Adolescents losing sleep

Epidemiological studies in US school students aged 14–18 have shown that declines in mental health mirror reductions in the amount of sleep they are getting. Although it is hard to show a causal link between these changes, the authors of this Comment article argue that ensuring that young people get enough sleep is crucial for them to thrive. Various factors could be contributing to this drop-off in sleep, they say, including the use of digital media before bed, schoolwork pressures and extracurricular activities late in the evening or early in the morning.

Paying for late nights. Two line charts showing how students are getting less sleep and experiencing increased depression.

Sources: J. M. Twenge et al. Sleep Med. 39, 47–53 (2017)/US CDC YRBSS

Monkeypox trajectory

Almost six months after the monkeypox virus started to spread globally, vaccination efforts and behavioural changes seem to be containing the current strain — at least in the United States and Europe. The number of cases in these regions peaked in August and is now falling. But the situation could still play out in several ways, as this News story reports. At best, the outbreak might fizzle out over the next few months or years. At worst, the virus could become endemic outside Africa.

Monkeypox cases: Bar chart showing reported cases of monkeypox have been highest in Europe and the Americas since May 2022.

Source: WHO

The most valuable soils

This map shows the regions of the world where the conservation of soil should be prioritized. Soils contain a wealth of biodiversity, such as bacteria, fungi, nematode worms and earthworms. These organisms have important roles in ecosystem processes, such as carbon and nutrient cycling, water storage and supporting plant growth. The authors of a paper in Nature set out to identify global hotspots for conservation by surveying soil biodiversity and ecosystem functions at 615 sites around the world. They found hotspots of biodiversity in temperate and Mediterranean regions and in alpine tundra, whereas hotspots of species uniqueness occurred in the tropics and drylands. More than 70% of the hotspots are not adequately covered by protected areas.

Figure 1



Source link

By admin