Is there an epidemic of nearsightedness?

+ cannabis and kids; wild turkey numbers falling US Edition - Today's top story: Nearsightedness is at epidemic levels – and the problem begins in childhood [View in browser]( US Edition | 24 April 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( You may have heard how rates of myopia, or not being able to focus on objects far away, have been on the rise for years. For children who spend much more time in front of screens than previous generations, it’s easy to blame technology for the problem. But Andrew Herbert, a vision scientist from Rochester Institute of Technology, says the explanation is not as simple as that. Indeed, recent studies “provide strong support for the idea that an important driver of the uptick in myopia is that people are spending more time [focusing on objects immediately in front of our eyes](, whether a screen, a book or a drawing pad,” Herbert writes. Research also shows that children who don’t spend much time outdoors have higher rates of myopia as well. The good news is that there are ways to address myopia: spending less time focusing on objects close to your face and spending more time outside in bright, natural daylight. Frequent breaks away from “near work” can help as well, he writes. Also in this week’s science news: - [Will climate change shift cicadas’ multiyear clocks?]( - [Generative AI creates free speech conundrum]( - [Unsafe sleep practices behind most sudden, unexpected infant deaths]( If there’s a subject you’d like our team of science editors to investigate, please reply to this email. Martin LaMonica Director of Editorial Projects and Newsletters Nearsightedness is also known as myopia. Witthaya Prasongsin/Moment via Getty Images [Nearsightedness is at epidemic levels – and the problem begins in childhood]( Andrew Herbert, Rochester Institute of Technology While reading, scrolling and focusing on other objects near our faces increase the risk of developing myopia, a little time outdoors in the sun can help mitigate it. The relatively new discipline of epigenetics explores how diet and nutrition can affect not only our own health but that of future generations. Drazen Zigic/iStock via Getty Images Plus [What you eat could alter your unborn children and grandchildren’s genes and health outcomes]( Nathaniel Johnson, University of North Dakota; Hasan Khatib, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Thomas D. Crenshaw, University of Wisconsin-Madison Studies show a parent’s poor diet could affect the genes of generations to come – and set up children and grandchildren for obesity and cardiovascular issues. Wild turkeys in a yard on Staten Island, N.Y. AP Photo/Kathy Willens [Wild turkey numbers are falling in some parts of the US – the main reason may be habitat loss]( Marcus Lashley, University of Florida; William Gulsby, Auburn University Wild turkeys were overhunted across the US through the early 1900s, but made a strong comeback. Now, though, numbers are declining again. Two ecologists parse the evidence and offer an explanation. [Cannabis legalization has led to a boom in potent forms of the drug that present new hazards for adolescents]( Ty Schepis, Texas State University THC concentrations in newly available products far exceed those of traditional smoked weed, which can have dangerous unintended consequences in adolescents. [Chemical pollutants can change your skin bacteria and increase your eczema risk − new research explores how]( Ian Myles, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases From synthetic fabrics to car exhaust to wildfires, exposure to environmental pollutants push the skin microbiome to adapt in ways that reduce its ability to protect the skin. [AI chatbots refuse to produce ‘controversial’ output − why that’s a free speech problem]( Jordi Calvet-Bademunt, Vanderbilt University; Jacob Mchangama, Vanderbilt University AI chatbot makers’ restrictive use policies hinder people’s access to information. [Why don’t female crickets chirp?]( Floyd W. Shockley, Smithsonian Institution Only male crickets have wing structures that produce sound, but females are very good at following the signal. - [Transporting hazardous materials across the country isn’t easy − that’s why there’s a host of regulations in place]( Michael F. Gorman, University of Dayton Nobody wants to see an accident involving flammable, corrosive or radioactive material. But understanding the rules put in place to prevent these accidents isn’t easy. - [Native American voices are finally factoring into energy projects – a hydropower ruling is a victory for environmental justice on tribal lands]( Emily Benton Hite, Saint Louis University; Denielle Perry, Northern Arizona University The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently ruled that it won’t approve energy projects on Native lands without tribal consent. But many more applications are pending. - [Getting a good night’s rest is vital for neurodiverse children – pediatric sleep experts explain why]( Beth Ann Malow, Vanderbilt University; Susan Nehiley Brasher, Emory University; Terry Katz, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Sleep habits can be improved by making shifts in both daytime and evening routines. - [Do implicit bias trainings on race improve health care? Not yet – but incorporating the latest science can help hospitals treat all patients equitably]( Nao Hagiwara, University of Virginia; Tiffany Green, University of Wisconsin-Madison Many Black patients experience stark differences in how they’re treated during medical interactions compared to white patients. - [Techno-optimism: the ideology that says technology is the answer to every problem]( - [What is curtailment? An electricity market expert explains why states sometimes have too much wind or solar power]( - [The tragedy of sudden unexpected infant deaths – and how bedsharing, maternal smoking and stomach sleeping all contribute]( - [Billions of cicadas are about to emerge from underground in a rare double-brood convergence]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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