Kuru is a very rare disease. It is caused by an infectious protein (prion) found in contaminated human brain tissue. Kuru is found among people from New Guinea who practiced a form of cannibalism in which they ate the brains of dead people as part of a funeral ritual. This practice stopped in 1960, but cases of kuru were reported for many years afterward because the disease has a long incubation period. The incubation period is the time it takes for laughing death disease symptoms to appear after being exposed to the agent that causes disease.
The name kuru means “to shiver” or “trembling in fear.” The symptoms of the disease include muscle twitching and loss of coordination. Other laughing death disease symptoms include difficulty walking, involuntary movements, behavioral and mood changes, dementia, and difficulty eating. The latter can cause malnutrition. Kuru has no known cure. It’s usually fatal within one year of contraction.
The identification and study of kuru helped along scientific research in a number of ways. It was the first neurodegenerative disease resulting from an infectious agent. It led to the creation of a new class of diseases including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease, and fatal familial insomnia. Today the study of kuru still impacts research on neurodegenerative diseases.
Kuru Laughing Death Disease Symptoms?
Symptoms of more common neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease or stroke may resemble kuru symptoms. These include:
difficulty walking
poor coordination
difficulty swallowing
slurred speech
moodiness and behavioral changes
dementia
muscle twitching and tremors
inability to grasp objects
random, compulsive laughing or crying
Kuru occurs in three stages. It’s usually preceded by headache and joint pain. Since these are common symptoms, they are often missed as clues that a more serious disease is underway. In the first stage, a person with kuru exhibits some loss of bodily control. They may have difficulty balancing and maintaining posture. In the second stage, or sedentary stage, the person is unable to walk. Body tremors and significant involuntary jerks and movements begin to occur. In the third stage, the person is usually bedridden and incontinent. They lose the ability to speak. They may also exhibit dementia or behavior changes, causing them to seem unconcerned about their health. Starvation and malnutrition usually set in at the third stage, due to the difficulty of eating and swallowing. These secondary symptoms can lead to death within a year. Most people end up dying from pneumonia.
What are the causes of Kuru?
Kuru belongs to a class of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), also called prion diseases. It primarily affects the cerebellum — the part of your brain responsible for coordination and balance.
Unlike most infections or infectious agents, kuru is not caused by a bacteria, virus, or fungus. Infectious, abnormal proteins known as prions cause kuru. Prions are not living organisms and do not reproduce. They are inanimate, misshapen proteins that multiply in the brain and form clumps, hindering normal brain processes.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob, Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease, and fatal familial insomnia are other degenerative diseases caused by prions. These spongiform diseases, as well as kuru, create sponge-like holes in your brain and are fatal.
You can contract the disease by eating an infected brain or coming into contact with open wounds or sores of someone infected with it. Kuru developed primarily in the Fore people of New Guinea when they ate the brains of dead relatives during funeral rites. Women and children were mainly infected because they were the primary participants in these rites.
The New Guinea government has discouraged the practice of cannibalism. Cases still appear, given the disease’s long incubation period, but they are rare.
Transmission
In 1961, Australian Michael Alpers conducted extensive field studies among the Fore accompanied by anthropologist Shirley Lindenbaum. Their historical research suggested the epidemic may have originated around 1900 from a single individual who lived on the edge of Fore territory and who is thought to have spontaneously developed some form of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. Alpers and Lindenbaum’s research conclusively demonstrated that kuru spread easily and rapidly in the Fore people due to their endocannibalistic funeral practices, in which relatives consumed the bodies of the deceased to return the “life force” of the deceased to the hamlet, a Fore societal subunit. Corpses of family members were often buried for days, then exhumed once the corpses were infested with maggots, at which point the corpse would be dismembered and served with the maggots as a side dish.
The demographic distribution evident in the infection rates – kuru was eight to nine times more prevalent in women and children than in men at its peak – is because Fore men considered consuming human flesh to weaken them in times of conflict or battle, while the women and children were more likely to eat the bodies of the deceased, including the brain, where the prion particles were particularly concentrated. Also, the strong possibility exists that it was passed on to women and children more easily because they took on the task of cleaning relatives after death and may have had open sores and cuts on their hands.
Although ingestion of the prion particles can lead to the disease, a high degree of transmission occurred if the prion particles could reach the subcutaneous tissue. With elimination of cannibalism because of Australian colonial law enforcement and the local Christian missionaries’ efforts, Alpers’ research showed that kuru was already declining among the Fore by the mid‑1960s. However, the mean incubation period of the disease is 14 years, and 7 cases were reported with latencies of 40 years or more for those who were most genetically resilient, continuing to appear for several more decades. Sources disagree on whether the last sufferer died in 2005 or 2009.
The Plague of Justinian, an epidemic that afflicted the Eastern Roman Empire, claimed nearly 10,00,00,000 lives. Plagues and epidemics have ravaged humanity throughout its existence, often changing the course of history. Throughout the course of history, disease outbreaks have ravaged humanity, sometimes changing the course of history and, at times, signaling the end of entire civilizations. Here we discuss the top worst epidemics throughout history, dating from prehistoric to modern times.
Throughout history, epidemics have been responsible for hundreds of thousands of lives lost. The reason epidemics have claimed so many lives is that they are usually highly communicable diseases which reach large populations in very short times. The number of cases of the disease quickly exceeds what would normally be expected within the population. These diseases could be viral, bacterial, or other health events (like obesity). Some epidemics have been so great that they left a permanent impact on the population at the time. Some of the worst of these can be found below.
Epidemics With the Highest Number of Deaths
Plague of Justinian (Byzantine Empire, 541 – 750)
The Plague of Justinian hit humanity between 541 and 542 AD. It was responsible for the highest number of lives lost in an epidemic in history. Estimates believe 100 million people died during this time, which was half the world population. This plague was able to spread so quickly because it was carried on the backs of rodents, whose fleas were infected with the bacteria. These rats traveled all over the world on trading ships and helped spread the infection from China to Northern Africa and all over the Mediterranean. The Plague of Justinian is attributed with having weakened the Byzantine Empire in several ways. The military lost power and was no longer able to fend off intruders. Farmers became sick, and agricultural production declined. With a smaller agricultural base, income taxes fell. Thousands of people died daily at the height of the destructive plague.
