Have you ever heard of Black Dog Syndrome (BDS)? It is seen in the pet adoption world where black dogs are ignored in favor of their light-colored counterparts.

Trump on Ukraine

Most of us think we know what a “midlife crisis” is. It’s the shiny new sports car‚ the questionable combover‚ and all those other barely-concealed penis metaphors‚ all culminating in one big “I only get to see the kids every other week now.”But hang on. Time and time again‚ science has shown us that what we thought we knew is completely wrong. So how much of the stereotypical “midlife crisis” is true? What does it look like? When does it occur? Does it always end in divorce?Heck‚ is the midlife crisis even real?What is a midlife crisis?Well‚ it’s complicated. Many psychologists have argued that there’s no such thing: “There is […] virtually no data to support the assertion that the midlife crisis is a universal experience” wrote Susan Krauss Whitbourne‚ Professor Emerita of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst‚ in a 2015 article for Psychology Today. “Those who conduct research in this area continue to wonder why this myth lingers when we keep failing to find evidence for it in our data.”In fact‚ the textbook “midlife crisis” is‚ well‚ pretty enigmatic. For starters‚ when exactly is “midlife”? If you’re young‚ chances are you can imagine a midlife crisis turning up some time in your early 30s; wait a few decades‚ and you’ll find your definition of “midlife” may extend all the way into your 70s.And whichever decade we choose to define “midlife” as‚ it’s not certain that you’re more likely to have some kind of crisis then‚ either. “One study suggests […] that self-reported crises simply become steadily more common as we age‚” wrote Nick Haslam‚ Professor of Psychology at the University of Melbourne‚ in a 2019 article for The Conversation. “Among study participants in their 20s‚ 44 percent reported a crisis‚ compared to 49 percent of those in their 30s‚ and 53 percent of those in their 40s.”Other studies have drawn similar conclusions. Older subjects report having midlife crises later than younger ones; “midlife” in the 1990s was seen as being a decade or two earlier than it is now. According to some researchers‚ “midlife” isn’t an age at all‚ but a lifestyle.“Arguably there is no distinct midlife crisis‚” Haslam concluded. “Just crises that occur during midlife but might equally have occurred before or after.”Why do people have midlife crises?So much for expert opinion – the fact is that we live in a world in which almost half of over-50s claim to have experienced a midlife crisis. And it turns out there’s one group of scholars who definitely believe in the phenomenon: not psychologists‚ or even biologists – but economists.“No ifs‚ no buts‚ well-being is U-shaped in age‚” wrote David Blanchflower‚ Professor of Economics at Dartmouth‚ in a 2020 paper investigating happiness levels throughout life. “The average age at which the U-shaped minimized across the 477 country-level estimates reported here is 48.3.”It’s hard to overstate how unavoidable this nadir of happiness seems to be. It’s been confirmed across 145 countries‚ from America to Zimbabwe; heck‚ it even shows up in chimpanzees and orangutans. “It is in rich and poor countries‚” Blanchflower wrote; “I found it in Europe‚ Asia‚ North and South America‚ Australasia‚ and Africa.”So‚ clearly‚ there’s something about middle age that makes us‚ well‚ kind of depressed. But why? After all‚ in many respects‚ midlife is the best period of time we get: it’s when we’re earning the most; we are‚ on average‚ settled into our careers and home life; we’re older‚ yes‚ but wiser with it. And yet we despair.Elliott Jaques thought he knew why. It was he who‚ in the mid-50s‚ first introduced the term “midlife crisis” into the English language: “In the course of the development of the individual there are critical phases which have the character of change points‚ or periods of rapid transition‚” he wrote in a 1965 article cheerfully titled “Death and the Mid-Life Crisis”. “Less familiar perhaps‚ though nonetheless real‚ are the crises which occur around the age of 35 – which I shall term the mid-life crisis.”And the reason for such a crisis was‚ he thought‚ obvious. “The paradox is that of entering the prime of life‚ the stage of fulfillment‚ but at the same time the prime and fulfillment are dated‚” he explained. “Death lies beyond.”In other words‚ he suggested‚ a midlife crisis is what happens when you suddenly realize you’re going to die – sooner rather