Transcription
You know that old saying about frogs and boiling water? Toss one into a hot pot, it leaps right out. But turn the heat up slowly, and the frog just chills there. Well, until it doesn't. So, with temperatures creeping up around the globe, we might just be the frog.
It's like I'm melting like an ice cream.
One photographer says it's time to stop simmering in silence. "We have very limited powers, and it's really important to try and find a way to cut through that noise."
Meanwhile, one insect is absolutely loving the heat and dragging the Chikungunya virus along for the ride.
"The warmer the weather, the condition, the mosquitoes multiply faster. It also favors the multiplication of the virus within the mosquito."
And it turns out our furry companions might be better at handling this man-made mess than we are. A new study shows how dogs and cats are our allies in this climate anxiety-filled world.
"You know, throughout the history of humanity, we, uh, they accompanied us."
Just 2° is on. Now, some say dogs know their owners are unwell. Cats sense energies. We don't sense ourselves. Do you think there's more going on here than just science?
Yes. Gosh, [Music] it is warm. 30° C. Average temperature over the past decade on this day was 28°. You know, back in the pre-industrial era, temperatures above 50° C were almost unheard of. But today, it's 10 to 1,000 times more likely, particularly in the Middle East and parts of the Mediterranean. Even here in Turk, temps crossed the 50° mark in July for the first time since records began. That's why today we're filming indoors. [Music] And it was crazy in Şanlıurfa, this southern Turkish city, where a severe heatwave pushed the temperature to 55°. Just so you know, over the last 10 years, the average temperature there in July was no higher than 39°. And when the heat's this intense, it creates more problems. It dries everything out. Plants struggle or die, and water starts running low. And we can't forget the wildfires in Büyükada, just south of Istanbul, for example. There were massive flames that reportedly lasted nearly a week. Forest fires are great for the environment when controlled, and they pave the way for rebirth. But it's hard to see what good can come of it, particularly when vegetation in the Mediterranean region can take between 10 to 30 years to regrow. [Music]
But here's the thing. It's not just the heat that's scary. It's that we may already be getting used to it. I hate this metaphor, but it's like the story about the frog and the pot. Poor frog. But here goes. Drop a frog in boiling water, and it'll jump right out. But if the water heats up slowly, the frog won't notice until it's too late. That's kind of where we are now. The temperature is rising, and disasters keep piling up. But since it happens slowly, it's easy to brush off, like it's just another hot summer or fires happen every year. But this isn't normal. If we wait until it feels like an emergency, it'll be too late. We scroll past wildfire videos, floods, even melting glaciers like it's just more social media noise.
Do you think constant exposure to disaster imagery makes us numb to the climate crisis?
"Uh, yes, sometimes I do think that. But at the same time, I also feel like if you look at, at news in the past, just the past few years, there's, there's been quite a significant uptick in how extreme these, uh, changes have been. Uh, and I, I do feel like the, um, the cold, um, boiling frog, uh, thesis idea definitely rings true for the earlier decades, uh, of the 20th century and into the, into our 21st century. But I think just in the last 10 years, things have become a lot more extreme. And, um, if anything, I feel like there's, there's a lack of attention. Our, our attention is too divided and, uh, you know, our, our concen, the society's concentration is so fractured that we can't really focus on what's the most important because there's so many, we're battling on so many things on, on so many fronts."
"It feels like if we keep normalizing extreme weather, then we're basically agreeing to stay in the pot like the blue frog, um, even when things get unbearable."
"Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, I think I think I have, I have family members who, who don't quite believe that, uh, climate change is necessarily happening."
"And when you tell them that it is happening, what do they say?"
"Um, I think they're trying to play devil's advocate, but, but, you know, I think I think most often people want to think there's a sense of powerlessness as to what you can do. Often, and so people are just, I feel like sometimes people just concentrate on what they can handle."
"Yeah. Your photography is, is real, hauntingly beautiful. On Instagram, I was particularly touched by what looks like a dead green pit viper. And you've even photographed glaciers. How does your audience react when you post photos like that?"
"One of the things I try to do, at least for example, my most recent work, I try to bring attention to, let's say, the beauty of what we have left where I live in Greater Qual. And that's, um, and one of the reasons I do that is because I think, um, the forest that we have around our city is often underappreciated. And before I launch into kind of the issues and the concern, uh, the problems that arise that lead to further deforestation around this area, um, the first thing that I try to bring attention to is the beauty of what we have left. So that I hope that when people see that work, they can at least appreciate, uh, especially, uh, the local audience can appreciate the beauty of what we have. So I'm conscious that, uh, I'm very conscious of the fact that, uh, as a photographer or even, you know, uh, as any storyteller in any, in any field, we have kind of a limited, um, we have very limited powers, and it's really important to try and find a way to cut through that noise and, and sometimes it is through that beauty, sometimes it is through shock."
