livescience--2020-12-02--Coronavirus outbreak: Live updates

Coronavirus outbreak: Live updates

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90-year-old woman in the UK receives first dose of Pfizer vaccine, FDA review confirms vaccine is safe and effective A 90-year-old woman (who will turn 91 next week) became the first in the world to be given Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine outside of clinical trials, according to the BBC. Margaret Keenan, who is originally from Northern Ireland, was given the vaccine at the University Hospital in Coventry, England. She received the first of 800,000 doses expected to be administered in the U.K. in the coming weeks, according to the BBC. "I feel so privileged to be the first person vaccinated against Covid-19," Keenan said, according to the BBC."It's the best early birthday present I could wish for because it means I can finally look forward to spending time with my family and friends in the new year after being on my own for most of the year." "My advice to anyone offered the vaccine is to take it. If I can have it at 90, then you can have it too," she added. Up to four million doses of Pfizer's vaccine is expected to be given to people in the U.K. by the end of the month. Meanwhile, a 53-page Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review published Tuesday (Dec. 8) confirmed that Pfizer's vaccine is safe and effective, according to The Washington Post.
Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine starts to work just 10 days after 1st dose Pfizer's new COVID-19 vaccine starts to protect people from the novel coronavirus just 10 days after the first dose, according to new documents from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The documents were released on Tuesday (Dec. 8), two days before a meeting of the FDA's vaccine advisory panel, which will vote on whether to recommend authorization of the vaccine in the U.S, Live Science reported . The FDA analyzed data from Pfizer's phase 3 clinical trial, which included some 44,000 people in the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Germany and Turkey, about half of whom received the vaccine while the other half received a placebo. Both groups received two shots, 21 days apart. About 10 days after the first dose, there was a noticeable drop-off in new COVID-19 cases in the vaccine group compared with the placebo group, indicating that even one dose provides some protection, the report said. However, scientists don't know how long the protection from a single dose will last, so it will still be important for people to receive two shots, according to The New York Times . Overall, the vaccine was 52% effective after the first dose and 95% effective after the second dose, the report said.
People with significant allergies should avoid Pfizer vaccine, UK warns The U.K.'s Regulatory Agency is advising people with a history of "significant" allergic reactions to avoid Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, after two National Health Service members developed severe allergic reactions to it on Tuesday (Dec. 8), Live Science reported. "As is common with new vaccines the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) have advised on a precautionary basis that people with a significant history of allergic reactions do not receive this vaccination after two people with a history of significant allergic reactions responded adversely yesterday," Stephen Powis, the national medical director for England's National Health Service said in a statement on Wednesday (Dec. 9). Both workers have a history of severe allergies and carry adrenaline auto injectors (such as EpiPens) around with them, according to The Guardian. Shortly after receiving the vaccine, both NHS workers developed anaphylaxis-like symptoms, or severe allergic reactions, but have recovered after receiving treatment. The MHRA will investigate further and Pfizer and BioNTech will support their investigation, according to Reuters. "Allergic reaction occurs with quite a number of vaccines, and perhaps even more frequently with drugs. So it is not unexpected," Stephen Evans, a professor of pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said in remarks to journalists published by Britain's Science Media Center. “What would be wise, as the MHRA have already advised, would be for anyone who has known severe allergic reaction such that they need to carry an EpiPen, to delay having a vaccination until the reason for the allergic reaction has been clarified," he said. For the general population this does not mean that they would need to be anxious about receiving the vaccination, he added. "One has to remember that even things like marmite [a quintessential British food spread] can cause unexpected severe allergic reactions.”
Canada approves Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine Canada has authorized Pfizer's new COVID-19 vaccine, with the first doses expected to be administered there as early as next week. Health Canada, the country's health regulatory agency, said in a statement on Wednesday (Dec. 9) that it had determined that the vaccine "meets the Department's stringent safety, efficacy and quality requirements for use in Canada," according to CTV News . "We expect vaccines to arrive maybe as early as Monday [Dec. 14]. It takes time to prepare the vaccine," said Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, the top military general leading the vaccine rollout for the Public Health Agency of Canada, according to CTV News. The first doses could be administered by the middle of next week, he said. Canada is the third country in the world to authorize the Pfizer vaccine, following the United Kingdom and Bahrain. The country should receive up to 249,000 doses of the vaccine by the end of December, and has purchased 20 million doses total, with the option to purchase more, CTV News reported.
Daily COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. reaches record-high, surpassed 9/11 On Wednesday (Dec. 9), the U.S. recorded 3,124 new COVID-19 deaths, the highest daily death toll to date, according to CNN . In comparison, 2,977 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks. The U.S. has now recorded 280,488 deaths related to the virus, according to The COVID Tracking Project . A forecast from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts that the total death toll can increase to between 332,000 and 362,000 by January 2, according to CNN. There are currently 106,671 people hospitalized with the virus in the U.S.; 20,903 of them are currently in the ICU and 7,621 are currently on a ventilator, according to the COVID Tracking Project. On Thursday (Dec. 10), the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is set to meet to discuss an emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine.
FDA panel recommends authorization of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine A panel of experts for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended that the agency authorize Pfizer's new COVID-19 vaccine in the United States. On Thursday (Dec. 10), the panel voted 17 to 4 to recommend that the vaccine receive emergency use authorization (EUA) for people ages 16 and older, according to The New York Times . The FDA typically follows the advice of its panels, and so today's vote is an important step towards the vaccine's authorization. It is anticipated that the agency will officially authorize the vaccine on Saturday (Dec. 12), the Times reported. Several countries have already authorized Pfizer's vaccine, including Canada, the United Kingdom and Bahrain.
Vaccine approval could come this weekend, as U.S. continues to record high daily death tolls On Thursday (Dec. 10), the U.S. recorded another 2,902 COVID-19 deaths, a day after the country set a record of 3,253 deaths, according to Reuters . “Probably for the next 60 to 90 days, we’re going to have more deaths per day than we had on 9/11 or we had at Pearl Harbor,” Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told the Council on Foreign Relations on Thursday, according to Reuters. "The reality is the vaccine approval this week is not going to really impact that, I think, to any degree for the next 60 days." On Thursday, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee discussed, voted and recommended that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should grant an emergency use authorization for Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine has already been approved in the U.K. and in Canada, and FDA approval for use in the U.S. could come this weekend.
Australia abandons local COVID-19 vaccine after it caused false-positive HIV tests An Australian COVID-19 vaccine that had shown promising results in early trials is being abandoned after researchers found that the shot caused false-positive results on HIV tests. On Friday (Dec. 11), Australian officials said they had canceled an order for some 51 million doses of the vaccine, which was being developed by The University of Queensland and CSL Ltd., a local biotech company, according to The New York Times . In an early trial with 216 participants, the vaccine appeared to be safe and to produce a robust immune response against COVID-19, according to a statement from CSL . But some volunteers falsely tested positive for HIV, which officials feared would undermine trust in the vaccine, the Times reported. The vaccine contained small fragments of an HIV protein, which helped stabilize the vaccine. Some of the participants developed antibodies against these fragments, and these antibodies triggered false positive results on some HIV tests. It's important to note that there is no way for the vaccine to cause an HIV infection, because it contains harmless fragments of the virus.