than later. This can trigger a slew of manic behaviors – “compulsive attempts […] to remain young‚” Jaques wrote‚ including “hypochondriacal concern over health and appearance‚ the emergence of sexual promiscuity in order to prove youth and potency‚ [and a] lack of genuine enjoyment of life” – all subconsciously designed to convince the universe that you’re still as young and as healthy as ever.That was more than 60 years ago‚ though. What do today’s experts think about the causes of the midlife crisis?Well‚ honestly‚ we’re not sure. “The short answer is we do not know what is driving it‚” admitted Jenny Chanfreau‚ Senior Researcher at the National Centre for Social Research‚ in 2013. Best guess? Jaques might have been right all along. “[Some] research has suggested that the midlife crisis occurs due to unmet expectations‚” Chanfreau wrote; “the realisation that one’s youthful aspirations have not and will not be achieved‚ and that as people adjust their expectations in later life wellbeing improves.”What are the symptoms of a midlife crisis?So‚ if the problem is an awareness of aging and mortality‚ what’s the remedy? Well‚ to a certain extent‚ there’s a reason for the cliché about sports cars and new flings.Indeed‚ people experiencing a midlife crisis “may live a more reckless lifestyle because of the urgency to reevaluate life and really live‚” psychotherapist Annette Nuñez told MindBodyGreen in 2022. “You're hitting a midpoint in life‚” she said‚ “and you're reevaluating what you've done in life‚ including any regrets‚ and questioning what you've done so far.”Some of the consequences of that aren’t so worrying – there’s nothing wrong with updating your wardrobe or dyeing your hair neon green‚ after all‚ even if it does make your teenage kids roll their eyes at you. Other symptoms are more philosophical in nature‚ involving re-evaluating your life so far and where it’s headed now – which makes sense for what is‚ after all‚ pretty much the definitive existential crisis.But some “symptoms” are genuine causes for concern. Reckless behavior is known to increase during midlife‚ with the crisis-hit attempting to “escape through something that looks momentarily pleasurable‚” Douglas LaBier‚ a business psychologist and psychoanalyst in Washington‚ D.C.‚ told the AARP in 2022; “the new car‚ the trophy wife‚ drinking or drugs.” Suicide‚ too‚ peaks during this time: CDC data shows a clear peak in midlife‚ when suicide rates shoot to more than twice as high as in adolescence.“The midlife crisis is real‚” Chanfreau wrote. “There seems to be something in particular about the midlife crisis […] that makes it less amenable to differences in circumstances than the troubled mid-teen years.”Can you recover from a midlife crisis?Despite all this doom and gloom‚ there is good news on the horizon – first of which is that‚ chances are‚ you probably won’t even have a midlife crisis in any case.“Middle age may be dislocating for some but there is little evidence it is usually a period of crisis and despondency‚” Haslam pointed out. “Psychologically speaking‚ things tend to get better.”The numbers bear this out. Despite anecdotal horror stories‚ there’s little evidence that divorce rates rise during midlife – in fact‚ they’re lower than any age before‚ and continue to decrease. And while sure‚ luxury car sales may peak for buyers in their 40s and 50s‚ this could equally just be a sign of how well life is going by that point: “people in mid-life make more money than they did when they were younger‚” pointed out Thomas Hills‚ Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Warwick‚ in a 2013 article for The Conversation. “Perhaps a better indicator would be whether or not we saw a rise in fatal car accidents‚” he reasoned. “The answer appears to be no; crash rates and fatal car accidents are at their lowest among people in their 40s and 50s.”Altogether‚ then‚ it seems like not only are midlife crises avoidable – even if we don’t quite know yet how to ensure we swerve them – but even if we get hit by one‚ they’re both temporary and‚ well‚ not really that bad. In fact‚ they might even be a good thing.“Midlife crises are actually really helpful‚” Nuñez said. “You start identifying who you are and what you want to do throughout the rest of your life.”“Midlife crises can be healthy‚” she concluded. “As long as people don't react to them to the extremes.”All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text‚ images‚ and links may be edited‚ removed‚ or added to at a later date to keep information current. 

