechanism is at work. Woodworth hypothesizes that the poop transplants might have driven competition between antibiotic-resistant bacteria and non-resistant germs of the same species. This may have contributed to bacterial strains becoming more susceptible to antibiotics.

Because the trial was an early phase test, there are many more questions to answer, Woodworth says, such as figuring out the proper dose. His team is currently conducting two other clinical trials to research wider applications for fighting drug-resistant pathogens. They are currently planning a larger follow-up study, too, among people who received kidney transplants to better understand how competition between strains might reduce bacteria colonization.

There are still some kinks to work out with using fecal transplants, says Woodworth. However, he hopes this study can act as a jumping off point for inspiring other microbiome-related treatments to fight off antibiotic-resistant bacteria. To guide the next generation of therapies, poop may be our society’s moldy bread.

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The war between Israel and Hamas has displaced at least 1.4 million Palestinians from their homes in Gaza and throttled water, food, electricity, and medical supplies. Some aid-carrying convoys have made their way into the conflict zone from Egypt, but without a temporary ceasefire, the humanitarian situation is expected to worsen. More than 8,000 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis have died since the conflict began on October 7. 

What is humanitarian aid?

Disaster can strike at any moment. In the aftermath, international agencies and nonprofits bring in different services to prevent further casualties and hardships. Humanitarian aid usually involves access to clean water, food, and medicine that can sustain survivors for a good period of time. Without safe drinking water, Raymond says contamination and infectious diseases become major concerns. “Cholera kills more kids in a war than tanks and planes.”

The exact amount of aid depends on the type and intensity of the crisis, says Danielle Mutone-Smith, managing director of the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). For instance, after a large-scale earthquake (6.1 in magnitude or above), the goal might be to provide safe shelter and emergency medical care. During a drought, on the other hand, the top priority would be to deliver food.

While basic human needs haven’t changed much over time, there are some ways experts have streamlined emergency assistance.

Easy calories 

The tasty filling in PBJs can satisfy hunger when other food is hard to come by. Peanut butter is a calorie-dense product high in protein and packed with nutrients such as magnesium and vitamin E. In the lab, scientists have formulated peanut butter packets that squeeze in more nutrients while maintaining a savory flavor to entice children to eat them. They’re also cost efficient, shelf stable, and easy to transport, which makes them all the more appealing for disaster relief.

“We can bring back the most food-insecure children from the point of starvation,” says Mutone-Smith. During the Niger famine in the early 2000s, more than 63,000 youth returned to a healthy weight after incorporating peanut butter packets into their diets for just a few weeks. Mutone-Smith adds that the World Health Organization is currently working on simplifying its guidelines to recommend a single product that’s usable for all acutely malnourished kids.

WiFi

When natural disasters and armed conflicts result in a communication blackout, internet access vaults to the top of the must-have list. “Across all types of disasters, people often identify connection to the internet as one of their primary needs,” says Raymond. Reliable cell signals and broadband are important for sharing news and helping residents track down loved ones displaced by the crisis. Not to mention, it’s critical for organizing emergency efforts on the ground. Tech companies and small WiFi hotspot devices can fill in with on-the-fly access to the internet until infrastructure is rebuilt.

Financial aid

Cash is king in an emergency. While providing food or food vouchers can be useful, research suggests plain old money is the most effective in getting people to eat diverse and high-calorie meals. It also gives them the flexibility to use the resources as they see fit, which in turn, “respects the dignity of populations by giving them the power of choice,” Raymond says. Over time, it can help stabilize local markets and restore self-sufficiency. 

The International Federation of Red Cross, one of the largest humanitarian networks for cash and voucher assistance, relies on donations to financially support devastated populations. Less than one percent of the US federal budget goes to foreign aid, which includes but isn’t limited to humanitarian aid programs. USAID has the power to award funds to partners like the World Food Program, UN Children’s Fund, and other private volunteer organizations.

How technology plays a role

One challenge with delivering aid to countries in war is being able to physically deliver the goods safely. In Gaza, humanitarian aid has stalled because of strict border control from Egypt along with a lack of ceasefires from both parties. Wireless money transfers can expedite humanitarian support while countries work out a way to allow convoys safely through.

Meanwhile, on the ground, humanitarian aid organizations have been turning to biometrics like digital fingerprints to verify survivors’ identities and make sure supplies go to target communities. “This emerged partly because of the refugee crisis in Lebanon and Jordan following the Syria conflict,” says Mutone-Smith. “ The pilot program was considered successful with only 5 percent of individuals failing to verify their identities. However, there are concerns over how this sensitive data is stored and what countries have the right to access this information.

Why humanitarian aid matters

With so many problems at home, people may question why the US is spending time and money aiding others overseas. Beyond a moral imperative to help fellow humans, it can benefit public health, the environment, and global supply chains and financial systems.

Mutone-Smith says that offering support during international crises can strengthen national security. When a country experiences chronic poverty or hunger from rising food prices, there is a risk for political instability. This could threaten neighboring countries and potentially expand to a more violent outbreak that could draw in the US for combat. Additionally, foreign aid is a sign of diplomacy that further strengthens relations between countries. 

And while America is usually on the giving end, Mutone-Smith notes that the tables can turn. We received an outpouring of financial and emotional support when the country was attacked on 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005.

The best way to help in a disaster

Some of the best ways to support humanitarian aid missions is to volunteer or donate cash. Giving money before a disaster lets organizations have more flexibility to spend on resources that matter the most. Despite the good intentions, Mutone-Smith says clothing and other donated goods can actually take up space for food and critical medical support. “That was a big issue in Haiti after the earthquakes and when it clogged the ports,” she explains. “We couldn’t get the things we needed.”

If you are gifting cash, make sure it’s to a trustworthy organization. USAID has a list of vetted organizations working on ongoing crises and the kind of support they are looking for from the public. To help Gaza refugees specifically, you can donate to places such as the UN Crisis Relief fund or the International Rescue Committee.

The post What is humanitarian aid? Peanut butter, WiFi, and other life-saving supplies. appeared first on Popular Science.

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In 2017 news broke in North Carolina that the water downstream of the Fayetteville Works Plant, owned by the Chemours Company (a spin-off of DuPont), and public water systems reliant on the Cape Fear River contained high levels of per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These contaminants, which are common in everyday products like adhesives, food packaging, and cookware, are dubbed “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down easily in the environment and can linger in the body while causing numerous health problems. And indeed, in the years after the positive PFAS tests, evidence emerged on suspected thyroid cancer clusters in local communities.

The Cape Fear River remains tainted to this day, and many of the residents of southeast North Carolina feel its presence in their lives. “We have a lot of pockets of strange illnesses,” says Dana Sargent, executive director of the nonprofit advocacy group Cape Fear River Watch. She notes that people in the area still buy bottled water and are anxious about the pervasive pollution.

[Related: 2 ways of knowing if there are PFAS in your drinking water]

Chemours has been sued multiple times for dumping chemicals in public waterways. But scientists and environmental groups are still investigating the extent of the contamination.  In recent research using novel chemical-analysis tools published in the journal Science Advances, scientists from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University found 11 types of PFAS in the Cape Fear River that were previously undetected in those waters. Even worse, eight of those 11 compounds had never been reported to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), marking them as new forever chemicals. While it’s incredibly difficult to detect and identify toxins scientists aren’t aware, the study authors says this is a crucial step to studying and regulating PFAS that are still under the radar.

“The goals with this project were twofold,” says Kaylie Kirkwood-Donelson, one of the main contributors on the paper. Kirkwood-Donelson, now a chemist at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, was a graduate student and research assistant at North Carolina State University while conducting this work. “One was to work on a method we could use to identify new PFAS and get more information about their chemical structures than we’d typically get. The second was to apply that method.”

To identify the previously undocumented chemicals, the team established four points of testing. The first three were pretty standard—they assessed each chemical’s mass, size, and polarity. Kirkwood-Donelson then used a relatively novel technique: ion mobility spectrometry, a method that reveals electric activity in the target molecule to help narrow down and pinpoint what you’re looking at. The process was fruitful. In total, she and her colleagues found 47 different forever chemicals in the Cape Fear River, including eight that weren’t already on the EPA’s “CompTox PFAS Master List,” which already covers some 14,000 compounds. 

Despite decades of monitoring, PFAS can be challenging to catalog. To validate the ID, you’re supposed to check that your analyses match those of a “standard” sample of the substance that you either purchase or synthesize, says Erin Baker, an associate professor of chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an author on the new study. But standard samples don’t exist for most PFAS yet, and many are too difficult or expensive to synthesize in labs. Creative techniques give researchers more power to identify the mysterious characteristics of these chemicals, Baker says.

The ion mobility spectrometry method the team used “is an amazing method,” says EPA chemist Mark Strynar. “I think it’s the wave of the future.” While the agency has its own process for identifying new PFAS, he adds that it won’t be long before experts start asking, “why isn’t everyone doing this?” He just acquired the equipment needed for ion mobility spectrometry tests in his own lab last week. 

[Related: The US might finally regulate toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water]

When investigating chemicals as toxic pollutants, the EPA typically assesses them as individual molecules, not classes of chemicals as a whole. It also won’t work toward stronger regulations or a ban until the chemical has proven to be damaging in some way. “We’re hoping that by introducing these new technologies we can speed up the discovery of novel PFAS,” Baker says. But right now, completing the process and validating groundbreaking findings can take an incredibly long time, during which potential toxins remains in the water. “That’s a huge barrier,” says Kirkwood-Donelson. Her Cape Fear research, for example, took six years to finalize. 

On the bright side, now that these new kinds of PFAS have been detected, “other researchers will use this information to see if these chemicals exist across the US and across the world,” Kirkwood-Donelson says. If they’re widespread, toxicologists can begin to assess potential adverse effects. 

Sargent, from Cape Fear River Watch, hopes the EPA will make strong and swift rules limiting PFAS use, starting with the Fayetteville Works Plant. But a recent letter from the agency shows that it authorized Chemours to import up to 4 million pounds of waste material containing the PFAS GenX from the company’s Netherlands facility to North Carolina. GenX has been at the center of several cancer and other health studies.

What’s frustrating is that instead of taking action to reduce PFAS in the environment, the EPA is “actually now just doing the exact opposite, which is huge,” says Sargent. “This issue is not going away,” she adds, and “we need to pay attention.”

The post 8 new types of ‘forever chemicals’ found in river linked to US cancer cluster appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best overall		Steelcase Gesture Chair		SEE IT	This top-of-the-line chair is fully adjustable and features technology that mimics the movements of the user’s spine.
Best premium		Herman Miller Aeron Chair		SEE IT	A tried-and-true office staple for 20 years, this chair is a serious but rewarding investment for desk workers who spend long hours sitting down.
Best for big and tall		SIHOO M18 Ergonomic Office Chair		SEE IT	This chair is designed with a multi-dimensional headset and adjustable lumbar support for big and tall people.

Sitting in a cheaply designed office or desk chair can lead to back, neck, and shoulder pain, poor circulation, increased fatigue, lack of concentration, and digestive issues—but an ergonomic office chair can help. Whether you’re working with a makeshift setup at home or the company chairs just aren’t cutting it, an upgraded seat is one of those office essentials that can make a difference in your general well-being and overall health, especially over time. And there isn’t one ergonomic chair to rule them all, so we have created this guide to help you identify what fit and features will work best for your body. From extra lumbar support to kneeling chairs, we’ve got you covered; say goodbye to cramps, creaks, and crankiness with one of the best ergonomic chairs to improve your posture, comfort, and, ultimately, your mood.

• Best overall: Steelcase Gesture Chair
• Best premium: Herman Miller Aeron Chair
• Best eco-friendly: Steelcase Karman Chair
• Best for big and tall: SIHOO M18 Ergonomic Office Chair
• Best drafting chair: Flash Furniture Mid-Back Drafting Chair
• Best kneeling chair: Varier Original Kneeling Chair
• Best under $400: HON Ignition 2.0
• Best budget: Flexispot OC3B Ergonomic Executive Mesh Office Chair

How we chose the best ergonomic chairs

To find the best ergonomic chairs on the market, we looked to long-respected brands, including Herman Miller and Steelcase, as well as new solutions. Our list reflects qualities people look for in a computer chair, such as one designed with sustainable materials or just a comfy chair to help relieve back pain. We also considered user reviews, functionality and adjustability, aesthetics, and price in compiling our list.

