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Observer
20 hours ago
- Observer
How to pick up the local language before you go
There are plenty of reasons to learn a foreign language before you travel. Perhaps you're venturing beyond major tourist centers, or you want to be prepared for emergencies. Whatever the reason, speaking even a few words of the local language with residents can quickly elevate you from mere tourist to sympathetic traveler. 'This tiny interaction instantly connects you,' said Mary Green, vice president and executive editor of Pimsleur Language Programs, in an email. 'That's the feeling travelers are chasing. You're not just passing through, but actually engaging and connecting.' Fortunately, there are lots of ways to learn languages, and getting started is affordable or even free. Start simply and build from there Aim to reach a 'survival level' before you travel. That means abandoning your inhibitions and not getting hung up on grammar or achieving proficiency, said Thomas Sauer, assistant director of resource development for the National Foreign Language Center at the University of Maryland. Travelers can connect and communicate surprisingly well at this level, which he described as a speaking style, akin to that of a toddler, that gets the point across. For Brandon Shaw, a co-owner of the Tour Guy, a company providing specialized tours in Europe and North America, reaching survival level means focusing on a core of essential verbs (including 'go,' 'see,' 'eat,' 'drink,' 'have,' 'do' and 'be'), then learning a small vocabulary of other words centered on your particular interests for a given trip. 'Then you can build a hundred sentences around that,' Shaw said. Learning those 'right words' doesn't happen overnight. Getting beyond the transactional tourist tropes of 'Where's the bathroom?' and 'Check, please,' for example, can take anywhere from one to three months of daily practice, although everyone learns differently. As with a fitness program, you get out of language study what you put in. The trick is finding what works for you. Hit the apps Diplomats, CEOs and missionaries often learn languages in high-intensity, immersive environments with dedicated instructors. For the rest of us, an app is often the first step. Esther Gutierrez Eugenio, a language learning expert from Geneva, said apps can be helpful — she prefers Babbel — but encouraged learners to test several options. More important than any specific app or method is to get started right away, she said, and practice every day. Shorter, consistent sessions are more effective than longer, sporadic ones. 'There's a big time and effort commitment when you learn a language. So you need to find something that you enjoy,' making it more fun to practice regularly, she added. Test out different apps like Duolingo, Babbel, Memrise, and Busuu, which all offer either free versions or free trials, to see which one works for you. Eugenio recommends systems that employ spaced repetition, an evidence-based learning technique that reviews and repeats material at increasing intervals. Some apps, like Duolingo, use spaced repetition, but don't always provide authentic cultural context, which is important for learning intuitively, said Sauer. Eugenio said some of her clients have had success conversing and drilling with artificial intelligence chatbots in voice mode. And Google, whose Translate app is already indispensable for travelers, recently released Little Language Lessons, a free, customizable, interactive tool that uses AI. Speaking with another person can help you make progress, Sauer said, and apps like HelloTalk or Tandem, which both offer free versions, can be a good way to find a partner who speaks your target language and wants to learn English. You can also check out the Language Learning Community on the social platform Discord. For an entertaining way to learn, stream a foreign movie or TV show, turn on the English subtitles, and try to follow along. To improve listening comprehension, cue up music in a foreign language and view the lyrics using Apple Music or Spotify. If apps aren't your thing, consider time-tested alternatives such as in-person classes, language groups, practice sessions with a fluent friend, books, audio guides or flash cards. Many of these resources are free at your local library. Be brave, and resist falling back on English Don't fear being laughed at or scolded for speaking imperfectly, said Massimo Macchiavello, the marketing manager for Posta, a destination management company in Buenos Aires, Argentina. When visitors speak to him in broken Spanish, Macchiavello said, 'It's easy to see they are making an effort to communicate, and in that effort, there comes a bond with us.' Once you're at your destination, resist the urge to initiate or respond in English, and try to speak the local language whenever people are receptive. It's fine to seek help with pronunciation or in finding the right word, or to ask speakers to slow down or repeat themselves, Macchiavello said. You're going to make mistakes and run into limits, and that's all right. Or as Green said: 'You don't need thousands of words, just the right ones, and the confidence to use them.' This article originally appeared in
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
New poll shows plunging US public support for Israel's war on Gaza
Washington, DC – A new poll from the research firm Gallup suggests that only 32 percent of Americans approve of Israel's military action in Gaza, a 10-point drop from September 2024, as anger over atrocities against Palestinians continues to rise. The survey, released on Tuesday, also showed an enormous partisan divide over the issue. Seventy-one percent of respondents who identified as members of the Republican Party said they approve of Israel's conduct, compared with 8 percent of Democrats. Overall, 60 percent of respondents said they disapprove of Israel's military action in Gaza. Shibley Telhami, a professor at the University of Maryland and the director of the Critical Issues Poll, said the latest survey shows a trend of growing discontent with Israel that goes beyond the war on Gaza. 