360info

🎧LISTEN: As the world races toward a renewable future, the dark reality of modern slavery casts a shadow over our progress. Can we build a sustainable future without sacrificing the human rights of millions of people? Martijn Boersma from the University of Sydney provides his insights on the latest episode of Leave It To The Experts. Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.

Over the last few decades we’ve learnt how important the trillions of bugs that live inside us are to our overall health. Our gut microbiome — the ecosystem of microorganisms including bacteria that inhabit our intestinal tract — not only assist with digestion, they also have a profound impact on our immune system and metabolic health. The University of Sydney's Jian Tan writes for 360info.

For more than 50 years, the ability to live in a healthy environment has been recognised as fundamental to human rights. And while the UN only enshrined the right to a healthy environment two years ago, people around the world — led by those in the global south — have stepped up their advocacy by taking the issue to the world's highest court. QUT (Queensland University of Technology)'s Bridget Lewis writes for 360info: https://lnkd.in/gqUrc8mg _ #climate #humanrights

The land of pizza and pasta — Italy — has become the first country in the world to pass a law requiring all children under the age of 18 to be screened for celiac disease and type 1 diabetes. Celiac disease is an autoimmune illness which causes a range of health problems and is triggered by dietary gluten — a protein found in wheat, rye and barley — that is ubiquitous in Western and increasingly Eastern diets. For people with celiac disease, this means foods such as pasta, pizza, bread, pastries and dumplings are forever off the menu unless they can find a gluten-free alternative. Even a bite can trigger symptoms akin to a case of bad food poisoning. Italy introduced its population screening programme in recognition that celiac disease is common but often undiagnosed. The programme begins this year, prompting other countries to consider whether they should follow suit. WEHI's Jason Tye-Din writes for 360info: https://lnkd.in/gNjaFE39 _ #health #autoimmunedisease #celiac

Professional athletes push themselves to their physical limits and that carries risks of bodily harm. Playing through injury is applauded because it embodies the “warrior” ethos that many associate with contact sports. However, sport is not war, and concussion is causing many to rethink the value of playing through injury, particularly when that injury could result in permanent damage to the body’s most vital organ. Swinburne University of Technology's Alan J. Pearce writes for 360info: https://lnkd.in/gi6MGDVj #AFL #NRL #Concussion

It's not just JD Vance, and it's not just the US. Almost 30 percent of countries globally now have pronatalist policies — up from 10 percent in the 1970s. Maynooth University's Mary P Corcoran writes for 360info.

In 2023, global military spending hit record heights, with an eye watering $US2.4 trillion spent on defence. In the latest episode of Leave It To The Experts, Adjunct Professor Albert Palazzo from UNSW joins 360info to explore what the wars of tomorrow might look like.

As Australia's biggest sports codes come into finals, their lofty talk on protecting players from concussions will be put to the test. Swinburne University of Technology's Alan Pearce PhD, and The University of Queensland's Stephen Townsend write for 360info. _ #sport #concussion

The moral distinction between liberal democracies and dictatorships is being flattened by the carnage in Gaza. University of Arizona's Suhas Chakma writes for 360info.

Sara* has always followed a strict budget to support herself and her two kids — but in the last 18 months, she’s been struggling to put food on the table. The single mum has started skipping meals so her children don’t go without, and kept the heater off throughout winter to save on energy bills. At least once a week, Sara goes a whole day without eating, leaving her tired and unable to concentrate. Sara is far from alone in experiencing food insecurity. More than one-third (36 percent) of Australian households experienced moderate to severe food insecurity in 2023, according to food relief charity Foodbank, and 48 percent of the population feels anxious about accessing, or struggles to consistently access, adequate food. Western Sydney University's Liesel Spencer writes for 360info: https://lnkd.in/gbKQ_53Y _ #costofliving #foodinsecurity