The best ergonomic chairs: Reviews & Recommendations

Office workers spend more than 73 percent of the workday sitting, according to a 2022 study. Prolonged chair time can lead to neck and back pain and decrease energy and productivity. While it’s still a good idea to decrease the time sitting, ergonomic desk chairs can make the experience easier on your body and help with back support. While you can do a few things to prevent harmful effects from long hours of sitting down, one of the best ways to support your joints and muscles is to invest in the best ergonomic chair for your body. 

Best overall: Steelcase Gesture Chair  

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Specs

• Materials: Polyester, steel
• Weight: 78 pounds
• Weight capacity: 400 pounds

Pros

• Designed with technology that mirrors the movements of your spine
• Reclines into four positions
• Elegant design

Cons

• Expensive
• Users say the chair can be hard
• Little lumbar support

The Steelcase Gesture Chair is, perhaps, the best ergonomic chair on the market. This rolling chair is fully adjustable and easy to maneuver. You can move the seat depth forward or backward, change the tilt tension, and move the seat up or down, all using simple built-in knobs. The seat has four recline lock positions, and its wheels work on carpet flooring. The armrests can be rotated 360 degrees, and the 3D Liveback support technology is designed to mimic the movements of your spine as you change positions. The seat cushion is the perfect blend of soft yet structured, with a flexible perimeter to relieve pressure points. A 12-year warranty will keep you and your ergo chair in business for many days to come. Plus it’s available in well over 50 fabric and color options so that you can maintain the perfect home office aesthetic along with a complementary computer desk.

Best premium: Herman Miller Aeron Chair

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Specs

• Materials: Elastomeric, polyester, polyurethane, aluminum 
• Weight: 43 pounds 
• Weight capacity: 350 pounds

Pros

• Industry standard-bearer
• Comes in three sizes to suit different heights and weights
• Designed with adjustable lumbar support

Cons

• Expensive
• May not work in more traditional settings

The Aeron Chair by Herman Miller is the best for an ergonomic mesh office chair (and ergonomic office chair, to be honest). It is just as supportive as other high-end models, with increased breathability and moisture control. It comes in three sizes—A, B, and C—corresponding to various height and weight ranges. Once you select the right size, you can add on additional features such as fully adjustable arms, a tilt limiter/seat angler, adjustable Posturefit support, and quiet castor options. Manipulate the lumbar support to best suit your back. A tried-and-true office staple for 20 years, this executive ergonomic chair is designed for desk workers who spend long hours sitting down, making it a great addition to an ergonomic desk. That said, if you prefer an ergonomic leather office chair, consider the X-Chair X4 High End Executive Chair.

Best eco-friendly: Steelcase Karman Chair

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Specs

• Materials: Intermix mesh, aluminum
• Weight: 29 pounds
• Weight capacity: 350 pounds

Pros

• Made from recycled materials 
• Sleek design
• Lightweight
• Comfort adjustment dial added

Cons

• Lumbar support is a separate purchase
• Supports less weight capacity than other ergonomic chairs

Mesh is a standard feature in office chairs. But Steelcase elevates the breathable weave with a proprietary textile called Intermix in its new Karman Chair. The name is inspired by the weightlessness of the Kármán Line, where the Earth’s atmosphere meets space. The material in this new offering from Steelcase chairs combines yarn and filaments together to create a weave that responds to your body. 

The Karman is designed with a mechanism that automatically senses your weight to provide the right support for your back when you recline. It also features a new comfort dial that adjusts the tension by up to 20 percent. Users can also customize the chair when ordering, choosing between height adjustability, 4-way adjustable arms, or an armless model. You can also purchase a cushion for extra lumbar support for an extra $57. 

The Karman Chair is also designed with sustainability in mind. At 29 pounds, this chair is lighter than many options on the market. It is made from 25 percent recycled and 75 percent recyclable material. Design enthusiasts will also appreciate the ability to choose between 13 colorways and several frame finishes.

Best for big and tall: SIHOO M18 Ergonomic Office Chair

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Specs

• Materials: Polyurethane, steel
• Weight: 42.5 pounds
• Weight capacity: 330 pounds

Pros

• Designed with adjustable headrest
• Provides lumbar support you can adjust
• Very affordable

Cons

• May not work for very tall or heavy people

Finding comfortable seating can be particularly challenging if you’re tall. SIHOO has designed a chair for people from  5’6″ to 6’2″ that you can adjust to fit every part of your body. This chair is designed with a multidimensional headrest, allowing you to adjust the support of your neck. If you’re looking for a lumbar support office chair, you can also fine-tune the degree of support with a dial. The SiHOO M18’s sleek design and eye-catching colorways (like orange) also allow it to double as an ergonomic gaming chair. And for all the support it provides, it comes in at a very budget-friendly price.

Best drafting chair: Flash Furniture Mid-Back Drafting Chair

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Specs

• Materials: Plastic, plywood, mesh, foam, metal 
• Weight: 33 pounds
• Weight capacity: 250 pounds

Pros

• Provides lumbar support
• Height-adjustable
• Affordable
• Comes in 12 colorways

Cons

• No head support
• Not made with sustainable materials

This mid-back drafting chair has all the essential features every ergonomic chair needs and more. A ventilated curved back supports the spine, and the waterfall edge relieves pressure on the thighs. Plus, there is a height-adjustable chrome foot ring. A tilt lever can lock the chair into an upright position or allow for some rocking, while the tilt tension knob controls resistance. The seat can be raised up to 30 inches from the floor, and the dual caster wheels are easy to move with. When you rest your elbows on the padded flip-up arms, you can help increase circulation—or you can flip them up to create a larger seating area. It comes in a variety of colorways, and you can even find a more traditional office chair counterpart should you need an additional model.

Best kneeling chair: Varier Variable Balans Original Kneeling Chair  

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Specs

• Materials: Birch, fabric
• Weight: 13.97 pounds
• Weight capacity: 300 pounds

Pros

• Classic design
• Lightweight
• Made with sustainable materials

Cons

• No back or neck support
• Not ideal for larger people

The Variable Balans was designed by Peter Opsvik, a significant designer and part of popularizing and implementing the ergonomic kneeling chair in homes and offices. Made from high-quality, flexible wood, this chair is exquisitely designed to support your body and relieve pressure. Unlike many other models, note that this unit does not need an additional crossbar—a testament to the thorough engineering that went into the design. It weighs under 14 pounds and comes in eight different colors to complement your style. This chair certainly finds strength in simplicity, allowing you to find your balance and improve back pain. It’s also a great option if you’re looking for a desk chair with no wheels. If you’re not sure a desk stool is for you, but you want to try an ergonomic kneeling chair before committing to a higher-end model, check out the Office Star Kneeling Chair to get started or find more top-rated kneeling chairs.

Best under $400: HON Ignition 2.0

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Specs

• Materials: Plastic 
• Weight: 42 pounds 
• Weight capacity: 300 pounds

Pros

• Fully adjustable
• Affordable
• Provides lumbar support

Cons

• No neck support
• Not made from recycled materials

The HON Ignition 2.0 is a budget ergonomic chair that has many of the adjustable features valued in high-end chairs. It has a breathable mesh back, as well as customizable back recline, height, and seat positioning. The armrests are also fully adjustable to move up, down, towards, and away from your body. It even has an option for lumbar support, which can be moved up or down depending on your lower back’s comfort needs. While it may not be as plush as some of the other models listed here, it should do the trick when elevating a regular office chair. If this price point is still just a little too high for you, take a look at this budget ergonomic chair from Modway, which also has select adjustable features, including armrests, seat height, and tilt.

Best budget: Flexispot OC3B Ergonomic Executive Mesh Office Chair

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Specs

• Material: Mesh, nylon, metal
• Weight: 27 pounds
• Weight capacity: 220 pounds

Pros

• Lots of ergonomic adjustment points
• Nylon mesh keeps you cool
• Affordably priced

Cons

• Not as good for very tall people
• Armrests don’t move in and out

Looking for a comfortable office chair with good ergonomic support for an affordable price? The FlexiSpot OC3B Ergonomic Executive Mesh Office Chair is a solid solution.

I’ve held off on getting an official desk chair but have had to acknowledge that working from my couch is a recipe for bad posture and that tech neck is real. It took a skilled handyman around 20 minutes to put the chair together in my apartment, so if that’s not you, it may take you longer, or you may need some help.

Once the OC3B was assembled, I was impressed. This cheap ergonomic chair is designed with breathable nylon mesh that provides for plenty of airflow. The OC3B doesn’t provide plush cushioning, but it was still quite comfortable. The headrest cradled my neck, and my back felt supported. This high-back ergonomic chair is also easy to adjust. The chair raises and lowers smoothly using a lever underneath, and the armrests can be raised or lowered by pressing a button.

While the dimensions of the head and neck rest may not work for larger people, overall, the OC3B is comfortable and provides plenty of back and neck support, all at a reasonable price.

What to consider when shopping for the best ergonomic chairs

The best ergonomic chair will support your neck, shoulders, arms, and back, keeping your spine aligned and your joints in the proper position. A great chair should keep you comfortable even during a long workday and help prevent additional strain from sitting for extended periods. While shopping, keep in mind any bad habits you’re trying to change—like posture—as well as any particular areas where you want extra support. You’ll also want to think about your work and find a chair that complements your desk or workspace. Knowing where to get started on your search can be a bit tricky, so we’ve compiled the best ergonomic chairs to help you get started.  

Adjustability

The best ergonomic chair needs to be able to support your body weight, height, and alignment needs over time. To achieve long-term functionality and comfort, invest in a chair that will keep your computer monitor at eye level, your wrists straight, your hands at or below elbow level, your knees in line with your hips, and your feet flat on the floor or footrest. With that in mind, getting a chair with an adjustable seat height is critical. It’s also important that you’re able to adjust your armrests back and forth, as it will lead to optimal hand and elbow placement regardless of limb length, especially if you tend to lean forward (to use your ergonomic mouse, naturally). In this position, without an armrest, your back muscles have to do all the work to keep you upright, which will, of course, lead to further strain. You can even go a step further and look for 360-degree rotation, which is particularly great for those who can’t hold the perfect sitting position all day long (we’re looking at you, crossed-legged sitters and hunched-over hand writers). 

We recommend grabbing a model with additional seat depth, back support, or reclining tension customization for maximum comfort. Many desk chairs will allow you to push back and recline, which can be good for relieving stress and pressure throughout your back and hips. Adjustable tension means you won’t have to continuously push back in order to retain that reclined position, resulting in a more comfortable, relaxing experience overall. These extra features will help you address your spine’s specific needs.

Breathability

Ergonomic mesh office chairs are an excellent way to get the support you need without overheating. They can also be easier to get in and out of, which is particularly helpful for those with hip or knee pain. Additionally, mesh chairs are lighter, less bulky, and easier to clean than other fabrics. A high-quality model should be light and springy with just the right amount of flexibility, almost like sitting in a hammock.

While some mesh chairs can be expensive, we think it’s worth it to invest. Low-quality mesh design can create more problems than it solves; your weight won’t be evenly distributed if the mesh is too stiff. If the mesh sags, your back and bottom won’t have enough support. Durable, pliable mesh should be able to lightly contour the body, lifting it from the seat and supporting it from behind without giving way or sinking. If extra airflow and a lightweight design are what you seek, but the high price point of quality, full-mesh models are a deterrent, try looking for a chair that boasts a mesh back and upholstered seat for the best of both worlds.  

Back support

For most of us, back pain has a lot to do with our posture and sitting positions. If you tend to slump forward, creating an exaggerated curve in your spine, chances are your lower back and hips will be stiff long before the end of your workday. To offset the effects of poor posture, look for a chair with additional lumbar support, which will often take the form of a cushion or indentation that contours to your lower back and creates a slight arch, making it harder for you to slouch forward. Take a look at the back of any chair you’re considering and look for that signature S-curve shape. If you see something with a flat back or bowl instead, you might want to consider another option. 

