yahoonews--2019-07-04--Study Climate change can be reversed by planting a forest nearly double the size of the US

Study: Climate change can be reversed by planting a forest nearly double the size of the U.S.

A new study suggests that human beings could save themselves from the worst ravages of climate change by planting a forest nearly double the size of the United States.  Compiled by the Crowther Lab at ETH University in Zurich, and published Thursday in the journal Science, the study is the first undertaken to map the areas where trees can flourish despite rising temperatures, and calculate how much carbon they could store through photosynthesis. It concludes that a global reforestation effort on up to 6.9 million square miles of land not currently utilized could produce forests capable of storing about 205 tonnes of carbon, which is roughly two-thirds of the excess carbon human beings have added to the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution.  “We’ve modeled, with very high accuracy, where trees can exist on the planet,” Thomas Crowther, the study’s senior author, told Yahoo News. “Essentially, by making that map, we can then get an understanding of where, under today’s climate, trees can exist.”  Because global temperatures have risen by nearly 1.8°F since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, dense equatorial forests have become less optimal for growing trees, Crowther said, while areas once too cold for tree growth have become viable. The problem is that new forests don’t naturally spring up fast enough to compensate for the habitat lost to climate change. With an eye toward speeding the process along, Crowther’s study identifies the available land where trees can now flourish. In the United States, for instance, new forest could be planted over approximately 400,000 square miles. The catch, however, is that even if a massive effort were undertaken immediately, it would take between 40 and 100 years to realize peak carbon intake.  “It’s certainly not an immediate-fix situation, but it is, by far, the biggest solution that we’ve got,” Crowther said. “There’s no other technology that would be faster.”  The world’s leading climate scientists have warned that at the current pace of warming due to greenhouse gases, humanity has just 12 years to roll back carbon dioxide emissions if there is any hope of keeping global temperatures from rising above 2.7°F. That marker, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned in its October report, would drastically raise the risk of drought, catastrophic flooding and death by heat exposure.  The Crowther Lab study also warns that on our current trajectory, the global tree canopy cover could shrink by approximately 550 million acres by 2050, with most of those losses occurring in the tropics.  Noting that carbon emissions reached an all-time high in 2018, Crowther stresses that the time it takes forests to grow makes it imperative that people not only immediately embark on a global reforestation project, but also cut back on carbon emissions. In May, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography measured atmospheric concentrations of CO2 at a record 415 parts per million, far above levels measured in ice core readings dating back 800,000 years. If mankind continues to pump carbon into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels at its current rate, that number is sure to grow, causing temperatures to rise along with it. While technologists often posit that humans will come up with carbon capture inventions that will ultimately save mankind, Crowther said the solution is already here. “There’s about 800 gigatons of carbon in the atmosphere. Before humans were around, it would have been about 500,” he said. “Restoration would take it down to about 600 gigatons, so that would be sort of taking the current 400 ppm of CO2 down to almost 300 ppm, which is right about where we were at the start of the Industrial Revolution, so it’s a pretty big chunk.” Crowther is hardly the first person to propose reforestation as the solution to climate change. Numerous countries have undertaken efforts to encourage citizens to either plant new forests or replant those that mankind has degraded in order to lower the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Yet programs like the one that launched in China in the late 1990s backfired when local residents seeking subsidies turned croplands into monoculture tree plantations that, when they failed or were cut down, ended up increasing carbon emissions. “There are examples from all across China and the Northern Hemisphere where trees have been restored in the wrong ecosystems, and it can be devastating,” Crowther said. “The blanket argument that ‘trees are good,’’ well, it can’t be that. It has to be ‘trees are good when they’re restored in the right ecosystem.’” To help people understand what they can plant and where, Crowther Labs has set up a web page in conjunction with its study that maps the entire globe and provides information on the native trees that thrive in a given location, as well as the soil pH and so on. “We’d like the public to get involved by either planting trees themselves or donating to restoration organizations,” Crowther said. If Crowther’s proposal sounds wildly optimistic, consider the example of Brazilian photojournalist Sebastião Ribeiro Salgado, who, along with his wife, took it upon himself to oversee the replanting of 2.7 million trees on deforested land in his home country. After founding the Instituto Terra in 1998, Salgado was able to restore the barren, degraded landscape to its natural state. There’s also Felix Finkbeiner, who at the age of 9 set off on a campaign to plant 1 million trees in Germany to combat climate change. Three years later, with help from other students, he achieved his goal and founded Plant-for-the-Planet, a group that now aims to plant 1 trillion trees globally. For Crowther, it’s those kinds of efforts that give him hope. While his study has estimated that it may ultimately require planting upward of 1.3 trillion new trees before the carbon in the atmosphere begins to significantly dissipate, it is one of the few scientific papers on climate change in recent years that can be cast as hopeful. “I hope it will inspire a lot more engagement by the general public to go, ‘Oh, my God, there’s something we can do to affect climate change,’” he said. A mapping tool at Crowther Lab's website lets users see where trees can flourish despite rising temperatures. (Photo: Crowther Lab at ETH University) Feedback loops will make climate change even worse, scientists say


sputnik--2019-07-27--Scientists Sound Alarm as Half of Florida Coral Reefs Affected by Mysterious Disease

A team of scientists from NOAA, Florida Wildlife, and the University of Miami has launched an effort to rescue the coral on Florida's reefs from a devastating and unexplained disease that has already affected nearly half of all the coral in the region, CBS reported.  The researchers have been collecting specimens of healthy coral to store in special vats so they can later be replanted after the reef system has healed.  Large areas of Florida's reefs have been suffering from a mysterious condition that hit the region nearly five years ago. The infection has continued to spread and is still active, impacting more and more of the ecosystem.  The disease has left the scientific community puzzled, as they have never witnessed any illness developing at such a pace and last for such a long period of time. Moreover, the reasons for the infection remain unknown.


sputnik--2019-08-09--Marine Heat Waves Decimate Coral Reefs Much Faster Than Previously Thought - Study

The findings revealed that extreme heat waves go beyond just causing a process known as “bleaching,” a coral-related event that occurs when water temperatures get so warm that they expel algae from their tissues, forcing them to turn white.  “When a coral bleaches, it is not dead. Corals can survive a bleaching event, but they are under more stress and are subject to mortality,” the US’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) explains on its website.  In the study, researchers simulated a severe heat wave that occurred in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef in 2016. The findings revealed that the high temperatures cause the skeletal structures of corals to degrade, destroying them in just days or weeks.  “Here, we show that marine heat wave events on coral reefs are biologically distinct to how coral bleaching has been understood to date, in that heat wave conditions result in an immediate heat-induced mortality of the coral colony, rapid coral skeletal dissolution, and the loss of the three-dimensional reef structure,” the study explains.  “The severity of these heat wave events is beyond the bleaching process; it’s actually a point where the coral animal itself is dying,” said Tracy Ainsworth, a co-author of the study from the University of New South Wales, according to multiple media outlets.  As a result, heat wave-induced mortality events should be viewed as a distinct biological phenomenon from bleaching events, she said.  "Until now, we have described coral bleaching as an event where the symbiotic relationship between coral and its microbes breaks down, and corals lose their main source of nutrition, and the coral can die if the symbiosis is not restored," Ainsworth explained, according to multiple media sources.  "But what we are now seeing is that severe marine heat wave events can have a far more severe impact than coral bleaching: the water temperatures are so warm that the coral animal doesn't bleach - in terms of a loss of its symbiosis - the animal dies, and its underlying skeleton is all that remains," Ainsworth said.