ICU nurse in New York becomes first person in the US to receive a coronavirus vaccine outside of clinical trials New York, the worst-hit state at the start of the pandemic, just became the first to administer a coronavirus vaccine outside of clinical trials, kicking off a long, massive effort to vaccinate the American people, Live Science reported. Around 9 a.m. E.T. on Monday (Dec. 14), the very first dose of Pfizer and BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine was given to Sandra Lindsay, an intensive care nurse in Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, New York, according to The New York Times. This comes as the U.S. continues to battle a massive wave of the virus that has more than 109,000 people currently hospitalized, according to The COVID Tracking Project. Since the start of the pandemic, New York has recorded more than 780,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 35,100 deaths, according to The Times. "This vaccine is exciting because I believe this is the weapon that will end the war," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during a live broadcast of the first vaccination. "It's the beginning of the last chapter of the book, but now we just have to do it."
FDA analysis confirms Moderna's vaccine is safe and effective, emergency authorization is likely to come Friday A new briefing document from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released on Tuesday (Dec. 15) confirmed that Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, according to NPR . Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine is 94% effective and has "a favorable safety profile," according to the document. A panel of experts is set to meet on Thursday (Dec. 17) to discuss the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine and vote on whether or not the FDA should grant emergency approval to the vaccine. Last week, the same panel voted that the FDA should grant emergency approval to Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine; the authorization came a day late and the first doses were given on Monday (Dec. 15). The FDA will likely approve Moderna's vaccine for emergency use on Friday (Dec. 18), according to The New York Times .
FDA authorizes first over-the-counter COVID-19 test The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the first over-the-counter COVID-19 test, which can be done at home and does not need a prescription. The test, made by the Australia-based company Ellume, provides results in as little as 20 minutes, according to a statement from the FDA . It is a "lateral flow antigen test," meaning it works in a similar way to a home pregnancy test, by running a "liquid sample along a surface with reactive molecules," the FDA said. The test works in conjunction with a smartphone app. Users take a nasal swab and place their sample in an analyzer, which communicates to the smartphone app via Bluetooth. The results are delivered through the app, and also reported to public health authorities (based on a user's zip code) through a secure cloud connection, the company said . Ellume is ramping up production of its test, and expects to produce three million tests in January 2021, and 20 million within the first half of 2021.
A wild mink tested positive for the coronavirus, it may be the first wild animal to have a confirmed case A wild mink in Utah may be the first "free-ranging, native wild animal" confirmed to be infected with SARS-CoV-2, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Live Science reported. The mink was found near a mink farm and likely picked up the infection from the farmed mink. There's no evidence that the virus spread to other minks or wild animals; but if the virus does begin circulating in wild animals, it could pick up mutations that COVID-19 vaccines may not protect well against if it spreads back to humans, according to the report. "If it does [establish a reservoir], then we've got a long-term issue here, where this virus has the potential to be with us for millennia," Sarah Olson, associate director of the health program at the Wildlife Conservation Society, told Vox. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has screened other animal species for the virus near mink farms in Utah, Michigan and Wisconsin, but all of them have tested negative so far, according to a statement.
An FDA advisory panel will meet today to vote on whether to recommend Moderna's coronavirus vaccine for emergency approval On Thursday (Dec. 17), a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee will meet to determine whether to recommend that Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine for emergency approval, according to The New York Times . This panel, composed of independent experts, will vote on whether to recommend the vaccine after hearing from the company, FDA scientists and the public, according to The Times. Last week, the same panel of experts met to discuss Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine and voted to recommend emergency authorization; the authorization came the next day. There have now been more than 16.9 million cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and more than 307,000 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins dashboard . There are currently 113,090 people hospitalized across the country with more than 21,900 of them in the ICU and 7,778 on a ventilator, according to The COVID Tracking Project .
California becomes new epicenter of COVID-19 in U.S. California, once praised for its early pandemic response, is now the new U.S. hotspot for COVID-19 infections. The state has reported an alarming surge in cases, breaking previous records for daily cases. On Thursday (Dec. 17), the state reported some 50,000 COVID-19 infections in 24 hours, and nearly 100,000 in 48 hours, according to The Washington Post . That's more than the daily cases reported in many countries, including India, Germany and Britain, the Post reported. The state also set a record for daily deaths on Thursday, with 379 fatalities reported, up from the previous high of 293. Capacity in intensive care units has also dropped dramatically, with hospitals in Southern California reporting zero percent capacity on Thursday. "I want to be very clear: Our hospitals are under siege, and our model shows no end in sight," said Christina Ghaly, director of Los Angeles County's Department of Health Services, the Post reported.
FDA expected to authorize Moderna's vaccine on Friday The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine on Friday (Dec. 18). Once authorized, it will be the second coronavirus vaccine to get the green light from the agency in just a week, with Pfizer's vaccine gaining authorization on Dec. 11. Moderna is expected to begin shipping 5.9 million doses of its vaccine on Sunday (Dec. 20), with the first deliveries arriving Monday (Dec. 21), according to The New York Times . Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, Moderna's vaccine does not require storage in extremely cold temperatures, and states are hoping to distribute the vaccine to rural hospitals and community health centers, the Times reported.
COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the U.S. There have now been more than 17 million cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and more than 300,000 deaths, according to The COVID Tracking Project . There are currently 114,237 people hospitalized across the country and 21,900 people in the ICU. California is facing a massive surge in cases; the state reported 41,012 new COVID-19 cases and 300 new deaths on Thursday (Dec. 17), according to the state's COVID-19 dashboard . By comparison, at the start of November, California was reporting a seven-day average of 4,183 cases, compared to an average of 38,774 on Thursday, according to CNN . "We're experiencing an explosive and very deadly surge," Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles County Public Health Director said, according to CNN. Intensive care unit beds are rapidly filling up across the state; there are only 1,234 ICU beds left available in California, according to the dashboard. Current closures across California are impacting around 98% of the state's population, according to CNN.
London and southeast England are under an emergency lockdown Following concerns of a new version of the coronavirus that might be more transmissible, London and most of southeast England are now under an emergency lockdown, according to The New York Times . Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the lockdown on Saturday (Dec. 19) citing concerns that the mutated virus — which was detected a couple of weeks ago in southeast England — may be as much as 70% more transmissible than previous versions, according to the Times. The new version of the coronavirus is detected in more than 60% of new infections in London and have also been detected in several other countries, according to the Times. But it's not yet clear if this coronavirus version is any more infectious than the last and thorough analyses will need to be conducted before conclusions are made, scientists cautioned. In South Africa, a similar version of the virus has been found in up to 90% of new cases detected since mid-November, according to The Times . It's common for viruses to mutate, and this particular coronavirus has mutated many times since the start of the pandemic. But experts told The Times that it would take years for the virus to mutate enough such that it would make the current vaccines developed to fight COVID-19 ineffective.
Biden gets Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine President-elect Joe Biden received a dose of Pfizer's new COVID-19 vaccine on Monday (Dec. 21), according to The New York Times . He received the shot on camera at the Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware. "I'm doing this to demonstrate that people should be prepared when it's available to take the vaccine. There's nothing to worry about," Biden said.
Antarctica has its 1st COVID-19 outbreak The first COVID-19 cases have been reported in Antarctica , meaning the disease has now spread to every continent in the world. On Tuesday (Dec. 22), Chilean officials reported an outbreak of 36 COVID-19 cases at the Chilean research base General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme on the Antarctic Peninsula, according to the BBC . Of these, 26 cases were military personnel and 10 were maintenance workers, the BBC reported. All of these cases have been evacuated from Antarctica to Punta Arenas, Chile, according to The Guardian . Antarctica had been COVID-19 free up until the current outbreak. The continent has no permanent residents, but about 1,000 people, including scientists and other workers, stayed there this past winter, The Guardian reported.
Live updates will continue in 2021!