Black Plague (Mostly Europe, 1346 to 1350)
The Black Plague claimed the lives of 50 million people from 1346 to 1350. The outbreak began in Asia and, once again, was carried throughout the world by rats covered with infected fleas. After its arrival in Europe, it spread death and destruction. Europe lost 60% of its population to the Black Death. Symptoms of this disease began with swelling of the lymph nodes, either in the groin, armpit, or neck. After 6 to 10 days of infection and sickness, 80% of infected people die. The virus was spread via blood and airborne particles. This epidemic changed the course of European history. The lack of understanding of the origin of the disease led the Christian population to blame the Jewish community of poisoning the water wells; as a result of this accusation, thousands of Jews were killed. Others believed it was punishment dealt from Heaven for leading sinful lives. The world saw agricultural shortages as in the Plague of Justinian, and malnutrition and hunger were rampant. After the ending of the Black Death, the decline in population resulted in increased wages and cheap land. The available area was used for animal husbandry and meat consumption throughout the region increased.
HIV/AIDS (Worldwide, 1960- Present)
The HIV/AIDS epidemic began in 1960 and continues to the present day, although the scariest moments happened during the 1980s when the world became informed of its existence. So far, this virus has caused the death of 39 million people. By the 1980s, HIV was believed to infect somebody on every continent. Rare lung infections, rapidly advancing cancers, and unexplained immune deficiencies were rampant among gay men, and at the time, doctors believed it was caused by same-sex activity. A large number of Haitians were also carriers of the virus, which were not named until 1982. Cases were identified in Europe and Africa. In 1983, it was discovered that transmission occurred via heterosexual activities as well. Medicine for treatment was not available until 1987. Today, about 37 million people are living with HIV. For those individuals with access to antiretroviral medication, life expectancy has been extended. Currently, this virus is particularly aggressive in Sub-Saharan Africa, where at least 68% of all global HIV/AIDS infections are found. The reasons for this are many but stem from poor economic conditions and little to no sex education.
Other Epidemics
Other epidemics that have resulted in numerous deaths include the: 1918 Flu (20 million deaths); Modern Plague, 1894-1903 (10 million); Asian Flu, 1957-1958 (2 million); Sixth Cholera Pandemic, 1899-1923 (1.5 million); Russian Flu, 1889-1890 (1 million); Hong Kong Flu, 1968-1969 (1 million); and the Fifth Cholera Pandemic, 1881-1896 (981,899).
Future Epidemics
The next global epidemic is the fear of many public health professionals. Given the ease of mobility and absolute globalization of today, a rapidly spreading disease that could wipe out the population is easy to imagine. The likelihood that this epidemic would come from animals is very high. New infectious pathogens are being discovered every day. Large farms pose the greatest danger because of the constant contact between animals and people; the potential of cross-contagion is increased. It is important that governments and public health officials maintain a strong, vigilant network to prevent widespread diseases in the future.
What Was the Top Worst Epidemic Throughout History?
The Plague of Justinian, an epidemic that afflicted the Eastern Roman Empire, claimed nearly 10,00,00,000 lives. It was the worst epidemic in history, followed by the Black Plague.
Plagues and epidemics have ravaged humanity throughout its existence, often changing the course of history. Throughout the course of history, disease outbreaks have ravaged humanity, sometimes changing the course of history and, at times, signaling the end of entire civilizations. Here are top worst pandemics throughout history, dating from prehistoric to modern times.
1. Prehistoric epidemic: Circa 3000 B.C.
About 5,000 years ago, an epidemic wiped out a prehistoric village in China. The bodies of the dead were stuffed inside a house that was later burned down. No age group was spared, as the skeletons of juveniles, young adults and middle-age people were found inside the house. The archaeological site is now called “Hamin Mangha” and is one of the best-preserved prehistoric sites in northeastern China. Archaeological and anthropological study indicates that the epidemic happened quickly enough that there was no time for proper burials, and the site was not inhabited again.
Before the discovery of Hamin Mangha, another prehistoric mass burial that dates to roughly the same time period was found at a site called Miaozigou, in northeastern China. Together, these discoveries suggest that an epidemic ravaged the entire region.
2. Plague of Athens: 430 B.C.
Around 430 B.C., not long after a war between Athens and Sparta began, an epidemic ravaged the people of Athens and lasted for five years. Some estimates put the death toll as high as 100,000 people. The Greek historian Thucydides (460-400 B.C.) wrote that “people in good health were all of a sudden attacked by violent heats in the head, and redness and inflammation in the eyes, the inward parts, such as the throat or tongue, becoming bloody and emitting an unnatural and fetid breath” (translation by Richard Crawley from the book “The History of the Peloponnesian War,” London Dent, 1914).
What exactly this epidemic was has long been a source of debate among scientists; a number of diseases have been put forward as possibilities, including typhoid fever and Ebola. Many scholars believe that overcrowding caused by the war exacerbated the epidemic. Sparta’s army was stronger, forcing the Athenians to take refuge behind a series of fortifications called the “long walls” that protected their city. Despite the epidemic, the war continued on, not ending until 404 B.C., when Athens was forced to capitulate to Sparta.
3. Antonine Plague: A.D. 165-180
When soldiers returned to the Roman Empire from campaigning, they brought back more than the spoils of victory. The Antonine Plague, which may have been smallpox, laid waste to the army and may have killed over 5 million people in the Roman empire, wrote April Pudsey, a senior lecturer in Roman History at Manchester Metropolitan University, in a paper published in the book “Disability in Antiquity,” Routledge, 2017).