theguardianuk--2019-11-04--Restoring Jamaica's lost coral reefs – photo essay

Everton Simpson squints at the Caribbean from his motorboat, scanning the dazzling bands of colour for hints of what lies beneath. Emerald green indicates sandy bottoms. Sapphire blue lies above seagrass meadows. And deep indigo marks coral reefs. That is where he is heading. He steers the boat to an unmarked spot he knows as the “coral nursery”. Simpson started working as a “coral gardener” two years ago as part of grassroots efforts to bring Jamaica’s coral reefs back from the brink.  On the ocean floor, small coral fragments dangle from suspended ropes. Simpson and other divers tend to this underwater nursery as gardeners look after a flower bed, painstakingly plucking off snails and fireworms that feast on immature coral. When each stub grows to about the size of a human hand, Simpson collects them in his crate to individually transplant on to a reef. Even fast-growing coral species add just a few inches a year.  A few hours later, at a site called Dickie’s Reef, Simpson dives again and uses bits of fishing line to tie clusters of staghorn coral on to rocky outcroppings, a temporary binding until the coral’s limestone skeleton grows and fixes itself on to the rock. The goal is to jumpstart the natural growth of a coral reef. And, so far, it is working. • None Everton Simpson untangles lines of staghorn coral at a nursery inside the White River fish sanctuary. The coral fragments dangle from ropes, like socks hung on a laundry line. • None Simpson grabs a handful of staghorn harvested from a coral nursery for planting inside the the sanctuary.  Coral reefs are often called “rainforests of the sea” for the astonishing diversity of life they shelter. Just 2% of the ocean floor is filled with coral but the branching structures sustain a quarter of all marine species. Clownfish, parrotfish, groupers and snappers lay eggs and hide from predators in the reef’s nooks and crannies, and their presence draws eels, sea snakes, octopuses and even sharks. In healthy reefs, jellyfish and sea turtles are regular visitors.  With fish and coral, it is a co-dependent relationship. The fish rely on the reef structure to evade danger and lay eggs, and also eat up the coral’s rivals. When too many fish disappear, the coral suffers, and vice versa.  The delicate labour of the coral gardener is only one part of restoring a reef and for all its intricacy it is actually the most straightforward part. Convincing lifelong fishermen to curtail when and where they fish and controlling the surging waste dumped into the ocean are trickier endeavours. • None Fisherman turned Oracabessa fish sanctuary warden and dive master Ian Dawson dives while spearfishing outside the sanctuary’s no-take zone.  Slowly, the comeback effort is gaining momentum. “The coral are coming back, the fish are coming back,” says Stuart Sandin, a marine biologist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. “It’s probably some of the most vibrant coral reefs we’ve seen in Jamaica since the 1970s. When you give nature a chance, she can repair herself. It’s not too late.”  Sandin is studying the health of coral reefs around the world as part of a research project called the 100 Island Challenge. His starting assumption was that the most populated islands would have the most degraded habitats, but what he found instead was that humans can be either a blessing or a curse, depending on how they manage resources. • None Wardens and fishermen push themselves through shallow water while heading out to sea. • None White River fish sanctuary wardens patrol through the reef of the sanctuary’s no-take zone.  In Jamaica, more than a dozen grassroots-run coral nurseries and fish sanctuaries have sprung up in the past decade, supported by small grants from foundations, local businesses such as hotels and scuba clinics, and the Jamaican government.  At White River, which is only about two years old and where Simpson works, the clearest proof of early success is the return of tropical fish that inhabit the reefs, as well as hungry pelicans, skimming the surface of the water to feed on them.  Jamaica’s coral reefs were once among the world’s most celebrated, with their golden branching structures and resident brightly coloured fish drawing the attention of travellers from Christopher Columbus to Ian Fleming, who wrote most of his James Bond novels on the island’s northern coast in the 1950s and 1960s.  In 1965, the country became the site of the first global research hub for coral reefs, the Discovery Bay Marine Lab, now associated with the University of the West Indies. The groundbreaking marine biologist couple Thomas and Nora Goreau completed fundamental research here, including describing the symbiotic relationship between coral and algae and pioneering the use of scuba equipment for marine studies. The same lab also provided a vantage point as the coral disappeared.  Peter Gayle has been a marine biologist at Discovery Bay since 1985. From the yard outside his office, he points towards the reef crest about 300 metres (985ft) away, a thin brown line splashed with white waves. “Before 1980, Jamaica had healthy coral,” he says. Then several disasters struck.  The first calamity was 1980’s Hurricane Allen, one of the most powerful cyclones in recorded history. “Its 40ft waves crashed against the shore and basically chewed up the reef,” Gayle says. Coral can grow back after natural disasters but only when given a chance to recover, which it never got.  The same decade, a mysterious epidemic killed more than 95% of black sea urchins in the Caribbean, while overfishing ravaged fish populations. And surging waste from the island’s growing human population, which nearly doubled between 1960 and 2010, released chemicals and nutrients into the water that spur faster algae growth. The result: seaweed and algae took over.  “There was a tipping point in the 1980s, when it switched from being a coral-dominated system to being an algae-dominated system,” Gayle says. “Scientists call it a ‘phase shift’.”  That seemed like the end of the story until an unlikely alliance started to tip the ecosystem back in the other direction, with help from residents such as Simpson and his fellow fisherman Lipton Bailey.  The fishing community of White River revolves around a small boat-docking area about a quarter of a mile from where the river flows into the Caribbean Sea. One early morning, as purple dawn light filters into the sky, Simpson and Bailey step on to a 28ft motorboat called the Interceptor.  Both men have lived and fished their whole lives in the community. Recently, they have come to believe that they need to protect the coral reefs that attract tropical fish, while setting limits on fishing to ensure the sea is not emptied too quickly. • None Fisherman Oswald Coombs is encircled by tarpon as he cleans his catch on the beach in the fishing village of Oracabessa Bay, Jamaica. • None Belinda Morrow sits with the sanctuary diver and warden Raymond Taylor during a meeting with local fishermen.  In the White River area, the solution was to create a protected area, a “fish sanctuary”, for immature fish to grow and reach reproductive age before they are caught.  Two years ago, the fishermen joined with local businesses, including hotel owners, to form a marine association and negotiate the boundaries for a no-fishing zone stretching two miles along the coast. A simple line in the water is hardly a deterrent; however, to make the boundary meaningful, it must be enforced. Today, the local fishermen, including Simpson and Bailey, take turns patrolling the boundary in the Interceptor.  On this morning, the men steer the boat just outside a row of orange buoys marked “no fishing”. ‘‘We are looking for violators,” Bailey says, his eyes trained on the rocky coast. “Sometimes you find spearmen. They think they’re smart. We try to beat them at their game.” • None Nicholas Bingham (l), grabs his speargun while leaving the home of Gary Gooden (r), as they prepare to go night spearfishing, which is banned, in Stewart Town, Jamaica. Bingham and Gooden say they have to resort to illegal night spearfishing to make up for lost wages from the sanctuary’s restrictions. • None The White River fish sanctuary warden Mark Lobban shines a spotlight on the protected reef while patrolling the no-take zone.  Most of the older and more established fishermen, who own boats and set out lines and wire cages, have come to accept the no-fishing zone. Besides, the risk of having their equipment confiscated is too great. But not everyone is on board. Some younger men hunt with lightweight spearguns, swimming out to sea and firing at close-range. These men, some of them poor and with few options, are the most likely trespassers.  The patrols carry no weapons, so they must master the art of persuasion. “Let them understand this. It’s not a ‘you’ thing or a ‘me’ thing. This isn’t personal,” Bailey says of past encounters with violators.  These are sometimes risky efforts. Two years ago, Jerlene Layne, a manager at nearby Boscobel fish sanctuary, ended up in hospital with a bruised leg after being attacked by a man she had reprimanded for fishing illegally. “He used a stick to hit my leg because I was doing my job, telling him he cannot fish in the protected area,” she says.  Layne believes her work would be safer with more formal support from the police, but she is not going to stop. “Public mindsets can change,” she says. “If I back down on this, what kind of message does that send? You have to stand for something.”  She has pressed charges in court against repeat trespassers, typically resulting in a fine and the confiscation of equipment.  One such violator is Damian Brown, 33, who lives in a coastal neighbourhood called Stewart Town. Sitting outside on a concrete staircase near his modest home, Brown says fishing is his only option for work and he believes the sanctuary boundaries extend too far. • None Jerlene Layne (l), manager of the Boscobel marine sanctuary, talks with fisherman Damian Brown, a repeat violator of the no-take zone, while patrolling through the community in Stewart Town. • None Spear fisherman Rick Walker, 35, sells his catch to a buyer at a fish market in White River.  Back at the White River docking area, Rick Walker, a 35-year-old spear fisherman, is cleaning his motorboat. He remembers the early opposition to the fish sanctuary, when many people said they were trying to stop their livelihood.  Two years later, Walker, who is not involved in running the sanctuary but supports its boundary, says he can see the benefits. “It’s easier to catch snapper and barracuda,” he says. “At least my great-grandkids will get to see some fish.”  When Columbus landed in Jamaica he sailed into Oracabessa Bay, which is today a 20-minute drive from the mouth of the White River. Oracabessa Bay fish sanctuary was the first of the grassroots-led efforts to revive Jamaica’s coral reefs. Its sanctuary was legally incorporated in 2010 and its approach of enlisting local fishermen as patrols became a model for other regions.  “The fishermen are mostly on board and happy, that’s the distinction. That’s why it’s working,” says the sanctuary manager, Inilek Wilmot.  David Murray, the head of the Oracabessa Fishers’ Association, notes that Jamaica‘s 60,000 fishermen operate without a safety net. “Fishing is like gambling, it’s a game. Sometimes you catch something, sometimes you don’t,” he says. When fish populations began to collapse two decades ago, something had to change. • None Morris Gause, Nigel Simpson and Andre Ramator peer over the end of a dock to look at fish in the Oracabessa fish sanctuary.  Murray now works as a warden in the Oracabessa sanctuary, while continuing to fish outside its boundary. He also spends time explaining the concept to neighbours.  “It’s people work, it’s a process to get people to agree on a sanctuary boundary,” he says. “It’s a tough job to tell a man who’s been fishing all his life that he can’t fish here.”  But once it became clear that a no-fishing zone actually helped nearby fish populations rebound, it became easier to build support. The number of fish in the sanctuary has doubled between 2011 and 2017, and the individual fish have grown larger, nearly tripling in length on average, according to annual surveys by Jamaica’s national environment and planning agency. And that boosts catches in surrounding areas. After word got out about Oracabessa, other regions wanted advice. • None Oracabessa fish sanctuary’s warden and dive master, Ian Dawson, looks for fish while spearfishing outside the sanctuary’s no-take zone. ‘I do fishing for a living. Right now I’m raising fish in the sanctuary. If you don’t put in, you can’t take out, simple.’  “We have the data to show success but even more important than data is word of mouth,” says Wilmot, who oversaw training to help start the fish sanctuary at White River.  Morrow, a lifelong water sports enthusiast often seen paddle-boarding with her dog, Shadow, runs the White River Marine Association. She attends fishers’ meetings and raises small grants from the Jamaican government and other foundations to support equipment purchases and coral replanting campaigns.  “We all depend on the ocean,” Morrow says, sitting in a small office decorated with nautical maps in the 70-year-old Jamaica Inn. “If we don’t have a good healthy reef and a good healthy marine environment, we will lose too much. Too much of the country relies on the sea.”    This Associated Press feature was produced in partnership with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s department of science education. It’s part of a weekly series by AP, What Can Be Saved?, which chronicles the ordinary people and scientists fighting for change against enormous odds.

