HealthThe benefits of taking GLP-1 agonists seem to outweigh the risks, at least when taken for approved uses, according to an assessment of how the drugs affect 175 conditions 20 January 2025 Semaglutide and other GLP-1 agonists are injectedIuliia Burmistrova/Getty ImagesDrugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, called GLP-1 agonists, carry more benefits than risks when taken for their approved uses, according to a comprehensive analysis of their effects on 175 conditions. The same may not be true for people taking the drugs for other uses, however.In this new land of GLP-1, we wanted to really map the benefits and risks for all conditions that might be plausibly linked, says Ziyad Al-Aly at Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri. AdvertisementThe drugs are best known for helping people control type 2 diabetes and treat obesity. They mimic a hormone in the body, GLP-1, that lowers blood sugar levels and makes people feel fuller for longer.Dozens of studies suggest GLP-1 agonists may also cut the risk of a slew of other conditions, from heart disease to dementia to substance use disorders. These studies have involved hundreds or thousands of people and focused on just one or a few conditions at a time, but millions of people are now using the drugs, meaning we can investigate less frequent effects, says Al-Aly.To gain a more comprehensive picture, he and his colleagues examined the health records of more than 200,000 people with diabetes who took GLP-1 agonists in addition to their standard treatment over a four-year period. They also looked at 1.2 million people with diabetes who only received standard care across the same period, and assessed the risks of both groups developing 175 different health conditions. Get the most essential health and fitness news in your inbox every Saturday.Sign up to newsletterThe team found that those who took GLP-1 agonists had a lower risk of 42 conditions. For instance, their risk of heart attacks was reduced by 9 per cent and their risk of dementia dropped by 8 per cent. The odds of this group having suicidal thoughts or substance use disorders, including addiction to alcohol and opioids, also decreased by around a tenth even when the team accounted for factors that could affect the results, such as participants age, sex and income levels.There were downsides for the people taking GLP-1 drugs, however. They were more likely to experience known side effects including nausea and vomiting, along with others not described before. These include a 15 per cent higher risk of kidney stones and more than double the risk of an inflamed pancreas, or drug-induced pancreatitis. In total, risks were higher for 19 conditions, while for most of the conditions assessed, including bronchitis, rheumatoid arthritis and obsessive-compulsive disorder, taking GLP-1 drugs had no meaningful impact on risk levels.The fact that these drugs do affect such a wide range of conditions is still surprising, although exactly why they have this impact is unclear. Theyre reducing obesity, which is sort of the mother of all ills you treat it and subsequently get benefit in the heart, the kidney, the brain and everywhere else, says Al-Aly. They also generally dampen organ-damaging inflammation and seem to target parts of the brain related to addiction, he says.One issue with the analysis is that the team didnt report the actual number of people affected by each condition, making it hard to interpret the results, says Daniel Drucker at the University of Toronto, who has worked with obesity-drug companies. While the risk reductions in common conditions like heart attacks and dementia are probably worth taking seriously, he says, the links to rarer conditions like pancreatitis might involve a very small number of cases and so pose little risk to most people. Al-Aly says the team will be presenting specific case numbers in a future study.Overall, the research provides reassurance that the benefits of GLP-1 agonists outweigh the risks, at least for people with type 2 diabetes and obesity. There are no red flags for this group, says Stefan Trapp at University College London, who has also worked with an obesity-drug firm.But for those without these conditions, such as people without obesity buying the drugs to lose weight, the picture may differ. We have no idea if the benefits will outweigh the risks, says Drucker.Journal reference:Nature Medicine DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-03412-w Topics:

President Donald Trump's address did not include imposing tariffs.But he vowed that tariffs would lead to "massive amounts of money" entering the US Treasury.Trade experts have said that broad tariffs could increase prices for consumers and spark inflation.President Donald Trump is officially back in the White House, and one of his top priorities is tariffs and trade.While no tariffs were officially imposed on January 20, Trump announced during his inauguration speech that he plans to create the External Revenue Service, which would collect tariffs, duties, and revenues. He said this agency would lead to "massive amounts of money" coming into the US Treasury. Trump first announced the External Revenue Service on January 14."Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens, Trump said during his inauguration speech.The details of the plan are unclear, and creating a new agency requires approval from Congress.On the campaign trail, broad tariffs were a cornerstone of the president's platform. He proposed a 60% tariff on all goods imported from China, along with a 10% to 20% tariff on all imports from other countries.In November, Trump said he would "sign all necessary documents" to impose a 25% tariff on goods imported from Mexico and Canada on his first day in office unless the countriesOne month later, Trump also threatened the BRICS group, which is made up of nine countries, including Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with a100% tariff on imports from those countriesunless they committed to not creating another currency that competes with the US dollar.Trade industry experts previously told Business Insider that Trump's tariff proposals could cause the prices of impacted goods to increase, leading consumers to pay more for products like electronics or apparel,A number of companies have already announced that they were preparing to raise prices in anticipation of the tariffs. Some economists have also predicted that broad tariffs could increase inflation, likely causing the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates.Trump has denied that his tariff proposals would hurt the economy and consumers, saying during an August speech that his plans have "nothing to do with taxes to us. That is a tax on another country." However, many economists have argued that the costs of tariffs couldestimated that the president's trade plans could cost the typical American household an extra $1,500 a year.Brian Hughes, a Trump-Vance transition spokesperson, told BI that Trump "has promised tariff policies that protect the American manufacturers and working men and women from the unfair practices of foreign companies and foreign markets.""As he did in his first term, he will implement economic and trade policies to make life affordable and more prosperous for our nation," Hughes said.How tariffs will impact consumers and the economyTrump implemented tariffs during his first term, which did not significantly impact inflation. Some economists, however, predict his proposals this time around could have a larger impact on the economy given their broader scope. For example, the nonpartisan Peterson Institute estimated that Trump's 60% tariff on goods imported from China would boost inflation by 0.4 percentage points in 2025.During Trump's inauguration speech, he touched on inflation concerns, which he blamed on government overspending and high energy prices. He vowed to direct members of his Cabinet to fight inflation and bring prices down by focusing on expanding domestic energy supply, specifically for oil and gas, and ramping up domestic manufacturing."Today, I will also declare a national energy emergency. We will drill, baby, drill," Trump said.It's unclear how quickly consumers could see the tariffs translated into higher prices on goods or whether a drop in energy prices could counteract the effect.In a recent report, the National Retail Federation predicted that Trump's tariff plans would raise prices on apparel and shoes, furniture, and appliances. An October report from the Consumer Technology Association estimated that the proposed tariffs would increase laptop and tablet costs by 45%."It's tough to say right now at what point consumers would feel the impact," Jonathan Gold, the vice president of supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation, previously told BI."It could also depend upon the individual companies and what their tariff mitigation plans are and how much they can try and lessen the impact on the consumers," Gold added.Trump's tariffs could also face legal challenges due to their potential violations of the US-Mexico-Canada agreement, a free-trade agreement negotiated by Trump in his first term that went into effect in July 2020.

Its a very cold day in the District of Columbia. The frigid temperatures have prompted the inauguration of Donald Trump and JD Vance to be moved into the US Capitol Rotunda.But thats not all thats changed between this day and Trumps inauguration eight years ago.Trumps Electoral College victory in 2016 shocked many, including the winner himself, according to many of his campaign staffers.Washington DCs elected officials and political insiders, Democrats and Republicans alike, were still reeling in January 2017 as Trump laid his hand on a Bible and solemnly swore to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.Now, in 2025, things have changed considerably. The Supreme Court has granted the president broad immunity from criminal prosecution. Trump has vowed to exact retribution against his political adversaries. While his team was unprepared to assume office the first time, now his staff has reportedly prepared more than 100 executive orders to be signed on Day 1. Organized resistance to Trump is muted this time around, the guardrails protecting democracy are weaker, and many Democrats in Congress say they are willing to work with him.Today, Explained host Noel King spoke with Susan B. Glasser, staff writer and a columnist for the New Yorker, about her memories of Trumps first inauguration and how hes being received differently this time. Glasser is the author, with Peter Baker, her husband and the chief White House correspondent for the New York Times, of the 2022 book The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021.Below is an excerpt of their conversation, edited for length and clarity. Theres much more in the full podcast, so listen to Today, Explained wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and Spotify.Susan B. GlasserIve been to a lot of different inaugurations here in Washington, going back to Bill Clintons. And 2016 was like nothing Ive ever seen in Washington DC. It was almost like an alien invasion. The streets were deserted. Definitely not the largest inauguration crowd ever in Washington. Nobody knew what to expect. It was just absolutely a time of disorientation, by the way, for Republicans here as well as for Democrats. It was a sense that anything was possible, that the wheels were possibly coming off of the American system. And I will never forget, I was at an inauguration watch party at the top of a hotel here in Washington that looks out over Pennsylvania Avenue where the inaugural parade is. I was sitting there with a close friend and colleague of mine from Politico. And the moment when Barack Obamas helicopter flew off, it just [felt], Were on our own