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A team of environmental scientists and physical limnologists has published a fascinating study that may provide a scientific explanation for one of the most famous stories in the Bible: Jesus’ miraculous “multiplication” of fish. This research investigates natural events that may have created an abundance of fish in <keyword id="23812630" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lake-kinneret" source="keywords">Lake Kinneret</keyword>, also known as the Sea of Galilee, without any need for divine intervention.<br /><h2>The story behind the miracle</h2>The New Testament recounts two instances where Jesus multiplied a small amount of food to feed the hungry. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells Simon Peter to cast his nets in the Sea of Galilee, leading to an overwhelming catch of fish. In the Gospel of John, Jesus supposedly turned a few loaves of bread and a handful of fish into a meal for thousands of followers. For nearly two millennia, Christians have interpreted these events as miracles, showcasing Jesus’ divine power. But could there have been a natural phenomenon behind these "miraculous" catches?<br /><br />The new study doesn’t aim to discredit these ancient accounts but rather to explore what might have been happening in the lake at the time. Using a range of modern scientific techniques, the research team examined Lake Kinneret’s unique conditions to see if there might be another reason for these “miraculous” catches of fish.<br /><h2>What happens in Lake Kinneret</h2>The researchers found that Lake Kinneret is naturally stratified, with two distinct layers of water: a warmer, oxygen-rich upper layer, where most fish reside, and a colder, oxygen-poor lower layer. Normally, these two layers remain separate, but every once in a while, a unique combination of environmental conditions causes them to mix. This phenomenon, known as “thermal stratification,” results in a sudden and dangerous depletion of oxygen throughout the lake, leaving fish unable to breathe at any level of the water.<br /><div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114938626" title="&amp;quot;Sugar early in life is the new tobacco&amp;quot;: Scientists urge food companies to reformulate baby foods and tax sugary options" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>When this mixing happens, the fish die off en masse and float to the surface. To someone on the shore, this could look like an abundance of fish suddenly appearing, ready for easy collection. Imagine standing by the lake as hundreds or even thousands of fish rise to the surface — the scene could easily inspire stories of miraculous bounty.<br /><h2>A coincidence or a miracle?</h2>To investigate the phenomenon, the research team deployed temperature sensors, oxygen metres, and even tested wind speed and direction in the lake. These instruments confirmed that Lake Kinneret experiences regular die-offs of fish due to stratification, followed by these mass appearances of fish near the surface. According to their findings, similar environmental conditions existed around the time of Jesus, making it possible that such a die-off event occurred then, too.<br /><div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114885489" title="A 14-year-old took home $10,000 for his award-winning investigation into train derailments. Here&amp;#39;s what he found." mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>The team’s research also indicated that strong winds across the lake could drive oxygen-poor waters to the surface, killing off fish in greater numbers. They observed that specific types of fish in Lake Kinneret are especially prone to this kind of die-off and tend to end up along the shore, where they could be easily collected by a hungry populace.<br /><br />While the study’s findings don’t rule out the possibility of miracles, they suggest that at least some of the stories of miraculous catches might be explained by natural processes. If Jesus and his disciples happened to be fishing in Lake Kinneret during one of these die-offs, the sudden appearance of fish may have seemed miraculous.<br /><br />From a modern perspective, it’s a reminder that ancient people often attributed unusual natural events to divine intervention simply because they lacked the scientific knowledge we have today. Rather than taking away from the significance of these stories, the scientific findings highlight the powerful ways in which natural events can intersect with human experience, shaping beliefs and narratives that endure through millennia.<br /><br />The findings of this research have been published in <em>Water Resources Research</em> and can be accessed <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2024WR037894">here</a>.<br />

How did Jesus 'multiply' his fish? A new study provides an answer that is more science than miracle