Christina Larson. Photographs by David J Phillip and David Goldman/AP


theindependent--2019-04-24--Endangered green turtles now increasing in numbers study of Pacific coral reefs finds

Endangered green turtles now increasing in numbers, study of Pacific coral reefs finds

Endangered green turtle populations are increasing on some coral reefs, according to an in-depth study of populations around islands in the Pacific.  Listed as “endangered” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and therefore protected, they have been vulnerable to human exploitation in the past for food.  Hunting and egg poaching have also affected their numbers.  The destruction of coral reefs, through climate change and construction, building on nesting sites and vulnerability to pollution and entanglement in fishing nets have all impacted turtle populations.  But according to a large-scale study by Monterey Bay Aquarium research scientist Sarah Becker and her colleagues, some populations were growing in number.  Previous land-based surveys of breeding and nesting sites have provided important evidence of population sizes, but have been “limited in scope” and lack “confirmation from the ocean where the turtles spend the vast majority of their time”, the authors wrote in the journal Plos One.  To study the density of the populations of green turtles and hawksbill turtles, which are both coral-dwelling species, they combined data from 13 years of in-water visual surveys of turtle abundance near 53 islands, atolls, and reefs throughout the US Pacific.  They hoped this would also enable them to understand further environmental and anthropogenic factors that have driven population trends.  During the surveys, a slow-moving boat towed pairs of divers at about 15 metres below the surface, where they recorded details of habitat and sea life as it came into view. In all, the surveys covered more than 7,300 linear kilometres and observed more than 3,400 turtles of the two species.  Survey data showed that American Samoa had the highest density of hawksbills, while the Pacific Remote Islands Area, a mostly uninhabited region about a thousand miles southwest of Hawaii, had the most green turtles.  Hawksbill numbers were far lower (less than 10 per cent) than green turtle counts, indicating that many conservation threats still exist for this species.  The researchers said the data showed the density of green turtles was driven primarily by ocean temperatures and productivity, but also suggested effects from historical and present-day human impacts.  Over the survey period, green turtle populations were either stable or increased.  While this is welcome news, the authors noted that despite some protective measures beginning in the 1970s, “current populations are still at a fraction of historic levels”.  The lowest density but the highest annual population growth was found in the Hawaiian Islands, which the researchers said suggested protective regulations could be paying off in allowing green turtle populations to rebound.  Ms Becker said: “This study represents one of the largest sea turtle population surveys ever conducted, filling critical gaps on in-water abundance and drivers of population density. Across the tropical Pacific several locations held impressive densities of sea turtles, and in all regions densities were driven by bottom-up forces like ocean temperatures and productivity and top-down forces such as human impacts.”


thetorontostar--2019-05-15--In fight to shield coral reefs from warming oceans US and Australian experts join forces

In fight to shield coral reefs from warming oceans, U.S. and Australian experts join forces

PORT DOUGLAS, AUSTRALIA—Marine biologists in Australia and the United States are joining forces to resuscitate two of the world’s major coral reef systems along their coastlines threatened by rising ocean temperatures and extreme weather. In their two sunshine states, Queensland and Florida, experts have turned their focus from conservation to restoration at the Great Barrier Reef and Florida Reef, where entire colonies of coral life have been bleached or killed.  Biologists working to restore both systems are sharing data and experimenting with forms of coral that appear resilient to warming waters. They have convened three major workshops in Cairns, Townsville and Miami over six months in an effort to expedite their efforts. At least one prominent figure in the Australian biology community, the chief scientist for the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, is calling for a structured program between the National Science Foundation and the Australian Research Council that would formalize a joint effort of the two countries. “There’s no question that our methodology for coral restoration developed in America,” said Peter Mumby, the chief scientist. “There’s a long history of Australians and Americans working together on this, but right now we are collaborating closely with the Americans on techniques they’ve developed for propagating coral.”  While the focus of Australian scientists had been on conservation over many years, two consecutive mass bleaching events in 2016 and 2017 shook the community into action. Bleaching occurs when coral expel algae in response to an increase in sea temperatures. The algae provide coral with their colour, and so without it the coral are left bone white. In the Florida and wider Caribbean reef systems, bleaching began years earlier than at the Great Barrier Reef, forcing American experts to lead the way on restoration technologies. Experts in both countries say that the sheer scale of the Great Barrier Reef� roughly the size of Italy, or the length of the U.S. eastern seaboard� makes coral engineering a far more challenging task there, and warn that techniques being pioneered in the United States might not be directly applicable in Australia. And while the Caribbean system only hosts a handful of coral species � making the ecosystem generally less resilient� the Great Barrier Reef has over 100 species. But Mumby said that coral experts in the Florida Keys contributed valuable insight to a $6 million Australian research project on the biology, ethics and feasibility of large-scale coral restoration efforts. The findings of that research were recently reported to Australia’s federal government, which —after elections are held this weekend —will decide how much of $100 million in principle funding to allocate to further coral restoration efforts.  Florida-based scientists shared their findings at the Townsville workshop on the genetics of coral under stress, examining what makes for resiliency on a biological level —critical to understanding which corals might survive consistently warmer waters, according to Mumby, who was in Fort Lauderdale for another round of meetings as recently as February. A 2017 conference in Australia attended by prominent American scientists led to a much closer working relationship between the two countries, according to Tom Moore, the coral reef restoration program manager at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  “There’s always been great collaboration between NOAA and Australia, but historically, folks in Australia weren’t working on restoration as much as traditional management,” Moore told McClatchy. “They’re a little bit late to the game, but they come to it very well prepared and resourced and fully engaged.” While roughly a third of all corals on the Great Barrier Reef, the largest reef system in the world, have bleached or died in the past decade, Moore says that 90-95% of corals on the Florida Reef are already dead. “Manual work in a gardening-like way won’t cut it on an ecosystem level —we’re working together to figure out an industrial-scale effort,” Moore added. “We’re working on assisted evolution methods to create coral that’s more resilient to more hostile oceans, to warmer oceans, and to diseases.” At the Agincourt ribbon reef, part of the Great Barrier Reef system off the coast of Port Douglas, healthy and vibrant coral were still visible to tourists. The largest share of Queensland’s economy comes from tourism —according to state data the reef draws 2 million visitors a year and brings in $6 billion in tourism dollars. Tourism operators, in both Australia and Florida, have been slow to acknowledge threats to the reef out of fear they will scare away visitors. “We’re not going to sugar-coat it —the reef is under threat, and something needs to be done,” said Greg Hoare, a chief marine biologist for Quicksilver, one of Queensland’s leading tourism operators. “If we suppress the idea that the reef is under threat or imperiled, people will walk away from the day thinking, ‘wow, that was beautiful,’ but they won’t have that sort of urge to help conserve what they saw for future generations.” Hoare said that Quicksilver is conducting experiments at its reef sites with the approval of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park focused on rehabilitation, and acknowledged that Australia had only recently shifted its focus to restorative efforts. In one experiment, the team is operating a control site with coral growing along a meshed device at its own rate. At another nearby, in similar temperatures, they are growing coral on mesh housing pulsing with electrical currents that are meant to increase the growth rate threefold. “We’ve fragmented colonies of corals that have already shown resilience,” Hoare continued. “We’ve isolated areas that have shown resilience and are working to aid the corals in their growth.” Across the marine biology community, focus has shifted toward perfecting resiliency efforts that can be scaled up to meet the size and scope of the challenge ahead. Moore says that these “assisted evolution methods” are the world’s best chance to save these ecosystems, home to one quarter of all marine life. Mumby says that a formalized relationship between the two countries’ national science foundations would appropriately elevate their strong working ties. “They’ve been able to come to the table with a lot more resources, and we will benefit from the work they’re doing,” Moore said of the Australians. “Reefs of the future are going to be different than today —we have to accept that. We won’t win the fight everywhere. But we’ll succeed in some places, with help.”

Michael Wilner - McClatchy Washington Bureau


prepareforchange--2019-08-15--The Cancer Epidemic is Caused by a Viruse That Was Put in the Polio Vaccine and Given to 98 Million

The Cancer Epidemic is Caused by a Viruse That Was Put in the Polio Vaccine and Given to 98 Million People (Also Transmitted Sexually)

