Yellowstone Supervolcano - the Slumbering Giant may Awaken Soon

Business Tech

World’s largest “supervolcano” is even bigger than previously thought

By The Conversation May 2, 2015

Seismologists have discovered a massive magma reservoir beneath the Yellowstone supervolcano in Wyoming, US, that suggests its volcanic system could be more than 5.6 times larger than was previously thought.

Although it was already known that Yellowstone had one magma reservoir, located about 5-16km (3-10 miles) below the surface, the new study, published in Science, has revealed another, much larger reservoir sitting directly below the first, located around 20-50km (12-30 miles) below the surface.

This reservoir is thought to have a volume of around 46,000 cubic km – compared to a volume of around 10,000 cubic km for the shallow reservoir.

To make their discovery scientists analysed the vibrations made by earthquakes that passed beneath the volcano. The technique not only sheds light on this volcano’s potentially life-threatening eruptions but it could also help us understand other volcanoes such as Calbaco, which is currently erupting in Chile.

Sleeping Beauty

Yellowstone volcano is composed of an immense volcanic crater – known as a caldera – more more than 70km (44 miles) in length, most of which lies within Yellowstone National Park. The volcano rarely erupts lava (it last did so about 70,000 years ago, but the magma lying beneath the surface gives rise to spectacular geothermal features, such as geysers and colourful hot springs.

The last large eruption at Yellowstone was 64,000 years ago, and ejected around 1,000 cubic kilometres (240 cubic miles) of volcanic material. This cataclysm created the Yellowstone caldera. To get an idea of the scale of this, the largest eruption in recorded history, Mount Tambora in 1815, erupted about a sixth of that.

Magma reservoirs are thought to occur beneath most volcanoes, and play a crucial role in the dynamics of eruptions. However, they are too deep, and conditions within them too extreme, to be measured directly so volcanologists have to infer information about them using other means, such as measuring seismic waves.

These waves travel more slowly when they pass through molten rock, and accordingly the group were able to use the velocities of the earthquake waves to infer the presence of a large, deep zone of partially molten material.

Carbon footprint explained

The magma stored in the deeper reservoir probably doesn’t cause eruptions at Yellowstone directly. Instead, it likely acts as a “feeder” for the smaller, shallower reservoir – which is the ultimate source of the volcano’s catastrophic eruptions.

Scientists had suspected the existence of a second magma reservoir at Yellowstone for some time, but this new evidence is among the strongest support of the theory to date.

The discovery of this second magma reservoir may also help to explain a mysterious feature of the Yellowstone volcano: its carbon footprint. Carbon dioxide gas is commonplace at volcanoes (it is given off by rising magma), but Yellowstone’s output, which is around 45,000 tonnes of CO2 each day, was too high to be explained by a single magma reservoir. But according to the study’s authors, the presence of the new reservoir is enough to account for the volcano’s CO2 flux.

If the high-resolution seismic imaging technique used in the study could be repeated at other volcanoes whose deep structure is poorly understood – such as Calbuco volcano in Chile – volcanologists might eventually be able to understand how such eruptions take place. The first stirrings of volcanic eruptions happen far below the surface. If researchers can emulate the findings at Yellowstone at other volcanoes, it can only tell us more about the risks they pose.

By Robin Wylie, PhD researcher in Volcanology at UCL

Nine months ago

If This Supervolcano Erupts, Two-Thirds of America Will Be Screwed

Deep in America’s northwest, there lies a supervolcano that, if erupted, has the potential to wipe out the majority of the United States.

What is a supervolcano exactly?

I think the name says it all, but officially, scientists define it as a volcano capable of an eruption thousands of times greater than any ordinary volcanic explosion.

These supervolcanoes burst when a growing pressure of molten rock, or magma, rises up from the Earth’s mantle.

When the crust can’t contain the buildup anymore — boom.

In historic times, we luckily haven’t experienced a supervolcano explosion. The most recent eruption occurred 27,000 years ago in New Zealand.

But, mankind isn’t out of the woods yet. Deep below Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming lies a supervolcano that is very much alive.

A Volcanic Winter

A massive underground chamber filled with magma sits miles below the surface in America’s oldest national park.

Though scientists are mixed as to whether the place could blow anytime soon, there is one thing they do agree on — if it did, it would push much of Earth to the verge of extinction.

