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<keyword id="7098277" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="plymouth-marine-laboratory" source="Orion">Plymouth Marine Laboratory</keyword> Plymouth (UK), Jul 6 (The Conversation) What do the following changes have in common? Some ant species are struggling to follow trails, as warming temperatures cause a certain pheromone they use to communicate to decay. The water fleas Daphnia are finding it harder to evade predators as CO₂ levels rise in the water. And in coral reefs, the colourful and pretty damselfish are losing their ability to learn who their predators are. All have been caused in some way by arguably the biggest change of all: <keyword id="6361617" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change" source="Orion">climate change</keyword>. My colleagues and I have led research which has shown that climate change is also changing chemical communication in marine, freshwater and land-based species, with far-reaching implications for our planet's future and human wellbeing. Chemical communication plays an essential role in well-functioning ecosystems. This "language of life" regulates interactions between organisms and is essential to the environment, and ultimately, all life on Earth. Interactions through so-called "infochemicals" are perhaps the oldest and most widespread form of communication on the planet. Infochemicals provide the basis for the vast majority of ecological processes across the tree of life, in both land and water, by serving as cues or signals that are present on the surface of organisms themselves or released into the surrounding environment. They also help shape natural ecosystems by maintaining their equilibrium and, in doing so, support the provision of many things that are of great importance to humans, including food and clean water. Infochemicals influence a broad range of functions and behaviour such as the relationship between predator and prey. For example, sharks use these chemicals to "sniff" out their prey over mindboggling distances. Bear in mind that any chemical you can smell is probably an infochemical, often intended for a different species. For instance the smell of a pine forest - that is, the presence of certain chemicals - signals something different to a human, a bear or an ant. These chemicals can affect foraging and feeding too. For example, infochemicals are released by some plant species to attract pollinators but repel those that may cause harm. In some cases, a plant under attack may even tell its neighbours of impending doom so they can respond accordingly. Infochemicals can influence habitat selection. They're how barnacle larvae select a suitable surface on which to attach, for example. And infochemicals are also used by species to recognise potential mates and boost their chances of reproducing. For example, some bat species can "sniff" out a mate with the greatest genetic diversity. Changing infochemicals But climate change is altering the production of these info-carrying chemicals such as pheromones. This is having a major impact on a wide variety of species. Scientific research has shown that alterations in temperature, carbon dioxide and pH levels - all part of climate change - can affect every single aspect of the fundamental processes that organisms use to communicate with each other. An example of this is a laboratory experiment that showed how climate change caused a reduction in anti-predator behaviour in some fish species by decreasing their anxiety towards potential predators. Many fish release certain chemicals when they are harmed by a predator or are otherwise in danger. And their fellow fish use the presence of these chemicals, detected through smell, as a warning. But scientists found that when more CO₂ is absorbed in the water and the pH level is reduced, the most commonly researched alarm cue (hypoxanthine-3-N-oxide) is irreversibly changed and fish find it harder to detect. Climate change is not just affecting individual species. A growing number of studies suggest that climate change-associated stressors which modify these chemical interactions are causing info-disruption across whole ecosystems. However, our understanding of the underlying mechanisms remains scarce. As a next step, colleagues and I are working on how climate change may affect the chemically mediated relationship (or communication) between disease-causing pathogens and the animals that host them. If global warming causes a communication breakdown, we ultimately want to know how that will impact us humans. (The Conversation) PY PY

Climate change is making it difficult for animals to talk the 'language of life'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Microplastics have been found in the human body in recent studies.</li><li>Scientists are trying to understand their potential negative effects on our health.</li></ul>An expert on how <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/human-blood-microplastics">microplastics</a> affect our health shared how she reduces her exposure at home.Professor Fay Couceiro leads a team at Portsmouth University, UK, that researches the potential health impacts of these fragments of plastic measuring less than five millimeters long. She told Business Insider that the study of microplastics initially started in marine biology. Not only do microplastics harm marine ecosystems, they damage associated economies. An estimated $500 to $2,500 billion is lost annually because of how marine microplastics impact industries including fishing and recreation, according to a 2019 study by researchers at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory.Once scientists found microplastics in all parts of the marine ecosystem, they discovered them everywhere else they thought to look, too, Couceiro said.<div type="image" title="A glass beaker with water and microplastics, held by someone in a white coat and plastic gloves." height="1414" width="2121" msid="114325882" hostid="261" sizebytes="53160"></div>Research suggests that microplastics could contribute to the development or worsening of health issues such as asthma, Couceiro said. A study released earlier this year, meanwhile, suggested <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microplastics-risks-heart-attack-stroke-study-2024-3">microplastics increase the risks of stroke</a> and heart attacks. That's concerning, considering that microplastics have been found in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microplastics-found-in-human-testicles-what-to-do-2024-5">human blood, brains, and testicles</a>.Although experts don't yet fully understand how <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/you-are-consuming-microplastics-how-much-what-to-know-risks-2022-4">microplastics</a> affect our health, Couceiro said that "it would be sensible to try to limit the number we expose ourselves to while we determine what the problems are."Couceiro added that while legislation and wider systemic changes are needed to meaningfully reduce the number of microplastics we come into contact with, there are things we can do to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/expert-how-i-keep-baby-family-safe-toxic-plastic-microplastics-2023-1">reduce exposure</a> at home.<h2 id="af91ad2d-fdb9-4cc9-a1d1-4c2028bb7c07">Don't microwave food in a plastic container</h2>Couceiro tries to remove food from plastic packaging before microwaving it whenever she can. But she doesn't stress if this isn't possible when she eats out.<div type="image" title="A steaming Thai green curry in a microwaveable plastic pot." height="1414" width="2121" msid="114325879" hostid="261" sizebytes="121222"></div>Heating plastic means it breaks down more easily and can release microplastics into food, a 2023 study published in Environmental Science &amp; Technology found.<h2 id="d8db174e-3632-4810-87d9-0365d40b9dd6">Don't buy plastic clothes and carpets</h2>Couceiro recommends people buy clothes and carpets that aren't made from plastic."You don't have to go and replace all your clothes and carpets — especially not at the moment when things are so tight," she said. "But if something is starting to wear out, and you're thinking about buying a new one, look at what non-plastic alternatives are out there that you can afford."She still has a few pieces of polyester clothing, which she plans to replace non-plastic items when the time comes.<h2 id="151047ca-b498-4803-8816-c2a5992dea67">Vacuum regularly</h2>"The more you vacuum, the less plastic will be in the air from your carpet," Couceiro said.If you don't have much carpet in your home, don't worry about this one too much, she said.<h2 id="418e7f7a-deb6-41af-9b4b-24a2c93e90f1">Avoid plastic cookware</h2><div type="image" title="Wooden and ceramic kitchen utensils and bowls with a metal grater." height="1412" width="2124" msid="114325880" hostid="261" sizebytes="103910"></div>"When you see things like plastic spatulas melting and bubbling, there's little pieces of plastic coming off them," she said.Where possible, Couceiro cooks with metal or wood cookware instead of plastic, and avoids buying plastic utensils.<h2 id="4cc175a5-ccca-4fe1-9305-a291d8397f47">Avoid really fluffy materials</h2>This can be tough with kids, so Couceiro just limits fluffy materials in her home rather than banning them.But she's wary of them because they are more likely to be made of plastic fibers that shed easily.<h2 id="d6503b62-a0ec-48e9-8d00-de373ad69f39">Ventilate your home</h2>Couceiro likes to have fresh air in the house, and recommends ventilating your living space by opening windows to reduce the number of microplastics in the air.But, she said, you have to make sure that you won't be undoing the benefits by allowing pollution into your home, which is more likely if you live near busy roads or in a city center.Alternatively, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/home/best-air-purifier">air purifiers</a> can help improve air quality if left running for long periods, she said.