In 1960, medical studies determined that the Salk injectable polio vaccine (IPV) contained the Simian Virus 40 (SV40). SV40 is a cancer-causing virus originating from minced rhesus monkey kidney cells that were used to manufacture the polio vaccine.  From the mid-50s until 1960, the SV40-tainted vaccine had been administered to about 98 million adults and children.  After 1960, millions of more of the tainted vaccines were being manufactured and administered. Federal regulators did not recall the affected polio vaccine until 1963. Dr. Sabin, who developed the first working polio vaccine, had this to say about the cover-up:  “…Theres too much scaring the public unnecessarily. Oh your children were injected with a cancer virus and all that. That’s not very good!”  Medical researchers attribute the elevated rise in soft-tissue cancers in the last 50 years, many of which were almost unknown before the introduction of the polio vaccine, to the SV40 virus contamination.  Soon after the discovery of the cancer-causing virus, the U.S. Government commissioned covert projects with the purpose of weaponizing cancer.  Dr. Alton Ochsner, who pioneered early studies linking smoking to cancer, was instrumental in overseeing the cancer-causing virus project in New Orleans. His hospital was one of the 159 covert research centers established by the CIA.  Dr. Mary Sherman, an expert in cancer research, was selected to supervise the secret research related to the SV40 virus. The monkey viruses were radiated by a linear particular accelerator to alter the genetic components in the virus. The monkey viruses would then be injected into mice to study the developing tumors.  In 1964, Dr. Sherman was found brutally murdered in her apartment (she had been stabbed multiple times and her right arm and rib cage had been burnt away). Her fascinating story is detailed in the book Dr. Mary’s Monkey.  The following Coast to Coast AM interview with the author of Dr. Mary’s Monkey is absolutely crucial to the investigation:  Judyth Vary Baker and Lee Harvey Oswald’s involvement in the program  In the spring of 1963, 19-year-old Judyth Vary Baker was invited to join Dr. Ochsner in New Orleans. Baker was an exceptionally gifted student from Florida dedicated to cancer research. Soon after arriving in New Orleans, she began a romantic relationship with Lee Harvey Oswald, who informed her of his role as an intelligence agent.  Oswald introduced Baker to David Ferrie, who according to Jim Garrison, was a key figure in the JFK assassination and “one of history’s most important individuals.” Ferrie revealed information to Baker about a secret government assassination plot directed against Fidel Castro. By injecting Castro with cancer, the U.S. Government would avoid the usual suspicion that a violent assassination would generate. Baker and  Oswald were assigned cover jobs at the Reily Coffee Company (confirmed by Baker’s pay stubs and tax statements). Her real work was in Ferrie’s apartment, portions of which had been converted into a laboratory. Baker worked with 50-60 mice at a time, which had developed tumors due to cancer injections. Baker would kill the mice, and then cut off and weigh the tumors. The excised tumor material would then be blended together. Baker would then make tissue cell cultures from the most vigorous and deadly cancers. She would then compile reports on the tests and take them to Dr. Mary Sherman to review. Oswald acted as a go between for the covert program participants, among other assigned clandestine activities.  Disclaimer: We at Prepare for Change (PFC) bring you information that is not offered by the mainstream news, and therefore may seem controversial. The opinions, views, statements, and/or information we present are not necessarily promoted, endorsed, espoused, or agreed to by Prepare for Change, its leadership Council, members, those who work with PFC, or those who read its content. However, they are hopefully provocative. Please use discernment! Use logical thinking, your own intuition and your own connection with Source, Spirit and Natural Laws to help you determine what is true and what is not. By sharing information and seeding dialogue, it is our goal to raise consciousness and awareness of higher truths to free us from enslavement of the matrix in this material realm.


thedailymirror--2019-04-05--As UK prepares for large Zika epidemic how virus brought Brazil to its knees

As UK prepares for large Zika epidemic' how virus brought Brazil to its knees

It's the virus with a terrifying reputation after bursting onto the scene in Brazil - just before the country hosted the 2016 Olympic Games.  In a matter of months Zika had infected at least 1.5million people, and in women there were alarming and tragic consequences.  Images of babies with microcephaly - which causes deformed, unusually small heads and often brain damage - shocked the world.  And more scary was the fact the disease was transmitted by an airborne mosquito, Aedes aegypti, which would bite during the day, not just at night, so it was almost impossible for a pregnant mother to protect herself.  More ominously, there is no vaccine or treatment.  The news put off many from visiting the country, with some athletes also pulling out of the Olympics, including 14 male golfers worried about reports the virus remains in men’s organisms and could risk future pregnancies.  But now Zika could be heading to Britain after scientists warned global warming would soon allow the dreaded mosquitos that carry it to our shores.  Colin Carlson, of Georgetown University in Washington, who tracked the expected movement of the Aedes aegypti, said mosquitos will find it “pretty easy” to spread to the UK with just two degrees of warming.  The insects, which also carry dengue and chikungunya, may be lured from tropical regions by warmer, more humid air as the world heats up, and could cause havoc in Europe as populations that have never faced these diseases have not built up immunity.  The Zika virus arrived suddenly in Brazil at the beginning of 2016 and soon brought the country to its knees.  The virus is thought to have arrived in Brazil in 2014 either during the World Cup in July, or, more likely, the World Sprint Championship canoe race in August, where there were participants from French Polynesia, where there was already a Zika outbreak, experts believe.  Cases started being reported as early as January 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, although the outbreak was not detected and reported until January 2016.  Zika then spread explosively within the country, as well as other Latin American countries.  Between August and October 2015, 54 cases of microcephaly, or ‘shrunken head syndrome’ among newborns in Brazil were reported to the World Health Organisation, although by then no connection between the worrying rise of the condition affecting babies and Zika was suspected.  But by February 2016, that number had jumped to over 4,000, and Brazil declared the phenomenon a national health emergency.  In one town at the epicentre of the Zika epidemic, in Goiana near the northeastern Brazilian city of Recife, 500 people a day were being stuck down by the virus, while the incidence of microcephaly was 6.3 per 1,000 live births, the highest rate of the condition anywhere in the world.  By the end of 2016, 161,214 cases of Zika infection had been identified - believed to represent just a fraction of the true number.  News of the outbreak caused panic in Brazil, where abortion is illegal, with many couples putting off plans to have children and women who found themselves pregnant terrified they would find out their unborn child would be damaged, with many undergoing dangerous back street terminations.  Women whose babies were born with microcephaly told how their children would scream uncontrollably for hours because of the painful pressure on their brains, while the infants often had seizures, breathing problems, difficulty swallowing and vision and hearing problems.  For those who weren’t pregnant but found themselves infected by the virus experienced a week of often unbearable symptoms, including a high temperature and headaches , itching all over the body, joint pain, conjunctivitis and pain behind the eyes.  Fear grew as the virus took hold in the country and scientists began to suggest Zika could lie dormant in the bodily fluids of those who contracted and seemingly got over if, only to reactivate and attack their brains and nervous systems later in life.  By May 2016 Brazil's health ministry had confirmed three adult deaths caused by Zika in the country, while scientists are reportedly investigating a marked increase in the number of neurological diseases appearing in adults since the Zika outbreak began.  Doctors in Brazil also said some adult Zika patients were starting to show symptoms of a brain disease similar to multiple sclerosis, which in the worst cases caused them to fall into a coma, lose vision or become paralysed.  And they also warned that children whose mother had been infected by Zika while pregnant could develop neurological problems later in life, even if they showed no signs of problems as infants.  One doctor, Renato Sa, claimed that some children might show no obvious sign of neurological damage until later in life, when they might start having "convulsions or other tell-tale signs."  And with the virus apparently mutating to an even more vicious strain, and scientists unable to correctly predict what might really happen in the coming months and years, Brazil braced itself for all the possible worst case scenarios.  In the end, the disaster didn’t come, and the outbreak went away as quickly and as unexpectedly as it had be begun. By the following year the number of Zika cases plummeted in Latin America, with Brazil, where much of the population was now immune to new infections, registering only 13,253 cases.  The virus has, however, left a tragic legacy of thousands of ‘Zika babies’ who will grow up deformed and brain-damaged.  And, with the true potential of the virus still unknown, and with as many as 1.5million people possibly still carrying it in their bodies, many fear Zika could still reawaken and wreak incalculable havoc.


thedailyrecord--2019-04-03--Britain warned to prepare for large epidemic of incurable Zika virus

Britain warned to prepare for 'large epidemic' of incurable Zika virus

Britain should prepare for a "a large epidemic" of the incurable Zika virus , an expert has warned.  Mosquitoes carrying the disease will swarm to the UK due to global warming, according to the Department of Health .  But he stressed things can be done to manage the Zika virus.  Most of northern Europe is believed to be under threat of the epidemic as the Aedes mosquitoes move away from Africa.  They also can spread yellow fever and other lethal diseases.  "There are huge scientific answers to very many of the problems we face," stressed Mr Whitty in the House of Commons today.  He added there would likely be a vaccine against Zika by the time the insects reach the UK.  But currently pregnant women infected with the disease can give birth to babies with abnormally small heads and brains – an often fatal defect.  The majority of cases in the UK are in those who have travelled to the Caribbean or South America.  The 2015-16 epidemic plagued Brazil and other South America nations.  In February 2016, the World Health Organisation declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.  Only a handful of cases have been reported in the UK since, all of which were associated with travel.  The most common symptoms of the disease are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis.


collectiveevolution--2019-10-12--7 Ways to Prevent and Even Reverse Heart Disease with Nutrition