<ul class="summary-list"><li>In 2005, I visited Japan for work and ended up meeting my wife, with whom I have two boys and a girl.</li><li>My kids' lives are filled with Japanese and African-American culture, so they appreciate both.</li></ul><p>As biracial Japanese stars such as Rui Hachimura and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/naomi-osaka-mental-health-businesses-social-justice-advocacy-personal-essay-2022-6">Naomi Osaka</a> shine on the world stage, being Black and Japanese is having a moment. I ventured to Japan on a yearlong contract with the Japan Exchange and Teaching program in 2005, which has turned into an 18-year journey, marked by my marriage to a Japanese woman and the arrival of my three children — two boys and a girl.</p><p>My father-in-law asked how I would handle our children being bullied for not being "100% Japanese." I said, "Who better to teach a child about discrimination than a Black man from the US?" I surmised I would have to contend with this at some point.</p><p>As an English teacher in Japan, I saw students teased for their differences. Working as an actor, I witnessed blackface during a TV shoot where Japanese talent portrayed a biracial character, which underlined some deep cultural misunderstandings. And last year, a biracial teenager was barred from graduating for wearing braids.</p><p>In a nation known for rich traditions and respect, attitudes toward those who are not ethnically Japanese vary. I was acutely aware of the need to prepare my children for slights and microaggressions, not only in Japan but also on a global scale, yet the reality subverted many of my expectations.</p><h2><strong>Their lives include a mix of Japanese and Black culture</strong></h2><p>Our tranquil suburban enclave in Saitama, which I call the "New Jersey of Japan," offers my children a typical <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/american-living-in-japan-bad-mom-japanese-parenting-standards-2023-10">Japanese lifestyle</a>. Our home is a mix of both cultures. We have a kotatsu, tatami room, and shoji, with walls sporting African masks and original artwork (some by Black artists), including a Black Jesus painting. When my kids were younger, I ensured they had action figures and dolls (such as Finn from "Star Wars") that looked like them.</p><p>Our eldest, now a high-school student, performs hip-hop and break dancing, reads manga, and watches "Kamen Rider." He was voted student-government president in junior high. Our middle child aspires to be a professional soccer player, with multiple high schools courting his talents. He enjoys playing online PC games with his friends, watching "One Piece," and fishing. Our youngest does jazz and hip-hop dance, has taken shodou lessons, enjoys the company of girlfriends she has known since kindergarten, and loves anime and YouTube.</p><div type="image" title="Family eating at a restaurant in Japan" height="3024" width="4032" msid="105705410" hostid="261" sizebytes="849826"></div><p>They all attend public schools. And like other kids in Japan, they frequent the mall, savor ramen and melon pan, and belt out tunes at karaoke.</p><h2><strong>As a bilingual family, we often discuss language nuances</strong></h2><p>With Japanese as their primary language, like their peers, they see English as an academic subject, not a tool for daily communication. I am their conduit to speaking English. They help me with my Japanese, and I often share <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/im-in-a-bilingual-marriage-2023-9">linguistic nuances</a> with them.</p><p>Earlier this year, my oldest son sang a song with the N-word, which offered an opportunity for us to delve into the word's history and implications. In Japan, this racial slur carries little weight, and its use is nonexistent — a stark cultural contrast between the US and Japan.</p><h2><strong>My children don't have the same fear of police interactions that I do</strong></h2><p>In Japan, I do not wear the same emotional armor as I do in the US, and my children have not had to bear that burden. We do not fear police interactions and have not had to initiate "the talk" addressing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/green-book-global-black-travel-lawrence-phillips-2023-8">racial profiling</a> and harassment. Fortunately, they have not encountered scrutiny based on their appearance or endured unwarranted stops by officers.</p><p>My youngest son and his friends were approached by a police officer after violating bicycle rules. The officer focused on those in the middle of the street, sparing my son, who was riding along the side.</p><p>This, in part, is due to our suburban residence. We acknowledge that when we visit the US, or even somewhere outside our community, including Tokyo, they will face a starkly different reality compared with their experiences in Saitama.</p><p>My children's physical appearance may differ from their peers, but their internal identity is deeply rooted in a Japanese lifestyle, alongside a sense of their African American heritage. They enjoy an carefree childhood experience, untainted by the need to grow up too fast.</p><p>My Blackanese family embodies a fusion of cultures as they navigate their individual journeys, enriched by the best of both worlds.</p>

I'm Black and my wife is Japanese. Here's why raising my biracial kids in Japan is better than in the US.