It’s immediate effects would be deadly enough, with some estimates saying that 87,000 people would be killed instantly.

A 10-foot layer of ash would spread up to 1,000 miles away, leaving two-thirds of the country completely uninhabitable.

Once the plume rises high into the stratosphere, the released sulfuric gases would mix with the Earth’s water vapor, which National Geographic reports could launch the country and other parts of the globe into a “volcanic winter.”

Essentially, the United States and much of the world would be brought to its knees.

But the carnage doesn’t stop there. The spread of volcanic ash, rocks and gas would immediately cease any sort of air transportation in much of the world.

Just take into account the traffic shutdown following the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption in Iceland. The relatively small explosion caused the closure of large swaths of European airspace, as well as a six-day travel ban in the impacted area.

Those who do survive would be left with a big bill too. Doug Bausch, a senior scientist at FEMA, told WND that such a scenario would cause an estimated $3 trillion in damage for North America.

Could it Happen In Your Lifetime?

The last time Yellowstone erupted — roughly 640,000 years ago — the American continent was devastated, with volcanic materials reaching as far as Louisiana over 1,500 miles away.ast decade, there has been some increased activity at the site. Since 2004, the supervolcano has been rising and just this month, roads were closed in Yellowstone after extreme heat from below was melting the asphalt on roads up above.

An explosion of “volcanic winter” magnitude, however doesn’t seem likely according the U.S. Geological Survey.  They say that the chances of a large-scale eruption at Yellowstone “are exceedingly small in the next few thousand years.”

Of course, other scientists (and the conspiracy theorist inside all of us) are a bit more skeptical. See the thing is, these explosions are highly unpredictable. I think the Huffington Post said it most accurately.

“The bulging pocket of magma swishing around beneath Old Faithful might never blow its lid again. Or, it might put on a surprise fireworks show next Independence Day. Scientists just don’t know.”

I guess it just depends who you want to believe. Personally, I’d like to go on living without worrying about choking to death on toxic ash.

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The Art of Communicating - Why is English the First Language?

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Juan Osborne doesn't just create portraits using type, the Spanish artist

only chooses words relevant to that particular subject

If we were really into communicating English would be the last language we would want for the international language although that is what we are trying to do.  What is it about English other than the fact we learned it to some degree growing up?

Most people consider the root language of all languages to be Latin or Ancient Greek, yet if these are the basis for all languages, how odd that of all languages they have the fewest words.  Here are some of the popular languages and the number of words in each language.

Latin                                   4,000

Ancient Greek                  10,000

Hebrew                            45,000

Spanish                            83,431

French                           100,000

Russian                          150,000

Arabic                           200,000

English                        1,025,109

Now what does that tells us?

I think the Ancient Greeks were the most advanced of all cultures as they laid the foundation for philosophy, religion, mathematics, science, music, medicine, you name it, they did it.  Yet between Latin, which they used, and Ancient Greek, it only took them 14,000 words to lay the foundation for all future languages.

John Bagnall is one of the most viewed writers on the Internet, and he says the following, about the number of words used by English speaking people.

Britain’s Guardian newspaper, in 1986, estimated the size of the average person’s vocabulary as developing from roughly 300 words at two years old, through 5,000 words at five years old, to some 12,000 words at the age of 12 [1].

The Guardian’s research suggested that it stays at around this number of words for the remainder of most (average) people’s lives—adding that this is roughly the same number of words as those drawn on by a popular newspaper in the course of producing its daily editions—while a graduate might have a vocabulary nearly twice as large (23,000 words). Shakespeare, according to Robert McCrum et al (whose estimate of the average vocabulary is 15,000 words), had one of the largest recorded vocabularies of any English writer at around 30,000 words[2].

In point of fact, it’s all but impossible to be sure. Not simply because of the difficulty of estimating the number of words any given individual does use and understand, but because of the difficulty of defining what does or does not represent a discrete “word”. For example, is “hair-dryer” one word or two (“hair dryer”)? Do you include abbreviations and acronyms such as “a.m.” and “p.m.”, “’flu” and “BBC”? Is “haven’t” to be considered the same as “have not”, or is it a separate word? What about proper names, brand names? Do you count slang and regional dialect words? Texting and other online conventions? Different grammatical tenses of the same verb? Are popular idioms and phrases (''see you soon'', ''crash out'', ''lol'') to be counted singularly? And so on.