We are living in a day and age where there is a tremendous divide occurring among the populace on multiple subjects, one of them being vaccination. We are heavily marketed with the idea that vaccines are completely safe for everybody, that they save lives, and that the science is settled. This type of narrative comes straight from pharmaceutical companies and federal health regulatory agencies like the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).  However, there is a lot of science that continues to emerge which summarily discount the claims being made by pharmaceutical companies and federal health regulatory agencies. Not only are there contradictions in their science, but also extreme corruption within these companies and agencies has been exposed on multiple occasions. One great example would be senior CDC scientist Dr. William Thompson, who blew the whistle in 2014 on data corruption by executives within the CDC with regards to falsified data pertaining to the MMR vaccine. One study which purports to show no link between the vaccine and autism had some of its data sets removed, which otherwise showed a strong correlation between the vaccine to autism.  Two years after that more than a dozen senior CDC scientists anononymously put out a paper (the SPIDER papers) in which they expressed their concerns about the corruption within the agency, its complacency, and undue corporate influence on the published science. The revolving door that exists between these agencies contributes to the continued corruption. As an example, CDC Director from 2002-2009 Julie Gerberding became the head Merck’s vaccines division, which came with a $2.5 million annual salary and $5 million in stock options.  A study published as far back as 1994 in the JAMA Internal Medicine details quite clearly that the Measles vaccine does not and has not worked:  We found 18 reports of measles outbreaks in very highly immunized school populations where 71% to 99.8% of students were immunized against measles. Despite these high rates of immunization, 30% to 100% of all measles cases in these outbreaks occurred in previously immunized students. In our hypothetical school model, after more than 95% of schoolchildren are immunized against measles, the majority of measles cases occur in appropriately immunized children. The apparent paradox is that as measles immunization rates rise to high levels in a population, measles becomes a disease of immunized persons. Because of the failure rate of the vaccine and the unique transmissibility of the measles virus, the currently available measles vaccine, used in a single-dose strategy, is unlikely to completely eliminate measles. The long term success of a two-dose strategy to eliminate measles remains to be determined. (source)  There are many examples up to the present day that clearly indicate the failure of the vaccine. For example, A study published in the highly authoritative Bulletin of the World Health Organization looked at recent measles occurrences throughout China and found that there were 707 measles outbreaks in the country recorded between 2009 and 2012, with a steep upward trend in 2013. “The number of measles cases reported in the first 10 months of 2013 – 26,443 – was three times the number reported in the whole of 2012.” This is odd considering that since 2009 “…the first dose of measles-virus-containing vaccine has reached more than 90% of the target population.” (source)  A study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases – whose authorship includes scientists working for the Bureau of Immunization, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA – looked at evidence from the 2011 New York measles outbreak, which showed that individuals with prior evidence of measles vaccination and vaccine immunity were both capable of being infected with measles and infecting others with it (secondary transmission). (source)  During the measles outbreak in California in 2015, a large number of suspected cases occurred in recent vaccines. Of the 194 measles virus sequences obtained in the United States in 2015, 73 were identified as vaccine sequences. The Pharma-owned media generated high public anxiety, a form of fear mongering that led the public to demonize unvaccinated children, who were falsely perceived as the spreaders of this disease. Rebecca J. McNall, a co-author of the published report, is a CDC official in the Division of Viral Diseases who had the data proving that the measles outbreak was in part caused by the vaccine. It is evidence of the vaccine’s failure to provide immunity. (source)  How Many People Is The Measles Vaccine Injuring?  According to a MedAlerts search of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) database, which is the subject of the pilot study mentioned above, as of 2/5/19, the cumulative raw count from measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines alone was: 93,929 adverse events, 1,810 disabilities, 6,902 hospitalizations, and 463 deaths.  The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act has paid out approximately $4 billion to compensate families of vaccine-injured children. As astronomical as the monetary awards are, they’re even more alarming considering HHS claims that only an estimated 1% of vaccine injuries are even reported to the VAERS. Again, these facts are also illustrated by the study that’s the main focus of this article. If the numbers from VAERS and HHS are correct, only 1/3 of the petitions are compensated – then the compensation could be up to 300 times greater, if all vaccine injuries were actually compensated for.  I came across an interesting Instagram post by Robert F. Kennedy Jr recently:  In our September 18 debate, Dr. Robert Reichert, parroting Pharma, faults “anti-vaxxers” for causing the pertussis (whooping cough) resurgence. But science blames the pertussis rebound on a faulty vaccine that actually spreads the contagion. Even Dr. Stanley Plotkin, one of the “fathers” of modern vaccinology concedes “the increase in pertussis appears to be the result of waning (vaccine) immunity”. (Burdin et al. 2017). Multiple vaccines boosters given to infants and children enrich Pharma but are ineffective against waning immunity. In fact, a 2016 study by Schwartz et al. shows that “boosting” with the current vaccine actually INCREASES the risk of contracting whooping cough. Moreover, Lavine et al. (2010) found that while the vaccine provides some protection from pertussis, it causes a rise in overall whooping cough infection by enhancing the growth of parapertussis—a closely related bacteria. That’s why whooping cough outbreaks are attacking fully vaccinated populations. A 2019 outbreak in a Los Angeles schools sickened 90 vaccinated children and none of the unvaccinated children. (Latimes.com, 2019). An animal study by Long et al confirmed that the vaccine actually weakens resistance to parapertussis and enhances the spread of the disease. The authors state, “Our data raise the possibility that widespread acellular pertussis vaccination can create hosts (i.e., people) more susceptible to B.parapertussis.” Worse, the pertussis vaccine does not actually prevent colonization of the pathogen but instead blocks symptoms masking the infection. Vaccinated people can therefore become asymptomatic carriers of pertussis and transmit whooping cough to others without knowing it (Gill et al. 2017). Thus, the vaccine is useless in preventing pertussis and increases the risk of spreading it. Furthermore,since 1992, doctors have reported 89,550 injuries and 1,529 deaths from the current vaccine. Since DTaP creates “herd susceptibility” instead of “herd immunity”, school mandates are not just cruel—they are criminal.  In his post he uses multiple screen shots to make his point, you can find them below with links to the actual study above the screen shots.  The tactic of Pharma-owned mainstream media is to use fear, ridicule and terms like “Anti-Vaxxers” to marginalize anyone who doesn’t believe the entire planet should be vaccinated. Vaccine advocates and mainstream media never really seem to address the points made, like the ones above, or the science provided by vaccine safety advocates. This alone should tell us something about the safety of vaccines, and why the push for mandatory vaccination is highly objectionable.  Because mainstream media, mainstream education, and our pharma-driven health care system have a stranglehold on the proliferation of information, not many people are aware of the information that’s presented in this article. If we continue to give our brains away to these authority figures, we continue to be impacted by extreme amounts of propaganda. However, as we start thinking for ourselves and realize that there is a lot of information out there that is being kept from us, the picture becomes a little more clear.  Due to the pressure of mass censorship, we now have our own censorship-free, and ad-free on demand streaming network! It is the world's first and only conscious media network streaming mind-expanding interviews, news broadcasts, and conscious shows. Click here to start a FREE 7-Day Trial and watch 100's of hours of conscious media videos, that you won't see anywhere else.


mercurynews--2019-04-10--How measles spread and other frequently asked questions about the disease