What's also scary about all this heat are the viruses that come with it. You may have heard of Dengue fever, malaria, but there is another one that's making headlines right now, and it might already be in your backyard. [Music] Have you heard of Chikungunya? It's a mosquito-borne virus that's quietly creeping into over 100 countries. It hits you with high fever, crippling joint pain, and sometimes a rash. Places like Réunion Island, a French territory in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, have been hit hard with nearly one-third of people infected in the latest outbreak. But the complications go deeper than just pain. [Music]
And while patients are still reeling from symptoms like that, the environment around them is setting the stage for more outbreaks. Earlier this year, Cyclone Garren swept through Réunion Island, causing severe flooding that damaged roads, power lines, and homes. Thousands of residents faced power outages and fled their homes, losing access to basic services. Normally, you'd think all that wind and rain would wash away mosquito breeding grounds. But that doesn't last. The aftermath leaves behind puddles and discarded trash, waterlogged gardens, and thick, sticky heat. Ideal conditions for mosquitoes to come roaring back, and with them, the virus. [Music] [Music]
And here's the twist. If someone's infected, mosquitoes biting them can spread it further, even while that person is sick. So, keeping covered and using repellent still matters. [Music] Locals on Réunion Island are also angry. In some areas, waste management is poor, and common trash that holds rainwater becomes fertile ground for mosquito larvae. [Music]
There are vaccines now, but uptake is patchy. Regulators in the US, EU, and UK recently paused use in older adults while they investigate rare neurological side effects in some recipients. Fore [Music] evolution. Fore [Music] certain person. [Music]
During the 2004 Chikungunya outbreak on Réunion Island, $50 million was lost to medical bills. While globally, Chikungunya cost nearly $50 billion between 2011 and 2020, mostly from people being too sick to work. In poor communities, a single case can wipe out a worker's entire month's wages. Public health leaders are alarmed, warning that this outbreak mirrors the 2004 epidemic and has already spread from Indian Ocean Islands to parts of Africa, Asia, and even Europe with local transmission in southern France and Italy.
Dr. I know Chikungunya is a tough one to tackle. Mosquito spread alone is tough to tackle. Let's start with the fact that mosquitoes bite us and infect us before we even feel the bite. Do we think enough people understand how mosquitoes work?
"We have two mosquitoes. They are called the tiger mosquitoes, and they are also called, uh, the Aegypti mosquitoes. So we have Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. These are the technical names of them. And these two mosquitoes bite, uh, unusually during the daytime. So this is causing more problems for us because we really are not sure where we get infected."
Chikungunya is spread to more and more places, but most people still have never heard of it. Why isn't this virus getting more attention, you think? And are we already too late to stop it from becoming a bigger global problem?
"Well, the, the ignorance is one part of the issue, but at the same time, we must know that there are several species of mosquitoes. Some of them transmit disease, others don't. So there are mosquitoes which are pure nuisance, and they come and bite you, uh, and we may not be aware of it. We ignore them. But what is needed right now is to create, to make the higher level of awareness because this disease is spreading, and there is potential that if this mosquito, which we talked about, the tiger mosquito or Aedes aegypti, are present in that particular area and if it gets infected, there is a chance that that mosquito can further carry on the transmission."
Do you think there's a clear connection between the rise of Chikungunya cases and, say, global warming, stronger storms, more flooding?
"Absolutely. Because, uh, the mosquito vectors, both the vectors have managed to spread to more countries and more areas in a country because of global warming and, uh, climate vague behavior where we have excess rainfall, and even, uh, if you don't have rainfall, even a drought situation favors the mosquito because when you have a drought, people hoard water, and the more water you store in and around their homes, we are providing them more breeding grounds. The warmer the condition, the mosquitoes multiply faster. It also favors the multiplication of the virus within the mosquito. So, climate change definitely has an impact, and we are going to see more and more of these arboviral outbreaks in years to come if we do not manage to control the vector population."
Lastly, doctor, we know governments can spray the air to kill adult mosquitoes, but you also mentioned people hoard water and they're not properly stored. What kind of advice can you give us to protect ourselves and to reduce the spread?
"Prevent breeding in and around your homes. So, covering your water containers, making sure that they don't breed in and around. So, prevention is the best method. We can do it, and, uh, it is not very difficult. Uh, and there are examples of communities joining together to, uh, to get rid of the mosquitoes and reducing their numbers."
So let's take a moment for a just two matter. Our segment spotlighting the small things that have a massive impact. Today, the bat. [Music] No, not the cape crusader from Gotham City. The other superhero with wings. [Music] Some people freak out about bats.