Many historians believe that the epidemic was first brought into the Roman Empire by soldiers returning home after a war against Parthia. The epidemic contributed to the end of the Pax Romana (the Roman Peace), a period from 27 B.C. to A.D. 180, when Rome was at the height of its power. After A.D. 180, instability grew throughout the Roman Empire, as it experienced more civil wars and invasions by “barbarian” groups. Christianity became increasingly popular in the time after the plague occurred.
4. Plague of Cyprian: A.D. 250-271
Named after St. Cyprian, a bishop of Carthage (a city in Tunisia) who described the epidemic as signaling the end of the world, the Plague of Cyprian is estimated to have killed 5,000 people a day in Rome alone. In 2014, archaeologists in Luxor found what appears to be a mass burial site of plague victims. Their bodies were covered with a thick layer of lime (historically used as a disinfectant). Archaeologists found three kilns used to manufacture lime and the remains of plague victims burned in a giant bonfire.
Experts aren’t sure what disease caused the epidemic. “The bowels, relaxed into a constant flux, discharge the bodily strength [and] a fire originated in the marrow ferments into wounds of the fauces (an area of the mouth),” Cyprian wrote in Latin in a work called “De mortalitate” (translation by Philip Schaff from the book “Fathers of the Third Century: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian, Appendix,” Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 1885).
5. Plague of Justinian: A.D. 541-542
The Byzantine Empire was ravaged by the bubonic plague, which marked the start of its decline. The plague reoccurred periodically afterward. Some estimates suggest that up to 10% of the world’s population died.
The plague is named after the Byzantine Emperor Justinian (reigned A.D. 527-565). Under his reign, the Byzantine Empire reached its greatest extent, controlling territory that stretched from the Middle East to Western Europe. Justinian constructed a great cathedral known as Hagia Sophia (“Holy Wisdom”) in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), the empire’s capital. Justinian also got sick with the plague and survived; however, his empire gradually lost territory in the time after the plague struck.
6. The Black Death: 1346-1353
The Black Death traveled from Asia to Europe, leaving devastation in its wake. Some estimates suggest that it wiped out over half of Europe’s population. It was caused by a strain of the bacterium Yersinia pestis that is likely extinct today and was spread by fleas on infected rodents. The bodies of victims were buried in mass graves.
The plague changed the course of Europe’s history. With so many dead, labor became harder to find, bringing about better pay for workers and the end of Europe’s system of serfdom. Studies suggest that surviving workers had better access to meat and higher-quality bread. The lack of cheap labor may also have contributed to technological innovation.
7. Cocoliztli epidemic: 1545-1548
The infection that caused the cocoliztli epidemic was a form of viral hemorrhagic fever that killed 15 million inhabitants of Mexico and Central America. Among a population already weakened by extreme drought, the disease proved to be utterly catastrophic. “Cocoliztli” is the Aztec word for “pest.”
A recent study that examined DNA from the skeletons of victims found that they were infected with a subspecies of Salmonella known as S. paratyphi C, which causes enteric fever, a category of fever that includes typhoid. Enteric fever can cause high fever, dehydration and gastrointestinal problems and is still a major health threat today.
8. American Plagues: 16th century
The American Plagues are a cluster of Eurasian diseases brought to the Americas by European explorers. These illnesses, including smallpox, contributed to the collapse of the Inca and Aztec civilizations. Some estimates suggest that 90% of the indigenous population in the Western Hemisphere was killed off.
The diseases helped a Spanish force led by Hernán Cortés conquer the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán in 1519 and another Spanish force led by Francisco Pizarro conquer the Incas in 1532. The Spanish took over the territories of both empires. In both cases, the Aztec and Incan armies had been ravaged by disease and were unable to withstand the Spanish forces. When citizens of Britain, France, Portugal and the Netherlands began exploring, conquering and settling the Western Hemisphere, they were also helped by the fact that disease had vastly reduced the size of any indigenous groups that opposed them.
9. Great Plague of London: 1665-1666
The Black Death’s last major outbreak in Great Britain caused a mass exodus from London, led by King Charles II. The plague started in April 1665 and spread rapidly through the hot summer months. Fleas from plague-infected rodents were one of the main causes of transmission. By the time the plague ended, about 100,000 people, including 15% of the population of London, had died. But this was not the end of that city’s suffering. On Sept. 2, 1666, the Great Fire of London started, lasting for four days and burning down a large portion of the city.
10. Great Plague of Marseille: 1720-1723
Historical records say that the Great Plague of Marseille started when a ship called Grand-Saint-Antoine docked in Marseille, France, carrying a cargo of goods from the eastern Mediterranean. Although the ship was quarantined, plague still got into the city, likely through fleas on plague-infected rodents.
Plague spread quickly, and over the next three years, as many as 100,000 people may have died in Marseille and surrounding areas. It’s estimated that up to 30% of the population of Marseille may have perished.
11. Russian plague: 1770-1772
In plague-ravaged Moscow, the terror of quarantined citizens erupted into violence. Riots spread through the city and culminated in the murder of Archbishop Ambrosius, who was encouraging crowds not to gather for worship.
The empress of Russia, Catherine II (also called Catherine the Great), was so desperate to contain the plague and restore public order that she issued a hasty decree ordering that all factories be moved from Moscow. By the time the plague ended, as many as 100,000 people may have died. Even after the plague ended, Catherine struggled to restore order. In 1773, Yemelyan Pugachev, a man who claimed to be Peter III (Catherine’s executed husband), led an insurrection that resulted in the deaths of thousands more.
12. Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic: 1793
When yellow fever seized Philadelphia, the United States’ capital at the time, officials wrongly believed that slaves were immune. As a result, abolitionists called for people of African origin to be recruited to nurse the sick.
The disease is carried and transmitted by mosquitoes, which experienced a population boom during the particularly hot and humid summer weather in Philadelphia that year. It wasn’t until winter arrived — and the mosquitoes died out — that the epidemic finally stopped. By then, more than 5,000 people had died.
13. Flu pandemic: 1889-1890
In the modern industrial age, new transport links made it easier for influenza viruses to wreak havoc. In just a few months, the disease spanned the globe, killing 1 million people. It took just five weeks for the epidemic to reach peak mortality.