There's also a distinction to be drawn between the words that people use (their active vocabulary) and those they never use of their own volition but understand should they encounter the word when used by others (their passive vocabulary). Clearly, a person's passive vocabulary is (much) larger than their active one.

If you want to investigate the size of your own vocabulary (active and passive), David Crystal’s invaluable The English Language (2nd ed, Penguin 2002) describes a method you can use.

[1] The Guardian, 12 August 1986, cited in David Crystal, The English Language, 2002, p46
[2] Robert McCrum et al., The Story of English, 1986, p102

Vocabulary size

Lexical facts

May 29th 2013, 16:02 by R.L.G. | NEW YORK

SEVERAL years ago we mentioned TestYourVocab.com here on the blog. Not long ago, the site reached its two millionth test result, and so the researchers have put together some data:

• Most adult native test-takers range from 20,000–35,000 words
• Average native test-takers of age 8 already know 10,000 words
• Average native test-takers of age 4 already know 5,000 words
• Adult native test-takers learn almost 1 new word a day until middle age
• Adult test-taker vocabulary growth basically stops at middle age
• The most common vocabulary size for foreign test-takers is 4,500 words
• Foreign test-takers tend to reach over 10,000 words by living abroad
• Foreign test-takers learn 2.5 new words a day while living in an English-speaking country

In a separate post, though, comes a surprising fact: the reading of fiction specifically is as important as reading generally.  People who read "lots" and fiction "lots" outscore those who read "lots" but fiction only "somewhat" or "not much". This is because a wider range of vocabulary is typically used in fiction than in non-fiction writing. 

And if you're wondering "how accurate can this short test be?" the details of the methodology are quite interesting and clearly explained. So if you haven't tested yourself, do.

Everyone ignored my remark that "bragging in the comments is naff" last time, so go ahead and brag away.

BBC News Magazine 28 April 2009

The words in the mental cupboard

By Caroline Gall
BBC News Magazine

Children are to be offered lessons on how to speak English formally amid fears that many are suffering from "word poverty", it has been reported. But how many words do people tend to know and use?

Do people know more words than they actually use? And is having a large vocabulary something you learn or have a natural ability for?

These are burning issues in the worlds of linguistics and education. On Monday it was reported that children in England will have lessons in formal language amid fears that some are suffering from stunted vocabularies.

US company Global Language Monitor (GLM) believes that the one millionth word will be added to the English language in mid-June.

While there is agreement that a word becomes a word when it is used by one person and understood by another, grammarians and lexicographers stand divided when deciding which to include when calculating a total.

Obamamania, bankster and bloggerati are just some of the "brand new words" GLM has been tracking.

The operation, based in Austin, Texas, says 25,000 citations in the worldwide media, social networking sites and elsewhere are its benchmark for a word to be included in its total.

They estimate a new word is created every 98 minutes.

The English language is likely to contain the most words of all languages, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, and estimates for the number of words range from one to two million.

Agreement will probably never be reached over whether or not to include words used in botany or chemistry, let alone slang, dialects and influences from foreign shores.

Some areas GLM does not include are product names and chemicals and Paul Payack, president and chief word analyst, says the 600,000 species of fungus are not in.

So, can a precise word total ever be known? No, says Professor David Crystal, known chiefly for his research in English language studies and author of around 100 books on the subject.

"It's like asking how many stars are there in the sky. It's impossible to answer," he said.

An easier question to answer, he maintains, is the size of the average person's vocabulary.

He suggests taking a sample of about 20 or 30 pages from a medium-sized dictionary, one which contains about 100,000 entries or 1,000 to 1,500 pages.

Tick off the ones you know and count them. Then multiply that by the number of pages and you will discover how many words you know. Most people vastly underestimate their total.

"Most people know half the words - about 50,000 - easily. A reasonably educated person about 75,000 and a really cool, smart person well, maybe all of them but that is rather unusual.

"An ordinary person, one who has not been to university say, would know about 35,000 quite easily."

The formula can be used to calculate the number of words a person uses, but a person's active language will always be less than their passive, the difference being about a third.