"You must know what I am for."
Blame the vampire stories or that cover rumor. But the truth is, night riders are out there working late shifts while we sleep. They've got voracious appetites. One bat can eat a thousand mosquitoes an hour. For us, that translates to fewer bites, less Dengue, less malaria, and fewer chemicals sprayed into our food and air. Some bats live exclusively off nectar and fruit. And while they feast, they pollinate over 500 plant species. Bananas, mangoes, guavas, even the thorny durian. When bats fly across terrain, they drop seeds, which helps forests regrow after fires or deforestation. They help save billions in pesticide costs. And get this: scientists are even studying bats to learn how they age so well and fight viruses, which may even inspire future vaccines. In Uganda, scientists even noticed something strange: where bat numbers dropped, malaria cases went up. Now, across Brazil and beyond, people are building bat boxes, little wooden homes near farms to invite bats back in. The bats pay their way by handling as many pests as they can eat. Turns out helping bats helps us. These small mammals are easy to overlook, even easier to misunderstand. But the world works better when they're in it. Because when it comes to MVPs, bats are punching way above their weight. [Music]
So, staying with the topic of our furry friends, picture this. You've just finished a grueling shift at work. You're tired. You're burned out. And all you want to do is collapse on your bed. But as you step through the front door, your dog bolts towards you full of excitement. You smile. Your stress begins to melt away. And the difficult day you just had is a dissipating memory. Which brings me to my question: Have you ever thought about how our relationship with a dog and cat affects our mental well-being? Well, researchers have found that these animals in our ecosystem can actually help prevent our brain from disintegrating. Their presence and the companionship they provide, especially for older adults, help keep our brain active and preserve key areas of its function. Here are Adriana Rostikova and Claymore Maya, who were both part of the study.
So you found in your study that dogs help memory, cats help with words. Why do you think these different pets help our brains in different ways?
"But from a biological point of view, it has been tested that if you like, um, take care of cats, then your level of stress goes down, like touching cats, touching dogs for children or people with disabilities, for example, or anyone in the population in general. It helps a lot."
"In terms of memory. Um, it could be that the dog owners are, they take their dogs on walks. So they have to remember the, the trails. Also, they have to remember the commands and so on. But I do want to say that for cat owners, we have seen slower decline in delayed recall, and actually this is the, the type of recall or the type of memory which is more sensitive to age-related decline. So it's possible that actually we just detected the delayed one, but perhaps over time we would also see, um, cat owners showing slower decline and immediate recall."
What about people who can't afford a pet? What happens to their mental health?
"This is actually a good question, and a question that we have not a lot of answer yet because the subject was not so well developed, and, um, specifically for social isolation. I would say that the three main factors of social isolation is migration, is mental health, and is aging, aging losses, and end of life, and this is where we see and we imagine that pets could be the most helpful."
This last question is for either of you. Some say dogs can sense when their owners are unwell, and cats can sense energies that we don't sense ourselves. Do you think there's more going on here than just science?
"Yes, definitely. I can answer and then I'll let you. But, um, there has been a lot of intervention in, for example, nursing homes or fireplaces or workplaces where they have cats or dogs. But what you're saying is very hard to assess in science."
"Yeah, I think they, you know, throughout the history of humanity, we, uh, they accompanied us. And I mean, you know, you see it because there's different types of dogs as well. We only focused on one, uh, category in our study, but there's different breeds, and also the way that the individual breeds interact with people is different, and this is usually or can be, uh, partly explained by how humans interacted with them over time. So perhaps the dogs that were used for hunting would stay closer to the people, and then they form closer bonds, and we still see that because evolutionarily they have this instinct to take care of us because they lived in almost like a symbiotic relationship."
Remember we were talking about mosquitoes and how they like breeding in car tires? Well, those car tires are massive microplastic machines. Every time we drive, brake, or even turn a corner, tiny particles get shaved off the tires and end up in the air, soil, rivers, even. And eventually, our lungs or dinner plate. [Music] Hey, [Music] hey, hey. [Music]
At the moment, most of the research that's been done on microplastics is focusing on things that are larger than maybe 20 microns in size. Now, that's smaller than a human hair. Um, but we know that there's increasingly large numbers of smaller particles, these nanoparticles, that may be more harmful to us, but are very hard to detect and very hard to monitor. And we don't know whether they may be having toxic effects on us now, or maybe sometime in the future. [Music]
Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music]
And that's our. I'll leave you with pictures out of Japan, which got hit with its highest temperatures in August. 41.8° C. Over 50,000 people were hospitalized in the first week of that month. Parts of the country has also been losing crops, and there have been drought and pest outbreaks. [Music]