The earliest cases were reported in Russia. The virus spread rapidly throughout St. Petersburg before it quickly made its way throughout Europe and the rest of the world, despite the fact that air travel didn’t exist yet.
14. American polio epidemic: 1916
A polio epidemic that started in New York City caused 27,000 cases and 6,000 deaths in the United States. The disease mainly affects children and sometimes leaves survivors with permanent disabilities.
Polio epidemics occurred sporadically in the United States until the Salk vaccine was developed in 1954. As the vaccine became widely available, cases in the United States declined. The last polio case in the United States was reported in 1979. Worldwide vaccination efforts have greatly reduced the disease, although it is not yet completely eradicated.
15. Spanish Flu: 1918-1920
An estimated 500 million people from the South Seas to the North Pole fell victim to Spanish Flu. One-fifth of those died, with some indigenous communities pushed to the brink of extinction. The flu’s spread and lethality was enhanced by the cramped conditions of soldiers and poor wartime nutrition that many people were experiencing during World War I.
Despite the name Spanish Flu, the disease likely did not start in Spain. Spain was a neutral nation during the war and did not enforce strict censorship of its press, which could therefore freely publish early accounts of the illness. As a result, people falsely believed the illness was specific to Spain, and the name Spanish Flu stuck.
16. Asian Flu: 1957-1958
The Asian Flu pandemic was another global showing for influenza. With its roots in China, the disease claimed more than 1 million lives. The virus that caused the pandemic was a blend of avian flu viruses.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that the disease spread rapidly and was reported in Singapore in February 1957, Hong Kong in April 1957, and the coastal cities of the United States in the summer of 1957. The total death toll was more than 1.1 million worldwide, with 116,000 deaths occurring in the United States.
17. AIDS pandemic and epidemic: 1981-present day
AIDS has claimed an estimated 35 million lives since it was first identified. HIV, which is the virus that causes AIDS, likely developed from a chimpanzee virus that transferred to humans in West Africa in the 1920s. The virus made its way around the world, and AIDS was a pandemic by the late 20th century. Now, about 64% of the estimated 40 million living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) live in sub-Saharan Africa.
For decades, the disease had no known cure, but medication developed in the 1990s now allows people with the disease to experience a normal life span with regular treatment. Even more encouraging, two people have been cured of HIV as of early 2020.
18. H1N1 Swine Flu pandemic: 2009-2010
The 2009 swine flu pandemic was caused by a new strain of H1N1 that originated in Mexico in the spring of 2009 before spreading to the rest of the world. In one year, the virus infected as many as 1.4 billion people across the globe and killed between 151,700 and 575,400 people, according to the CDC.
The 2009 flu pandemic primarily affected children and young adults, and 80% of the deaths were in people younger than 65, the CDC reported. That was unusual, considering that most strains of flu viruses, including those that cause seasonal flu, cause the highest percentage of deaths in people ages 65 and older. But in the case of the swine flu, older people seemed to have already built up enough immunity to the group of viruses that H1N1 belongs to, so weren’t affected as much. A vaccine for the H1N1 virus that caused the swine flu is now included in the annual flu vaccine.
19. West African Ebola epidemic: 2014-2016
Ebola ravaged West Africa between 2014 and 2016, with 28,600 reported cases and 11,325 deaths. The first case to be reported was in Guinea in December 2013, then the disease quickly spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone. The bulk of the cases and deaths occurred in those three countries. A smaller number of cases occurred in Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, the United States and Europe, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
There is no cure for Ebola, although efforts at finding a vaccine are ongoing. The first known cases of Ebola occurred in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1976, and the virus may have originated in bats.
20. Zika Virus epidemic: 2015-present day
The impact of the recent Zika epidemic in South America and Central America won’t be known for several years. In the meantime, scientists face a race against time to bring the virus under control. The Zika virus is usually spread through mosquitoes of the Aedes genus, although it can also be sexually transmitted in humans.
While Zika is usually not harmful to adults or children, it can attack infants who are still in the womb and cause birth defects. The type of mosquitoes that carry Zika flourish best in warm, humid climates, making South America, Central America and parts of the southern United States prime areas for the virus to flourish.
21. COVID-19 Pandemic 2019
Coronavirus is believed to have originated in Wuhan in China, the virus spread throughout Europe, the rest of Asia, North America and virtually every part of the world within months since it emerged in late 2019. It inflicted over 2 million people and killed hundreds of thousands worldwide.
In recent years, the global vodka consumption has recorded substantial growth. A recent report from the web-based research firm Euromonitor outlined the countries with the highest vodka consumption per capita in the world with the consumption being measured in shots. The report established the top 10 vodka drinking countries which were former members of the USSR topped the list with Russia coming in at first place.
Worldwide, people 15 and older consumed 6.2 liters of alcohol per person in 2010, according to a recent World Health Organization (WHO) report. Alcohol, in turn, contributed to some 3.3 million deaths as of 2012. In some countries, consumption, and the resultant health problems attached to drinking, were worse. In 10 countries residents consumed more than 13 or more liters per person as of 2010. In the heaviest drinking nation, residents consumed 17.5 liters on average. According to Tom Donaldson, president of the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS), historical and societal factors explain why certain countries have higher rates of consumption.
“In some of those areas, there are no public health awareness efforts whatsoever about the effects of alcohol consumption,” Donaldson said. Eight of the nations with the highest consumption did not have public policy initiatives to address the effects of alcohol consumption on the general public. Residents in these countries were also often among the most likely to suffer from alcohol use disorders. These include alcoholism and other forms of health-damaging use of alcohol. Such disorders lead to physical problems such as liver cirrhosis and mental illnesses such as depression. A number of serious diseases are largely caused by alcohol. Of the 3.3 million alcohol-related deaths world-wide, a third were caused by cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Half of all deaths due to liver cirrhosis are attributable to alcohol. Similarly, more than one quarter of all cases of pancreatitis and various types of mouth cancer are attributable to alcohol use.