Prof Crystal says exposure to reading will obviously expand a person's vocabulary but the level of a person's education does not necessarily decide things.

"A person with a poor education perhaps may not be able to read or read much, but they will know words and may have a very detailed vocabulary about pop songs or motorbikes.

"I've met children that you could class as having a poor education and they knew hundreds of words about skateboards that you won't find in a dictionary.

"We must avoid cultural elitism."

His research led him to ask people how many different words appeared on average in a copy of

The Sun newspaper. All respondents came back with a low figure.

The Sun versus The Bible 

After counting a paper picked from random he found there to be about 8,000.

"That's the same as the King James version of the Bible.

"It is not very varied and names don't count but you see, people see headlines like 'Gotcha!' and make a judgment."

But surely, the perfect outlet for having a vast vocabulary is Scrabble.

Allan Simmons, crowned UK champion last year, says he can recognise around 100,000 of the 160,000 words of nine letters or under included on the Scrabble list.

"I've always liked words, their meanings and dictionaries. Patterns of words are interesting - I see it as an art form.

"I have a good memory and a lot of words I learn just for the game although that is a bit artificial."

And while the language grows, words will fall out of use by being replaced.

Experts predict words like "stab" or "throw", have a language lifetime of about 800 to 1,000 years whereas the words "three", "five", "I" and "who" may last anything up to 20,000 years.

So as new words are created at such a pace will we ever keep track? Worry not, says Prof Crystal.

"Of course words become obsolete when they are not used in everyday speech. Look at Shakespeare's plays. But words never, ever get forgotten."

Facts regarding English in England

Some children start school knowing 6,000 words, others just 500.

DICTIONARY MAN

American Ammon Shea spent a year reading the Oxford English Dictionary

He digested 20 volumes, 21,730 pages and 59 million words

'I'm not against big words per se... but I'm opposed to using them for their own sake,' he said

Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies

Spring 2003

The Thirty Million Word Gap

A summary from "The Early Catastrophe: The 30 Million Word Gap by Age 3" by University of Kansas researchers Betty Hart and Todd R. Risley. (2003). American Educator. Spring: 4-9, which was excerpted with permission from B. Hart and T.R. Risley (1995). Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experiences of Young American Children. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.

In this groundbreaking study, University of Kansas researchers Betty Hart and Todd Risley entered the homes of 42 families from various socio-economic backgrounds to assess the ways in which daily exchanges between a parent and child shape language and vocabulary development. Their findings were unprecedented, with extraordinary disparities between the sheer number of words spoken as well as the types of messages conveyed. 

After four years these differences in parent-child interactions produced significant discrepancies in not only children’s knowledge, but also their skills and experiences with children from high-income families being exposed to 30 million more words than children from families on welfare. Follow-up studies showed that these differences in language and interaction experiences have lasting effects on a child’s performance later in life.

The Early Catastrophe
Betty Hart & Todd R. Risley

Mission:

Betty Hart and Todd Risley were at the forefront of educational research during the 1960’s War on Poverty. Frustrated after seeing the effects of their high quality early intervention program aimed at language skill expansion prove unsuccessful in the long-term, they decided to shift their focus. If the proper measures were being taken in the classroom, the only logical conclusion was to take a deeper look at the home. What difference does home-life make in a child’s ability to communicate? Why are the alarming vocabulary gaps between high school students from low and high income environments seemingly foreshadowed by their performance in preschool? Hart and Risley believed that the home housed some of these answers.

Experimental Method:

Hart and Risley recruited 42 families to participate in the study including 13 high-income families, 10 families of middle socio-economic status, 13 of low socio-economic status, and 6 families who were on welfare. Monthly hour-long observations of each family were conducted from the time the child was seven months until age three. Gender and race were also balanced within the sample.

Results:

The results of the study were far more severe than anyone could have anticipated. Observers found that 86% to 98% of the words used by each child by the age of three were derived from their parents’ vocabularies. Furthermore, not only were the words they used nearly identical, but also the average number of words utilized, the duration of their conversations, and the speech patterns were all strikingly similar to those of their caregivers.

