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Science meets inbox December 4, 2023: Lack of play may be harming kids, ancient plant DNA extracted from Mesopotamian brick and the epidemic of autoimmunity. —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor TOP STORIES We Need to Play In 2021, three major child health agencies issued a joint statement with the Biden administration, stating that child and adolescent mental health be declared a "national emergency." In 2021, suicide was the second-leading cause of death for kids ages 10 to 14 and 20 to 24. A new paper proposes that lack of independent and unstructured play is partly to blame for this disturbing trend. For example, children nowadays spend 50 percent less time playing outside than they did in the 1970s–not counting sports. How this works: Many other animals besides humans play, and evolutionary biologists think play evolved as a safe place for youngsters to gain independence, social skills and conflict resolution experience. Without play, children don't gain the crucial skills they need to feel confident and capable in the world. On top of that, other researchers link the steep decline of youth mental health to the rise of social media and smartphone use.  What the experts say: "The answer is more than just increased play," says Joseph Polidoro, host of the latest episode of our podcast Science, Quickly. "It's about giving children under 18 all the opportunities we can for independence, choice, interaction with peers, and individual growth."  Old Brick, New Tricks Researchers extracted and sequenced DNA from inside the clay of an ancient brick found in modern-day Iraq. They found genetic material from 34 taxonomic groups, including cabbage, heather, birch and cultivated grasses, in sun-dried bricks used to construct a palace in Mesopotamia (now part of Iraq) nearly 3,000 years ago. Why this is so cool: Although scientists have previously extracted ancient DNA, or aDNA, from bones and lake sediments, they hadn't used existing techniques on clay bricks because the brick-baking process usually destroys biological material. The team also accurately dated this particular brick to within several decades (883–859 B.C.E.), thanks to an inscription on its side: "The property of the palace of Ashurnasirpal, king of Assyria." The brick also listed the king in genealogical order, so the researchers could cross-check that against a list of known rulers from the time. What the experts say: Archaeobotanists currently examine evidence of ancient plant life by using chemical processes or imaging microscopes; extracting aDNA "could potentially be a valuable addition," says Mads Bakken Thastrup, an archaeobotanist at Denmark's Moesgaard Museum.  TODAY'S NEWS • Important science for Mondays: Caffeine can help you feel energized. But is there a limit to how much your body can handle? We asked the experts. | 4 min read • Helium gas may be seeping from Earth's core. | 4 min read • Researchers have created "anthrobots," robots made with human cells that can move on their own and heal wounds. | 6 min read • The high stress, high stakes atmosphere of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has caused many employees to leave. Scientific American investigates what this means for the agency's ambitious plans. | 14 min read • Italy's Campi Flegrei volcano has caused thousands of recent earthquakes and pushed up the ground, worrying scientists and residents that it may be readying to erupt. | 6 min read View of the Solfatara crater, part of the Campi Flegrei Volcano in Pozzuoli, the biggest caldera of southern Italy, Campania region. Credit: Salvatore Laporta/KONTROLAB/LightRocket via Getty Images More News EXPERT PERSPECTIVES • Reports of autoimmune disorders are on the rise, and they may be affecting a large percentage of the global population (tracking exact rates is difficult). To fully grapple with the extent of the problem, we need a common language, a case count of these diseases, and a centralized strategy and management protocol for dealing with the problem, write Olivia Casey and Frederick W. Miller, an advocate and researcher for autoimmunity, respectively. "It's still possible to shape a future where autoimmune diseases decrease or even become a thing of the past. But to do so, we must act now, urgently and decisively," they say. | 4 min read More Opinion Welcome to a new week! It has always bothered me that so few adults get a regular chance for unstructured play. If it's been a long time since you just goofed off with some old paints and paper, or threw a stick around the yard for no reason in particular, consider this your assignment: Think about what you liked to do as a kid and try to incorporate a small version (or big version!) of it back into your life. I think you'll enjoy it.  Let me know how you're liking this newsletter by emailing: newsletters@sciam.com. See you tomorrow. —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor Subscribe to this and all of our newsletters here. Scientific American One New York Plaza, New York, NY, 10004   Support our mission, subscribe to Scientific American here   Unsubscribe Email Preferences