From 24/7 Wall St., based on figures from the WHO, these are the heaviest drinking countries in the world:
Top 10 Vodka Drinking Countries
10. Slovakia
Alcohol per capita consumption: 13.0 liters (tied, 9th highest)
Percent binge drinking: 26.2% (16th highest)
Percent of deaths, alcohol-related: 7.7% (14th highest)
Life expectancy at birth: 76.1 years
Nearly 8% of deaths in Slovakia were alcohol related in 2012, one of the highest proportions among countries reviewed. By contrast, just 3.2% of deaths in the U.S. were alcohol related. In general, residents had bad drinking habits. More than 10% of people 15 years and older in the country had alcohol use disorders, including alcohol dependency. The rate for men was considerably higher, at 19.1%. Residents prefer spirits — which include distilled beverages such as vodka — considerably more than other forms of alcohol such as beer or wine. According to the WHO, Slovakia has also had issues with the use of alcohol not intended for human consumption, such as alcohol that is used for industrial purposes.
9. Czech Republic
Alcohol per capita consumption: 13.0 liters
Percent binge drinking: 36.5% (3rd highest)
Percent of deaths, alcohol-related: 5.8% (33rd highest)
Life expectancy at birth: 78.1 years
Only Austria and Lithuania had a higher percentage of binge drinkers than the Czech Republic. Czech males took the top spot in binge drinking, and Czech females drank among the most alcohol per capita out of the countries reviewed. According to WHO data, Czechs prefer to drink beer over any other alcoholic beverage. One factor that could contribute to the country’s heavy alcohol consumption is its lax alcohol policies. The Czech Republic does not have any systems in place to monitor the health or social consequences of alcohol consumption, nor does the government regulate the sale of alcohol.
At left, a street musician plays wine glasses on the Charles Bridge in Prague.
8. Hungary
Alcohol per capita consumption: 13.3 liters
Percent binge drinking: 25.4% (17th highest)
Percent of deaths, alcohol-related: 6.7% (22nd highest)
Life expectancy at birth: 75.1 years
Hungarians consumed an average of 13.3 liters of alcohol per person in 2010, less than just seven nations. No country had a higher rate of alcohol use disorders than Hungary, where 19.3% of the population abused alcohol in some form. As many as 32.2% of Hungarian men and 6.8% of women suffered from alcohol use disorders, the highest among countries reviewed. The country is also cited by the WHO as lacking key notifications on beverage containers, including labels for alcohol content.
At left, a man sleeps in front of a bank in Budapest.
7. Andorra
Alcohol per capita consumption: 13.8 liters
Percent binge drinking: 4.2% (69th lowest)
Percent of deaths, alcohol-related: 3.9% (77th highest)
Life expectancy at birth: n/a
Unlike many countries with high levels of alcohol consumption, Andorra’s economy is fairly prosperous. The small principality, located between France and Spain in the Pyrenees mountains, has an exceptionally strong tourism industry, which accounts for the majority of the country’s GDP. Illegal alcohol production was less common in Andorra than in many other heavy drinking nations, accounting for just 1.4 liters of per capita consumption. This may mean demand for alcohol is readily met through legal channels. Andorra’s population consumed 12.4 liters per capita on average when only legitimate purchases were measured, higher than all but two other countries. Most Andorrans prefer wine over other alcoholic beverages. Country residents were also considerably less likely to binge drink — just 4.2% of residents 15 and older engaged in binge drinking in the previous 30 days.
6. Ukraine
Alcohol per capita consumption: 13.9 liters
Percent binge drinking: 23.2% (24th highest)
Percent of deaths, alcohol-related: 34.4% (2nd highest)
Life expectancy at birth: 70.9 years
In addition to its current political turmoil, Ukraine has struggled with the effects of heavy alcohol consumption for some time. Only Belarus had a higher percentage of alcohol-related deaths than Ukraine. Spirits were the drink of choice in the country, accounting for nearly half of the alcoholic beverages consumed. Additionally, only people in the Republic of Moldova consumed more illegal alcoholic beverages per capita than in Ukraine. The country also had high percentages of both males and females 15 years of age and older who engaged in binge drinking.
5. Romania
Alcohol per capita consumption: 14.4 liters
Percent binge drinking: 7.9% (75th highest)
Percent of deaths, alcohol-related: 8.9% (11th highest)
Life expectancy at birth: 68.7 years
Drinking rates among younger Romanians were particularly high. More than 37% of teenagers between 15 and 19 years old had engaged in binge drinking in the past 30 days, more than in all but a handful of countries. As is usually the case, alcohol consumption was more of an issue among males — more than 55% of Romanian men ages 15 to 19 said they had engaged in binge drinking in the previous 30 days, considerably higher than most other countries. Binge drinking may be associated with alcohol related fatalities in the county. Nearly 9% of all deaths in 2012 were alcohol related, more than in all but a handful of nations.
4. Russian Federation
Alcohol per capita consumption: 15.1 liters
Percent binge drinking: 19.3% (32nd highest)
Percent of deaths, alcohol-related: 30.5% (5th highest)
Life expectancy at birth: 70.5 years
Russians drank 15.1 liters of alcohol per capita in 2010, among the highest averages in the world. And annual consumption is expected to remain high in the future, staying roughly around 15 liters per capita through 2025. With 18.2% of residents suffering from alcohol use disorders, more than any country except Hungary, alcohol abuse had adverse health effects for the Russian population. As of 2012, 30.5% of all deaths in Russia were related to alcohol consumption, among the highest rates in the world. A recent study in the acclaimed British medical journal, The Lancet, noted that “Russian adults have extraordinarily high rates of premature death” and that high levels of vodka consumption contributed to higher risks of early death in the country.
At left, former Soviet servicemen drink a toast during events to mark Victory Day in Stavropol May 9, 2014.