After establishing these patterns of learning through imitation, the researchers next analyzed the content of each conversation to garner a better understanding of each child’s experience.  The number of words addressed to children differs across income groups. They found that the sheer number of words heard varied greatly along socio-economic lines. On average, children from families on welfare were provided half as much experience as children from working class families, and less than a third of the experience given to children from high-income families. In other words, children from families on welfare heard about 616 words per hour, while those from working class families heard around 1,251 words per hour, and those from professional families heard roughly 2,153 words per hour. Thus, children from better financial circumstances had far more language exposure to draw from.

In addition to looking at the number of words exchanged, the researchers also looked at what was being said within these conversations. What they found was that higher-income families provided their children with far more words of praise compared to children from low-income families. Children's vocabulary differs greatly across income groups. Conversely, children from low-income families were found to endure far more instances of negative reinforcement compared to their peers from higher-income families. Children from families with professional backgrounds experienced a ratio of six encouragements for every discouragement. For children from working-class families this ratio was two encouragements to one discouragement. Finally, children from families on welfare received on average two discouragements for every encouragement.

To ensure that these findings had long-term implications, 29 of the 42 families were recruited for a follow-up study when the children were in third grade. Researchers found that measures of accomplishment at age three were highly indicative of performance at the ages of nine and ten on various vocabulary, language development, and reading comprehension measures. Thus, the foundation built at age three had a great bearing on their progress many years to come.

Inferences:

Within a child’s early life the caregiver is responsible for most, if not all, social simulation and consequently language and communication development. As a result, how parents interact with their children is of great consequence given it lays a critical foundation impacting the way the children process future information many years down the road. This study displays a clear correlation between the conversation styles of parents and the resulting speech of their children. This connection evidences just how problematic the results of this study may truly be.

The finding that children living in poverty hear fewer than a third of the words heard by children from higher-income families has significant implications in the long run. When extrapolated to the words heard by a child within the first four years of their life these results reveal a 30 million word difference. That is, a child from a high-income family will experience 30 million more words within the first four years of life than a child from a low-income family. This gap does nothing but grow as the years progress, ensuring slow growth for children who are economically disadvantaged and accelerated growth for those from more privileged backgrounds.

In addition to a lack of exposure to these 30 million words, the words a child from a low-income family has typically mastered are often negative directives, meaning words of discouragement. The ratios of encouraging versus discouraging feedback found within the study, when extrapolated, evidences that by age four, the average child from a family on welfare will hear 125,000 more words of discouragement than encouragement. When compared to the 560,000 more words of praise as opposed to discouragement that a child from a high-income family will receive, this disparity is extraordinarily vast.

The established connection between what a parent says and what a child learns has more severe implications than previously anticipated. Though Hart and Risley are quick to indicate that each child received no shortage of love and care, the immense differences in communication styles found along socio-economic lines are of far greater consequence than any parent could have imagined. The resulting disparities in vocabulary growth and language development are of great concern and prove the home does truly hold the key to early childhood success.

Sources Cited:

Hart, B. & Risley, T.R. “The Early Catastrophe:The 30 Million Word Gap by Age 3” (2003, spring). American Educator, pp.4-9.. http://www.aft.org//sites/default/files/periodicals/TheEarlyCatastrophe.pdf

— Prepared by Ashlin Orr, Kinder Institute Intern, 2011-12.

For more information about putting this research into practice, please explore our work at the Rice Oral and Written Language (OWL) Lab.

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Random Acts of Kindness Stimulate the Brain and Change the World

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The Power of Kindness

How to stimulate the brain and change the world.

What exactly is a random act of kindness?  While Wikipedia takes a stab at defining it whatever is on Wikipedia is subject to continuous change.  As a result there are numerous references on the Internet to Wikipedia definitions for the phrase, "Random acts of kindness" but all of them are different.  Here is the latest incarnation of their definition.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

A random act of kindness is a selfless act performed by a person or people wishing to either assist or cheer up an individual person or people.  Either spontaneous or planned, random acts of kindness are encouraged by various communities.

Any further search for a definitive definition for this phrase has been met with frustration, deception and despair, all reactions contrary to the whole concept of random acts of kindness.

Perhaps the problem with today is our preoccupation with precisely defining what we are doing before we can do it.  When there is confusion in terms of the definition, there can only be chaos in the execution or lack of execution.

In other words, maybe we just think to much.

