Youth Overdose Deaths From Synthetic Opioids Surge
While youth overdose deaths from any substance rose by 40% between 2018 and 2022, deaths involving only synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, increased by 168% and surpassed deaths from polydrug combinations, a new study showed.
METHODOLOGY:
The National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, and Multiple Cause of Death datasets were used to examine trends in overdose deaths among US youth aged 15-24 years from 2018 to 2022 across ages, sexes, races and ethnicities, and regions.
Researchers identified drug poisoning deaths through the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision .
. Fatal overdoses involving synthetic opioids alone or in combination with benzodiazepines, cocaine, heroin, prescription opioids, and other stimulants were analyzed using multiple/contributing cause of death fields.
Investigators calculated the prevalence and rates of overdose per 100,000 youth using annual US Census Bureau population estimates by race and ethnicity.
TAKEAWAY:
Youth overdose deaths from any substance increased from 4652 to 6723 (10.9 to 15.2 per 100,000 people) between 2018 and 2022. Fatal overdoses involving only synthetic opioids increased from 1.6 to 4.3 deaths per 100,000 youth over the same period, whereas deaths involving synthetic opioids and heroin decreased by 85%.
In 2022, males had 2.5 times the rate of fatal overdoses involving synthetic opioids alone compared to females (95% CI, 2.3-2.8), with both sexes showing similar increases over the study period.
By 2022, fatal overdoses involving only synthetic opioids among American Indian/Alaska Native non-Hispanic youth increased to 2.3 times the rate compared to White non-Hispanic youth (95% CI, 1.6-3.1).
The highest annual changes in rate of overdose deaths involved synthetic opioids and other stimulants (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.5; 95% CI, 1.3-1.7), synthetic opioids only (IRR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.4), and synthetic opioids and cocaine (IRR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.2-1.3).
IN PRACTICE:
'Before we looked at the data, we thought we would find that the majority of fatal youth overdoses involved fentanyl combined with other substances, such as prescription opioids or cocaine. Instead, we found the opposite — that most deaths were caused by fentanyl alone,' study co-investigator Noa Krawczyk, PhD, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, said in a press release.
'These findings highlight the changing risks of the drug supply and the need for better access to harm-reduction services to prevent deaths among youth,' the investigators wrote.
SOURCE:
This study was led by Megan Miller, MPH, Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City. It was published online on May 20 in Pediatrics .
LIMITATIONS:
This study was limited by potential residual misclassification in mortality coding practices, small sample sizes for examining youth who identify as more than one race, and lack of information about sexual orientation.
DISCLOSURES:
This study was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Krawczyk reported receiving compensation for expert witness testimony as a part of ongoing opioid litigation. The other investigators reported having no relevant financial disclosures.
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Read more below View Deal Best for interactive play The BriteBrush comes with fun games that can be a real game-changer when it comes to transforming your child's dental hygiene. It's also affordably priced. However, its brush heads do fray quickly, and it can be quite loud. Read more below View Deal Best for traveling Battery-powered for no fuss while away, this Colgate Kids toothbrush offers simple features and encourages independent brushing which can continue even when away from home. Read more below View Deal Image 1 of 3 Image 2 of 3 Image 3 of 3 Best overall: This is the best electric toothbrush for most kids Battery/Rechargeable: Rechargeable | Battery life: Up to 5 days | Timer?: Yes | Modes: 2 | Warranty: 2-year limited warranty | Cost of replacement heads: $15.90 for 4 Comes with a Disney-themed app Customizable design Round brush head for small mouths Handset may be too large for young children Only comes with one brush head Buy it if ✅ You want to instill good brushing habits: The app is packed with fun challenges to encourage brushing. ✅ You are looking for a toothbrush for a younger child: It includes a sensitive mode that is easy on sensitive gums. ✅ You want excellent value: This affordable toothbrush boasts great performance, and it looks good, too. Don't buy it if ❌ You need multiple spare brush heads included: Only one head is supplied. ❌ You want a feature-packed app: The app is a valuable addition, but it is fairly basic. 