November 9, 2023: The Endangered Species Act's upcoming 50th anniversary, healthspan versus lifespan, and Scientific American wins a gold award for a short documentary about conserving parasites. —Robin Lloyd, Contributing Editor | | | The Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires that every U.S. plant and animal be saved from extinction. As the act's 50th anniversary approaches (President Richard Nixon signed it into law on December 28, 1973), we have to do much more to prevent a biodiversity crisis, writes Robert Kunzig. Bald Eagles, American Alligators and Peregrine Falcons are a few of the roughly 60 species that had recovered enough to be "delisted" by late 2023. However, less than 6 percent of the animals and plants ever placed on the list have been delisted. And roughly a third of all vertebrates and vascular plants in the U.S. are vulnerable to extinction, according to a National Wildlife Federation scientist.
The hurdles: The U.S. is far emptier of wildlife sights and sounds than it was 50 years ago, primarily because forest, grassland and river habitats have been appropriated for human purposes. But wildlife can still recover if special interests take action to consider the needs of wildlife and support the protection of species.
The legacy: The ESA is a powerful law that we could implement more wisely and effectively, its proponents say, perhaps especially to foster stewardship among private landowners. | | | Credit: June Minju Kim (graphic); Brown Bird Design (illustrations); Sources: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Environmental Conservation Online System; U.S. Federal Endangered and Threatened Species by Calendar Year https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/report/species-listings-by-year-totals (annual data through 2022); Listed Species Summary (Boxscore) https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/report/boxscore (cumulative data up to September 18, 2023, and annual data for coral) | | | Live long and prosper, Mr. Spock enjoined audiences. But longevity does not always translate to healthspan, which can be defined as the period of life free of chronic disease or disability. By one calculation, an American who expects to live to 79 might first face serious disease at 63. That could mean 15 years (20 percent of life) lived in sickness.
What's behind this: For decades, biomedical research and clinical practice have focused on treating individual diseases, which can extend lives but not necessarily healthspan. Newer approaches look at "the pillars of aging"—molecular and cellular processes in our tissues and organs that determine both lifespan and healthspan (e.g. DNA damage, aging of individual cells and inflammation).
What the experts say: Extend healthspan with common-sense nutrition, sleep, exercise and social connection. "The reason those things work is because they modulate the biology of aging," says Matt Kaeberlein, of the University of Washington Healthy Aging and Longevity Research Institute and Optispan, a health tech company. | | | • Earth just had the hottest 12-month span in recorded history, as this past October came to a close. | 6 min read | • Cells' emergent properties, rather than "instructions" from genes, are key to understanding how a body takes its shape, says an iconoclastic developmental biologist. | 11 min read | • Here is why you should not wake someone from the throes of a nightmare. Also this is probably a "night terror," not a nightmare, if you notice it. | 4 min read | | | • The Endangered Species Act is a vital part of our nation's conservation efforts, but it comes into play only when a species is nearly gone, write the editors of Scientific American. Recent studies have shown that the best way to protect species is to protect their ecosystems and habitats. Ideally, the federal government should create a national plan that sets aside land and water from development. Some relevant legislative initiatives with bipartisan support should be pursued, such as the Recovering America's Wildlife Act and the North American Grasslands Conservation Act. As Earth's dominant species, we are stewards of our world, the editors conclude. And it's wise to remember that if you destroy your home, you destroy your life. | | | SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN WINS AAAS/KAVLI GOLD AWARD! | | | • Breaking news: Scientific American won a AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award for a short documentary, "Quest to Save the Parasite," it was announced today. Emily Driscoll and Jeffery DelViscio of Scientific American won the Gold Award in the Video Spot News/Feature category. Judges quoted in the AAAS announcement said the winning entry "was truly entertaining and original, with a bonus yuck factor. It was a compelling story: how important parasites are to ecosystems, yet how little we know about them." | | | Most sweets no longer agree with this aging writer, now more actively pursuing a lengthy healthspan. But I was so captivated by sugar as a kid that colorful candy-bar wrappers got a place of honor in my scrapbook. If you find this "relatable," you might enjoy this saga about the hijacking of a shipment of rare flavors of Kit Kats (which included flavors like melon, matcha latte and daifuku mochi), with an anticipated value of a quarter of a million dollars.
| —Robin Lloyd, Contributing Editor | | Subscribe to this and all of our newsletters . | | | | Scientific American
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