this is really happening.Noel KingIts worth noting that it would not have only been Democrats feeling that on that day, Donald Trump being something new. Can you give us a bit of a sense of just how anti-establishment a figure he was perceived on that Inauguration Day and who maybe he was making the most nervous?Susan B. GlasserYeah, for sure. It was Republicans as well as Democrats who not only didnt know what to expect, but had a profound sense of disruption and concern about it. Remember that Trump had been opposed by the vast majority of his own party in the Republican primaries in terms of the establishment types, the elected officials. And for many of those elected Republicans here in Washington, they viewed this, correctly, I think, as a sort of a hostile takeover by an outsider of their own party. And remember the famous comment from George W. Bush, who was sitting on the platform in his role as former president for Trumps first inauguration. He turned to Hillary Clinton, who was sitting next to him in her role as a former first lady, not in her role as the defeated opponent of Donald Trump. And he said to Hillary Clinton, That was some weird shit, referring to Donald Trumps famous American carnage inaugural address. I later asked the two of them about that. And lets just say that they are not denying that that exchange happened and that that was the experience that they both felt of that moment.Noel KingSo eight years ago, everything was eerie and what the heck is going to happen, and the crowds are not out in the same way that you might expect. In 2025, who is coming out to support Donald Trump that wasnt there last time? Who is notable this year?Susan B. GlasserWell, there is a big change. First of all, we can talk about the opposition to Trump or the lack thereof. And thats the other important point about 2016, is that immediately a resistance paradigm kicked in among Democrats, among people who were upset and appalled and worried about Trumps victory. There was an almost immediate sense that weve got to resist this, weve got to stand up to this. There was the Womens March, as youll recall, immediately after the Trump inauguration. It had huge participation here. And so there was a sense of action being taken, I would say, and that this was something that could or would have to be gotten through for the next four years. I think that that for me is the biggest difference now, eight years later. Not only is there no such massive public kind of acts of resistance planned for the immediate aftermath of Trumps inauguration, but you have Democrats still embroiled in a game of finger-pointing and blame game among themselves about why they lost the election. You have many business leaders, establishment Republicans, and other types of people who would have considered Trump anathema back in 2016, who are not only openly supporting him, but I think theyve come to the conclusion that this is the new normal not only of the Republican Party, but to a certain extent of the country that Trumpism is not some one-off aberration, but an important factor for a long time to come in this countrys politics.Noel KingTell us about the types of corporations. So we hear that big business is getting behind Trump, at least symbolically, in this inauguration. What kinds of big business are we talking about and who represents them on Inauguration Day?Susan B. GlasserThe participation in Trumps inaugural committee, the fundraising for that committee, is a really striking difference that tells you about the level of acceptance from 2016 to today. Since Trumps election in November, youve seen many of Americas corporate leaders of many blue chip corporations, certainly ones that are not associated exclusively with red America, chipping in and announcing $1 million contributions either from the corporation or from the CEO personally or from both of them. Were talking companies like Apple, for example. Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, is reported to be one of the people who is going to appear at Trumps inauguration, who gave a $1 million contribution. And Tim Cook, hes not a MAGA tweeter like Elon Musk, the worlds richest man, whos donated an extraordinary amount, something like a quarter of a billion dollars, to the effort to elect Donald Trump in 2024. Tim Cook is not a political donor. He seems to be going along with the idea that you have to pay to have access to the Trump administration going forward. And Ive been really struck by that. Thats a huge difference from 2016. The other big difference is not only are you seeing blue chip companies and mainstream Republican donors or even Democrats or former Democrats giving to Trumps inauguration, but its almost like its a concerted message thats being sent to Americas corporate elite, which is that if you dont pony up at least $1 million for this inauguration, you do not have a seat at the table in this future administration.Noel KingAnd so is that what, on this day, support for Trump looks like? Is it giving money to the inauguration? Or is there anything else that we should be looking for?Susan B. GlasserWell, I think thats just a sort of a tip-of-the-iceberg indicator. Donald Trump, of course, is very, very concerned about the public optics, the public narrative. I imagine that it pleases him to no end in Mar-a-Lago to see the parade of business leaders whove sought an audience with him since the election, whove made these very public displays of giving to his inaugural committee. But that is a reminder that theres so much that we dont see thats not publicly disclosed, that we journalists will have to do a lot of digging and a lot of hard work to understand the nature of what else these business leaders are getting.First of all, Trump is appointing many very wealthy individuals and business leaders to his Cabinet. By any reckoning, it is the wealthiest Cabinet with the most billionaires ever appointed in American