livescience--2020-12-02--What does transgender mean?

What does transgender mean?

Transgender is an umbrella term that describes people whose gender identity or expression does not match the sex they were assigned at birth .
For example , a transgender person may identify as a woman despite having been born with male genitalia .
About 1.4 million adults in the United States identify as transgender , according to 2016 research by the Williams Institute at the University of California , Los Angeles .
Broken down on a state level , that research found that 0.8 % of adults in California , Georgia , Hawaii and New Mexico identify as transgender , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa , Montana , North Dakota South Dakota and Wyoming identify as such .
However , being transgender means different things to different people , according to the National Center for Transgender Equality ( NCTE ) .
`` There 's no one way to be transgender , and no one way for transgender people to look or feel about themselves , '' the organization says on its website .
A person 's internal sense of being male , female or something else is their gender identity .
For cisgender , or non-transgender people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at birth .
For transgender people , the two do not match .
Sometimes , a person 's gender identity does n't fit neatly into two choices .
People who see themselves as being both male and female , neither male nor female or as falling completely outside these categories may identify as genderqueer , according to the Human Rights Campaign , an LGBTQ advocacy organization .
( LGBTQ refers to the community of lesbian , gay , bisexual , transgender and queer or questioning individuals . )
How a person communicates their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , voice or body characteristics — is their gender expression .
A person 's gender expression may or may not line up with society 's expectations of masculinity or femininity , according to the HRC .
The term `` gender non-conforming '' refers to people whose gender expression is different from conventional expectations of masculinity or femininity .
However , not all gender-non-conforming people identify as transgender , and not all transgender people identify as gender non-conforming .
The public 's understanding of gender identity and expression is evolving as more transgender people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HRC .
Sex and gender are two different concepts .
A person 's sex refers to his or her biological status as either male or female .
The determination of a person 's sex depends primarily on various physical characteristics , including chromosomes , reproductive anatomy and sex hormones , according to the American Psychological Association ( APA ) .
Gender , on the other hand , is a societal construct that deals with the expected behaviors , roles and activities typically associated with the different sexes , the APA said .
Gender @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influence how people act and feel about themselves .
Sexual orientation is different from gender identity .
Sexual orientation is a person 's physical , emotional or romantic attraction to another person , while gender identity is about one 's own sense of self , according to GLAAD , an anti-discrimination organization .
Transgender people may be straight , lesbian , gay or bisexual .
For example , a person born with male genitalia may transition to being female but may be attracted to females .
In this case , the person may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ born with male genitalia .
Trying to change a person 's gender identity is no more successful than trying to change a person 's sexual orientation , GLAAD said .
In other words , it ca n't be changed .
Some people may take steps to better align their sex with their gender using hormones and surgery .
HRC points out , however , that many transgender people can not afford medical treatment or have no desire to pursue surgeries .
`` So-called 'gender reassignment surgery ' ( more commonly called 'gender-affirmation surgery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals ) usually references transgender genital surgery , '' said Dr. Joshua Safer , medical director of the Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery at Boston Medical Center ( BMC ) , who is also in the BMC Department of Endocrinology .
`` There are also chest-reconstruction surgeries and facial feminization surgeries , among other options . ''
Genital surgery is typically reserved for transgender individuals over the age of 18 who have been treated with hormones , if that is what is medically indicated , and who have lived for at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ match their gender identities , Safer said .
Candidates for surgery are reviewed by a medical team that considers mental health and physical health in determining the best treatment strategy , potentially including surgery , for each person .
[ Infographic : How Gender Reassignment Surgery Works ] Altering the voice so that it better matches gender identity can also be important to those transitioning .
`` Here , we envision a world where a transgender person feels no need to change their voice or speech — that is , they would live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respect them as whatever gender they claim , regardless of how their voice sounds , '' said Dr. Leah Helou , a speech pathologist who leads the University of Pittsburgh Voice Center 's transgender voice and communication services .
`` However , in the absence of such radical and global acceptance , many trans individuals feel that their communication style is a top priority for making their external self congruent with their inner self , '' Helou said .
`` Our goal is to serve and support those people , while advocating for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' After transitioning , transgender people often change their names — either to one that matches their gender or to something neutral .
A critical step in transitioning is changing legal documents , including driver 's licenses , Social Security cards , passports and credit cards .
They often have to go to court to order the changes to be made — an expensive , time-consuming task , according to the NCTE .
It is considered rude to call people who have transitioned by their former name ( called `` dead-naming '' ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask them their name and which pronouns they prefer , according to the HRC .
Most transgender people prefer to be identified with the pronoun that corresponds to the gender with which they identify , according to the HRC .
A transgender woman should be called `` she '' or `` her , '' if that 's what she prefers .
Some transgender people do n't believe in binary gender appellations and prefer `` they '' or a non-gendered pronoun .
Being transgender is not a mental disorder .
It can not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people may experience a persistent disconnect between their assigned sex and their internal sense of who they are , according to the HRC .
Medical professionals refer to this disconnect as gender dysphoria because it can cause pain and distress in the lives of transgender people .
The American Psychiatric Association in 2012 announced that a new version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM-5 ) would replace the term `` gender identity disorder '' with the more neutral term `` gender dysphoria . ''
Research has shown that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experiencing prejudice and mental-health problems .
The 2014 National Transgender Discrimination Survey found that 60 % of health care providers refuse treatment to transgender people .
Additionally , the research found that 64 % to 65 % of the transgender people surveyed suffered physical or sexual violence at work , and 63 % to 78 % suffered physical or sexual violence at school .
In the most recent iteration of this survey , taken in 2015 , results revealed that even children are at risk : Those in grades K through 12 who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ verbally harassed ( 54 % ) , physically attacked ( 24 % ) and sexually assaulted ( 13 % ) because of their sexual identity .
Transgender people often face discrimination even when using the bathroom .
In a 2016 poll of Americans by CBS and The New York Times , 46 % of respondents said those who are transgender should use the bathrooms assigned to their birth genders , while 41 % said such individuals should be able use the bathroom that matches their identities .
In May 2016 , the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advise school districts to permit transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that matched the students ' gender identities .
In response , several states joined in a lawsuit , stating that the federal government had overreached its authority .
Because of discrimination and other factors , the suicide rate among transgender people is high .
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center reports that more than 83 % of transgender people had thought about suicide and 54 % had attempted it .
( The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255 . )
Parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should seek the assistance of experts .
`` Determining if children are transgender can be a challenge and should be done with careful evaluation from a knowledgeable multidisciplinary team , '' Safer said .
It is important to note that many children question their gender identities without being transgender .
Safer advised parents to be respectful of the child 's feelings and recognize that there will be no actual medical intervention until the child begins puberty .
Even then , initial medical treatments are reversible , he said .
Read our related report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Transgender Children .
• The Journal of Homosexuality : Attempted suicide among transgender persons : The influence of gender-based discrimination and victimization