<ul class="summary-list"><li><strong><keyword id="11895112" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="barcelona" source="Orion">Barcelona</keyword> has a wealth of cultural and historical sites that draw millions of visitors each year.</strong></li><li><strong style="color: #222222;">Here are some ways to escape the tourist crowds and discover a more authentic side of the city.</strong></li></ul><p>Barcelona is jam-packed with attractions, from incredible architecture to world-class museums, lively markets, and fabulous urban beaches. Even exploring the warren of narrow streets and pocket squares of the medieval old city can take a whole afternoon. </p><p>But as beautiful as my adopted home city is, it also suffers from over-tourism. In 2019, prior to the pandemic, this city of <a href="https://time.com/6072062/barcelona-tourism-residents-covid/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">1.6 million people saw nearly 12 million tourists</a> visit, plus many day-trippers arriving by cruise ship. Remarkable Gaudí landmarks — Sagrada Familia, Park Güell — and top sites like the Picasso Museum have become perpetually packed with tourists, especially in the summer high season.</p><p>Fortunately, there are ways to support responsible tourism and avoid major crowds. I've lived in Barcelona for five years, and the key to enjoying your time is to balance visits to major attractions with stops at lesser-known cultural sites and venture a bit farther from the center to discover local neighborhoods. Poblenou, for one, has trendy bars and restaurants, plus some of Barcelona's best beaches.</p><p>If you put some of my suggestions below onto your list of must-dos, I guarantee you will have a far more pleasant trip with fewer crowds, while also seeing a more authentic side of the city. </p><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="A beige and white cathedral with a gate and trees surrounding the entrance" height="3840" width="5119" msid="91104446" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>Sant Pau Recinto Modernista</strong></p><p>A 10-minute stroll uphill from Gaudí's celebrated Sagrada Familia is the <a href="https://www.santpaubarcelona.org/en" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">world's largest Art Nouveau site</a>. Designed by Catalan architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner and completed in 1930, this former hospital complex stretches across nine city blocks and is made up of dozens of red-brick pavilions surrounding landscaped courtyards. </p><p>Since the complex is so large, it rarely gets crowded, so you can take your time wandering around and admiring the buildings' wealth of ornamental details, including colorful mosaic tiles, elaborate ceiling frescoes, and stained-glass windows. The highlight for me is the main administration pavilion with a grand marble staircase leading to hallways lined in multicolored stained glass — it's a very Instagrammable spot.</p><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="People in a museum with gray walls. Two people look at painted and children are visible through an asymmetrical archway with mirrors on side" height="3840" width="5119" msid="91104448" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>CaixaForum Barcelona</strong></p><p>There's always something interesting going on at <a href="https://caixaforum.org/es/barcelona" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">this arts center</a> set at the foot of Montjuïc, just across from the National Museum of Catalonian Art. Traveling exhibitions put on by La Caixa Foundation run the gamut and are well-curated. I've seen retrospectives of Magritte and Warhol, the furniture designs of Jean Prouvé, and themed shows from opera to vampires. </p><p>It's also free to visit the building, a former textile factory, and a beautiful example of industrial Modernisme architecture. I always make it a point to go up to the roof terrace for views of the sprawling red-brick complex and its crenelated roofs, turrets, and filigreed towers. </p><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="A view of the Barcelona city behind an abstract statue shaped like a fork in a small pond and a woman standing next to it" height="3840" width="5119" msid="91104449" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>Fundació Joan Miró</strong></p><p>Architect Josep Sert designed <a href="https://www.fmirobcn.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">this gleaming all-white museum</a> atop Montjuïc to house the surrealist artwork of Joan Miró, a Barcelona native and one of the most celebrated 20th-century artists. Miró's bold, bright, abstract pieces, including paintings, drawings, sculptures, and textiles from all periods of his life, are perfectly at home in the spare, light-filled space. My favorite spot is the rooftop, where his colorful, whimsical sculptures are set against jaw-dropping views of the city. </p><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="Two girls sit on a stone path with view of Barcelona downhill below them" height="3840" width="5119" msid="91104656" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>Turó de la Rovira/Bunkers of Carmel</strong></p><p>When I want to show visitors the best views of Barcelona, I take them up to <a href="https://www.barcelona.cat/museuhistoria/ca/patrimonis/els-espais-del-muhba/muhba-turo-de-la-rovira" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">these hilltop bunkers</a> located 900 feet above the city. From here, you have panoramic vistas of the mountains, sea, and the whole of Barcelona spread out below. It's a favorite weekend picnic spot for locals, but history buffs can study the plaques dotted around the site to learn how these bunkers helped defend the city from air attacks during the Spanish Civil War. Buses 22 and 24 run from Plaça de Catalunya to El Carmel, and from there it's about a 10-minute walk uphill to the site.