history. So thats one thing. What are the other possible conflicts of interests, other business concerns that they might bring with them into these cabinet roles, first of all? Second of all, theres the question of the transparency, or lack thereof, of Trumps own family interests and personal financial interests, which was a big issue in his first administration as well. And third, theres the kind of unofficial power that many of those in Trumps orbit exercised in his first term and that I expect them to exercise in a second term as well. And thats very hard to track and is not something that we can find on a disclosure form.Noel KingWhat about elected Democratic lawmakers? Are the Democrats behaving this year in ways that are unexpected or different from last time?Susan B. GlasserYeah, I mean, inaugural addresses have a long tradition of being much more aspirational and very high altitude looking at the big picture goals and dreams and hopes for the country. Not Donald Trump. First, he comes in in 2016 and he has this very, very dark inaugural address, talks about American carnage, huge break with historical past. Then in 2020, what does he do? He denies the results of the election that he legitimately lost. Thats the first time in history, in all of American history, that has happened. He sics a violent mob of his supporters on the US Capitol on the day when theyre certifying Joe Bidens win and Trumps defeat. He refuses to attend the inauguration of his successor. These are ruptures with our past. And so you cant speak about what Democrats are doing this year in anything other than the context of what Trump did four years ago. Even there what you have is Democrats, theyre much more right now an institutionalist party, a party about saying were here to stand up for the traditions and the guardrails that exist in American democracy. So you have Joe Biden not only accepting Trumps victory, Kamala Harris accepting Trumps victory, conceding defeat, planning to attend the inauguration, but theyre not seeing this as the celebration of America in a nonpartisan sense that it used to be. I just saw that George W Bush, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton are not planning on attending the traditional post-inaugural luncheon at the Capitol that normally, of course, they all do attend. And this speaks to Donald Trump turning almost everything into a partisan test of how you react to him. Thats the reason why my husband and I called our book about Trumps first term The Divider. For him, everything is a confrontation. Everything is a division. And that now applies to this tradition of American inaugurations.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket devs are finally teasing the arrival of trading, after fans have waited for an update and the team has revealed how it'll workTech14:38, 20 Jan 2025Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket is taking the mobile world by storm(Image: Pokemon )Pokemon's popular Trading Card Game keeps going from strength to strength, and anyone that plays Pokemon TCG Pocket will know how fun it is to crack open a daily pack or two (or ten...).Fans have known for some time that trading was coming, but the developers have finally given an update, not only confirming it's coming this month but also how it'll work.In the new post on X (formerly Twitter), the Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket account said:"Today, we wanted to provide more details on the new trade feature coming your way this month. Here are a few highlights you can look forward to!"Get ready to crack open some more packs in Pokemon TCG Pocket(Image: Getty Images)Content cannot be displayed without consentAs for how it'll work, the team laid some ground rules as follows:Trades can be done between friends.Trades can be done with cards of the same rarity.At the time of the trade feature's launch, certain cards from the Genetic Apex and Mythical Island booster packs will be able to be traded. We are planning to continue to expand the selection of booster packs that you can trade from.Cards with a rarity of V1-)4 and #1 can be traded.Items must be consumed in order to trade."We'll continue to monitor player feedback and assess future updates to the trade feature while keeping in mind how to balance both the ease and enjoyability of collecting," it continues, with new booster packs coming this month, too.The game's most recent set, Mythical Island, debuted in mid-December.For more on Pokemon, the physical card game has seen a new, unreleased card sell for more than 15k.Article continues belowThe game's latest set, Scarlet and Violet Journey Together, has been revealed too.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.RECOMMENDED

The sticks may no longer stick (Nintendo/YouTube)The most reliable of the Nintendo Switch 2 leakers has revealed another detail, about a welcome feature of the new Joy-Cons.Nintendos official announcement of the Switch 2 was largely undercut by the huge volume of leaks beforehand, especially as the majority of them turned out to be true.We already knew about the magnetic Joy-Cons, the additional ports, and even the colour scheme heading into the reveal. The mouse functionality teased at within the video was also leaked weeks prior, leaving the new Mario Kart as the only genuine surprise.While Nintendo has yet to confirm specific details about its next console, one leaker has offered more information on an important aspect of the Joy-Con controllers that Nintendo has yet to discuss.In the run-up to Christmas, Reddit user NextHandheld made various claims about the Switch 2 which proved to be correct, before releasing images of the dock on Christmas Day.Among all of his claims, which included the baby blue and orange colour scheme and teases of Mario Kart 9, NextHandheld stated the Switch 2 has Hall effect joysticks, which would eradicate any worries around Joy-Con drift, if true.Following