3. Lithuania
Alcohol per capita consumption: 15.4 liters
Percent binge drinking: 36.7% (2nd highest)
Percent of deaths, alcohol-related: 30.9% (4th highest)
Life expectancy at birth: 73.9 years
Lithuania was second only to Austria in terms of the percentage of drinkers who engaged in binge-drinking. In fact, nearly one-quarter of the women in the country engaged in binge drinking, more than women in any other country. More than 30% of deaths in Lithuania were related to alcohol consumption in 2012, a higher percentage than all but three other countries reviewed. Nearly 10% of the country’s population suffered from an alcohol use disorder, among the highest out of all nations reviewed. Although Lithuania does monitor alcohol consumption and measures its social and health consequences, drinking is still a national problem. In March, Lithuania’s prime minister announced that his office is working with the country’s liquor industry to draft a new excise tax on alcohol as a way to fight alcoholism and help decrease the amount of alcohol sold illegally.
2. Republic of Moldova
Alcohol per capita consumption: 16.8 liters
Percent binge drinking: 32.2% (8th highest)
Percent of deaths, alcohol-related: 33.1% (3rd highest)
Life expectancy at birth: 81.4 years
The Republic of Moldova’s economy is relatively underdeveloped, with GDP at just $3,562 per capita in 2013. A sluggish economy and high poverty rates — 16.6% in 2012, the highest rate in Europe — may make it more difficult for residents to acquire alcohol through legitimate channels. Moldova was among the only countries where illicit alcohol consumption exceeded government sanctioned alcohol consumption, with the population consuming 10.5 liters per capita on average of illegal alcohol. Roughly one third of all deaths in Moldova could be linked to alcohol, more than in all but two other countries. Moldova’s consumption of alcohol trailed only Belarus in the WHO’s most recent study. Consumption rates, however, are projected to reach 17.4% by 2015, ahead of the prediction for Belarus. While increases in consumption rates are expected to continue well past 2015, the country adopted the National Programme of Alcohol Control in 2012 to reduce harmful alcohol use.
At left, a wine fountain outside the Mileștii Mici winery in Moldova.
1. Belarus
Alcohol per capita consumption: 17.5 liters
Percent binge drinking: 26.5% (14th highest)
Percent of deaths, alcohol-related: 34.7% (the highest)
Life expectancy at birth: 72.1 years
Belarus had the world’s highest level of alcohol consumption, with 17.5 liters of alcohol consumed per capita. The country’s high level of consumption has had serious health consequences on its residents. Belarus trailed just two other countries, Russia and Hungary, with 17.5% of the population suffering from an alcohol use disorder. In all, alcohol was a factor in nearly 35% of all deaths in the country, the most out of any nation in the world. Belarus has publicly and aggressively cracked down on production of bootleg alcohol. Alcohol produced illegally accounted for 3.2 liters of per capita consumption on average, among the highest levels in the world. Despite a low unemployment rate, Belarus’ economy is heavily state-controlled and often considered inefficient. The country has suffered from extraordinarily high inflation for years as well. At left, Belarusian fishermen drink Vodka to warm-up as they fish on lake Minskoe outside the capital.
Nature comes in many avatars, each with its unique beauty. With their breathtaking sunrises, spectacular sunsets and black starry nights, deserts are some of the most beautiful environments in the world. They are also home to a multitude of exotic plants and animals. The peace and tranquility of the desert wilderness make them attractive travel destinations. However, looks can be deceiving and there are dangers lurking beyond the horizon. Ways A Desert Can Kill You, Here are 10 facts about the desert that will help save your life.
1. A poisonous snake could bite you, and you could die.
2. You could prick your finger on a previously undiscovered poisonous cactus.
3. The cactus isn’t poisonous, and neither is the snake, but the snake’s venom is a powerful anti-coagulant. You could bleed to death from the place you were bitten and/or pricked.
My mother says that English gardens don’t belong in New Mexico. Whenever we drive into town for supplies she throws dirty looks at all the houses with grass and flowers and automatic sprinklers. She spends a lot of time working on her rock gardens and moisture collection systems. “Cacti are just as beautiful as lawns,” she tells me each time we buy another one. The English gardens remind me of home, even though home is Baltimore, not England. The sun is more intense here. Mom says it’s a dry heat, but it just feels hot to me.
4. You could wander into a deserted town, but it turns out to be a nuclear testing facility. I saw that one in a movie.
5. There is an entrance to an old mine shaft hidden under the sand, and you could fall through the hole and break your neck and die.
6. You could survive the fall into the mineshaft, but then the ghost of a forty-niner kills you with a pickax.
We left Baltimore five weeks ago. Mom came home early from her job at the space telescope. She said, “Pack your summer clothes and your five favorite things, Allie. We’re leaving on an adventure.” If I had known her idea of an adventure I might have packed better. I would have said goodbye to my friends.
7. You could see a lake, but it is only a mirage. You drink it, thinking the sand is water, and you choke on the sand and die.
To be fair, she didn’t bring more than five things either. She brought: a picture of the three of us when Dad was still alive; a book called Living Off the Grid; her biggest home telescope; and probably a couple of things I haven’t seen, since that’s only three. I assume she’s not counting stuff like sheets and pots and pans and her gardening hat.
I brought: my favorite stuffed animal, Charley the Sea Lion; my photo album; my eReader and my iPod (the only electronic things Mom let me take) and a solar charger for both, which didn’t count as a separate thing; and the cat, Gandalf the Gray.
We fought about Gandy. She said we should just ask the neighbors to watch him while we were gone. I said favorites are favorites, and she had already vetoed my laptop and my DS. She said cats aren’t things. I said no, but cat carriers are, and she would feel guilty if I took an empty cat carrier as one of my favorite things. I am so glad I fought for Gandy, now that I know where we were headed. I don’t know why I thought to bring him when I didn’t know we’d be gone for a long time. Maybe that’s what happens when you have to narrow your life down to five favorite things. Does it get easier or harder when you’re as old as Mom? She’s lived long enough to find more favorite things, but also had more time to figure out which ones are more important than others. I wonder if I’m one of her five things.
