Water can be a catalyst for peace and security with a critical role in preventing conflicts and promoting cooperation among communities and nations - but only if managed equitably and sustainably.

Postdoctoral researcher Taru-Anneli Koivisto and visiting researcher Taru Tähti from the University of the Arts Helsinki explored the potential of art and cultural activities to enhance the health and well-being of various age and population groups. 

The peer-reviewed article published in Finnish Medical Journal concludes that art and cultural activities promote physical and cognitive health and well-being across all age groups included in the review study. 

UNDER STRICT EMBARGO UNTIL 6:30 PM November 28, 2024: A recent major review of data published by the Lancet and led by Emory sports cardiologist Jonathan Kim, MD, shows that Black athletes are approximately five times more likely to experience sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) compared to White athletes, despite some evidence of a decline in rates of SCD overall. The disparities in SCA/D rates highlights the need for increased research into the social determinants of health in younger athletes, a topic that remains understudied, according to Kim.

In 2023, the United Nations climate conference (COP28) officially recognized the importance of agriculture in influencing and mitigating climate change. In a Policy Forum, Johan Swinnen and colleagues offer an approach to overcome challenges related to improving climate-sensitive farming practices across the globe. They discuss the importance of working with Agricultural Value Chains (AVC) by incentivizing small businesses who play an important role in the support of small- and medium-sized farms. This would involve both upstream enterprises related to seeds, fertilizer, irrigation, and insurance, for example, and downstream enterprises like those related to distribution, storage, and transportation. Most agricultural production occurs within small- to medium-sized farms – a fragmented farm sector – leading to pessimism about the possibility to enact change. But the authors counter this pessimism, citing decades of evidence of AVC companies having employed their tools – such as resource provision, training, and loans – to encourage farmers to be more “climate smart.” Targeting these institutional relationships with farmers can be a positive force for needed policy transformation, say the authors.