the reveal of the Switch 2, NextHandheld has reiterated this claim on Reddit, adding that the Hall effect sticks were shown during a hardware teardown behind closed doors.Unlike the joysticks on the original Switch which rely on physical contact between components to register input Hall effect sticks detect inputs and movement through magnets, without any physical connection between the stick and the sensor.As such, theyre not as prone to wear and tear over time,like the traditional joysticks. Interestingly, Hall effect sticks were used in the Sega Dreamcast controllers, so the technology has been around for decades.Nintendo has yet to confirm whats behind the Switch 2 Joy-Cons, but considering NextHandheld has been right about everything so far, theres little reason to doubt that this isnt true as well.It also makes sense considering how much of an issue Joy-Con drift became during the Switchs lifespan, which caused the sticks to move on their own without any input.After many complaints, and even a lawsuit, Nintendo offered free repairs in certain countries to try and counter the problem, so its likely the company wont want to attract the same kind of negative attention again.More TrendingNintendo is set to reveal more about the Switch 2 during a Direct presentation on April 2, 2025. A release date has yet to be announced, but insiders believe it could launch in June. Will it function like a mouse? Probably (Nintendo)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

A relic from the 1970sa self-help record purporting to teach the listener to reach your full potentialstirs up frightening chaos for two sisters in Black Circle, a 2018 horror film thats well worth seeking out now that its streaming on Shudder. Made in Sweden by Spanish writer-director Adrin Garca Bogliano (2022s La Exorcista), Black Circle plunges you right into the woo-woo by opening on a film clip purportedly taken from a correspondence course peddled by the Stockholm Institute for Magnetic Research. The technique its pushing is sort of hypnotism taken to the extreme, and its claims are fantastic. Who wouldnt want to become the best version of themselves by simply purging all the bad energy and intrusive thoughts theyve been clutching onto since childhood? Its a tempting proposition for Celeste (Felice Jankell), a twentysomething whose life is currently circling the existential drain. Shes just broken up with her boyfriend and been fired from her summer job, and writers block has prevented her from even starting a long-looming school paper. So when her sister Isa (Erica Midfjll)who she hasnt seen in some timeinvites her to stop by her office, Celeste is impressed by Isas big-shot job and upbeat attitude. Things are going wildly well, Isa tells her, and she wants to help Celeste turn her own life around. Though Celeste bristles a bit at her pushy sister, thats replaced by confusion when Isa hands her a record and tells her to play the B-side as you fall asleep. The effects are life-changing, she promises, and they all stem from this weird LP she found among junk left behind by grandmas cousin Lundstrom, who until his passing was the orphaned sisters only other living relative. Celeste is skeptical of what feels like a cult come-on, but she gives it a spin. The next morning, she sits bolt upright, sprints to her laptop, and triumphantly pounds out page after page of her paper. Naturally, theres a catch to this miraculous good fortune, and as Black Circle builds toward showing exactly what that catch looks like, the film divides itself into short chapters, not unlike a correspondence course might. It also jumps back into the film-within-a-film to layer in some exposition about magnetic hypnosis, delivered in optimistic terms that dont match the increasingly uneasy results we see with the sisters. The technique guides a person in offloading the mental baggage thats been holding them backbut once expunged, said baggage takes the form of an Ethereal Double, a sort of doppelganger that gradually draws more and more energy from its original source. Shudder Thats disturbing enough even before Black Circle introduces another layer of mythology, involving creatures that intervene if an Ethereal Double gets too comfortable in the human realm. Thats an aspect of the story that doesnt get enough fleshing out, but Black Circle is otherwise deeply invested in its subversion of New Age psychology. As their lives become choked with paranoid delusions that just might be real, Isa and Celeste track down the woman who released the record, a psychic who suffered her own tragedy in learning the harmful effects of magnetic hypnosisand who grimly springs into action to help its latest victims. Though the reverse exorcism ritual that takes over the films third act drags a bit, Black Circle has a unique energy and self-assured, often psychedelic visual style that allows it to carve out a unique space in the realm of cursed-media films. But unlike the characters in, for instance, The Ringwho watch a haunted video tape for entertainment, not knowing itll seal their doom Black Circles sisters intentionally, albeit naively, open themselves up to the LPs mind-warping capabilities. The resulting journey brings plenty of terror, but it also illustrates Black Circles deepest theme: you gotta do the work necessary to move past the negativity thats accumulated in your life, rather than hoping to heal by just wishing the bad stuff away.Black Circle is now streaming on Shudder. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Internalities: Architectures for Territorial Equilibrium is the proposal presented for the Spain Pavilion for the upcoming edition of the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale. Curated by Galician architects Roi Salgueiro Barrio and Manuel Bouzas Barcala, the project to be exhibited in the central hall of the pavilion aims to explore key strategies for decarbonizing architecture in Spain.