Drafting chairs

Those with specialized professions who don’t utilize a typical desk can benefit greatly from a well-designed drafting chair. The principles behind healthy sitting are still the same for those who use higher work surfaces, including standing desks, so you might need a few additional features to keep your spine in alignment. 

Seat height adjustability is super important when it comes to drafting chairs; make sure you go for a flexible model with a pneumatic gas lift for easy adjustments. Equally important is the inclusion of a sturdy 360-degree footrest ring. With a drafting chair, there is no chance your feet will be able to rest on the floor, at least not while working at a tall desk; however, the best way to alleviate pain and pressure is to keep your feet flat on a surface squarely underneath your knees. Adjustable tilt tension can also be a key player when it comes to sitting comfortably in your drafting chair. Being up high means more support or resistance might be useful when you want to lean back. Finally, be sure to pay attention to all the features of a regular ergonomic office chair, i.e., armrests, lumbar support, and other customizable options.

Kneeling chairs

Just like active-sitting chairs, kneeling chairs force you to engage your muscles in order to stay upright; they are the quickest way to strengthen your core and improve posture, which, as previously mentioned, is one of the best things you can do to relieve back pain. The best ergonomic chair forgoes any back support and evenly disperses your weight between your spine, thighs, and shins for a sitting experience that is just as comfortable as a traditional model while naturally encouraging better posture. Cushy pads protect your knees and shins, so aside from getting used to your new, healthy sitting position for a few days, you shouldn’t feel any discomfort or pain. After a few weeks of continuous use, you’re likely to notice some sizable changes when it comes to the way you sit. 

There are a few options for kneeling chairs—if you want even more flexibility when it comes to sitting positions, opt for a kneeling rocking chair, which will let you put your feet flat on the floor and recline. If you aren’t sure you’re ready to go totally backless, you can look for one that offers additional mid- or high-spine support. You can even find kneeling chairs that come with casters so you can easily maneuver around your ergonomic workstation. Just keep in mind that you cannot adjust the seat height on a kneeling chair, so make sure you measure your desk height and purchase accordingly. They also can pair well with certain portable desks.

Price

The best ergonomic chairs often come with a high price point, for a reason—these models are built to last for years without degrading or losing their support over time. Practically every part of a solid ergonomic chair is adjustable, which also accounts for cost. However, there are undoubtedly several chairs out there that are more affordable. Make sure you look at the specs of budget ergonomic chairs, checking in on adjustability and lumbar support first. Typically the first thing you sacrifice with a less pricey option is the number of customizable features, like armrests, seat tilt, and more. That doesn’t mean that the chair won’t do a good job supporting your spine, but it does mean that you might sacrifice a little bit of overall comfort. Another way to get a quality chair is to buy used. Though you will probably sacrifice any included warranty, many high-quality, pre-owned chairs are resold through office liquidators and more; this way, you can get an expensive chair for practically half the price.

FAQs

Final thoughts on shopping for the best ergonomic chairs

• Best overall: Steelcase Gesture Chair
• Best premium: Herman Miller Aeron Chair
• Best eco-friendly: Steelcase Karman Chair
• Best for tall person: SIHOO M18 Ergonomic Office Chair
• Best drafting chair: Flash Furniture Mid-Back Drafting Chair
• Best kneeling chair: Varier Original Kneeling Chair
• Best under $400: HON Ignition 2.0
• Best budget: Flexispot OC3B Ergonomic Executive Mesh Office Chair

You should now be well on your way to finding the best ergonomic chair for you and your workstation. Always look for adjustable features and ensure the chair you’re interested in will provide lumbar support for your lower back. Also, keep in mind that making a sound investment in your physical health is never a bad idea, so try your best to find a well-constructed model that will stand up to the test of time—your back will thank you. 

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best ergonomic chairs in 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

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Before your most recent meal, you might have felt some hunger pangs, signaling it was time to eat. Maybe you developed a sudden craving for Italian or another cuisine. These cues did not come out of thin air—they are the work of an almond-sized region in the brain called the hypothalamus. This area of the brain, despite its tiny size, has an enormous job in keeping us alive.

Nicknamed the master switchboard, the hypothalamus works in the background making sure our bodies are in the best condition possible. And, like the way many background actors are kept on the edges of a frame, its role has been taken for granted in the science community. “The hypothalamus is a very underappreciated region,” says Dayu Lin, a professor in the department of neuroscience and physiology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She’s seen research interest in the brain region wane, with some even considering it to be less interesting compared to areas involved in higher and complex cognition.

But there’s still much more we have yet to uncover about the hypothalamus, as four review papers show in a series published by the journal Science today. Advanced technology has opened up new ways of examining the small brain region, redefining its old roles and identifying previously unknown ones. 

The body’s regulator

The hypothalamus controls a variety of vital processes. Working with the pituitary gland, it’s in charge of all hormone production. It is also involved in controlling temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, appetite, and other parts of our physiology. 

“The hypothalamus is regarded as an integral element in central nervous system control of both bodily hormonal activity, as well as a number of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral states,” says James Giordano, a Pellegrino Center professor of neurology at Georgetown University Medical Center, who was not involved in the current studies. 

Complex structures and circuits give the hypothalamus a wide range of influence over multiple bodily processes, the first new paper shows. The hypothalamus is divided into a cluster of cell bodies, called nuclei, with intersecting pathways that help it communicate and coordinate activity within itself and with other outside brain regions. “Hypothalamic function is critical to the integrative activity of the brain, and in this way can be seen as important to defining the integrity of body to brain, and brain to body activity,” Giordano adds.

[Related: New human brain atlas is the most detailed one we’ve seen yet]

Until now, a lack of scientific resources prevented researchers from understanding the function of these cells. Lin, who co-authored another paper on the brain region’s role in social behavior, said it was difficult to study what was going on in this area without disrupting the communication between cells. Past research relied on animals with lesions in specific areas of the hypothalamus, but this does not give a full picture of how the removed cells interact with the rest of the region. 

The 2009 invention of single-cell RNA sequencing, a laboratory technique that allows scientists to analyze the genetic information of individual cells, has helped in better dissecting the circuitry that give hypothalamic clusters their diverse functions. In the recent work, researchers have mapped the cell subtypes in the hypothalamus based on. The next challenges will be to figure out why certain cell types group together and how the clumps govern different behaviors.

This isn’t the only new tool that these scientists employed. Another new research technique, optogenetics, allows neuroscientists to use light to monitor brain cell activity. A third, retrograde tracing, uses a virus to track neural connections starting from synapses all the way to their cell bodies, which helped identify never-before-seen circuits. In the future, these could reveal the hypothalamus’s other roles in regulating behaviors that include pain responses and anxiety. At the same time, the study authors speculate that the hypothalamus directly connects to the gut microbiome, with the implication that this brain area would be in charge of gut bacterial effects as well as serotonin and other hormones involved in the regulation of food. 

Sleep, socialization, and goals

The other three papers focus on some of this brain controller’s major functions. Sleep, for example, is governed by specific neurons that act as a “switch” for transition from rest to wakefulness. But that’s not their only purpose. Sleep-wake cells are equally involved with other hypothalamic activities such as the control of energy metabolism and core body temperature.

“Our manuscript highlights the fact that most neuronal circuits in the hypothalamus serve more than one function, and that they are all interconnected,” says Luis de Lecea, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University who served as author of the new review article. “Sleep is [also] intertwined with pretty much all brain function and loss of sleep affects many aspects of our health including aging and neurodegeneration.”

Another review article focused on how the hypothalamus can promote motivation towards necessities for us to survive such as food and water. To aim us toward such goals, the hypothalamus organizes its neural circuits to work with the ventral tegmental area, a part of the brain involved with reward processes. Optogenetic stimulation has revealed the hypothalamus sends messages to the ventral tegmental area that reinforce or inhibit motivation, and could explain food-seeking behavior. 

[Related: Psychedelics and anesthetics cause unexpected chemical reactions in the brain]

It also influences how we interact with others in a range of social behaviors. These can involve friendly and parental interactions, or aggressive or sexual actions. “These behaviors are critical for the animals to survive in the community and reproduce. The hypothalamus is essential for mediating these daily interactions,” says Lin, a co-author of this paper.

In that research, Lin proposes a dual-control system between the hypothalamus and brainstem-spinal cord. When someone spots a person they want to interact with, the hypothalamus engages with the dopamine system—dopamine is important for movements and reward—to maintain social interest and reinforce other socially acceptable actions. The brainstem-spinal cord circuit then takes this information and uses it to guide socially favorable responses and actions.

From lab animals to human health

Much of the work in investigating the ins and outs of the hypothalamus are in animals. Transgenic mice—genetically manipulated animals used to study biological processes and human diseases—make it easier for scientists to examine a specific section of the hypothalamus, Lin says, without putting any creatures under anesthesia. This is especially helpful to study communal behaviors, because animals need to be freely moving for their social brain circuits to activate. 

Although these studies originated in animals, the new information about the hypothalamus is already being used to form treatments for humans. Efforts are underway to use deep-brain stimulation to target the posterior end of the hypothalamus to prevent or reduce aggression, for example. There is also potential in targeting specific circuits in the hypothalamus to stop other problems such as insomnia and addiction. In the next 10 years, Lin predicts, we’ll be hearing more news of clinical trials that target the hypothalamus to treat troubling behaviors.

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If the existence of a cheap, easy-to-use “Invisible Mask” device that generates a three-foot radius of protection against COVID-19 sounds too good to be true—well, that’s because it is. And the Federal Trade Commission is making sure nobody will continue to profit from this ruse.

Bogus science

According to an October 24 announcement, the FTC recently sued four defendants behind KW Tech, the company hawking the “1 Virus Buster Invisible Mask.” After “attach[ing] a small pouch of [unspecified] ingredients and hang[ing] the badge around the neck,” the Invisible Mask makers claimed it protected wearers against “99.9 percent of all viruses and bacteria,” including multiple variants of COVID-19. The Invisible Mask was marketed as effective in public spaces and crowded areas, as well as on public transit like buses and subways. After 30 days of use, KW Tech advised Invisible Mask owners to discard their device and purchase a new one.

[Related: How to avoid getting COVID again.]

Claiming to employ “a unique combination of compounds” from a design utilizing “IBM’s Quantum Computer,” the Virus Buster Invisible Mask was described as generating an invisible, three-foot “protective gaseous barrier” using something called “ion exchange science.”

“When certain ions collide with other ions, a reaction takes place. This reaction omits [sic] an invisible gas, the point of collision,” KW Tech’s website falsely claimed, as cited in the FTC complaint. “Lighter than air, this gas collects in a tight area close to your face and neck. When this thin layer of gas gets in contact with floating elements like common germs, viruses, and pathogens, it kills them before they are able to get into the nose, mouth, and eye.”

Though this may sound entirely like a word salad, a real technique called “ion exchange” exists, often used to extract mineral impurities from drinking water. However, it requires a physical filter, such as a resin, to collect impurities, and isn’t used against germs. A gas that is lighter than air would diffuse, rise, and not hang out near someone’s mouth.

They’ve been warned before

For $29.99, customers received their Invisible Mask alongside a fake “Certificate of Registration” featuring an image of the FDA logo. Perhaps unsurprisingly, KW Tech never received any approvals from the regulatory body, according to the FTC. Despite “no reliable scientific evidence” supporting their claims, makers of the Invisible Mask continued to deceptively peddle their product, even though they vowed to stop after receiving an FTC warning letter in July 2020—amassing “at least” $100,000 in gross revenue from sales in the process since the FTC’s initial admonishment.

Three of the four defendants have already agreed to settle the complaint, which entails a ban on “advertising, promoting, or selling any product claiming to prevent or treat COVID-19, unless the claims are true and supported by scientific evidence.” The order also bars them from misrepresenting government approval claims for products, alongside a $150,000 penalty.

“The defendants’ claims that their products can stand in for approved COVID-19 vaccines are bogus,” Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said via the October 24 announcement. “The FTC will use every tool it has at its disposal to stop false and unsubstantiated health claims that endanger consumers.”

Experts continue to agree that proper masking, social distance guidelines, vaccines, and boosters remain the best preventative measures against the contraction and spread of COVID-19.