If I had known how long we would be gone, I would have pushed her on a couple of other things. Instead of just bringing the electronic books, I would have argued that a home library is a single thing. I think she would have gone for that. This notebook was a secret sixth thing, smuggled in my clothing. If Mom noticed, she didn’t say anything.
8. One word: Roswell. This applies if you are an alien, but possibly also if you saw an alien land.
9. The canyon you are walking in could be overtaken by a flash flood, and you drown.
10. You could step on a fire ant hill, and they swarm your legs and your body and your arms, and you die.
If I had siblings maybe this wouldn’t be so difficult. Maybe I wouldn’t mind that there are no other kids around, or that I’m not allowed off our property on my own. We have to drive everywhere, which means we never get to go anywhere I want. Mom says gas is too expensive to waste on frivolous trips. “This whole move was a frivolous trip,” I told her last week. She made me go to my room, but my room is right next to hers, so I heard her crying a little while later.
If I had siblings maybe I wouldn’t mind that everything outside the front door burns, bites, stabs, or stings. We would play board games. We could pool our allowances to buy a television even though Mom doesn’t want us to have one. We could buy a tablet or a game console or a computer with satellite Internet access.
“What’s wrong with reading?” Mom would ask us, just like she asks me now.
“Nothing,” my sassy older sister would say. “We love reading. But we could use some new books. Ones we haven’t read a thousand times. We just want a little something to break up the evening. You know, since we don’t have any other friends here.”
I don’t know who would win the argument. Some days I imagine it going one way, some days the other. If I had an older sister she would take some of the pressure off me, so I wouldn’t feel like such a jerk every time I ask for something. I don’t think I’m being unreasonable. I really don’t.
11. You could wander for years, eating only cactus and the occasional jackrabbit. The rabbit tends to be old and gamey since you can only catch the slow ones. You starve in increments, but you die.
12. You could die of exposure; your fair skin is not cut out for the unrelenting, gradual poison of the sun.
13. You could find a real oasis and you are so thirsty you just keep drinking water. You drink too much, like that woman who tried to win a radio contest for a game console, and then you die. That may be irony, to die of drinking too much water in the desert.
14. You could find a shack that turns out to belong to a deranged serial killer who had purposefully removed himself from society. Now that you are there, he can’t help himself.
Animal pollinators play a crucial role in flowering plant reproduction and in the production of most fruits and vegetables. Unusual Plant Pollinators, most plants require the assistance of pollinators to produce seeds and fruit. About 80% of all flowering plants and over three-quarters of the staple crop plants that feed humankind rely on animal pollinators.
Pollinators visit flowers in search of food, mates, shelter and nest-building materials. The energy that powers pollinator growth, metamorphosis, flight and reproduction comes from sugars in nectar, and the proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals from pollen grains.
The secret bond of the partnership is that neither plant nor pollinator populations can exist in isolation – should one disappear, the other is one generation away from disaster.
Learn more about these very important pollinators and the flowers they visit:
Elephants
As one of the world’s largest flowers, it’s not surprising the Rafflesia plant also has the largest animal pollinator, elephants! These ground level flowers are unique in many ways, including their parasitic attachment to other plants and a rancid smell which has gained it the nickname “corpse plant”. As elephants migrate through the rainforests of Indonesia the large pollen grains of the Rafflesia attach themselves to their feet, spreading out in a process called Elephophily, meaning pollination via elephants.
Lemurs
Madagascar is home to a wondrous variety of unique plants and animals, including lemurs and the Traveler’s Palm tree. Not surprisingly, these two share a symbiotic relationship in the island’s forest. Both the Black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata) and the Black lemur (Eulemur macaco) enjoy a snack of nectar by tearing open the tough flowers of the Traveler’s Palm and dipping their snouts and long tongues in for a sweet treat. Pollen collects on their muzzle, fur, and forearms and is transferred from tree to tree, making the lemur the main pollinator of this plant.
Honey Possum
Similar to the lemur, Australia’s honey possums have a synergistic coexistence with the banksia and eucalyptus trees. This tiny marsupial doesn’t actually eat honey, instead it uses its prehensile feet and tail to grasp and dangle from tree limbs as it sips flower nectar using its long long tongue. With its tail, limbs, and pointed snout dusted with pollen, the honey possum pollinates as it swings and hangs from branch to branch.
Geckos
In neighboring New Zealand, numerous scientific studies have been conducted on the ways in which geckos pollinate the island nation’s many varieties of wild flowers. Without the fur of other animal pollinators scientists wanted to know how these tiny lizards distribute pollen as they stop to sip the nectar. Experiments revealed that the sticky sap from trees and syrupy liquid emitted from aphids clings to the geckos bodies, trapping tiny bits of pollen with it. As the geckos forage, they rub their bodies up against neighboring plants resulting in pollination.
Bushbabies
These adorable pollinating primates, also called galagos, are native to sub-saharan Africa. Better known for their wide eyes and wailing, baby-like cry, bushbabies are essential to the pollination of the Baobab Tree. With its white and yellow flowers and sweet scent, the Baobab tree produces fruit containing many nutrients that benefit bushbabies and humans alike. In addition to eating the ripe fruit, bushbabies enjoy a sweet snack of syrupy nectar when the tree is in flower. In this way, bushbabies spread both seeds and pollen through their consumption of the plant.
Sugar Gliders
Another pint-sized pollinating possum, sugar gliders spread the membrane between their arms and legs to sail over 150 feet through the air. This gliding ability makes it possible to cover huge swaths of forest in search of food, and to spread pollen widely. Like the honey possum, sugar gliders enjoy eating pollen and drinking nectar from a variety of plants, spreading remnants of their meals that cling to their furry bodies and snouts.
Skinks
Like their lizard cousins in New Zealand, the Noronha skinks of Brazil are unlikely partners in pollination. During the dry season the mulungu tree blooms, and the small skinks slip inside the flower to sip out the nectar to hydrate. Pollen adheres to the scales of their body, and spreads as the skinks move from flower to flower in search of something refreshing to drink during the drought.