It’s Groundhog Day today and in the town of Punxsutawney‚ Pennsylvania‚ a woodchuck named Phil is about to give his annual weather forecast. That’s probably not the most bizarre thing you’ve ever read about on IFLScience‚ but it’s also an event that doesn’t go down well with animal rights organization PETA‚ which has once again called for the tradition to end.“Beyond a shadow of a doubt‚ a groundhog’s weather prediction is no more accurate than flipping a coin… [Punxsutawney Phil] is not a meteorologist and deserves better than to be exploited every year for tourism money‚” said the organization in a statement.If you weren’t previously aware of the Punxsutawney Phil lore‚ let us fill you in. Since 1886‚ every February 2nd sees the Inner Circle of Punxsutawney’s Groundhog Club hold a ceremony at Gobbler’s Knob (stop it)‚ home to Phil the groundhog. If Phil comes out of the burrow and sees his shadow‚ that allegedly means there’ll be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t‚ then supposedly there’ll be an early spring. It’s claimed that Phil communicates all this with the president of the Inner Circle‚ who can apparently speak “Groundhogese”.It’s not just PETA that’s called out Punxsutawney Phil’s suspected lack of meteorology qualifications. According to a report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Centers for Environmental Information‚ the famed woodchuck’s predictions over the last 10 years have only been 30 percent accurate.But it’s not just about whether or not the predictions are right. For several years now‚ PETA have campaigned for Phil to be freed from his duties‚ stating that the tradition amounts to animal cruelty.“For more than a century‚ The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club has exploited a groundhog on February 2 – when they’d naturally be in hibernation – and pretended that they’re giving a weather forecast‚" said PETA. "Phil is an individual who‚ although intelligent and self-aware‚ can’t predict the weather. Even if he could‚ keeping him or any other animal imprisoned for a cruel annual gimmick is abusive.”Instead‚ PETA has suggested a number of alternatives for predicting the weather. These have ranged from replacing Phil with a coin flip to offering up a human volunteer to live in captivity. Back in 2020‚ it also put forward the idea of an animatronic groundhog that could more accurately predict the weather using artificial intelligence.That would certainly make for an interesting development in the robot uprising. 

This week the first cases of penguins dying from bird flu were observed in Antarctica‚ a new “blood battery” powered by haemoglobin can run for 20 to 30 days‚ and world-first footage shows a parrot swinging from its beak like a monkey. Finally‚ we ask why some champagne bottles on the Titanic never imploded.Subscribe to the IFLScience newsletter for all the biggest science news delivered straight to your inbox every Wednesday and Saturday.Nearby Super-Earth Discovered Comfortably Inside A Star’s True Habitable ZoneA planet with a radius 55 percent larger than Earth’s has been found snuggly in the habitable zone of a relatively nearby star. As far as prospects for life‚ this looks like one of the best so far‚ and it might even have a little sibling. Read the full story hereThe First Penguins Have Died From Bird Flu As It Reaches AntarcticaKing and gentoo penguins on islands between the Antarctic mainland and South America have been found dead from bird flu for the first time. Bird flu has been spreading across the globe‚ even causing the death of a polar bear in Alaska‚ and has now been reported to have reached the penguin colonies of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic with potentially devastating consequences. Read the full story here“Blood Battery” Prototype Powered By Hemoglobin Unveiled In World FirstScientists at the University of Córdoba in Spain have come up with a way of incorporating hemoglobin – the key component of red blood cells – into a battery‚ creating a prototype that kept working for between 20 and 30 days. While it could have applications for medical devices‚ there are still some kinks to be ironed out. Read the full story hereElon Musk’s Neuralink Implants First Brain Chip Into Human SubjectIn a massive step forward for Elon Musk’s controversial Neuralink project‚ the tech billionaire announced this week that the startup has implanted a brain chip into a human subject for the first time. Revealing the news in a post on X (formerly Twitter)‚ Musk gave little detail but did say that the recipient is “recovering well”. Read the full story hereWatch A Parrot Swing On Its Beak Like A Monkey In World First FootageWhile you might hear parrots and think of them flying majestically through the trees in the Amazon – or even that one time a flightless parrot in New Zealand got up close and personal with a zoologist – your mind probably wouldn’t go to the idea of them swinging through the forest by their beaks. However‚ a recent study has revealed a new kind of gait for these birds: “beakiation”. Read the full story hereTWIS is published weekly on our Linkedin page‚ join us there for even more content.Feature of the week: Why Did Champagne Bottles On The Titanic Not Implode?When the doomed submersible‚ Titan‚ imploded as the crew attempted to explore the wreck of the Titanic in June 2023‚ people began asking a lot of questions about implosions. One such question is why champagne bottles found on the Titanic did not implode. Instead‚ some of the bottles still appear to be largely intact‚ so what makes them so special? Read the full story hereMore content:Have you seen our free e-magazine‚ CURIOUS? Issue 19 February 2024 is OUT NOW. Check it out for exclusive interviews‚ book excerpts‚ long reads‚ and more.PLUS‚ the entire season 3 of IFLScience's The Big Questions Podcast is available now.