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“It’s been forever considered a garbage fish, but it’s probably the most delicious fish that we serve,” David Standridge says about the bottom-dwelling sea robin. Standridge is the executive chef of a farm-to-sea-to-fork restaurant The Shipwright’s Daughter in Mystic, Connecticut. For him, the historically maligned but mild tasting sea robin is the “poster child” for a fish that should be eaten more because it is so abundant.

“Part of supporting local and supporting small business is really building a more resilient food system,” says Standridge. “So that’s the first thing that we look at when we look at abundance, and what species we are choosing.”

Seared sea robin, smoked swordfish tater tots, and locally caught whiting wrapped in sugar kelp (tempura fried) are just some of the potentially sustainable dishes diners can find on the menu here. While using ingredients sourced by local farmers is difficult to scale up to more mainstream restaurants and grocery chains, The Shipwright’s Daughter’s creative work with both supply chains and flavor profiles make for a delicious starting point. 

[Related: Why seaweed is a natural fit for replacing certain plastics.]

The Shipwright’s Daughter is a 2023 James Beard Foundation Smart Catch leader, working with other restaurants and chefs to evaluate the environmental impact of the fish served. Standridge uses the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch–an assessment tool that helps consumers and chefs alike gauge the sustainability of their seafood–to evaluate every fish on the menu. This year, 97.3 percent of the fish served is certified sustainable, according to Standridge. 

While the menu adjusts to the seasons and what’s readily available, one of its popular items is a delightful soup with a subtly flavored local white fish called scup, served with kelp vinegar and smoked sea beans. The seared sea robin is surprisingly light. A member of the distinct Triglidae family of fish, sea robins are covered in spines. They use “walking rays” to crawl along the bottom of the ocean and help them sense the mollusks and crustaceans that they eat. Yet, the dish is approachable–for the more selective eaters.

These fish live along coastal Connecticut and Rhode Island, which cuts down on shipping costs and reduces the amount of fossil fuels used to bring fish from the water to the dinner plate. The entrees on the menu range from about $25 to $60, which is on par with smart casual restaurants in Mystic. The seaside town is an emerging New England food destination with everything from artisanal doughnuts to fusion cuisine from Bangladeshi chef Sheuli Solaiman. 

Standridge also works closely with nearby Stonington Kelp Co. co-owner and sugar kelp farmer Suzie Flores to incorporate this giant seaweed into many of their signature dishes. Alongside her husband, Flores farms three acres of kelp on sturdy mooring lines about a mile from shore in Fishers Island Sound. She sells it fresh from the docks of a local marina in season and at multiple farmers markets in Connecticut. From there, consumers have a wide range of ways to eat it, from fresh salads, pickled, or even powdered and sprinkled on pasta and pizza for a little kick of extra nutrients.

[Related: Eating sustainably may mean skipping the lobster for now.]

Standridge and Flores share a similar approach to both sustainability and food and Flores devotes a great deal of time promoting kelp and growing this viable market so people of all incomes can eventually benefit from it. 

“Sustainability is kind of a multi-faceted approach,” Flores tells PopSci. “It’s something that is grown while doing as little harm as you can. It’s also possibly about negating harm and can be restorative in some ways and can help support an economy and community. It’s not just about growing something using no fertilizer, not using any freshwater, or putting pressure on resources, but it also is about developing an economy around it as well.”

Flores cultivates sugar kelp which is a native seaweed that grows along the Northeastern United States and up into Canada. Farmed sugar kelp grows over the winter months and is harvested every spring. It absorbs excess nitrogen from the water, while also producing oxygen. Sugar kelp also grows as quickly as six and a half feet from the time it is planted to harvest, according to Flores. 

[Related: Why seaweed farming could be the next big thing in sustainability.]

Nutritionally, sugar kelp is an excellent source of fiber, vitamins C and K, calcium, and more. “I feel like it’s kind of common knowledge that fish is good for you, and the reason fish is good for you is because of all of the things that are present in seaweed,” says Flores.

Seaweeds like kelp could be major components of building a more sustainable food system. They can be used in cow feed to reduce methane emissions and research from Tufts University found that it could help tackle food insecurity. The plants with a reputation for being a messy nuisance can even be used in tasty desserts including the restaurant’s sea salt caramels and its light and sweet kelp cake. 

“We pickle as much as we can and then it’s just really a delicious kind of condiment for anything. In that form, you can mix it into soups and sauces, you can put it into salads,” says Standridge. “We can do a lot of things where you just kind of want a little bit of ocean flavor in something that’s not going to be overpowering. It’s a great product.”

One of the biggest challenges of sustainable agriculture is bringing it up to scale so healthy foods like kelp are more affordable. Standridge says that his restaurant and others that use seaweed can help encourage people to try to incorporate more of it into their diets because diners there are typically more open to trying something new. It can pique interest in kelp and other ingredients that consumers may be less familiar with.

Financial support from organizations like NOAA Sea Grant and the National Science foundation can help fund the next steps of scaling seaweed production up and using existing fishing infrastructure to keep seaweed sustainable and economical. Educational events like Kelp Harvest Week or maintaining a presence at farmer’s markets has also helped the public become more open to eating seaweed. 

“If you go to an apple orchard, there’s usually apples that are down on the bottom and rotting. You wouldn’t pick those up and have that be your representation of an apple,” says Flores. “We harvest our kelp fresh from a line out in the ocean, so it’s not the same seaweed that you find washed up on the shore. And that makes a huge difference.”

Bringing sustainable ingredients up to scale requires time, investment, and faces the tug of war of maintaining its low environmental impact without generating more waste or burning unnecessary fossil fuels. Despite the challenge, supporting smaller farms and fisheries could prove to be a tool in working towards a more sustainable food system for more of us, perhaps with a side of pickled kelp. 

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In Head Trip, PopSci explores the relationship between our brains, our senses, and the strange things that happen in between.

MANY ILLUSIONS are products of mismatched sensory inputs, evoked when one sense contradicts another. (It looks like just a noisy fan, but it sounds as if it’s speaking.) One of the most startling—and easiest to try by yourself—of these illusions is the McGurk effect, an audiovisual illusion first described by Scottish psychologist Harry McGurk and his assistant John MacDonald in 1976. 

If you search YouTube, you’ll find many videos of the McGurk effect. You watch a person’s face as they speak a single syllable—usually ba—over and over again. After a while, the person will start mouthing a different syllable, usually fa. Many listeners will “hear” the accompanying audio changing to match this. In reality, though, it does nothing of the sort; the sound being played remains the same throughout. “Ba! Ba! Ba!”

So what’s going on? Michael Beauchamp, a professor of neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania, has spent much of his career investigating the McGurk effect. “It’s what I think about all day, every day,” he laughs. In a 2012 paper in the journal NeuroImage, Beauchamp and colleague Audrey Nath examined the link between the effect and neural activity in a region of the brain called the left superior temporal sulcus (STS).

This STS forms a physical bridge between the visual cortex and the auditory processing region (a fact Beauchamp demonstrates with a 3D printout of his own brain). One of this brain region’s many important functions is processing multisensory audiovisual input. “[The STS] puts auditory information and visual information together,” Beauchamp explains. “That’s why we think it’s important for the McGurk.”

The 2012 research examined functional MRI data to study left STS activity in people who experienced the McGurk effect and to compare it to left STS activity in those who didn’t. There were, indeed, increased levels of activity in the first group. However, Beauchamp makes sure to caution that the results don’t constitute anything as definitive as “the STS causes the McGurk effect,” given the inherent complexity of the brain. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable [being that definitive] without a much larger sample size,” he says.

Still, the study did hint at one important fact that has been the focus of much subsequent research. “Some people always get the McGurk effect, and some people never do,” Beauchamp says. “[But] there’s also a whole spectrum in the middle. We are super certain of this; we’ve seen [it] in hundreds of people.”

The existence of this spectrum suggests that the effect—and thus the interaction between vision and hearing in multisensory processing—is more complex and nuanced than many scientists once believed. (This includes McGurk himself, who claimed that 98% of people always experience the full effect, while the remaining 2% never experience it at all.) 

It also suggests the whole concept of “illusion” is worth re-examining. We tend to assume that experiencing an illusion constitutes a failure of our senses—that we’ve been fooled, and that in the process, we’re coming up against the limits of our brains’ ability to make sense of the outside world. But Beauchamp’s study proposed that the real picture might be more subtle: “We speculate that McGurk perceivers have more liberal criteria for integrating auditory and visual speech information. Even if the auditory and visual information is mismatched, McGurk perceivers integrate it. This might provide an advantage under conditions of high levels of auditory or visual noise, at the cost of being misled by McGurk stimuli.”

That means, in some cases at least, the susceptibility to illusions may be adaptive, rather than maladaptive, because illusions are ultimately induced by the brain doing its best to make sense of mismatched or contradictory sensory information. This also raises the question of how our neurological centers might adapt to a change in the quality of that information. (As someone who has acquired hearing loss—I have damage to the cochlea in one ear, the legacy of a stray elbow in a childhood basketball game—I find this idea has personal resonance.) So do we know how, or if, the STS and the rest of the brain adapt to a long-term change in the reliability of one of the senses? 

“It’s a fascinating question—and an open one. We know the brain is plastic,” he says, adding that finding ways to use this plasticity is one of the goals of his team’s research. “For example, a lot of people’s hearing declines a lot faster than their vision does, so if we could help them to become more attuned to visual information, that might help [compensate for] hearing loss.”

The extent of the brain’s plasticity in this respect is underlined by one more remarkable detail that Beauchamp’s research has uncovered: The McGurk effect can be permanent. “If you watch the same McGurk effect clip for a long time, you’ll get the illusion even if you’re not looking at the screen. Basically, your brain is getting rewired; you don’t even need to see the face anymore, because your brain has been convinced, ‘OK, the auditory part is wrong, so I’ll go with what the visual part is saying,’” the professor explains.

Again, you can try it yourself: “Go on YouTube,” Beauchamp says. “Watch [one of those] videos for a minute a day for a few days, and then listen to it again without looking. My prediction is that you’ll still get the McGurk effect.”

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This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here.

Hurricane Ian slammed into southwest Florida as a Category 4 storm in September last year, killing 149 people—the most deaths attributable to a single hurricane in the state in nearly a century. But the official death count didn’t include one of the most gruesome ways people died as a result of the storm.

A study published this week found that Hurricane Ian led to a spike in cases of vibriosis, a life-threatening illness caused by a water-borne bacteria called Vibrio, in Florida. In Lee County, where Ian made landfall, 38 people were sickened by the bacteria and 11 people ultimately died in the month following the storm — the highest number of Vibrio cases in a single month in Florida in more than 30 years. There had been no reported cases of Vibrio in the state in the week leading up to the hurricane. 

There are many species of Vibrio, including Vibrio cholerae—the cause of the diarrheal disease cholera, which kills tens of thousands of people per year in the Global South. Vibrio vulnificus, commonly referred to as “flesh-eating bacteria,” is less common globally but more deadly, and it’s becoming more pervasive in the U.S. Vibrio vulnificus kills an estimated 1 in 5 people who are exposed to it, usually either by eating uncooked shellfish or by making contact with the bacteria via an open wound. Three people died after consuming shellfish tainted by Vibrio vulnificus or otherwise being exposed to the bacteria in New York and Connecticut earlier this year. 

Past research has shown that warming ocean surface temperatures are leading to more Vibrio bacteria in the world’s oceans, particularly in the Atlantic, which is heating up at an alarming and unprecedented rate. A study published in Nature this year — the most comprehensive scientific assessment of how climate change is influencing the distribution of the bacteria to date — predicted that Vibrio vulnificus is likely to be present in every eastern U.S. state by the end of this century.   

The study published [last] week, led by Rita Colwell, a microbiologist at the University of Maryland and one of the foremost Vibrio researchers in the nation, is among the first to make a direct link between a specific hurricane and a spike in cases of vibriosis. Colwell and her colleagues found that flooding brought on by Hurricane Ian caused millions of gallons of water to run into the ocean, carrying nutrients with it. The storm also stirred up sediment and warm water off the coast of Florida. The runoff, sediment, and high sea-surface temperatures triggered an explosion of Vibrio vulnificus and other types of Vibrio bacteria in the waters off the Florida coast, growth the researchers were able to document using satellite observations and shellfish samples from October 2022. 