Greek mythology often reads like a soap opera for deities. One moment Zeus condemns a traitor to have his liver pecked apart by vultures for eternity, the next he disguises himself as a swan so he can seduce women without drawing his wifes attention.It takes a special cast of characters to drive such a narrative, and the Olympian gods were the perfect fit. Many modern Americans met them in Disney form through 1997s Hercules. But for sheer darkness and palace intrigue, the 2024 series Kaos comes closer to capturing their essence immensely powerful, immensely flawed, humanity at its worst, but free of human limitations.The gods are in fact the most powerful work of art created by the Greeks, wrote Ken Dowden, professor emeritus of classics at the University of Birmingham. And what makes them so compelling, even today, is how much of ourselves we can still see in them. Compared to most historical religions, Dowden wrote, the Greek gods were exceptionally anthropomorphic they were shaped like people.Are There 12 or 13 Olympian Greek Gods and Goddesses?The canonical number of Olympians was 12, but sources disagree about who should be included. Over the centuries, some gods rose in popularity while others fell. Nevertheless, this list is close to a definitive pantheon.One noteworthy absence is Hades. Thats because the Greeks distinguished between Olympian gods, who lived on Mt. Olympus, and chthonic gods, who lived in the underworld. Though Hades was the brother of Zeus and Poseidon, the most powerful Olympians, he himself ruled deep beneath Earths surface. (Credit: Yueh Chiang/Shutterstock)1. ZeusThe hot-headed, thunderbolt-wielding, amorous overlord of Olympus. In some ancient epoch, he led his fellow Olympians to victory against the Titans, who originally controlled the world, overthrowing his father Cronus in the process. Zeus was more powerful than the rest of the gods combined, yet he could be deceived by them. Despite his grandeur, he has an unsavory reputation for pursuing one mortal woman after another. As Edith Hamilton wrote in Mythology, we find him descending to all manner of tricks to hide his infidelity from his wife.2. HeraZeus had good reason to keep these extramarital escapades on the downlow. Hera, his better half (also his sister), only comes with one setting: vengeful. We rarely see her doing anything other than punishing her husbands unlucky paramours, not to mention their illegitimate offspring. When Zeus took a liking to princess Io, Hera turned her into a heifer, then sent a gadfly like a horse fly to sting her constantly. When Alcmene gave birth (by Zeus) to Hercules, Hera sent two snakes to kill him in his cradle, though the infant strangled them with his bare hands. As Hamilton put it, She never forgot an injury.(Credit: Zwiebackesser/Shutterstock)3. PoseidonRuler of the sea and second only to his brother Zeus, Poseidon watched over all the maritime exploits of ancient Greece. He decided when storms would rise and recede, holding his famous three-pronged trident in one hand and the fates of sailors in the other. Hes mostly remembered today as a seafaring deity, but he was also God of earthquakes, and was deeply honored for giving humanity the horse. Oddly enough, he even sired one: Pegasus, the winged steed of the hero Bellerophon.4. HermesZeuss son and messenger, Hermes flew as fleet as thought on his winged sandals. He was the cleverest of the gods on the day he was born he stole Apollos cattle, then invented the lyre and gave it to him as a peace offering. Hermes wore many hats: protector of livestock, God of fertility, guardian of travelers, thieves and merchants. He was also a psychopomp, a figure who leads souls in their journey to the underworld. According to Hamilton, he shows up more often in Greek mythology than any other god. 5. DemeterAs goddess of the harvest, Demeters story provided the Greeks with an explanation for why we have seasons. When she learned that her daughter, Persephone, had been abducted by Hades, her grief robbed the world of vitality. No seed sprang up, Hamilton wrote. It seemed the whole race of men would die of famine.Finally, Zeus ordered his brother to return Persephone. He agreed, but before releasing her he made her eat a pomegranate seed because by mythological logic he knew it would bind her to the underworld. Though she was free to return to Olympus with her mother, restoring Earths abundance, she had to come back to Hades for four months each year. During that time, which we call winter, Demeter grieves afresh.6. ApolloOften described as the most Greek of all the gods, Apollo was something of a Renaissance man. He entertained Olympus with his lyre, taught humankind the art of medicine, and had no rival in archery. Yet hes best known as the god of light, hauling the sun across the sky in his chariot each day.He was also one of the most important gods in day-to-day life. If you had a big question about whether to go to war, say, or about whom to marry you asked Apollos oracle at Delphi. In this way, Hamilton wrote, he served as a direct link between gods and men, guiding men to know the divine will.