Transgender is an umbrella term that describes people whose gender identity or expression does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. For example, a transgender person may identify as a woman despite having been born with male genitalia.
About 1.4 million adults in the United States identify as transgender, according to 2016 research by the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles. Broken down on a state level, that research found that 0.8% of adults in California, Georgia, Hawaii and New Mexico identify as transgender, compared with 0.3% of adults in Iowa, Montana, North Dakota South Dakota and Wyoming identify as such.
What is transgender?
Being transgender means different things to different people, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE). "There's no one way to be transgender, and no one way for transgender people to look or feel about themselves," the organization says on its website.
A person's internal sense of being male, female or something else is their gender identity. For cisgender, or non-transgender people, their gender identity matches their sex at birth. For transgender people, the two do not match.
Sometimes, a person's gender identity doesn't fit neatly into two choices. People who see themselves as being both male and female, neither male nor female or as falling completely outside these categories may identify as genderqueer, according to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), an LGBTQ advocacy organization. (LGBTQ refers to the community of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning individuals.)
Activists of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transvestite, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTTTI) community participates in a march against homophobia on June 1, 2018, in São Paulo, Brazil (Image credit: Getty / NurPhoto)
How a person communicates their gender identity — through dress, behavior, voice or body characteristics — is their gender expression. A person's gender expression may or may not line up with society's expectations of masculinity or femininity, according to the HRC. The term "gender non-conforming" refers to people whose gender expression is different from conventional expectations of masculinity or femininity. However, not all gender-non-conforming people identify as transgender, and not all transgender people identify as gender non-conforming.
The public's understanding of gender identity and expression is evolving as more transgender people share their stories, according to the HRC.
The transgender flag
The transgender flag was designed in 1999 by Monica Helms, an openly transgender American woman and Navy veteran, according to nonprofit organization Point of Pride. The light blue and pink tones represent traditional colors for baby boys and girls, while the white horizontal line represents "those who are intersex, transitioning or consider themselves having a neutral or undefined gender."
The transgender flag was designed in 1999 and represents the traditional colors of baby boys and girls (Image credit: Public Domain)
According to Point of Pride, the flag is designed to be symmetrical so it appears the same whichever way up it is flown. The original flag created by Helms, and first displayed at a pride parade in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2000, is now held at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History .
Sex versus gender
Sex and gender are two different concepts. A person's sex refers to his or her biological status as either male or female. The determination of a person's sex depends primarily on various physical characteristics, including chromosomes, reproductive anatomy and sex hormones, according to the American Psychological Association (APA).
Gender, on the other hand, is a societal construct that deals with the expected behaviors, roles and activities typically associated with the different sexes, the APA said. Gender roles, which vary across cultures , influence how people act and feel about themselves.
Sexual orientation is different from gender identity. Sexual orientation is a person's physical, emotional or romantic attraction to another person, while gender identity is about one's own sense of self, according to GLAAD, an anti-discrimination organization. Transgender people may be straight, lesbian, gay or bisexual. For example, a person born with male genitalia may transition to being female but may be attracted to females. In this case, the person may identify as lesbian even though she was born with male genitalia.
Making the transition
Trying to change a person's gender identity is no more successful than trying to change a person's sexual orientation, GLAAD said. In other words, it can't be changed. Some people may take steps to better align their sex with their gender using hormones and surgery. HRC points out, however, that many transgender people cannot afford medical treatment or have no desire to pursue surgeries.
"So-called 'gender reassignment surgery' (more commonly called 'gender-affirmation surgery' by both medical professionals and transgender individuals) usually references transgender genital surgery," said Dr. Joshua Safer, medical director of the Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery at Boston Medical Center (BMC), who is also in the BMC Department of Endocrinology. "There are also chest-reconstruction surgeries and facial feminization surgeries, among other options."
Genital surgery is typically reserved for transgender individuals over the age of 18 who have been treated with hormones, if that is what is medically indicated, and who have lived for at least a year in the gender roles that match their gender identities, Safer said. Candidates for surgery are reviewed by a medical team that considers mental health and physical health in determining the best treatment strategy, potentially including surgery, for each person.
Related: How gender reassignment surgery works
Altering the voice so that it better matches gender identity can also be important to those transitioning. "Here, we envision a world where a transgender person feels no need to change their voice or speech — that is, they would live in a world where people accept and respect them as whatever gender they claim, regardless of how their voice sounds," said Dr. Leah Helou, a speech pathologist who leads the University of Pittsburgh Voice Center's transgender voice and communication services.
"However, in the absence of such radical and global acceptance, many trans individuals feel that their communication style is a top priority for making their external self congruent with their inner self," Helou said. "Our goal is to serve and support those people, while advocating for broader acceptance of the transgender population."
Names and pronouns
After transitioning, transgender people often change their names — either to one that matches their gender or to something neutral. A critical step in transitioning is changing legal documents, including driver's licenses, Social Security cards, passports and credit cards. They often have to go to court to order the changes to be made — an expensive, time-consuming task, according to the NCTE.
It is considered rude to call people who have transitioned by their former name (called "dead-naming"), and it is appropriate to respectfully ask them their name and which pronouns they prefer, according to the HRC.
Most transgender people prefer to be identified with the pronoun that corresponds to the gender with which they identify, according to the HRC. A transgender woman should be called "she" or "her," if that's what she prefers. Some transgender people don't believe in binary gender appellations and prefer "they" or a non-gendered pronoun.
Discrimination
Being transgender is not a mental disorder. It cannot be "cured" with treatment. Transgender people may experience a persistent disconnect between their assigned sex and their internal sense of who they are, according to the HRC. Medical professionals refer to this disconnect as gender dysphoria because it can cause pain and distress in the lives of transgender people.
In 2012 The American Psychiatric Association announced that a new version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) would replace the term "gender identity disorder" with the more neutral term "gender dysphoria." This was followed in 2019 by the World Health Organization removing the term "gender identity disorder" from its list of mental illnesses, CBS reported .
Research has shown that transgender people are at high risk of experiencing prejudice and mental-health problems. The 2015 National Transgender Discrimination Survey found that 60% of health care providers refuse treatment to transgender people. Additionally, the research found that 64% to 65% of the transgender people surveyed suffered physical or sexual violence at work, and 63% to 78% suffered physical or sexual violence at school.
Trans people and allies marching through Jackson Heights and Corona, New York City, for the eighth annual Trans Latinx March. (Image credit: Getty / Erik McGregor)
In the most recent iteration of this survey, taken in 2015, results revealed that even children are at risk: Those in grades K through 12 who had come out as transgender reported being verbally harassed (54%), physically attacked (24%) and sexually assaulted (13%) because of their sexual identity.
Transgender people often face discrimination even when using the bathroom. In a 2016 poll of Americans by CBS and The New York Times, 46% of respondents said those who are transgender should use the bathrooms assigned to their birth genders, while 41% said such individuals should be able use the bathroom that matches their identities. In May 2016, the U.S. Education and Justice departments stepped in to advise school districts to permit transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that matched the students' gender identities. In response, several states joined in a lawsuit, stating that the federal government had overreached its authority.
Because of discrimination and other factors, the suicide rate among transgender people is high. The Suicide Prevention Resource Center reports that more than 83% of transgender people had thought about suicide and 54% had attempted it. (The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255.)
Help for parents
Parents who think their children may be transgender should seek the assistance of experts. "Determining if children are transgender can be a challenge and should be done with careful evaluation from a knowledgeable multidisciplinary team," Safer said.
It is important to note that many children question their gender identities without being transgender. Safer advised parents to be respectful of the child's feelings and recognize that there will be no actual medical intervention until the child begins puberty. Even then, initial medical treatments are reversible, he said.
Related: How parents and doctors can support transgender children
Transgender history
Though transgender people have existed for hundreds and even thousands of years according to an article by the HRC, the transgender movement for social change has existed for less than a hundred years. According to Susan Stryker, a visiting professor at Yale University, laws specifically targeting transgender people began to emerge in the 19th century. "In the 1850s, a number of U.S. cities began passing municipal ordinances that made it illegal for a man or woman to appear in public "in a dress not belonging to his or her sex,"' she wrote in her book "Transgender History" (Da Capo Press, 2009).
American transgender woman, Christine Jorgensen arriving at Idlewild Airport, February 12, 1953. (Image credit: Getty / New York Daily News Archive)
In the early 20th century, gender reassignment, or affirmation, surgery was only being carried out in a few specialist medical centers around the world. One of the largest, in Germany, was targeted by the Nazis, according to Elliot Evans, author of " Queer Permeability " (Routledge, 2020). "Magnus Hirschfeld’s pioneering Institut für Sexualwissenschaft [Institute of Sexology, or Sexual Science] in Berlin, provided treatment for Lili Elbe (whose story was made famous by the 2015 film "The Danish Girl") and Dora Richter," Evans wrote in an article for All About History magazine. "It was all but destroyed after Hitler came to power in 1933, its archives and library publicly burned. The Institute only re-emerged – this time in Frankfurt – in 1973."
Transgender healthcare did not fully emerge until the second half of the 20th century, though it was still very limited and in many countries gender affirmation surgery remained illegal. "In the US, the Stanford Gender Dysphoria Program in Palo Alto, California, associated with the pioneering doctor of transgender healthcare, Harry Benjamin, would not be founded until 1968," Evans wrote. "Some medical assistance for trans individuals was available in Europe: in Sweden, and in Denmark’s Copenhagen University Hospital, which provided surgical interventions for the American trans woman Christine Jorgensen in the early 1950s, after she had obtained special legal permission from the Danish Minister of Justice."