Why in the world do we need definitions in order to do good?  I mean do we really adhere to a world view that if it is not in Wikipedia or the Urban Dictionary then it cannot be right, or good or even worthwhile?

I use both resources on occasion but as a journalist I also realize that any effort to use democracy to create truth is doomed, and both resources do it.

What does that mean?  Both services allow their definitions and other content to be submitted by the public, edited by the public, changed by the public and even interpreted by the public.

That sounds like a form of democracy, power to the people, regardless of whether the people know the subject or understand the power.  It is like the French Revolution, a brutal and bloody overthrow of a monarchy in 1789 with no idea what to do if it succeeded.  It took them three times to get it right.

Encyclopedia Britannica defines it as follows:

French Revolution, also called Revolution of 1789,  the revolutionary movement that shook France between 1787 and 1799 and reached its first climax there in 1789. Hence the conventional term “Revolution of 1789,” denoting the end of the ancen régime in France and serving also to distinguish that event from the later French revolutions of 1830 and 1848.

So what exactly is a "Random act of kindness" and why should we care what it means?

Well, I say a "Random act of kindness" is a selfless and often spontaneous act performed to help others or to cheer them up.  It is usually performed anonymously with no expectation for acknowledgement or recognition.

If we worried less about motive and reward and more about giving we would need no definition and no reason to act.  It would be an everyday occurrence because it was just the right thing to do whenever you can do it.

But from a scientific perspective there may be compelling reasons why you really should be doing it every opportunity you may get.

Helping others feel good and happy might just be your ticket to happiness and to a whole lot of other people, and that sounds like a good thing.

Science has proven that the brain generates chemicals naturally,  One of these is a hormone called serotonin found in the pineal gland, digestive tract and the brain.  It serves to transmit nerve signals to nerve cells.

Changes in the hormone level can alter your mood by making you sad when the level goes down and making you happy when the level goes up.  When you stay happy this endorphin protects you from depression while helping to strengthen your immune system.

Studies have proven when a person does a random act of kindness it not only increases the happy feeling, through production of more serotonin, for the recipient of this act of kindness, but also for the giver and anyone watching the act or reactions.

Imagine that, we spend billions of dollars on prescription drugs because we don't feel good only to feel worse and destroy our immune system in the process, when we could be feeling well by doing random acts of kindness.

Unfortunately, here in America it may be difficult to find people able to react naturally to a random act of kindness.  You see, if they are already under the influence of prescription drugs their brain is no longer able to react naturally to such acts of kindness.

Think about this, based on our national addiction to legal, prescription drugs, one could conclude Americans are about the most depressed people on the planet.  We have the highest standard of living, most expensive health care and education, more wealth and better homes and diets than most people.

Yet we have had a 400% increase in anti-depressant pill use the last two decades because of our depression.  That figure comes from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, not me.

Helplessness, hopelessness, and immobilization are now the fashionable keys to being good Americans and great fodder for social gatherings.

Sooo.  Maybe our first random act of kindness should be to help people get off the drugs that are keeping them from being depressed in the first place.  There are a host of prescriptions to take care of our plethora of mind illnesses.

Here are some of the manifestations of depression and mood swinging.

Which Drugs Are Abused?

The most commonly used prescription drugs fall into three classes:

1. Opioids

Examples: oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and meperidine (Demerol)

Medical uses: Opioids are used to treat pain or relieve coughs or diarrhea.
How they work: Opioids attach to opioid receptors in the central nervous system (the  brain and the spinal cord), preventing the brain from receiving pain messages.

2. Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants
Examples: pentobarbital sodium (Nembutal), diazepam (Valium), and alprazolam (Xanax)
Medical uses: CNS depressants are used to treat anxiety, tension, panic attacks, and sleep disorders.

How they work: CNS depressants slow down brain activity by increasing the activity of a neurotransmitter called GABA. The result is a drowsy or calming effect.

3. Stimulants

Examples: methylphenidate (Ritalin) and amphetamine/dextroamphetamine (Adderall)

Medical uses: Stimulants can be used to treat narcolepsy and ADHD.
How they work: Stimulants increase brain activity, resulting in greater alertness, attention, and energy.

Here are some of the results of our obsession with depression.