</p><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="Pieces of wall and clay inside of exhibit with a pathway and a person standing next to it" height="3840" width="5119" msid="91104660" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>Barcelona History Museum (MUHBA Plaça del Rei) </strong></p><p>Most visitors focus on Barcelona's medieval architecture or the works of Gaudí, but the city actually dates back more than 2,000 years, when it was a Roman colony called Barcino. I love showing people its lesser-known ancient history, with a visit to <a href="https://www.barcelona.cat/museuhistoria/en/heritages/els-espais-del-muhba/muhba-placa-de-rei" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">this mostly underground museum</a> located deep beneath the Gothic Quarter's Plaça del Rei. </p><p>Walkways stretch over the excavated Roman streets, which reveal the commercial life of the city from the first century BC, including a winery (with giant terra-cotta vats), a fish-salting factory, and a laundry area. As you go up, each level reveals a different era; for example, you can see the remains of the city's first Christian community dating from the fourth to the seventh centuries, and the formation of the medieval city in the 13th  century. It's an absolutely fascinating exploration of ancient Barcelona.</p><div type="image" title="A walkway with a white railing and beach with people lounging and swimming in the ocean in background" height="3840" width="5119" msid="91104665" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>Poblenou Beaches</strong></p><p>Instead of fighting for a little wedge of sand on the crowded beaches of Barceloneta, do as the locals do and head east to strands of the Poblenou district. The beaches of Bogatell, Mar Bella, and Nova Mar Bella tend to be less crowded than those closer to the city center, and the atmosphere is far more relaxed, with fewer drunk, rowdy tourists. (Do keep in mind that one section of Mar Bella is a gay nudist beach.) You'll find all the same amenities as in Barceloneta, including chiringuitos (beach bars), sand volleyball courts, lifeguards, and most importantly, toilets and outdoor showers. </p><p>After a few hours at Bogatell, I like to make my way to the neighboring Parc del Poblenou for a pit stop at the hip al fresco eatery <a href="https://campingcamping.onuniverse.com/home" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Camping</a>, which serves excellent snacks and sandwiches, and organic drinks. </p><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="A variety of whole raw shrimp, raw fish, and prawns on ice on a table and in baskets at market" height="3840" width="5119" msid="91104670" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>Mercat de Sant Antoni (Sant Antoni Market)</strong></p><p>Tourists swarm the stalls of the famous La Boqueria market on the Rambla, but very few locals actually do their shopping there. For a more authentic market experience — in a building that's even more beautiful, in my opinion — stop by <a href="https://www.mercatdesantantoni.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">this vast indoor market</a>, occupying an entire block in the Sant Antoni district. </p><p>Inside an elegant iron structure that dates back to 1882 is just about everything a foodie could want, like fresh produce, seafood, meat, cheese, bread, Spanish olives, olive oil, and wine. And of course, there are multiple stalls where you can watch vendors expertly slicing a leg of Iberian ham. I don't cook but I love coming to this market to soak in the atmosphere (and pick up some lovely local cheeses and wines). On Sundays, while the interior is closed, a market of secondhand books sets up shop on the periphery.  </p><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="Many people seated in red chairs and wire frame tables and chairs under yellow umbrellas beside apartment homes under large trees" height="3840" width="5119" msid="91104672" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>Plazas of Gràcia </strong></p><p>One of my favorite pastimes is going café-hopping among Gràcia's pedestrian plazas (or plaças in Catalan). This district to the north of the city center was once a separate village and it counts around 15 squares — shady spots where residents come to mingle and catch up over coffee, wine, or vermouth. </p><p>My top three picks are Plaça de Virreina, Plaça de la Rovira i Trias, and Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia — all within a short stroll of one another. Virreina, framed by elegant residential buildings and tall trees and anchored by the 19th-century stone church of Sant Joan de Gràcia, is a wonderfully peaceful spot. There are several cafés in the plaza, and a couple more alongside the church, so you can usually find a table if you're patient.</p><p>Nearby is Rovira, which has some of the better dining and drinking options, including La Rovira, which specializes in local beers and good pub-style food. One of the largest, liveliest squares is Vila de Gràcia, marked by a tall clock tower at its center. Families love to gather here and let kids run freely around the plaza. If you're lucky, you'll find a seat on the terrace of <a href="http://nabuccotiramisu.