(Credit: Yueh Chiang/Shutterstock)7. ArtemisArtemis, Apollos twin sister, was goddess of the hunt. In paintings and sculpture, shes almost always depicted with a deer or hunting dog at her side. Later, Greek poets also identify her with Selene, the personification of the moon, likely because her brother Apollo was by then conflated with the sun god Helios. As one of the three virgin goddesses (along with Athena and Hestia), she never married and had rather severe notions about chastity. When a young hunter named Actaeon saw her bathing naked, she transformed him into a deer and his hunting dogs tore him to shreds. 8. AthenaIts fitting that Athens (the cultural center of the Greek universe) bears Athenas name, because she was first and foremost the venerated protector of cities. Usually depicted in full battle armor, she put her tremendous wisdom and practical reason to work in defending civilization. She was something of an urban counterpart to outdoorsy Artemis.Athena was Zeuss favorite child, and unique among his children in that she had no mother instead, she sprang full-grown from his forehead. She carried his aegis, a shield made from the hide of a gorgon (one of those monsters with snakes for hair). (Credit: Yueh Chiang/Shutterstock)9. AphroditeA ravishing goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite is the ultimate sex symbol so irresistible, Hamilton wrote, that she stole away even the wits of the wise. Some authors call her a child of Zeus, but others say she arose from the foam produced by the severed testicles of Uranus, which were cast into the sea by his son Cronus. Nothing out of the ordinary here.Aphrodite could be terribly jealous, particularly when she learned that her temples were being neglected because people had started offering gifts to a stunningly beautiful mortal named Psyche. She sent her son Eros to make Psyche fall for some hideous monster, but he accidentally wounded himself with one of his arrows, and he fell in love with her himself. 10. AresAres doesnt show up often in mythology, except as an impersonal symbol of war. Hes described as murderous, a plague upon humanity. Unlike his sister Athena (who was associated with military strategy and other relatively civilized aspects of warfare), Ares represented pure savagery. Neither the Greeks nor his fellow gods cared much for him.In an unlikely twist, one of the few stories about Ares involves a long-term affair between him and Aphrodite, despite her marriage to Hephaestus. How this bloodthirsty black sheep wooed the most beautiful being in the universe is anyones guess.(Credit: Yueh Chiang/Shutterstock)11. HephaestusIts just as much a mystery how Aphrodite wound up with Hephaestus, a creature so ugly he was cast out of Olympus by his parents, Zeus and Hera. That said, he was well respected among mortals as the god of fire, a blacksmith who forged weapons and other military equipment. Olympus eventually welcomed him back, and he was honored there too for his fine craftsmanship. Besides being unsightly, Hephaestus was lame and also had the misfortune of an unfaithful wife. But he used his considerable smithing skills for revenge after catching Aphrodite and Ares in the act, he bound them in unbreakable chains and dragged them before the rest of the pantheon for a good old public shaming.12. Dionysus/HestiaThe final seat in Olympus has two contenders: Dionysus, God of wine and ecstasy, and Hestia, goddess of the family hearth. Dionysus, though actually a demigod with a mortal mother, was one of the most important of all divine figures. The Greeks held an annual festival in his honor, during which they staged tragedies and comedies and got rip-roaring drunk. He also had a literal cult following, centered on sex, intoxication, and brutal sacrifice.Hestia doesnt have much of a personality and plays no part in myth. But nevertheless, as a symbol of home and family, she was near to the Greek heart. Every meal began and ended with an offering to her, Hamilton wrote. Cities, too, had public hearths devoted to Hestia, and her followers ensured their fires never went out.Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:Edith Hamilton. MythologyKen Dowden. University of BirminghamCody Cottier is a contributing writer at Discover who loves exploring big questions about the universe and our home planet, the nature of consciousness, the ethical implications of science and more. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and media production from Washington State University.