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The rechargeable toothbrush has an excellent battery life, lasting for around eight days between charges. That makes it holiday and sleepover friendly too. Some of the models, including the Frozen II model we tested, come with a free Disney Magic Timer app. To use this you simply download the app, scan the toothbrush and brush. Children can brush alongside some of their favourite Disney or Pixar characters, and collect stickers for good brushing technique. The app issues a reminder every 30 seconds to prompt kids to switch the position of the brush in their mouth, while a 2 minute timer tells them when it is time to stop. Younger children may prefer to choose the Sensitive mode, while the Daily Clean mode may suit older children better. We did find some negative reviews mentioning problems scanning the toothbrush in order to match kids favorite characters in the app, while some parents did report a build-up of mold and dirt on the toothbrush where the head connects with the handle. However, it's worth pointing out that these negative reviews are few and far between. Read our full Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush review Attributes Notes Design Small, round brush head with extra-soft bristles. Performance It is fairly noisy (65 dB), but provides a thorough clean. Functionality Easy to customize and use for toddlers. Back to the top ⤴ Image 1 of 3 Image 2 of 3 Image 3 of 3 Best for monitoring brushing progress: This toothbrush will allow you to track your child's brushing history Battery/Rechargeable: Rechargeable | Battery life: Up to 2 weeks | Timer?: Yes | Modes: 2 | Warranty: 2-year limited warranty | Cost of replacement heads: $19.95 for 2 Interactive fun app Customizable design Includes both standard and compact brush head Novelty might wear off Handset may be too large for young children Replacement brush heads are expensive Buy it if ✅ You want a customizable design: The toothbrush comes with 10 colorful stickers which can be wrapped around the handset. ✅ You want to monitor your child's brushing progress: Both the brush and the app store brushing history. ✅ You are looking for great brushing performance: It delivers a thorough clean that is easy on the gums. Don't buy it if ❌ You are on a budget: The brush and particularly spare brush heads are on the expensive side. ❌ You have a very young child: The handset may be too big for little hands. The bottom line 🔎 Philips Sonicare for Kids: This toothbrush is a great all-rounder: sturdy, reliable and packed with features that encourage good brushing habits. While not the cheapest, it offers good value for money. ★★★★★ In our full review of the Philips Sonicare for Kids we gave the brush a rare five star rating. We were impressed by its smart features, the customisable design and the interactive app which can make brushing sessions much more fun for young children. The Philips Sonicare is suitable for children aged three and older. The app is simple to use and once downloaded to a phone or tablet it connects to the Bluetooth-enabled handset, offering personalized brushing tips as well as animated rewards. These can really help kids to make sure they brush in those tricky hard-to-reach and often neglected spots. The app also keeps information on your child's brushing history, so you can double check they are staying on track even if you aren't able to supervise in person. The brush itself will store 20 brushing sessions before it runs out of space, so you don't need to synch to the app constantly if your phone isn't to hand. A handy two minute timer encourages kids to brush for the recommended time, while timers every 30 seconds prompt them to move the brush around the four quadrants of the mouth, resulting in a thorough clean. The Philips Sonicare for Kids has an appeaing, colorful and customizable design, coming with 10 stickers that wrap around the handset. That means your child can instantly update their toothbrush to the design of their choice. The toothbrush also features 2 power modes - a low mode for younger children and a more powerful mode for older kids. You can also buy smaller toothbrush heads for younger children if the toothbrush head provided is too big for your little one. Read our full Philips Sonicare For Kids review Attributes Notes Design Two brush heads: Standard for older children, Compact for toddlers. Performance It is relatively quiet (38 dB) and provides a thorough clean. Functionality Toddlers may struggle with gripping the toothbrush. Back to the top ⤴ Image 1 of 3 Image 2 of 3 Image 3 of 3 Best looking: This toothbrush is a stylish addition to the bathroom shelf Battery/Rechargeable: Rechargeable | Battery life: 1 hour charge gives 265 uses | Timer?: Yes | Modes: 1 | Warranty: 2-year limited warranty | Cost of replacement heads: From $16 for 1 Sleek and stylish design 265-day battery life Quad pacing reminder Silicone brush may feel strange to some children Kids need to manually brush Replacement heads can be hard to find Buy it if ✅ You want a stylish design: The toothbrush is soft to touch and features striking looks ✅ You are looking for soft bristles: Its shallow silicone bristles are easy on the gums. ✅ You want a long battery life: It offers up to a whopping 265 uses on a single charge. Don't buy it if ❌ You are on a budget: It is one of the most expensive toothbrushes on the market. ❌ You want a dedicated app: There's no useful content to help encourage or improve brushing technique. The bottom line 🔎 Foreo Issa Kids: This beautifully designed toothbrush boasts long battery life and an ergonomic handset. It is, however, quite expensive, and there is no app to encourage or reward good brushing technique. ★★★★ Foreo is a brand known for its beautifully designed sonic toothbrushes, and the Foreo Issa Kids model is no exception. Its design is truly distinctive and will stand out on any bathroom shelf. It also comes in four different colors. As with all Foreo brushes, this model is made from silicone. That's silicone not just for the toothbrush handle but the toothbrush heads too, which makes them all very easy to keep clean and hygienic. The shallow silicone bristles of the brush heads are particularly kind to growing gums. Foreo actually claim that their brushes remove 30% more plaque, giving your child's oral hygiene a 140% boost. During our full review of the Foreo ISSA Kids, we found that children certainly like the texture and soft silky feel of the ergonomically designed handset. Each different color of the brush comes with its own animal character, so you can choose from rose nose hippo, true blue pony, merry berry shark, or mellow yellow gator. The handset also features a light-up smiling 'Glee' or sad 'Glum' face. The former appears if the child brushes for the recommended two minutes, while Glum appears if they switch off the toothbrush early, or if they haven't used it for more than 12 hours. The Foreo Issa Kids also features a 30-second quadrant pacer, alerting your child to switch position in their mouth and make sure they cover all their teeth. The rechargable battery is particularly impressive, offering up to 265 brushing sessions from just a single hour of charge. The brush also comes with a USB charger so is very easy and flexible when it comes to charging on the go. There's no doubt you get what you pay for with the Foreo Issa Kids, but it is still one of the most expensive kids' toothbrushes on the market. Replacement toothbrush heads are near-impossible to track down in grocery stores or pharmacies, so you'll almost certainly have to find and buy them online. Read our full Foreo ISSA Kids review Attributes Notes Design Soft, flexible silicone bristles on an angled head. Performance It is quiet (35 dB) and suitable for kids with sensitive teeth. Functionality Toddler-friendly size. Back to the top ⤴ Image 1 of 5 Image 2 of 5 Image 3 of 5 Image 4 of 5 Image 5 of 5 Best for reluctant brushers: This unusual and fun-shaped brush is a game changer for fussy kids Battery/Rechargeable: Rechargeable | Timer?: 30 - 60s | Modes: 3 | Light therapy: yes Cleans in just 30 seconds Offers three cleaning modes Three light therapy modes, including whitening Struggles to reach back teeth Fairly noisy Tricky shape to get used to Buy it if ✅ Your child really struggles with regular brushing: Its unique design allows for an ultra-quick clean. ✅ You want a brush that actively improves gum health: It features a gum massaging mode and LED light therapy. Don't buy it if ❌ You are on a budget: It costs nearly $100. ❌ You are looking for a truly thorough clean: It may not be able to reach back teeth. What the users say 🔎 Autobrush Sonic Pro for Kids: With its innovative design, 30s brushing cycle and three light therapy modes, this fun-shaped toothbrush is a game-changer for truly reluctant brushers. However, its unusual shape may be tricky to get used to. ★★★★ The Autobrush Sonic Pro for Kids is a truly unusual and innovative design. Instead of the standard design of a single interchangeable brush head on a handset, it has U-shaped bristles. These are designed to reach and clean all the teeth simultaneously — hence only taking 30s to complete a full brushing cycle. If your child really struggles with brushing and hates having a brush in their mouth for the full recommended two minutes, this is a real game changer. As well as being truly time-efficient, the Sonic Pro also looks great too. The colorful designs and catchy music tunes will certainly brighten up your child's dental routine. 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Back to the top ⤴ Image 1 of 2 Image 2 of 2 Best for interactive play and smart sensor technology: This toothbrush will keep your child entertained for a thorough clean Battery/Rechargeable: Battery (2 AAA batteries, included) | Timer?: Yes | Modes: 1 | Warranty: 1-year warranty | Cost of replacement heads: $9.99 for 3 Fun and interactive games Parent check light Very loud Weak technology Replacement brush heads expensive Buy it if ✅ You are on a budget: It is affordably priced, and unusually, so are the replacement brush heads. ✅ You want to instill good brushing habits: It is packed with fun features that encourage your child to brush regularly. Don't buy it if ❌ You want sensitive sensors: The brush struggles to detect pressure. ❌ You are looking for a durable brush: Its bristles fray quickly. The bottom line 🔎 BriteBrush: This colorful toothbrush is a real joy to use, but its durability and brushing performance fall short of expectations. ★★★ The BriteBrush comes with the options of three distinctive designs: Baby Shark, Sesame Elmo and Game Brush and is suitable for children as young as three. Whichever design you chose, it will come loaded with interactive, enjoyable games and music to really help encourage your child to brush thoroughly and effectively. During our full BriteBrush GameBrush review, we found that the brush did a good job of encouraging children to brush up and down. However, the sensors didn't always manage to detect when the child was doing that already. This led to the game being interrupted by reminders to do something the child was already doing, which led to some understandable frustration. The 'side recognition technology' didn't appear to work at all. 