Therapeutic Drug Use
(Data are for the U.S.)
Percent of persons using at least one prescription drug in the past month: 48.5% (2007-2010)
Percent of persons using three or more prescription drugs in the past month: 21.7% (2007-2010)
Percent of persons using five or more prescription drugs in the past month: 10.6% (2007-2010)
Source: Health, United States, 2012, table 91  [PDF - 9.8 MB]

Physician office visits
Number of drugs ordered or provided: 2.6 billion
Percent of visits involving drug therapy: 75.1%

Most frequently prescribed therapeutic classes:
Analgesics
Antihyperlipidemic agents
Antidepressants
Source: National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2010 Summary Tables, tables 22, 23, 24  [PDF - 382 KB]

What other people are saying.

Imagine this!  Kindness extended, received, or observed beneficially impacts the physical health and feelings of everyone involved!

Did you know that a single act of kindness can; bring a rush of euphoria, followed by a longer period of calm, reduce stress, increase the sense of self worth, happiness, and optimism, lower blood pressure, diminish pain, an increased sense of self-worth, greater happiness and optimism, translate to immense immune and healing benefits, increase a sense of self-worth, greater happiness and optimism, enhance our feeling of joyfulness, helps reverse feelings of depression and lower the heart rate.

Kindness Breeds More Kindness: In findings sure to gladden the heart of anyone who's ever wondered whether tiny acts of kindness have larger consequences, researchers have shown that generosity is contagious.

Goodness spurs goodness, they found: A single act can influence dozens more.

The positive effect of kindness on the immune system and on the increased production of serotonin in the brain has been proven in research studies. Serotonin is a naturally occurring substance in the body that makes us feel more comfortable, peaceful, and even blissful.

In fact, the role of most anti-depressants is to stimulate the production of serotonin chemically, helping to ease depression. Research has shown that a simple act of kindness directed toward another improves the functioning of the immune system and stimulates the production of serotonin in both the recipient of the kindness and the person extending the kindness.

Even more amazing is that persons observing the act of kindness have similar beneficial results. Imagine this! Kindness extended, received, or observed beneficially impacts the physical health and feelings of everyone involved!

Wayne Dyer

Kindness isn't just a fluffy, feel-good, warm-fuzzy concept. It is a powerful, energetic experience that transforms both the giver and recipient at such deep levels that some say it can work miracles. When we open our hearts and reach out to others in kindness, our brain releases endorphins—the morphine-like chemicals that produce the feelings of exhilaration know as the "runner's high." Acts of kindness, according to researcher Paul Persall, also cause your brain to release "Substance P," a neurotransmitter chemical that blocks pain. These two powerful physiological processes have an immense influence on our body/mind/spirit and the way that we experience life.

A steady flow of endorphins and Substance P through our bodies strengthens our immune system, keeps us feeling happy, joyful, optimistic and energized. This heightens our sense of well being so that we feel calmer, more centered and focused no matter what kind of stressful events might be happening around us. Physiologically, these brain chemicals improve circulation, reduce blood pressure, increase body warmth and improve weight control. Kindness helps us relax so that we can connect with others and with our own good feelings.

Janae Weinhold, Ph.D.

Now heal thyself and then help heal the world.

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HATRED - America's New Terrorism - It has Begun!

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Condor regular visitor to man who saved him - Another Act of Human Kindness

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A Man Saved a Condor Years Ago and the Bird Still Flies Back to Say Thanks! (VIDEO)

This video may very well be the most unique and sweetest bonding ever seen between a human and a wild bird! This is not just any bird though, it’s a massive condor! When this condor fell from his nest as a baby, the man in the video saved his life and nursed him back to health until he could take to the skies once again.

In the video, this condor literally appears to be cuddling his friend like a dog. He is quite obviously ecstatic to see his rescuer again and frequently flies back for a reunion.

According to Animal Fact Guide, a condor’s wingspan can reach three meters (or 10 feet) long with the California Condor being the largest flying bird in North America.

It is not unusual for wild animals to form a special bond with their rescuers and it has been seen time and time again, even after years have passed, that they still remember and even visit their guardian angels. This goes to show the human and animal bond is strong and should never be taken for granted.

Although this video is very sweet, we do not recommend interacting with a wild animal unless you are a professional rehabilitator or have been given instructions from a professional. If you ever come across an injured animal who needs help, check out these animal rescue hotlines. 

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