The United States is experiencing its second-highest number of measles cases in nearly two decades. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the diagnosed cases have climbed to 465. At least 19 states have reported cases of the highly contagious virus. The outbreaks are linked to people who traveled from countries such as Israel, Ukraine and the Philippines, where large measles outbreaks are occurring. The disease is spreading in U.S. communities that have relatively high numbers of people who have not been vaccinated against measles. Here are some answers to commonly asked questions about measles, which can cause serious complications among all age groups, especially young children.  Measles is one of the most contagious diseases on Earth. It is a respiratory infection caused by a virus. The virus lives in the nose and throat of an infected person. It can spread by direct contact with infectious droplets or through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. The measles virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area. If other people breathe the contaminated air or touch the infected surface, then touch their eyes, noses, or mouths, they can become infected. Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90 percent of the people close to that person or who walk through the same area and are not immune also may become infected.  Infected people can spread measles to others from four days before through four days after the appearance of a rash.  That’s why many health officials in places experiencing outbreaks, such as New York’s Rockland County and New York City and Washington state, have declared public health emergencies. Rockland County executives tried to ban unvaccinated minors from public places, including churches, schools and shopping centers. New York City just announced mandatory vaccinations in affected Zip codes.  No. Antibiotics are used for infections caused by bacteria. Measles is caused by a virus. There is no specific treatment for measles. Health-care professionals try to prevent the disease by administering the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine to children. Nonimmunized people, including infants, may be given the measles vaccination within 72 hours of exposure to the virus to provide protection against the disease. Pregnant women, infants and people with weakened immune systems who are exposed to the virus may receive a protein injection called immune serum globulin within six days of exposure to prevent measles or reduce the symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic.  Measles can be deadly, especially for babies and young children. Some people may have severe complications, such as pneumonia (infection of the lungs) and encephalitis (swelling of the brain), which can lead to hospitalization and death. Measles may cause pregnant woman to give birth prematurely or have a low-birth-weight baby. According to the CDC:  As many as one out of every 20 children with measles gets pneumonia, the most common cause of death from measles in young children.  About one child out of every 1,000 who get measles will develop encephalitis, which can lead to convulsions and can leave the child deaf or with intellectual disabilities.  For every 1,000 children who get measles, one or two will die from it.  Recent findings from researchers in California indicate that a rare neurological complication that kills children years after they have been infected by the measles virus is more common than previously thought. The neurological disorder can lie dormant for years and then is 100 percent fatal. There is no cure. For babies who get measles before being vaccinated, the rate is 1 in 609.  How effective is the measles vaccine?  The MMR vaccine is very effective. One dose of the vaccine is about 93 percent effective at preventing measles. Two doses are about 97 percent effective, according to the CDC. CDC recommends that children get two MMR doses, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age.  If you were born after 1957, when vaccination was universal, it’s unlikely that you need more MMR shots. If you have no written documentation anywhere that you’ve had an MMR shot, talk with your doctor. In addition, if you’re pregnant, clinicians say to wait to get the MMR shot until after the baby is born. It is safe for women who are breast-feeding to get a measles shot, according to Wendy Sue Swanson, a Seattle pediatrician.  Why are infants at risk of measles?  If a baby’s mother has had her MMR shots or had a measles infection in her life, she passed antibodies to her baby during fetal development and continued to pass them passively while breast-feeding. Those antibodies provide protection for young infants and typically are thought to protect infants for up to 6 months or more. However, the length of protection is not known. Immunity wanes for these babies as they age and the mom’s antibodies fail to persist.  Does the measles vaccine cause autism?  No, there is no link between autism and the MMR vaccine. This has been carefully examined by many doctors and scientists from around the world in large and thorough studies. Scientists are studying what does make a child more likely to have autism, such as genes or an older father.  How did the idea that the MMR vaccine causes autism originate?  The debunked claim that there is a relationship between vaccines and autism largely stems from the late 1990s. At the time, autism diagnoses had been increasing, and doctors didn’t know why. In 1998, British researcher Andrew Wakefield published a fraudulent paper, which was subsequently retracted, linking autism to the MMR vaccine. Evidence emerged that Wakefield had been paid by attorneys for parents who were suing MMR manufacturers and that Wakefield’s data were fraudulent. The Lancet retracted his study in February 2010. That year, Wakefield was found guilty of professional misconduct by Britain’s General Medical Council and his license was revoked.  How are vaccines tested for safety?  Vaccines are among the most thoroughly tested medical products available in the United States. Before a vaccine can be considered for approval by the Food and Drug Administration, the manufacturer must show it is safe and effective through clinical trials. This scientific process can take over a decade and cost millions of dollars. The FDA then examines these studies and determines whether a vaccine is safe, effective and ready to be licensed for use. The FDA licenses only those vaccines that have data showing that their benefits outweigh the potential risks. If there is any question about the data, or any holes in the data, the FDA will request further studies before approving the vaccine.  Vaccinate Your Family, the nation’s largest nonprofit dedicated to advocating for vaccinations, provides a good explanation of the four systems in the United States that work together to help scientists monitor the safety of vaccines and identify any rare side effects that may not have been found in clinical trials. For example, some side effects may happen only in 1 in 100,000 or 1 in 500,000 people. Vaccine trials may not include certain populations like pregnant women or people with specific medical conditions who might have different types of side effects or who might have a higher risk of side effects than the volunteers who got the vaccine during clinical trials.  One system, known as the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS, relies on individuals to report vaccine reactions. Anyone can report a reaction or injury, including health-care providers, patients and patients’ representatives, such as caregivers or attorneys. The system is co-managed by the FDA and the CDC. The purpose of VAERS is to see whether unexpected or unusual patterns emerge, potentially indicating a vaccine safety issue that needs to be researched further.  Another system, called the Vaccine Safety Datalink, is a collaboration between the CDC’s Immunization Safety Office and eight large health-care organizations across the country. It conducts studies based on questions or concerns raised from the medical literature and reports to VAERS. In addition, when new vaccines are recommended or if changes are made in how a vaccine is recommended, VSD will monitor the safety of these vaccines. The system has information on the kind of vaccine given to each patient, date of vaccination, and other vaccinations given on the same day. It also uses information on medical illnesses that have been diagnosed at doctors’ offices, urgent-care visits, emergency department visits and hospital stays.  SF visitors possibly exposed to measles last week, officials say CDC finds 78 new measles cases as outbreak sprints to record A third system, called the Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment Project, or CISA, is a national network of vaccine safety experts from the Immunization Safety Office, seven medical research centers and other partners. It also addresses vaccine safety issues and conducts clinical research.  A fourth system, called the Post-Licensure Rapid Immunization Safety Monitoring or (PRISM), is a partnership between the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research and leading health insurance companies. It actively monitors and analyzes data from a representative subset of the general population.  No. Scholars believe no major religious group advocates against vaccinations on the basis of official doctrine, and experts say the majority support vaccinations. Large majorities of Americans from all major religious groups say healthy children should be required to receive vaccinations to attend school, according to the Pew Research Center. However, some individuals from various faith traditions believe vaccinating goes against their religious beliefs.


naturalnews--2019-01-14--The CURE for Alzheimers Disease can be found in our synapses

The CURE for Alzheimer's Disease can be found in our synapses

(Natural News) Americans walk, run, and march “for the cure” for all kinds of different diseases, helping to raise awareness and funds for research, but what if you found out right now there’s a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease, would you “take care of business” starting now or keep wishing someone else might come along to possibly save you later?  Sure, right about now you’re hoping the cure will come in some magical pill or prolific injection, and do the job “overnight,” so you won’t have to do any work or garner long-term diligence – well, there’s good news and bad news – and they’re both the same. Scientists have figured out what causes Alzheimer’s Disease and what cures it, but it’s not some chemical pill or experimental vaccine, so let’s get to work.  The point of connection of neurons is called a synapse, and that’s where neurotransmitters are released and communication happens in the brain. This is where we experiences all of our senses and engage in thought processes, including critical thinking and memory. This is also exactly where dementia happens.  The synapse is where neurons release hormones, glutamates, and small peptides called amyloid beta. The amyloid beta are the brain’s “trash” and a prime factor involved in Alzheimer’s disease, functioning as the main component of plaques that cling to each other and clog up the neural pathway. These are the plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.  The power of the elements: Discover Colloidal Silver Mouthwash with quality, natural ingredients like Sangre de Drago sap, black walnut hulls, menthol crystals and more. Zero artificial sweeteners, colors or alcohol. Learn more at the Health Ranger Store and help support this news site.  Normally, these amyloid plaques are swept out of the neural pathway (like trash) by the “custodians of the brain” called microglea. These amazing microglea are the brain’s own immune cells and are the answer to beating brain diseases. Scientists recently discovered through sophisticated experiments that these cells constantly search for brain damage, like a perpetually-running computer virus scan, running surveillance for different levels of damage. The microglea are literally capable of eating infected and damaged cells before infection spreads, while clearing out “debris” from dying cells.  Diseases of dementia therefore begin when amyloid beta begins to accumulate, because too much is released, overwhelming the microglea, and leaving waste in the neural pathways, blocking communication. The synapse piles up with plaques (trash and waste) that become sticky and bind to themselves (think of animal fat clogging your sink drain).  At a certain tipping point, when the body and brain have created too much “trash” for too long, creating massive inflammation and tangles, the microglea become overwhelmed and enter a hyper-mode, where they actually begin attacking healthy cells. Scientists believe the microglea may even, at the tipping point, begin clearing away the synapses themselves. Get it? The cure lives in keeping amyloid plaques from reaching the “tipping point.” Here’s how you do that.  Amyloid plaque accumulation may never be “cured” with a chemical drug or vaccine, but that doesn’t matter, because you can cure the problem yourself. Are you ready to start taking your preventative medicine? It’s not very difficult you know. Let’s break it down to its simplest form, then you decide if you can “pull it off.”  You wouldn’t pick up a poisonous snake just to see if it bites you, and then start searching the internet for the anecdote, would you? You wouldn’t pick some poison ivy and rub it on your skin on purpose, would you? If you were severely allergic to peanuts, you certainly wouldn’t eat a handful just to see what happens. That’s just common sense.  So what if you knew what caused dementia, would you stop eating it? Guess what. Now is the time to stop marching for the cure and start living it, because knowledge is power. Now get this.  White foods are known to cause excess plaque build-up in the brain, leading to dementia. These white foods include white bread, white flour, white rice (except basmati, which is naturally white), white pasta, and white sugar. Stop eating bleached food.  Processed foods and meats cause excess plaque in the synapses, fueling dementia. Avoid processed cheeses (think American cheese especially here), and processed meats, like sausages, bacon, hot dogs, and cold cuts (especially smoked deli meats), and even beer. Nitrosamines in smoked meats cause the liver to produce fats that are toxic to the brain.  Stop eating foods that contain diacetyl, a chemical commonly found in microwave popcorn. Diacetyl increases amyloid plaques in the brain.  You’ll hear it time and time again, that a plant-based diet cures almost every preventable disease and disorder known to humans. It’s true. If you’re a heavy meat eater, your body is struggling to process all that animal fat, creating heart and brain “trash” that your body’s “janitors” just can’t sweep away fast enough.  If you think organic or “expeller pressed” canola oil means that the oil doesn’t coagulate in your body, you’d be dead wrong. After about six weeks, any canola oil that your body hasn’t cleared out looks like a sticky glue you could use to bond cement. Think of all that “trash” blocking your synapses and causing dementia, because that’s exactly what happens.  Did you know that in the U.S. alone, Alzheimer’s care already costs $2 billion a year (one out of every five Medicare dollars)? Dementia kills more people than cancer. Did you know that? Sure, Big Pharma will tell you Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are not preventable, but both are, and the cure lives in prevention. You may begin now.


naturalnews--2019-01-31--VACCINE-INDUCED DISEASE now a top global health threat for 2019 and beyond