Gabriel Filippelli, a climate change researcher and director of Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute, said he would have expected Hurricane Ian’s impacts to produce a “blip” in Vibrio abundance off Florida’s coast “and then a recovery back to baseline.” But that’s not what the study says happened. “It actually ramped up not only the abundance of Vibrio but some of the particular species that are problematic,” Filippelli, who was not involved in the research, said. 

Colwell wasn’t surprised by her findings—the ocean water around Florida was abnormally warm last year and has continued to warm since. Her own prior research has shown that temperature anomalies lead to the growth of these harmful bacteria. Warm water also breeds stronger hurricanes, and adding a storm to conditions that already favored Vibrio had a predictable outcome. “We took samples and, sure enough, we found lots of Vibrio,” Colwell said. 

The results, she said, signal that public health officials everywhere, but particularly in hurricane-prone states, need to be aware of the potential threat that Vibrio bacteria pose to their communities. Climate change continues to create conditions that are conducive to larger and more intense storms, which could mean more vibriosis in humans as time goes on. 

Filippelli hopes this study and other research to come will help local governments limit injuries and death during and after big storms. With the right data, local public health departments would be able to warn communities about the potential for toxins in shellfish and waterways following a hurricane or extreme flooding event. “That’s kind of the point of doing a lot of this,” Filippelli said. “It’s not just watching the climatic horror show emerge but trying to get ahead of it.”

This article originally appeared in Grist at https://grist.org/health/hurricane-ian-stirred-up-flesh-eating-bacteria-in-florida/.

Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Learn more at Grist.org

Not all schools are on board with the idea, though. Though more districts have signed on since last year, only about a third of Colorado districts had enrolled in the state’s giveaway program at the start of this school year. And within the dozen counties with the highest drug overdose death rates in the state, many school districts had not signed up in the face of ongoing stigma around the need for the overdose reversal medication.

The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recommends that schools, including elementary schools, keep naloxone on hand as fatal opioid overdoses rise, particularly from the potent drug fentanyl. And 33 states have laws that expressly allow schools or school employees to carry, store, or administer naloxone, according to Jon Woodruff, managing attorney at the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association, which tracks naloxone policies across the country.

Among those, about nine states require at least some K-12 schools to store naloxone on-site, including Illinois, whose requirement goes into effect in January. Some states, such as Maine, also require that public schools offer training to students in how to administer naloxone in nasal spray form.

Rhode Island requires all K-12 schools, both public and private, to stock naloxone. Joseph Wendelken, a spokesperson for the Rhode Island Department of Health, said in the past four years naloxone was administered nine times to people ages 10 to 18 in educational settings.

In early September, the medication also became available over the counter nationally, though the $45 price tag per two-dose package has some addiction specialists worried it will be out of reach for those who need it most.

But the medicine still isn’t as publicly widespread as automated external defibrillators or fire extinguishers. Kate King, president of the National Association of School Nurses, said reluctance to stock it in schools can stem from officials being afraid to provide a medical service or the ongoing cost of resupplying the naloxone and training people to use it. But the main hang-up she’s heard is that schools are afraid they’ll be stigmatized as a “bad school” that has a drug problem or as a school that condones bad choices.

“School districts are very careful regarding their image,” said Yunuen Cisneros, community outreach and inclusion manager at the Public Education & Business Coalition, which serves most of the state’s school districts. “Many of them don't want to accept this program, because to accept it is to accept a drug addiction problem.”

That’s the wrong way to think about it, King said. “We really equate it to our stock albuterol for asthma attacks, our stock epinephrine for anaphylactic reactions,” she said.

Colorado health officials could not say how often naloxone had been used on school grounds in the state. So far this year, at least 15 children ages 10 to 18 have died of fentanyl overdoses but not necessarily in schools. And in 2022, 34 children in that age group died, according to the state Department of Public Health and Environment. That included 13-year-old José Hernández, who died in August 2022 from a fentanyl overdose at home just days after starting eighth grade at Aurora Hills Middle School. His grandmother found his body over the bathroom sink in the early morning.

With the arrival of this new school year, supplies of naloxone are on hand for kids in more Colorado schools. Last year, state lawmakers appropriated $19.7 million in federal aid to the Naloxone Bulk Purchase Fund, which is accessible to school districts, jails, first responders, and community service organizations, among others.

“It’s the most we’ve ever had,” said Andrés Guerrero, manager of the state health department’s overdose prevention program.

According to data provided by Colorado’s health department, 65 school districts were enrolled in the state program to receive naloxone at low or no cost at the start of the school year. Another 16 had reached out to the state for information but hadn’t finalized orders as of mid-August. The remaining 97 school districts either didn’t stock naloxone at their schools or sourced it from elsewhere.

Guerrero said the districts decide whom to train to administer the medicine. “In some cases, it's just the school nurses. In some cases, it's school nurses and the teachers,” he said. “And in some cases, we have the students as well.”

In Durango, the 2021 death of a high schooler galvanized students to push for the right to carry naloxone with them to school with parental permission — and to administer it if need be — without fear of punishment.

It took picketing outside a school board meeting to get permission, said Hays Stritikus, who graduated this spring from Durango High School. He’s now involved in drafting legislation that would expressly allow students across the state to carry and distribute Narcan on school grounds.

“The ultimate goal is a world where Narcan is not necessary,” he said. “But that's just not where we live.”

Some health experts disagree that all schools should stock naloxone. Lauren Cipriano, a health economist at Western University in Canada, has studied the cost-effectiveness of naloxone in secondary schools there. While opioid poisonings have occurred on school grounds, she said, high schools tend to be really low-risk settings.

More effective strategies for combating the opioid epidemic are needle exchange sites, supervised drug consumption sites, and medication-assisted treatment that reduces cravings or mutes highs, Cipriano said. But those approaches can be expensive compared with naloxone distribution.

“When the state makes a big, free program like this, it looks like they're doing something about the opioid epidemic,” she said. “It's cheap and it looks like you're doing something, and that's, like, political gold.”

Denver Public Schools, the largest school district in Colorado, started stocking naloxone in 2022, said Jade Williamson, manager of the district’s healthy schools program.

"We know some of the students are on the forefront of these things before older generations,” Williamson said. “To know where to find it, and to access it when needed through these adults who've trained, whether that's a school nurse or a school administrator, I think it brings them some sense of relief."

The state’s seven largest districts, with more than 25,000 students each, all participate in the state program. By contrast, a KFF Health News analysis found, only 21 percent of districts with up to 1,200 students have signed up for it — even though many of those small districts are in areas with drug overdose death rates higher than the state average.

Some school districts figured out a path to getting naloxone outside of the state program. That includes Pueblo School District 60, where lead nurse Foster gave naloxone to a student last year.

The Pueblo school district gets naloxone at no cost from a local nonprofit called the Southern Colorado Harm Reduction Association. Foster said she tried signing up for the state program but encountered difficulties. So she decided to stick with what was already working.

Moffat County School District RE-1 in Craig, Colorado, gets its naloxone from a local addiction treatment center, according to district nurse Myranda Lyons. She said she trains school staffers on how to administer it when she teaches them CPR.

Christopher deKay, superintendent of Ignacio School District 11Jt, said its school resource officers already carry naloxone but that the district enrolled in the state program, too, so that schools could stock the medication in the nursing office in case a resource officer isn’t around.

“It’s like everything — like training for fire safety. You don’t know what’s going to happen in your school,” said deKay. “If the unthinkable happens, we want to be able to respond in the best way possible.”

This story was produced with reporting assistance from El Comercio de Colorado.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

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This article was originally featured on Hakai Magazine, an online publication about science and society in coastal ecosystems. Read more stories like this at hakaimagazine.com.

Eight years ago, I first met with researchers from the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program (STDP) in Tasmania, Australia, to learn about their work to protect the endangered marsupials. Since then, I’ve continued to follow this story, including tracking how the Forestier Peninsula devils—the focus of my original article published in late 2015—fared in their “new life.”

Contagious cancers like devil facial tumor disease (DFTD) are virtually unheard of in vertebrates, yet understanding how they’re transmitted and how they evade immune systems has implications for both conservation and oncology. For that research to take place, there needs to be a healthy population of Tasmanian devils. That’s why in late 2015 and early 2016, the STDP released 49 devils bred in captivity on the isolated Forestier Peninsula, to join the estimated 30 wild devils already living on the adjacent Tasman Peninsula. Establishing a new, managed, disease-free population of devils (with another already existing on Maria Island, located just off the east coast of Tasmania) would buy researchers more time to develop a vaccine.

Their release should have been a moment of hope for the endangered species, but it was marred by a discovery some 50 kilometers west, across the sea, on another Tasmanian peninsula. A local spotted a devil with a large facial tumor: the calling card of DFTD.

Routine tests returned an unsettling result—it was a new cancer.

Called DFT2, the new disease is genetically distinct from DFT1 (the original cancer). Its method of transmission and symptoms are the same, and it poses a severe additional threat to the species.

The discovery of DFT2, however, provides a critical clue to the cancer’s puzzle. Devils, it turns out, aren’t victims of bad luck—they are particularly prone to DFTD. There are three known wild infectious cancers in vertebrates in the world, and Tasmanian devils have two of them.

“It was a big surprise. We thought that transmissible cancers were really rare—like lightning striking—and that devils were just a very unfortunate species,” says Elizabeth Murchison, who researches genetic and transmissible cancers at the University of Cambridge in England. It’s likely that DFT1 and DFT2 weren’t the first cancers to emerge in devils and are unlikely to be the last.

The habit the devils have of biting each other helps spread the disease, and their low genetic diversity creates ideal conditions for the cancers to evade the marsupial’s immune system. Another factor in the devils’ inability to fight the infections could be an issue with their peripheral nervous systems, where both DFT1 and DFT2 seem to originate. What’s likely not to blame, however, is environmental pollutants as suggested in my original article. According to Murchison, the imprint mutations left on devil DNA indicate the two cancers are natural occurrences. “There’s nothing to suggest any external exposure to a chemical or radiation or anything like that,” she says.

Fortunately, the discovery of the second cancer hasn’t slowed vaccine development. Andrew Flies—a senior research fellow at the University of Tasmania’s Menzies Institute for Medical Research—says the cancers have similarities that will make it easier for his team to develop a vaccine for both. In 2024, tests on an experimental DFT1 vaccine will begin, with the development of a vaccine that targets both cancers already underway. To reach devils, officials will distribute bait drops containing the vaccine through Tasmania’s vast wilderness.

Rollout is still several years away, but devils no longer appear to be at imminent risk of extinction. Exact numbers are unknown, but thanks in part to pilot projects to improve genetic diversity through the release of healthy devils, their population is holding strong in many areas—at least for now.

“Disease doesn’t really make a species go extinct. Diseases push the species to the very edge, and then everything else just comes along and takes them out,” says Carolyn Hogg, a researcher at the University of Sydney, who has been working with threatened species in Australia, including Tasmanian devils, for over 25 years.

For devils, “everything else” includes low genetic diversity, loss of habitat, and road fatalities. The nocturnal scavengers can’t resist the lure of rotting roadside carcasses, easy pickings in the roadkill capital of the world. In 2021, motorists killed more than 100 devils on just one 25-kilometer stretch of road in northwest Tasmania.

“If you’ve only got five breeding females in a small population and two get hit by cars on the road, you’ve lost 40 percent of your breeding population in one event,” says Hogg.

That’s exactly what happened to the Forestier Peninsula devils I wrote about in my original article. Drivers killed 16 of the 49 individuals within six weeks of their release. Through subsequent tracking, Hogg and her team discovered that devils raised in captive facilities for generations were more likely to use roadways than wild devils.

“You can’t release them anywhere near any major road systems, because behaviorally they’re used to the sound of vehicles,” says Hogg.

Since then, the STDP has done 11 more releases of healthy Tasmanian devils throughout the state to improve genetic diversity of existing wild populations. What’s changed is that instead of releasing devils bred in captivity, it now relies on the wild offspring of the disease-free population on Maria Island. A national park where there are no cars (save for those used by park rangers), Maria Island has wild devils that aren’t habituated to the sound of traffic and are more likely to survive.