livescience--2020-12-02--UK approves Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine

The United Kingdom has granted emergency authorization to Pfizer 's coronavirus vaccine , becoming the first Western country to approve a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 .
The first doses of the vaccine are expected to roll out in the U.K. next week .
Prizer 's coronavirus vaccine , developed with BioNTech , was recently shown to be 95 % effective in preventing COVID-19 among participants of a still-ongoing late-stage clinical trial , .
The vaccine uses messenger RNA , a type of genetic material that teaches the body to recognize a key protein of the virus and attack it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the incidence of severe disease ( One out of 10 severe cases in the trial was in a participant who received the vaccine . )
`` Today ’ s Emergency Use Authorization in the U.K. marks a historic moment in the fight against COVID-19 , '' Pfizer 's CEO Dr. Albert Bourla said in a statement .
The U.K. has ordered 40 million doses of Pfizer ’ s vaccine , which is enough to vaccinate 20 million people , as each person needs two doses of the vaccine 21 days apart .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be available in the UK next week , Health Secretary Matt Hancock .
`` Help is on its way , '' Hancock .
“ When this vaccine is rolled out things will get better and we ’ ll start that process next week , ” Hancock told the BBC .
“ I 'm obviously absolutely thrilled with the news.
” The people who are most vulnerable to the virus will receive the first doses , he added .
Elderly people and staff in care homes are highest priority , followed by people over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the BBC .
But because Pfizer 's vaccine must be transported at ultra-cold temperatures , in an effort to limit transportation and make sure the vaccine stays cold , National Health Service staff , who work in hospitals , may receive the vaccine before nursing home residents , according to The New York Times .
Hospitals have the capability to store the vaccine at the required minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit ( minus 70 degrees Celsius ) , according to the BBC .
The UK 's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after a `` rigorous , scientific and detailed review of all the available data , starting in October 2020 , '' .
This regulatory process was based on a `` rolling review , '' which means that data from Pfizer 's trials were evaluated as they became available .
The approval was based on recommendations from the Commission on Human Medicines ( CHM ) , the U.K. government 's independent scientific advisory group .
`` No corners have been cut , '' MHRA chief Dr. June Raine said in a news conference , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' On Nov. 20 , Pfizer and BioNTech also submitted a request to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) for an emergency use authorization .
On Dec. 10 , the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee in the U.S. is set to meet to discuss the prospect of an EUA , .
Russia and China have already approved vaccines for limited use , according to The New York Times .

The United Kingdom has granted emergency authorization to Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, becoming the first Western country to approve a vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The first doses of the vaccine are expected to roll out in the U.K. next week.
Prizer's coronavirus vaccine, developed with BioNTech, was recently shown to be 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 among participants of a still-ongoing late-stage clinical trial, Live Science previously reported . The vaccine uses messenger RNA, a type of genetic material that teaches the body to recognize a key protein of the virus and attack it. Pfizer's vaccine also seems to reduce the incidence of severe disease (One out of 10 severe cases in the trial was in a participant who received the vaccine.)
"Today’s Emergency Use Authorization in the U.K. marks a historic moment in the fight against COVID-19," Pfizer's CEO Dr. Albert Bourla said in a statement. The U.K. has ordered 40 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine, which is enough to vaccinate 20 million people, as each person needs two doses of the vaccine 21 days apart. The first 800,000 doses of the vaccine will be available in the UK next week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the BBC . "Help is on its way," Hancock wrote on Twitter .
Related: Coronavirus live updates
“When this vaccine is rolled out things will get better and we’ll start that process next week,” Hancock told the BBC. “I'm obviously absolutely thrilled with the news.” The people who are most vulnerable to the virus will receive the first doses, he added. Elderly people and staff in care homes are highest priority, followed by people over the age of 80 and healthcare workers, according to the BBC .
But because Pfizer's vaccine must be transported at ultra-cold temperatures, in an effort to limit transportation and make sure the vaccine stays cold, National Health Service staff, who work in hospitals, may receive the vaccine before nursing home residents, according to The New York Times. Hospitals have the capability to store the vaccine at the required minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 70 degrees Celsius), according to the BBC.
The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) granted emergency approval after a "rigorous, scientific and detailed review of all the available data, starting in October 2020," according to a statement . This regulatory process was based on a "rolling review," which means that data from Pfizer's trials were evaluated as they became available. The approval was based on recommendations from the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), the U.K. government's independent scientific advisory group. "No corners have been cut," MHRA chief Dr. June Raine said in a news conference, according to Reuters . "Safety is our watchword."
On Nov. 20, Pfizer and BioNTech also submitted a request to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for an emergency use authorization. On Dec. 10, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee in the U.S. is set to meet to discuss the prospect of an EUA, according to a statement .
Russia and China have already approved vaccines for limited use, according to The New York Times.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-12-03--Coronavirus outbreak: Live updates

Coronavirus outbreak: Live updates


livescience--2020-12-03--Lost island beneath the North Sea survived a mega-tsunami 8,000 years ago

Some ancient islands now submerged beneath the North Sea survived a devastating tsunami about 8,000 years ago and may have played a key part in Britain 's human prehistory , according to a new study .
The research suggests some parts of the ancient plain known as Doggerland — which connected Great Britain with the Netherlands — withstood the massive Storegga tsunami that submerged most of the region in about 6200 B.C .
The so-called Storegga tsunami was caused by the underwater collapse of part of Norway 's continental shelf , about 500 miles ( 800 kilometers ) to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towering wave entirely submerged the between the east coast of England and the European continent .
But the new research , based on submerged sediment cores sampled during ship expeditions in the North Sea , suggests some parts of Doggerland survived the ancient tsunami and may have remained inhabited by Stone Age humans for thousands of years .
And if they did , the surviving islands of Doggerland might have played a part in the later development of Britain , such as the introduction of agriculture about a thousand years later said study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of Bradford .
`` If you were standing on some of that coastline on the day it happened , it would be a bad day for you , '' Gaffney told Live Science .
`` However , that did not mean it was the end for Doggerland . ''
Scientists think the now-submerged region of Doggerland was exposed by the retreating northern ice cap at the end of the last ice age about 12,000 years ago .
By about 10,000 years ago , Doggerland was a landscape of lagoons , marshes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it may have been one of the richest hunting and fishing grounds in Europe in the .
The Europe 's Lost Frontiers project is leading the effort to investigate Doggerland 's archaeology and to reconstruct the ancient landscape as it appeared before it sank beneath the waves .
They found that by the time of the Storegga tsunami , much of Doggerland would have been already underwater due to slowly rising sea levels , Gaffney said .
But a remarkable sediment core from the seafloor near the eastern English estuary of the River @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows land there remained above water many years after the tsunami — and computer modeling suggests other regions nearby survived as isolated islands too , he said .
The researchers have now dubbed these islands the `` Dogger Archipelago , '' and it 's thought the highest parts of a central region now known as the `` DoggerHills '' also survived the Storegga tsunami , becoming `` Dogger Island . ''
Although they initially stayed dry land , the islands would all sink a bit more than 1000 years later as the sea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate .
Some parts of Doggerland may even have been better suited to humans after the devastation of the tsunami and the retreat of its waters , Gaffney said .
`` People will have gone back and lived where they were previously , and it may have perhaps been a bit more open , and that may even have been quite useful in some of these areas , '' he said .
The surviving islands may contain early evidence of the introduction of agricultural technologies into Britain , which presumably spread there from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It is these coastal areas which are where contact with farming and farmers are likely to occur . ''
For now , the researchers on the Europe 's Lost Frontiers project are working to reconstruct the ancient geography of the Doggerland region .
One day , they hope to locate a Stone Age settlement , and the now-submerged islands of the Dogger Archipelago are emerging as some of their best bets .
`` The last 20 years has revolutionized how we understand Doggerland , '' Gaffney said .
`` We have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get environmental data , where we can get information on the plants and animals that lived there . ''
[ But ] we do not have yet a single archaeological settlement site , '' he said .
`` It 's still essentially an unexplored landscape . ''
The research was published Monday ( Nov. 30 ) in the journal .