The field team sampling a lake near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, that browned after the extreme events.Credit: Adam Heathcote ShareJasmine Saros has visited West Greenland every summer since 2011. Saros, a professor of lake ecology at the University of Maine, travels north annually to collect data on the regions fresh waters. In 2022, she conducted her usual rounds of sampling and assessment on the 10 representative lakes that her and her colleagues routinely visit. Everything was generally as expectedslowly shifting in accordance with climate change, but outwardly appearing as it had for more than a decade. Then suddenly, it wasnt.The next year, summer 2023, Saros returned to find the familiar lakes utterly transformed. You could see it right away, she says. The water bodies had gone from crystal clear and bluetheir rocky bottoms as visible as if looking through glassto a steeped tea-brown. At first, the scientists thought perhaps it was just one lake, then two, then three. Until every single lake we went to had changed in this way, Saros says. There was this major transformation that occurred across all the lakes in the landscape, she tells Popular Science. It was really astonishing.Historically, West Greenland is a relatively arid expanse of tundra. In summer, the thawed landscape is covered in low-lying vegetation, with permafrost sitting still-frozen beneath the soil. The region is dotted with thousands of lakes. In Saros study area, she and her co-researchers estimate there are 7,486. She expects that most, if not all, have turned from blue to brown.How a lakeKangerlussuaq, Greenlandappeared prior to a series of extreme weather events. Credit: Rachel Fowler The color shift isnt just aesthetic. Its a sign that the lakes fundamental ecology was altered over the course of a single year, according to a study published January 21 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Among the changes: the lakes lost 90% of their microbial biodiversity, gained 1,000% more dissolved iron, and went from absorbing carbon dioxide to emitting itshifting from sink to source, per the new research, led by Saros.The transformation, brought about by one especially warm and wet fall, could be permanent. Its an illustration of what happens when climate tipping pointsoften discussed in the abstract, as something were ever-approachingactually come to pass, and an ecosystem topples over the proverbial cliff. And its a warning of what could happen everywhere else. We focus on lakes in the Arctic because they are such great sentinels of climate change. They tend to show change before other lake ecosystems do, says Saros. The Arctic is warming especially fast and climate is a primary driver of change there, as theres low human density and little development. But nowhere is immune.In Greenland, the scientists responded to the newly brown lakes by amassing all the data they could. As usual, they hiked to their study sites carrying heavy backpacks full of equipment and ventured out on each lake in an inflatable raft. They scooped up water from different depths, netted for plankton, used sensors to record temperature and pH, and even measured the lakes light absorbance. Back in the lab, they analyzed their samples and checked for dissolved organic matter, metals, and living organisms.The browned waters of a lake near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. Prior to the extreme events, lake waters were crystal clear. Credit: Vaclava Hazukova They found profound differences between the 2023 water and prior years. There was far more dissolved organic matterthink soil, decaying muck, and plant detritus infused into a broth. Iron levels shot up by two orders of magnitude, and other metals like aluminum and cobalt were also more abundant. There were far fewer bacterial taxa present, and far more algae. Photosynthesis decreased, as the deeper zones of each lake became lifeless deprived of light. Methane jumped by 72%, and the lakes were newly sources of summertime greenhouse gas emissions, spitting out more than four times as much carbon dioxide as before, while taking in less.To determine why, the researchers surveyed years of weather and climate data. The homed in on a two month period in the fall of 2022 when Greenland experienced record heat and rainfall, resulting from multiple back-to-back atmospheric rivers. During the heatwave and excess rains, lots of permafrost thawed, releasing a large volume of organic matter and metals bound in the soil. This extreme autumn season essentially led to a big flushing of that material into lakes, says Saros. Lakes expanded and became more connected to each other, intermixing and spreading the change far and wide. Additional heavy rains and heat in July 2023 added to the pile-on. Satellite imagery suggests the change wasnt specific to the lakes. With the added heat and water, the land changed too, becoming measurably greener.Lake browning is not a new phenomenon. Its happened numerous times in Earths history in response to climate shifts or other changes in local conditions. But generally it would unfold much more slowly, over centuries or longer. In the northern part of the United States, for example, it would take about 1,000 years for that kind of change in color to happen naturally, Saros explains. I never thought such a dramatic change could happen in less than a year, she says. A related, rapid change has been noted in some of Alaskas rivers, also in response to permafrost thaw. Its ecological modification at hyper speed.The browned waters of a lake near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. Prior to the extreme events, lake waters were crystal clear. Credit: Adam Heathcote In September 2003, Greenland experienced a similar influx of precipitation. But the accompanying warmth was less extreme. As a result, a higher proportion of the moisture fell as snow, less permafrost thawed, and the lakes didnt dramatically shift states. Climate change is making both heatwaves and atmospheric rivers more common in the Arctic. Models predict anywhere from 50 to 290% more of the concentrated rainfall events in Greenland by 2100.Its unclear what conditions or how much time would be needed for the lakes to revert back to their former state, says Saros. Perhaps a series of dry years might help, with the sun bleaching the organic matter. But, at the same time, dry weather means more evaporation and less flushing out of contaminants. Its hard to predict, she notes. Yet on our current climate trajectory, she doesnt expect to see the lakes blue again anytime soon. I think [the change] is likely to persist, Saros says. She and her co-authors will continue keeping tabs on the water bodies, to learn what the future holds and in the hope recovery is possible.For now though, the consequences are unfolding for people in the present. Some Greenlandic communities rely on lakes for their drinking water. The ecosystem changes could pose health risks to humans, like metal toxicity. There are ways of treating and filtering water to mitigate the harms, but all of that requires infrastructure investment. We shared our data and talked to various people in the community, says Saros, but shes not yet sure what they plan to do.

Nature, Published online: 20 January 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00167-3Device that links neural signals to fine movements provides unprecedented control over speed and direction in a video-game obstacle course.