Relying on Maria Island’s wild devils is the best option for building up a population of wild devils until a vaccine is developed. But the introduction of the marsupials to the island—which was devil-free until 2012—still has critics, much as it did back in 2015. In 2021, BirdLife Tasmania reported that over a decade, the introduced devils wiped out the island’s 3,000 breeding pairs of little penguins. Little penguins are found in abundance in the wild: Tasmania has hundreds of offshore islands, with an estimated 110,000 to 190,000 breeding pairs.

“We knew that was going to happen,” says Hogg. A risk assessment, she says, determined that the benefits of having a place to breed wild devils disease-free and improve their genetic diversity was “greater than the loss of the birds.”

The news, however, is not all bad. Researchers believe that introducing the carnivore has allowed Maria’s population of eastern barred bandicoots—listed as an endangered species on the mainland—to thrive, by pushing predatory possums up into trees. Cape Barren geese—which dropped in numbers following the marsupial’s introduction—have also learned to coexist with devils. As for the population of little penguins? The Maria Island population began to decline around the same time as one on a neighboring island, suggesting additional environmental factors were likely at play.

Yet, the conservation of endemic species and how to best manage them—from little penguins to Tasmanian devils—remains both a controversial and emotional topic in Australia. It’s rumored that conservation “vigilantes” are covertly rewilding Australia’s mainland with devils smuggled from Tasmania. But Hogg says any mainland devils are just as likely to develop a new cancer, given how susceptible they are to the disease. And without the protection of natural barriers that isolate populations of devils—like the narrow isthmuses on the Forestier and Tasman Peninsulas or the waters around Maria Island—preventing the cancer from spreading is impossible.

For now—until a vaccine is deployed—Maria Island’s disease-free population will be what stands between the devils and extinction.

This article first appeared in Hakai Magazine and is republished here with permission.

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Hulu’s new sci-fi horror movie, No One Will Save You, has just two sentences of dialogue over 93 minutes of run time. But it’s not a quiet film. Floors groan, feet thud, characters shriek, and something—no spoilers as to what—chitters eerily. The unsettling background noise is complemented by composer Joseph Trapanese’s menacing music, which shivers from deep electronic pulses to ripsaw whines. It’s spooky and effective. Even prolific horror novelist Stephen King took notice, calling the film “brilliant, daring, involving, scary” on the social media platform X. 

Horror soundtracks like No One Will Save You’s have a special goal. It’s hard to find another musical genre so defined by the need to generate a single emotion: fear. To twist audio in unnerving ways, composers, musicians, and mixers use several special techniques. Some songs might have extreme variation in their dynamics, such as long silences that build into clashing notes to accompany a jump scare on the screen. Others wrap in acoustical features with human screams that, according to one study, may trigger alarm bells in our brains. 

Spooky songs also have the liberty to be more experimental because they don’t have to be pleasant. Pop tunes and gentler soundtracks typically stick to well-worn concepts like harmony. The spine-chilling stuff, though, tends to be “much more creative and break the mold of certain unwritten rules,” says Ben Ma, a musician and software engineer at the music startup Rivet. Still, nightmarish scores use a few common compositional tricks to mess with listeners’ minds. 

Uneasy on the ears

If you’ve ever thought that horror soundtracks just sound like someone screaming, you’re correct. Music cognition researcher Caitlyn Trevor has investigated parallels between song composition and vocal signals or other natural sounds. Sad tunes might remind us of someone crying, but this is often in the most abstract sense, she says, where something like a falling melodic note is reinterpreted as a sigh. “What I liked about scary music is that it seems like an area where mimicry was much more direct and much more obvious,” Trevor explains. “It really does sound a lot like a scream.”

In the study, 20 volunteers listened to recordings of people actually screaming plus excerpts from horror soundtracks, which included scream-like music as well as more neutral songs. The participants were asked to rate their emotional impressions of what they’d heard on a negative to positive scale. Human screams were the most negatively emotional, but the subjects also reacted similarly, if less intensely, to scream-like music. It’s as though horror music “piggybacks” on natural vocal signals, Trevor adds, “but they’re a little less potent because it’s in this art space.” In other words, we might hear danger in a soundtrack, but we also know it’s make-believe.

“The correlation to screams definitely makes sense to me,” says Rich Vreeland, who, as the artist Disasterpeace, composed the soundtracks for It Follows, Bodies Bodies Bodies, and other Hollywood films. His musical inspirations span cinema and real life: Bernard Hermann’s jarring score for Psycho was “one of my touchstones for how to make shrill scary sounds,” as was the “horrific sound of the Sony alarm clock that I had as a kid.” 

Out of tune

Horror soundtracks are so distinct from other soundtracks that algorithms can pick out particular traits from the genre. A team of computer scientists, including Ma, used a bespoke computer model to analyze the music of 110 box-office topping movies, as they reported in a 2021 PLOS One paper. Their goal was to take a quantitative approach to the way movie music affects audiences with the “first study that applies deep learning models on musical features to predict a film’s genre,” they wrote. 

Inharmonicity nixes those nice, round numbers. The notes played together might not even exist on a keyboard—imagine sound spewing from the space between the keys, “something that you physically couldn’t play on a piano,” Ma says. To pull this off, you need a continuous pitch instrument. The violins’ shrieking strings in the Psycho soundtrack are a prototypical example: It “really exemplifies on the atonal level” how horror music works, Ma says, producing a frequency that is extremely unsettling.

Sounds of anxiety and terror

Trevor’s most recent study of horror music, published earlier this year in The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, splits the idea of fear in two. There are songs that make us anxious and songs that terrify us. Her acoustic analysis teased several different features from the soundtracks of 30 horror movies to understand how they achieved either of those psychological effects. Notably, each category had a distinct tempo, which she and her colleagues described in the paper: The anxious examples were “ponderous” or “pacing,” while the terrifying ones were “frenetic” and “throbbing” or a “wall of sound.” 

As an additional experiment, the team then had 99 people rate the anxiety, terror, tenderness, and happiness of the tunes on a seven-point scale. On average, subjects weren’t able to completely separate the music into the two fearful categories—terrifying music was rated as also conveying lots of anxiety. That might have been a product of survey bias, Trevor says. “Maybe participants were responding to how it made them feel more than what was being portrayed.” She’s currently part of a study that uses MRI brain scans to observe whether human screams and scary music activate similar neural networks in listeners. 

But there’s more to horror soundtracks than clever composition. The power of juxtaposition, for instance, is one aspect that scientific studies may not be designed to fully capture, but is super effective, Ma explains. The best scores, like the scary movies they accompany, put the audience at ease—then shatter it. “Horror soundtracks need to also have moments of beauty in them,” Ma says. “They put you in this place of calm so they can drag you out of it in the most gut-wrenching ways.”

Enjoy this scary-music playlist curated by PopSci editors, and let us know what your most feared soundtrack is.

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The threat of avian influenza (H5N1) continues to be a serious health and economic issue. As of September, almost 60 million birds have been affected in the United States since the latest outbreak began in January 2022. There are currently 839 known H5N1 outbreaks around the world.

[Related: Thriving baby California condor is a ray of hope for the unique species.]

Earlier this month, France began Europe’s only mass-vaccination campaign against avian influenza. The country plans to vaccinate roughly 64 million ducks at 2,700 farms over the next year as an effort to end mass culls. Drastic actions like the culls cost the poultry industry millions of dollars every year. 

“Vaccination should mean we only face individual cases, avoiding the tidal waves sweeping through farms,” poultry chief at the SNGTV farm vets’ association Jocelyn Marguerie told DW News. 

To reduce the risk of more Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) spreading in the US, the Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has barred poultry imports from France and its European Union trading partners including Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. The ban covers live ducks, duck eggs, and unmitigated/untreated duck products in addition to poultry products and is due to their recent vaccination campaign. 

According to a press release, the agency is concerned that the vaccines may mask that the virus is already circulating in poultry, as the vaccinated birds may not show any signs of infection and could lead to the contaminated animals being brought into the US. 

In France, the vaccine will be given in two doses and is obligatory for ducklings as young as 10 days old being raised on farms that have more than 250 birds. It will cost close to 100 million euros ($105 million) and 85 percent of the cost will reportedly be financed by the French government.

“Typically, animal vaccines in the US take approximately 3 years to develop and get FDA approval. Even though vaccination reduces mortality significantly, there is still concern that vaccinated birds can become infected and shed the virus,” Michelle Hawkins, an ABVP certified veterinarian at the University of California, Davis and the director of the California Raptor Center tells PopSci. “This is the main concern regarding France authorizing a vaccine. Ducks often carry avian influenza viruses without showing any clinical signs when infected.”

Hawkins also cited a concern about how quickly HPAI can mutate which could potentially reduce the vaccine’s efficacy.

[Related: One way to fight off bird flu: extra-CRISPRed chicken.]

Recently, commercial flocks have been culled in South Africa to stop the spread and the virus which has been detected in at least 67 countries. It has also been found in domestic cats in Poland and has even jumped from wild birds into seals on the East and West Coasts of the US. 

While vaccination is not enough to completely stop the disease yet, the jabs are a tool in fighting it. The Department of Agriculture began evaluating four HPAI vaccine candidates for animals and began some trials in April 2023. Other countries including Egypt, China, Mexico, and Vietnam have been vaccinating flocks for years. 

Currently, the risk of avian flu to humans is low, with only one reported human case of this virus in the US. There are trials underway of vaccines for humans if the virus mutates to become more of a threat to people. Researchers in the United Kingdom have also isolated a gene called BTN3A3 that could keep the virus from infecting humans. 

In the meantime, vigilance from bird owners and other protective measures including avoiding contact with wild birds and reporting dead birds to the proper authorities remain crucial. 

“It is critical that bird owners look at what they can do immediately to protect their flocks– now,” says Hawkins. 

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About 364 miles above Earth, the crew of the Inspiration 4 private mission in 2021 drew each other’s blood and administered ultrasound scans. Yet it’s not clear whether those experiments were subject to the same ethical rules that govern human studies on the ground. And it’s unlikely to be the last time humans in orbit are asked to study each other in this way. Jared Isaacman, the billionaire backer of Inspiration 4 plans to conduct more experiments on his Polaris Dawn mission scheduled for sometime in 2024. 

It’s different when the research happens on Earth. If a US citizen chooses to participate in a clinical trial or other biomedical experiment, even those run privately, ethics rules govern the scientists, doctors, and institutions in charge of the study. A physician or a university cannot penalize a person for refusing to participate, for instance, and an ethics board must approve any trials before they start. 

Those ethical rules are part of the territory when receiving federal funding. “If the federal government gives you $1 anywhere in your organization, even having nothing to do with the research, then any human subjects research you do has to follow what’s called the ‘Common Rule,’” says Paul Wolpe, a bioethicist at Emory University and the former chief of bioethics at NASA. 

The 1991 Common Rule, or more formally the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, is codified in multiple federal agencies, including the Health and Human Services Department. Its reach even extends beyond the bounds of Earth to NASA’s research, managing how the agency must treat astronauts on the International Space Station. 

But civilians have begun flying to orbit in the spacecraft of private companies. And those that don’t take federal money are not formally subject to the Common Rule. So what if SpaceX or Axiom Space, say, makes it a condition that anyone flying on private space missions must take a pharmaceutical drug at the behest of a partner company to gauge how it is metabolized in microgravity? 

[Related: Private space missions will bring more countries to the ISS]

That was the topic of a new paper published in Science by Wolpe and his colleagues. They argue that the time to begin asking questions about the ethics of human experimentation on private spacecraft is right now, before it becomes ubiquitous.

”Commercial spaceflight is revving up right now. The temptation to do human subjects experimentation is already starting,” Wolpe says, urging for a quick consensus. “It’s not like we’re saying, ‘10, 15 years from now, we may do this. We’re saying, ‘Next week we may do this.’” 

The paper’s authors argue it’s possible to extend the ethical frameworks already used to govern human scientific research on the ground—and in space for NASA astronauts—by following four principles: social responsibility, scientific excellence, proportionality, and global stewardship. 

Social responsibility recognizes that the past public investments that make spaceflight possible mean that this research should be treated “like a community resource.” It also points out that experimentation in the early years of commercial spaceflight “will be critical for ensuring the safety of future missions,” the authors write.  

