Canada’s wildfires could cost billions, kill thousands if nothing is done: report | Globalnews.ca: The scientists, including Mathieu Bourbonnais, assistant professor of
earth and environmental sciences at the University of British Columbia
Okanagan, predict devastating wildfires such as those currently burning
in B.C. and elsewhere in the country will be commonplace by 2050.

The
group has released a paper predicting billions of dollars in
suppression and indirect fire costs as well as hundreds or thousands of
premature deaths due to exposure to wildfire smoke if climate change and
fire causes are not resolved.

Canada’s wildfires could cost billions, kill thousands if nothing is done: report | Globalnews.ca: The scientists, including Mathieu Bourbonnais, assistant professor of
earth and environmental sciences at the University of British Columbia
Okanagan, predict devastating wildfires such as those currently burning
in B.C. and elsewhere in the country will be commonplace by 2050.The
group has released a paper predicting billions of dollars in
suppression and indirect fire costs as well as hundreds or thousands of
premature deaths due to exposure to wildfire smoke if climate change and
fire causes are not resolved.Read More

Controversial Alzheimer’s drug highlights concerns about Health Canada approval process: Aducanumab was approved on the basis of what’s called a surrogate endpoint, which is a measurement that is supposed to reflect progression of a disease. In this case, the surrogate endpoint was the clearing of amyloid plaque — abnormal brain deposits often seen in Alzheimer’s patients — from the brains of those with Alzheimer’s. Aducanumab was successful in doing that, but it’s not the first drug that has been shown to clear plaque.

There have been more than 25 previous trials of plaque-clearing drugs and none of them showed any benefit for people with Alzheimer’s. One study followed elderly individuals with plaque and pathological changes typical of Alzheimer’s and found that they had no more cognitive decline that those with “normal” brains.

Controversial Alzheimer’s drug highlights concerns about Health Canada approval process: Aducanumab was approved on the basis of what’s called a surrogate endpoint, which is a measurement that is supposed to reflect progression of a disease. In this case, the surrogate endpoint was the clearing of amyloid plaque — abnormal brain deposits often seen in Alzheimer’s patients — from the brains of those with Alzheimer’s. Aducanumab was successful in doing that, but it’s not the first drug that has been shown to clear plaque.There have been more than 25 previous trials of plaque-clearing drugs and none of them showed any benefit for people with Alzheimer’s. One study followed elderly individuals with plaque and pathological changes typical of Alzheimer’s and found that they had no more cognitive decline that those with “normal” brains.Read More

IPCC Begins Marathon Meeting on New Climate Science Report – The Energy Mix: “Over the next two weeks, the scientists will go through their
findings line by line with representatives of 195 governments,” the BBC reports.
“It is expected that the short, 40-page Summary for Policymakers will
play an important role in guiding global leaders who will come to
Glasgow in November to deal with critical climate questions.”

While the IPCC process gives countries the opportunity to spin the Summary for Policymakers, and they often do, it does not permit them to alter the underlying science.

That summary, due for release August 9, is expected to be a “wake-up
call” for governments, experts say, not unlike another recent IPCC
production—its landmark, October 2018 report on how to hold average global warming to 1.5°C.

IPCC Begins Marathon Meeting on New Climate Science Report – The Energy Mix: “Over the next two weeks, the scientists will go through their
findings line by line with representatives of 195 governments,” the BBC reports.
“It is expected that the short, 40-page Summary for Policymakers will
play an important role in guiding global leaders who will come to
Glasgow in November to deal with critical climate questions.”While the IPCC process gives countries the opportunity to spin the Summary for Policymakers, and they often do, it does not permit them to alter the underlying science.That summary, due for release August 9, is expected to be a “wake-up
call” for governments, experts say, not unlike another recent IPCC
production—its landmark, October 2018 report on how to hold average global warming to 1.5°C.Read More

Athletes Swelter, Pass Out as Heat Wave Hits Tokyo Olympics – The Energy Mix: On Friday, Russian archer Svetlana Gomboeva collapsed in 33°C/91°F
heat during a qualifying round. A day later, Russian tennis player
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova needed a medical timeout after feeling dizzy
due to the heat. And organizers at Tokyo’s beach volleyball arena “have
started hosing down the sand after competitors complained it was burning
their feet,” NBC News reports.

“The finish line of the men’s triathlon Monday morning looked
something like a battlefield scene, bodies sprawled out on the ground,
trainers coming to the aid of overheated athletes, even a few being
helped off with their arms draped over shoulders,” adds Yahoo Sports columnist Dan Wetzel.

Athletes Swelter, Pass Out as Heat Wave Hits Tokyo Olympics – The Energy Mix: On Friday, Russian archer Svetlana Gomboeva collapsed in 33°C/91°F
heat during a qualifying round. A day later, Russian tennis player
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova needed a medical timeout after feeling dizzy
due to the heat. And organizers at Tokyo’s beach volleyball arena “have
started hosing down the sand after competitors complained it was burning
their feet,” NBC News reports.“The finish line of the men’s triathlon Monday morning looked
something like a battlefield scene, bodies sprawled out on the ground,
trainers coming to the aid of overheated athletes, even a few being
helped off with their arms draped over shoulders,” adds Yahoo Sports columnist Dan Wetzel.Read More