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Nabucco Tiramisu</a>, which serves excellent Italian coffee and pastries.</p><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="Three bronze statues of Spanish figures on a display with a red background" height="3840" width="5119" msid="91104677" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>Museu Frederic Marès </strong></p><p>Adjacent to the Barcelona Cathedral is <a href="https://www.barcelona.cat/museufredericmares/eng/museum" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">this fascinating museum</a> holding the eclectic collections of sculptor Frederic Marès (1893–1991). Skip the lower levels with their seemingly endless parade of medieval-era Madonnas and Jesuses, and make a beeline for the marvelous Collector's Cabinet on the top floors. Here, you'll find 17 themed rooms packed with hundreds, if not thousands, of examples of whatever struck Marès's fancy — everything from medieval armor to walking sticks to ladies' fans and pipes and cigarette cases. Pouring through the matchbook collection alone could take hours.</p><p>I love perusing the many wonderfully weird items, like Victorian-era needlepoint portraits crafted from human hair and a whole section of bouquet holders, carried by the most fashionable 19th-century European ladies.</p><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="A woman holds her phone and takes a picture of many multi-colored lights in a room illuminated in purple and green" height="3840" width="5119" msid="91104679" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>Moco Museum Barcelona</strong></p><p>When I lived in Amsterdam, I regularly visited this museum focusing on contemporary and street art, so I was excited when <a href="https://mocomuseum.com/moco-museum-barcelona-en/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">the new outpost opened in Barcelona</a> last October. Set in a 16th-century palace in El Born, just a stone's throw from the Picasso Museum, it displays a small but stellar collection of works across two levels.</p><p>Downstairs are modern and contemporary masters like Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Julian Opie, while upstairs features pieces from street artists like Kaws and Banksy. Several rooms are dedicated to experiential and digital art, including an awesome immersive light-and-mirror installation by Studio Irma. And this is one museum where you won't want to skip the gift shop filled with cool prints, postcards, tote bags, T-shirts, and limited-edition merch.  </p><div type="image" title="Casa Batllo in Barcelona, Spain lit up at night." height="2391" width="3188" msid="91104681" hostid="261"></div><p><strong>Magic Nights at Casa</strong> <strong>Batlló</strong></p><p>I'd always avoided visiting <a href="https://www.casabatllo.es/en/online-tickets/visit-magic-nights/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">this masterpiece of Gaudí</a>, chiefly because of the long lines no matter the season. But then I discovered Magic Nights. Instead of queuing up with the daytime crowds, you can spend a bit more than the regular 35 euros admission for an intimate evening that also includes a live rooftop concert — plus free cava!</p><p>Doors open to Magic Nights ticket holders at 8 p.m. for a tour of the house (with a free audio guide), followed by the concert starting at 9 p.m. There are three ticket levels — blue, silver, and gold — with the latter (priced at 59 euros) netting you a front-row table to the concert, plus an extra drink. But the blue tickets (49 euros) also give you the full experience, including a visit to the new Gaudí Cube, a spectacular immersive video-and-sound installation in the basement. What really makes it worth the extra cost is seeing the house without the throngs of tourists — there are times that I had the rooms nearly all to myself. Magic Nights runs seasonally, from April to November.</p><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-traveling-to-barcelona-spain" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>View Insider's comprehensive guide to visiting Barcelona</em><em>.</em></a></p>

10 places to go in Barcelona beyond what you'll find in most guide books, according to a local travel writer

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer declared that there is now enough evidence to say that processed meats - bacon, sausage, and other cured delicacies - cause cancer.</p><p>In the <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045%2815%2900444-1/fulltext">study where they published</a> their results on Oct. 26, they also said red meat was <em>probably</em> carcinogenic.</p><p>Is this a surprise?</p><p>"No, it's not," says <a href="http://www.med.nyu.edu/biosketch/ahnj06">Dr. Jiyoung Ahn</a>, an associate professor of population health and environmental medicine at <a href="http://www.med.nyu.edu/cancer/">NYU's Perlmutter Cancer Center</a>.</p><p>For a "long time," she says, "multiple studies have reported the relationship between meat intake and bowel cancer."</p><p>And it's true. Researchers have repeatedly&#xa0;reported a connection between <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18444144">processed meat</a> and <a href="http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/type/bowel-cancer/about/risks/food-types-and-bowel-cancer">colorectal cancer</a> (also called bowel cancer) and <a href="http://www.nature.com/news/2005/050110/full/news050110-7.html">red meat and the same cancers</a>. A <a href="http://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostatecancer/overviewguide/prostate-cancer-overview-what-causes">connection to prostate cancer</a> has long been suspected, too.