It is safe to say that the development of radiocarbon dating has changed our understanding of the world. It has not only revolutionized our approach to archaeology and anthropology‚ offering new insights into the lives of ancient peoples and cultures‚ but has also offered new perspectives on the planet’s geological and atmospheric past. But have you ever wondered how this important scientific technique works and where it came from?Carbon-14: Cosmic rays and dead thingsRadiocarbon dating‚ or carbon dating (and sometimes carbon-14 dating)‚ is a method used to determine the age of certain objects of a biological nature. This groundbreaking technique relies on the natural decay of one important radioactive carbon isotope: carbon-14. By measuring the amount of carbon-14 in a sample‚ scientists can calculate its age with remarkable precision. But to understand how that is achieved‚ we first need to know how carbon-14 gets into “things” in the first place – and the answer has a lot to do with outer space.When cosmic rays – usually from the Sun‚ but sometimes other celestial bodies like distant exploding stars or black holes – enter the atmosphere‚ they can collide with other atoms and create secondary cosmic rays in the form of energetic neutrons. These neutrons can then collide with nitrogen-14 atoms which‚ in turn‚ become carbon-14 atoms (and hydrogen atoms). The carbon-14 atoms then combine with oxygen to form carbon dioxide‚ which is absorbed by plants and incorporated into them through carbon exchange (photosynthesis). Animals (including humans) then eat the plants and take carbon-14 into their bodies.As such‚ all animals‚ including you and me‚ have a small but constant percentage of carbon-14 atoms in our bodies‚ alongside carbon-12 atoms‚ which make up the vast majority of our carbon content‚ and carbon-13.Carbon-14 "is the rarest of the three naturally-occurring isotopes of carbon”‚ Dr Maarten Blaauw‚ the Director of 14CHRONO Centre‚ told IFLScience. “[I]n living tissues such as plant leaves or human teeth‚ only around 1 in a million million carbon atoms will be [Carbon-14]”‚Throughout our lives‚ we accumulate quantities of carbon in our bodies – but when we die‚ this process stops. Over time‚ the carbon-14 starts to decay‚ while the carbon-12 and 13 remain constant.Carbon-14 "is an unstable‚ radioactive isotope of carbon”‚ Blaauw added. “[O]ver time it will decay back into nitrogen. The rate of this decay is known and constant; its average life-span has been found to be around 8‚033 years. This is handy‚ because when organisms are alive they will take up [Carbon-14] through their metabolism; once they die they no longer top up their carbon‚ and the radiocarbon content of their tissues starts to decay until after around 50‚000 years no measurable [Carbon-14] is left.”This is the key to carbon dating and what makes it so useful for understanding the past.Counting evidence from the pastThe technique was first developed at the University of Chicago in the late 1940s by Willard Libby‚ a chemistry professor‚ and former researcher on the Manhattan Project. Earlier in the decade‚ other researchers had discovered carbon-14 isotopes for the first time and observed that they had a half-life of approximately 5‚730 years. This means that‚ after 5‚730 years‚ half of the initial number of carbon-14 atoms in a sample will have decayed and turned back into nitrogen (here’s a handy visual representation of the decay process provided by Dr Blaauw). Libby had the insight that‚ if you could count the amount of carbon-14 in a sample‚ then you could figure out how old it is by how much has since decayed.Over the next few years‚ Libby and colleagues published ideas about the potential of carbon dating and continued to refine their thoughts. One key development came from his graduate student‚ Ernest C. Anderson‚ who found that organic materials contained pretty much the same amount of carbon-14 at all latitudes on the planet.With all this work‚ Libby and his colleagues set about developing the first carbon-14 technique by testing it on artifacts from museum collections. This meant the team could establish the technique’s accuracy as archaeologists already knew the ages of these objects through other evidence‚ such as tree-ring dating (Dendrochronology). Needless to say‚ it worked‚ and by the 1960s the technique was being employed in over 30 radiocarbon labs across the world. Today‚ it is still one of the most significant methods for dating the past.It’s “[v]ery important”‚ Blaauw explained‚ “radiocarbon dating is the most-used tool to date material back to c. 50‚000 years ago‚ a period full of important events in past environments as well as in human development”.As powerful as this new tool was‚ it was quite slow‚ as Blaauw added. “Initially‚ the radiocarbon decay events themselves were measured. This required large amounts of material and long counting times of weeks to months. Since the 1990s‚ the method of counting the [carbon-14] atoms themselves‚ through accelerator mass spectrometry‚ has become more popular.”