
Pembrokeshire sky watchers capture Strawberry Moon
The strawberry moon (Image: Claire Hodges)
This delight for sky-watchers means enthusiasts will have to wait until the next scheduled event in 2043 for a similar spectacle.
The Western Telegraph Camera Club documented the June full moon, its name referencing the strawberry harvesting season of indigenous Americans.
Prince Albert statue silhouetted by the Strawberry Moon (Image: Peter Randles)
It was first spotted low in the sky on Tuesday, appearing unusually large due to a visual effect known as the moon illusion.
The Strawberry Moon over Broad Haven (Image: Claire Hodges) Denise Martin captured the Strawberry Moon beautifully (Image: Denise Martin) Gorgeous reflections at Broad Haven by Leigh Thomas (Image: Leigh Thomas) Still moments of the night another great pic from Denise Martin (Image: Denise Martin) Strawberry moon over Solva pic by Lizzie Daniels (Image: Lizzie Daniels)

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
6 hours ago
- The Independent
Breakthrough weight-loss drug works without nausea or vomiting, scientists reveal
A breakthrough has been made in weight-loss drugs after scientists discovered a new medication – known as TDP – that works without causing side effects of nausea or vomiting. Millions of Americans are already using Ozempic and other GLP-1 class drugs to lose weight. While largely successful, the shots can cause uncomfortable gastrointestinal side effects. Those symptoms and others have landed patients in emergency rooms in recent years, with 25,000 visits occurring from 2022 to 2023, according to scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers say the new experimental rival largely forgoes those issues although how it works to curb appetite is still being researched. 'This paper shows for the first time that giving a smaller version of octadecaneuropeptide in the periphery is still effective to improve body weight and metabolic control without side effects,' Caroline Geisler, an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky's College of Pharmacy, told Gizmodo this week. Octadecaneuropeptide, commonly referred to as ODN, is a protein produced by brain cells called glia that support the nervous system. The researchers used ODN to create the drug TDP. 'Now we know that [glia] play a large role in sensing and communicating the status of the body, and we hope that by targeting a glial signaling molecule, we can engage many energy-regulating pathways in the brain and avoid the side effects of nausea and vomiting,' Geisler said. In studies, the researchers inserted ODN into the hindbrain of rats, which contains the brainstem and cerebellum. The cerebellum is a part of the brain that controls movements and other cognitive processes, such as language and attention span. Once the rats were treated with ODN, they lost weight and improved their ability to control their blood sugar. Whereas when the researchers blocked ODN, the animals showed a weaker response to treatment with the popular GLP-1 drugs. They also dosed mice, rats, and shrews with TDN. The drug also improved blood sugar control, causing weight loss without nausea or vomiting in the rats for over a week. The shrews did not vomit either, and the drug appeared not to have effects on the animals' movement, body temperatures, and heart rate. However, the results, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, are only a proof of concept. The study's authors are hoping to test the drugs in people next. 'We have an optimistic timeline that we could be ready to start clinical trials within two years,' Geisler said.


Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Forever chemicals now linked to disease suffered by 35million Americans
Americans exposed to 'forever chemicals' have up to a 31 percent higher risk of type 2 diabetes, a new study warns. Researchers from Mount Sinai looked at the link between polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) - found in everything from non-stick cookware to food packaging to tap water - and the incidence of type 2 diabetes, which affects up to 35 million Americans. Past research has linked the chemicals, which accumulate in the body over time and are slow to break down, to a range of health problems, including kidney, breast and testicular cancers. To paint a more comprehensive picture of PFAS and diabetes risk, researchers looked at large population-level datasets to identify patterns of exposure and illness. Based on available data, the study analyzed 180 people recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and compared them to 180 similar individuals without diabetes. All participants were matched based on age, sex, and ancestry. Researchers used blood samples to analyze PFAS levels and found that higher levels increased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by almost one third. Specifically, each increase in range of PFAS exposure was linked to a 31 percent increase in risk. Dr Vishal Midya, who was the lead author of the study and an assistant professor of environmental medicine at Mount Sinai, said: 'Because they don't break down easily, PFAS accumulate in the environment - and in human bodies. 'Our study is one of the first to examine how these chemicals may disrupt the body's metabolism in ways that increase diabetes risk - particularly in diverse US populations.' For the study, the researchers used data from BioMe, an electronic health record-linked biobank of more than 65,000 patients seeking primary care at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York since 2007. From an initial analysis, 180 people recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were selected with this group made up of 33 percent African Americans, 33 percent Hispanics, and 33 percent Whites. These patients were then compared to 180 similar individuals without diabetes. All participants were matched based on age, sex, and ancestry. Blood plasma samples collected from the individuals before they were diagnosed with diabetes or given the all-clear were used to assess PFAS levels. The researchers then applied Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) regression to the samples. This statistical method is used to analyze the effects of mixtures of chemical exposures on a health outcome. By using WQS, the team were able to see how PFAS levels in the blood were linked to patients developing diabetes. Metabolic alterations, such as insulin resistance and impaired glucose metabolism, are key contributors to the development of type 2 diabetes. These changes, often linked to obesity and unhealthy lifestyles, disrupt the body's ability to regulate blood sugar effectively, leading to hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia occurs when the level of sugar in your blood gets too high. Chronic or persistent hyperglycemia can lead to diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes. Symptoms of hyperglycemia include feeling thirsty, frequent urination, tiredness and breath that smells fruity. Treatment for type 2 typically involves taking insulin several times a day, either by injection or through a pump. PFAS exposure can contribute to diabetes development through several mechanisms, including disrupting cells in the pancreas responsible for regulating blood glucose levels, increasing insulin resistance, and potentially increasing body fat. The researchers say the new findings underscore the importance of regulating PFAS. Senior author, Dr Damaskini Valvi, said: 'Findings can help us design more effective interventions for the early prevention of type 2 diabetes in the future, taking into account individuals' exposures to environmental chemicals along with other well-known genetic, clinical, and lifestyle factors implicated in diabetes development. 'Mounting research suggests that PFAS are a risk factor for several chronic diseases, such as obesity, liver disease, and diabetes.' PFAS are microscopic substances that take thousands of years to break down in the environment and human body, earning them the name 'forever chemicals.' Their main purpose is to repel water and oil, which is what makes non-stick cookware easier to clean and why certain jackets and tents can withstand rain. The chemicals can seep into the water supply from washing dishes and can enter food if packaging is made to be grease-resistant or if the non-stick coating on pots and pans begins to deteriorate. PFAS are also common in pesticides used on crops, which produces chemical-rich runoff that can enter the drinking water supply. There is no level of safe exposure to the chemicals. Public water systems have four years to implement solutions to reduce PFAS in their water, under orders made by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Beginning in 2029, the EPA will police levels of six types of PFAS in drinking water - PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, PFHpA, and PFBS - and systems with unacceptable levels, will be required to notify the public. Last year, the EPA set the maximum contaminant levels for PFAS at 4.0 parts per trillion. One study found that US counties where drinking water surpassed this level - such as Nassau, Suffolk, and Rockland in New York and Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside counties in California - had a higher incidence of digestive, endocrine, respiratory, and mouth and throat cancers. Increases in incidence rates ranged from slightly elevated, at two percent, to 'substantially elevated' at 33 percent. The Mount Sinai team are now calling for studies involving larger populations, expanding over the life course, in order to better understand the health impacts of PFAS across the lifespan and at vulnerable life periods.