</p><h2>Bacon ? Smoking</h2><p>But a common reaction so far has been to call bacon "the new smoking:"</p><p><div></div></p><p><strong>This is not the case. </strong></p><p>It's true that the WHO's IARC put bacon onto the list of known human carcinogens, along with tobacco, asbestos, and plutonium. Once there is enough evidence that researchers can say, yes, a substance causes cancer, it would be wrong for them <em>not</em> to put it on that list. Alcoholic beverages been on that list since 2012.</p><p>But that doesn't mean that everything on that list is equally dangerous and equally likely to cause cancer. Things are included if we know they can cause cancer, but that doesn't mean they all automatically cause cancer. Exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays can cause cancer, but doesn't always do so - it depends on dose and other factors.</p><p>Eating an additional 50 grams of processed meat a day increases your risk of colorectal&#xa0;cancer by 18%, according to the IARC's report. An increased risk of almost 20% sounds like a lot - and it's definitely something worth paying attention to. But your overall risk of getting these cancers in the first place is still low, so increasing a low number by 20% is less scary.</p><p>As Dr. Kurt Straif, Head of the IARC Monographs Programme, <a href="http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2015/pdfs/pr240_E.pdf">put it in a statement</a>: "For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed."</p><p><a href="http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2015/10/26/processed-meat-and-cancer-what-you-need-to-know/">Cancer Research UK</a> compares what we know about the effects of eating meat to the effects of smoking in this helpful graphic:</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>Both smoking and eating red or processed meat can cause cancer (probably, in red meat's case), but smoking is responsible for a greater percentage of lung cancers than meat is responsible for colorectal&#xa0;cancers. High meat&#xa0;consumption is just <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/basic_info/risk_factors.htm">one of many risk factors for colorectal cancer</a>;&#xa0;others include having Crohn's disease, having a family history of cancer, and - surprise - <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3619726/">smoking</a>.</p><p>To look at the statistics another way, <a href="http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/iarcnews/pdf/Monographs-Q&amp;A_Vol114.pdf">the researchers say</a> that eating processed meats probably causes 34,000 people to die of cancer around the world every year. If red meat causes cancer (and isn't just associated with cancer deaths coincidentally), then it would likely be the cause of an additional 50,000 global cancer deaths every year. Those numbers are significant and they should make anyone who consumes a lot of processed or red meat pause.</p><p>But those numbers aren't as bad as others we could look at. Alcohol is responsible for 600,000 cancer deaths every year (including a number of colorectal cancers), and smoking kills one million people each year. Air pollution causes another 200,000 deaths.</p><p>So yes, bacon causes cancer, but no, it's not the same as smoking.</p><p>As <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/tomchivers/bacon-and-sausages-do-cause-cancer-says-the-who#.gnmV7eJr9">Tom Chivers of BuzzFeed News UK puts it</a>, over your lifetime, the UK's National Health Service&#xa0;calculates your risk of colorectal&#xa0;cancers at 5%. An additional 50g of processed meat a day raises that to 6%.</p><h2>So can I eat some bacon now?</h2><p>This isn't meant to absolve or not absolve the consumption of these meats for health reasons (there are other <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/sep/25/industrial-farming-one-worst-crimes-history-ethical-question">moral considerations</a> for eating industrially produced meat too).</p><p>Many interpret these findings to be further confirmation of already-existing&#xa0;health advice: Don't eat too much&#xa0;processed or red meat. Eating these meats every day can quickly&#xa0;put anyone over the amount that's known to significantly increase cancer risk.&#xa0;And that's before considering the other potential health risks of eating large amounts of&#xa0;processed meat, which has also been associated with an <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24926039">increased risk for heart failure in men</a> and <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26005173">women</a>&#xa0;and a higher rate of <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24148709">earlier death from all causes</a>.</p><p>Some, like Ahn, who is also a registered dietitian, would say to avoid these meats altogether. "I wouldn't advise eating processed meat," she says. "We have other excellent sources of protein," like chicken, fish, or tofu.</p><p>But not everyone goes so far in condemning these meats.</p><p>"These findings further support current public health recommendations to limit intake of meat," Dr Christopher Wild, Director of IARC, <a href="http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2015/pdfs/pr240_E.pdf">said in a statement</a>. But he refrained from saying that meat should be avoided altogether, and noted that there are healthy compounds in meat too.