Doggerland once covered a vast swath of land between what is now the east coast of England and the European mainland.
Some ancient islands now submerged beneath the North Sea survived a devastating tsunami about 8,000 years ago and may have played a key part in Britain's human prehistory, according to a new study.
The research suggests some parts of the ancient plain known as Doggerland — which connected Great Britain with the Netherlands — withstood the massive Storegga tsunami that submerged most of the region in about 6200 B.C.
The so-called Storegga tsunami was caused by the underwater collapse of part of Norway's continental shelf, about 500 miles (800 kilometers) to the north. Scientists had long thought the towering wave entirely submerged the Doggerland region between the east coast of England and the European continent.
Photos: Ancient human remains found beneath the North Sea
But the new research, based on submerged sediment cores sampled during ship expeditions in the North Sea, suggests some parts of Doggerland survived the ancient tsunami and may have remained inhabited by Stone Age humans for thousands of years.
And if they did, the surviving islands of Doggerland might have played a part in the later development of Britain, such as the introduction of agriculture about a thousand years later said study co-author Vincent Gaffney, an archeologist at the University of Bradford.
"If you were standing on some of that coastline on the day it happened, it would be a bad day for you," Gaffney told Live Science. "However, that did not mean it was the end for Doggerland."
The Storegga tsunami in about 6200 B.C. caused a mega-tsunami throughout the North Atlantic; tell-tale sediments left by the tsunami have been discovered around the region. (Image credit: Europe's Lost Frontiers Project/University of Bradford/M. Muru)
Sunken lands
Scientists think the now-submerged region of Doggerland was exposed by the retreating northern ice cap at the end of the last ice age about 12,000 years ago. By about 10,000 years ago, Doggerland was a landscape of lagoons, marshes, rivers, lakes and forests; it may have been one of the richest hunting and fishing grounds in Europe in the Mesolithic period .
The Europe's Lost Frontiers project is leading the effort to investigate Doggerland's archaeology and to reconstruct the ancient landscape as it appeared before it sank beneath the waves.
Analysis of the sediment cores from the Doggerland region reveal its largest extent was before 10,000 years ago (a); much of Doggerland was later inundated by rising sea levels, by a warming climate (b); the Storegga tsunami about 8,200 years ago reduced Doggerland to a few surviving islands (c); all of Doggerland but its coastal regions were submerged by about 7000 years ago (d). (Image credit: Europe's Lost Frontiers Project/University of Bradford/M. Muru)
They found that by the time of the Storegga tsunami, much of Doggerland would have been already underwater due to slowly rising sea levels, Gaffney said.
But a remarkable sediment core from the seafloor near the eastern English estuary of the River Ouse, known as the Wash, shows land there remained above water many years after the tsunami — and computer modeling suggests other regions nearby survived as isolated islands too, he said.
The researchers have now dubbed these islands the "Dogger Archipelago," and it's thought the highest parts of a central region now known as the "DoggerHills" also survived the Storegga tsunami, becoming "Dogger Island."
Although they initially stayed dry land, the islands would all sink a bit more than 1000 years later as the sea level rose, caused by the warming climate.
Image 1 of 2 Two research ships, including the Belgian vessel RV Belgica seen here, were used to collect sediment cores from the Doggerland region of the North Sea. (Image credit: Europe's Lost Frontiers Project/University of Bradford) The sediment cores from the submerged Doggerland region of the North Sea were carefully analyzed to reveal thousands of years of geographic history. (Image credit: Europe's Lost Frontiers Project/University of Bradford)
Surviving islands
Some parts of Doggerland may even have been better suited to humans after the devastation of the tsunami and the retreat of its waters, Gaffney said.
"People will have gone back and lived where they were previously, and it may have perhaps been a bit more open, and that may even have been quite useful in some of these areas," he said.
The surviving islands may contain early evidence of the introduction of agricultural technologies into Britain, which presumably spread there from the European continent, he said. "It is these coastal areas which are where contact with farming and farmers are likely to occur."
For now, the researchers on the Europe's Lost Frontiers project are working to reconstruct the ancient geography of the Doggerland region.
One day, they hope to locate a Stone Age settlement, and the now-submerged islands of the Dogger Archipelago are emerging as some of their best bets.
"The last 20 years has revolutionized how we understand Doggerland," Gaffney said. "We have been going down [submerged] river valleys to get environmental data, where we can get information on the plants and animals that lived there."
[But] we do not have yet a single archaeological settlement site," he said. "It's still essentially an unexplored landscape."
The research was published Monday (Nov. 30) in the journal Antiquity .
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-12-03--The best Montessori learning toys

The best Montessori learning toys

Maybe you 've heard the word `` Montessori '' before .
Maybe not .
Either way , you 've likely run across some Montessori toys .
Back in the late 1800s , Maria Montessori , an Italian physician , noticed that children naturally learn through the intrinsic motivation to pick something up and explore how it works .
She developed a teaching method that embraces hands-on , multi-sensory activities that kids can investigate at their own pace .
The Montessori Method is still used in nursery and preschools today , but you can start at home long before your child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many of the toys marketed toward babies and toddlers follow the Montessori Method , providing sensory experiences that help young kids learn through exploration .
These are toys like the classic rainbow stacking rings and blocks that twist to form different three-letter words .
Below , we 've gathered some of the best Montessori toys available this holiday season .
Every kid should have a set of building blocks , which foster problem-solving and engineering skills early on .
is perfect for the little ones in your life , with blocks big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shapes that can be put together to build just about anything .
The set is recommended for ages 3 to 8.View Deal Kids ages 4 and up can choose one of the 18 included cards and learn how to recognize and match both colors and shapes , while trying to solve that puzzle within the time limit of the hourglass .
And when it 's clean-up time , the wooden game board also acts as a storage box.View Deal This beautiful version of the classic stacking game gives kids a little more challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rainbow on top of one another .
But of course the rainbow doesn ’ t always have to go in the right order .
This toy inspires creativity as the arches can be used as differently sized tunnels , hills , rocking chairs and more .
View Deal