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Battery/Rechargeable: Battery (1 AA battery, included) | Timer?: No | Modes: 1 | Warranty: Not specified | Cost of replacement heads: Not available Fun designs Soft bristles AA-battery powered Lack of timer No advanced features No replacement brush heads Buy it if ✅ You are on a budget: This toothbrush doesn't cost much more than a standard toothbrush and can help remove plaque more effectively. ✅ You want to encourage independent brushing: The child-pleasing designs can help encourage your young one to brush regularly, while the flat head and ergonomic handle aid independent brushing. Don't buy it if ❌ You want a timer: This brush doesn't come with a timer and so suits younger children better. ❌ You want replacement brush heads: Once this brush is exhausted, sadly, it will have to go into landfill as replacement heads are not available. The bottom line 🔎 Colgate Kids battery-powered toothbrush: This brush makes brushing fun with its colorful designs while the ergonomic handle and soft bristles encourage independent brushing ★★★½ We think the Colgate Kids battery-powered toothbrush is the ideal toothbrush for kids while traveling due to its simplicity and battery-powered functionality. There is no fuss with this toothbrush — it does what it says on the tin. During our full Colgate Kids battery-powered toothbrush review, our little tester enjoyed the soft bristles while our reviewer noted it was lightweight and very quiet. Perfect qualities for a toothbrush to take traveling. Not only that, but being battery-powered means you won't have to worry about remembering to charge the brush while away — one less holiday stress. This toothbrush comes in various designs including Batman, Barbie and Trolls, making it attractive to your little ones. This brush is simple with no advanced features or timers so would best suit those looking to move from manual to electric brushing. The ergonomic handle and flat brush head also encourage independent brushing. And, with it being so compact and light, building these good habits can continue while traveling. Plus, this toothbrush is completely waterproof making it safe for use in the shower or bath, if this is where your child prefers to brush their teeth. Our verdict? You can't beat the Colgate Kids battery-powered toothbrush's simplicity, making it a great option for holidays and the like. The colorful designs appeal to your little ones while the battery-powered element takes the pressure off having to remember to charge it every day while away. Read our full Colgate Kids battery-powered toothbrush review Attributes Notes Design One brush head included in the pack. Performance Quiet (32 dB) and simple features. Functionality Soft bristles but the brush head is larger than some. Back to the top ⤴ Model Rating ✅Pros ❌Cons Type Battery life Oral-B Kids ★★★★½ Small brush head, app, price. Big handset, noisy. Rotating 5 days Philips Sonicare for Kids ★★★★★ Customization, performance, app. Big brush head, price. Sonic 2 weeks Foreo ISSA Kids ★★★★ Soft bristles, stylish design, battery life. Relatively expensive, no apps. Sonic 265 uses Autobrush Sonic Pro for Kids ★★★★ Time efficiency, LED light therapy, features. Relatively expensive, quite noisy. Sonic 7 days BriteBrush Game Brush ★★★ Fun features, affordable, battery-powered. Frays quickly, noisy, weak pressure sensor. Sonic 60 days Colgate Kids battery-powered toothbrush ★★★½ Fun designs, soft bristles, fuss-free battery-powered. No advanced features or timer, no replacement brush heads. Rotating Limited While both electric and manual toothbrushes can be effective tools in keeping children's teeth clean and healthy, studies suggest that electric can have an advantage. A meta-analysis published in 2023 in the Dentistry Journal found that children who use an electric toothbrush may be able to remove more plaque than those brushing purely by hand with a manual toothbrush. Yes, children's brushes are different from the best electric toothbrushes for adults, not just in design but in features too. Children's toothbrushes usually feature smaller handles for smaller hands, as well as softer bristles for young gums. The apps they come with can also really help with motivation and technique. When it comes to effectiveness of brushing, they offer the same benefits as adult brushes, according to a 2023 meta-analysis published in the Dentistry Journal. 