“Radiocarbon ages can now be measured in minutes‚ and on much smaller samples down to‚ for example‚ single seeds.”The “Radiocarbon Revolution”Carbon dating had a huge impact on the archaeological and geological sciences. Before this technique was developed‚ efforts to date objects relied on relative factors‚ such as comparing the layers of an archaeological site in which something was recovered‚ with the assumption that the layers were laid down chronologically. This approach merely established the order of events rather than offering a precise measurement of their age.But the arrival of carbon dating changed this – and‚ in doing so‚ it helped disprove various established but erroneous beliefs. For instance‚ it debunked the idea that civilization started in Europe and then diffused outwards. The examination of artifacts from Asia‚ Africa‚ the Americas‚ and Oceania showed that civilization developed independently in various places. By not needing to spend as much time trying to determine the age of artifacts‚ archaeologists were now able to ask new questions about human evolution and culture in prehistoric ages.Other disciplines have also benefited from this technique. In particular‚ geologists‚ sedimentologists‚ and lake studies have utilized carbon dating techniques. In addition‚ palaeobotanists and palaeoclimatologists can use it to date things like pollen found in sediment sequences‚ along with other traces of plant material or charcoal. By accurately dating these samples‚ they can use the information to establish the ages of correlating strata in other locations.Obviously‚ despite its power‚ carbon dating has its limitations. The most obvious is the hard limit of dating objects that are more than 50‚000 years old. This is because any carbon-14 content for such artifacts would be too low to be of use. But there are other limitations too.One other limitation relates to isolating the correct carbon source to be measured. As Blaauw explained‚ “[o]ften‚ samples will contain mixtures of carbon sources‚ for example‚ an old wooden item from a museum might have been treated with oils to preserve it‚ and then we'll have to try and separate the wood from the oils in order to carbon-date the wood itself.”  This question of contamination is significant‚ “especially for samples that reach the 50‚000 year limit of radiocarbon dating - since in such samples only very low amounts of radiocarbon remain‚ contamination with even minute amounts of modern carbon could severely throw off the date. For example‚ a 65 million-years-old dinosaur bone with only 1 [percent] modern carbon contamination would result in a radiocarbon age of around 37‚000 [carbon-14] years!”To address this‚ archaeologists and other researchers attempt to estimate “the effects of any background contamination by not only measuring the samples themselves but also standards and background samples.”The only time researchers will attempt to date something known to be older than the limit is to establish background measurements.Addressing Creationist criticisms It is important to be clear on how carbon dating works as‚ in recent years‚ certain creationists and Young Earth advocates have relied on poor understandings of carbon dating techniques‚ as well as misinterpretation of Libby’s original work‚ to argue for a chronology that fits biblical scripture. There are‚ however‚ solid explanations on why creationists have gotten things muddled up.In particular‚ claims that ancient fossils have traces of carbon-14 in them have been used to suggest that certain specimens that predate the biblical narrative are actually much younger than they are (a dinosaurs at the Flood kind of thing). However‚ as Blaauw explained‚ contamination is extremely easy. Beta radiation caused by cosmic rays‚ the type of radiation that turns nitrogen-14 into carbon-14‚ forms a large part of the natural background radiation surrounding us at all times. As such‚ it is not possible to completely exclude it from a laboratory where it may make an older artifact or fossil appear younger.There are many other criticisms from Young Earthers which have been explained by experts currently working in the field. Contrary to their claims‚ the evidence for carbon dating and its accuracy is superlatively solid. It seems their objections rely on citing other creationist writers who all quote the same original misunderstanding.The future for the pastToday‚ carbon dating remains a powerful and widely used tool for determining the age of historical objects or events. Increasingly‚ researchers are finding new ways to refine their methods and to eliminate contaminations.