Confused by the many weed products? This will help

+ fighting drug-resistant fungal infections; AI in astronomy US Edition - Today's top story: Cannabis-derived products like delta-8 THC and delta-10 THC have flooded the US market – two immunologists explain the medicinal benefits and potential risks [View in browser]( US Edition | 3 May 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( For people curious about substances found in a relatively recent wave of products derived from marijuana – specifically delta-8 THC and delta-10 THC – University of South Carolina researchers Prakash and Mitzi Nagarkatti offer [a thorough and naunced explainer](. They write that these two chemicals, which are less psychoactive than other forms of THC, “hold great promise” for a variety of medical conditions, but they offer warnings as well, underscoring the importance of distinguishing among the active chemicals in marijuana. As a reader of this newsletter, you’re no doubt well aware that global warming is raising the risk of extreme weather, such as the deluge that pounded the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, area in April. As Smitha Rao, an assistant professor of social work at The Ohio State University, points out, low-wage workers, older adults and other vulnerable people who live in low-lying areas are at [greatest risk of harm from flooding]( in the U.S. She writes about her research showing which households, such as low-income ones and ones with children, are less prepared for disasters and offers some examples of communities devising ways to improve disaster preparedness for higher-risk people. Our editors covered a few other interesting studies this past week, including one showing the [prevalence of harmful chemicals in everyday cleaning products](; the [shrinking habitat of Asian elephants]( and how an old fossil, thought to be a Neandertal jawbone, raises new questions over [when our species Homo sapiens first roamed in Europe](. Also in this week’s science news: - [Cancer is not one disease, which informs research and treatments]( - [Why active volcanoes finally blow]( - [Avoiding harmful algal blooms this summer]( If there’s a subject you’d like our team of science editors to investigate, please reply to this email. Martin La Monica Director of Editorial Projects and Newsletters Thousands of cannabis-derived products are now on the market. skodonnell/E+ via Getty Images [Cannabis-derived products like delta-8 THC and delta-10 THC have flooded the US market – two immunologists explain the medicinal benefits and potential risks]( Prakash Nagarkatti, University of South Carolina; Mitzi Nagarkatti, University of South Carolina Researchers are working to determine how and which cannabis products can help those suffering from chronic pain or serious illness. But science is having a hard time keeping up with the booming market. The hardest-hit homes in Florida’s mid-April flooding were in modest neighborhoods in low-lying areas. Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images [Historic flooding in Fort Lauderdale was a sign of things to come – a look at who is most at risk and how to prepare]( Smitha Rao, The Ohio State University Nationally, 57% of the population says they’re not prepared for a flood disaster. Surveys and disasters show that those most at risk are least prepared. Candidiasis is a severe fungal infection that can spread easily in medical facilities. Atlas of Pulmonary Pathology/Flickr [How do Candida auris and other fungi develop drug resistance? A microbiologist explains]( Jeffrey Gardner, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Multidrug-resistant fungal infections are an emerging global health threat. Figuring out how fungi evade treatments offers new avenues to counter resistance. [AI is helping astronomers make new discoveries and learn about the universe faster than ever before]( Chris Impey, University of Arizona Artificial intelligence tools are making waves in almost every aspect of life, and astronomy is no different. An astronomer explains the history and future of AI in understanding the universe. [Heading to a beach this summer? Here’s how to keep harmful algae blooms from spoiling your trip]( Brad Reisfeld, Colorado State University The tiny organisms that cause harmful blooms of algae can have a big impact on your trip to the shore. A toxicologist explains what causes these events and how to keep people and pets safe. [‘Got polio?’ messaging underscores a vaccine campaign’s success but creates false sense of security as memories of the disease fade in US]( Katherine A. Foss, Middle Tennessee State University Polio vaccines have been a massive public health victory in the US. But purely celebratory messaging overlooks the ongoing threat if vaccination rates fall. [The thinking error that makes people susceptible to climate change denial]( Jeremy P. Shapiro, Case Western Reserve University A psychologist explains how opponents of climate policies use a common thinking error to manipulate the public – and why people are so susceptible. [Body lotions, mothballs, cleaning fluids and other widely used products contain known toxic chemicals, study finds]( Robin Dodson, Boston University; Megan R. Schwarzman, University of California, Berkeley; Ruthann Rudel, Northeastern University Manufacturers don’t usually have to disclose what’s in products like shampoo and household cleaners, but a new study finds that these products can contain hazardous ingredients. [Kids cartoon characters that use AI to customize responses help children learn]( Ying Xu, University of Michigan Children learn more science when they watch an AI-powered cartoon character than with a regular Mickey Mouse or Dora the Explorer, a new study finds. - [Enigmatic human fossil jawbone may be evidence of an early Homo sapiens presence in Europe – and adds mystery about who those humans were]( Brian Anthony Keeling, Binghamton University, State University of New York; Rolf Quam, Binghamton University, State University of New York Scientists had figured a fossil found in Spain more than a century ago was from a Neandertal. But a new analysis suggests it could be from a lost lineage of our species, Homo sapiens. - [Black mothers trapped in unsafe neighborhoods signal the stressful health toll of gun violence in the U.S.]( Loren Henderson, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Ruby Mendenhall, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Chronic stress from living with systemic racism and gun violence can lead to increased symptoms of PTSD and depression as well as elevated cortisol levels. - [Every cancer is unique – why different cancers require different treatments, and how evolution drives drug resistance]( Joshua Warrick, Penn State; David DeGraff, Penn State; Monika Joshi, Penn State There is no one-size-fits-all approach to treating cancer. Understanding how cancer cells evolve could help researchers develop more effective drugs. - [What causes volcanoes to erupt?]( Rachel Beane, Bowdoin College As they shape the Earth, volcanoes inspire and terrify humans. - [Human activities in Asia have reduced elephant habitat by nearly two-thirds since 1700, dividing what remains into ever-smaller patches]( Shermin de Silva, University of California, San Diego A new study looks back into history to assess human impacts on the range of Asian elephants and finds sharp decline starting several centuries ago. - [May 5, 2023, lunar eclipse will be a subtle show of astronomical wonder]( Shannon Schmoll, Michigan State University Not all lunar eclipses are alike. An astronomer explains the science behind the slight dimming of the Moon on May 5, 2023. - Like this newsletter? 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