The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
Weekend workouts are enough to ‘slash your risk of an early death by 33%'
EXERCISING only at the weekend can be enough to slash your risk of dying young, a study found. Researchers at Harvard University, USA, said ' weekend warriors ' with diabetes get just as much benefit as people who work out every day. Cramming physical activity into Saturday and Sunday is common as many of us struggle to make time in our daily lives. It might seem like less exercise but a study showed the heart benefits can be just as great. Data from nearly 52,000 Americans with diabetes showed that weekend warriors had a 21 per cent lower risk of dying young of any cause, compared to people who did not regularly exercise. Their risk of dying from heart disease was 33 per cent lower, study authors wrote in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. The risk reduction was slightly greater even than people who exercised multiple days per week. The key was simply to hit the NHS target of at least 2.5 hours of moderate activity over the two days. Commenting on the study, Professor Ronald Sigal of the University of Calgary, said: 'Regular physical activity is recommended for most people with or without diabetes. 'On the whole, these findings are encouraging. 'They provide evidence that protective effects of physical activity against cardiovascular and overall mortality could be achieved through one or two weekly physical activity sessions." Sport England figures show the number of adults trying to get fit is on the rise, with 30million people – 64 per cent of adults – hitting the NHS exercise target last year. Get fit at 50: Workouts for beginners and those short on time Regular activity is proven to be great for your health and reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, dementia, stroke and mental health conditions. It's not the first time weekend exercise has been shown to be beneficial. A 2024 study published in the journal Circulation, led by Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, looked at data from 89,573 people from the UK Biobank, a database which holds medical and lifestyle records of more than half a million Britons. The team said that compared to no exercise, cramming workouts in one to two days or being active throughout the week were both associated with "substantially lower risks of over 200 diseases", from heart disease to mood disorders. Lifestyle tips to reduce risk of biggest killers in every decade of life CANCER, dementia and heart disease are among the biggest killers in the UK. Around 167,000 people a year die from cancer, 160,000 from heart disease and 74,000 from dementia. Around 167,000 people a year die from cancer, 160,000 from heart disease and 74,000 from dementia. Prevention is better than the cure and simple lifestyle tweaks can help reduce your risk of these conditions. Eating better, exercising, wearing sunscreen and seeing friends can each play a part in warding off disease. Here Dr Tom Matthew, from tells us how to protect yourself – no matter your age. IN YOUR 20s Stop smoking: lighting up is linked to 15 types of cancer, heart disease, heart attack, stroke and dementia Get HPV vaccine: can stop six different types of cancer Turn down the volume: protect your hearing for the sake of your brain IN YOUR 30s Join a gym: exercise can increase the risk of cancer, heart disease and dementia Stop sunbathing: getting sunburned just once can triple your risk of skin cancer, which can kill IN YOUR 40s Reduce alcohol: boozing is linked to seven types of cancer, heart disease and dementia. NHS MOT: it's free and checks for lots of health issues Watch weight: obesity can lead to heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes and can cause 13 different types of cancer IN YOUR 50s See friends: socialising is believed to reduce risk of cancer and dementia Screening for cancer: The NHS offers free HPV, bowel and breast cancer checks Reduce stress: studies have linked stress to heart disease, potentially as a result of higher blood pressure IN YOUR 60s & 70s Take asprin: It can reduce inflammation in the body which is associated with cancer Vital check in men: go to your free NHS abdominal aortic aneurysm screening (you'll be invited when your 64/65) Back to school: Keep learning and socialing to ward of dementia Go Mediterranean: it's full of fibre which can ward off bowel disease