“[W]e have an oven that we can put at a range of temperatures and then we isolate and measure the carbon coming off at different temperatures”‚ Blaauw said‚ “this gives us better insights into the different carbon sources within more complex samples. Labs also try out new chemical pretreatment methods to better get rid of contamination.”Clearly‚ archaeologists and other scientists are aware of the limitations surrounding their work‚ but they are not the types of issues creationists like to imagine. As with so many things‚ the evidence is there‚ you just have to know how to look at it.All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text‚ images‚ and links may be edited‚ removed‚ or added to at a later date to keep information current.  

Should you turn your computer off at night‚ or is it fine to just slap down the laptop screen once you're done? Like all of life’s great questions‚ there is no simple one-size-fits-all answer‚ but there are good things to know to inform your choice.It’s estimated that just 37 percent of people shut down their computers every night‚ according to a poll of 1‚000 Americans cited by Panda Security. It’s often assumed that it’s best practice to shut down when the day is done‚ as if the computer needs a good night's rest just like the rest of us. However‚ it’s not always necessary to turn off your computer after each use.Left unattended‚ most computers will go into “sleep mode” after a certain amount of time. Most laptops will also go into sleep mode if you close the screen‚ although this can be changed in your settings.This is effectively a low-power mode that uses relatively little energy‚ keeping all of your files‚ programs‚ and data still gently running in the background but left on temporary pause. This means it’s quicker for you to get back to work when you hit the keyboard or wiggle the mouse. It’s also good if you want to run updates‚ scan for viruses‚ or do other activities while you’re not using your computer.However‚ this does come with some drawbacks. It’s not wise to leave your computer on sleep mode if you're connected to an unsecured network in public‚ as it could be more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Leaving a computer in sleep mode will also use up some electricity – something to consider if you're keeping a close eye on bills. Speaking of electricity‚ you may also want to invest in a surge protector‚ which will protect the computer from power spikes that could damage its components. Completely turning off your computer occasionally is also worthwhile as it clears the RAM‚ which will help it operate more smoothly. Another factor to consider is how often you will be turning it on. Switching on a computer takes a fair amount of energy and (some argue) this surge can put a strain on the system‚ potentially decreasing the lifespan of the computer. This is why some experts recommend that frequently used computers should only be powered on and off once per day at most‚ and a full shutdown should only be put into action when the computer will not be used for an extended period of time.“It depends on how often you use it‚” said Steven Leslie‚ Geek Squad agent‚ speaking to Digital Trends. “If you use your computer multiple times per day‚ it’s best to leave it on. If you use it for a short time — say an hour or two — just once a day‚ or even less‚ then turn it off.”“Leaving a computer on all the time is less stressful than turning it off and on several times a day — but it is constant stress‚” added Leslie. Altogether‚ the question boils down to how you personally use your computer. As a general rule‚ leaving your computer on for days at a time won’t bring it any harm if you’re regularly using your laptop‚ but it’s worth giving it a weekly full shutdown and taking some precautions. An earlier version of this article was published in March 2022.