'What we're seeing here is an entrenchment of a generational paradigm among particularly young Americans – mostly Democrats and independents, but even some young Republicans – who now perceive the horror in Gaza in a way of describing the character of Israel itself,' Telhami told Al Jazeera. In Tuesday's survey, only 9 percent of respondents under the age of 35 said they approve of Israel's military action in Gaza, and 6 percent said they have a favourable opinion of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The study follows an April poll from the Pew Research Center, which found a majority of respondents – including 50 percent of Republicans under 50 years old – said they had unfavourable views of Israel. But even as public opinion in the US continues to shift, Washington's policy of unconditional support for Israel has been unwavering. Since the start of the war on Gaza, the US has provided Israel with billions of dollars in military aid, as well as diplomatic backing at the United Nations. Both President Donald Trump and his predecessor, Joe Biden, have been uncompromising backers of the Israeli assault on Gaza, which human rights groups have described as a genocide. Israel has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians in Gaza, imposed a suffocating siege and flattened most of the enclave, reducing its buildings to rubble. The siege is credited with prompting deadly hunger: The UN on Tuesday said there was 'mounting evidence of famine and widespread starvation'. Nevertheless, the US Congress also remains staunchly pro-Israel on a bipartisan basis. Earlier this month, a legislative push to block $500m in missile defence support for Israel failed in a 422-to-six vote in the House of Representatives. So, what explains the schism between the views of average Americans and the policies of their elected representatives? Telhami cited voter 'priorities'. He explained that foreign policy traditionally has not been a driving factor in elections. For example, domestic issues like abortion, the economy and gun control usually dominate the electoral agenda for Democrats. He also noted the influence of pro-Israel groups, like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which have spent millions of dollars to defeat critics of the Israeli government, particularly progressives in Democratic primaries. But things are changing, according to the professor. Palestine is rising in public importance, he said, with US voters looking at the issue through the lens of 'soul-searching', as a way of questioning what they stand for. 'It's not just Gaza. It's that we are enabling the horror in Gaza as a country – in terms of our aid or support or, even in some cases, direct collaboration,' Telhami said. 'That it is actually creating a paradigmatic shift about who we are, not just about: 'Do we support Israel? Do we support the Palestinians?'' He said the victory of Palestinian rights advocate Zohran Mamdani in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary last month underscores that movement. 'The rise of Zohran Mamdani in New York is giving people pause because he's been able to generate excitement, not, as some people thought, despite his views on Israel-Palestine, but actually because of his views on Israel-Palestine.'
CBS News
3 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
New technology could help pilots avoid spatial disorientation, improving flight safety. Here's how.
The Federal Aviation Administration says pilot disorientation causes 5% to 10% of all general aviation accidents, and there could be new technology to help make flying safer. "Spatial disorientation is a big deal in aviation and it's basically where the pilot cannot determine which way is up or down or whether the airplane is banking to the left or to the right," former NTSB chairman Robert Sumwalt, who is a CBS News transportation safety expert and analyst, explained. Now, a team at the University of Maryland is working on a flight suit that could help pilots avoid disorientation by using vibrations. "It happens when you fly into clouds or bad weather, but especially for helicopters, you can fly at zero speed. Just going up and down, it's easy to get disoriented," said Anubhav Datta. A helicopter pilot and University of Maryland professor, Datta is focused on helicopter design and dynamics. He's helping to test potential life-saving technology being developed at the University of Maryland that could one day be part of a flight suit or built into a pilot's seat. It would be similar to lane departure technology in some cars, using haptic vibration to tell a pilot how to respond if they are showing signs of disorientation. "The pilots typically fly through two primary sensor cues, which are vision and equilibrium," said professor Umberto Saetti, who is leading the research effort. "Basically, the suit provides another sensory cue to try and deconflict the conflicts that may arise from reading their instruments and whatever the pilot is feeling." The research team aims to eventually conduct actual flight tests using sensations they hope will help pilots feel their way towards safer skies. The FAA says that 90% of the aviation accidents caused by pilot disorientation are fatal. Investigators believe pilot disorientation was a factor in the 1999 small plane crash that killed John F. Kennedy Jr. In February 2021, federal officials said the pilot of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others in 2020 was disoriented while flying through thick clouds. The NTSB also said pilot Ara Zobayan ignored his training and violated federal regulations during the flight.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Health
- The Irish Sun
The most common side effects of fat jabs revealed from vomiting to depression – and its different for each jab