</p><p>We don't know exactly what causes the increased cancer risk, though the researchers noted that the creation of processed meats often introduces chemical compounds that are carcinogenic. Cooking meat to a charred point also creates carcinogens, according to the report. Ahn is investigating whether gut bacteria make certain people more vulnerable to cancer if they consume red or processed meat.</p><p>For now, as always, Michael Pollan's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/In-Defense-Food-Eaters-Manifesto/dp/0143114964">seven-word piece of advice for healthy eating</a> remains relevant: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/workout-gym-frequency-shape-exercise-2015-8">We asked an exercise scientist how long it takes to get out of shape - and the answer was surprising</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="w5ajY5dzrM-leR1emY5-MdUpGtMTeesE" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Here's the truth about bacon causing cancer

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>In the fall of 2015, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) caused a stir by declaring that there was enough evidence to say that processed meats - bacon, sausage, and other cured delicacies - cause cancer.</p><p>In the <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045%2815%2900444-1/fulltext">study that included these results</a>, the agency&#xa0;also said that red meat was <em>probably</em> carcinogenic.</p><p>Now, a <a href="http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/health-who-iarc/">Reuters investigation into how exactly IARC decides</a> something causes cancer adds some new wrinkles to that story.</p><p>Notably, an anonymous source quoted by Reuters, who observed the closed proceedings, alleged that "the expert panel reviewing the scientific evidence appeared to aim for a specific result" and that the data on just how much meat consumption raised cancer risk seemed "to come from nowhere, overnight."</p><p>We should note that even if the source is right that the panel "appeared to aim for a specific result," the idea that processed meat can eventually cause cancer is not a controversial one - the controversy comes more from the question of just how risky that meat is and how that information was communicated.</p><p>But the <a href="http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/health-who-iarc/">Reuters investigation</a> does reveal some interesting things about IARC's process of&#xa0;communicating risk.</p><p>First of all, they're reluctant to say anything is definitely safe. Of the 989 things they've investigated over the past 40 years, only one has been found to "probably not" cause cancer.</p><p>Second, there are critics who&#xa0;dispute part of IARC's review process, especially because many of the people who make the final decision may have been involved in the very research they are citing to support it.</p><p>And finally, it's important to note that when IARC declares something a "known carcinogen," they are not making a statement about how risky it is. Something is considered a carcinogen even if it increases your risk of cancer just a little bit.&#xa0;</p><p>Bacon, sunbathing, alcohol, and plutonium are all "known carcinogens," but one of those is going to give you cancer much more quickly than the others.</p><h2>So is bacon as dangerous as smoking or other known carcinogens?</h2><p>Our first question to researchers when we heard about the processed meat decision was to ask if that declaration was a surprise.</p><p>"No, it's not," said&#xa0;<a href="http://www.med.nyu.edu/biosketch/ahnj06">Dr. Jiyoung Ahn</a>, an associate professor of population health and environmental medicine at <a href="http://www.med.nyu.edu/cancer/">NYU's Perlmutter Cancer Center</a>.</p><p>For a "long time," she said, "multiple studies have reported the relationship between meat intake and bowel cancer."</p><p>And it's true. Researchers have repeatedly reported a connection between <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18444144">processed meat</a> and <a href="http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/type/bowel-cancer/about/risks/food-types-and-bowel-cancer">colorectal cancer</a> (also called bowel cancer) and <a href="http://www.nature.com/news/2005/050110/full/news050110-7.html">red meat and the same cancers</a>. A <a href="http://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostatecancer/overviewguide/prostate-cancer-overview-what-causes">connection to prostate cancer</a> has long been suspected, too.</p><p>But a common reaction to the IARC decision was to call bacon "the new smoking:"</p><p><div></div></p><p><strong>This is not the case. </strong></p><p>It's true that the WHO's IARC put bacon onto the list of known human carcinogens, along with tobacco, asbestos, and other scary substances. Once there is enough evidence that researchers can say, yes, a substance causes cancer, it would be wrong for them <em>not</em> to put it on that list. Alcoholic beverages have been listed as a carcinogen&#xa0;since 2012.</p><p>But that doesn't mean that everything on that list is equally dangerous and equally likely to cause cancer. Things are included if we know they <em>can</em> cause cancer, but that doesn't mean they all automatically <em>do</em> cause cancer. Exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays can cause cancer, for example, but doesn't always do so - it depends on dose and other factors.