Category: today i learned (til)

You’ve probably eaten a banana before. You’ve probably even eaten one this week in a smoothie, in a baked good, or just by itself for a quick snack or breakfast. Bananas are a titan amongst the agricultural industry with a retail value between $20-25 billion dollars, making them a vital part of the economies of many Latin American countries like Panama and Ecuador.

What you probably don’t know is that pretty much every single banana you’ve ever eaten is from the same variant, the Cavendish. These delicious plants replaced the Gros Michel, or Big Mike, banana as the star of the banana industry back in the 1960s when the Big Mike went nearly extinct. However, history is repeating itself and now the Cavendish banana is on the chopping block all due to the same reason: Fusarium wilt, or Panama disease.

An Old Foe Returns for Revenge

Fusarium wilt is a fungi that completely ravishes the soil and plants it touches. When affecting a plant, the fungi goes around 10 feet deep into the soil making it so that just removing a single affected plant to stop the spread is nearly impossible. Large areas of soil become barren, and the fungi can be easily tracked to other places on the bottom of other workers’ shoes or car tires. Tropical Race 1 of this disease began killing Gros Michel in large quantities in the early 20th century, so the resistant Cavendish took its place in the industry; however, now the Tropical Race 4 variant (TR4) has crumbled the Cavendish’s resistance.

The deadliness of TR4 has only been heightened by the monoculture system of the banana industry. Since nearly every banana sold commercially is the Cavendish, a variant without seeds for easier consumption, Cavendish bananas must be propagated from existing growths causing them to be near genetic copies of one another. This small gene pool decreases the Cavendish’s resistance to diseases like TR4 and once one banana plant is affected, it can easily spread to other batches and destroy new ones.

Stop the Spread!

Can the Cavendish banana be saved or will it fall to the same fate as its predecessor, Big Mike? There have been a couple of attempts to solve the issue at hand with varying degrees of success:

• Genetically Modified Cavendish: In 2019, Dr. James Dale successfully modified a batch of Cavendish bananas with a gene from a TR4-resistant banana. However, the fear and bans of GMOs in many countries has kept this from becoming an appealing solution.
• Breeding Cavendish with resistant bananas: KeyGene has been attempting to traditionally breed a Cavendish with a resistant banana to try to get around the GMO dilemma. However, these resistant bananas tend to be inedible ones full of seeds, and through traditional breeding, it is difficult to get the exact results desired to produce a delicious yet TR4 disease-resistant banana.
• Diversify the banana industry: Breaking free of monoculture to grow and sell multiple kinds of bananas would make it much more difficult for an entire breed to be fully wiped out like Big Mike was. However, the banana industry is completely modeled around monoculture and to change this would need a large sum of money and structural alterations that companies are not willing to make at this moment.
• Biosecurity protocol: This is the one solution currently being used by most banana farms. Areas where an affected plant has been identified will be zoned off and destroyed. Workers must also walk along cement paths and utilize foot and car tire washing areas to try to diminish possible contaminated soil tracking to other locations. These measures have been working so far as to slow the spread of TR4.

There is still a lot of uncertainty with the Cavendish banana’s future, and one day, you might not be able to taste it again. Cherish each banana you eat because just like you, they’re surviving through a pandemic right now too!

Citations

Abby Narishkin, S. C. (2021, July 29). Why the world’s favorite banana may go extinct, and how scientists are trying to save it. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/cavendish-banana-may-go-extinct-disease-2021-6#:~:text=Similar%20to%20humans%2C%20bananas%20are,the%20%2425%20billion%20banana%20industry.

This meme made the rounds on the internet, claiming that a song can significantly reduce anxiety.

The song was even named one of Time Magazine’s 50 top inventions of 2011, quoting,

“Could this be the sleeping pill of the future? British ambient band Marconi Union has drummed up the world’s most relaxing song: “Weightless” is 8 min. 10 sec. of aural bliss, proved to reduce anxiety by 65% and slow heart rates by 35% as the listener’s body rhythm syncs with the song’s. Indeed, “Weightless” is so successful at inducing somnolence that scientists caution drivers not to listen to it while behind the wheel.”

What is cortisol?

Cortisol is a hormone released when your evolutionary stress response is triggered. 

A release of cortisol means there will be more glucose in the bloodstream as well as substances that repair tissues, in case of a threat. Cortisol also suppresses the digestive and reproductive systems so that those do not impede you when you are facing an “enemy.”