Maybe you've heard the word "Montessori" before. Maybe not. Either way, you've likely run across some Montessori toys.
Back in the late 1800s, Maria Montessori, an Italian physician, noticed that children naturally learn through the intrinsic motivation to pick something up and explore how it works. She developed a teaching method that embraces hands-on, multi-sensory activities that kids can investigate at their own pace.
The Montessori Method is still used in nursery and preschools today, but you can start at home long before your child gets to school ... or any time. Many of the toys marketed toward babies and toddlers follow the Montessori Method, providing sensory experiences that help young kids learn through exploration.
These are toys like the classic rainbow stacking rings and blocks that twist to form different three-letter words. Below, we've gathered some of the best Montessori toys available this holiday season.
Chuckle & Roar Shapes and Numbers Learning Puzzle: $14.99 at Target Little ones (ages 3+) can have hours of learning fun with Chuckle & Roar’s 4-in-1 puzzles . This board has 75 pieces: 10 numbers, 10 shapes and 55 stacking rings. As they are learning about numbers, shapes and colors, your child will also practice hand-eye coordination while stacking the wooden parts.
Cheffun Carrot Harvest: $22.46 at Amazon This smooth, wooden block from Cheffun acts like a chunk of ground at a farm lush with carrots. Toddlers (ages 1+) will have seven different carrots of different sizes to "pick" and then "plant" back into the block, all the while discovering which carrots fit into which holes.
RubRab Wooden Rocks: $19.99 at Amazon RubRab's wooden blocks look a bit like gemstones with their brilliant colors and faceted edges. With different sizes and shapes, these wooden stones give kids the sensory experience Montessori is famed for. They're not only fun to touch, but also stackable.
Hey! Play! Twist Blocks: $29.99 $23.99 at Khol’s When your kids are getting ready to learn the basics of letters and spelling (ages 3+), Hey! Play!’s twisting alphabet blocks can be a big help. These blocks twist to form different three-letter words, with one color representing consonants and the other vowels. Through tactile fun, your kids will learn the basics of phonetics.
Hey! Play! Rainbow Stacking Blocks: $29.99 $23.99 at Kohl’s This one is so classic, you probably had your own set of rainbow stackers as a child. The Hey! Play! set includes three stacking blocks of different shapes: square, circular and hexagonal.
Hey! Play! Colorful Counting Sticks: $10.95 at Amazon Hey! Play!’s box full of bright, colorful counting sticks teaches simple math like counting, addition, subtraction, and even multiplication and division. The set includes number blocks with symbols so kids can set up basic equations as they learn.
deMoca Busy Board: $47.95 at Amazon A busy board offers lots of options for your toddler's fidgety little fingers. This one from deMoca includes a buckle, zipper, wheel gear and more. Recommended for ages 3 and up, this sensory board includes 10 preschool activities to help kids to develop their fine motor skills.
Melissa & Doug Lacing Beads: $12.99 at Amazon Your toddlers will develop fine motor skills, cognitive skills and visual perception as they pick up and play with the 30 different beads in Melissa and Doug's Lacing Beads set . The beads come in bright, primary colors and in several different shapes with laces thin enough to easily thread through the beads.
Melissa & Doug Standard Blocks: $69.99 $52.49 at Amazon Every kid should have a set of building blocks, which foster problem-solving and engineering skills early on. This set from Melissa & Doug is perfect for the little ones in your life, with blocks big enough for toddler hands to grip and shapes that can be put together to build just about anything. The set is recommended for ages 3 to 8.
CENOVE Veggie and Fruit Sorting Box: $20.99 at Amazon Your child can plant fruits and veggies with this fun kit that will help them learn about pattern matching. While sorting their produce, kids will also be honing their fine motor skills.
Play Brainy Color and Shape Puzzle Game: $25.99 $14.99 at Amazon Kids ages 4 and up can choose one of the 18 included cards and learn how to recognize and match both colors and shapes, while trying to solve that puzzle within the time limit of the hourglass. And when it's clean-up time, the wooden game board also acts as a storage box.
Berkshiled Animal Puzzles: $29.99 at Amazon These adorable puzzles are perfect for the tiny thinkers in your life. Cute shapes like a frog with bulbous eyes and a fluttery bumblebee create simple puzzles for babies to learn concentration, color and shape recognition, and hand-eye coordination.
Asher & Olivia's Math Wooden Number Shape Set : $23.99 at Amazon This Montessori set includes multiple toys in one, with a number puzzle, set of stacking rings, wooden shapes, two lacing toys and a learning clock. While playing with these puzzles kids will develop fine motor skills, depth-perception, and shape and color recognition.
Stoie's International Wooden Music Set: $39.99 at Amazon Stoie's international music set is a gorgeous collection of wooden instruments from all around the world. Kids will use a tambourine, maracas, a hand drum, and several more instruments to create music and learn about different cultures.


livescience--2020-12-03--The Alps are growing taller

The Alps are growing taller

The Swiss Alps are going through a growth spurt , according to a new study suggesting that part of the mountain range is lifting upward faster than it is eroding .
The finding goes against the conclusions of two , which suggested that the Alps were neither growing nor shrinking .
However , an international team of researchers has now found that is n't the case , after analyzing different isotopes , or versions of an element , in the sand from hundreds of rivers in the European Alps .
One particular isotope — ( 10Be ) — revealed information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Alps , the team said .
Related : In photos : The vanishing glaciers of Europe 's Alps The isotope 10Be is formed in part when , or fragments of atoms such as protons , electrons and charged nuclei , stream through atmosphere and reach the planet 's surface .
When those cosmic rays hit the ground , say in the rocky Alps , they kick off a nuclear reaction in the atoms in quartz , which forms 10Be .
This isotope accumulates only on Earth 's uppermost surface , which means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by measuring the levels of 10Be in sediment that 's been around for least a few millennia .
Quartz grains with high concentration of 10Be were likely exposed to cosmic rays for a very long period .
In contrast , samples with low concentrations of 10Be are much younger .
`` This principle can also be used to quantify the rate of erosion in the Alps , averaged over a few thousand years , '' study co-author Fritz Schlunegger , a geologist at the Institute of Geological Sciences at the University of Bern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rocky grains containing 10Be get washed away into mountain streams and rivers , which carry it to the plains .
So , if lots of fairly low-concentration 10Be is found in riverbeds , that suggests more recent sediment and in turn that the mountains are eroding fairly fast .
In the study , the researchers did a massive sweep of quartz grains from more than 350 rivers running through the Alps .
`` With this strategy , we can for the first time draw a picture of the erosion across the entire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' study first author Romain Delunel , a geologist at the Institute of Geological Sciences at the University of Bern in Switzerland , said in the statement .
The Alps are n't changing height uniformly , however .
In some places , the range is wasting away .
For instance , in Valais , a canton ( state ) in southern Switzerland , the Alps are shrinking , with an erosion rate of nearly 25 feet ( 7.5 meters ) per millennium .
The mountainous region with the slowest erosion rate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , eroded just 0.5 inches ( 1.4 centimeters ) per 1,000 years .
`` This erosion rate is very low , almost boring , '' Schlunegger said .
But the Central Alps are growing , thanks to uplift that outpaces erosion .
`` This is a big surprise , because until now we have assumed that uplift and erosion were in equilibrium , '' Schlunegger said .
To put a number on it , that region of the Alps is growing about 31 inches ( 80 cm ) every millennium , after accounting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` This means that the Central Alps are still growing , and surprisingly quickly , '' Schlunegger said .
Meanwhile , erosion and uplift are in balance in the Western Alps , and erosion is faster than uplift in the Eastern Alps .
So , why is erosion happening in certain parts of the Alps , but not others ?
Rain and snow do n't have a measurable effect on erosion , but the slope and topography of a mountain do .
Many of these rock faces were carved by the last major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` very steep landscapes '' do n't lead to increased erosion , Delunel said .
`` That was another surprise because we thought that very steep terrain would be eroded very quickly .
We do n't yet fully know why this is not the case and therefore see a need for further research . ''
The study was published in the December issue of the journal .