Scientific excellence means thinking about how poorly designed or conducted experiments return low quality results, and “bad science is also bad for business,” the authors write. 

Proportionality refers to the importance of ensuring human research in space, like that on Earth, maximizes benefits while reducing the potential for harm as much as possible. And, guided by global stewardship, the fruits of these studies should benefit everyone, the authors argue: “Spaceflight research should therefore engage, and be conducted by, individuals and communities representative of humankind’s diversity.”

Wolpe hopes the principles can serve as a starting point for commercial space companies to think about and implement ethical guidelines, just as private companies do for human research on Earth. This paper doesn’t propose any concrete rules just yet. But coming up with a standard set of them for human experimentation in commercial spaceflight would be in corporations’ interest, too, Wolpe notes. “If everybody agrees on the rules, and we all operate under these rules, then we know what the floor and the ceiling is,” he says. Ideally, these would protect participants—and safeguard companies from lawsuits, if someone is harmed on a mission.

[Related: Space tourism is on the rise. Can NASA keep up with it?]

But before a new ethical framework takes root in the commercial spaceflight industry, more conversations need to happen to characterize research and its participants, according to Sara Langston, a space lawyer and professor of spaceflight operations at the Daytona Beach Florida campus of the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. As to whether there is a gap in existing rules and regulations around human experiments in commercial spaceflight that needs to be filled, she adds, “we need to actually define the question more specifically in order to answer it.”

You can, for instance, make a distinction between passive and active research or experimentation, according to Langston. Active experimentation are activities such as drawing blood or consuming drugs. Passive experimentation could include passengers sharing their subjective experiences of the flight, more akin to a survey. ”I don’t know that passive research in itself needs any kind of regulatory or even ethical framework, because passive research has been done all the time for marketing purposes, such as surveys,” Langston says. 

And it will also be important to distinguish private astronauts—flight participants who bought a ticket or were invited onto the mission—and commercial ones, who are the paid employees of a space company. “This is important because the roles, rights, duties, and liabilities are going to be distinct for each of those categories,” Langston says. 

Getting a head start in discussing these issues is the point, according to Wolpe. “These things are beginning to be built into the conversations around commercial spaceflight,” he says. “They weren’t so much before.”

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Wearable sensors can already monitor a variety of important health characteristics. But they are still far short when it comes to detecting hormonal levels, particularly for women. A new device designed by researchers at Caltech, however, is specifically tailored to measure one of women’s most vital and influential hormones. According to the team’s study, recently published in Nature Nanotechnology, their new wearable sensor can detect and assess users’ estradiol levels by just analyzing sweat droplets.

Estradiol, the most potent form of estrogen, is a crucial component in women’s health. Not only is it necessary in regulating reproductive cycles and ovulation, but this hormone’s levels are directly correlated to issues ranging from depression, to osteoporosis, to even heart disease. Currently, estradiol monitoring requires blood or urine samples collected either in-clinic or at-home. In contrast, Caltech’s new sensor, created by assistant professor of medical engineering Wei Gao, only needs miniscule amounts of sweat collected via extremely small automatic valves within its microfluidic system.

[Related: This organ-failure detector is thinner than a human hair.]

The sensor’s reliance on sweat to measure estradiol isn’t only impressive due to its non-invasive nature; according to Caltech’s announcement, the hormone is about 50 times less concentrated in sweat than in blood.

The wearable’s monitoring system utilizes aptamers—short, single-strand DNA capable of binding to target molecules like artificial antibodies. Gao’s team first attached aptamers to a surface imbued with inkjet-printed gold nanoparticles. The aptamers then could bind with targeted molecules—in this case, estradiol. Once connected, the molecule gets recaptured by other titanium carbide-coated gold nanoparticles known as “MXenes.” The resultant electrical signal can be wirelessly measured and correlated to estradiol levels via a simple-to-use smartphone app.

To actually collect the sweat samples, the sensor uses tiny channels controlled by automatic valves to allow only fixed amounts of fluid into the sensor. To take patients’ sweat composition differences into consideration, the device also consistently calibrates via information collected on salt levels, skin temperature, and sweat pH.

This isn’t Gao’s first sweat sensor, either—previous variants also could detect the stress hormone cortisol, COVID-19, as well as a biomarker that indicates inflammation.

“People often ask[ed] me if I could make the same kind of sweat sensor for female hormones, because we know how much those hormones impact women’s health,” Gao said via Caltech’s announcement. With further optimization, the new estradiol sensor could help users attempting to naturally or in vitro conceive children, as well as aid those necessitating hormone replacement therapies. According to Gao, the team also intends to expand the range of female hormones they can detect, including another ovulation-related variant, progesterone.

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In Overmatched, we take a close look at the science and technology at the heart of the defense industry—the world of soldiers and spies.

IF A BUILDING COLLAPSES or a bomb goes off, there are often more people who need medical treatment than there are people who can help them. That mismatch is what defines a mass casualty incident. The military’s most famous R&D agency, DARPA, wants to figure out how to better handle those situations, so more people come out of them alive.

That’s the goal of what the agency is calling the DARPA Triage Challenge, a three-year program that kicks off November 6 and will bring together medical knowledge, autonomous vehicles, noninvasive sensors, and algorithms to prioritize and plan patient care when there are too many patients and not enough care—a process typically called triage. Teams, yet to be named, will compete to see if their systems can categorize injured people in large, complex situations and determine their need for treatment.

A sorting hat for disasters

Triage is no simple task, even for people who make it part of their profession, says Stacy Shackelford, the trauma medical director for the Defense Health Agency’s Colorado Springs region. Part of the agency’s mandate is to manage military hospitals and clinics. “Even in the trauma community, the idea of triage is somewhat of a mysterious topic,” she says. 

The word triage comes from the French, and it means, essentially, “sorting casualties.” When a host of humans get injured at the same time, first responders can’t give them all equal, simultaneous attention. So they sort them into categories: minimal, minorly injured; delayed, seriously injured but not in an immediately life-threatening way; immediate, severely injured in such a way that prompt treatment would likely be lifesaving; and expectant, dead or soon likely to be. “It really is a way to decide who needs lifesaving interventions and who can wait,” says Shackelford, “so that you can do the greatest good for the greatest number of people.”

The question of whom to treat when and how has always been important, but it’s come to the fore for the Defense Department as the nature of global tensions changes, and as disasters that primarily affect civilians do too. “A lot of the military threat currently revolves around what would happen if we went towards China or we went to war with Russia, and there’s these types of near-peer conflicts,” says Shackelford. The frightening implication is that there would be more injuries and deaths than in other recent conflicts. “Just the sheer number of possible casualties that could occur.” Look, too, at the war in Ukraine. 

The severity, frequency, and unpredictability of some nonmilitary disasters—floods, wildfires, and more—is also shifting as the climate changes. Meanwhile, mass shootings occur far too often; a damaged nuclear power plant could pose a radioactive risk; earthquakes topple buildings; poorly maintained buildings topple themselves. Even the pandemic, says Jeffrey Freeman, director of the National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health at the Uniformed Services University, has been a kind of slow-moving or rolling disaster. It’s not typically thought of as a mass casualty incident. But, says Freeman, “The effects are similar in some ways, in that you have large numbers of critically ill patients in need of care, but dissimilar in that those in need are not limited to a geographic area.” In either sort of scenario, he continues, “Triage is critical.”

Freeman’s organization is currently managing an assessment, mandated by Congress, of the National Medical Disaster System, which was set up in the 1980s to manage how the Department of Defense, military treatment facilities, Veterans Affairs medical centers, and civilian hospitals under the Department of Health and Human Services respond to large-scale catastrophes, including combat operations overseas. He sees the DARPA Triage Challenge as highly relevant to dealing with incidents that overwhelm the existing system—a good goal now and always. “Disasters or wars themselves are sort of unpredictable, seemingly infrequent events. They’re almost random in their occurrence,” he says. “The state of disaster or the state of catastrophe is actually consistent. There are always disasters occurring, there are always conflicts occurring.” 

He describes the global state of disaster as “continuous,” which makes the Triage Challenge, he says, “timeless.”

What’s more, the concept of triage, Shackelford says, hasn’t really evolved much in decades, which means the potential fruits of the DARPA Triage Challenge—if it pans out—could make a big difference in what the “greatest good, greatest number” approach can look like. With DARPA, though, research is always a gamble: The agency takes aim at tough scientific and technological goals, and often misses, a model called “high-risk, high-reward” research.

Jean-Paul Chretien, the Triage Challenge program manager at DARPA, does have some specific hopes for what will emerge from this risk—like the ability to identify victims who are more seriously injured than they seem. “It’s hard to tell by looking at them that they have these internal injuries,” he says. The typical biosignatures people check to determine a patient’s status are normal vital signs: pulse, blood pressure, respiration. “What we now know is that those are really lagging indicators of serious injury, because the body’s able to compensate,” Chretien says. But when it can’t anymore? “They really fall off a cliff,” he says. In other words, a patient’s pulse or blood pressure may seem OK, but a major injury may still be present, lurking beneath that seemingly good news. He hopes the Triage Challenge will uncover more timely physiological indicators of such injuries—indicators that can be detected before a patient is on the precipice.

Assessment from afar

The DARPA Triage Challenge could yield that result, as it tasks competitors—some of whom DARPA is paying to participate in the competition, and some of whom will fund themselves—with two separate goals. The first addresses the primary stage of triage (the sorting of people in the field) while the second deals with what to do once they’re in treatment. 

For the first stage, Triage Challenge competitors have to develop sensor systems that can assess victims at a distance, gathering data on physiological signatures of injury. Doing this from afar could keep responders from encountering hazards, like radioactivity or unstable buildings, during that process. The aim is to have the systems move autonomously by the end of the competition.

The signatures such systems seek may include, according to DARPA’s announcement of the project, things like “ability to move, severe hemorrhage, respiratory distress, and alertness.” Competitors could equip robots or drones with computer-vision or motion-tracking systems, instruments that use light to measure changes in blood volume, lasers that analyze breathing or heart activity, or speech recognition capabilities. Or all of the above. Algorithms the teams develop must then extract meaningful conclusions from the data collected—like who needs lifesaving treatment right now. 

The second focus of the DARPA Triage Challenge is the period after the most urgent casualties have received treatment—the secondary stage of triage. For this part, competitors will develop technology to dig deeper into patients’ statuses and watch for changes that are whispering for help. The real innovations for this stage will come from the algorithmic side: software that, for instance, parses the details of an electrocardiogram—perhaps using a noninvasive electrode in contact with the skin—looking at the whole waveform of the heart’s activity and not just the beep-beep of a beat, or software that does a similar stare into a pulse oximeter’s output to monitor the oxygen carried in red blood cells. 

For her part, Shackelford is interested in seeing teams incorporate a sense of time into triage—which sounds obvious but has been difficult in practice, in the chaos of a tragedy. Certain conditions are extremely chronologically limiting. Something fell on you and you can’t breathe? Responders have three minutes to fix that problem. Hemorrhaging? Five to 10 minutes to stop the bleeding, 30 minutes to get a blood transfusion, an hour for surgical intervention. “All of those factors really factor into what is going to help a person at any given time,” she says. And they also reveal what won’t help, and who can’t be helped anymore.

Simulating disasters

DARPA hasn’t announced the teams it plans to fund yet, and self-funded teams also haven’t revealed themselves. But whoever they are, over the coming three years, they will face a trio of competitions—one at the end of each year, each of which will address both the primary and secondary aspects of triage.

The primary triage stage competitions will be pretty active. “We’re going to mock up mass-casualty scenes,” says Chretien. There won’t be people with actual open wounds or third-degree burns, of course, but actors pretending to have been part of a disaster. Mannequins, too, will be strewn about. The teams will bring their sensor-laden drones and robots. “Those systems will have to, on their own, find the casualties,” he says. 

These competitions will feature three scenarios teams will cycle through, like a very stressful obstacle course. “We’ll score them based on how quickly they complete the test,” Chretien says, “how good they are at actually finding the casualties, and then how accurately they assess their medical status.” 

But it won’t be easy: The agency’s description of the scenarios says they might involve both tight spaces and big fields, full light and total darkness, “dust, fog, mist, smoke, talking, flashing light, hot spots, and gunshot and explosion sounds.” Victims may be buried under debris, or overlapping with each other, challenging sensors to detect and individuate them.