Can music really affect blood pressure and cortisol levels?

One study from Deutsches Arzteblatt International found that listening to classical music actually did reduce blood pressure and cortisol levels in all participants, so music specifically engineered to calm people down from a state of anxiety could very well achieve its claims.

Another study analyzed the song Weightless specifically, finding that “‘Weightless’ by Marconi was able to induce greater relaxation levels in participants than a massage (increase of 6%). ‘Weightless’ also induced an 11% increase in relaxation over all other relaxing music tracks.” (British Academy of Sound Therapy).

The song has even apparently been used to calm patients before surgery, in a study published in the journal Regional Anaesthesia & Pain Medicine journal that showed that the song was just as effective as a anxiety-relieving drug.

It might be worth it to give the song a listen the next time you feel anxious and stressed!

What is Sound Therapy?

The band Marconi Union worked with sound therapists to formulate as calm of a sound as possible, but what is a sound therapist?

Sound therapy is another trend that is takes inspiration from ancient rituals, with dubious scientific backing. Therapists guide patients with individual tones or music, along with controlled breathing, to elicit an energetic or calmed emotional response. “Common sound therapy instruments include Tibetan sound bowls, crystal bowls, gongs, tuning forks, chimes, and voice. Sounds can also be pre-recorded, like white noise, ambient music, or guided instructions. ” (Prevention.com)

Sound therapy has been compared to a massage, where instead of a practitioner’s hands, the vibration of the sounds produce the sensations. 

A research study titled, “Sound Therapy Induced Relaxation: Down Regulating Stress Processes and Pathologies,” outlines a proposition that nitric oxide produced in the body when undergoing sound therapy is responsible for the physiological effects in the body, providing a potential scientific basis for how sound therapy could be effective.

Even a quick YouTube search shows that videos claiming to be sounds appropriate for sound therapy have millions of views.

While it seems unlikely that sound therapy could be a significant treatment for mental illness, in combination with other therapy it may be a viable option, due to its non-invasive and accessible nature.

References

• https://web.archive.org/web/20120220013121/http:/www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2099708-4,00.html
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037
• https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/relaxing-song-best-weightless-marconi-union-youtube-surgery-anxiety-a9011971.html
• https://www.prevention.com/health/mental-health/a30986834/what-is-sound-therapy/
• https://lbdtools.com/resources/Reference_PDFs/SoundTherapyInducedRelaxation.pdf
• https://africacheck.org/fact-checks/fbchecks/yes-studies-have-found-instrumental-songs-weightless-can-reduce-anxiety
• https://www.britishacademyofsoundtherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Mindlab-Report-Weightless-Radox-Spa.pdf
• https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/behind-the-headlines/music-and-blood-pressure
• https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/music-therapy-surgery-anxiety-operation-sedative-a9010701.html 

You’ve probably seen memes about Victorian children not being able to survive drinking a McDonald’s Sprite because it’s so fizzy, or eating a spoonful of Taki powder because it’s too spicy, the Victorian era spanning the majority of the 19th century. If you haven’t, well, it’s a common joke online to say that a Victorian child couldn’t survive the wonders the modern era has to offer, whether it be a very spicy snack or loud music like heavy metal. What exactly is the reasoning behind saying that? It’s sparked debate online: most people believe that a Victorian-era child would not survive consuming a lot of modern-day food, while a handful argue that if those children could survive unsanitary conditions, they could survive eating a spicy chip today. But what would actually happen? Since the Victorian age, we’ve made some clear medical progress and we’ve also evolved further as humans. Let’s take a deeper look into how humans have evolved biologically since the Victorian era and finally answer the question: would a Victorian-era child survive the miracles of the modern day? 

Historically, the average life expectancy for a newborn infant in the 19th century was 41 years, whereas in 2021, it was 79 years. What this means is that anyone born in 2021 is expected to live almost twice as long as someone born in the Victorian era, for a multitude of reasons. The primary reason for such a low life expectancy was because infant mortality rate was very high; many infants would not live to their first birthday, significantly dropping the overall life expectancy. Lower class children were usually forced into labor that entailed dangerous working conditions that would often result in a multitude of health conditions and deaths. Public health was not as advanced back then as it is now, so people who contracted diseases were mostly likely to succumb to their illness. 