(Natural News) Contrary to what the propaganda-spreading World Health Organization (WHO) purports, modern day vaccines are responsible for more deaths than the diseases they are intended to create immunity against. This is a fact based on sound science. Let’s review some examples, and then we’ll discuss shedding – the common way infectious diseases are spread by children and teens during the first two weeks after they are injected with multiple strains of diseases, when their own immune systems are severely compromised, as are the other vaccinated children around them.  First off, there have been 127 deaths caused by the measles vaccine in the past 15 years, but only 2 deaths caused by the measles disease itself. Secondly, just take a look at GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) 6-in-1 jab called “Infanrix Hexa” (meaning six diseases are injected into a baby’s muscle tissue all at once – a science phenomena no studies have ever shown to be safe).  That toxic GSK hexa-jab has killed three dozen infants already, and over 2,000 reports have flooded in regarding adverse reactions (of which 500 were termed “serious”). This immunization combo is deadly, but the mass media has buried these reports, as usual, so hardly a soul knows to avoid this shot like the modern-day plague.  Then there’s the most toxic and deadly vaccine of all – the influenza vaccine, a.k.a. the flu shot. Damage from the flu shot is responsible for the majority of the secretive vaccine court’s payouts in settlements that have breached a mind-blowing (pun intended) $4 billion (the number increased vastly since 2016). Yes, you read that right.  100% organic essential oil sets now available for your home and personal care, including Rosemary, Oregano, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Clary Sage and more, all 100% organic and laboratory tested for safety. A multitude of uses, from stress reduction to topical first aid. See the complete listing here, and help support this news site.  Recently, a Las Vegas man became paralyzed and blind the day after he got the flu jab. Could it be because many flu shots still contain up to 50 parts per million (ppm) of mercury, listed as “thimerosal?” The guy was perfectly healthy before he got the vaccine. Now he can’t breathe, speak, or walk on his own anymore. Is the vaccine worth the risk? Most people with even a partially functional immune system can beat the flu in a few days.  No doubt the flu vaccine itself is a global health threat, especially since the CDC recommends it for pregnant women. Is there a coupon in the vaccine insert for Planned Parenthood that comes with that jab? If so, New York State will be the first to offer that deal.  Folks, “safety in numbers” is a myth. You think it’s safe for your babies to sit and wait with you in a doctor’s office waiting room, playing with germ-laden toys, while everyone around you is contaminated with the flu, hepatitis B, and other viruses they’re shedding from the vaccines they recently got jabbed into their muscle tissue?  All vaccine proponents always blame unvaccinated children or teens when a disease starts spreading around a school, theme park, or college. Why? That’s what they hear on TV, read in the MSM lying newspapers, or heard from their doctor or nurse, who got the script straight from Big Pharma.  It’s all fear-based propaganda to sell more toxic vaccines. Now the World Health Organization is spreading hyper-propaganda about the unvaccinated people of the world being one of the greatest health threats to society, when actually the opposite is the case.  Watch this short video and learn why you should fear vaccines and the vaccinated children much more than you should ever worry about the people who avoid getting those toxic jabs:  Stop putting your trust in a medical society that profits greatly from you and your family’s sicknesses, and makes zero money from your good health. It’s just common sense. Are you the sheeple in the herd that’s spreading the diseases you’re so afraid to get – the very ones that are swimming in your blood and shedding from your mucus and saliva right now?  The most dangerous time for spreading infectious disease is the first 14 days after a person is injected with that immunization that contains genetically modified versions of the virus, often mixed in dangerous, experimental, untested combinations. The viruses are NOT dead, they are just hibernating inside a formaldehyde formula, waiting to be fed.  The polio vaccine (injected or given as nasal spray) causes new polio cases, including spreading it to the siblings of those vaccinated. The same happens after the measles and flu shots – the disease is shed and spread. History has proven a huge spike in crippled children (47,000 cases reported in India alone in 2011) right after receiving the oral polio vaccine. This means polio vaccines are the leading cause of polio paralysis. Do you really want to wander around in that sickened flock? So much for safety in numbers, huh?  Want to build your immunity (or your children’s) to infectious diseases, pathogens, parasites, viruses, and bacteria, instead of weakening your immunity while spreading all of those infections? Look into natural remedies like elderberry (great for the flu), Vitamin D, Vitamin C, oil of oregano, garlic, cinnamon, licorice root, blackberry seed oil, and of course, colloidal silver. Check out Vaccines.news for more updates on immune system killers that the WHO does NOT want you to know about. This has been a public service announcement from Natural News.


naturalnews--2019-04-04--7 Deadly diseases caused by vitamin D deficiency

(Natural News) A vitamin D deficiency can place you at higher risk for seven life-threatening diseases. Vitamin D is essential for strong bones and overall health. Our bodies naturally synthesize the vitamin when we are exposed to sunlight but we can complement the production by eating the right foods or supplements.  Research has shown that a vitamin D deficiency can cause several conditions:  High blood pressure – There is a 32 percent increased risk of developing a cardiac condition if you lack vitamin D. One study even claims that those with vitamin D deficiency are 20 percent more likely to have a more severe form of the condition, wherein multiple vessels are affected. Vitamin D is said to control inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation is a recognized health risk.  Asthma – A 2014 study found out that a remarkable number of children with asthma were also lacking in vitamin D. Studies show the vitamin D helps clear airways.  Cavities – Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium and phosphorus – essential nutrients for bone development. Your body goes through a number of chemical processes to “activate” the vitamin; but in short, vitamin D manages the calcium levels in the blood, gut, and bones. A deficiency of vitamin D, therefore, can lead to weaker enamel. Twenty-four clinical trials done on 2,827 participants concluded that vitamin D prevents tooth decay and cavities. Parents should ensure that their children spend a good portion of their day outdoors.  Cancer – Vitamin D can reduce the risk of cancer. Reviews suggest that it helps cells from mutating and multiplying. Moreover, research proves that cancer patients with higher levels of vitamin D remain in remission longer. A 10-point increase in vitamin D is linked with a four percent improvement in survival. Vitamin D was seen to be particularly advantageous for patients suffering from colorectal and breast cancer. Breast cancer patients with a healthy vitamin D levels are twice more likely to survive the disease, research says.  The power of the elements: Discover Colloidal Silver Mouthwash with quality, natural ingredients like Sangre de Drago sap, black walnut hulls, menthol crystals and more. Zero artificial sweeteners, colors or alcohol. Learn more at the Health Ranger Store and help support this news site.  Flu – Studies suggest that vitamin D helps fight off colds and flu. Vitamin D kills off the bacteria and viruses associated with this condition.  Rheumatoid arthritis – A new study showed that almost half of rheumatoid arthritis patients suffer from a vitamin D deficiency. Similarly, 62 percent of patients with psoriatic arthritis were seen to lack vitamin D as well. Doctors believe that the anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin D help alleviate the symptoms of arthritis.  Irritable Bowel Disorders (IBS)– A study reveals that close to 30 percent of people suffering from irritable bowel disorders have a vitamin D deficiency. IBS is the most common gastrointestinal disorder worldwide. In the United States, around 2.4 to 3.5 million annual physician visits are prompted by an IBS complaint.  The main source of vitamin D is exposure to sunlight. Your skin immediately produces vitamin D and sends it to your liver. It is here where the vitamin D changes to its “activated” form and sent all over the body. This form of vitamin D is used by different tissues to perform. Take care though not to spend too much time in the sun. Overexposure is associated with an increased risk of skin cancer.  You may also choose to get a good supply of vitamin D through the food you eat. Dairy products, fish, and eggs are recommended.


naturalnews--2019-04-19--CDC admits measles outbreak is caused by people from other countries who enter the United States and

CDC admits measles outbreak is caused by people from other countries who enter the United States and spread the disease

(Natural News) In the first four months of 2019, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have confirmed 555 cases of measles across 20 states. In comparison, there were 382 cases in all of 2018 and just 120 back in 2017. Five years ago, there were 667 confirmed cases, spurring media frenzy. In their latest report, the CDC admits that measles cases are actually coming from international travelers. “These outbreaks are linked to travelers who brought measles back from other countries such as Israel, Ukraine, and the Philippines, where large measles outbreaks are occurring,” says the CDC.  In early April, New York City mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency over a cluster of reported measles cases in the Orthodox Jewish community. The emergency order demanded that all un-vaccinated residents within four zip codes take a measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. Violators face imprisonment and fines up to $1,000. The order includes children as young as six months, even though the MMR package insert states that the vaccine is not recommended for anyone under twelve months of age.  If Bill de Blasio insists on forcibly injecting six month old babies, (who do not have an adequate immune system to handle the MMR vaccine), then why doesn’t he stop all international travelers coming from outbreak-stricken areas such as Israel, Ukraine, and the Philippines? What about all the disease that pours over the Southern border? If the government insists on micromanaging viruses in the vast world, why do they target healthy, un-vaccinated children and ignore verifiable virus sources from other regions of the world? If stopping measles is so important, why not forbid international travel until the travelers have proven they have overcome infectious disease?  100% organic essential oil sets now available for your home and personal care, including Rosemary, Oregano, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Clary Sage and more, all 100% organic and laboratory tested for safety. A multitude of uses, from stress reduction to topical first aid. See the complete listing here, and help support this news site.  The bigger questions are: Should the government micromanage benign illnesses in the first place? Should governments have the power to track down people, coerce them with fines and threats of imprisonment, to inject them against their will, all based on the presumption that Merck’s vaccine works for everyone?  And the question that the CDC should ask themselves: Is vaccination really the answer in all this? Or at least, shouldn’t the parents decide for themselves if augmenting part of their child’s immune system and damaging their cell-mediated immunity is the right way to handle a benign illness like measles?  Measles infection is typically a benign illness that begins with a fever and ends with a rash. After natural infection, an individual gains lifelong immunity because their humoral antibody response and intra-cellular cytotoxic T-cell response have learned to target measles viruses both outside and inside the cells. Today, measles is over-hyped in the media and used as a selling point for MMR vaccinations (which only spur an allergic-style B-cell response in healthy individuals).  The MMR vaccine contains a live attenuated measles virus that is grown in WI-38 and MRC-5 cell strains, which are self-replicating culture mediums derived from 2-4 month old aborted fetal lung cells. After the virus is cultured and replicated in the aborted fetal cells, it is retrieved and processed for use in the combination vaccine. Upon injection, this antigen is intended to augment an immune response from the individual. An aluminum adjuvant is added to the vaccine to further incite an immune response, while adding to the vaccine’s toxicity. Upon injection, T-helper-2 cells respond to the artificial infection, increasing the body’s production of B-cell antibodies. The vaccine is intended to increase the humoral response, but the consequence of this science is rarely discussed. This augmentation causes an imbalance in how the human immune system deals with future viruses.  There are two principle parts to the immune system. The first is the humoral response, mediated by T-helper-2 cells which encourage B-cell antibody response for killing viruses outside of cells. The second part takes place in the cell. This part is mediated by T-helper-1 cells which communicate with cytotoxic T cells to kill viruses that are replicating within cells. When vaccines are used, the first part is spurred into hyper-action, but the second part is hardly used, weakened. With repeated use of vaccines, cell-mediated immunity weakens, encouraging viral mutations, and future infections of the cells.  The measles death rate dropped considerably before a vaccine was introduced, so it’s hard to say whether the vaccine was the savior even as measles fatality continued to fall after the vaccine was employed. If anything, people today should thank their ancestors for facing benign illnesses like measles, mumps, and rubella. According to studies on antibody levels in the vaccinated versus the un-vaccinated, naturally acquired immunity is more effective for preventing disease over the long haul, and this also helps build stronger herd immunity in a population. People today should also thank their mothers for passing on passive immunity through breast milk antibodies. Vitamin A has also been studied to shorten the duration and severity of measles infection. In a dose-dependent manner, vitamin A prevented measles complications, including croup, diarrhea, and death by pneumonia. If the government is going to micromanage disease, then they can mandate vitamin A and halt international travelers who are coming from outbreak-stricken areas.  Targeting smart people who don’t want to weaken their cell-mediated immune response does nothing to protect the public. The CDC, the media, and government mouthpieces are blinded by their own agenda.