'Most children can begin using their own electric toothbrush from age three. However, they should be supervised by an adult until they are seven years old,' Karen Coates, a registered dental nurse, told Live Science. That's because while young children may be enthusiastic brushers, they still need help in developing their technique, she explained. Meanwhile children under the age of three should have their teeth brushed by their caregiver. "They should be using a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste and whatever toothbrush best fits their specific needs," Dr. Roopali Kulkarni, an assistant professor of oral medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, told Live Science. When it comes to purchasing an electric toothbrush for your child, it's important to find the best age-appropriate model. There are plenty of options on the market, with some brushes designed for the youngest children and others designed with older children in mind. It's a good idea to try and find a model that has a Seal of Acceptance from the American Dental Association (ADA). "The ADA Seal was established to help the public identify oral health products that have been independently reviewed by the ADA to ensure that they are safe and effective," Kulkarni explained. Another thing to consider is how you will power the brush. Battery-powered brushes tend to be cheaper when it comes to the intial purchase, but the cost of replacement batteries can soon add up. There is also the risk that as battery levels start to dwindle, your child's toothbrush may start to slow down and clean less effectively. Electric rechargeable models may therefore end up being a cheaper investment in the long run. However, if you're not sure, you can always start with a cheaper battery-operated model and see how your child gets on with it, before investing in a more expensive rechargeable device. Make sure the brush head is small enough to be used comfortably by your child. "Children may have difficulties with manual dexterity, so you should be looking at electric toothbrushes which have long thin necks that can easily reach the back of their mouth," Coates said. It's also important that the size of the handset fits your children's hands comfortably, as you want them to be able to use the brush for two minutes on each use. Your next step may be to look for features that you think would help your child develop and maintain good brushing habits. These may include a two-minute timer and quadrant pacing. "This is a timer which helps you to spend equal time over all the parts of your mouth. Every thirty seconds it would send out a noise telling you to move to the next section or quarter of your mouth," Coates said. An appealing design can really help. "Children may find that brushing with a powered toothbrush is fun; particularly with all of their colors, sparkles and cartoon characters," Kulkarni said. However, there is always the danger that your child may outgrow their current favorite TV character before they outgrow their brush, so you could find yourself needing a new brush sooner than you had hoped just to keep up their interest and enthusiasm for brushing. The most important thing to remember is that even if they love their new brush, they still need adult supervision. Watching your child brush their teeth, helping them out to encourage thorough cleaning and improving their brushing technique, and praising them when they do a good job is what makes the biggest difference to their oral hygiene. Back to the top ⤴ Our reviewers. We test the electric toothbrushes for kids on the people they are actually designed for — children. Supervised by a parent or guardian, our child testers will run the toothbrush on its various settings and modes to give their ultimate verdict. They have tested nearly a dozen different models over the years, so you can trust them when they say if something does the job well or falls behind expectations. However, we know that children are occasionally not the most objective or experienced reviewers, so we naturally also rely on our adult testers to provide a detailed assessment of every toothbrush they, or their children, test. Each gadget is tested for at least a week before we rank it across the following categories: Design. We thoroughly assess how well the toothbrush is made, looking at its size, appearance, durability, and ease of use. We give our verdict on its controls, brush head, handle and its general appeal to children. We also take note of any design tweaks that can help the children develop good brushing habits. We also note whether the brush comes with any accessories or spare brush heads. Features. We test every single feature of the toothbrush, including many brushing modes and intensity levels it offers. We check and test any connected apps it comes with and assess any smart features. We also check if the toothbrush helps guide your children on their brushing technique and whether it allows you to track their brushing progress. We also assess how customizable it is. Performance. We measure how loud the toothbrush is with a decibel counter app (such as the Sound Meter app). We then compare these results to similar appliances. We run and use the toothbrush on all its settings and modes, noting any differences in intensity and durations between settings. We also thoroughly test the charging process, including how long it takes to reach a full charge, and how long the toothbrush lasts before the battery depletes. Value for money. Finally, we give our verdict on the most important issue: is it worth the money? After testing, all feedback is collated to award electric toothbrushes a final star rating, with a maximum score of five. February 4, 2025: We added more specs to the 'Comparison' table and corrected a handful of broken links.
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How can the James Webb Space Telescope see so far?
Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you'd like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@ How does the camera on the James Webb Space Telescope work and see so far out? – Kieran G., age 12, Minnesota Imagine a camera so powerful it can see light from galaxies that formed more than 13 billion years ago. That's exactly what NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is built to do. Since it launched in December 2021, Webb has been orbiting more than a million miles from Earth, capturing breathtaking images of deep space. But how does it actually work? And how can it see so far? The secret lies in its powerful cameras – especially ones that don't see light the way our eyes do. I'm an astrophysicist who studies galaxies and supermassive black holes, and the Webb telescope is an incredible tool for observing some of the earliest galaxies and black holes in the universe. When Webb takes a picture of a distant galaxy, astronomers like me are actually seeing what that galaxy looked like billions of years ago. The light from that galaxy has been traveling across space for the billions of years it takes to reach the telescope's mirror. It's like having a time machine that takes snapshots of the early universe. By using a giant mirror to collect ancient light, Webb has been discovering new secrets about the universe. Unlike regular cameras or even the Hubble Space Telescope, which take images of visible light, Webb is designed to see a kind of light that's invisible to your eyes: infrared light. Infrared light has longer wavelengths than visible light, which is why our eyes can't detect it. But with the right instruments, Webb can capture infrared light to study some of the earliest and most distant objects in the universe. Although the human eye cannot see it, people can detect infrared light as a form of heat using specialized technology, such as infrared cameras or thermal sensors. For example, night-vision goggles use infrared light to detect warm objects in the dark. Webb uses the same idea to study stars, galaxies and planets. Why infrared? When visible light from faraway galaxies travels across the universe, it stretches out. This is because the universe is expanding. That stretching turns visible light into infrared light. So, the most distant galaxies in space don't shine in visible light anymore – they glow in faint infrared. That's the light Webb is built to detect. Before the light reaches the cameras, it first has to be collected by the Webb telescope's enormous golden mirror. This mirror is over 21 feet (6.5 meters) wide and made of 18 smaller mirror pieces that fit together like a honeycomb. It's coated in a thin layer of real gold – not just to look fancy, but because gold reflects infrared light extremely well. The mirror gathers light from deep space and reflects it into the telescope's instruments. The bigger the mirror, the more light it can collect – and the farther it can see. Webb's mirror is the largest ever launched into space. The most important 'eyes' of the telescope are two science instruments that act like cameras: NIRCam and MIRI. NIRCam stands for near-infrared camera. It's the primary camera on Webb and takes stunning images of galaxies and stars. It also has a coronagraph – a device that blocks out starlight so it can photograph very faint objects near bright sources, such as planets orbiting bright stars. NIRCam works by imaging near-infrared light, the type closest to what human eyes can almost see, and splitting it into different wavelengths. This helps scientists learn not just what something looks like but what it's made of. Different materials in space absorb and emit infrared light at specific wavelengths, creating a kind of unique chemical fingerprint. By studying these fingerprints, scientists can uncover the properties of distant stars and galaxies. MIRI, or the mid-infrared instrument, detects longer infrared wavelengths, which are especially useful for spotting cooler and dustier objects, such as stars that are still forming inside clouds of gas. MIRI can even help find clues about the types of molecules in the atmospheres of planets that might support life. Both cameras are far more sensitive than the standard cameras used on Earth. NIRCam and MIRI can detect the tiniest amounts of heat from billions of light-years away. If you had Webb's NIRCam as your eyes, you could see the heat from a bumblebee on the Moon. That's how sensitive it is. Because Webb is trying to detect faint heat from faraway objects, it needs to keep itself as cold as possible. That's why it carries a giant sun shield about the size of a tennis court. This five-layer sun shield blocks heat from the Sun, Earth and even the Moon, helping Webb stay incredibly cold: around -370 degrees F (-223 degrees C). MIRI needs to be even colder. It has its own special refrigerator, called a cryocooler, to keep it chilled to nearly -447 degrees F (-266 degrees C). If Webb were even a little warm, its own heat would drown out the distant signals it's trying to detect. Once light reaches the Webb telescope's cameras, it hits sensors called detectors. These detectors don't capture regular photos like a phone camera. Instead, they convert the incoming infrared light into digital data. That data is then sent back to Earth, where scientists process it into full-color images. The colors we see in Webb's pictures aren't what the camera 'sees' directly. Because infrared light is invisible, scientists assign colors to different wavelengths to help us understand what's in the image. These processed images help show the structure, age and composition of galaxies, stars and more. By using a giant mirror to collect invisible infrared light and sending it to super-cold cameras, Webb lets us see galaxies that formed just after the universe began. Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you'd like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@ Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live. And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you're wondering, too. We won't be able to answer every question, but we will do our best. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Adi Foord, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Read more: Could a telescope ever see the beginning of time? An astronomer explains How the James Webb Space Telescope has revealed a surprisingly bright, complex and element-filled early universe – podcast James Webb Space Telescope: An astronomer explains the stunning, newly released first images Adi Foord does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
