Dr Rikas Malhardeen

08/09/2026

08/09/2026

The United Nations warns that the “supersize” El Niño is now approaching

The United Nations has issued an unprecedented warning that the current El Niño climate phenomenon is "supersizing before our eyes," with scientists projecting it could become the most powerful ever recorded.

Backed by alarming data from the World Meteorological Organization, forecasts indicate a near 100% certainty that this historic system will persist through February 2027. Fuelled by exceptionally warm Pacific Ocean temperatures—already measuring more than 2 degrees Celsius above average—this 'Godzilla-level' event is clashing with an atmosphere already supercharged by global heating.

Experts warn that the sheer intensity of this El Niño could push 2027 to 'blow apart' all previous temperature records to become the hottest year in human history, putting the planet in uncharted and dangerous waters.

The humanitarian and economic stakes of this climate disruption are staggering. The UN’s World Food Programme estimates that this extreme El Niño could plunge up to 50 million people into acute hunger as droughts, intense flooding, and crop failures strike vulnerable regions across South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. From shrinking the Panama Canal's shipping capacity to fueling devastating wildfires, the global impact is already unfolding rapidly. As nations face this impending climate shock, the race is officially on to bolster emergency preparedness and build local resilience before the peak of this record-shattering weather event hits.

source: Carrington, D. (2026). 'Supersizing before our eyes': UN warns of record El Niño approaching. The Guardian.

07/09/2026

Workout plan

28/08/2026

The Day of Judgment

The loudest known sound: The Krakatoa volcanic eruption

Krakatoa emitted a blast so powerful it shattered eardrums 40 miles away and reverberated across the globe seven times.

On August 27, 1883, the Indonesian volcanic island of Krakatoa erupted with a violence that rewrote the limits of natural acoustics. The cataclysmic blast produced an estimated 310 decibels.

A ship approximately 64 kilometers (40 mi) from the island experienced a pressure wave of extreme intensity — roughly equal to 190 dB, rupturing the eardrums of over half the crew. And people within 160 kilometers (100 mi) were reportedly deafened by the eruption.

Ultimately, this planetary roar was heard over 3,000 miles away, sounding like distant heavy artillery to people in Western Australia and Mauritius.

But what made the eruption truly unprecedented was its massive atmospheric footprint.

The explosion unleashed a colossal acoustic pressure wave that reverberated around the entire globe seven times over the course of five days. Modern scientists, studying historic barograph data collected from weather stations worldwide, point to Krakatoa as a stark reminder of our planet's capability to generate raw, unyielding physical energy that completely dwarfs any human-made technology.

sources:

"Historical Eruption Sounds - Krakatoa". Volcano Word. Oregon State University College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences

Wi******er, S. (2003). Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883. HarperCollins.

20/08/2026

Research shows just three minutes of one exercise can beat a 90-minute workout.

For decades, fitness guidelines have urged the public to log hours of exercise to reap health benefits. However, a study published in Cell Reports Medicine suggests that when it comes to cellular signaling, intensity outperforms duration.

Researchers from Rockefeller University compared a brief, three-minute sprint workout—six 30-second all-out cycling bursts—with a steady 90-minute moderate ride. Immediately after sprinting, nearly 25 percent of measured blood proteins significantly changed, compared to less than one-quarter of one percent after the 90-minute workout.

This rapid sprint response triggered crucial proteins responsible for blood vessel growth, tissue remodeling, and vital hormone signaling.

These changes are driven by 'ectodomain shedding,' where active protein segments are clipped directly off cell membranes for an immediate biological response. Cross-referencing these findings with health data from 53,000 UK Biobank participants, researchers linked 32 of 33 proteins associated with lower risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases directly to sprinting, compared to just three for moderate exercise. Additionally, over a quarter of these sprint-activated proteins are tied to slower biological aging. While long-duration exercise still aids fat loss and recovery, this research proves that brief, high-intensity training delivers a profound systemic wake-up call in a fraction of the time.

source: Olsen, L., Botella, J., Barrows, D., et al. (2026). Exercise intensity modulates the human plasma secretome and interorgan communication. Cell Reports Medicine, 7(8), 102988.

27/05/2026

நாடு முழுவதும் மூளைக்காய்ச்சல் பரவும் அபாயம் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. இது தொடர்பாக சுகாதார அமைச்சின் தொற்றுநோய் பிரிவு ஏற்கனவே எமக்கு வழிகாட்டல்களை (Guidelines) வழங்கியுள்ளது. இது ஒரு வைரஸ் தொற்று (Enterovirus) என தற்போது கண்டறியப்பட்டுள்ளது.
இந்த வைரஸ் மல-வாய் வழி (Faeco-oral route) மூலமாக உடலுக்குள் நுழைகிறது. அதாவது, பாதிக்கப்பட்டவரின் மலம், உணவு மற்றும் நீருடன் கலப்பதன் மூலம் பரவுகிறது. சளித் துளிகள் (Sema bindithi) மூலமாகவும் பரவலாம்.
(தன்சல்களுக்கு (தானசாலைகள்) செல்லும்போது கவனமாக இருங்கள்...)
முக்கிய அறிகுறிகள்:
கடுமையான காய்ச்சல்
கடுமையான தலைவலி
வாந்தி
வெளிச்சத்தைப் பார்ப்பதில் சிரமம் (Photophobia)
கழுத்து வலி / கழுத்து விறைப்பு (Neck stiffness)
நடத்தையில் மாற்றங்கள் (பிதற்றுதல் போன்றன) (Altered behavior)
வலிப்பு (Fits)
இவையே இதன் முக்கிய அறிகுறிகளாகும்.