naturalnews--2019-09-11--Remember when the media claimed that infectious disease outbreaks at migrant detention centers was

Remember when the media claimed that infectious disease outbreaks at migrant detention centers was "fake news?" Nope, they're very real

(Natural News) It’s no secret that the mainstream media has been desperately trying to hide the fact that illegal aliens entering the United States often bring with them the very same infectious diseases for which health authorities are pushing to have Americans forcibly vaccinated. And new statistics once again show, despite their political incorrectness, that many of the so-called “migrants” being housed at detention centers all across the United States are, in fact, diseased.  The most recent batch of data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that, between September 2018 and August 2019, health authorities identified nearly 1,000 cases of mumps at 57 different Customs and Border Protection (CBP) detention facilities in 19 different states – and this is just one of many infectious diseases that these border-rushers are reportedly carrying.  While the CDC insists that the best way to combat mumps is to administer the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella to everyone, this controversial vaccine is not being offered to detainees, according to reports. This means that even as schoolchildren in places like California are being forced to receive the MMR jab in order to attend classes, illegal invaders are entering our country unvaccinated and spreading disease via migrant holding facilities.  “In general, due to the short-term nature of CBP holding and the complexities of operating vaccination programs, neither CBP nor its medical contractors administer vaccinations to those in our custody,” a spokeswoman from CBP is quoted as saying.  For related news about illegal immigration and the rampant spread of infectious disease, be sure to check out InvasionUSA.news.  Speaking to the media recently, Dr. Todd Ellerin, Director of Infectious Diseases and Vice Chair of Medicine at Southshore Health in Massachusetts, told it like it is. He warned that migrant detention centers are “a perfect storm for mumps to spread” – which makes them far more high-risk than public school classrooms where some unvaccinated children might be present.  “Individuals have to be within 3-6 feet of each other to spread this virus,” Dr. Ellerin explained. “Sneezing, coughing on someone, or sharing a drink can spread the virus.”  Based on the data released by the CDC, migrant detainees have a roughly 4,000-fold greater risk of contracting mumps than non-detainees – which makes illegal alien invaders, and not unvaccinated individuals, the highest risk group of people when it comes to contracting and spreading infectious disease.  MMR vaccines aren’t the only jabs not administered to detainees, by the way. According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), no vaccines are given to migrant invaders except those that are deemed “medically necessary.”  “Flu and other common vaccinations are offered by request only and are not routinely mandated unless deemed medically necessary, in that doing so would prevent a wider outbreak,” an ICE spokesperson said in a statement.  Dr. Ellerin, however, believes that vaccines should be forcibly administered to detainees which, while Natural News is opposed to any and all forms of mandatory vaccination, would at least be consistent with the unconstitutional requirements now being forced on American citizens in many areas of the country.  “From a public health perspective, I feel strongly that the benefits of vaccinating detainees against the flu and mumps outweighs the risks,” Dr. Ellerin told the media. “It is important that the staff receive maximal vaccination to avoid spreading the virus to their families, children, and communities.”  To learn more about the dangers associated with vaccines, be sure to check out Vaccines.news.  More immigration-related stories are also available for your reading pleasure OpenBorders.news.


newsweek--2019-01-03--Virginia Woman 22 Woke Up Paralyzed by Rare Disease While Teaching in Thailand

Virginia Woman, 22, Woke Up Paralyzed by Rare Disease While Teaching in Thailand

The Virginia family of a 22-year-old teacher are awaiting her return from Thailand, after she was suddenly paralyzed by a rare autoimmune disease. On December 21, Caroline Bradner began feeling weak and started to find it difficult to walk, her family wrote on a GoFundMe page initially set up to raise money to fly her home.  The next day, she awoke up in her apartment and was paralyzed. Doctors diagnosed her with a rare disease called Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). The autoimmune disorder causes the immune system to attack the body's nerves, causing muscle weakness and paralysis.  The disease, which is not contagious, has a number of causes including an infection by the common foodborne bacteria Campylobacter jejuni, the flu, and the Zika virus. One in 100,000 people are thought to be affected, and in the U.S., 3,000 to 6,000 people develop the condition each year, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sufferers can be treated with a plasma exchange, and immunoglobulin therapy in which the body is dosed with antibodies.  Bradner’s family wrote on GoFundMe that Caroline's condition is improving but she is “still paralyzed and it looks like this will be a long recovery, lasting from months to years.” On Christmas eve, Bradner’s mother flew out to Thailand where she has remained since.  Pierce Bradner, her sister, told WTVR: “She’s scared because she can’t move. But, she is really strong and really brave. She’s a great person, the best sister.” Caroline's father, Jim Bradner, told WTVR his daughter has regained some feeling in her fingers, and is able to move her shoulders.  After Caroline’s insurance firm rejected her request to transport her home to the U.S., the family raised over $76,000 through GoFundMe to pay for her flights. However, the insurer later agreed to cover Caroline’s travel costs. The money will now be used to pay for her medical bills and rehabilitation, her family said. Leftover money will be given to the charity GBS/CIDP Foundation International.  Caroline had recently graduated from University of Mississippi and saved money for her trip by waiting tables, Jim Bradner told WTVR. She flew out to Thailand to teach English, travel and “make a difference in this world,” her family wrote on GoFundMe. She had been in the South East Asian country since October before falling ill.


newsweek--2019-02-15--What Is Kawasaki Disease 16 California Children Diagnosed with Condition That Can Cause Heart Fail

What Is Kawasaki Disease?: 16 California Children Diagnosed with Condition That Can Cause Heart Failure

Health officials have warned twice as many children in San Diego have been diagnosed with a disease which can cause heart failure so far in 2019 compared with past years.  The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency said on Thursday that 16 cases of Kawasaki disease have been identified in the state since the start of the year.  Experts at the Kawasaki Disease Research Center at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and UC San Diego School of Medicine warned the agency they had diagnosed twice as many children with the condition compared with prior years.  Also known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, Kawasaki disease usually affects children under the age of five-years-old, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. It is the most common cause of heart disease in children.  The disease can make the hands and feet swell, and cause a fever, bloodshot eyes, and swollen lymph glands in the neck. Individuals can also develop a red mouth, lips and throat, while a fever can give way to peeling fingers and toes. A rash can also occur.  On average, patients are around two-years-old and younger than five, and boys are more prone than girls, according to the American Heart Association. Children of Asian or Pacific Islander descent are also at higher risk on average. The health agency urged parents of children with these symptoms to visit a healthcare provider to be assessed.  If untreated, around one quarter of children will experience artery aneurysms. This is where bulges form in the heart vessels. This can cause heart attacks, heart failure, and in some cases, sudden death, the agency said. Around one in four children with the disease go on to develop heart problems, the American Heart Association states.  Scientists don’t yet know what causes Kawasaki disease, but research indicates the climate and environment a child is exposed to may play a role. It is not thought to be contagious. And as some children in one family get it, there may be a genetic element to the condition although it isn't hereditary.  “Because the illness frequently occurs in outbreaks within a population, an infectious agent (such as a virus) is the likely cause,” the American Heart Association explained.  Doctors can treat children with the disease by hooking them up to a drip of antibodies and aspirin which stops the abnormalities from forming.  A rise in cases generally occurs in winter or early spring. Tom Christensen, County of San Diego Communications Office, explained in a health advisory that the cool, wet weather that southern California has been recently hit might be behind the recent climb in rates.  Dr. Jane C. Burns, pediatrician at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and director of the Kawasaki Disease Research Center, said in a statement: “We want community health care providers to have increased vigilance for Kawasaki disease cases during these periods of wet, cool weather.  “The climate patterns that are associated with increased numbers of children diagnosed have occurred more frequently here so far this year.”  County public health officer Dr. Wilma Wooten said: “Kawasaki disease is not an illness many physicians have diagnosed, and it can initially be confused with other more common illnesses.  “We are alerting health professionals and parents today to raise awareness of the increased Kawasaki disease activity currently in our community.”