The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge‚ recognized as the world's longest suspension bridge‚ stretches across the Dardanelles Strait and represents a significant infrastructural achievement. It connects the European and Asian continents within Turkey‚ offering a swift passage that eliminates the need for a traditional ferry journey that normally lasts about an hour and a half.Standing at 2‚023 meters (6‚637 feet) between the two towers‚ the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge is now the largest suspension bridge in the world. “Turkey has overtaken Japan‚ which has the longest bridge in the world in terms of the midspan‚ and has taken the first place‚” said President Erdogan during the inauguration‚ report AP News. The bridge took almost five years to construct and was built by both Turkish and South Korean companies to strengthen ties between the two nations‚ costing $2.7 billion (£2.06 billion). It is now the only motorway in Turkey that links both Europe and Asia outside of Istanbul‚ and the journey itself takes just 6 minutes.   The bridge connects Gelibolu‚ on the European side and Lapseki on the Asian side. Its name – 1915 Çanakkale Bridge – references a major naval victory of the Ottoman Empire over British forces during World War I as the Brits attempted to take control of the strait. An earlier version of this article was published in March 2023.

Early data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that the latest round of COVID-19 shots are 54 percent effective at preventing symptomatic disease. The updated vaccines offer protection against the JN.1 variant that’s currently dominating worldwide‚ and yet uptake continues to be low.“Everything from this study is reassuring that the vaccines are providing the protection that we expected‚” lead author Ruth Link-Gelles‚ head of the CDC’s vaccine effectiveness program for COVID and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)‚ told CNN.The data for the study were collected from 9‚222 individuals who took COVID tests at a CVS Pharmacy or Walgreens location through the CDC’s Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) program‚ between September 21‚ 2023‚ and January 14‚ 2024.While the CDC’s stated aim with its COVID vaccination effort is to prevent severe disease that can cause hospitalization and death‚ Link-Gelles explained to CNN that measuring the impact on symptomatic disease is a good early indicator of the success of a vaccine. There’s a larger population of people who get infected than who are hospitalized with more serious illness‚ so you have more data to play with.“That’s a really nice feature of this analysis‚ that it checks that box: Yes‚ the vaccine is working‚ it’s providing protection‚ it’s providing protection for JN.1‚ which is the current most common variant‚” she said.The 54 percent figure is broadly in line with what we’ve seen with previous COVID vaccines and with early data from other countries‚ Link-Gelles told the Associated Press. A recent study in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine also suggested that vaccination “consistently reduced the risk of long COVID symptoms”‚ highlighting the potential of these interventions beyond even the acute disease phase.As we know‚ the protection from the vaccines doesn’t last forever. The CDC recommends that all adults and children over the age of 6 months receive a dose of the updated vaccine for maximum protection‚ even those who got their vaccines and boosters earlier in the pandemic.In reality‚ however‚ the uptake has been limited. At the time of writing‚ 21.8 percent of US adults and 11.1 percent of children had reported receiving an updated shot. This is in contrast to the figures for flu vaccine coverage‚ which for adults nationally (including Puerto Rico) sat at 46.7 percent as of January 13.Different health authorities have different recommendations around who should get a COVID vaccine and how often. In the UK‚ for example‚ only people who meet certain eligibility criteria have been offered a vaccine this winter‚ and the shots are not currently available for people to pay for privately. Once again‚ uptake has been lower than authorities would like‚ with data from frontline health staff showing that only 21.8 percent had received a COVID booster by November 2023‚ while only 39 percent had been vaccinated against the flu.  The number of people dodging the vaccines has sparked concerns about the impact of increased staff sickness on health services already struggling with winter pressures‚ as well as the risk to vulnerable people from a COVID-19‚ flu‚ and RSV “tripledemic”.On the flip side‚ the UK’s policy of running vaccination campaigns for COVID only in seasonal cycles has led to concerns that some with increased vulnerability to severe disease will be left without adequate protection for long periods of time if they can't access a vaccine.If a vaccine is available in your area‚ the message from health experts is clear: keeping up to date with COVID-19 shots remains the best way of limiting the impact of the virus – which has not gone away – on ourselves and our wider communities.The study is published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.