SPONSORED BY  | | | | March 13, 2024: Untested children's meds, cooling in reforested areas and plenty of TikToks. —Robin Lloyd, Contributing Editor | | | Reforestation could be partly responsible for comparatively cooler weather in several eastern U.S. states, despite climate change, new research suggests. A great deal of the region's land initially was cleared to grow crops in the 19th century. But in the 20th century, croplands were abandoned as people moved into growing cities. This trend gave trees a chance to regrow. The study found that by the end of the 20th century, air temperatures on the hottest days were up to 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit (one degree Celsius) cooler in reforested areas than in nearby areas without forest, reports science journalist Jude Coleman. The cooling effect was most pronounced at midday in the summer, lowering surface temperatures by up to nine degrees F (five degrees C).
How they did it: Using satellite, historical temperature and weather station data, ecologist Kim Novick and her colleagues compared how surface and air temperatures varied between forested and nonforested areas. Then the team examined how temperatures fluctuated as forests regenerated between 1900 and 2010.
Why it matters: Benefits would come with encouraging trees to regrow in historically forested areas or in moist temperate and tropical locations, experts say. Planting forests where none grew before could potentially harm the environment. | | | A 1932 historical photograph of a 15-person planting crew in Tucker County, W.V. Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, HABS WVA,47-PARS.V,1--33 | | | Most pharmaceutical drugs are developed and approved for use only in adults, reports journalist Frieda Klotz. As a result, children are usually prescribed medication "off-label," meaning the drug is being used differently from what's outlined on the package insert. The American Academy of Pediatrics has stressed that off-label prescribing does not necessarily entail great risk. However, the lack of proper testing puts children at a relatively higher risk of side effects. It also can leave doctors uncertain about the safety and effectiveness of medications in children.
How this happened: For decades after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reformed its drug approval process in the 1960s, regulators and medical ethicists argued that children should be excluded from pharmaceutical studies because they are a vulnerable population, at risk of exploitation by researchers. Nowadays, scientists agree that research is appropriately safe for children, who have much to gain from participating in such studies.
What the experts say: "We now realize that we want to protect children with research," said pediatrician Mark Turner, who is involved in a European effort to support pediatric clinical trials. "We don't want to protect children from research." | | | • Is "bed rotting" good or bad for your sleep? | 5 min read | | | • Two new studies add to evidence showing that being infected with COVID can lead to a decline in memory function and has a significant impact on brain health. Other recent research reveals that a prior COVID infection can lead to headaches, seizure disorders, strokes, sleep problems and nerve paralysis. But the specific pathways that cause this damage are still sketchy, and there are no curative treatments for it. "Lifting the fog on the true causes behind these cognitive impairments, including brain fog, will require years if not decades of concerted efforts by researchers around the globe," writes clinical epidemiologist Ziyad Al-Aly. "And unfortunately, nearly everyone is a test case in this unprecedented global undertaking." | 5 min read | | | The Science Behind RSV and Vaccination | For 60+ years, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prevention has evaded scientists. But now that's changed. Dr. Temi Folaranmi, Vice President and Head, US Medical and Clinical Affairs, Vaccines, GSK, sheds light on innovations that led to scientific advances in the prevention of RSV. Learn More | | | • Worms living near Chernobyl nuclear plant have developed a "super power." | Independent
| • Tuvalu preserves history online as rising seas threaten existence. | Context | | | The U.S. House of Representatives today passed a bill that could ban the app TikTok from all U.S. devices unless the app's China-based parent company ByteDance sells the widely used platform. The legislation now moves to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain. Some officials say the app currently can be used by the government of China for surveillance or propaganda. While you still can, enjoy two more highlights of Scientific American's TikTok collection: | If you have any feedback, suggestions, or spot any errors while reading these newsletters, please reach out to us. | —Robin Lloyd, Contributing Editor | | Subscribe to this and all of our newsletters . | | | | Scientific American
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