Recreational drugs cause irregular heartbeats

Plus: German researchers find a solution to the hydrogen storage problem: salts. Oct 24, 2022 [Blueprint]( In news that will surprise nobody, recreational drugs are bad for you. But, according to new research, not just in the many ways we're already aware of. Because now, it seems, they may also [increase the risk of irregular heart rhythms](. We know this because a fairly massive study (conducted on more than 23 million people) has found that some commonly used drugs may have a previously unknown adverse effect on heart health. Specifically, the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF), which is a potentially deadly heart-rhythm disorder and “the most common type of treated heart arrhythmia,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So maybe add that to the (very long) list of reasons not to do drugs. But before you listen to those experts, listen to the experts [in this video]( who are using insects to find criminals. But not in the way you might expect… Good morning. I’m Alice, an Editor at IE. This is The Blueprint. Let’s get started. [Play]VIDEO OF THE DAY [Watch how forensic experts use insects to find criminals.]( [Watch how forensic experts use insects to find criminals.]( Not by arming them with tiny magnifying glasses, sadly. [Must Read]MUST READ [Use of marijuana, meth, cocaine, and opiates could increase the risk of irregular heart rhythm.]( [Drugs could increase the risk of irregular heart rhythm.]( They’re not good for your brain, your wallet, your social skills, your future prospects… and now, it seems, recreational [drugs are also not good for your heart](. Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, (UCSF) conducted a study using more than 23 million people. They found that some commonly used (and abused) drugs may have a previously unknown adverse effect on heart health. The research team examined data from diagnostic codes from every hospital admission in California – as in every emergency room visit, and every medical procedure between 2005 and 2015. From that, they identified nearly one million people who developed atrial fibrillation (AF). The researchers think that this is the first study to look at marijuana use as a predictor of future atrial fibrillation risk. The next step, they say, will be to carry out controlled trials on humans in order to examine the effects of marijuana on cardiac rhythm more precisely, and to further explore potential mechanisms via which use of other drugs may raise the risk of developing AF. → UCSF scientists found that marijuana users were 35 percent more likely to develop AF later on. These rates increased to 61 percent in cocaine users, 76 percent in opiate users, and 86 percent in methamphetamine users. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( [Facebook]( [SCIENCE]SCIENCE [German researchers find a solution to the hydrogen storage problem: salts.]( Researchers at the Leibniz Institute of Catalysis have found a relatively simple solution to the giant problem of [storage and transport of hydrogen as fuel]( – a way of storing hydrogen in solid salts. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( And Other Stories in Science - Does being a [veggie make you depressed]( [premium] - Is our planet surrounded by a [giant magnetic tunnel]( Let’s find out. - [4 engineering reasons]( why South African cities have no water despite full dams. [INNOVATION]INNOVATION [Researchers secretly converted Starlink signals into GPS systems despite Musk’s objection.]( A team has figured out a system whereby regular beacon signals from the Starlink constellation could form the basis of a useful navigation system, [without any input from SpaceX at all](. 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[No, they already know it’s bad for them]( [You never know, hopefully]( [Yes, I think this might sway opinion]( [It’s difficult to say either way]( YESTERDAY'S RESULTS On Saturday, we asked you if you think machines like the newly-developed weed control robot are affecting the ecosystem, and yes, but they’re necessary for crops to grow. 31% Yes, but it is better because the robot kills weeds so that crops can grow 26% No, everything will balance itself out once the weeds are destroyed 16% I don’t know if it will affect the ecosystem long-term 14% Yes, it could be hurting the ecosystem by destroying weeds that could be habitats for helpful organisms 13% Yes, it’s affecting the ecosystem but I’m not too sure how [QUOTE OF THE DAY]QUOTE OF THE DAY “For most men, an ignorant enjoyment is better than an informed one; it is better to conceive the sky as a blue dome than a dark cavity; and the cloud as a golden throne than a sleety mist.” John Ruskin 1819–1900 English art and social critic: Modern Painters (1856) vol. 3. 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