Today’s top story
An “explosive” and “unprecedented” outbreak of meningitis has hit a university in Kent, England, killing two young people and affecting a further 13, U.K. health bosses said. [BBC]
The outbreak, which appears to have begun at university halls of residence, has been identified as meningitis B (MenB), a form of the disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis. These bacteria usually live harmlessly in the throat but can cause life-threatening illness if they enter the spinal fluid or blood. MenB spreads by prolonged close contact and is typically treated by antibiotics.
While a MenB vaccine exists as part of the U.K.’s childhood vaccine schedule, it was only introduced after 2015 — meaning the students linked to the current outbreak were unprotected. [The Guardian]
The trend
When Iran moved to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz — the world’s most vital oil transit choke point — in response to the U.S.-Israel war with the Middle Eastern country, it sent oil and gas prices rocketing.
Yet while much of the commentary has focused on the immediate effects of a supply shock to these fossil fuels, one of the most severe consequences has been overlooked — the looming threat to global food production.
That’s because the key fertilizer urea is made primarily from liquefied natural gas, for which the Strait is a conduit for roughly a fifth of global supply. That means the gas’s disruption is now threatening an agricultural shock that could drive the prices of basic food staples beyond the affordability of millions around the world.
Three to read
- Scientists say marijuana doesn’t ease anxiety or other mental health conditions [CNN]
- Colorectal cancer is now the most common cause of cancer deaths in the US for people under 50 [Live Science]
- Brazil’s underprotected Cerrado savanna stores a staggering amount of carbon, study finds [Live Science]
Say it, said it
Word of the day: Adlocutio — Latin for “speaking to” or “addressing,” — was used in ancient Rome to refer to a speech given by a general. It is often portrayed in sculpture with a typical pose of an arm outstretched to indicate an address to troops.
A famous example is the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius in Rome’s Capitoline Museums, which is the only surviving equestrian statue of the pagan Roman emperor.
Quote of the day: “If a bird flew to you in your backyard and offered to change your life in a beneficial way, would you even be paying enough attention to notice?”
Rob Dunn, a professor of applied ecology at North Carolina State University, on what honeyguides — African birds that evolved to lead humans to honey beehives — can teach us about mutualism.
Fun and games
If all that news wasn’t enough of a brain workout, why not flex your gray matter with our daily sudoku puzzle?
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