</p><p>Eating an additional 50 grams of processed meat a day increases your risk of colorectal cancer by 18%, according to the IARC's report. An increased risk of almost 20% sounds like a lot - and it's definitely something worth paying attention to. But your overall risk of getting these cancers in the first place is still low, so increasing a low number by 20% is less scary.</p><p>As Dr. Kurt Straif, Head of the IARC Monographs Programme, <a href="http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2015/pdfs/pr240_E.pdf">put it in a statement</a>: "For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed."</p><p><a href="http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2015/10/26/processed-meat-and-cancer-what-you-need-to-know/">Cancer Research UK</a> compares what we know about the effects of eating meat to the effects of smoking in this helpful graphic:</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>Both smoking and eating red or processed meat can cause cancer (or can <em>probably </em>cause cancer, in the case of red meat), but smoking is responsible for a greater percentage of lung cancers than meat is responsible for colorectal cancers. High meat consumption is just <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/basic_info/risk_factors.htm">one of many risk factors for colorectal cancer</a>; others include having Crohn's disease, having a family history of cancer, and - surprise - <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3619726/">smoking</a>.</p><p>To look at the statistics another way, <a href="http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/iarcnews/pdf/Monographs-Q&amp;A_Vol114.pdf">the researchers say</a> that eating processed meats probably causes 34,000 people to die of cancer around the world every year. If red meat causes cancer (and isn't just associated with cancer deaths coincidentally), then it would likely be the cause of an additional 50,000 global cancer deaths every year. Those numbers are significant and they should give pause to&#xa0;anyone who consumes a lot of processed or red meat.</p><p>But those numbers aren't as bad as others we could look at. Alcohol is responsible for 600,000 cancer deaths every year (including a number of colorectal cancers), and smoking kills one million people each year. Air pollution causes another 200,000 deaths.</p><p>So yes, bacon causes cancer. But no, it's not the same as smoking.</p><p>As <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/tomchivers/bacon-and-sausages-do-cause-cancer-says-the-who#.gnmV7eJr9">Tom Chivers of BuzzFeed News UK puts it</a>, over your lifetime, the UK's National Health Service calculates your risk of colorectal cancers at 5%. An additional 50g of processed meat a day raises that to 6%.</p><h2>So can I eat some bacon now?</h2><p>This isn't meant to absolve or not absolve the consumption of these meats for health reasons (there are other <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/sep/25/industrial-farming-one-worst-crimes-history-ethical-question">moral considerations</a> for eating industrially produced meat too).</p><p>Many interpret these findings to be further confirmation of already-existing health advice: Don't eat too much processed or red meat. Eating these meats every day can quickly put anyone over the amount that's known to significantly increase cancer risk. And that's before considering the other potential health risks of eating large amounts of processed meat, which has also been associated with an <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24926039">increased risk for heart failure in men</a> and <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26005173">women</a> and a higher rate of <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24148709">earlier death from all causes</a>.</p><p>Some, like NYU's Ahn, who is also a registered dietitian, would say to avoid these meats altogether. "I wouldn't advise eating processed meat," she said. "We have other excellent sources of protein," like chicken, fish, or tofu.</p><p>But not everyone goes so far.</p><p>"These findings further support current public health recommendations to limit intake of meat," Dr Christopher Wild, Director of IARC, <a href="http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2015/pdfs/pr240_E.pdf">said in a statement</a>. But he refrained from saying that meat should be avoided altogether, and noted that there are healthy compounds in meat too.</p><p>We don't know exactly what causes the increased cancer risk, though the researchers noted that the creation of processed meats often introduces chemical compounds that are carcinogenic. Cooking meat to a charred point also creates carcinogens, according to the report. Ahn is investigating whether gut bacteria make certain people more vulnerable to cancer if they consume red or processed meat.</p><p>For now, as always, Michael Pollan's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/In-Defense-Food-Eaters-Manifesto/dp/0143114964">seven-word piece of advice for healthy eating</a> remains relevant: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."</p><p>So go ahead and eat some bacon. Maybe just don't eat all of the bacon.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/workout-gym-frequency-shape-exercise-2015-8">We asked an exercise scientist how long it takes to get out of shape - and the answer was surprising</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="w5ajY5dzrM-leR1emY5-MdUpGtMTeesE" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

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