DARPA is also building a virtual world that mimics the on-the-ground scenarios, for a virtual version of the challenge. “This will be like a video-game-type environment but [with the] same idea,” he says. Teams that plan to do the concrete version can practice digitally, and Chretien also hopes that teams without all the hardware they need to patrol the physical world will still try their hands digitally. “It should be easier in terms of actually having the resources to participate,” he says. 

The secondary stage’s competitions will be a little less dramatic. “There’s no robotic system, no physical simulation going on there,” says Chretien. Teams will instead get real clinical trauma data, from patients hospitalized in the past, gathered from the Maryland Shock Trauma Center and the University of Pittsburgh. Their task is to use that anonymized patient data to determine each person’s status and whether and what interventions would have been called for when. 

At stake is $7 million in total prize money over three years, and for the first two years, only teams that DARPA didn’t already pay to participate are eligible to collect. 

Also at stake: a lot of lives. “What can we do, technologically, that can make us more efficient, more effective,” says Freeman, “with the limited amount of people that we have?” 

Read more PopSci+ stories.

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This month, millions of Americans will have a chance to watch an annular eclipse, also known as a “ring of fire” for the scorching halo the sun forms around the moon. If you’re one of them, be careful: looking directly at a solar eclipse without eye protection can permanently damage your vision.

It doesn’t matter if our rocky satellite is blocking all or some of our nearest star—the sun is still an incredibly bright source of light. Don’t risk your eyesight for a quick glimpse or even a once-in-a-lifetime event. Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to protect your eyes while watching an eclipse..

What happens if you look at a solar eclipse

We are able to see thanks to photoreceptors. These cells, also known as rods and cones, are located at the backs of our eyes, and convert the light reflected by the world around us into electrical impulses that our brain interprets as the image we see. But when strong light, like that from the sun, hits our eyes, a series of chemical reactions occur that damage and often destroy these rods and cones. This is known as solar retinopathy, and can make our eyesight blurry. Sometimes, if the damage is too great in one area, you can lose sight completely.

[Related: Every sunset ends with a green flash. Why is it so hard to see?]

On a typical sunny day, you almost never have to worry about solar retinopathy. That’s because our eyes have natural mechanisms that ensure too much light doesn’t get in. When it’s really bright outside, our pupils get super tiny, reducing the amount of sunlight that can hit your photoreceptors. But when you stare directly at the sun, your pupils’ shrinking power isn’t enough to protect your peepers.

This is where your eyes’ second defense mechanism comes into play. When we look at something bright, we tend to blink. This is known as the corneal or blink reflex, and it  prevents us from staring at anything too damagingly bright. 

Just before a solar eclipse has reached its totality, the moon is partially blocking the sun, making it a lot easier for us to look up at the star without blinking. But that doesn’t mean you should—even that tiny sliver of sunlight is too intense for our sensitive photoreceptors.

[Related: Total eclipses aren’t that rare—and you’ve probably missed a bunch of them]

Unfortunately, if you practice unprotected sun-gazing, you probably won’t know the effects of your actions until the next morning, when the damage to your photoreceptors has kicked in.

And while solar retinopathy is extremely rare, it is by no means unheard of. If you search the term in medical journals, you’ll find case reports after almost every popular solar eclipse. Let’s try really hard to do better this time, eyeball-havers.

How to safely watch a solar eclipse

Watching the eclipse with your own two eyes is easy: just wear legitimate eclipse sunglasses. These are crucial, as they will block the sun’s rays enough for you to safely see the eclipse without burning your eyes out.

And if you don’t have eclipse glasses, you can still enjoy the view, albeit not directly. Try whipping up your own eclipse projector or a DIY pinhole camera so you can enjoy the view without having to book an emergency visit to the eye doctor.

This story has been updated. It was originally published in 2017.

The post How to look at the eclipse without damaging your eyes appeared first on Popular Science.

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This article was originally published on Undark.

Growing up, Julian Meeks knew what a life without a sense of smell could look like. He’d watched this grandfather navigate the condition, known as anosmia, observing that he didn’t perceive flavor and only enjoyed eating very salty or meaty foods.

The experience influenced him, in part, to study chemosensation, which involves both smell and taste. Meeks, now a professor of neuroscience at the University of Rochester, told Undark that neither gets much attention compared to other senses: “Often, they’re thought of as second or third in order of importance.”

The pandemic changed that, at least somewhat, after it left millions of people without a sense of smell, albeit some temporarily. In particular, more researchers started looking at a specific type of condition called acquired anosmia. Common causes include traumatic brain injury, or TBI, neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, or following a viral infection like Covid-19. Due to the pandemic, “many people found it scientifically interesting to focus their research on smell,” said Valentina Parma, the assistant director of the Monell Chemical Senses Center, a nonprofit research institute in Philadelphia. By one account, NIH funding of anosmia research nearly doubled between 2019 and 2021.

But many of the research findings do not apply to those who have lacked the ability to smell since birth: congenital anosmics. And, despite the increased attention to smell loss more broadly, some researchers still face challenges in funding studies. In March 2023, for instance, Meeks received a peer review for a small grant, of less than $275,000, from the National Institutes of Health, with which he had planned to look into anosmia in the context of TBI.

For Meeks, the response was frustrating. One expert reviewer in particular “didn’t really understand why there would be any need to establish a preclinical model of anosmia with TBI,” he said, noting that the reviewer also wrote that because anosmia is not a major health problem, the value of the research was low. The comment, Meeks added, was “quite discouraging.”

In response to a request for comment on that decision, Shirley Simson, a spokesperson for NIH’s National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, or NIDCD, which funds smell and taste research, replied that “NIH does not discuss the peer review process for individual grant applications.” She noted in a separate email that “all NIH grant applications, including those submitted by investigators to NIDCD, undergo the same review process.”

THE SENSE OF SMELL IS complicated, and not fully understood. Jay Piccirillo, an otolaryngologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, likens its complexity, with its many neuronal connections, to Times Square. Compared to the nose, the eye looks relatively simple, he told Undark.

There are a few basic steps, however, on which researchers do agree. Humans smell by detecting molecules, or odorants, in the environment around them. These odorants latch on to one of 400 receptors in the nose, called olfactory receptor neurons, which then send a signal the brain. The result: a dizzying array of odors.

“We can smell and discriminate tens of thousands or maybe billions or trillions of smells,” said Hiroaki Matsunami, an olfaction researcher at Duke University who, along with colleagues, recently published a study on how one of these receptors works.

Both congenital and acquired smell loss can either entail complete loss (anosmia) or minimal loss (hyposmia). Some people also have a distorted sense of smell, a condition known as parosmia, or perceive odors that aren’t there, known as phantosmia. And because of the connection between smell and taste, sometimes smell loss is accompanied by the inability to taste, or ageusia, as it did for many Covid patients.

Any form of anosmia can have a broad effect on daily function. For one, it can be a safety hazard, since affected people may not be able to detect a fire, gas leak, or spoiled food. Smell loss is also associated with depression, and because of the close link between smell and taste, the condition can affect appetite and, by extension, nutritional health.

The cause of anosmia isn’t entirely known. For congenital anosmia, researchers suspect a genetic link or developmental abnormalities. As for acquired anosmia, an injury or illness appears to disrupt the transmission of an odorant to the brain, but the exact spot of that break isn’t clear — and it may vary, depending on the cause. When it comes to Covid, for instance, some researchers initially suspected that the virus was killing the cells that transmit the odorant signal to the brain. More recent research suggests that, instead, it could be because of inflammation or damaged supporting cells.

It’s also not entirely clear how many people have anosmia. In 2012, research analyzing the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey estimated that 23 percent of Americans over the age of 40 report some alteration to their sense of smell. A 2016 paper that examined results from a later version of same survey estimated that more than 12 percent of American adults had some sort of olfactory dysfunction. And Fifth Sense, a charity for smell and taste disorders, estimates that 1 in 10,000 people have congenital anosmia.

The numbers are uncertain in part because, compared to other sensory dysfunctions like vision or hearing loss, experts say there are fewer resources or people involved in smell research. And prior to the pandemic, anosmia research was typically relegated to smell and taste research centers or otolaryngologists (also known as ear, nose, and throat doctors). “It was like a niche,” said Thomas Hummel, a smell and taste disorder researcher at the University of Dresden in Germany. Studying smell loss, he added, wasn’t “in the foreground of research.”

When anosmia was reported as a symptom of Covid-19, there was a switch. Smell and taste researchers were suddenly inundated with requests. For Hummel, who works in a clinic, the phone didn’t stop ringing from patients. Others were similarly in demand. “We were flooded with emails, with calls by patients and reporters,” said Parma. “It was the time I gave the most interviews in my entire career.”

While NIH did not provide Undark with statistics detailing exactly how much the field of smell loss research grew, a search for the word “anosmia” on their online database turned up 35 distinct projects, totaling more than $14.6 million in funding for the 2019 fiscal year. In the 2021 fiscal year, that number grew to $28.5 million in funding for 63 projects.

As a result, experts say, the anosmia research community began collaborating more, wanting to use their knowledge and skills to help in whatever way they could. Many researchers, including Parma, developed smell tests that could gauge a user’s sense of smell and, by extension, to see whether they had a Covid-19 infection at a time when PCR and antigen tests were limited. Some conducted longitudinal surveys where they could track reported progression of smell loss and quality of life among Covid-19 patients. Others started exploring potential treatments of Covid-19-linked anosmia, such as olfactory training and topical steroids.

“We were flooded with emails, with calls by patients and reporters. It was the time I gave the most interviews in my entire career.”

While the effectiveness of such treatments is still unclear, more than three years later, interest in such scientific collaborations is still going strong. “Even if that’s not your primary area of research, many people are at least considering the question or reaching out to other investigators that are experts on taste and smell disorders to ask ‘What is a question I can add in my research?’ or ‘Can we collaborate?” said Paule Joseph, a researcher at NIH’s Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research within the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Despite the interest, some scientists, like Meeks, are still running into the same problems they had before the pandemic: It’s difficult to capture funding and attention related to smell and smell loss. When Meeks took to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, to lament the discouraging peer feedback on his grant proposal for traumatic brain injury and anosmia, he said, the responses were telling.

“There were several people who responded that they had received similar critiques on their own research grants or their scientific research by whoever was evaluating the research or the grant proposal,” he told Undark. “Although it was nice to know we weren’t singled out, it was a moment where I became a little bit more conscious of the need for greater communication with the broader public and with other scientists.”

Parma thinks some may be dubious to invest in research given the lack of sufficient treatments. “The biggest counterargument is: We don’t know how to treat this, so therefore it’s okay for us not to care about it,” she said. And when there are successes in the field, it’s difficult to implement them on a larger scale. Although Parma’s group has received NIH funding for their smell test, for instance, smell tests are often not covered by insurance.

But research, many scientists in the field say, is not just about developing tests or finding a cure. It’s also about informing and understanding the anosmia experience. This is especially important because not all anosmia affects the olfactory system in the same way — and it is not always treatable. A recent survey found that within a sample of nearly 30,000 Americans who were infected with Covid-19, for instance, 60 percent lost some sense of smell and taste. Among those, a quarter didn’t fully recover.

In one longitudinal survey to assess people who contracted the virus and lost their sense of smell, researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University found that among 267 people, more than half reported partial recovery and 7.5 percent reported none over a two-year period. And out of 946 people who had lost their sense of smell for at least three months, more than half reported partial recovery, and more than 10 percent reported no improvement at all.

“It depends on how severe the damage is,” said Richard Costanzo, director of research at the Smell and Taste Disorders Center at VCU and an author of the study, noting that if there is damage in certain regenerative cells in the nose, there is a lower likelihood of recovery.

While recent studies that focus on Covid-19 anosmia can be applied to other forms of acquired smell loss, one group has largely been left out of research: congenital anosmia. The condition is a different, and understudied, form of anosmia.

“It’s like the community of woodworking but the whole world only knows about wooden bowls,” said Sam Lenarczak, a Seattle-based 23-year-old with the condition. And congenital anosmics, like Lenarczak, want to be understood.