An expert in how microplastics affect our health does 6 things to avoid them at home

New Delhi, <keyword id="10469552" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="cholera-outbreaks">Cholera outbreaks</keyword> in <keyword id="1240822" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coastal-regions">coastal regions</keyword> of India can be predicted with an 89% success rate using climate data taken from Earth-orbiting satellites combined with artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, according to a study. The research, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, is the first to demonstrate the use of sea surface salinity, or dissolved salts in water, for forecasting cholera. The researchers from ESA Climate Office and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) in the UK focused on predicting cholera outbreaks around the northern Indian Ocean, where they said over half of <keyword id="8937503" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-cases">global cases</keyword> of the <keyword id="817046" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="bacterial-disease">bacterial disease</keyword> were reported in the 2010-16 period. "The model showed promising results, and there's a lot of scope for developing this work using different cholera surveillance datasets or in <keyword id="3877410" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="different-locations">different locations</keyword>," said Amy Campbell, who led the study. Cholera is a waterborne disease caused by the intake of water or food contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, which is found in many coastal regions of the world, particularly in densely populated tropical areas. The pathogen generally lives under <keyword id="8406871" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="warm-temperatures">warm temperatures</keyword>, moderate salinity and turbidity -- the degree to which water loses its transparency due to the presence of suspended particles -- and can be harboured by plankton and debris in the water. Researchers noted that global warming and an increase in extreme weather events are driving outbreaks of cholera -- a disease that affects 1.3 to 4 million people each year worldwide, and causes up to 143,000 fatalities. The relationship between the environmental drivers of new cholera cases during a time period, are complex, they said. They vary seasonally, with different lagged effects, for example from the monsoon season, the researchers explained. They say machine learning algorithms can help to overcome these issues by learning to recognise patterns across large datasets in order to make testable predictions. Machine learning (ML) is a type of AI which involves the study of computer algorithms that improve automatically through experience. The research team used an ML algorithm called the random forest classifier which can recognise patterns across long datasets and make testable predictions. The algorithm was trained on disease outbreaks reported in coastal districts in India between 2010 and 2018, and learned the relationships with six satellite-based climate records generated by ESA's Climate Change Initiative (CCI). By including or removing environmental variables and sub-setting for different seasons, the algorithm identified key variables for predicting cholera outbreaks, including land surface temperature and sea surface salinity. "It would be interesting to test the impact of including socio-economic datasets; remote sensing data could be used to develop records to account for human factors that are important for cholera incidence, such as access to water resources," Campbell added. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/heres-what-analysts-say-if-you-should-subscribe-or-not-to-the-300-crore-ipo-of-antony-waste-handling-cell/articleshow/79790998.cms">Antony Waste Handling Cell ₹300-crore IPO opens today — these are the risks and opportunities</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/the-founder-of-sugar-cosmetics-explains-how-the-startup-clocked-a-60-growth-in-sales-during-the-pandemic/articleshow/79832966.cms">The founder of SUGAR cosmetics explains how the startup clocked a 60% growth in sales during the pandemic</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/pine-labs-valuation-crosses-2-billion-as-it-raises-fresh-funds-from-lone-pine-capital/articleshow/79833738.cms">Pine Labs' valuation crosses $2 billion as it raises fresh funds from Lone Pine Capital</a>

Artificial Intelligence can help better prediction of cholera outbreaks in coastal regions of India, reveals new study

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Climate change is making it difficult for animals to talk the 'language of life'

PTI

An expert in how microplastics affect our health does 6 things to avoid them at home

Serafina Kenny

Artificial Intelligence can help better prediction of cholera outbreaks in coastal regions of India, reveals new study

PTI

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