Bipolar Disorder and Dieting, Grief Technology, and the Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
#333 Outriders Magazine
Oyster Reef, Oceans' Heat, and CO₂ Distribution
Since April last year, average global ocean temperatures have been at record levels for 15 months. Such hot ocean waters amplify the power of hurricanes, and fish, other marine species, and coral reefs struggle to survive. In addition to climate change and the cyclical El Niño climate pattern, scientists wonder whether cleaner air over the oceans is causing the rising water temperatures. Sulfur from eliminated marine fuels helped create reflective clouds. Without clouds, ocean water warms up more quickly.
According to scientists from the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), the top 10 cm of British marine sediments contain 244 million tonnes of organic carbon. It is found in seagrass beds, salt marshes, seaweed, and mussels, but the majority (98%) can be found in seabed sediments such as mud and silt. The first-of-its-kind study shows how physical disruption of the ocean floor, primarily due to human activity and bottom trawling, can release large amounts of carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere.
Could an oyster reef protect New York’s coast from the effects of climate change? According to scientists and the Billion Oyster Project, growing oysters in 18 locations around New York City will kick-start the reef-building process. If oysters can reproduce independently, they could eventually create a structure that buffers hurricanes and storms while protecting the coastline from erosion.
Conflicts in Africa: Egypt, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, and Burkina Faso
The recent arrival of a second Egyptian arms shipment in Somalia has sparked criticism from Ethiopia, leading to increased tensions in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia is concerned about the potential impact on regional security due to ongoing disputes over water resources, territory, and access to the Red Sea. One of the main points of contention is Ethiopia's construction of the Grand Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, which supplies Egypt with 95% of its fresh water. Additionally, Somalia and Ethiopia have clashed over a memorandum signed by Ethiopia with Somaliland, a republic that seceded from Somalia in 1991. The agreement involves leasing part of the coast, which Somalia views as an attempt to annex its territory.
In Burkina Faso, the ruling junta reported that it has thwarted an attempt to destabilize the country with the help of intelligence from "foreign Western powers." The plot was allegedly planned by Burkinabe civilians and soldiers living abroad, including in Ivory Coast. Despite extending its transitional rule by five years, the junta has promised to hold democratic elections in July to restore democratic governance. Burkina Faso has faced significant challenges, including escalating attacks by extremists affiliated with IS and al-Qaeda.
Meanwhile, the Sudanese army has launched an offensive in Khartoum to regain territory held by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Sudan has been in conflict since April 2023, leading to the displacement of over 10 million people, with 2 million fleeing the country.
Connection Between Diet, Exercise, Sunlight, Depression, and Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder may be linked to diet and metabolism, according to researchers at the University of Edinburgh. It could be treated as a physical disorder rather than just a mood disorder. Experts are currently investigating links between the condition and metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity, as well as disruptions to circadian rhythms. A recent study of patients who followed a ketogenic diet for eight weeks found that “a third of them did very well”. Other studies will look at the relationship between the onset of bipolar episodes and the seasons. In the UK alone, more than a million people suffer from the condition, and a third of them are likely to attempt suicide. However, the causes of the condition are not fully understood.
Up to 30% of people with major depression and bipolar disorder have a seasonal pattern of symptoms. In a study from Vanderbilt University, activity sensors worn on the wrist by both depressed and healthy individuals provided evidence of a link between daily sunlight exposure and physical activity. Specifically, more depressed states were associated with lower daily activity, while daily activity increased with day length and sunlight. Furthermore, the effect of sunlight on physical activity may be different in depressed and nondepressed individuals. According to the researchers, activity patterns derived from motion monitoring could serve as the basis for an early warning system that notifies physicians when a patient needs to intervene promptly.
Impact of AI on the Grief Industry, Alzheimer’s, and Operating Rooms
You, Only Virtual is working to change how we deal with loss by using AI to recreate our deceased loved ones from the digital footprint they left behind. This is part of a growing global "grief technology" industry that uses AI to fill the void left by natural loss. Meanwhile, Eternos has developed an AI-powered digital afterlife for humans. A deceased client left behind a digital version of themselves that their family can still interact with.
Scientists at the Mayo Clinic believe advanced AI algorithms could one day identify brainwave patterns associated with dementia risk and monitor human brain health. A wearable home device resembling a headband or a cap would use electrodes to detect brainwave activity, like a blood pressure or heart rate monitor. Using AI algorithms to analyze data in real-time, the device would look for signs of Alzheimer’s disease years before symptoms appear.
Surgeons at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle are using AI-powered technology during surgeries. "This system allows us to take surgical navigation to a new level, to track implants and changes in alignment in real-time without radiation, using a relatively simple camera," say the doctors. The Paradigm platform has already led to more than 50 successful surgeries in Seattle, including spine surgeries.