Ladybugs
In Austria ladybugs are thought to be lucky charms, bringers of good luck and prosperity. These beauteous beetles certainly bring both to the plant world. In addition to being the natural enemy to plant destroying aphids, ladybugs are prodigious pollinators as they land from one wide opening flower to the next in gardens worldwide.
Bats
Most of the animal pollinators on this list do their dining during the day, but what about some of the world’s rarest flowers that blossom only at night? Among the night bloomers are many cactus species, like agave, which bloom after dark to conserve water and energy. Fortunately, nectar hungry bats don’t need the light to find these flowers, attracted by their strong odor and found using echolocation.
Elephant Shrew
This list began with the largest animal pollinator, the elephant, and ends with its tiny cousin, the elephant shrew. An improbable member of the family of African mammals that includes aardvarks, sea cows and, of course, elephants, these small creatures use their strong, long, and malleable trunk-like nose to search the leaf-litter of woodlands and thickets. Along with meals of ants and termites, elephant shrews wash down their dinners with nectar from a variety of plants including the pagoda lily, spreading pollen as they travel.
Everywhere from Africa to New Zealand, on plants that vary in size from the petite pagoda lily to the towering Traveler’s Palm tree, the natural world is full of these mutualistic relationships between plants and their animal pollinators.
The Hidden Beauty of Pollination
Pollination: it’s vital to life on Earth, but largely unseen by the human eye. Filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg shows us the intricate world of pollen and pollinators with gorgeous high-speed images from his film “Wings of Life,” inspired by the vanishing of one of nature’s primary pollinators, the honeybee.
One of the home’s dirtiest surfaces could be your pet’s trusty kibble dish. If your Pet licks a toilet seat, he’s picking up about 295 bacteria per square inch. But if he licks the inside rim of his unclean dish, he just gobbled up 2,110 bacteria per square inch—and what Pet licks just one inch?
Pet’s food bowl is dirtier than your tilot seat because the inside of a Pet’s food bowl is home to over 2,110 bacteria per square inch. That’s more than seven times the bacteria lingering in your toilet seat — and even more dramatically disgusting. Clean your Pet’s bowl. Our pets deserve better.
The Healthiest Pet’s Foods
The ingredients and nutrition in your Pet’s food can make a huge difference in your canine’s health (not to mention your experience with your new pet). A healthy Pet is a happy Pet, and anyone with a heart knows that our furry friends deserve the best!
When your Pet doesn’t get the right nutrients, it can experience malnutrition, indigestion, and even some dangerous health conditions.
To make sure your Pet is only getting fed the best, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best and the 10 worst Pet foods.
To assist with these rankings, we used the trusted reviews from Pet Food Advisor and assessed many customer reviews of the most popular brands on the market (so that you don’t have to).
Pet’s Food Bowl is Dirtier Than Your Tilot Seat Please Clean it: To keep pet’s healthy, wash all food bowls after every meal with hot water and soap, or combine baking soda, warm water, and salt in equal parts and scrub the surface in circles before rinsing. If you don’t, bacteria will multiply on the leftover residue of your pet’s slobber and food bits, a little like if you used the same fork every day without washing it.
These surfaces have more germs than the average toilet seat, and you’ve likely already touched at least one of them today.
For all you germaphobes out there, you might want to look away because we have some pretty disturbing news. Bacteria and germs are everywhere – even in the places you least suspect. We have collected a list of 10 things that are actually much dirtier than almost anything you’d find in the bathroom. Some of them you come into contact with on a daily basis while others you probably use on a weekly basis. Either way, this list is going to have you looking at certain things you need to use in a really different way. Here are 10 things that are much dirtier than a toilet seat!
10 Things Dirtier Than Your Toilet Seat
10. Restaurant Menus
Restaurant menus carry an average of 185,000 bacteria. There are probably 100 times more bacteria on a menu than on a toilet seat in the restaurant. After placing your order, it might be a good idea to go and wash your hands before you eat.
9. Gas Pump Handles
Gas pump handles are teaming with loads of bacteria and viruses because no one takes the time to clean them. Make sure to keep hand sanitizer in your car and cover the handle before you pump.
8. Kitchen Sponges
Your kitchen sponge is about 200,000 times dirtier than a toilet seat. There are reportedly about 10 million bacteria per square inch on a kitchen sponge and a million per square inch on a dishcloth. To kill germs, microwave your kitchen sponge for one minute.
7. Money
Paper money can carry more germs than a household toilet. They provide hospitable environments for gross microbes. Viruses and bacteria can live on most surfaces for about 48 hours and paper money can transport a flu virus for up to 17 days. After handling money, we recommend washing your hands or using hand sanitizer.
6. Lemon and Lime Wedges
A 2007 study found that nearly 70% of restaurant lemon wedges are covered in up to 25 different types of germs, including fecal matter, E. Coli and contamination from raw meat. Here is some good news – you don’t have to use any lemons or limes that they give you.
5. Door Handles
Door handles are home to a number of harmful germs and bacteria, including E.coli, Staphylococcus, Aureas, plus fungal and viral infections. Even washing your hands regularly isn’t enough to stop this type of germ breeding from occurring. Using hand antiseptic wipes to touch door handles that are hotspots for harmful bacteria is one way to avoid these harmful germs and bacteria.
4. An ATM
Studies have proven that ATM machines are just as laden with bacteria as public toilets. You might want to use some hand sanitizer immediately after using one of these.
3. Keyboards
Computer keyboards contain a host of potentially harmful bacteria including E. coli and Staph. We’d recommend wiping your keyboard down with a disinfectant wipe every day.
2. Toothbrushes
The average toothbrush contains 10 million bacteria or more, including E. coli and Staph. It’s probably in your best interest to hide your toothbrush in a cabinet or run it through the dishwasher to get rid of the germs. Another option is to soak it in mouthwash with cetylpyridinium chloride for 20 minutes.
1. Cell Phone
The average cell phone carries more than 18 times more potentially harmful germs than a flush handle in a men’s public washroom. That’s probably because we take our phones everywhere with us and most us have never thought to clean it.