The Swiss Alps are going through a growth spurt, according to a new study suggesting that part of the mountain range is lifting upward faster than it is eroding.
The finding goes against the conclusions of two previous studies , which suggested that the Alps were neither growing nor shrinking.
However, an international team of researchers has now found that isn't the case, after analyzing different isotopes, or versions of an element, in the sand from hundreds of rivers in the European Alps. One particular isotope — beryllium-10 (10Be) — revealed information about erosion rates in different parts of the Alps, the team said.
Related: In photos: The vanishing glaciers of Europe's Alps
The isotope 10Be is formed in part when cosmic rays , or fragments of atoms such as protons, electrons and charged nuclei, stream through Earth 's atmosphere and reach the planet's surface. When those cosmic rays hit the ground, say in the rocky Alps, they kick off a nuclear reaction in the oxygen atoms in quartz, which forms 10Be.
This isotope accumulates only on Earth's uppermost surface, which means scientists can determine a surface's age by measuring the levels of 10Be in sediment that's been around for least a few millennia. Quartz grains with high concentration of 10Be were likely exposed to cosmic rays for a very long period. In contrast, samples with low concentrations of 10Be are much younger.
The erosion (scientifically, known as denudation) rate per 1,000 years in the European Alps. The circles show the river catchment areas where sediment was studied. (Image credit: Delunel, R., Schlunegger, F., Valla, P.G. et al. 2020; CC BY 4.0
"This principle can also be used to quantify the rate of erosion in the Alps, averaged over a few thousand years," study co-author Fritz Schlunegger, a geologist at the Institute of Geological Sciences at the University of Bern in Switzerland, said in a statement . In the Alps, rocky grains containing 10Be get washed away into mountain streams and rivers, which carry it to the plains. So, if lots of fairly low-concentration 10Be is found in riverbeds, that suggests more recent sediment and in turn that the mountains are eroding fairly fast.
In the study, the researchers did a massive sweep of quartz grains from more than 350 rivers running through the Alps. "With this strategy, we can for the first time draw a picture of the erosion across the entire European Alps and explore its driving mechanisms," study first author Romain Delunel, a geologist at the Institute of Geological Sciences at the University of Bern in Switzerland, said in the statement.
Rising skyward
The Alps aren't changing height uniformly, however. In some places, the range is wasting away. For instance, in Valais, a canton (state) in southern Switzerland, the Alps are shrinking, with an erosion rate of nearly 25 feet (7.5 meters) per millennium. The mountainous region with the slowest erosion rate, in eastern Switzerland by the Thur River, eroded just 0.5 inches (1.4 centimeters) per 1,000 years.
"This erosion rate is very low, almost boring," Schlunegger said.
But the Central Alps are growing, thanks to uplift that outpaces erosion. "This is a big surprise, because until now we have assumed that uplift and erosion were in equilibrium," Schlunegger said. To put a number on it, that region of the Alps is growing about 31 inches (80 cm) every millennium, after accounting for erosion, the researchers found. "This means that the Central Alps are still growing, and surprisingly quickly," Schlunegger said.
Meanwhile, erosion and uplift are in balance in the Western Alps, and erosion is faster than uplift in the Eastern Alps.
So, why is erosion happening in certain parts of the Alps, but not others? Rain and snow don't have a measurable effect on erosion, but the slope and topography of a mountain do. Many of these rock faces were carved by the last major glaciations, the researchers found. Furthermore, "very steep landscapes" don't lead to increased erosion, Delunel said. "That was another surprise because we thought that very steep terrain would be eroded very quickly. We don't yet fully know why this is not the case and therefore see a need for further research."
The study was published in the December issue of the journal Earth-Science Reviews .
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-12-03--Drone catches Arecibo Observatory's last moments

The exact moment of Arecibo Observatory 's final collapse — when the cables supporting its instrument platform broke — was caught on video by a drone doing a routine inspection flyby , according to a new video released by the observatory Thursday ( Dec. 3 ) .
The footage , taken just before 8 a.m. local time in Puerto Rico on Dec. 1 , shows what at first appears to be a peaceful , blue-sky morning .
Then , one of the main cables holding up the suspended platform over the radio dish gives way , and the entire platform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twists toward the ground .
The footage may help scientists understand what went wrong at the famous alien-searching observatory , known not just to astronomers and science enthusiasts but also to moviegoers who watched the 1995 James Bond hit `` GoldenEye '' and the 1997 film `` Contact , '' based on Carl Sagan 's novel .
Related : From Big Bang to present : Snapshots of our universe through time Scott Manley , who describes himself as an astronogamer , astrophysicist and , posted a a 2-minute clip of the video in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a drone inspecting the Tower 4 Cables when the collapse started so we get a close up on the cables breaking , check the second video segment . ''
A longer version can be seen .
In a , Manley added , `` It looks to me as if the cable is pulled from its socket rather than simply snapping . ''
As , the National Science Foundation ( NSF ) decided to decommission Arecibo Observatory even before its 900-ton ( 816 metric ton ) instrument platform fell this week .
The observatory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damage this year after earthquakes shook it in January .
In August , one of its heavy cables , tearing a 100-foot-long ( 30 meters ) gash in the 1,000-foot-wide ( 305 m ) radio dish .
With that cable gone , the remaining cables still had to bear the heavy instrument platform that was suspended over the dish .
When another cable failed on Nov. 6 , engineers realized that the other cables were likely weaker than expected , and advised that the structure could not be safely repaired , .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the radio telescope would be shut down .
No one was hurt during the observatories multiple failures .
To get another view of the collapse , check out Manley 's synced edited video , with `` Both telescope collapse cameras synced up as best as I can tell , '' he .

The exact moment of Arecibo Observatory's final collapse — when the cables supporting its instrument platform broke — was caught on video by a drone doing a routine inspection flyby, according to a new video released by the observatory Thursday (Dec. 3).
The footage, taken just before 8 a.m. local time in Puerto Rico on Dec. 1, shows what at first appears to be a peaceful, blue-sky morning. Then, one of the main cables holding up the suspended platform over the radio dish gives way, and the entire platform swings downward, breaking apart as it twists toward the ground.
The footage may help scientists understand what went wrong at the famous alien-searching observatory, known not just to astronomers and science enthusiasts but also to moviegoers who watched the 1995 James Bond hit "GoldenEye" and the 1997 film "Contact," based on Carl Sagan's novel.
Related: From Big Bang to present: Snapshots of our universe through time
Scott Manley, who describes himself as an astronogamer, astrophysicist and YouTube star , posted a a 2-minute clip of the video in a tweet Thursday, saying "There was a drone inspecting the Tower 4 Cables when the collapse started so we get a close up on the cables breaking, check the second video segment."
There was a drone inspecting the Tower 4 Cables when the collapse started so we get a close up on the cables breaking, check the second video segment. pic.twitter.com/Qw37Z5byWgDecember 3, 2020 See more
A longer version can be seen here .
In a second tweet , Manley added, "It looks to me as if the cable is pulled from its socket rather than simply snapping."
As Live Science previously reported , the National Science Foundation (NSF) decided to decommission Arecibo Observatory even before its 900-ton (816 metric ton) instrument platform fell this week. The observatory, built in 1963, suffered substantial damage this year after earthquakes shook it in January. In August, one of its heavy cables unexpectedly snapped , tearing a 100-foot-long (30 meters) gash in the 1,000-foot-wide (305 m) radio dish. With that cable gone, the remaining cables still had to bear the heavy instrument platform that was suspended over the dish.
When another cable failed on Nov. 6, engineers realized that the other cables were likely weaker than expected, and advised that the structure could not be safely repaired, NSF reported . On Nov. 19, the NSF reported that the radio telescope would be shut down .
No one was hurt during the observatories multiple failures.
To get another view of the collapse, check out Manley's synced edited video, with "Both telescope collapse cameras synced up as best as I can tell," he tweeted .
Originally published on Live Science.