FAT jabs do often sound like a magical quick fix to overeating and demanding hunger pangs. But the drugs can leave some users feeling seriously unwell and many in hospital. 2 Monitoring Facebook posts could be a useful way to spot side effects that might be unknown, scientists say (Credit: Getty) After scouring social media, scientists have found the most common side effects of the popular fat-busting meds. The US researchers looked at how people in the US were discussing GLP-1 drugs like They found that gut issues were the most frequently mentioned side effects overall, especially among users of semaglutide (the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic) and tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Mounjaro). Read more on fat jabs Mental health concerns like anxiety and depression were also raised, but far less frequently. The study, published in Meanwhile, Wegovy users mentioned depression more than any other group, with 1.57 per cent of posts referencing the symptom. The drugs, originally developed for Most read in Health But they've also been linked to less glamorous side effects, such as joint pain, fatigue, Despite the risks, experts say the drugs are still safe and effective for most patients. Weight Loss Jabs - Pros vs Cons They help control Roughly 1.5million people in the UK are now taking GLP-1 drugs, which have been hailed by some as game-changers in the fight against obesity. In the US, this number is even higher, with over 2 per cent of the population, approximately 4 million people, currently using these medications for weight loss. But health officials warn they are not a silver bullet and can come with side effects. The scientists found these effects varied by brand. Zepbound, a newer tirzepatide drug which is approved in the US but not the UK, was linked more often to high While Ozempic posts mentioned Scientists from the University of Maryland, who are behind the study, analysed nearly 60,000 unique public Facebook posts uploaded by US users of the medicines between 2022 and 2024, They used cluster analysis to map out which symptoms were often mentioned together. They found that vomiting, nausea and Posts about side effects spiked after major events including the US Food and Drug Administration approving Wegovy for teens, celebrity endorsements, and wider insurance coverage in the US. 2 Despite these increases, the proportion of people talking about side effects actually dropped over time. Scientists say monitoring social media could be a useful way to spot side effects that might be missed or underreported in clinical trials. But they warned that Facebook posts don't tell the full story as symptoms were self-reported, which means they can be exaggerated or incomplete. There is also no way to verify dosage, how long people were on the drugs, or even whether they were using genuine products. Everything you need to know about fat jabs Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases. Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK. Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market. Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year. How do they work? The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight. They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists. They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients' sugar levels are too high. Can I get them? NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics. Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure. GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss. Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk. Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health. Are there any risks? Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild. Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea. Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at said: 'One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.' Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia. Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients' mental health. Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists film atomic motion for the first time, unlocking secrets of 2D materials
In a world first, scientists have filmed atoms in motion, capturing their thermal vibrations in real-time with stunning clarity. The breakthrough, led by Yichao Zhang, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland's Department of Materials Science and Engineering, reveals an entirely new kind of motion inside quantum materials that could reshape the future of ultrathin electronics and quantum devices. Using a next-generation imaging method called electron ptychography, Zhang and her team captured the first microscopy images of moiré phasons, the elusive, coordinated vibrations that emerge in twisted two-dimensional (2D) materials. These subtle, heat-driven movements of atoms were previously invisible to researchers. Sharper eyes, subtler motion The technique achieved a resolution better than 15 picometers, making it sensitive enough to detect the minute blurring of individual atoms caused by thermal motion. These vibrations, once only predicted by theory, are now visible, confirming long-held hypotheses about how heat travels through 2D materials and interacts with atomic-scale patterns. At the heart of the discovery are moiré phasons, spatially localized vibrations formed when two atomic layers are twisted slightly against each other. They influence everything from thermal conductivity to superconductivity in next-generation devices—and until now, had never been imaged directly. 'This is like decoding a hidden language of atomic motion,' said Zhang. 'Electron ptychography lets us see these subtle vibrations directly. Now we have a powerful new method to explore previously hidden physics, which will accelerate discoveries in two dimensional quantum materials.' Paving the way for smarter quantum tech This achievement marks the first time researchers have directly imaged how moiré phasons govern thermal vibrations in twisted 2D materials. Two-dimensional materials, just a few atoms thick, have attracted intense interest for their potential in next-generation quantum and electronic devices due to their exotic physical properties. However, understanding how heat moves through these ultra-thin structures remained limited by a lack of visualization tools. Zhang's method not only reveals atomic-scale motion with unprecedented clarity but also establishes electron ptychography as a new frontier in microscopy. By capturing how atoms behave under thermal influence, the team has laid the groundwork for decoding complex behaviors like heat dissipation and quantum coherence at the nanoscale. Zhang's team now plans to investigate how thermal vibrations are affected by defects and interfaces, a key step toward designing materials with custom thermal, electronic, and optical properties. That level of control could power advances in quantum computing, energy-efficient chips, and nanoscale sensors. With this visual confirmation of moiré phasons in hand, scientists now have the tools to engineer quantum materials from the atomic level up, using not just structure, but motion itself, as a design principle. The movement of atoms has now been documented in a study published on July 24 in Science. Solve the daily Crossword