பரிசோதனைகள்:
இரத்தப் பரிசோதனைகள்
மூளை தண்டுவட திரவ பரிசோதனை (Lumbar puncture test for CSF FULL report) (முதுகெலும்பில் குத்தி நீர் எடுக்கும் பரிசோதனை)
CT scan / MRI பரிசோதனைகள் (தேவைப்பட்டால்)
மருந்துகள் உள்ளன: ஆன்டிவைரல் (Antiviral) அல்லது ஆன்டிபயாடிக்ஸ் (Antibiotics)
சிக்கல்கள்:
தொடர்ச்சியான வலிப்பு (Fits), செப்டிசீமியா (Septicemia - இரத்தத்தில் கிருமி பரவுதல்), மூளையில் சீழ் கட்டிகள் (Brain abscess) போன்ற சிக்கல்கள் ஏற்படலாம். உடனடியாக சிகிச்சை அளிக்காவிட்டால் மரணம் கூட சம்பவிக்கலாம்.
அறிகுறிகள் காணப்பட்டால் உடனடியாக மருத்துவமனையில் அனுமதிக்க வேண்டும். தாமதித்தால் நிலைமை மோசமடையலாம்.
பாதுகாப்பாக இருப்பது எப்படி?
இயன்றவரை எப்போதும் முகக்கவசம் (Mask) அணியுங்கள். கைகளை அடிக்கடி கழுவுங்கள். வெளியில் உண்பதைத் தவிருங்கள். கொதித்தாறிய தூய நீரைப் பருகுங்கள். சிறு பிள்ளைகளை மக்கள் நடமாட்டம் அதிகமுள்ள இடங்களுக்கு அழைத்துச் செல்ல வேண்டாம்.

01/02/2026

The Nipah virus is spreading with a fatality rate up to 75%.

It has triggered urgent airport screenings across Asia as officials race to contain the pathogen.

A new outbreak of the highly lethal Nipah virus in India’s West Bengal state has put health officials across Asia on high alert.

The virus, which can kill up to 75% of those infected, has recently hospitalized five healthcare workers, forcing over 100 individuals into quarantine.

Classified by the World Health Organization as a priority disease alongside COVID-19, Nipah currently has no approved vaccine or specific medical treatment. Primarily transmitted through fruit bats and pigs, the virus can spread human-to-human, causing symptoms ranging from respiratory distress to fatal brain inflammation.

Neighboring nations are rapidly tightening border controls to prevent further spread. Thailand has launched mandatory screenings and health declarations at international airports in Bangkok and Phuket for arrivals from West Bengal. Similarly, Nepal has initiated health checks at Kathmandu airport and land crossings, while Taiwan is moving to classify Nipah as a "Category 5" disease—a designation reserved for major public health risks. As past outbreaks have shown the virus's potential for devastating impact, these measures aim to prevent a localized cluster from escalating into a regional crisis.

source: Ng, K. (2026). Nipah virus outbreak in India triggers Asia airport screenings. BBC News.

23/12/2025

An entirely new organ has been found behind your nose!

In a remarkable anatomical discovery, scientists have identified a previously unknown pair of salivary glands hidden deep behind the nose—marking the first addition to major human salivary glands in centuries.

Named the tubarial salivary glands, these structures are about 1.5 inches long and sit where the nasal cavity meets the upper throat.

Researchers in the Netherlands stumbled upon them in 2020 while using advanced imaging scans intended for prostate cancer detection. These scans are designed to highlight salivary tissue, and to their surprise, a distinct region lit up in an area long thought to contain no major glands. Follow-up scans of 100 individuals and dissections of two cadavers confirmed the glands' consistent presence.

Though small, these glands play a critical role in moistening the upper throat—particularly during swallowing, breathing, and speaking. But until now, they were completely unknown to medical science. That has real consequences: in head and neck cancer treatments, radiation often unintentionally damages salivary glands, leading to long-term side effects like difficulty swallowing or speaking. After reviewing over 700 cancer cases, researchers found that patients who received higher radiation doses in this newly discovered area experienced more complications. Now that the tubarial glands are recognized, radiation therapy protocols can be adjusted to avoid harming them—offering a straightforward way to improve patient outcomes.

Source: Valstar, M. H., et al. The tubarial salivary glands: a potential new organ at risk for radiotherapy. Radiotherapy and Oncology.