Social Media's Threat to Wildlife and Hudson Bay
Social media poses a growing threat to vulnerable animals and their habitats. Posting photos online hurts biodiversity. By sharing posts, nature lovers can unwittingly encourage others to gather in the same place, play bird calls, or use bait to ensure they see the animals. This can lead to severe disturbance for wildlife, such as the critically endangered yellow-bellied jay, which has changed its breeding habits in response to such disturbances. Similarly, spotted woodpeckers in Shetland have changed their habitats due to human interference.
The Turtle Conservancy in New Jersey plays a crucial role in the fight against wildlife trafficking. Using DNA testing, they can identify the US state from which illegally captured, shipped and seized box turtles are coming. These reptiles are often shipped to Hong Kong, where they are a status symbol and used for medicinal purposes. The high demand for these turtles is evident because a single box turtle can fetch up to $5,000 on the black market. Wildlife trafficking is one of the largest and most profitable criminal sectors in the world, estimated to be worth between $7 billion and $23 billion annually.
About 600 polar bears live in the western part of Hudson Bay, the gateway to the Arctic, about half of the population 40 years ago. The entire ecosystem is interconnected, starting with the previously melting ice cap—this causes an increase in water temperature, then changes in algal blooms, plankton feeding on these algae, and consequently fish, Arctic beluga whales, seals, and polar bears.
Migration and Conflict in Lebanon, West and Central Africa
Greece is bracing for a possible mass influx of refugees amid the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. 100,000 Lebanese have already fled to Syria, with potentially many more heading there in the coming weeks. Europe will then face another migration crisis due to Israel’s invasion of Lebanon. Some experts estimate that millions of displaced Lebanese could flee the country, with a significant number seeking to head for Europe. A million people have already been displaced within the country.
In the wake of Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, residents are fleeing to Beirut, seeking refuge in schools that have been converted into shelters for the displaced. The BBC visited one such shelter in Beirut, set up to house around 1,000 refugees.
Lawyers and families of jailed Tunisian opposition leaders have called for a second time at the International Criminal Court to investigate the repression of the political opposition and abuses against black African migrants. The country is a stopover on the way to Europe for sub-Saharan Africans who do not need a visa to travel to Tunisia. Migrants report arbitrary arrests on land or at sea, collective expulsions to desert regions along the borders with Algeria and Libya, mistreatment, beatings and psychological violence. The European Union offered Tunisian authorities €1 billion in financial support last year to stem migration and support the economy.
Economic Situation of Thailand, China, and Sri Lanka
According to the People's Party, Thailand's most vigorous opposition, the country faces a "highly alarming" risk of a credit downgrade if the government fails to rein in its massive debt and support Southeast Asia's second-largest economy. Thailand's interest-bearing liabilities, measured as a share of government revenue, are set to exceed critical thresholds monitored by some rating firms in fiscal 2026. Thailand holds a Baa1 rating from Moody's and a BBB+ rating from S&P and Fitch, up to three notches above junk status.
Sri Lanka's new president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, is set to resume talks with the International Monetary Fund and foreign creditors to plan a way out of the country's worst economic crisis. Dissanayake aims to make spending cuts more bearable for people with low incomes. Sri Lanka declared bankruptcy in 2022 and suspended payments on about $83 billion in domestic and foreign loans. Under former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the country's economy stabilized, inflation fell, the local currency strengthened, and foreign reserves rose.
After months of urging from business leaders and economists to take action, the People's Bank of China has cut interest rates by 0.2 percentage points, cut banks' reserve requirements by 0.5 percentage points, and cut mortgage rates by 0.5 percentage points. This stimulus package is designed to boost consumer spending to combat deflation.
The Amazon's Situation: Drought, Fires, and the Loss of Indigenous Peoples
Deforestation rates decreased by almost 50% in 2023, but the Amazon still faces serious threats. The region has been dealing with drought and wildfires, which have released large amounts of greenhouse gases, contributing to global warming. Fire alerts are 79% more frequent than usual for this time of year. Over the last four decades, the Amazon has shrunk by an area equivalent to the size of France and Germany, according to a recent report. The Brazilian section of the Amazon alone generates an annual value of $317 billion, mainly based on its role as a global carbon store. This greatly surpasses the estimated $43 billion to $98 billion for clearing the rainforest for timber, agriculture, or mining.
Greenpeace activists have placed a "Who pays for it" sign on the dried-up Amazon riverbed near Manacapuru, where the Solimoes River lies. The severe drought has exposed the river, causing fires and hindering transportation routes to river communities due to shallow water. Activists attribute the drought and resulting fires to the global oil and gas industry, which drives extreme climate events. Amazonian communities, including indigenous people, fishermen, and others living in floating homes, are bearing the brunt of climate change. The drought has increased water temperatures in rivers and lakes, resulting in fish kills and posing a threat to freshwater dolphins.