In fact, the medicine of this era was a concoction of drugs that would not be found in normal medicine today, like cocaine, morphine and opium. Morphine could be found in soothing syrups, while opium was widely used for treating coughing and diarrhea. Many children would often die as a result of consuming this medicine, and those who didn’t would most likely develop an addiction to it. Many of these medicines would lead to serious medical complications, such as destruction of the teeth and jaws and organ damage.

Another factor to consider in this debate is the type of food consumed in the Victorian era. Most people in this time period depended on seasonal crops, and the food for the working class was often lacking in flavor. Most of their meals were fruits and  vegetables available in that season and were usually accompanied with bread. Meat was expensive for poor families, while middle and upper class families could indulge in imported foods that contained sugar and coffee. As a result, most of the food was rather bland as seasonings were more of a luxury. Most meals were accompanied with low alcohol beer, as beer tended to be cleaner than the water available. 

All that being said, let’s finally answer the big question. Today’s foods tend to be very processed and contain a variety of different chemical preservatives to ensure it lasts longer.  Realistically, a Victorian child would not die from eating a Taki. However, that doesn’t mean they’d be perfectly okay after consuming modern-day food. Today’s food would contain a large amount of unfamiliar bacteria that would most likely lead to stomach issues, and in the long run, if consumed regularly, death. Victorian children already had weakened immune systems, so consuming something that contains a lot of chemicals would worsen their condition. Prolonged consumption of modern-day food would surely lead to major health issues if not death. Additionally, one serving of modern-day would probably cause a lot of stomach issues due to gastric distress from unfamiliar seasonings and excess sugar. Modern age food is prepared for modern taste, and it’s important to remember that the average Victorian child didn’t consume heavily seasoned food. So while it’s funny to think about it, one single serving of modern-day food would not kill a Victorian child. It’s a different story if they’re eating it regularly, but one serving would at most lead to an upset stomach. 

Sources:

• https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3228085/How-live-TWICE-long-Victorians-growing-life-expectancy-means-pensions-run-out.html
• https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/look-back-old-time-medicines
• https://backinthedayof.co.uk/food-in-the-victorian-era

It’s easy to get caught up in the bubble of your classes and peers while at Georgia Tech, as everyone in your major struggles together through the same difficult courses. Quickly, you can forget that the world isn’t made up of people that are interested in learning about and exploring the exact same thing as you. It’s exciting when you’re able to learn about the interests of students that you otherwise wouldn’t interact with. 

The Southeastern Energy Conference is hosted at Georgia Tech annually and spanned April 7th and 8th this year. The itinerary was packed with keynote speakers and presentations. Most exciting to me, as an undergraduate student, were the poster presentations – put on by other undergrads like myself. Walking around the upper floor of Kendeda, I learned about advancements in water cooling systems for more sustainable building design (it all rests in the texture of the polymers being used!), how electric lines for freight trucks could help us move away from diesel fuel, and how materials for medical devices are being altered to last longer and create less waste – nothing I would ever learn about in my BME classes.

A view of the poster session on the upper floor of the Kendeda Building

Talking with a fellow first-year student, I learned in the span of fifteen minutes that:

(1) I had a lot of misconceptions about solar energy

(2) The majority of solar energy comes from rooftop panels

(3) There are ways for solar energy to be leveraged to better impact communities

Her research focused on the benefits of community solar, something I hadn’t known existed until she mentioned it. Like the majority of Americans (66%, she told me), I believed that the best way for individuals to participate in solar energy was to install panels on the roofs of their houses. 

Installing solar panels on your house can pose a financial burden on the offset, and may not be practical for all locations. The other commonly known option is to use solar power generated by utility companies, which mix this energy into the grid they supply for. However, consumers don’t usually have many choices in which utility company they use, as it typically depends on the area, leaving them at the whim of the company in terms of their energy sustainability.

The suggestion made was more community solar farms, in which individuals or businesses contribute to a solar array within their general area. It’s typically a cheaper energy alternative and allows people in apartments or whose houses are in the shade to use solar energy. 

Community solar initiatives are becoming increasingly popular across the country, as more and more people try to mitigate their environmental impact. The setting of the Southeastern Energy Conference in the Kendeda building was a constant reminder that the energy research being done on and off-campus is being used in real projects, like all the research that went into Kendeda’s creation. And, after finding out that the conference was complete with snacks, I couldn’t have had a better experience.

References

Southeastern Energy Conference 2022. Southeastern Energy Conference – 2022. (2022, April 6), from https://www.energyexpo.gatech.edu/