Astronaut Scott Kelly, who spent 340 days in space, has some advice for those who are experiencing loneliness during the coronavirus pandemic.
"I think the biggest lesson I learned is that even though you're isolated, you don't have to be alone," Kelly told Cheddar. "There are things that you can do, actions you can take to connect with people, because social isolation, especially for older adults, can lead to loneliness and depression, which is a public health threat."
Kelly is partnering with the AARP Foundation to promote this message in the coming month. The interest group dedicated to helping Americans over 50 is compiling resources on connect2affect.org, including articles, surveys, and a search function for local services, that aim to help older adults combat social isolation.
Behind this effort is a new study from the foundation showing that two-thirds of adults reported experiencing social isolation and high levels of anxiety during the pandemic, which is now well-understood to potentially cause harm to physical and mental health.
"One thing that NASA has learned by having people in space for a long time for many, many years is that being isolated can not only affect your mental health but also your physical health," he said. "Particularly your immune system can be affected by being isolated, by not getting outside, not getting enough sunlight, not getting out in nature, being disconnected from your friends and family."
Helping people overcome the stigma of seeking treatment for mental health issues is another aspect of the partnership. Kelly explained that he was required to speak with a psychologist every two weeks while living in space, whether he felt he needed it at the time or not.
Kelly also commented on another earthbound matter. His brother, fellow astronaut Mark Kelly, is currently running for Senate in Arizona on the Democratic ticket. If he wins, it could have significant consequences regarding, for instance, the confirmation of a Supreme Court nominee like Amy Coney Barrett.
"Well I'm his brother, so of course I'm a big supporter of his," he said. "I think people mostly need to understand that even though it's not a requirement in our country to vote, that I think it's a civic responsibility, and as we get closer to the election, everyone should have a plan to vote."
After months of investigation, board members from U.S. big oil companies were slated to appear before a House oversight committee this week to discuss their respective roles in pushing for climate initiatives internally. However, all four board members from Exxon, Shell, Chevron, and BP said they couldn't attend due to scheduling conflicts. Climate experts are testifying in their place about how effective big oil's climate promises have been so far. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden's lead science adviser Eric Lander has resigned after an investigation found he violated workplace policy. What will this mean for Biden's climate agenda? Amy Harder, executive editor of Cipher, a publication by Breakthrough Energy, joins Cheddar Climate to discuss.
Although this week's weather is predicted to be less severe than the 2021 storm, Texans are preparing for the worst - stocking up on supplies and emptying shelves in grocery stores, once again. Some Texans still have not recovered from last year's tragedy, and are heading into the next few weeks with anxiety for what's to come. Leslie Beyer, CEO of the Houston-based energy workforce & technology council, joins Cheddar News to discuss if the Texas grid will fail again.
The American Red Cross has declared its first-ever "national blood crisis" in the United States. Since COVID hit the U.S. in March 2020, blood donations have declined by 10 percent. American Red Cross Medical Director, Dr. Baia Lasky joined Cheddar News to discuss the country facing the worst blood shortage in over a decade. Dr. Lasky noted that as much as 40 percent of Americans are eligible to donate blood but only about 4 percent do so. "This is going to be ongoing," she said. "This is not an acute shortage. We really do need the commitment of people to come out and donate and donate again." Appointments to donate can be made by using the Red Cross Donor App, at RedCrossBlood.org, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Eight months after the National Football League announced $1 million in research into cannabinoids, the NFL-NFLPA Joint Pain Management Committee has awarded the funding to two teams of medical researchers at the University of California San Diego and the University of Regina. The NFL says the studies will investigate the effects of cannabinoids on pain management and neuroprotection from concussion in elite football players, respectively. Cheddar correspondent Chloe Ailello spoke with Jeff Miller, the executive vice president of communications, public affairs, and policy for the NFL, about the studies, as well as the recent lawsuit filed against the NFL by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores. "Maybe we can learn things from other alternative pain approaches that are going to benefit our player population and then sports medicine as a whole," Miller said.
On this episode of Cheddar Innovates: CEO of HereAfter AI discusses how artificial intelligence can be used to preserve family history and stories, and allow you to 'talk' to loved ones that have passed; Creator of the board game 'Travel Explore Discover' explains how she came up with the idea for this informative and educational board game, and how she's using the proceeds to give back to her community; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'The Humboldt Current.'
Immunologist Dr. Purvi Parikh of the Allergy & Asthma Network joined Cheddar News to break down long Covid, in which Covid symptoms remain up to two years after infection; a phenomenon that has so far mystified health experts.
Solid-state battery maker Factorial Energy recently raised $200 million in a Series D round led by Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis. Factorial says the funding will be used to accelerate commercial production and deployment of its solid-state battery technology, which the company says is safer, and offers up to 50% more driving range than current lithium-ion technology. Factorial also has joint development agreements (announced in late 2021) with Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and Hyundai, three of the top 10 global automotive manufacturers, to commercialize its batteries. Factorial CEO Siyu Huang joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
David Malott, founder and chief architect at AI PlanetWorks joins Cheddar News to discuss the release of its augmented reality NFTs for the metaverse called 'TERA.'
A 2021 report from UK Research and Innovation found that the shipping industry makes up at least 2.5 percent of the world's total CO2 emissions. It's a problem that energy solutions company, Leclanché, is trying to solve. Founded in 1909, the company has been developing and producing batteries for more than 100 years. Today, Leclanché's lithium-ion battery is used to electrify not just ships, but also railroad locomotives, trucks, and specialty vehicles. Cheddar News spoke with Pierre Blanc, chief technology and industrial officer of Leclanché, to discuss.
